Inbetween (A Harry Potter Next Generation Fanfic)

Chapter 4

Two days had passed by since the wedding and I hadn't heard a thing from James. I still had no idea why he disappeared like he did, we could have found an answer, but he just ran.

Today was September 1st 2021 meaning that this would be the final time that I was travelling to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This year I was going into my seventh and final year at Hogwarts and I was beyond excited. Even though seventh year was meant to be hard, I didn't care, I just wanted to make some amazing memories with my friends because I didn't know how often I would see them after we'd finished Hogwarts.

As usual, Mother apparated me to Kings Cross Station and I made my way to Platform nine and three quarters. As soon as I made it through the barrier, I came face to face with the scarlett Hogwarts Express again and began to reminisce from my first year from the first time that I had see the train.

I quickly gave my things to the men that were loading belongings on to the train and set out to find the Potter's, the Weasley's or Lola or Luke. I didn't like to be alone on the train.

"Elle!" I turned around and smiled at Rose Weasley as she came bounding towards me with her trolley. Rose was two years younger than me, she was the same age as James' brother Albus, but we had always been quite good friends.

"Hi Rose, did you have a good summer?" I smiled as I walked with her towards her family after she had given her stuff in.

"It was excellent! We went sight seeing in America! How was yours?" Rose asked.

"That sounds amazing! It was alright, I saw Lola a couple of times and it was my sister's wedding the other day so James came for that." I shrugged, thinking back to how boring my summer actually was. I much preferred it at Hogwarts.

"Oh yes I heard about that. James was your date wasn't he?" Rose wiggled her eyebrow's.

"Rose it wasn't like that! I had no one else to invite after what happened with Chase." I shivered at the mention of my ex boyfriend's name. He was such a player and I didn't know how I couldn't see it at the time.

"If you say so! Oh look they're here, let's go say hi! Aunt Ginny loves you." Rose tugged on my hand until we were stood with the Potter-Weasley clan. They had such a big family.

"Elle's here everyone!" Rose called, making everyone turn around to look at me.

"Elle! How are you?!" Ginny Potter, James' Mum, ran forward and pulled me into a hug. We had always gotten on really well.

"I'm great thanks, how are you?" I smiled.

"Oh good, and I'm just fine." Ginny grinned, letting me go.

Everyone said their hellos to me except James who I went to stand by. He seemed extremely nervous to talk to me and I didn't know why.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Hey Elle." James didn't even look me in the eye.

"Have I done something or?" I asked, a little bit hurt. I needed to know what was wrong.

"What? No of course not!" James cried, finally turning to look at me.

"If it's about the other day, let's just forget about it okay?" I suggested. He looked at me for a while, as if pondering over my suggestion until nodding.

"Elle! Don't I get a hug?!" Chase Thomas' disgusting voice sounded from behind us.
Myself and James whipped around to find Chase stood with a smirk on his face. Our faces both immediately turned into glares and we had managed to catch the attention of the adults.

"I don't have anything to say to you Chase, never mind to give you." I sneered.

"Oh Elle, baby, don't be like that! We can work this out!" Chase didn't even sound remotely sorry, he made me feel sick.

"After what you did, we can never work the fake relationship that we had out!" I replied.

"I suppose you're right, why would I ever want to rekindle a flame with a who-" But Chase didn't even have time to finish his sentence as James stormed forward at the speed of light and pinned Chase up by the neck against a pillar on the platform.
I quickly ran to join them followed by Harry Potter and Albus.

"James! Don't hurt him, it's not worth it." I told him quietly as I tried to loosen his grip around Chase's neck.

"Don't you ever touch or talk to Elle ever again! Do you hear me?!" James spat in his space and let Chase fall to the floor. He quickly scurried off as we walked back over to where everybody was stood.

"James, what were you thinking?!" Ginny cried.

"Sorry Mum, he just gets me annoyed! Did you hear what he was about to call Elle?!" James cried, defending himself.

"Yes I did." Ginny sighed. She knew that she had lost this battle.

"Well well, James Potter fighting for my little Elle Belle on our first day of being seventh years!" The way to familiar voice of Lola Gregory made us all turn around and face her.

"LOLA!!!" I cried, running towards my best friend.

"Elle Belle!!!" Lola cried, throwing her arm's around me.

"I missed you!" I grinned, pulling away from her.

"I missed you too! But I haven't missed you James." Lola shrugged, giving him a quick hug.

"I've definitely not missed you Lola. I bet Luke has though." He winked at her.

"Shut up James!" Lola cried, hitting him on the arm. It was a well known fact in our friendship group that Luke Malfoy had a huge crush on Lola and she had one on him, but she wouldn't admit it.

"Where's Fred?" I asked suddenly realising that my fourth best friend wasn't with us.

"HERE!!!" Two arm's clasped around my waist and I was suddenly being spun around.

"Ah! Fred!! You scared me to death!!" I cried as Fred put me back down.

"I've missed you Elles!!!" Fred grinned as he gave James a 'man hug' and did his handshake thing with Lola.

"If you say so." I rolled my eyes jokingly.

"Elle! I'm hurt!" Fred cried.

"Right! Stop bickering! It's two minutes to eleven and you all need to get on the train!" Hermione Weasley, Rose's Mum, ushered us all towards the train doors.

"Has anyone seen Luke?" James asked as we were all pushed on to the train.

"James! We'll find him when we're on the train!" Lola cried, pushing him left so that we could find a compartment.

As soon as we found an empty compartment we sat down and watched as the station disappeared. I sat in silence as I realised that this was the last journey that I would be having to Hogwarts. I couldn't wait to see what this year had in store for us.
If only I'd have known what darkness was to come within that year.
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Another chapter! I've got some free time today, so I've decided to do a couple of chapters. Chapter five with definitely be up today, and maybe chapter six!
Thank you for reading!
Natalie :)