Death Eaters... Forever?

I woke up drearily, wiping the sleep from my eyes. Then I realised what day it was, and jumped out of bed. Thank God holidays were over! I couldn’t take much more of him. Thanks to my parents, we had been taking care of – or putting up with – Draco Malfoy while his parents were on an overseas trip. Trust me, it was even worse than you can imagine. Seriously.

I had a quick shower and got dressed. Looking in the mirror, my reflection stared back at me. My pale skin contrasted dramatically with my vibrant dark copper hair, and I had small pixie-like features. I was of an average height, but was slim, causing me to seem taller than I really was.

My dark green eyes sparkled with joy, and my lips curved up into a smile as I remembered what I was hurrying for.

I rushed downstairs, where my bags were already packed. Midnight, my beautiful black owl (hence the name) was in his cage. He looked up at me reproachfully, but I ignored him – he knew as well as I did what day it was. As I checked I’d packed everything, Draco came downstairs. I suppressed a groan – he was smirking at me, which wasn’t a good sign.

“Ready for school, Kyera? Draco?” My mother asked from the living room.

“I think so,” I replied, making sure I had my Firebolt. I wasn’t in the Quidditch team, but it was only because I had turned down position as Seeker for Slytherin.

We travelled via Floo Network straight to Diagon Alley. We had plenty of time on our hands until the train left, and my father had given me lots of money. My family had always been quite rich, which was why I’d had to put up with Draco. That and my pure wizard blood, originating from a respected family name. Ugh.

I walked past the Quidditch store – I needed no more persuasion to join the Quidditch team (although it would’ve given me great pleasure to take over Malfoy’s position as Seeker) and I already had my Firebolt, which was the newest broom out. It was a frosty morning, so I didn’t get an icecream at the Parlour. I realised with relief that Draco had disappeared into another store, and I was free of him. For now, anyway.

The crowds were just starting to appear, and the bustle was making me nervous. Crowds did that to me.

I entered a small back alley, which led me to the quiet Knockturn Alley. No light illuminated the alley, and I shivered in the sudden chill. Looking into an intriguing shop, I was tempted to enter, but the faded sign, DARK ARTS BOOKS AND ANTIQUES seemed to warn me away.

“Kyera!” A familiar booming voice shouted at me. “What’re you doing here?” Hagrid, a half giant who also happened to be Hogwarts groundskeeper lumbered up to me. I laughed.
“I could ask you the same thing!” He chuckled in acknowledgement.

“Yer as bad as ‘arry,” He told me jokingly. “Prowlin’ the dark wizard shops in Knockturn Alley!” He shook his great head in mock disappointment.

“Is Harry here?” I asked hopefully. Although I was in Slytherin, I practically lived in Gryffindor tower. The fat lady’s portrait had given up trying to stop me, so I no longer needed to Confund her to get past.

“I think I saw him go inta that shop there,” He pointed at a bookstore from which a long line of mostly females was coming from.

“Thanks!” I hugged Hagrid quickly, not even able to get my arms round half his girth, and ran off toward the store.

I saw that the commotion was a book signing by the famous Gilderoy Lockhart. Self-obsessed git.

Harry had just been seen by the Daily Prophet reporter and was having his photo taken with Lockhart, looking bewildered as anything.

“Kyera!” Ron and his parents, along with Ginny, his little sister, came over to talk to me. I told an exaggerated account of my horrific holidays with Malfoy, and listened to Ron’s account of his own summer. Harry joined us, and as we caught up, Mrs Weasley joined the line to get her own books signed, along with Hermione, who was sighing over Gilderoy’s portrait on a book. I shook my head in consternation. Who knew why she was so obsessed with him.

“Bet you enjoyed that didn’t you, Potter,” Draco spat. I sighed and watched the ensuing argument. It was, however, cut short by Lucius Malfoy’s appearance – Draco’s father.

“Kyera Wilson, what is a respectable Slytherin doing with these people?” I ducked my head in shame that he thought of me badly. No matter what he said, I’d always respected Lucius, and I felt sad that he did not see my friends in the same light as me. Well, that was an understatement, but I didn’t involve myself in family grudges.

He continued insulting the Weasley’s, and knowing I couldn’t do anything, I slipped away. Hermione had just got her books signed, so I went over to her. She was already reading Lockhart’s book, “All About Me”. I didn’t have her taste in books, in this case at least, but I was nearly as book-mad as her. In fact, there was a friendly war between us in almost every one of our classes. We’d found out last year that I was better at practical than she was. However, she was amazing at theory and her memory of dates was unparallel. This aside, she was a great friend to me, almost like a sister.

Looking at the time, I realised we had to go. My mother would’ve already dropped my things off at the station, where I’d pick them up, so I wasn’t in as much of a hurry as the others, but I was still scared we’d be late.

“C’mon, Herm, let’s go!” She nodded, and together we got to the station in time. Strangely enough, Harry and Ron weren’t on the train. I sighed again. Stupid boys.

“You shouldn’t hang out with Mudbloods, Kyera. It’s not good for the Slytherin house image,” Malfoy sneered. Earlier, I’d found he’d Confunded Midnight, and I was really in a bad mood at him. That was obviously why he’d been smirking that morning.

“And you think you’re any better for poor Slytherin’s image?” I asked mildly. Some of his friends couldn’t help but laugh at this, and it provoked Malfoy.

“Well at least I don’t hang around with ugly gits!” Bad move, I thought.

“So what do you call those?” I gestured at his friends. I knew I was just digging myself a hole, but I’d had to put up with Malfoy all summer, and I was sick to death of him.

“When we get to Hogwarts, you’re dead, Wilson,” he threatened. It took all my will not to ruin my composure and roll on the floor laughing at his attempts at being tough. He didn’t have any experience with dangerous spells, and I was confident I could protect myself from a fellow second year.