𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 | 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

Dementors and Discussions

Every fifteen minutes or so, a random student would pop in, asking the Weasley twins for their pastilles. Their requests were heavily denied, for they hardly had time to make any more over the summer, and Fred was fast asleep- he was their usual entrepreneur.

Elodie was thoroughly burnt out from telling people that no, they didn't have any puking pastilles, and yes, please get out of their carriage. By the time the sky was darkened and cloudy, she had practically collapsed on Fred's shoulder, who was now sitting upright, bursting with energy now that he had rested.

"I wonder who we're going to get in Gryffindor this year... Elodie, how fast do you think we could make more pastilles? Lee, have you listened to the new Nirvana album? It was really good, I'll play Milk It for you back in the common room... Kates, when's the quidditch schedule coming up? I hope they have pudding at the feast, I'm starving..." Fred rambled on. He always got like this when he was hyper.

"Freddie, love?" Elodie said wearily. He looked at her eagerly.

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"No." He beamed. "Anyways, we're going to have to think of new, original, epic, pranks this year. It is our fifth year, after all." He addressed the entire group, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.

"Freddie! NO smoking on the train." Elodie nudged him hard with her shoulder. He ignored her, pulling out a small red lighter.

Before she could snatch it out of his hand, the train gave a horrible lurch. The soft light of the cabin flickered, and went out.

"What was that?" Alicia shuddered, as the room became engulfed in cold. Elodie knitted her eyebrows, pulling the sleeves of her robes down.

It had been a chilly day, especially as they got closer to Scotland, but the train had always stayed fairly warm, presumably by magic. Now, the bitter cold nipped at their skin like needles, chilling Elodie to the bone. With the cold came a certain unearthly melancholy.

The cigarette in Fred's hand had gone out. His familiar smile was gone, and replaced by an empty looking expression, lips slightly parted.

"Did the train break down?" Iris frowned, the silver mist of her breath fogging everyone's vision. The sadness Elodie felt increased tenfold, and a huge, dark figure lurked by their door. Elodie felt a tug at her robes, and realized that Fred was pulling her into him, almost unknowingly. She let herself be wrapped in his arms, paralyzed with fear.

A long, skeletal hand unlatched the hook to their compartment, and everyone in it scrambled back, terrified.

A truly horrifying creature entered. It was huge, probably as tall as Hagrid, and hooded in rugged black fabric. Or was it skin? Elodie couldn't see it's face, but was positive it was just as horrid as the rest of the body.

You'll never be happy again. A small voice in the back of her head mused. You'll never laugh like you used to, you won't smile. Nothing will be the same.

Go away. She told the voice with as much bravery as she could muster.

I can't go away, I'm you. The voice said, with an indignant scoff. You'll be like this forever, a pathetic, crippled, mess.

Elodie turned her head away from the creature, burying it in her friend's robes. She felt like crying.

But the voice faded as the sound of the lock clicking back into place could be heard. The melancholy feeling didn't go away.

The others were coming to their senses around her; Lee was rubbing his eyes fiercely, like how you would a scratchy record, Alicia had hid her head in his shoulder. Katie was untucking her head from behind her knees, and Maura and Iris had their arms around each other, and both were shaking slightly. George was breathing heavily, back glued to the seat. Elodie could hear Fred's heartbeat slow, and he didn't take his arms from her, even under the watchful eyes of their friends.