SEPTEMBER 1st 1996
My eyes snapped open as a hand closed itself around my arm, and a strangled scream escaped my throat. Trees moved past me quickly in the window, and I turned to find three pairs of eyes looking at me intently.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Just wanted to wake you up in time before we arrive at the station," Scarlet said. She twisted a strand of blonde hair around a slender finger before she pulled her other hand back and straightened in her seat.
She looked like she wanted to say something else but held back on it. My best friend was usually pretty straightforward, so I lifted an eyebrow at her.
Scarlet just shook her head and mouthed 'later'. Whatever it was, she didn't want to discuss it in front of her brother and our friend Archer, who both looked at us now, waiting for more details.
"I just wanted to say how glad I am that the pink witch is finally gone," She said, and adjusted the green tie around her neck. "I was afraid that she'd never leave. She really made sneaking out a mission for the Secret Service."
Scarlet once told me that the Secret Service was similar to the Ministry of Magic. My parents never told me much about Muggles before they passed, and my best friend had made it her life's mission to tell me everything about her former life. I appreciated her effort, especially since her stories usually made for a good laugh and were told in front of the fireplace in our dorm over a cup of hot chocolate.
Our evenings reminded me of our first years at Hogwarts, before the lights quite literally went out. Last year had changed a lot for all of us, and returning to school didn't feel as it used to.
"She once told me that I was a 'feral boy who has nothing better to do than spread mischief and make her life less enjoyable'. I'm still proud of that one. Maybe I'll even miss her," Scarlet's brother Nathan said and scooted closer to us as if telling us a secret that no one else should know of. In reality, quite literally everyone knew that Nathan was the one who got into the most trouble with Umbridge.
"You definitely made her regret ever coming to Hogwarts. Wouldn't surprise me if she's gonna get back at you for that one, though. Have one of her creepy cat pictures scratch your eyes out while you sleep or something like that," Archer laughed.
The horn of the train sounded and told us that we had arrived at the station. As always, we waited until the younger children had left the train and slowly started to grab our suitcases.
When the train was almost empty, we started for the doors. Just as we left our compartment, something flashed in my peripheral vision and I looked to the right, meeting grey eyes that looked right into mine.
He held my stare before suddenly the blind snapped shut and left me staring at the place where Draco had just stood.
"Callie, are you coming?" My best friend shouted, and my eyes snapped to hers.
"Uhm, actually, give me a second, alright? I just want to check something out. I'll be right behind you."
Scarlet just shrugged and departed the train at the same moment that I reached the door. Of course, it was locked. Draco Malfoy wasn't one to leave doors unlocked when he had important business to pursue. And this was apparently important enough that he didn't want just anyone to walk in on him.
Someone else might have stopped at a locked door, but for me, it was just another challenge. And I loved challenges.
I reached for my wand, which was safely tucked into my left sleeve."Alohomora," I whispered, and when I pushed against the door again, it opened up.
YOU ARE READING
The 101 of Working With Your Enemy
Fanfiction"I hate you, Draco. I've hated you ever since you decided that you were too good for me. You and I are never going to work out. Not as friends, not even as acquaintances, and for sure not as something more." Calista Solace was sure of three things: ...
