Etched, Engraved, Everlasting (a Hogwarts Mystery Year 6 Retell)

1 - Clara

For the first time since I was a first year, I felt scared stepping into Hogwarts.

September 1 should have been a day every student should look forward to. After all, the prospect of learning more magic and catching up with friends in a hallowed castle that lives up to its reputation is exciting for any normal student. But unlike most others, I was not a normal student. I was anything but normal, and it was no thanks to her.

As my sister and I disembarked from the Hogwarts Express together, both of us in our Hogwarts robes, I couldn't help but feel a little lightheaded to see the number of students chatting excitedly among themselves. It was almost as if none of the curses they've encountered had affected them in any way. I suppose that was understandable, since they all knew that eventually the curse-breakers would do something about the travesties that befell upon them. Still, they had no idea just what every hero had to endure. I didn't even feel heroic just by breaking curses so that Hogwarts could resume its normalcy.

At least it seemed normal enough for my sister to be able to attend a school at peace and ease.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

My ears perked up the minute I heard Hagrid's voice beckoning all the newcomers to the school towards the boats, and I grinned as I lead my sister along. She looked a little intimidated at the thought of leaving my side, even briefly, but she nodded bravely as she went with me to see my giant friend.

"Clara! Yeh doin' alrigh'?" he asked me the moment I approached him.

"Yeah. As well as I can be," I answered him with a forced smile. "This is my sister, by the way. Her name's Emily, but most people go by Em."

Hagrid nodded and beamed at her. "Well, when yeh got a sister like her, yeh'll do great things here!" he reassured her with a clap on the shoulder that almost knocked her over. "I'll take yeh to the boats, alrigh'? Yeh can meet the other firs' years there, and I'll take yeh to Hogwarts. Yeh'll see yer sister in the Great Hall."

Little Em nodded, but not before giving me a hug. "Take care, Clara."

"See you inside, Em."

As Hagrid ushered little Em away, I followed the rest of the crowd towards the carriages pulled by invisible beings. Or at least, at the time I thought they were invisible. What was pulling the carriages, anyway? It had to be something mysterious. I shook my head as I got into the first carriage I saw that wasn't completely occupied--and a moment later, a familiar magizoologist-in-the-making climbed in after me.

"Liz!" I greeted her with a grin. "Hey!"

Liz turned to me and smiled back serenely. "Hey, Clara. Thanks for your letters--they're a joy to read."

"Indeed! It's always a joy for me to keep regular correspondence with my friends. I'm just glad you had a good summer, Liz," I responded with a nod.

"Regular correspondence, huh? What about with me?" an all-too-familiar voice piped up, a huge grin on his face as he took a seat beside me.

"I wouldn't forget about you, Barnaby." I grinned back at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Not after our first date. I guess we have been writing...quite often."

Eventually, another familiar student made an appearance--Jae.

"Hey, detention buddy," he greeted me with a nod as well, taking a seat beside Liz. "Or should I say, no-longer-in-detention buddy?"

"Jae. Fancy seeing you here," I said, trying hard to keep a straight face, though I couldn't help but smile. Jae was very good company when I was spending quite a bit of my fifth year at Hogwarts in detention, working in the kitchens alongside the house elves. He was just as involved in the curse-breaking plan as I was back then.