The Mystery of You

chapter one: starting over

A cold tingle ran down my spine as I got ready to cast it. I had no choice but to. This man was trying to hurt my sister. Tears welled up in my eyes and I could only see through a tunnel, as if there was a glaze over my eyes. I heard myself yelling AVADA-.

My eyes flickered open at the touch of my sister. I could feel slight rocking back and forth as the carriage raced to its destination. I wiped my eyes and looked out the window to see Hogwarts in the distance.

"You were talking in your sleep again, Willow," My sister Juniper said, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," I said through sleepy eyes.

"Yeah, that is why you haven't slept in months." She rolled her blue eyes that matched mine. Before I could even answer her, she was talking about her classes this year and a rumor she had heard from one of her friends about a new student joining Hogwarts mid-schooling. She had resigned to leave the events of last year behind her before the summer was through. She truly seemed as if none of it had ever happened. I found myself jealous of her ability to forget.

We got out of our carriage and walked through the castle walls. I realized that this was my last year walking through the doors as a student and a veil of sadness washed over me. I stopped at the sight of a dark blonde Slytherin waiting expectantly just inside the main entrance.

"Ominis!" I smiled and walked over to him. Ominis was not huge on affection, but I hugged him anyway.

"Willow Starling, you know I hate hugs... but I will let this one go. I missed you this summer." He said as he squeezed my hand.

"I missed you too." Juniper quickly protested the stop at the entrance and demanded that we continue our conversation inside the Great Hall so she could get to her friends.

I led Ominis into the Great Hall where most of the second through seventh years had already been loudly enjoying the first night back. That was when I spotted him. My heart dropped in my chest. Sebastian Sallow looked up at me and quickly glanced away before getting up to come to greet Ominis.

"Ominis, look at you, you handsome devil. Did you get even better looking over the summer?" Sebastian laughed at the sight of Ominis' face getting red from the attention.

"Hello, Sebastian. Yes, I have. Thank you for noticing," Ominis said, cracking a smirk across his face before taking a seat at the table. I turned to Juniper and told her to go grab her seat with her other fifth-year friends before I plopped down next to Ominis.

"Hi, Sebastian." I looked at him across the table from us. He looked as exhausted as I felt but looked better than ever. I felt a nervous twinge in my stomach thinking about the things we had talked about over the summer.

"Hey, Willow. Welcome back," He said flatly before turning to Ominis and talking about something they had likely started speaking about in a letter over the summer. I half-listened to them chatting about a new broom upgrade that Sebastian wanted while Professor Black made his way to the front of the Great Hall.

"Attention! AHEM. Attention!" Professor Black stood behind the podium and looked out at the sea of students until we quieted. "Welcome back to the returning students. We will be getting a move on with the first-year sorting ceremony in just a moment, but we wanted to welcome a new transfer student this year. We have a new seventh year starting with us." He looked down at a scroll and studied it closely before clearing his throat again. "Everett Magnus! Make your way to the stage please." Professor Black stood and stared out at the students in the Great Hall frantically before he heard the doors at the back of the hall open. Professor Weasley rushed through the rows of tables before making her way up to the stage. She whispered something inaudible to Professor Black.