Lazuli - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

I clutch Ron's hand. Usually, he would pull away, making a noise of disgust and telling me to get off, a typical brother. But today he clings back; he too is nervous as I am.

Our mother fusses around us, straightening our coats and reminding us for what seems like the 800th time that we are to do as we're told and try our hardest. Our father hangs back slightly, waiting for his wife to finish so that he may say goodbye himself.

She's like this every year - Mum I mean. It's always worse when there's someone else going for the first time. The woman struggles to keep herself together when it's just another year. But as soon as more of her chicks 'fly the nest,' she breaks down and it's as if the Third Muggle World War has started.

I feel sorry for Ginny. She hides behind our mother so that we can't see her tears. It must be tough being the youngest. When you have seven siblings all older than you, who are enjoying the wonders of magic and you're stuck at home with your parents and the promise that 'next year it'll be you,' it can't be easy.

I let go of Ron's sweaty hand for a moment, so that I can crouch down next to my little sister and give her a hug. Her red curls smell like peppermint as they're pressed into my face. "Be good Ginny, I'll see you at Christmas. And I'll write every week," I promise. Ginny's bottom lip juts out and she wraps her arms around me. "I love you, Li," she whispers through her tears.

One of my brothers - Fred - taps me on the shoulder and tells me to get a move on, the train is leaving any minute. I give my mother one final hug and kiss Dad on the cheek, before Ron takes my hand again and pulls me after Fred and George, who have already disappeared onto the train and are no doubt already laughing with their 3rd Year friends.

As Ron pushes me onto the train, I stick my head back out and take a final glance at my parents. They're beaming with pride at the fact that two more of their brood of 8 have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't proud too.

"Come on Li, the train's about to leave." Ron announces. He lets go of my hand now that there are people our own age all around, just as I expected, but I don't make an attempt to grab it again and embarrass him. I follow him faithfully as we work our way down the train, searching for an empty cabin. Whilst doing so, the horn blares and the train moves into motion, pulling out of King's Cross and into the countryside beyond.

There are so many students milling around that it's hard to move. Some of them are 1st Years, like Ron and I, and some are even 7th Years who loom above us, chatting to their giant friends about what they did in the summer. It's hard to believe that once they were our size, searching for an empty cabin just as we were.

Ron finally finds somewhere. He sticks his head in and asks the lone occupant, a boy with thick rimmed glasses and black hair who looks about our age if we can join him. The boy beams, seeming happy to have company, and I wonder why he is alone. Perhaps he is unfortunate not to know anybody, unlike Ron and I, who are lucky enough to know many of the people that we'll be at school with, thanks to our parents and the tight-knit wizard community.

Ron plonks down opposite the boy, introducing himself immediately with a care-free grin. He holds out his hand for the boy to shake and I roll my azure eyes. "Oh, this is my twin sister, Juliet." Ron takes a bite from the apple that he's been holding in his other hand, making a loud crunching noise. I grimace as the juice runs down his chin. My brother has no decorum whatsoever.

The boy gives me a friendly smile. I examine him carefully. He's skinny and not particularly tall, but not short either. His black hair is straight and combed slightly to the side. His clothes are old and well-worn; the shirt too big and the trousers too short. His trainers are scuffed but you can tell that he's made an effort to try and polish them. It appears, like us, that he tries to take pride in his appearance, but doesn't have much money to do so.