Emerald Slippers- [Ginny Weasley]

Two

For Ginny, even the train ride this year felt completely different. The atmosphere had done a complete 180. Gone were the times of pure joy as friends gathered for the first time after six weeks. Gone was the excitement for the new term and all the things they would be learning. Half of Ginny's friends weren't even coming back this year their parents having pulled them out for safety concerns. Any muggleborn students had gone into hiding banned from going to school by the new headmaster and she supposed Voldermort himself. The fact that Snape had been made Headmaster had probably been a the last straw for a few students about not returning.

The only thing that remained unchanged was the tearful goodbyes between parents and their children. Only this time these goodbyes held a lot more angst than the previous years. For saying goodbye now meant that they were uncertain whether they would be reunited again. The platform was much quieter without the muggleborn students and their bewildered parents having just come through the barrier. There were few half blood students arriving for this year, and they were only escorted by their magical parent for fear of being hunted down if both were to attend. It wasn't a sight Ginny enjoyed seeing, and she hoped that whatever adventure her brother and his friends had run off to complete would stop this from occurring for any future years to come.

Her eyes scanned the crowd and the windows of the train for the face which matched the scare and coded letters she had received all holiday. Yet no matter how hard Ginny looked, she could not see the familiar dark hair anywhere on the platform. All she could do was hope that Naomi had actually been allowed to come back this year. Many of the older Slytherins who had also been encouraged, forcefully, to join the Death Eaters were not present and it was assumed by many Order members that these students were being tasked with doing things for the Death Eaters rather than attending school. Though before she got the chance to head off to search the platform for any sign of Naomi, Ginny felt a hand clasp on her shoulder drawing her attention back to her mother, who was the only parent able to see her off this year.

"Come on dear, it's almost time for the train to leave. I'm sure your other friends are already on board. Stay away from the Sacred 28, most of those kids will be on the other side." If only her mother knew Ginny spent a lot of time around one of those Kids and a lot more intimately than Molly Weasley could ever compute.

"Yes of course mum, I'll see you shortly." Ginny responded knowing she was going to break that advice the second she stepped onto the train.

"I'll see you soon my dear, I love you."

"I love you more mum." At these words, the warning whistle sounded for the train and Ginny along with many other children rushed towards the train. She stood for a second to wave goodbye to her mother, taking the time to absorb her mother's features just in case.

Once the train had started moving and they were on their way, Ginny started to make her way down the hallway. Looking for anything that shared a sibilance of familiarity. First, she looked for Luna, the girls unusually bright white hair was the easiest thing to pick out of a crowd for her friendship group. Plus Luna was always really early to the train at the beginning of the term determined to get the same carriage they had travelled in every year since they had first started attending the school. There seemed to be absolutely no sight of Luna anywhere on the train, Ginny assumed that she had just missed her perhaps Luna had been in the toilet when she passed. And therefore, Ginny headed to go back up and down just in case she stumbled across her friend.

Though she barely managed to move much further before a hand grabbed onto her arm, a very soft hand might she add. Now considering the current climate they were in, Ginny should have been a little panicked. But that wasn't really in her demeanour, and she was almost 100 % certain she knew who this was. Whoever this was, was dragging Ginny in the direction of the girls bathroom. And considering the fact that this was a particular secret meeting spot the pair had used a couple times beforehand on the train it only finalised what Ginny had come to conclude.

"Oh my merlin, Ginevra I didn't think you were coming this year."Just as she had guessed it was the voice of her girlfriend who greeted Ginny as soon as they had stopped inside the bathroom. Ginny took a few seconds to survey Naomi to see any physical changes which may have occurred over the summer. The girls hair was slightly longer but other than that Ginny could not see any major differences in the other girl.

"My parents considered it with everything going on, but I wanted to come. I needed to come this year." Ginny responded.

"You're putting yourself in so much danger by being here this year. You know we've taken over the school." Naomi's words were accompanied by a subtle nod to her left arm where the magical branding would forever remain.

"But I needed to come back Ni. The younger years need me, you need me." Ginny felt as though this was a occurrence of deja vu having remembered the conversation she had with her parents time and time again over the summer which featured the exact same words, just slightly different orders. Obviously she hadn't told her parents who she was dating, they just knew she was dating someone at the school who Ginny had promised she would see again in the September.

"Theres no point arguing considering we're already on the train. Just try to not get caught too often. I'm not sure just how much I can persuade some of these guys to let you off." Ginny wondered if Naomi's lack of will to argue, which they did often but not unhealthily considering they often argued about small things, was related to the entire situation or if the girl was just lacking energy for some reason today.

"They're that bad?" Naomi hummed in response though did not go on to give any specifics in regard to who Voldermort had brought in to help running the school. But by the way she seemed so desperate in keeping Ginny out of their path, she knew that they weren't going to be anything good.

"I know that as long as I have you by my side, that we can get through anything they throw at us." Ginny was always the optimist out of the two of them, she knew that deeply. And as she tried to encourage her girlfriend to think in the same manner, Ginny watched on as the cogs began to turn in Naomi's head and the girl have her an unconvincing smile to try and agree.

"As long as I have you, I don't think I need much else." Naomi's words were sappy she was aware but she chose them as she left her brain to work out a new plan. Her goal for the year had changed. No longer would she remain focused on just trying to stay alive. She would now only focus on doing everything she could to protect Ginevra Weasley at all times.

Nothing would harm the spunky Gryffindor if Naomi had anything to do with it.