Still Not For Sale (Book 2 of I'm Not For Sale) COMPLETE

Chapter 20

    Two red headed men and a boy with long dreadlocks stand on the platform near a steaming scarlet train, their hands lifted into waves and jokingly flirtatious blown kisses as a pale brunette girl and a strawberry blonde wave back from a compartment window. Their faces disappear as the train rumbles around the corner out of sight and with a sigh, the trio sullenly apparates back to their store to eagerly await Christmas Break for her return. Meanwhile in the train compartment, the girls are chattering excitedly about the rest of their summer vacations.
"Bethany! I missed you so much! I wanted to send you an owl but I couldn't without spilling news!" Lucy gushes, hugging the blonde tightly.
"What happened? You're not pregnant, are you?"
Lucy pulls away and holds out her left hand, showing off the modest ring glittering on her finger.
"Fred proposed!"
"I knew he would!"
Lucy cuts the girl a strange look and Bethany looks up at her suddenly, clapping her hand over her mouth.
"How'd you know?"
"He and the boys may have explained it to me while you were asleep that morning. Fred had this planned for months. The Ever-Suds were even planned."
"Who knew he had such mental capabilities to plan this all...?" She mutters thoughtfully.
"So, how did it go? They told me the dinner part but couldn't say more because you'd woken up."
Lucy smiles softly and tells her friend the details as the train roars down the tracks. In the end, Bethany is tearing up as Lucy finishes the story.
"The ring was his great-great grandmothers."
"It's so gorgeous. So I'm guessing they told Molly?"
"Well... About that... They didn't. Molly found out when we went to the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding. She gave us a look like she suspected something until she spotted the ring. That woman went from ecstatic to furious to happy to crying and back a few times before we calmed her down."
Bethany laughs, picturing an older version of Ginny running around attacking Fred while hugging Lucy. Bethany tells Lucy about the rest of her vacation, which isn't very exciting to her, and finishes by telling her that her parents finally caved and allowed her to come back to Hogwarts, though if things go bad this year she's transferring away. Lucy pulls her gaze from the window to look at her friend seriously.
"Bethany, I want you to promise me something, promise on your life." Bethany raises an eyebrow but nods and promises. "If Hogwarts becomes dangerous, go home. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I'll leave if you do."
"I can't leave." Her voice drops as she leans in. "Potter and the others aren't coming back this year, trying to take Him down slowly but surely. I'm the best dueler in the school, if something goes wrong, I want to be able to protect the others."
Bethany sighs defeatedly. "Fine, but if things go wrong, get help, don't blindly rush in by yourself."
"I will. Also, if I see Malfoy, I will end up in Azkaban, so be prepared for that if he shows up."
"Leave him alone Lucy, that's the best thing for everyone. Besides, with his obsession with you anyhow, how do you think he'd react to seeing the ring on your finger?"
"I don't care what he thinks. I saw what happened that night and I won't forgive him for it. I promised him I'd kill him if I saw him again and I'm a woman of my word."
They reach the castle and enter the Great Hall, taking their usual seats while everyone else settles in around the room. Everyone's eyes are drawn to the professor's table to see the changes and sadly, who would be replacing their beloved Headmaster. Lucy's eyes land on the chair where Dumbledore sat, her gaze travelling upward until her jaw drops. She elbows Bethany who gasps beside her. Severus Snape is standing behind the chair. He's the new Headmaster. Slughorn is still around to her surprise, but two new teachers are seated at the table and from their looks, they're not good people.
"They've infiltrated the ranks Beth. This isn't good." Lucy mutters behind her hand.
"I'm not leaving you behind." She whispers back.
"You will soon."
The first years are marched in and sorted before Snape stands from his chair to make a speech. Instead of the kind words and few standard rules they were accustomed to, they're subjected to his announcement of Headmaster, Slughorn taking over Potions and Slytherin House, while the new teachers Alecto and Amycus Carrow are appointed the Muggle Studies and DADA teachers and deputy Headmasters. Their names flicker recognition in Lucy's mind and she gasps.
"Amycus guarded the door when I was trapped last time. Alecto was the one who brought me food. Definite Death Eaters."
He then announces that attendance is mandatory for every full blooded witch or wizard if they're old enough. No muggle-borns allowed and no unproven half-bloods can attend. Following that is a list of rules that are incredibly ridiculous, ending with the Carrows being in charge of punishments.
"We're boned Beth. Hogwarts is going to be hell in a handbasket."
The food appears but she notices most people are too worried to eat, the main exception being the almost entirety of the Slytherin house. She and Bethany are the only ones at the table not eating.
At the end of the feast, curfew is called, forcing everyone to follow their prefects back to their houses for the night. Their prefects are, to her surprise Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. She hadn't caught a glimpse of the Head Boy and Girl yet but she surmises that they're likely to be Slytherin. She also hadn't caught a glimpse of the platinum blonde monster and a small part of her hopes that he hadn't returned and won't return though her mind knows better. If Death Eaters are in control, he won't miss his opportunity to further control the school. The girls stay in the common room curled up on an armchair together quietly brooding over the already poor state of the school. Most students are talking animatedly about how great things are going to be as they drift upstairs over the next hour or so, leaving the two behind in front of the small fire. The door opens a few minutes after everything had emptied, and the girls turn their heads out of curiosity. The darkness of the room hides the person's identity until the faint firelight illuminates bright blonde hair and icy eyes. Bethany latches onto Lucy as she tries to leap over the couch at the boy. He smirks cockily at her, the Head Boy badge gleaming on his robe. As he passes her, his pointer finger reaches out and taps her nose before he disappears upstairs, her insults echoing off the walls.