Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 20

"Atlas Weasley!" Molly says.
Everyone round the table freezes, including me. We all look to where Molly is glaring at me from across the other end of the table. I gawp at her as it sets in. She says, "No- now, I didn't mean it like that-"
"It's okay mum," I say, trying desperately to hold back a grin. I fail and Molly says, "Atlas, darling, you know I love you, but you have a mum, don't you?"
"Why can I not have two?" I smile with a teethy grin. She rolls her eyes and loads more potatoes onto my plate. I dig in and listen to the bustling noise of the table. It's so weird compared to the manor.

Fred and George are trying to convince Molly to buy them some stupid sort of muggle joke thing. Percy is saying something about his future while Ron desperately tries drowning him out. Ginny turns to me and says, "You'd rather have this than a quiet meal to yourself in your bedroom?"
I nod and say, "Oh, yeah, I'd take this over the Manor every day. I mean, silence is quite overwhelming when it's all you hear."
Ginny opens her mouth, closes it, and then sits forwards without eating. She nods and shoves a potato in her mouth. Eventually, Molly gives up and sends us to bed.

The next morning, I wake up in slip into a nice black tracksuit. It's comfy enough that I don't need to really worry about getting bored of it. I grab a cup of tea and the day begins. We have to go buy our stuff, but there is a legality issue, so Mum has to give all my money to Molly early. We make it to the pub, where we meet Hermione.
"I swear," Ron yells, "Keep that ugly little thing away from us."
Hermione snaps, "Please, Ronald, it's a cat. They have cat like tendencies."
"Is that what they told you? Looks more like a pig-"
"Harry!" I glare at him, silently willing him to get to me right now before I stun the both of them. He takes the hint. Harry and Ron talk about the Weasley trip to Egypt and Fred and George drag me off, saying, "Have you heard?"
"Heard of what?" I ask, rolling my eyes.
"Mass murderer, Sirius Black, broken out of Azkaban!" Fred hisses. George adds, "I've heard he's coming to Hogwarts."
"Oh please," I say, "Who have you heard that from? The daily prophet?"
"Maybe..."
"Oh, Merlin's beard, lets all go hunting for Sirius Black, because obviously the prophet isn't a load of rubbish. Come on, please, we're going to miss the train if we sit here and talk about the mounds of rubbish you're spouting."

Ron almost leaves Scabbers off the train, like an idiot. We sit in a compartment with a man asleep at the window.
"Looks like Remus Lupin..." I mumble. Harry doesn't let us get a word in as he rants about Sirius Black looking for him. Hermione refuses to listen and I yawn, falling asleep. I wake up as the train screeches to a halt, and the window frosts over. The lights switch off and Hermione says, "Oh my..."
I hear people screaming and I bury my face into Mr Lupin instinctively. Hermione pulls me over to her and I bury my face in her hair. I look up for a second, and bury my face again at the sight of a dementor. I want to scream but I keep quiet. Everything feels awful. I'm so sad. Everyone is so sad. I don't understand why. It's just so, so sad...
Lupin stands, blasting the dementors away. Harry has passed out and I feel light headed. Lupin passes me a block of chocolate, and as Harry wakes up, he passes him one.
"It was a dementor. They're searching the train for Sirius Black. Eat, you'll feel better."
He leaves us and I nibble on the chocolate, stroking Crookshanks. I'm not listening and I groan as we set off again.

Hogwarts feels darker. Sadder. It doesn't help that its pouring with rain, but it still feels just so sad. The choir are a little happier, and the sorting is quick enough. Dumbledore rises to the podium and says, "Now, Welcome back. This is Professor Lupin. Good luck, Professor."
I clap and Draco hisses, "Is it true you fainted?"
We ignore him and Dumbledore says, "I'm delighted to announce that Hagrid will be taking his new position here at Hogwarts. Finally, at the request of the ministry, the dementors will be remaining at Hogwarts. I can assure you that they will not attack you unless you give them a reason to. Proceed with great caution. But you know, happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light."
The portrait is singing and wont less us into the common room. She can't sing and needs to learn that. Seamus is annoyed to say the least, but the common room is warm and comfy. I twirl round with Hermione and Ginny in the common room. We fall to the floor, gasping and panting only to get told to head to bed by Percy.
"Misery, honestly." Ginny whispers. She really isn't wrong. Hermione and I head to our dorm, where Hermione sits me down. She says, "Atti, can you keep secrets?"
"'course I can Mines. I'm practically amazing." I laugh but her demeanour shuts me up. She pulls me closer and says, "I have a time turner."
"A time turn-"
"SHUSH!" She hisses. I nod and Hermione continues, "Yes, I have on. I selected too many lessons and they've decided to give me a time turner to cope with it. There are so many rules to it, but I need to talk to someone about it."
I nod even harder and she says, "Your hairs gone red with how hard you are nodding."
I stop nodding and she says, "Are you good?"
"I dunno. My hair has been all over the place recently. Just stress with Sirius Black. The worst thing is, that most of the school know now. But, I'll be fine. You, however, might not be. Just thank goodness you are not a Metamorphmagus. You'd probably go crazy. I've got to get some sleep now. Night Mines."
"Night Atti."