The Other Black Book 2

Chapter 5 - The Whomping Willow

"What happened back there?" Taylor asked as Aurora got into her parents' car.

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked.

"In the Leaky Cauldron. What happened? Who are the Malfoys?"

"The blonde father and son who were heckling Harry and Mr. Weasley."

Taylor threw Aurora a 'no duh' look before returning his eyes to the road.

"I don't really know, but they have very... different views of wizards than the Weasleys. Draco really doesn't like Harry, and their family doesn't like me. Well, his father at least."

"Why?"

"Because I'm friends with the Weasleys, the Grangers -- they don't like muggles and muggle-born witches/wizards even less, and I'm not Slytherin." Olivia looked back at Aurora, a shocked look on her face. Aurora continued, "I don't really care. So what I share a name with them? Doesn't mean they're really my family. I don't care whether they like me or not."

***

The end of the summer holidays didn't seem to come soon enough. Aurora had fun spending time with her parents, but she missed seeing Harry every day, and talking over the course books with him. She instead spent her time reading the books and wondering if Lockhart would really be as capable as he claimed. Sure, the feats in his books were incredible, but she doubted it was him. She didn't know why, but she really couldn't see the showy wizard in very blue robes doing everything he described in his books.

When flipping through her spellbook, Aurora found a picture of a young couple holding a little girl. The woman had dark brown hair fashioned into a braid that ran over her shoulder. The man had blonde hair, and Aurora thought he looked a lot like Mr. Lucius Malfoy -- maybe it was his brother Janus Malfoy. They both were wearing black outfits, her a dress and him a suit. The woman held the girl, no older than one, on her waist. The little girl had a head of thin, dark hair and she wore a black dress that was similar to her mother's. If they weren't smiling, Aurora would've thought this was taken at a funeral.

The morning Aurora was due to leave, they all packed Aurora's belongings (she'd gotten them back from the Weasleys) into the family's car, and the three of them rode to the station together. Olivia and Taylor followed Aurora through the passage to Platform 9¾, and she waited there until she saw Hermione come through. They hugged, and decided to wait for Harry and Ron together. They watched the clock carefully the whole time. Taylor and Olivia left -- Taylor left to get on his train to work, and Olivia to go home.

Aurora and Hermione went to find their seats when the clock reached 10:50, but they watched the barrier. It was five minutes later when the Weasleys trickled in. Percy went through first and made straight for the train. Then Mr. Weasley came through. Fred and George were joined by Ginny as she came through with Mrs. Weasley.

Then nothing. Aurora and Hermione waited, watching the barrier, but with one minute left before the train left, Ron and Harry didn't pass through.

The train's engines started going. Aurora counted down the seconds until the second hand made it all the way around.

It reached thirty.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione said, watching the barrier.

"What could've happened?" Aurora asked as the clock reached fifteen.

Then ten... nine... eight...

"Why aren't they coming?" Hermione asked.

Three... two... one...

The train pulled away. Aurora and Hermione looked at each other.

They missed the train. Harry and Ron missed the train to Hogwarts.