Mortem . Sirius Black

chapter ninety-two

January 8th - Hogwarts Express

It is said that every New Year brings changes, and that rule was certainly true in the case of the five friends returning to Hogwarts after Christmas Break. They were all aware of the fact that this was one of the last times they'd be boarding the Hogwarts Express, and they were on their way to a school distinctly different than the one they were used to. 

For one, Lestrange, Avery, and Mulciber were no longer students. They had left after they attempted to use the killing curse on Nephera, and no one had heard from them since, although the marauders were certain that Nott would be continuing their task of trying to kill the girl. 

Then, they would also be looking at the Headmaster with a different eye, considering the fact that he had tried throwing one of their friends in Azkaban. Their circle of who to trust was slowly growing narrower, and the five teenagers weren't sure who would be leaving next. 

Despite all that, the sight of the Hogwarts Express was enough to set their mood into a much brighter one, all of them reminiscing the first time they laid eyes on the red train. It was hard, imagining that seven years had passed and they'd soon be leaving the school once and for all. Too much had changed, they had all lost friends, gained friends, but they were happy. 

At least for the moment. 

Walking into the familiar marauder's compartment, Nephera's eyes fell on the corner of the bench covered by the pillow, which bore all of their initials, as well as Ellie's and Tony's. 

The two of them should've been there with them, and the Slytherin would be damned if she didn't make Voldemort pay for taking them too soon. 

"Everything alright?" asked Peter, taking her trunk and placing it on the net above, alongside his

Nephera shot him a pained smile, "Yeah, yeah, just sleepy. It's early," 

The mousy boy didn't quite believe her, but he decided not to pressure further. Nephera would talk when and if she wanted to, not a second before that. 

They all took their usual seats, and soon, the Gryffindor girls joined the compartment as well. It seemed like everyone shared the same sense of excitement about going back to Hogwarts, not that it was unjustified. 

Not only were the final months they'd spend there the closest thing they'd get to peace, but they were also supposed to have their career meetings in a week, where they'd discuss with their Heads of Houses about what jobs they'd been accepted to. 

Soon, the familiar whistle echoed throughout the train and the teens felt it moving out of the platform and into the open air. 

The conversation was lighthearted throughout the ride, courtesy mainly of James and Alice, who wouldn't let the other teenagers spiral and start talking about the war. 

Clearly, though, that didn't last long, especially now that they were all involved in the order. 

"So, you had to go talk to your father?" asked Alice, "Did he say anything?" 

The brunette nodded, "Apparently, Voldemort-" 

"Don't say that name!" shrieked Peter 

"Voldemort," insisted Nephera, "Has been looking for some way to cheat death, somehow,"

The silence that followed from the girls was enough to show how they were feeling. The marauders, of course, had been told this the second Nephera and Sirius got back from Azkaban, but the thought still chilled them. 

"The thing is," continued the girl, "I've never heard of any spell or ritual that can do that. I mean, I don't want to gloat, but I know a lot about Dark Magic,"