Reaper's Heir (Book 3)

Chapter 3

Chapter III

Platform nine and three-quarters was as crowded and bustling as always, with wizards and witches running every way, trying to get their children on the train and off to school. All the Weasley children had already been herded onto the train, with Fred and George giving me a quick goodbye before they went off to find their friends.

"Maeve!" I moved towards the sound of Daphne's voice, glancing back long enough to see Scabbers being shoved through an open window into Ron's hands. The train whistle blared and we began rolling forward seconds later, several students rushing to claim compartments for themselves and their friends. A copy of the The Monster Book of Monsters scuttled down the aisle, pursued by Neville.

"Hello, Maeve." He said breathlessly as he slipped past me.

I pulled my wand out and froze the book, scooping it up and handing it to him. "Hello, Neville. Have a good summer?"

"Good enough, I suppose."

I patted his shoulder before continuing down the aisle, finally making it to Daphne, who grabbed my arm and dragged me to a compartment. Blaise was sitting by the window, his luggage in the rack above his head. As usual, he was holding a book, eyes flitting across the page. He lifted his free hand and sent us a small wave as we came into the compartment. Next to him sat a young girl with brown hair. She waved at me nervously.

"Did a house elf steal all my letters again?" Daphne asked, crossing her arms as we sat down. "And where is the choker I gave you?"

"I answered when I could. I don't wear my choker with the Dursleys, they'd probably take it to sell." I pulled the choker out of my pocket and fastened it around my neck. "My aunt and uncle are just terrible."

"I still can't believe you're actually related to those people," Daphne grumbled. "Are you sure you didn't misunderstand Dumbledore?"

"There's not a whole lot to be misunderstood about 'your mother was the twin sister of Harry's mother.'" I snapped.

"I'm sure Daphne didn't mean it that way," Blaise interjected, closing his book with a snap. "It's just unfortunate that your family is made up of those type of people."

"I could ask mother to adopt you," Daphne cut in again. "I'm sure she'd love having another girl around to spoil, don't you think, Astoria?" The brunette across from me smiled timidly, but it quickly fell fom her face and she twisted a ring around her finger. Daphne reached out and patted her younger sister's arm. Astoria gave her a tight smile before looking at her lap agin. "She's nervous," Daphne said. "I keep telling her not to be."

Astoria twisted her ring around her finger again, stubbornly refusing to look at any of us. I reached out and gently patted her arm. "I was nervous too." She smiled again, though it seemed much more genuine this time around and the tension in the compartment eased the longer we all talked. The train ride was as long as ever, the landscape flying by outside. The sky darkened and rain began pouring, sheets of it drenching the train and taking the visibility outside to almost nothing.

"Have you heard about Sirius Black?" Daphne asked, shooting Astoria a worried look. Blaise nodded, leaving the question hanging awkwardly in the air. No one attempted to fill the silence for several minutes.

"I think he broke out to go after Harry," I said finally, unable to bear the suffocating silence anymore. Astoria looked vaguely like she was trying not to throw up, but Blaise and Daphne both looked curious.

"Of course the boy who lived has something to do with it." Blaise sneered. "Doesn't he always? Honestly, Maeve, I don't know how you put up with him."

"Blaise!" Daphne snapped. "He's her family!"