Shades of Grey

It was cold for September. Every other year, the late-summer heat made Aurora Finch break a sweat as she pushed her cart and luggage through the barrier to platform 9 3/4.  This year was different, however, and she rubbed her arms to restore some of the bodily heat that had left her.

"Aurora! Over here!"  Liam Dorsey called and she smiled gratefully, ready to get away from her parents. She was counting down the seconds until she graduated in June, when she could move out permanently.

"You too?" Aurora grinned, pointing to the 'Head Boy' badge Liam had already pinned to his chest.  Aurora hadn't bothered to reveal her own badge yet, but Liam wore his proudly.  He stuck out his chest as if to give her a better view.

"Yep! That's right. Man, this year is going to be awesome!" He pulled her towards the express and she gave a half-hearted wave to her family before following him into the Head's compartment.  When they were finally allowed to go off and sit where they wanted- supposedly patrolling the corriders- she listened intently as he told her about all of the things he'd done over the summer, even though she'd already read his letters.

Liam Dorsey had been Aurora's best friend since her first year at Hogwarts. He was kind and well-intended, but had a tendency to act pompously, causing many students to dislike him. Aurora didn't mind him, though, and they usually got on very well. They were both top students of their year, both Gryffindors, and...both still in possession of their v-cards, as Liam liked to remind her.

"This is the year, Aurora. I'm telling you. It's gonna happen before graduation. I've got it all planned out." He insisted but she just laughed and shook her head.

"And who do you think is going to sleep with you, Liam?"  She teased, pulling out her money to buy a snack off of the trolley.

"Oh, it's going to happen. I've got a plan."  He said vaguely, and leaned back against the seat.

They dissolved into conversation on other matters and the train ride was just like any other. That is, until it stopped.

"We can't be there yet." Liam frowned, trying to look out of the windows. Before their eyes, the windows fogged up so badly that the outside was gone. Suddenly, the train lurched forward, throwing Aurora onto Liam's lap.

"Sorry." She muttered, sitting back in her seat.  She hugged her arms around her as the lights went out and their compartment was plunged into darkness.

"Liam, what's going on?"  Aurora whispered, and he just shrugged, pulling out his wand. He gave it a flick and the tip lit up.  She watched the shadows flicker against Liam's face and felt the overwhelming sense of dread smother her.

The compartment door slid open and a cloaked figure slid in, reaching its scabbed, grey hands towards them. A dementor, she knew from her studies. Sadly, they had been supposed to learn the Patronus charm in their sixth year at Hogwarts, but having Gilderoy Lockhart as their professor had really just been a bad joke. Nevertheless, Aurora had attempted it on her own. This was the first time she'd actually get to test her abilities. She tried to think of the happiest memory she could and raised her wand.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She waved her wand and her patronus shot out, flickering feebly before disappearing. She tried again, but this time nothing came out. How could Dumbledore have let such a kook teach them during the most critical lessons?

"Liam!" She cried as he whimpered and pressed his back against the window, as though he'd be able to escape the sorrow before them. It all seemed hopeless. Pointless.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A voice yelled as a large creature of silver came from behind the demetors and sent them floating away.

The lights returned a moment later and Aurora leaned forward to get a better look at who had cast the spell. A man stood in the doorway, with messy hair and robes in a shoddy state, which gave him the impression that he did not have much money.  Or that he had just awoken  from a nap.