Grim | Harry Potter

✧ chapter {2} ✧

Papa gave me one last hug before he made his way down to the other end of the train. I turned and quickly made my way to where most of the Slytherin's sat, looking through the compartment doors until I finally found one with a blonde-haired girl.

"Daphne!" I greeted as I opened the door and pulled my trunk in behind me, "How was your summer?"

Daphne Greengrass and I have been friends since we were paired together in potions first year. We were in the same dorm with Ivy as well. Daphne looked up from her nails. Her pale blonde hair was tied back with a black silk bow, falling around her face.

There was a copy of the Daily Prophet sitting beside her on the seat. The cover showed a haggard, gaunt man yelling at the camera. He looked familiar, but before I could get a good look, another girl stood with a smile to hug me.

"Cress!" Ivy exclaimed, her silver hair was back in a braid and her purple eyes shining. "I was starting to think you got lost."

I rolled my eyes, "Zenith and Papa decided not to pack until this morning. I had to do it, and make sure we got out on time."

"You shouldn't be surprised," A deeper voice said behind me. I turned with a smile when I saw the redhead standing in the doorway, "You have to do it every year."

"Daniel!?" I questioned, moving to sit beside Daphne so there was room for him to walk in "Wow, I almost didn't recognize you!"

He gave a small smile as he walked in, putting up his trunk. He was a couple of inches taller than all of us now, "Yeah," he said, "I had a growth spurt over the summer, I guess."

He sat down beside Ivy and smiled at her before turning back to me, "So," he began, "How are you?"

I gave him a quizzical look, "Well, summer was fun! Papa took us to the muggle world to see a movie for our birthday, and-"

"I meant, about your dad."

I froze, "What do you mean?"

My heart was pounding as my friends all looked at each other, "You haven't heard? It's been all over the prophet for days." Daphne asked, grabbing her copy before slowly handing it to me.

"What-" I began before looking down at the paper and freezing.

'ESCAPE FROM AZKABAN!' The title read, but that isn't what I was looking at. There in the center of the page, screaming and yelling into the camera was a man who looked just like Zenith.

Sirius Black. My Father.

"Cressida?" It was Ivy, and when I finally looked up from the page, she was looking at me concerned, "You didn't know?"

I slowly shook my head as my eyes scanned the paper, "No, but Papa was acting suspicious this morning, he must have seen it."

"What are you going to do?" Daphne was also looking at me. Her face didn't show any emotion, but her eyes were shining with concern.

I finally put the prophet down, "There is nothing for me to do." I stated.

Daniel frowned, "You can talk to us, Cressida." He reached across to squeeze my hand for a moment, "I understand what it is like."

I nodded and squeezed his hand back. He did understand. Not many outside of this compartment knew how true that statement was.