"I write her a letter
just a few short lines,
and suffer death
a thousand times."
Asteria O'Connor, sole heir of a prestigious wizarding family,
has other plans when the self-proclaimed Marauders decide to
torment her and her housemates.
It's abo...
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aster
It's only when I step onto the Hogwarts Express and the door closes behind me – muffling the shouts and chaos from the platform – that it hits me that this is my final first day. No more excitement about timetables or rejoining with friends after Summer. Somehow I feel less affected by these usually emotional milestones. I want nothing more than to feel normal again.
"Come on, you," helps Severus. "Let's find the others."
My eyes widen suddenly and I inhale sharply. "I can't face Lily. I won't."
I see a pitying look adorn the pale boy's face. "I'll stay by your side. That should keep her away a couple meters at least at least."
His eyes twinkle when he sees that he's made me smile – even slightly. We pass by compartments filled with chattering and fun. Everyone seems too preoccupied to notice me which I thank Merlin for. Chris spots me first when I stand in the doorway and he immediately breaks into a rare toothy grin.
"Hello boys," I greet softly, a nauseous feeling settling in my stomach. I hadn't done much psychological preparation for today as I partly ignored that it was happening. Regulus, Cyrus and Anthony look to me then and act as if they've seen a ghost. Anthony moves forward but stops himself. "Oh I'm not that delicate, Warrington. I don't think a hug will break me."
He laughs then, relieved, and wraps his arms around me cautiously. The others join in then as well and we stay wrapped in a connected circle in the teensy compartment for about half a minute. Once we release, I sit beside Regulus who seems to be slightly glassy-eyed even though I would never mention such a thing.
We talk then. The embrace seems to have been all we needed to say on the matter. We discuss Summers and stories. I can tell that not one of them has had a brilliant few months from how they gloss over parts but we still keep the air light and breathable for at least the first hour.
Cyrus tells us of his sister who thinks she's finally found her 'perfect husband' even though multiple before him have mysteriously disappeared. Chris shares tales of the new family cat who keeps stealing his socks and getting stuck in them. Anthony talks of hardly anything other than Angela. That boy is whipped. Regulus doesn't say too much which I let him away with, knowing that we'll have proper conversations later. For now I'm satisfied with just sitting with his legs draped over mine. Severus and I share all of our adventures and I tell the boys of all the Muggle things that I found truly wild. I share how the postal system works, amazing them. Severus begins laughing his arse off when I tell them of the time I got stuck in a telephone box. Trying to explain what a telephone is seems to prove very difficult. I show them my new tattoos and piercings when they remark on my change in style.
After the first while we begin to really talk, the lighthearted conversation slipping away like a sought out façade. It doesn't last long but that doesn't shift the weight of any of our words. The three seventh year Purebloods tell me of their initiation this Summer, meaning they all wear the Dark Mark on their skin.
