𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

xxiv | back to school

Kings Cross Station

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𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐀 𝐑𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 with her cousin and the Weasleys. They were running behind due to delays earlier in the morning. It was 10:58; it would be a miracle if they made it on time.

Percy rushed through the barrier, followed by Fred and George. Hadley pushed on Dakota's back, urging her forward so she wouldn't get left behind. She loaded her things onto the train and went to find Hermione.

Outside on the platform, Lyra was saying her goodbyes to her family – or rather, she and Bellatrix were being forced by Narcissa to act like they liked each other.

"Just be nice and give her a hug goodbye!" Narcissa snapped, her frustration growing.

"I'm not hugging that brat!"

"I don't want her touching me!"

"Just two seconds." Narcissa sighed heavily. "Hug for two seconds, please. I hate what this has become."

"It never 'became' anything!" Lyra shrieked. She threw an arm out to Bellatrix. "She hates me! Sh-She's never liked me!"

"Lyra Marceline, people are staring," Narcissa whispered harshly.

Lyra's face flushed as she looked around the platform. Parents of students were watching them; the infamous Black sisters who to all the world seemed like a perfect pureblood family.

The train whistle blew. Lyra turned on her heel and ran to get on board. She walked through the narrow corridor until she found the carriage that Hermione, Lyra, and Aliyah were in. Judging by the looks on their faces, they had seen what happened on the platform.

"Don't ask," she mumbled, sighing as she sat down next to Aliyah. "Narcissa has been trying to get Bellatrix to start acting like an older sister to me all summer."

"No luck, I'm guessing?" Aliyah asked, pouting softly when Lyra nodded.

"So, where are Ron and Harry?" the blonde asked as she looked around the compartment.

"No idea." Dakota shrugged, nervously glancing out the window as they pulled out of the station. "I thought they were right behind me, but when I got on board, I couldn't find them."

The compartment door opened, and Ophelia Longbottom – a 4th year girl in Lyra's house – poked her head in. "Mind if I join you guys?" she asked. "I don't think I can handle over 8 hours in a carriage with the Weasley triplets."

"The more the merrier." Aliyah grinned and motioned for her to sit down.

The first half of the train ride was spent chatting about their summer breaks. After a lunch of snacks from the trolley witch, Dakota was beginning to worry. Harry and Ron still hadn't shown up yet.

She left the compartment to search for them. She walked through the corridor looking through each carriage, but they weren't anywhere to be found. When she returned to her friends, her jaw dropped when she saw something outside.

"Oh, those idiots," she muttered.

They were flying the enchanted Ford Anglia to school.

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No one saw Harry and Ron until the next morning on their way down to the greenhouses for Herbology. Hermione gave them both a telling-off for what they had done and told them that they were lucky not to be expelled. When she asked Dakota if she had anything to add, she said that they were both dingus's who don't use their brains.