𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 | draco malfoy ✔️

93. the start of the end

TRAINING WHEELS
THE START OF THE END

1st July 1997

Amora felt numb. Her brown eyes bored into the palms of her hands, her body just existing from where it sat in one of the first compartments of the Hogwarts Express. That's all she felt like she was doing: existing. Breathing felt like a chore, and just getting out of bed that morning to sit through Dumbledore's funeral service was torture. She said nothing as Nymphadora Tonks helped her pack her bags.

The pink-haired woman had blabbered on and on about her time as a Hufflepuff at Hogwarts, gushing over all of Amora's belongings and pointing out how she had once lived in the very same dorm Amora resided in. Nymphadora - or Tonks, as she preferred - seemed very lovely, but Amora had barely said a word in return.

Remus Lupin had met them outside the Hufflepuff common room, sending Amora a small smile that she supposed had meant to be comforting. When they boarded the train, the two Order members taking their seats in front of her, he'd offered her a square of chocolate, but Amora merely shook her head with a small 'no thank you.'

"Would you like to sit with any of your friends?" Lupin had also asked her, "We'd be more than happy for them to sit with us."

The question caused tears to well up in Amora's eyes and she shook her head quickly. If anything, she would have preferred to be alone, but she needed an Order member to accompany her all the way from Hogwarts to the safe house, apparently.

Tonks and Lupin sat in front of her, an odd couple really, talking quietly. Sometimes Tonks would laugh a little and then she would clamp her hand over her mouth and look at Amora, as if she was worried her laughter would upset Amora. Amora barely noticed it. She sat back, her eyes empty, and her brain anything but.

People were rushing everywhere, trying to pack before Dumbledore's funeral as the train was due to leave only an hour afterwards. Amora couldn't believe that he was gone; that Draco may have murdered the most powerful wizard ever last night. That he had let Death Eaters into the school - getting people hurt and basically handing the school over to Voldemort.

Kathy had forced Amora up and out of the room once Tonks had left with Lupin to go and put her trunk with everybody else's. Even Leon stuck nearby. Zacharias had left last night, nearly straight after the death of their headmaster had been announced. Amora recalled shivering in the cold air, her arms wrapped around herself as she pushed to the front of the crowd, feeling sick at the sight of Harry hunched over the corpse of Professor Dumbledore.

Amora had wanted to leave last night too, like Zacharias, but when Tonks had asked her if she wanted to stay for Dumbledore's funeral like most would, she almost felt obligated to. She didn't want people to think she was a coward for leaving the night before, or that she didn't care. Amora did care that Dumbldore was dead because he was leading their side of the war.

"Oh no," she heard the faint whisper of Kathy, bringing Amora out of her thoughts. "Just ignore them. Keep moving."

Amora furrowed her brows, but only moments later heard the call of her name. It was like being drenched in icy water. Amora ignored Pansy's frantic calls, biting her bottom lip as Leon moved to stand on the other side of her. Blaise and Theo were with Pansy too, and it didn't take long for the three Slytherins to make it through the packed corridor and towards them.

"Back off," Leon snapped, placing a hand on Blaise's chest when he got too close. "Amora doesn't want to talk to you three."

"We get that, we understand," Pansy sniffled, "But please - let me tell Kathy and Amora the truth. Please."