Adamantine - D.M.

Chapter 1 - The Hogwarts Express

I closed my eyes and sprinted toward the solid brick wall. When I opened them, I found myself in the presence of a scarlet steam engine. "It's 11:57!" my older brother pushed me exasperatedly towards the train. We rushed through the crowds of weepy parents, and managed to sloppily load my trunk as the large black clock above ticked 11:59. My brother pulled me into a bone-crushing hug; one that didn't come often from him. A whistle resounded above. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do" he smirked, pushing me onto the train. Knowing the reputation he left behind at Hogwarts, he clearly didn't have much faith in me.

Pulling my heavy trunk, broomstick, and hooting owl through the crowded corridors proved harder than it looked. First and second years darted in and out of the corridors in front of me. I tripped on the carpet halfway down the car, almost knocking into a tall, pale, blonde boy with a stupid prefect's badge pinned to his robe. "Walk much, Victor?" He jeered. I offered him no reply, albiet a rude hand gesture. He sneered, knocking into my shoulder as he walked past. "You better watch it" he whispered into my ear, and I caught a whiff of a warm, woodsy cologne. "Or, I might have to give you a detention". He walked away. Shaking away the interaction with one of my least favorite people, I finally found my best friend. Romilda was leaning out of the compartment at the end of the train, giving me a small wave.

"What were you and Voldy's little helper talking about?" Romilda inquired, once I joined her in the train car. The rumor was, that Draco had become a Death Eater over the summer. I, of course, thought that was ridiculous. Draco, a Pure Blood, clearly relished the feeling of superiority over us Blood Traitors and Half Bloods, but I can't imagine that obnoxious attitude was well received by the Dark Lord.

By the time we reached the castle, I was starving. Romilda and I had shared a few pumpkin pasties while she talked my ear off about Potter, but that was hours ago. "I swear they seem smaller and smaller every year" I mused as the first years were ushered into a room adjacent to the Great Hall. Romilda was not listening. "Have you seen him?" She attempted to fix her hair as her eyes darted around the room, looking for Harry. I glanced around the room, instinctively. He wasn't sitting with his usual group, of Hermione and Ron. Their concerned look rubbed off on Romilda, who sat for the first hour of the feast, looking nervously around the room. "You don't think--" I cut her off. "No, I don't think Voldemort killed Harry over the summer, eat your pudding". She exhaled loudly, huffy that I had even mentioned Harry's potential doom. "Oh, speak of the devil", I said lazily as Harry rushed in, followed closely by Snape. He was covered in blood. That seemed to be a regular thing with him though. Romilda looked stricken as we heard laughing behind us. Draco was miming something that looked an awful lot like breaking Harry's nose. Romilda simpered as Harry took his seat next to a very worried Hermione. I rolled my eyes.