CHAPTER SIX
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-: sixth year :-
── IN WHICH THEY REACH SCHOOL
. . .
The lights came on not soon after, and as if the whole ordeal hadn't occured, the train began moving again. The Professor they had seen sleeping earlier - R.J Lupin - had appeared a few minutes after it did, making sure they were all ok.
And they all were - however they were quite shaken up by all of it. Daniel and Theo tried to look as if they were alright, but truly they weren't as strong as they tried to look. But the girls, although not wanting to play into stereotypes, they could actually openly cry.
So they did - well Cynthia and Cleo did. Erin seemed to be pumped up on her anger and determination to beat Gryffindor in Quidditch.
"Oliver Wood doesn't know what's coming for him." Daniel commented, and this instantly got Cynthia and Cleo's attention, sniffing and looking towards Erin.
"What about Oliver?" Cynthia asked, always interested in hearing updates on the litttle feud between Quidditch captains - she was absolutely convinced that they would either end up together, having some strange form of sleeping with the enemy relationship, or killing each other. One extreme to another, with the eldest Parkinson girl.
"Nothing about Oliver." Erin said quickly, but Daniel had another plan, and began to relay back to Cynthia, Cleo and Theo what had happened whilst they were in the other carriage.
"Awww." Cynthia looked over at Erin - far more excited than the Tonks girl had looked for a while when it came to Oliver. "He was protecting you!"
"I didn't need to be protected." Erin rolled her eyes. "I didn't ask him to help me, I could've done it myself."
"Sure you could." Theo said, and Erin went to argue just as the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, and with a puff of white smoke, the Hogwarts Express came to a stop.
The group of sixth years collected their stuff that had been scattered around the compartment from just the general excitement and then the horrors of the Dementors and descended onto the platform.
They seemed to tower above the crowds of younger years - even though they still had one year to go. The platform had an odd quietness to it. Of course it still had the usual chatter of voices, but everyone was a bit shaken up from the train stopping.
"Firs' years this way!" Hagrid shouted, bringing some form of normality back. The shouts of the gamekeeper broke through the trance-like state that the majority of students were in. Theo, Erin and Cleo began to herd a few of the first years they spotted towards Hagrid, before heading towards the carriages.
"Ladies first." Daniel said, holding out his hand to help Cynthia, Cleo and Erin up. The first two took it, but Erin hit him on the head with the copy of the Daily Prophet she had. "Lovely." He coughed, and got in behind them, Theo swinging the door closed on the carriage.
"You know, I can't wait to bash Oliver Wood's head in with my Nimbus." Erin commented, as they rounded the corner and from across the lake, the Quidditch pitch came into view.
"Do you talk about anything other than Quidditch?" Cleo asked. "It's just Oliver Wood this, beating Gryffindor that. Do you ever think of anything other than Quidditch."
"Cleo, darling, I live and breathe Quidditch. I think of a lot of things, but I think mostly about Quidditch. I need to come up with different ideas that they haven't come up with before so I can beat them to the pulp." Erin replied.
"You fit your house." Daniel scoffed, and Erin rolled her eyes. "Do you ever think of maybe beating Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff in Quidditch?"
"No I'm just planning on that anyway. It's a given that I beat them. I take them both down and then Gryffindor." The Tonks girl shrugged.
The girl shut up as the the carriage turned yet another corner, and right in front of them was Hogwarts. It always seemed to leave them breathless, even if they had seen it and lived in it for several years before.
And as they stepped out of the carriage, they knew that yet another year was starting. Really starting. And with the Dementors hovering around the perimeter of the grounds, it was sure to be an interesting year.
As usual.
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