Affliction - Theodore Nott | Fred Weasley

One

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The platform today was as busy as ever as Lucy walks through the crowds of people. Her mum and dad trail behind, their laughter and enthusiasm easily heard by Lucy's trained ear.

Lucy sighs and turns around to face her parents, her trolly squeaking to a stop. She felt exasperated, overwhelmed, and even while her sweet and caring parents didn't deserve it, she felt quite annoyed with them.

"Luce, what are you doing dear? We still have a ways to go for your normal boarding spot," her mother says, looking at her with a brow quirked. The girl groans and chews on the inside of her cheek, looking at her shiny new shoes. Looking anywhere but their eyes.

"Mum, dad, I love you both. I do. But I don't think it's quite necessary that you walk me to the train anymore... this isn't my first year, I know what I'm doing. I almost got prefect, ya know..." Lucy speaks, sort of rushing through her words.

Her dark brown curly hair was pulled into two braids, making it not so wild, although little curls still popped out all over her head.

Lucy looks up at them through her dark lashes, her light brown eyes meeting her fathers.

While Kyle Zeller wasn't the most handsome man in the world, his smile was to die for. He grins at Lucy mischievously, an emotional glint in his dark eyes. "She's right, Olivia... I do believe our little girl is all grown up," he sighs, and pulls his adopted daughter into a large warm hug. Lucy hugs him back tightly, feeling relief wash over her.

"I will always be your little girl," she mumbles into his chest. Just a little different... she thinks, battling herself internally.

When he pulls Lucy away, she grins, kisses his cheek, grabs her trolly and quickly walks away.

She hands her bags off to the old man taking luggage, but holds on tightly to the cage that holds Athena, her great horned owl. She flicks her white and brown wings out a bit, annoyed by all of the jostling.

"Calm down, we will be seated soon enough," Lucy mumbles to her, reaching in and stroking the feathers between her eyes gently.

She walks onto the train and begins looking for a compartment, dodging people and avoiding getting hit by random flying objects.

Lucy, as always, smiles kindly at all of the wide eyed first years she comes across, mere babies compared to her and the rest of her classmates who are fourth years and up.

She finally finds an empty compartment and slides into it, placing Athena in between her feet and unbuttoning her robes. The young girl had chosen to sport her red and yellow quidditch jersey under her robes for the ride to Hogwarts, feeling particularly confident about this year's quidditch. After having a leap year and not getting to play a single quidditch game last year because of the triwizard tournament, Lucy was itching at the bit to fly.

"Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement," professor Dumbledore's deep raspy voice is heard clear, quieting down the great hall. Lucy fidgets in her seat, leaning around others so she can see her headmaster clearer.

"This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts has been choosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard tournament. Now for those of you who do not know—,"