Crucio: Just Before The War

Chapter One

"Grace!" My mother called, "You've left your Potions book!"

I ran down the platform back to her, swiftly grabbing my copy of Advanced Potions-Making. She pulled me in for another tight hug, almost cutting off my airways.

"Mum," I groaned, "Please not again. Everything will be fine."

"I know, I'm just going to miss you," she sighed, "Make sure you stay safe. You'll write every week, yes?"

"Of course I will, as I said, it'll be fine," I tried to calm her.

She had been anxious about my return to Hogwarts ever since the stories that had been published about You Know Who's encounter at the Ministry. I couldn't lie to myself, I had also been worried about what school will be like after such awful events.

"Okay, fine. Go, or you'll miss the train," she mumbled and then sniffed as she pulled away from our embrace; her tears had darkened a few strands of my hair.

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her to stop crying, giving her a sincere smile, before I started to walk down the platform, taking a step into the carriage. "I'll write you! Love you!" I called out as I waved at her.

It was upsetting that my father couldn't accompany my mother on the platform, I knew that she would get emotional. I had said my goodbyes to him over breakfast before he left for work at the Ministry. I couldn't imagine how my mother felt having both of us away from her with everything going on. She had also attended Hogwarts and since graduating, decided on Broom Making from home, thankfully allowing her less exposure to the current events. My father worked as a Curse-Breaker for the Ministry which usually brought home very animated stories for him to tell; some were humorous and entertaining, but others were heartbreaking to hear. My father had the strength and stability for such a position. During these dark times, the last few years in fact, he hadn't been coming home with as many light hearted stories for us.

I made my way to an empty compartment on the second carriage as the Hogwarts Express started to move, briefly greeting a few fellow students along the way that I'd become acquainted with during the reign of Professor Umbridge. The cruelty we had witnessed and endured last year truly did bring a lot of us closer together. I sat in the seat closest to the window and began reading A Guide To Advanced Configuration since I had a lot of catching up to do. After about half an hour had passed and a few students walked by the compartment, a knock on the glass door brought me out of my reading. A cheerful looking Daphne Greengrass waved at me as she slid the door open.

"I found you! Why haven't you come to say hi?" She spoke as she took a seat across from me, scooping her mousey brown hair over her right shoulder.

I shrugged. "Eh, I didn't see you when I hopped on. Besides, didn't feel like sitting with the gothic kids today," I joked.

"Oh stop, just because you're in Gryffindor doesn't mean you're that different from us. You seem to forget that both your parents were in Slytherin. Maybe you were meant to be too, hm?" She raised a brow, before laughing.

"You'd love that, I bet," I rolled my eyes as I let out a huff.

The door of the compartment slid open slightly, "Hey, sorry to interrupt. Could I sit with you lot?" A slightly flat sounding voice came from it.

I looked over to see an irritated looking Marietta Edgecombe, a Ravenclaw I had only spoken to a handful of times last year. Her reddish blonde hair was curling and coiling in all directions and her face had a thick amount of makeup decorating it.

I smiled up at her and gave her a nod, "Yeah, sure," I replied, as Daphne rolled her eyes slightly.

"Thanks. Sorry again, Cho was just pissing me right off," she sighed, exasperated.