𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚 || h.potter

TWENTY-TWO | year 5

She knocked on the door, making Harry sit up. He gave her a small smile before walking inside.

"Hey, Potter!" She smiled, she sat next to him, she saw Harry's troubled face, making her frown.

"Everything all right?" She asked, concerned. "You look awfully pale, like you saw a ghost."

"I'm fine," he assured. "Just a lot in my mind lately..."

"And well, you can tell me about what's in your mind." She leaned back into the seat. Harry shook his head, and she lets out a sigh. "Oh come on, Harry, I haven't had any conversation during my whole summer. And you're not telling me anything, I can sense that."

Harry looked at her, and he shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "If you really want to know, I got expelled--"

"WHAT?!" She yelled, shocked. "Then what the actual bloody hell are you doing here?! You can't be here, you're going to get in trouble, but wouldn't that also mean that--!"

Harry shushed her, and Cassiopeia looked at him with utter confusion.

"I wasn't done talking," he said, chuckling.

For some reason, seeing Cassiopeia made him happy.

"Well then, go on, I'm listening," she motioned for him to talk. "Well...???"

"Everything was sort out when Dumbledore spoke to with the Ministry, and now I can go back to school," he said. "I was expelled because a Dementor attacked me and I used magic against it."

Cassiopeia furrowed her eyebrows. "A Dementor? What are they doing there?"

"I also have no idea," Harry pursed his lips. She lets out a relieved sigh.

"Well," she said, taking her book out of her small bag. "I am just glad you're fine."

"Thanks," he said. "Anything new during your summer?"

"No, absolutely not. Sleep, eat and repeat," she lets out a sigh, she left out the part where Voldemort would go to her house to hold a meeting.

They both sat in silence even when the train started to leave the station. She could hear the yelling of 'goodbye's' outside the compartment and she always to do that, but there were nobody for her to wave goodbye at.

"Where is Ron and Hermione, by the way?" She asked, looking at Harry. He shrugged.

"Not sure, they both wanted to sit with Fred and George." He replied. "Do you have any vision about anything this year?"

"Not much, I'm not even sure that this year would even be great." She said, pursing her lips. "It was all dark and spells were being thrown back and forth."

"Hopefully that won't come true," he muttered.

"You can't be so sure," she sighed. "The Dark Lord is back, and I don't think this year would be a quiet one."

He looked at her before looking out at the window. The rest of the trip was just both of them chatting, but Harry who seemed to be busy with something in his mind would look out at the window.

When Cassiopeia was almost finished reading her book she was startled when she felt his head fall on her shoulder.

Harry fell asleep, and she did not wake him up, knowing that he might've not slept well due to his nightmares. And she was indeed correct, she knew when she placed her hand on top of his, and she saw what he saw.

Cassiopeia did not need him to talk, only looking back into the past where he saw it, she believed it was a couple of days ago.

With all that energy spent watching his summer, she too fell asleep. It was a few hours since the two fell asleep and Harry woke up startled with a vision of Voldemort.

He looked up and saw Cassiopeia, he did not know he fell asleep on her shoulder. She was asleep, and his troubled face turned soft as he moved her head, so she can sleep on his shoulder.

He looked out of the window and saw the glinting towers of Hogwarts Castle tibt on the horizon.

°°°

Cassiopeia woke up a few moments after, they both exchanged awkward smiles. Now, the two met up with Ron and Hermione, who were smiling at them.

"Hey, Cassiopeia," greeted Hermione and Ron gave her a nod. She gave him a smile in return of the greeting.

The four start down the path toward the Carriage Road and Harry frowned, everywhere he looks his eyes are met with nervous glances, and furtive whispers.

Cassiopeia noticed that her brother walked pass them, giving her a disgusted stare before he called out: "I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free,Potter. Better enjoy it while youcan--I expect there's a cell inAzkaban with your name on it..."

Cassiopeia scowled at him, and he laughs, then without warning Harry suddenly moved towards Draco angrily, Draco flinches and Cassiopeia, who was beside Harry, holds him back.

"Just ignore him, I'll talk to him," she said as she narrowed her eyes at her brother, Draco scoffed before rolling his eyes at her.

"Just--- stay away from me!" Harry yelled, and Draco laughed.

"What'd I tell you---complete nutter!"

The blonde haired girl shook her head, annoyed that if Draco kept acting like that, Harry would grow distant from her, even if she did not do anything wrong. Draco's her brother after all.

Moments later, as the four approach the rain-washed road, the next Carriage pulls up.

"Hey guys," said Neville, holding a pulsing cactus.

"Hey Neville," the four said simultaneously. Cassiopeia looked at Neville and nodded towards the cactus.

"Nice cactus you've got there, Nev," she commented.

As the next carriage pulls up Harry turns toward it and finds himself face to face with a large skeletal horse with pupil-less eyes and leathery wings. It's a thestral.

"What is it?" He asks, as he stared in amazement.

"What's what?" asked Cassiopeia looking at the spot Harry was staring at.

"That. Pulling the carriage," Harry replied. Cassiopeia, Ron and Hermione share a concerned look.

"Bloody hell are you talking about? Nothing's pulling the carriage." Cassiopeia was quite concerned and freaked out.

"It's pulling itself--like always," said Hermione.

"You're not going mad..." said a soft voice, inside the carriage a girl lowers her upside-down magazine, and they see her wand is tuck behind her ear. Her hair is as light as Cassiopeia's. "They've always pulled the carriages."

Ron raises a dubious eyebrow as the others exchange glances...then shrug. The girl studies Harry as he climbs into the carriage.

"You're Harry Potter," the girl said.

Harry pursed his lips, looking all grim. "Yeah, I know,"

Neville carefully climbs in with his cactus, "I don't know who you are,"

"Oh, nobody, really." replied Neville.  Cassiopeia followed behind him, sitting next to the girl, and she gave her a smile.

"No you're not, you're Neville Long bottom," Hermione spoke as she climbed into the carriage. "Everyone, this is Loony Love--" Hermione stopped, her eyes widening. She cleared her throat. "Luna Lovegood. She's in Ginny's year, in Ravenclaw."

Mumbled "hi's" all around as an utterly unperturbed Luna smiles, fidgeting with her necklace of butterbeer corks. Luna turned to Cassiopeia, tilting her head.

"You're a Malfoy aren't you?" She said.

"Unfortunately," she muttered, before speaking in a normal tone. "Yes. I love your necklace, by the way,"

"Oh, thank you, it's a charm actually," she leans in, confides, making Cassiopeia back up, uncomfortable. "Keeps away the Nargles."

Hermione nods, smiles politely. Harry and Cassiopeia shooth an inquisitive glance.

"Hungry. I hope there's pudding," the girl said. As the carriage rattles off.