If Only//Harry Potter [4]

27

The last day of the quartet's fourth year of Hogwarts came sooner than expected. Throughout the feeling of guilt and sadness from Cedric's death and the events with her father, she was quite excited, to never return to the orphanage, that is. Hermione's parents said it was okay for her to stay with them, so she was. Autumn never had to see Miss Clementine again, along with the girls she once called her sisters.

Autumn didn't want to become like she was the past four years, being secretive and hiding things from the other three. So, she made a promise to herself to stay true to her friends, that way no one can hold her memories as leverage and to their advantage. Which was tough, for Autumn. Telling people things meant letting people in, which she didn't know would be so hard for her. She hoped this changed over the summer with Hermione.

But she didn't know how much more she could take. She knew her appearance has changed, her skin looked washed out and her eyes had lost all life. Her eyes looked like they were stained with red and tears. Autumn thought about how many times she had woken up in the past nights, nearly screaming from the nightmares. She was sure Harry was going through the same thing, but neither of the two talked about it to each other.

Autumn packed her final things away, like her school books, quill, and parchment. But her hand lingered over Norace's Journal. Why did she still have it? Most of her family was dead, anyway. What did it matter that he was still alive? Autumn swiped her left sleeve up, revealing the scar from when she put the ring on second year. It was very faint, if she hadn't known it was there, she would've never seen it.

She felt a sudden rage fill her. How dare he, Norace, give Autumn a slight ray of hope that she had decent family. Now, her only true family was Hermione, Harry, and Ron. No one else, just them.

>>>

Just like when the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrived, they left in the same fashion. Groups of students gathered on the same bridge to watch them leave. Some Hogwarts students that had made friends with the Durmstrangs or Beauxbatons hoped to saw their final goodbyes before they departed.

Krum had walked up to Hermione and placed a kiss on her cheek. He handed her a piece of paper as he spoke. "Write to me. Promise."

"Bye." Hermione's cheeks flushed with pink as Krum walked away. 

Autumn elbowed Hermione once Krum had walked far enough away and the two smiled at each other. Autumn took a glance at Ron only to see him angrily stare at the ground. But before he could stare for long, Fleur and her little sister kissed Ron on either cheek.

"Au revoir, Ron." The two said insync as they sashayed away to the other Beauxbaton girls.

>>>

The four met on the bridge together as they watched the carriage that held the Beauxbatons fly off and the boat that held the Durmstrangs decline under the water. 

"Do you think we'll ever just have a quiet year at Hogwarts?" Ron asked, smiling widely and laughing.

"No." Harry answered quickly.

"Absolutely not." Autumn smiled.

"No." Hermione responded.

"No, I didn't think so." Ron said, smile fading. "Oh, well. What's life without a few dragons?"  

Hermione sighed. "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" 

Autumn sighed as well, thinking of what was to come. "Yes. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Change is good. Change is what brought me to you three."

"Actually, you two went crawling to us." Ron joked as the four walked together.

"Actually," Hermione laughed, "you came to us because you made me get trapped in the bathroom with a troll."

"That seems like a personal problem." Ron answered, making the other three laugh.

"Promise you'll write this summer. All of you."

"I won't need to write to you, roomie." Autumn said, wrapping her arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"I won't." Ron laughed. "You know I won't." 

"Harry will, won't you?" Autumn asked 

"Yeah. Every week." Harry said sarcastically.

If only they knew what horrible events took place next year. If only.

.

And that's the end of book four! Book five will be out shortly, my dudes. Happy reading!

~Del