THANTOPHOBIA ① g.weasley

year four: triwizard tournament

Suddenly, the door to the compartment swung open to reveal Pansy Parkinson and Freya Reed, and as they entered, Pansy sat on Draco's lap, an uncomfortable look coming across his face while Freya looked to Hope in disgust.

"Look who it is, the half-breed." sneered Pansy, which made Hope scoot away from her cousin. "Throwing yourself all over your own cousin, are you that desperate?"

Freya let out a laugh, smirking as she spoke. "Must be. Obviously doesn't see how hideous she is, and look, she put on a few pounds this summer."

The Lupin-Black girl let out a shaky breath and looked to Draco. "I'm leaving--"

"Welcome back to Hogwarts." mumbled the Reed girl, digging her fingernails into her enemies shoulder. "I'll make sure you enjoy your year."

Hope's grey eyes flashed many different emotions, but Draco saw them all. Terrified, anger, and slight panic. "Get your claws off of me--"

"Don't talk back, it's been proven that I'm stronger--"

Goyle yanked Freya's hand off Hope's shoulder, pulling her to meet his eyes. "I've told you once and I'll tell you again, you don't touch her, ever."

Hope Lupin-Black just looked from her cousin to her two friends to her two rivals, the feeling of not being able to breath rising in her throat as the yelling continued. In the midst of it all, she slipped into the hall of the train.

As she walked away she breathed heavily, unable to find a way to slow herself. Her hands trembled as the speed of her heart quickened. All she managed to do was keep her grey eyes on the floor until she ran into an unknown presence.

"Hope!" exclaimed the voice, which she looked up to see an overjoyed Lee. "Can you believe that you ran into the best-looking sixth year?"

Hope let out a strained laugh, and nodded. "It's good to see you, Lee. Have you, uh, seen George? I need to find him--"

"Not until you accompany me to the trolley." he laughed, leading her down the hall. "Do you want anything? I have extra money today--"

"No, I'm fine--"

Lee shook his head and smiled, not noticing her trembling fingers. "Come on, let me buy you some sugar quills. It'll be my good deed of the day."

"Lee, I need to save room for the feast." she forced a smile as he continued to smile.

"Oh yeah." he said, having completely forgotten the feast. "That just means more food, how could that be a bad thing?"

As they continued to walk down the hall, they were soon met by the trolley lady who held a kind warm smile as she pushed her cart. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

"Two pumpkin pasties, a chocolate frog, two liquorice wands, some of those beans--"

Hope's grey eyes widened as he continued until she spoke up. "Merlin, Lee. Might as well buy the entire cart."

"Very funny, but I'm hungry and want some later." said Lee, before turning his attention back to the lady. "And give me all of the blue sugar quills--"

"I said I didn't want any--"

Lee just rolled his eyes playfully and passed his money to the lady, his arms now full of sweets while Hope held her many sugar quills. "Hope, you can just snack on them later."

"Thank you."

"Anytime, anytime." he replied, biting into a liquorice wand. "How was your summer, after your dad got released and everything?"