The Storm | Regulus Black

Torture on the Hogwarts Express

The sound of the Hogwarts Express screeching against the tracks made Agatha happy to go back to Hogwarts. She was exhausted, she hadn't slept very well the night before. She was stressed out for what she would do about Wilkes—and for that matter Black. She had kissed Black at the Christmas ball but she blamed that on the champagne, she had kissed him after the Slytherin-Gryffindor match but she blamed that on the firewhiskey. How had she let herself make these irrational decisions when she was still supposed to patrol with him for the rest of the year?

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she had told herself the night before.

She, Zelia and Emma sat in their compartment, commenting on the latest edition of the Witch Weekly magazine.

"That blouse is the most horrid thing I have seen in my life," said Zelia.

"Right?" chuckled Emma.

Evan walked past the compartment, did a double-take and slid the door open. They all looked up at him.

"Why don't you come to our compartment?"

"Who's in there?" asked Zelia.

"The usual, come on."

Emma nodded and stood up.

"Why?" grimaced Agatha.

Evan rolled his eyes. "Because."

"Come off it Agatha."

"Fine," she said, closed the magazine and followed the boy.

They walked past three compartments and then came across a bigger one with smaller, open compartments and seats for six people filled with Slytherins. Black, Antonin Dolohov, Priscilla Selwyn—Dolohov's girlfriend, and Crouch sat there, chuckling about something. And then, on the other side of the aisle sat Lestrange, Wilkes, Avery, Snape, Mulciber and Caractarus.

"Look who I found," said Evan when he sat himself down.

Agatha was sneering as she walked to sit down next to Evan. Caractarus ruffled her hair, she glared at him.

"You look absolutely wonderful Agatha, is 'I just stepped on shit' a new look you're going for?" asked Barty with a smile.

Dolohov, Emma and Black chuckled.

"No, just being in the same compartment as you," Agatha mumbled as she opened the magazine.

Barty looked scandalised.

What was her luck? She was so nervous about her Prefect patrols with Black and now she was sat with him in the same compartment as they awaited their return to the school. And the worst part was that Wilkes and Lestrange practically sat next to her. Those eight long hours would most likely be immensely torturous.

"Did you hear that the Wimbourne Wasps beat the Chudley Cannons two days ago?" asked Barty with a pained expression.

"Yes, fucking strange, the Wasps have never beat anyone," said Black with a frustrated sigh.

"Oh, but JP Smith is so fit," gushed Zelia and Emma nodded.

"He is," smiled Agatha.

"Is there a picture of him—" Zelia reached for the magazine in Barty's hand but he held it out of her reach and the others laughed.

"Give me that!" she said in annoyance.

"No, you're on Puddlemere United's side," said Barty to Emma and Zelia incredulously.

"They won the Cannons," Emma laughed rudely.

Barty narrowed his eyes on her.

"Are you thinking of joining Mr. Riddle?" asked Evan, changing the subject.