Ethereal [George Weasley]

𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 - 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚

I ran through the brick wall to the other side, where Grandma awaited. Like the multiple times I had done it before, I ended up completely fine, my trolley stopping to a halt. My Grandma looked at me, her cloudy grey eyes glazing over my ocean blue ones.

"Jessica." She started. "You know-"

"I don't understand, Grandma. Why?" I interrupted. We were having the same conversation all over again. "Why don't you want me to go to Hogwarts?"

It was a conversation that had begun a few weeks ago. For an unknown reason, Grandma and Mother didn't want me to return to Hogwarts. It ended in tears and me locking myself in my room. After hours of failed attempts to persuade me to stay at home, they both gave in. However, they were still very reluctant.

"Bad things are happening, dear." Grandma said. Too brief. I needed to know more.

"Like what?" I questioned, my arms folded over my chest.

"More like who." Grandma muttered quietly. But my ears still caught the words that lingered on her lips.

"Who? Who's bad? Look, can you just tell me what's going on?" I sighed.

"I can't. But you must trust me, Jessica!" She grasped my shoulders. "There's still time. We can go back-"

"No." I said firmly. "I'm going. I don't care. I need to complete my studies. I need to see my friends."

She opened her mouth, but the train blared loudly.

"I have to go." I said, before hugging her. "I'll see you at Christmas. Bye."

And with that and a peck on the cheek I sped away and got onto the Hogwarts Express, before she decided to drag me back home.

A lot of the compartments were already full. No wonder. Today was oddly cold for a September morning, so everyone wanted to get inside to the warmth of the train.

I walked past many compartments, seeking out my friends. I spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting with somebody covered by a black shawl. Strange. I also noticed the Weasley Twins in a compartment to themselves. They looked up and grinned, and I gave them a smile in return. Finally, I spotted my friends. Evelyn caught my eye and grinned.

"And here she is!" She smiled, moving up so I could sit with her and Amanda, Harley and Lindsey across us. "Our Famous Smarty Pants."

"And hello to you too." I said sardonically before Gizmo jumps into my lap. "How were all your summers?"

"I stayed with the Weasley's for the first week since my Dad had to go to Japan for work." Harley said. "It was ace. Then they went to Egypt and I came back home, which was decent."

Harley was actually related to the Weasley's, though it was quite distant. They shared the same Great Aunt Muriel, and so were second cousins.

"I visited Paris and stayed with my extended family." Amanda said. "They're all full Veela and are so stunning. Too bad i'm only 1/4 Veela, huh?"

Amanda came from wealthy, Pureblood and Veela heritage. Most of her family attended Beauxbatons, but since her family moved to England a decade ago, she had to attend Hogwarts instead, the first in her family.

"I didn't go anywhere, but I did work in St. Mungo's with my Dad as a sort of job experience thing. I met so many nice people. It's such a shame that they have to stay in their beds all day - a lot of them long to leave." Evelyn said sadly.

She was always thinking of others. People ought to be more like her. Evelyn was good at almost everything. She was focused in lessons, amazing at flying, and was a shoulder to cry on for everyone. She was easily the motherly one in the group.

"My summer was pretty uneventful, but I moved houses. My room is much more bigger now. I'm still not allowed a pet though." Lindsey sniffed as Amanda placed Trésor on her lap in pity.

Lindsey had longed for a pet, especially after meeting Gizmo and Trésor. Even though they weren't her own cats, she always looked after them when Harley and Amanda weren't around. Gizmo and Trésor were like their owners - always seeing a different side to the story.

"What about you, Jess?" Harley asked me.

"It's strange. My Grandma didn't want me to return this year. I have no clue why though."

"Yeah, you mentioned that in your letter." Evelyn recalled. "Why's that? Has she ever said anything like that before?"

"No..." I say. "She said she didn't want me to meet any bad people. But who? I've known you all for 3 years. And Ivy isn't a big deal. So who?"

My inquiries were interrupted with a loud thud. Harley and Lindsey rocked forwards into me, Evelyn, and Amanda. The lights switched off. It was suddenly cold.

We all clutched each other and the cats hid in the corner next to Amanda. I grabbed Harley's hand who grabbed Evelyn. Amanda grabbed onto Lindsey, who also grabbed Evelyn.

"What is it?" Amanda said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Should we go see?" Harley questioned, although she sounded reluctant.

"No way! It's dangerous." Lindsey said, her voice breaking.

The next 5 minutes felt like 5 hours, as we waited in silence. Suddenly, the lights came back on and the train started to move again as if nothing happened.

Harley looked at me before jumping back to her previous seat, pretending as if she hadn't held my hand and grabbed onto Ev.   She was very awkward when it came to affection. Perhaps it was because of her strained relationship with her father? Harley's mother left them, and so they had no relationship at all.

Lindsey, however, stayed in between Amanda and Evelyn, waiting for her sobs to stop. She was very emotional and was also scared of a lot of things.

I moved next to Harley so that they would all have space. What had just happened?

"What just happened?" Harley said aloud, her question identical to my frantic thoughts. "Was there an accident?"

"I'm not sure... But it went cold. Like there was an evil being around." I said.

Suddenly, a man opened our compartment door. He looked older than he probably was, with messy hair and scars. I didn't recognise him, but he definitely was not a student.

"Are you girls okay?" He said, peering at Lindsey, whose face was still wet.

"We're fine, thank you." Evelyn responded politely.

"What happened?" Amanda questioned.

"Ah." He said. "A Dementor attack."

"A Demen what? What's a Dementor?" Harley said in accusation, her eyebrows furrowed.

"A Dementor," I begun as all eyes landed on me. "Is a dark creature that consumes human happiness, creating an ambiance of coldness, darkness and despair. Because of their abilities to drain hope and happiness out of the human body, they have been set as the guards of The Azkaban Prisons, where they prevent prisoners from having the will to escape."

Harley blinked at me.

"So they're bloodsuckers?"

Lindsey wailed as Evelyn continued to comfort her and Amanda and Harley began a heated discussion over Dementors. They weren't paying attention to me. Unlike the strange man at the door.

He began to stare. I blinked in confusion. Did I say too much? Or was my definition incorrect?

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

It took a while for him to respond.

"Do I-" He stopped. "No, it's nothing. I apologise."

And with that, he shut the door and disappeared.

My friends looked at me, in confusion.

"What was that about?" Amanda asked me.

I blinked twice, before opening my mouth.

"I have no idea..."

1281 words