𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐿𝑋𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙮-𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

BY THE NEXT morning, they were on the Hogwarts Express, going back to school. The four friends sat in a compartment, Harry and Caroline across from Hermione and Ron. Caroline was reading a novel, Harry's arm comfortably around her waist. "So, what was Draco doing with that weird looking cabinet? And who were all those people?" Harry asked, Caroline closing her eyes and sighing heavily.

"Are you really making me listen to this again?" Caroline asked, glancing at her boyfriend. He had talked her ear off for hours about the subject, and Caroline didn't want to listen to his theories again.

"Don't you see? It was a ceremony. An initiation." Harry continued. Caroline went back to her novel, her cats beside her.

"Stop it, Harry. I know where you're going with this." Hermione said, just like Caroline had the first time she heard the story.

Harry glanced at Caroline, watching her hand twitch as she tried to read. "It happened. He's one of them." Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione as the train rolled past familiar scenes.

Ron was the only one lost. "One of what?" he asked.

Hermione shared a brief look with Caroline. "Harry is under the impression Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater." she explained to Ron.

"You're barking. What would
You-Know-Who want with a sod like Malfoy?" Ron said with a laugh.

"Well, then what's he doing in Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?" Harry countered, his words identical to what he asked Caroline the night before.

"It's a creepy shop, he's a creepy bloke." Ron shrugged, Caroline giving up on her novel, stuffing it into her bag.

"Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Besides, Hermione saw it with her own eyes, and Carol knows one of the Death Eaters." Harry said with a sigh.

"I told you, I don't know what I saw." Hermione spoke sternly.

Caroline fixed Harry's hair. "Being a Death Eater isn't necessarily linked to family-ties. Reglus was a Death Eater before he defected, but Sirius was never one," Caroline said, a soft tone in her voice when she spoke of her uncle and Harry's godfather. "Besides, I don't know Fenrir Greyback, I've heard stories."

Harry unwrapped his arm from Caroline. "I need some air." he said abruptly, standing up and grabbing the Invisibility Cloak before he left the compartment. Caroline didn't know where he was going, but she didn't have a good feeling.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

WHEN THE TRAIN arrived at Hogwarts, Harry still hadn't turned up. Caroline was worried, her friends could tell. "Where is he?" she asked aloud, mainly talking to herself. Caroline had tapped her ring, hoping Harry would take notice.

"He's probably already on the platform. Come on." Ron said, walking with Hermione. Caroline nodded, following them. Everyone changed into their robes and went to the Great Hall for the sorting ceremony and the feast, and Harry still wasn't there.

Caroline tried to make conversation with Dean, Seamus, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Ron, but she couldn't relax until she knew Harry was fine. Caroline knew she was being dramatic, but Harry nearly died every year, so she was on edge, rightfully so. She had taken her ring off so she could tap it better, her finger never not touching the material as she tried to get Harry to send her a message, saying that he was ok.

"Don't worry. He'll be here in a bit." Ron said with his mouth full, speaking to Caroline across from him, and Hermione at his left.

Hermione held her book, and she smacked Ron as she spoke. "Will you stop eating? Your best friend is missing." she said, Caroline and Ginny cracking a smile.

Ron pointed to the entrance to the Great Hall. "Oi! Turn around, you lunatic." he said once he had recovered from Hermione's attacks.

Caroline instantly turned, finding Harry walking towards them, a cloth pushed into his nose. She sighed in relief when she saw him, but doubled back when she spotted the blood. "He's covered in blood again. Why is it he's always covered in blood?" Ginny said, sitting beside Dean.

"Looks like it's his own this time." Ron spoke.

Harry reached Caroline, pushing a short kiss into her head as he sat down beside her. Caroline saw that the source of his blood was his nose, which looked swollen. "Where have you been?" Hermione asked instantly, leaning towards Harry.

"What happened to your face?" Caroline said, concern clear in her voice.

"Later," Harry said, breathing heavily. "What have I missed?" he questioned, Caroline moving closer to him, observing his injury.

"Sorting Hat urged us all to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for it say, though. It's a hat, isn't it?" Ron explained, Harry nodding in agreement.

Dumbledore stepped up to his podium as Caroline took the blood-stained cloth from Harry, holding it at a different angle while trying not to hurt him. Harry's eyes never left her as she dabbed at his nose. "Sorry I didn't tap back. Were you worried?" Harry asked quietly.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Of course I was worried, you moron." she said, flicking his forehead before nodding towards Dumbledore, handing the cloth back to him.

"Very best of evenings to you. First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff: Horace Slughorn," he gestured to the professor Harry had met, the man standing up while the hall applauded. "Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to assume his old post as Potions master. Meanwhile, the post of the Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape." there was applause this time, but it was much more hesitant.

Dumbledore continued. "As you know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle." chatter rose as soon as the words left Dumbledore's mouth.

Caroline's trembling hand reached for Harry's, and he took it in his grip. "What's wrong?" Harry whispered in her ear, but she shook her head.

"Today, of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact: Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now, off to bed. Pip-pip." Dumbledore ended his speech, uncertainty coursing through the minds of every student.

"That was cheerful." Ron muttered, Caroline noticing a far-off look in Harry's eyes. He looked at her, and their unspoken conversation was simple. I'm fine. Should I believe you? Maybe.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —