Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 7: My Return

I woke the next morning to my mother opening Theo's door loudly followed by her voice amplified to fill the entire wing. It was the morning of September 1st, and I had a train to catch. My mother's voice helped remind me of that.

"Has everyone chosen today of all days to sleep in? GET UP! We have thirty minutes to get to the station—Mon Dieu if your sister isn't up...."

That's my cue.

I sprang from my bed and to the outfit I had smartly set up the night before. My mother opened my door moments later. She was in a rather frazzled state. Her hair was in a quick ponytail, revealing fly-aways in every direction (which unfairly looked pretty on my mother), no makeup, and a classic black dress with tights and no shoes.

Seems like Theo and I were not the only ones who had overslept.

"Hmph! At least you've managed to start changing. We are leaving in ten minutes. Hurry up if you want breakfast." She turned on her heels, leaving my door open, as if I wasn't half naked.

Shutting the door with a curse under my breath, I finished changing, brushed my hair and laced my sandalwood leather boots to my lower knee before descending to the kitchen. I had chosen to wear something appropriately "It-girl-esc" for my entrance back to Hogwarts. Even if I was to change again once I got on the train.

By the time Theo came down rubbing sleep from his eyes, I had finished half my coffee and was on to my second piece of bread and peanut butter.

"Good sleep?" I mocked with a sly grin as my brother passed. I watched him scrunch his face as he stretched his hands over his bed ridden hair and proceeded toward the fridge, pulling at one of my boho braids as he went.

"What's with the sudden change in hair?"

"I thought it looked nice!" I remarked happily, as I glanced proudly down at my handiwork.

A house elf was by the stove, scrubbing vigorously at a black spot on the stainless-steel splashboard. He took no notice of my brother, who was looking for freshly made breakfast. There was none to be found as the house elves had been given no orders from my mother to prep.

Even our house elves knew who to favor in the household. And in this situation, Theo was not it.

"Muffin in the side bar," I pointed, directing my brother, just as the sound of my mother's heels echoed down the hall.

"Ten minutes are up. Why are none of you in the car? Do you want to miss the train?"

Yes, but I wasn't exactly going to admit that aloud given the attitude my mother was in this morning.

Taking my half-eaten breakfast with me, I followed her long strides to the car, only stopping once to wolf down the last of my toast by the door.

No food was allowed in the car for fear of ruining the leather seats. Theo forgot this detail, causing his half-eaten muffin to be tossed from the car window by Mamen as we drove off at a body slamming speed.

For some reason, I expected my grand entrance back to King's Cross to be something involving people noticing me. I wanted to see Sam before she entered the train so that we could get passed the spat I earned from not giving her warning of my arrival. I'll just have to find a seat with her.

Hell, how was I going to find a seat in time? Merlin if I get stuck in a compartment with first years I just might shoot myself.

As this ran through my mind, we were racing through the station with my mother in the lead, going through the wall and onto the actual platform. Platform 9 ¾ was almost empty of students. Only parents lingered as the train whistled a final call.