Always There For You (Harry Potter OC X OC)

76. Devastation-

Lizzy began to feel unsure about friendship. She once believed people were actually nice by heart. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Bobby, Cole, Sandra, and Markus... Even Ann who was always nice, was only nice on meeting in person. She felt stupid thinking about them when someone was dead.

After Dumbledore's funeral, she sat in a train compartment by a window next to Joel, leaning her head on the window. This was familiar. Just like when she came back to Hogwarts after mum's divorce. She rode the train like this. But she was now heading home from a funeral.

She and Joel sat in one of the empty compartment in the first year's carriage. Joel's owl rested in a cage on the opposite seat. Joel was the only one she trusted at the moment, yet she was starting to feel unsure of him as well.

'You don't mind me listening to the radio every night, do you?' he asked, quietly. 'I'll be doing that from now one.'

'No, but keep the volume down to a medium...'

'Okay.'

'Joel... what if I want to be a muggle?' she suddenly had the idea. 'Does the Wizarding Ministry have a program or something for that?'

Joel stayed silent.

'I don't enjoy Hogwarts anymore. I don't have real friends. My closest friend in my dormroom let murder happen. Everything is useless. I don't have anyone I can trust.'

Joel frowned. 'What about me? Am I not enough? Not even a bit?'

She glanced at him. 'I guess I'm just tired.'

'I'm tired too,' he said. 'We're going through difficult times right now. I promise you the Wizarding World isn't so bad once You-Know-Who and Death Eaters are gone.'

'Yeah, but Dumbledore is killed... People praise how much of a legend he is. He has his own chocolate frog card. But still, he is killed by their lot.'

Joel kept silent, letting her be.

'But he died. He died, Joel. They said Snape killed him. A teacher. He's a Death Eater. I don't know who to trust anymore...'

'Snape's always sketchy to me... But I never thought he was truly evil...'

'All of this is a fucking joke.'

Joel was bewildered of her shifting personality. 'Did something happen to you?'

'Don't be silly, I'm just realizing how shitty the world is and I'm too dumb to realize it before all of this.'

'Liz... talk to me.'

'Nothing to talk about. Leave me alone.'

A trolley lady stopped by their compartment and opened the glass door. 'Anything from the trolley dears?'

Joel stood up in a smile, though his eyes didn't. He looked at the trolley. 'Gillywater and chocolate frogs, please.'

'Of course,' said the lady delightfully. 'That would be 15 knuts. What about you, love? Fancy anything?'

'No thanks,' she said in a quick smile before she looked out of the window once again.

Joel spoke, 'It's been tough... sorry...'

'I understand... Dumbledore is a great wizard... it's a sad fate for someone like him... You shouldn't have to witness it.'

'Perhaps.'

'Well now, excuse me, I will--'

'Uhm,' he spoke when the lady was about to leave. 'Do you have anything strawberry flavoured?'