Give It a Year

“Sirius Black, I don’t suppose you know who he is Dad?” I asked reading over the daily prophet, it was morning around 5 am, and surprisingly Cedric was still asleep. Dad looked up from his breakfast and stared at me, I was reading over the article about Sirius black, who escaped Azkaban, supposedly the most highly patrolled and hardest jail to get out of. Dad cleared his throat, “He was a follower of Voldemort, his inner circle, that’s all I know. And if he can get of Azkaban he can get in anywhere.” His lips were pursed and he eyed me carefully.

“Hogwarts is the safest place-.” He cut me off with a hand, “I know that if I don’t let you or Cedric go this year it’ll cause a rift between us, I know and will let you go, but as soon as your weekly letters stop I’ll know you’re in danger. You’ll have Nyx with you anyway I suspect?” I sighed in relief and put the Daily Prophet down, “I guess, she’s fully grown now and I knew this year she’d have to stay at Hagrid’s but maybe Dumbledore might let her sleep in the common room or something. It really wouldn’t surprise me if this Sirius Black guy was coming for Harry since everything so far has tried to kill him.” I mumbled the last part. Dad smiled and took the Daily prophet, “you better go and wake up Cedric, pack your things and get ready to leave soon, wouldn’t want you two to miss your first day back at school now.”

I smiled and got out of my chair, the wooden chair scraped across our floor boards disrupting Nyx’s pleasant sleep by the fire. I knocked on Cedric’s door hard and pushed it open, “Ceddy! Time to wake up.” I yelled, I called Nyx over and pointed to Cedric’s bed, “wake up Ced.” She pounced on top of the bed making Cedric groan and attempt to push her off the bed, no matter how strong anyone was she was stronger and wouldn’t budge. “Valora get your stupid animal off me.” I folded my arms and smirked, “hey it could’ve been the monster book of monsters but you got it easily.. c’mon Nyx.” She bounded off the bed and into my room.

After this summer break I don’t doubt things would get easier, I mean, now we have to be constantly vigilant of some prisoner escapee probably out to murder Harry, I’d really be surprised if he wasn’t after Harry. Anything that goes on based around Voldemort tends to find its way to Harry. I didn’t take as long to pack extra things than Cedric because I packed the night before, I’m really excited to see Hermione, Harry and Ron again, I’ve been writing to them all summer and I’ve gotten all my homework done. “All Ready then are you Valora?” Dad asks looking at me sitting on my trunk in front of the door way like I did every year before we left for Kings Cross. I nodded smiling, it was only just 8 o’clock, it was quite a long travel distance but I was always eager and early before Cedric had even gotten up for breakfast.

The time ticked away as did my patience, I was ready to leave, I wanted to leave. “Alright c’mon now before we’re late.” Dad called us over to the fire. Like every year we took the flu powder system to the Ministry for Magic and then onward to Kings Cross. The longest part of our journey was the walk from the ministry to Kings Cross, I whined ever since last year about the Weasleys having a Car they fly to kings cross, muggles weren’t used to seeing a cat or well feline as large as Nyx let alone wandering the streets of London. But dad being dad knew a charm to shield or well.. turn her invisible I guess from the muggles because he knew that if he was caught with a rare magical creature roaming around with him his job would be on the line. It was a strange spell but it lifted once Nyx and I got through the barrier where she was sent off with the other creatures in the creatures carriage.

“Ah a bit early, but you can get a good seat on the train.” Dad smiled looking at the time, it was 10:30 and people only just started filling in. before it became too noisy I hugged dad, “bye dad! See you on the holidays!” I squeezed him tightly and lifted my luggage and myself onto the train and into the compartment where Hermione sat and a man, who I had no recognition of.

“Valora! Oh it’s so wonderful to see you!” she was taller I noticed her hair was longer and less frizzy than the last time I saw her. I hugged her tightly, “I presume your break was exceptional?” she asked and I sat opposite to her, “Yes of course, I would have loved to have joined you and the others at the leaky cauldron, but of course family time in the Diggory household is minimal, Dad’s been working a lot and it’s been hard spending time with him, he’s under the pump and we never know when he gets sent in to work or not. But I do see this handsome cat, crookshanks isn’t it?”
I picked up crookshanks and placed him on my lap. “Ron doesn’t like him.” She frowned I laughed and shook my head, “he’s beautiful, I’m sure you’ll like Nyx won’t you?” I cooed at Crookshanks.

“Harry and Ron are coming I’m sure they’ll have loads to tell you.” I handed Crookshanks back over to Hermione. Harry and Ron shortly joined, Ron shaking his head, “you still bought that bloody thing with you, Hi Valora!” Hermione violently hushed at him gesturing to the man who slept beside me. Ron rolled his eyes and slumped beside her. “Hi Harry.” I smiled as he sat beside me, “I suspect you two had a good break?” I looked between Harry and Ron, I knew about Ron’s family trip to Egypt and Harry who blew up his aunt.

“Oh yes, Egypt was great although Fred and George wanted to lock Percy in a tomb, it was quite funny. How about you?” Ron asked embarrassed about talking of his holiday to Egypt. The train took off from the station and I spoke, “normal as per usual, just family time, Dad was almost not going send me back this year, he’s terrified, if Black can escape Azkaban he can get in Hogwarts.” I frowned, “But it’s fine, I’ll write to him weekly as per normal.” I smile slightly. We began talking about Black, Harry wasn’t happy about not being able to go to Hogsmeade but Hermione and I agree its better off in the safety of Dumbledore.

“Oh look potty and weasel.” The familiar voice of Malfoy echoed in the silent compartment. “So your father finally got his hands on some gold, did your mother die of shock?” he followed up, I looked at him sourly deciding whether or not to stand up. The man, who Hermione established earlier was R.J Lupin was a professor snored slightly. Malfoy cowered at that, I sneered at him, “Go on run along you bloody git or the New Teacher will have points taken from your houses before even starting the new year.” I stood up folding my arms. With that he cleared off, “you’re a coward Malfoy!” I slammed the compartment door.

I sat back down only to have been jerked from my seat onto Ron. “Sorry Ron. Are you okay?” the lights flickered off, He nodded, “of course.” His cheeks reddened in what little light I could see, I quickly sat back. “U-um.. there’s something moving out there.” Ron stuttered scared. Neville and Ginny stumbled in scaring the lot of us, “do you know whats going on?” Neville stuttered, Ginny agreed scared. Lupin stood up and signalled us to stay put and stay quiet. It was already too late as the door opened revealing a hooded figure.

It all happened so fast, no time was given to react, Harry was on the floor yelling, the mood of the compartment shifted all I could think about was my Mum and the childhood I had without her. I closed my eyes and tried not to picture it. “it’s okay, Valora you can open your eyes now.” Hermione said softly. I gulped and nodded, I opened my eyes, I was wrong, the year would be strange, just like the other two.