You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 33

Going back to Hogwarts had never felt more depressing. Usually, the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express was a symbol of returning home, but today it felt like a cage on wheels. It should have been a good day—a day to reunite with all her friends after a tense and silent two weeks. In a perfect world, their compartment would have been overflowing with six students, loud laughter, and the shared excitement of a new term. Instead, there were only three.

Three friends sat in a heavy silence, trying their hardest to pretend that everything was normal, even though they knew the world outside those windows had shifted permanently. Evan, Regulus, and Mira managed to survive almost the entire journey without uttering a single depressing thought out loud. They kept the conversation light, making small talk about classes and Quidditch. They laughed a lot—perhaps too much—because it was the only way to drown out the reality of the shadows stretching over them.

Pandora had stopped by for about fifteen minutes, offering her usual airy smiles and gentle hums, but she was soon called away by the new Ravenclaw friends she had made through her boyfriend. Watching her walk away was a sharp reminder of the new divisions. It became painfully clear to Mira that for the rest of her time at Hogwarts, her world would shrink down to just Regulus and Evan. They were all she had left.

The laughter finally died down as the train rattled over a bridge, the grey Scottish hills rolling past. Evan's face settled into a serious expression. He had looked like he wanted to say something since they stepped onto the platform, and the weight of it was finally too much to carry.

"We know what Barty did, Mira" Evan said in a low voice.

Mira felt her heart skip a beat. She hadn't seen Barty since that day on the hill, and she was secretly glad he hadn't tried to board their compartment. She wasn't sure if she could keep up the act of being okay if he were sitting across from her.

"We had a meeting two days ago" Evan explained, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the seat. "He wouldn't stop boasting about it. He was practically shouting it from the rooftops, bragging about how he helped brand a Potter."

"But at first, he conveniently left out the fact that he had help doing it" Regulus added with a sharp, bitter scoff. He was leaning against the window, his eyes dark with a cold sort of anger.

"When he finally told us who helped him, Mira... Merlin, I couldn't even look at him" Evan said. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to erase the memory of Barty's smug face from his mind. "The atmosphere was already tense enough. We were all on edge, but this... this was the final straw for me."

Mira looked at him, her chest tightening with a mix of guilt and sadness. "Did you—"

"Yes. I broke up with him" Evan confirmed. He looked up at her, a small, weary smile playing on his lips. "At least you're okay. That's what matters."

Mira didn't know how to respond. She had wanted Barty away from her, but she hadn't wanted to be the reason for the end of a long-standing relationship. Evan didn't deserve to be heartbroken, especially not now when everything else was falling apart.

"I'm so sorry, Ev. Truly" Mira whispered. She couldn't meet his eyes, choosing instead to fixate on the dusty floor of the carriage.

"Why are you apologizing, Aisling? You were the one in danger" Regulus spat. He leaned forward, his intensity filling the small space.

At the mention of her real name, Mira's eyes widened in horror. Her breath hitched. She looked at Evan, then back at Regulus, her mind racing. How could he just say that out loud?

"Evan knows. I told him" Regulus said, answering her unspoken question before she could spiral into a panic.

"Reg!"