in the dark | d malfoy

chapter two

despite the odds, i was shocked to find myself standing at the platform between nine and ten, confusion etched across my face. huh?

i'd spent the past month scouring over books and textbooks, struggling to find an answer to my unknown questions. why had my mother never told me i was a witch? so many things seemed unclear to me. i brushed the questions out of my head as i heard arguing behind me.

"what the hell? i'd rather off myself. jesus christ."

"that's intense, alfie. you never know. i'm a baddie."

"no you're not, you're just an idiot."

i glanced around, spotting two freckled brunette girls arguing. i thought i was seeing double, and i blinked rapidly. nope. definetly two girls. identical twins, who evidently seemed like trouble. i grinned.

"jesus. i can't wait to get back to hogwarts." the first girl- alfie? groaned. my eyes lit up. i watched them as they walked- what the fuck?

i blinked. i had to have been seeing things. if i had been seeing them right- the girls would have just walked straight through the wall. i walked towards it, carefully and slowly. glancing around to see if anyone was watching, i slowly stuck my hand through the wall. my hand started to evaporate theough the wall. spooky.

i threw myself forward. seconds later, my eyes flashed open. i made it. the sound of a train engine filled my ears, and i felt my heart lift for the first time in months. i scrambled towards the entrance, nearly colliding with a boy my age.

"watch it," he snarled, turning around. he had blonde hair and narrowed eyes, and i narrowed mine back at him. "you don't have to be a dick about it. i'm sorry." i replied smoothly, and he laughed in my face. "who even are you? you look pretty old for a first year."

i snorted. "katherine. i'm katherine king, for the record. and you?" he sneered at me. "draco. draco malfoy. and you'll stay away from me if you know what's safe." i stared after him in shock if he stalked away, bile rising in my throat.

"was draco bothering you? don't let him." i whipped around to hear the voice of the girl i had seen earlier; or at least one of them. "i'm alfie barnes, by the way. i'm a fourth year. i don't recognize you. are you new?" her brunette hair was striking to me. it had red highlights that matched her spotted freckles across her cheeks. her eyes were light brown, seeking mine. she smiled at me.

i smiled back at her, relieved at some friendliness. "i'm kat. and- well, it's confusing. it's my first year, but it's supposed to be my fourth. i'll just have to work extra hard to keep up." alfie grinned at me. "i'll help you study, if you want. i keep pretty on top of my work. welcome to hogwarts!"

and just like that, i had my first friend.

-

alfie invited me to sit with her and her friends in their compartment, and not knowing anyone else, i accepted the offer with delight. harsh rain was splattering down on the windows of the train, which alfie frowned at. "the first years are gonna drown," she commented. then, with a laugh, she said, "wait! do you have to ride the boats with the first years? good luck with that." i groaned as another girl entered the compartment.

"you have to ride with the first years? that's bad enough as it is." the girl chimed in, letting out a laugh. alfie squealed in delight. "hi jan!!" they exchanged a long hug. "how was your summer?" alfie asked, helping her load her luggage into the compartment above.

"awesome," jan smiled. "but first- whos this?" she turned to me, her eyes raised in curiosity. she had striking curly black hair, and penciled in think eyebrows. she wore a lot of makeup, but it suited her. many rings and necklaces littered her body, and she had a couple piercings. i smiled at her. "i'm kat king."

"she's a first year but also a fourth year. it's confusing," alfie chimed in, and jan looked at me in amusement. "well, nonetheless, welcome. i'm janice weaver. you can call me jan. what house are you hoping to get into?"

i sighed, stress immediately jumping into my head. "i'm not sure. i'm still learning about everything. i just found out i was a witch a couple months ago."

the door opened again, and a couple of boys entered the compartment. one of them immediately caught my eye. he had brown hair and light eyes, which made my pulse speed up as i looked at him. he seemed gentle, despite his towering height. his hair was soft looking and flopped around his face.

"hey ced!" alfie greeted him. she gave him a quick hug. "ooo, how was the world cup? i'm so jealous." the boy sighed. "stressful. i'm sure you heard what happened." alfie nodded, the smile dropping from her face.

"what happened?" i asked, and the boys turned their attention to me for the first time. their smiles were gone. "who's this?" the first one asked. "i'm kat," i said, and they didn't press it. "death eaters swarmed the match. it was horrible." the brown haired boy replied. i stares at him, not understanding.

"you don't know what death eaters are, do you?" jan asked, and i tried to laugh to ease the tension, but it didn't help. "i don't really know anything," i supplied, and they all exchanged a look.

"well, we'll tell you another time. i'm cedric, by the way. nice to meet you.... kat?" the brown hair boy asked, and i nodded, my head bobbing like a puppet.

"don't you have a sister?" i asked, turning to alfie. she laughed. "oh, aimee? yeah. she's in griffindor, though. we don't really hang out at school."

i furrowed my brow. "well, what house are you guys in then?" cedric grinned. "the best one. hufflepuff, of course." i smiled. i didn't know much about the houses, but their positive attitude made me feel welcomed.

"you could also call it the most reasonable house. hufflepuff is where all the cool people are. griffindors are full of themselves. so are ravenclaws. so are slytherins. we just vibe. you'll like it here." jan grinned at me. i grinned back. "well, don't get my hopes up. maybe i'll be put in slytherin."

"yeah right." alfie snorted. "i've known you for twenty minutes and there is no way. slytherins are for cold hearted people. you'd never be placed there." i tried to fake a smile, but my heart was hammering. but what if i did? would they still be my friends?

it seemed like only minutes had passed before the train slowed to a stop. the storm still banged against the windows outside. "well, see you guys at the castle," cedric muttered. "this should be a fun trip."

"i'll walk you to the boats," alfie offered, and i heard jan snicker behind me. "good luck!" she yelled, slipping out of the compartment after cedric. "oh no," i said, glancing out at the storm with panic in my eyes. alfie smiled warily at me. "it'll be fine. hagrid won't kill you. probably."

"who's hagrid?"

"you'll see. follow me!"

-

author's note

i hope y'all are liking it so far!! i'm already super attached to this story :))