PRAETERITUS - 𝕊𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣

21 - Embroiled in Mystery

꧁•⊹٭21 Embroiled in Mystery٭⊹•꧂

The air clamoured with feverish chatter, snippets of delighted conversation catching in the wind. Children wove between standing groups with a practised ease: an elated boy sharing outrageous stories of his holidays, a determined girl with a pinched face darting past them to grab a sweet. Yet amongst all of them there was a sort of empty space that could be felt, an unspoken anticipation for the coming train. 

Olivia didn't see how the girl scowled as her parents pulled her away, or how the boys friends marvelled at his heroic actions. Her mind was clouded with a heady sense of deja vu, feeling as though she had gone back in time, starting Hogwarts all over again. But it was so different. This time she was surrounded by happy faces, eyes crinkling into smiles and lips stretching over teeth in slow motion. Her eyes flitted over them as though watching from above, silent words spilling from mouths.

"OLIVIA."

The sharp noise dragged her back into her body, blinking slowly as the bustling station faded into focus. She saw Fred and George a few yards away looking back at her expectantly, Lee Jordan joining them in the middle. When had they moved over there?

"You okay?" A tentative voice whispered from her side.

Harry looked back at her, his eyes rounded with worry.

"Yeah, yes. I'm fine, sorry." She shook off the weird feeling, a shiver diving down her spine as she caught up with the twins.

"What took you so long? We're growing old here." George teased as she finally reached them.

"I was going to say you look like an old man. Hey, Lee."

"Hi Olivia. How was your holiday?" 

Lee, Olivia had noticed, possessed the most genuine happiness in all of Hogwarts. He seemed to care about everyone, and was the type of person to risk everything he owned to help out a stranger.

"Good thank you, how was yours?"

"Hey! How come you're nice to him?" Fred interrupted his reply with mock offence.

"Don't lie Freddie, you like it when I'm mean to you." She smirked back at him wickedly, stuttering the laughter in his chest.

"OLIVIA."

Her name was shouted for the second time that day, with a rush of green heading towards them.

"Saved by the bell." She muttered to him, silently celebrating at his frozen eyes and tinged cheeks.

Pulled into a bear hug, she accepted her fate as her friends squished in around her.

"Thank god Liv, I thought I'd never see you again." Adrian murmured into her hair, his voice horrified.

"It's been two weeks you drama queen." She giggled back.

"Thank god it's over; my parents have been reminding me of OWL's every single week." Mia shook her head in despair.

"Well the teachers are going to do that here." Amy pointed out.

"But at least I don't have to live with them." 

"Ew, imagine living with Dumbledore."

It was at this point that the two groups seemed to realise each other, green and red staring in silence, not fully sure what they were supposed to do. Olivia took the lead, introducing the groups to each other though she was sure they already knew.

By the time they had boarded the train the tension had thawed, leaving only a trace of confused awkwardness between them. They didn't miss the stares from the compartments, people clearly wondering why on earth Slytherins and Gryffindors were choosing to talk to each other. In Hogwarts, it would be more common to see oil and water mix. But both groups brushed off the glances, not letting them stick to their skin.