dark side • draco malfoy

1 | The Hogwarts Express {edited}

CRACK!

I shuddered a little at the familiar feeling of side-along apparition. No matter how many times I did it, I didn't think I'd ever be used to it.

At least I didn't vomit anymore.

Grabbing ahold of my cart, I pushed it out into the open train station, looking around for the familiar brick wall separating platforms nine and ten.

Finally setting my sights on it, I nodded once at my dad before running at the barrier. Within seconds, I had come out the other side and was greeted with the usual craziness of Platform 9 3/4. I heard my parents come up behind me, and my mum commenting on everyone's strange clothing like she did every year. Finally, I turned to face them and leant against my cart.

"Be careful this year darling, okay?" my mum told me, gripping onto my shoulders a little too tightly.

"Yes Mum. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," I groaned, glancing at my watch.

If I didn't hurry up, I was going to miss the train to Hogwarts, which would not be good. After hearing about what Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had to do in second year when they missed the train, I consistently made an effort every year to be on time. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a flying car to get to Hogwarts.....

"I'm sorry dear, I mean well but-"

"Your mother and I are just concerned, Ivy. Things are changing, and the dark forces are rising. We just want you to be extra careful this year," my dad interrupted my mum, looking down at me with worry in his eyes as he pulled her in close.

Even though my mother was a muggle, she knew enough about my world to be terrified for me. With my father being an auror, she was aware of more dark dangers than most wizard parents, and I didn't blame her for stressing about my safety.

"Don't worry Dad, I know. I'll be careful, I promise." I smiled warmly up at my two parents.

How could I be frustrated with them when they were clearly worried about my safety? Life as we knew it was changing, and fast. They had every right to be scared for their only child. It didn't matter that my school was probably the safest place in the entire wizarding world at the moment, because no place was really safe anymore. Not even Hogwarts.

"That's all we ask, darling. We love you, and we'll write as often as we can." My mum pulled me into a tight hug and my dad placed a loving kiss atop my head.

"Love you too." I waved at them one last time, making sure to savour this moment — I wouldn't be seeing them until Christmas — before making my way over to the train.

The whistle sounded as I stepped inside, and before I knew it the Hogwarts Express was moving and I was on my way to my second home.

Realizing that all the compartments were probably nearly full already, I hurried to find my friends and sit down. Glancing into each compartment as I walked by, I saw that they were all full with students that I had no interest in sitting with.

Damnit — where were they?

I was so preoccupied with trying to locate my friends that I didn't notice my least favourite classmate coming towards me until it was too late.

I suddenly collided with a tall body and fell backwards onto the ground, feeling a sharp pain shoot up my left arm from the impact. Looking up, I was met with white-blonde hair and cold, grey eyes. I had run right into none other than Draco Malfoy.

Great.

"Watch where you're going, Chapman!" he sneered as I quickly stood up, my face heating up instantly and flushing bright red with annoyance.

"I could say the same to you, Malfoy." I returned his stare with with an equal amount of hatred behind it.

He huffed in annoyance, before picking up his suitcase and pushing past me towards the back of the train — the Slytherin end.

Rolling my eyes, I continued forward until I finally found my friends seated comfortably in a compartment. As I opened the door, they all turned to look at me.

"Ivy! You're finally here! We were getting worried about you!" Ginny Weasley stood up and embraced me in a tight hug that I gladly returned.

"Sorry I took so long guys. On my way here, I ran into Malfoy — literally." I rolled my eyes, remembering the way he practically snarled at me.

"Oh dear, that sounds positively dreadful," Luna Lovegood sighed from beside me and I nodded. By now I was used to the dreamy tone of her voice and her sometimes strange choice of words.

"I suppose it wasn't the best way to start off sixth year." I rolled my eyes and shrugged, flopping down next to Luna.

"Oh well, he's a prat anyways. Don't bother wasting your thoughts on him, Ivy. How was your summer?" Neville Longbottom asked, smiling over at me.

As I began to recount my summer to my three classmates, I knew I was certain of one thing; even with dark times upon us and worse to come, I knew I could count on my friends to cheer me up. Perhaps with a little positivity, we could all make it through this year okay.