What If? Year 1

Chapter 29

I shut my trunk while Ara sits on it.  I grab the bag with Cedric's gift and we take all of our stuff downstairs.  Evie hugs Ara and whimpers. 
"I don't want you to leave," Evie cries, "You and Goldie will write me, won't you?" Ara nods and Evie smiles.  She comes and hugs me next. 
"I love you, Goldie," she says, squeezing my middle section. 
"I love you too, Evie," I say, "you're going to Uncle Sirius'?"  Evie nods.
"Goodbye," Ara and I say.  Evie floos to the Uncle Sirius' and Mum smiles.  We go out to the car.  Dad puts our stuff in the car and Ara, Harry, and I get into the back.

We get to Kings Cross thirty minutes early. Harry and I roll our eyes as Dad hurried us out of the car. Ara looks at me nervously as I notice a group of three blonde haired people walking into the station.
"It's alright," I whisper to her as her hair turns bright red and her eyes turn purple, with fear. Mum notices the change.
"We won't let them do anything to you, Ara," she tells her, as Dad lays out trunks down next to us, "you're family." I grip Ara's hand and give it a firm squeeze before following Harry and Dad into the station. Ara follows closely behind me. We get to Platforms Nine and Ten. Ara grips my hand and we run in together. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were waiting just on the other side of the barrier. I tug Ara away from them, but Mr. Malfoy grabs the edge of her trunk.
"Wait," he sneers, "Miss Potter, you are free to go. Your presence is not needed in this matter. My daughter and I need to have a serious conversation." I look at Ara and she looks at me. Her eyes were shining with tears. I pull my trunk far out of Mr. Malfoy's reach and hand it to Ara.
"Go," I mumble, low enough, that she understood and drops her trunk. She runs off with mine towards the train.
"You stupid girl," Mr. Malfoy sneers again, raising his cane to strike me. I raise a hand to soften the blow. He hits my hand and cuts my palm. He raised his cane again, but someone grabs it before he can hit me again. Mum stood in front of him, with pure rage in her eyes.|
"How dare you hit my daughter!" she yells as Dad and Harry come through the barrier.
"How dare she keep my daughter from me?" Mr. Malfoy yells as Harry finds Ara and hurries over to her. My hand hurt like hell, but I try not to show it.
"She is not your daughter any more," Dad tells him, trying to calm Mum down a little, "you left all her stuff at Hogwarts and disowned her."
"That was a terrible thing to do," Mrs. Malfoy chimes in coldly, "he was just angry with her."
"And you did nothing about it?" Mum asks her as she continues to glare at Mr. Malfoy.
"I am his wife," Mrs. Malfoy says, "I have no say.."
"You do," Mum says, "don't let him walk all over you Narcissa." Mrs. Malfoy nods and Mr. Malfoy walks over to me and grabs my collar.
"Keep your hands off my daughter," Dad snarls, trying to tug him off me.
"Go get me my daughter," he sneers in my face. Dad gets him off and I stand my ground.
"No," I growl, waking away, rubbing my cut palm. I turn on my heal and walks off, putting my hand up to my mouth. I find Ara and Harry talking next to the train.
"Did he do that to you?" Ara asks, her voice quiet. I cover my hand.
"It's fine," I lie, making eye contact with Harry. Mum and Dad come over to us and Dad takes my hand, calmly.  He turns my palm towards him. Ara gasps.
"It's fine, Ara," I tell her, as Dad gets out his wand.
"I'm no healer, Goldie," he says, "you'll have a small scar, but you don't care about that, right."  I nod and he points his wand at my hand.
"Ferula!" he says.  Bandages wrap around my hand.  Ara gives me a hug.
"Thank you," she whispers, "Do you know if they've left?"
"They left," Mum says, "we made sure of it."  A boy runs over to them.
"Are you okay?" Draco asks, sheepishly, "I never thought Dad would hit..."  I nod my head and smile.
"I'm okay, Draco," I say, "it's not your fault."  Draco grimaces. He gets up and leaves. Harry glare as he leaves.
"I would leave you here by yourselves, but I don't trust them," Dad says, referring to the Malfoys.  We stand together next to the train.  I am practically bouncing, as we wait.  I fidget with my new necklace, flipping it backwards and forwards.  Ara and I stare at the column, each of us looking for someone different.  Cedric appears with his family.  I grab his gift and start to walk over to him.  One of his other friends gets to him first, which makes me immediately turn around and retreat. 
"He's talking to one of his friends," I mumble, when Dad sends me a questioning look, "I'll find him later."  Ara shakes her head and grabs my arm. 
"You helped me, I'm going to help you," she whispers, dragging me back over to Cedric.  She taps on his shoulder before patting my back and running off.  Cedric turns around and smiles. 
"Goldie!" he says, taking me into a hug, "I missed you!  I can't wait for our date!"  I smile and hold out his present to him.  He takes it, smiling, and slowly unwraps it.  The jumper unfolds and he smiles even wider.  
"I love it!" he says, hugging me again, "This feels really cheezie, but marigolds are my favorite flower." I giggle and rock back and forth.  
"Thank you," he says, taking my hand and leading me towards my family. 
"Mr. Potter, sir," Cedric says, "It is lovely to see you again." Mum smiles and rubs Dad's forearm. 
"It is nice to see you again, Cedric," Dad says, "I don't think you've met Marigold's mother."  Cedric shakes Mum's hand, smiling. 
"You and Goldie look a lot alike," Cedric says, stating the obvious, "You must get that a lot."  Mum chuckles. 
"We do," Mum says, smiling and looking at me, "it is nice meeting you." Cedric nods and smiles at Harry. 
"Nice seeing you too, Harry," he says before giving me a hug before walking off.  Ara elbows me and points at Dad.  He was glaring at Cedric, so I smack him. 
"Ouch," he says, "what was that for?" 
"I thought you were okay with him," I say, and he smiles. 
"He's okay," he replies, "that does not mean that I can't still scare him a bit."  Harry laughs.  The train blows it horn.  Dad gives me a hug and a quick kiss on the forehead. 
"Be safe, Golds, alright?" he says, "don't do anything stupid."  I laugh.  He lets go of me and hugs Harry.  I give my Mum a hug.  Ara stands, slightly awkward.  Mum lets go of me and hugs her. 
"Watch out for each other," Mum says, "try not to wonder the halls without each other, alright?"  Ara nods and I loop my arm with hers. 
"I love you," I tell Mum and Dad, "I'll write, promise." They wave and we make our to the train and an empty compartment.