BITTERSWEET TRAGEDY◦VIKTOR KRUM

THREE

THREE.

          FRED, GEORGE and Bella sat in a train compartment of the Hogwarts Express, clouded in complete silence. The Ravenclaw girl had her nose stuck in a newspaper - The Daily Prophet, to be exact - which was not unusual for her considering how much she liked to read.

          She was just reading an article about the events the night before, of which she was involved in. Fred began to quietly chuckle at her displeased facial expressions, but Arabella was completely unaware until she looked up. Yet still, she ignored him, and decided to put the newspaper aside.

          "This is a joke. How can the Ministry not know who conjured the spell? Wasn't there any security or--"

"Loads, according to Dad." George started. "I don't see why they worry so much; it's not like anything bad happened." He teased, the corners of his mouth curling upwards.

Bella playfully shoved the boy on the shoulder. "I could've been killed, you dickhead!" She scowled, though her irritated expression didn't balance the laughter laced in her voice. She knew George wasn't being serious, and his obvious joking manner never failed to make her giggle.

"Your parents will want to hear about what happened last night." Fred suggested, but the redhead just shrugged.

          "I would rather not have them worrying all year." She muttered, stroking her Short-Eared Owl, Henry, who had been beside her for the majority of the ride. "Besides, Ellie can write to them if she really wants to."

          "I can do what?" A small, quiet voice asked, and Arabella turned around to see her younger sister in the doorway of the carriage. "All I heard was my name."

          Bella smiled at the grey kitten nestled in the girl's arms. "I was saying that you could write to Mum and Dad. Use Henry to deliver the letter."

"What about Errol?" She wondered sweetly, referring to the Weasley family owl. Errol was old and fairly stupid, so as she looked at Fred and George with large, fluttering eyes, the twins exchanged an amused stare.

Bella tugged her sister by the waist, pulling her close so that her head fell onto the girl's shoulder. "I don't think you'd want Errol." She said, caressing her fingers through Eleanor's bobbed auburn hair.

"Why?"

"He's a pain in the arse, to be honest, El."

Fred nodded, chuckling slightly. He patted the empty space next to him, gesturing for his best friend's sister to sit there. Ellie grinned, taking off her yellow and black Hufflepuff scarf and placing it next to Arabella where her Ravenclaw robes were lay. She hadn't bothered to get in her uniform yet, and the train toilets were so disgusting that she considered just getting dressed in the carriage.

"So how does it feel going into second year?" Fred questioned, emphasising the last two words mockingly - as if he had just asked her to enter the depths of Hell.

            "It feels good, actually. I'm excited."

          George was surprised to hear that Eleanor was so relaxed about it; he remembered going into his second year and being so nervous that he was unable to sleep the night before. He also remembered asking Fred to stay awake with him, and reluctantly, he had agreed.