Athena Dumbledore (A Harry Potter Love Story)

The Hogwarts Train

ATHENA POV:

I can't believe I actually get to board the Hogwarts train! All those other years I had already been at Hogwarts, and now I'm going to board the train like any normal person.  

"Oi! Athena, we're talking to you!" I turn around to see Fred and George grinning at me.  

"Want to help us pull a prank on Ronald over there?" I think about it.  

"Nah. Sorry guys. Maybe you could ask Hermione or Harry?" We had arrived at King's Cross.  

"But they already said no!" I tiredly shake my head and the twins groan, but decide to leave me alone. We're walking on the platform (which is packed with muggles) and I spot a familiar figure. It's the same man who was at The Three Broomsticks last year. He's watching me with my identical eyes and I get a slight shiver.  

"Who's that guy?" I hear Harry ask from behind me.  

"No idea," I say, looking away. "Lets just go." We reach platform nine and I look around, confused. I suddenly see Ginny running for a wall. I barely have time to react, but there's no need. Ginny vanishes right through the wall. I can see Harry and Ron laughing at my surprised expression. I shove them in the side. "Shut it." I watch as Fred and George disappear into the wall after Ginny. "So..." 

"You just run into the wall and the you'll be on platform 9 3/4!" Hermione say. I nod, a little reluctant, but you only live once, right? I watch Ron go into the wall and suck in a breath.  

"You want to go first?" Harry says as Hermione disappears to the mysterious platform.  

"Erm...sure, why not?" I take to the wall at a fast speed and close my eyes as I'm about to contact the wall, but feel nothing. I open my eyes to find a steaming, red train. It's whistle is blaring and I see many familiar faces here with their parents. I wave at Padma and Parvarti as they pass by, and they both return a warm smile. I jump as Harry comes up behind me. I see a small smile pass across his face as we drop off our trolleys and get on the train with our luggage. We find Ron and Hermione in an empty compartment and go and sit with them.  

"Hey guys!" I say happily, sitting down. They smile back at me and laugh.  

"It just seems weird that you're happy about being on an almost all day train ride," Ron says and Hermione giggles. I shrug, still smiling.  

"It's kind of lonely at Hogwarts without anyone there," my smile disappears and there's an awkward silence that follows. I gaze out the window. "Woah! The view is amazing!" I say, and everyone else gathers around the window, relieved to get rid of the awkwardness. There are a series of massive, rolling hills and a thick forest below. I sigh as I see an owl flying above carrying the post. It's a pitch black looking owl, and a beautiful one. The owls eyes are a pure black, like a never ending pit of darkness. For a second I see the eyes flash to a brilliant color of turquoise; the same color the mysterious man has. I gasp and suddenly feel very light headed. Had I been imagining it?  

"Athena, are you okay?" Hermione asks, concerned streaked across her face. I nod, but have to sit down. Hermione comes next to me and puts a comforting arm around me. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Are you sure you're okay?" I nod a little too forcefully.  

"I'm going to go change into my robes," I say and head out the door, shaking.

DRACO POV:

I'm about to go board the train to Hogwarts. Just great. I don't want to go back to that lame school, with lame teachers and a lame headmaster. The only thing that's good that happens to me is that I spot Athena walking through the platform. I guess she's not waiting at Hogwarts this year. I'm about to walk up to her when I see Potter walk up to her, and she smiles at him. Does she seriously like HIM?! I can feel my face becoming red with anger as I walk over to Crabbe and Goyle.  

"Lets get on the train. Might as well get this boring ride over with," Crabbe and Goyle shrug and follow me to the compartments claimed by Slytherin.  

"Are you excited for the Triwizard Tournament?" I ask and they both look at me quizzically. Sometimes I wonder if they have brains inside those heads of theirs. I launch into a whole conversation about what it is and they nod their heads and smile, probably not even having a clue what I'm talking about. I sigh and stare out the window. Suddenly my heart lightens as I see Edward (my owl) fly into view. He skillfully flies through the window and lands swiftly on my arm. He's a sleek, black owl with the best coordination I've ever seen. He hangs around me sometimes, but keeps disappearing for long periods of time. It's kind of curious... I suddenly see Athena pass by and my heart skips a beat. I decide to follow her, hoping to get her to like me a little. She makes it into the bathroom before I can reach her, so I stand there waiting. She comes out in her Hogwarts robes and jumps a little when she sees me.  

"Draco you scared me!" She says and her face pales when she sees the Edward. "Where'd you get that owl?" She says, slowly trying to get past me. I use my arm to block her path.  

"My dad bought him for me. It was specially trained and everything," I explain and notice how arrogant I sound. Athena looks even paler than before and I can see her sweating. Edward lets out a hoot and Athena jumps. Edward sinks his claws into my shoulder. I take my arm out of the way for only a second to pry Edward off, and Athena takes it as an opportunity and ducks past me and towards her compartment. Why is she so afraid of Edward? Edward is about to take off after her when I hold him down. "Edward what was that? You just messed up my chance!" I say, letting out a groan. Edward also lets out a frustrated hoot and I make my way back to the compartment.

HARRY POV:

"Maybe she ate something?" Ron suggests but Hermione and I shake our heads.  

"She would have told us that," Hermione says and I nod in agreement. "There's something else bugging her...I just can't put my finger on it..." I suddenly remember something.  

"The man," I say quietly and Ron and Hermione glance at me.  

"What?" They ask in unison.  

"The man we saw on the platform!" I shriek in triumph. I'm about to explain further when we're interrupted. Athena rushes back into the compartment, paler then she was before, locks the door, and pulls the curtains shut.  

"Oh-hi guys," she says nervously and sits down next to Ron. We all stare at her. "What?"  

"It's that man isn't it?" I ask and Athena looks at her feet, nodding slowly. "Who is he?"  

"I don't know, but he seems so familiar...I think I'm starting to hallucinate because I saw his eyes on Draco's owl." I rub my temples and lie back against the window.  

"He looked a lot like you. Had the same eyes and everything," Harry explains and I can't help but blush at the thought that he remembers what color my eyes are. "Do you have any siblings?"  

"Yeah my brother, but he's younger than me. That man was all grown up. And Uncle Albus said that my dad had red hair, so it's not him either." I think aloud. "Lets just drop it, I'm sure it was nothing," I say, heaving a sigh. We somehow get onto the topic of Quidditch right before the train stops in front of Hogwarts.