A Flurry Of Crimson

Memory 2 | September 1 1996

I arrive to our compartment. There are two symmetrical seats. Benjamin and Hermiabel sit on the right-sided one, his arm slung across her shoulders. Adeline sits on the other, saving me some space.

"Hey Astoria, I heard that your father has caught Lucius Malfoy as a Death Eater," Ben starts.

"Yes," I reply, placing my trunk in the luggage racks. I can feel the rail starting to squeal under the train's wheels.
In fact, my father works as an Auror at the Ministry. He has reached a high level of success in his work because he caught many of these demons. Yet, we're scared of one thing: "He Who Must Not Be Named" has returned.

"One more thing, what did happen to your relationship with this Slytherin boy?"

"You mean friendship, and we're not talking to each other anymore. He called me a blood traitor last year, meaningly, and his friends won't stop being rude gits," I say.

"I met our new professor, by the way, Horace Slughorn. He's very affectionate and kind," says Adeline, changing the subject of our conversation. "He sent invitations for certain students, particularly ones connected with somebody well-known."

"Was this Weasly girl with you?" Ben asks her.

"Yes, Ginny was there including a bunch of other students like, Potter, Longbottom, and Zabini. There were many sixth-years and seventh years. One is called Cormac McLaggen and one is called Marcus Belby. I stayed there for only a few minutes. Honestly, it was exceptionally boring and I had to excuse myself for going."

She continues after moments of silence, "Ginny's popular, a lot of people are talking about her lately."
"Well she's a good Quidditch player," Bel adds.

"Not gonna lie, that's the first time I see an attractive ginger-" Ben says, but Bel cuts him with a strong nudge, as though begging for him to note her presence. He already does, he just said that to trigger her.

"Adeline told me that Zabini and Weasly were exchanging glances. Do you think there's something between them?" Bel says.

"I told you, I saw them superficially doing it. I bet they hate each other," Adeline adds, with her soft, silvery voice.

"I wasn't good with him being with my sister from the first place- he's an oddly mystified person," I say.

"You're-" Adeline says but stops as soon as she sees someone standing right in front of the opened door. She grins awkwardly at Daphne who leans against the doorframe, her arms crossed.

Her luminous, ocean blue eyes glow even brighter, and a tear slips out of her left eye.

"Blaise likes her?" She asks, her voice shaking.

I press both thumbs in my eyes, and say, "Er-um- No."
Honestly, Blaise doesn't deserve my sister.

"Adeline told us, she saw both of them exchanging eye contacts when-"Ben says, but again his sentence is interrupted by someone. Adeline takes the chocolate frog box that she has in hand and throws it at him.

"Ouch!"

"Can you please shut up?" She says, but he doesn't.

"Nevertheless, I bet he's one hundred per cent blind, you're bloody better."

When she turns to leave, I immediately follow her. Her hands are formed into two fists, her fingernails biting her palms. She doesn't see me, and as she enters the train's toilets, I watch her right from the door. She opens the faucet of the sink and washes her face. I hear shuffles of burbling water, and between each one and the other, a deep respiration pulses. She's not sad but angry.

No one seems to be in here other than us, so I feel no discomfort talking to her about it.

"You know they were just joking, don't you?" I say.

"Aside from that Astoria, he has been isolating me lately. I wish he told me, from the beginning, that he doesn't want this. I was acting idiotically."

"No, you're not an idiot if you love someone. Hearts don't distinguish between rights and wrongs. You have to ask yourself, are we just having fun? Or do we love each other? You know this person loves you when they stand by your side when you're fine and when you're at your weakest. They might sacrifice themselves for you if needed. Like friends, family..."

"You're undoubtedly right. It's fine, everything will be alright," she says, finally smiling.

I love her so much, I hate to see her sad. I raise y hand and slap the flat of my palm against hers with a high-five.
We change into our uniforms. I wear my white shirt, the green-silver striped tie, and the matching skirt.

I return to our compartment, while Daphne goes to her friends'. Hermione Granger sits next to Adeline, as she talks,"...it'll be terrible. We have to stand against them to which, which means, we need you. We can't do it alone. That's what the DA is made for. Now excuse me, I have to go."

"Of course, don't worry, Bye," one of them says.

She gets up, books scattered around her chest. She grasps them together with one hand. When she passes next to me, a brief smile crosses her face, then leaves.

"What was she talking to you three about?" I ask.

"She said that there might be a Death Eater among us, and is DA is seeking to find who this person is. We have to stop him or her before something terrible happens at Hogwarts. We also have to be careful about it, no imposter should discover our plan," Adeline says.

"But the thing is, who might it be? I have no clue," Ben says.

My thoughts disperse here and there. Firstly, Lucius Malfoy gets locked in jail for persuading evidence, that he's a Death Eater, not so long ago, and now, another Death Eater seems to live between us. In my consideration, it's most likely to be a student.

"No idea," Bel replies. "Hey, want some?" She says, looking at me then withdraws a Liquorice Wand out of her pocket.

"Sure!" I exclaim happily.

"Welcome home ladies and gentlemen, I can see Hogwarts," Ben says as if he's speaking to a large audience.

"You're the only man here, right?" Bel says and we laugh in unison.

The castle starts to appear as we get closer, behind it, various shades of blue, pink and yellow perfectly blend. The scattered clouds look like cotton candy, allowing the sunlight to stream out of them. This view is completely marvellous.

"We better go change into our costumes," Bel says.

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~Thank you for choosing to read this book! Be patient, what is about to come is interesting ...