Your still mine D.M

Return~Chapter 1

Avery's POV
The train ride to Hogwarts had always been a magical experience for most students, but for me, it was nothing more than a journey back into the past. My fingers drummed restlessly against the windowpane as the landscape blurred by. The last time I saw Hogwarts, I was just a child, clinging to the hope that leaving would somehow erase the bitter memories that haunted me. Now, as the castle loomed in the distance, those memories came rushing back, uninvited.

"Avery, you're going to love it at Hogwarts," my father had said, his voice dripping with false enthusiasm. He had no idea what awaited me there, the ghosts of friendships that once were, the tangled mess of emotions I had left behind. I was coming back to a world where I had once belonged, and yet felt utterly out of place.

The train came to a stop, and I found myself swept along by the tide of students, all chattering excitedly about the year ahead. The faces were unfamiliar, but the House crests on their robes weren't. My heart pounded as I stepped off the train, my eyes scanning the crowd, half-hoping not to see a certain pale-haired Slytherin. But of course, life wasn't that kind.

"Sinclair," a cold voice drawled from behind me, the sound of it enough to freeze me in place. Slowly, I turned to face the boy who had once been my closest friend and now was nothing more than a reminder of what I had lost.

Draco Malfoy stood there, his grey eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of me. His smirk was as sharp as ever, though there was something darker, more calculating behind it now. He had grown taller, more confident in the way he carried himself, but the familiarity of his presence was still a punch to the gut.

"Malfoy," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his presence affected me. Not now. Not ever.

"I didn't think you'd actually come back," he said, his tone laced with mock surprise. "After all, you were so desperate to leave."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "And you were so desperate to make me go."

His smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to tell me that I had struck a nerve. Good. I wasn't the same little girl he could easily push around anymore. Time had changed me. Hardened me.

"I see you haven't changed much," Draco sneered, his eyes flicking over me as if assessing how much of the old Avery Sinclair remained.

I forced a smile. "Neither have you. Still hiding behind your father's shadow, I see."

The tension between us crackled in the air, thick and suffocating. It was as though the years apart hadn't happened at all, and we were still standing in that same place, hurt and betrayal festering like an open wound.

"Better watch your back, Sinclair," Draco whispered, stepping closer so that only I could hear. His voice was low, dangerous. "You might find that things aren't as easy for you this time around."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing there, fists clenched at my sides. I watched him go, my heart pounding in my chest.

I wasn't sure what I had expected. Maybe some part of me had hoped that time would have healed the rift between us, that the boy I once knew was still somewhere inside the man he had become. But as I stood there, watching his retreating figure, I realized that Draco Malfoy was just as much of a stranger to me as I was to him.

"First years, this way!" a familiar voice called out, breaking me from my thoughts. Professor McGonagall stood at the entrance to the castle, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd for the new students.

I took a deep breath and joined the group of wide-eyed first years, feeling out of place amongst them. They looked at me curiously, probably wondering why someone so much older was joining them. I ignored their stares, keeping my eyes focused on the path ahead.

As we entered the Great Hall, the ceiling sparkled with an endless expanse of stars, just as I remembered. The warmth of the enchanted candles was a stark contrast to the coldness in my chest. This was Hogwarts, my home, and yet it felt so foreign.

"Sinclair, Avery," McGonagall called, snapping me out of my reverie.

I stepped forward, feeling the weight of the entire hall's gaze on me. As the Sorting Hat was placed on my head, I could feel it probing my thoughts, trying to figure out where I belonged.

"Ah, another Sinclair," it mused, its voice echoing in my mind. "But not the same as before, no... you've changed."

I swallowed hard, waiting for its decision.

"Slytherin!" the Hat finally declared, and the table at the far side of the hall erupted in applause.

I removed the hat, handing it back to McGonagall, who gave me a small nod before I made my way to the Slytherin table. The other students were still watching me, but I ignored them, focusing on finding an empty seat. As I slid into place, I caught Draco's eye from across the table. He was still smirking, but there was something more in his expression now—curiosity, perhaps. Or maybe it was a challenge.

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. I had survived leaving Hogwarts, I had survived coming back, and I would survive whatever Draco Malfoy had in store for me. This was only the beginning.

As the feast began, I knew one thing for certain: Draco Malfoy was my past, but he wasn't going to dictate my future. I would make sure of it.

990 Words-