Reese Carter sat in the Hogwarts Express, looking out the compartment window dumbfounded. Her entire summer was full of nothing but hiding, hiding from Death Eaters, the Dark Lord, and anyone else who dared to support the wrong side. Being Slytherin like herself, some found it odd for her family going against the beliefs of most Purebloods but the whole thing about blood status was considered…monotonous and indulgent. Her Mother and Father however, belonged to something more time consuming. Reese’s mother Ella and her father Chris were in fact part of the Order of the Phoenix, supporting Harry Potter and following in former leadership of Albus Dumbledore. Since the Headmasters death, everything began to slowly fall apart and if it weren’t for the support everyone in the Order had upon each other… things would have been much tougher.
As the train began to move slowly away from the station tracks, Reese felt her heart go numb. She knew perfectly well that Hogwarts wouldn’t be the same. Severus Snape was now the newly appointed Headmaster for Hogwarts School, Death Eaters had already taken over the Ministry…what’s to say that the same won’t happen to Hogwarts. As Reese sat in silence, she heard the compartment door slide open and, multiple footsteps enter inside.
“Reese?” Reese turned her head around she saw a fellow friend Daphne Greengrass along with other housemates; Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyal, Vincent Crabbe, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy, All of whom Reese hated with fierce passion, with the exception of Daphne, and Blaise. “Can we sit here? Everywhere else is full.” Daphne finished. Reese shrugged and nodded.
“I guess if you want.” She muttered. Daphne hesitant lips turned into a sly smile as she took a seat beside her friend, the rest following and taking their seats as well.
“Did you hear the news?” Daphne asked Reese about an hour after the train started to move. Reese furrowed her brows and shook her head.
“What news?”
“About Rufus Scrimgeour, you know… he died.” Reese bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
“No… I didn’t…when?” She asked as Daphne shrugged a reply.
“I don’t know? That’s what my Parents told me a few days ago. I thought for sure you heard of it? I mean you’re always on top of the latest things that have happened in the Ministry. What put you off?” Daphne asked. Reese shook her head and shrugged.
“Must have slipped my mind I guess.” She stated, but heard Pansy scoff from the seat across from her. Reese glared at her and furrowed her brows eyeing her carefully. “What?” She snapped.
“I doubt it. You’re probably too busy doing stuff for Potter, Weasel, and the Mudblood. You have no respect for your hose do you Carter?” She spat.
“And you think it’s best to be running around like a low life Death Eater like Malfoy? What are you? Mental or psychotic?”
Draco sat in his seat awfully uncomfortable of the atmosphere around him. He had been dreading coming back to Hogwarts ever since the events that he took part in last year. No one had seen him since the night he tried to assassinate Dumbledore, the night he allowed Death Eaters to lurk inside the Castle, and the last thing he needed was confrontations. He knew well enough how much of a coward he was taking the easy way out of things… but now, he felt that he made the made the worst decision possible for Wizard-kind and having Reese around with him… didn’t make him feel any better.
Draco was working 24/7 on the Vanishing Cabinet. He knew that many people were aware of his constant dismissals and disappearances. The sudden change in his complection and body… he felt mentally ill. The Cabinet was tearing him apart.
As he worked on the Cabinet in the room of Requirement he couldn’t help but feel the presence of another nearby. He stopped his work and took a few moments to look around him… he found no one. He went back to the cabinet and a few minutes later he was able to hear footsteps coming closer and closer to him.
“Malfoy?” Asked a familiar voice from behind him. Draco froze in his spot, he was exposed. His left sleeve had been rolled up passed his elbow showing the tattoo of a skull with a snake emerging out from its mouth. He dared not to move… not to speak but, that didn’t stop the girl to push on further. “Malfoy, what are you doing?” She asked. He cleared his throat and slowly pulled his sleeve down.
“Nothing… Just looking around…”
“At what?” Reese pressed on. Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. He tried to get passed her but she stopped and grabbed his right arm. She looked at him straight in his cold grey eyes and her eyes trailed down his face and to his left sleeve. She pulled it up and Malfoy didn’t even bother to swat her away. She soon saw the Dark Mark tattooed over his arm, alarmed she pulled the sleeve down again. “Why?” She asked. He dared not to look at her.
“I had to. He said he’d kill me.” Reese raised her brows and shook her head.
“No.”
“I’m sorry… I had to. Call me a coward but I had to…” he said exiting the Room of Requirement leaving Reese standing there alarmed.
That was one year ago and both Draco and Reese remember it well. Now, Reese found herself staring upon Malfoy’s frozen body, her eyes soon finding his way up to his pale face. She looked at him straight in the eye without a slight of emotion. Though, deep down… she was worried. He was a young Death Eater just 17 and everyone knew that Voldemort wasn’t forgiving. As much as she hated him for betraying the trust that she once had for him, she couldn’t bear to see him suffer… no matter how much he deserved it.
Reese’s intentions became reality when the train came to a harsh, sharp, and sudden stop. The lights in their compartment began to flicker and one by one, everyone took out their wands prepared for anything that would come their way.
