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CHAPTER ONE. . . The Day Begins
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before." Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven
When his best friend, Lily Evans enters, August Darlington II is standing by the window of the second last compartment. A glorious boy of six feet; a blend of scruffy brown hair, and a pearl-white smile that lulls you into a false sense of security until his bruised knuckles strike you down. August's veins are carved out by the burning of Darlington's Old Firewhiskey, stolen kisses at perfect Pureblood parties and crashing Muggle clubs in the aftermath. All just to spite his purist parents. Another product of another broken family, something in the back of her mind whispers. But still, she smiles.
The morning sunlight shines through the window of the compartment the boy chose, creating flickering shadows that play hide and seek with his tall silhouette. With a sigh and a flick of his wand, his wooden trunk is sent up to it's resting place above the couch. He hadn't noticed Lily's arrival yet, eyes drawn to the window of waving families. The Darlington's are absent from the crowd, Lily notes sadly.
Neither of them lose balance as the train begins it's journey.
At the sound of a flickering lighter, Lily casts August an exasperated look, completed with raised eyebrows. He holds an unlit cigarette to his lips, mouth quirked into a half-smile. She takes the minute to let her eyes rake over August; spying the bruises inking his flexed knuckles, and the dark purple underneath his hazel eyes.
"It's 10am, August. And as a Prefect, I can't approve of this." Lily chastises. She moves to reach for the cigarette, to pluck it from his smirking lips, but August dances just out of her short reach.
Lily pins August an exasperated look which he elects to ignore, flicking his thumb on the lighter and holding the burning flame to the stick of nicotine.
"You can hardly approve of anything, Lils." Smoke billows from his mouth, poised into a sharp smile. August checks his watch, eyebrows raising. "As a Prefect shouldn't you be in the Prefect carriage? With all of the other pompous Prefects."
"You could've been a Prefect if you'd stop getting into trouble." Lily says.
August flicks her a smile, made of sharp teeth and gum.
Lily ignores him, continuing. "I was just coming to greet my best friend after not seeing him for a month. Trying to get rid of me?"
"Never, my Lily flower. You're the love of my lonely life." August says dramatically, sweeping his arm to the floor in a bow.
