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way down we go
If there was anything the March sisters were grateful for, it was the beginning of a school year but this year was different. Rory and Lara were entering their last year and will soon leave Via by herself which was not something they were looking forward to. The aftermath of last year was still a challenging one and Lara wasn't sure how she will handle being back at school, the very place where her boyfriend had been killed.
And while Rory, Lara and Via were glad to go back to school — although a bit frightened and nervous to see what the year had in store for them — they hated leaving Effy behind.
Lara's internship at St. Mungos had come to an end earlier the week but Andromeda Tonks had promised that whenever Lara needs or wants a job, she's always welcomed at St. Mungos. The news had been relieving to say the least — Lara has wondered what to do once she graduates and now it seemed that working at St. Mungos was going to be part of her future.
Rory's relationship with Hermione was flourishing. She felt so comfortable around Hermione and could tell her everything. The only thing shadowing Rory's life at the moment was Voldemort's return and of course Miss Moore although Rory didn't care about her. Sirius Black's interest towards her and her sisters, and especially Effy, was a bit concerning. Rory trusted Sirius — he was a friend of Hermione's and so on — but she didn't like the idea of Effy being part of the Order.
The oldest March sister however wasn't interested in joining the Order. She knew some people thought she ought to even consider joining but she didn't like the idea. She thought it was too much and she didn't have the energy to deal with yet another mess.
Via's situation with Finn Attway has evolved. Her sisters didn't like the idea at first but once they noticed how kind and nice Finn was towards their youngest sister, and how happy he made her, they had no choice but to give the relationship their blessing.
The sisters could have sworn people were staring at them, and no wonder. Rory had informed everyone of You-know-who's return, Lara's boyfriend had died, students of Hogwarts knew that Via was now actively seeing the one and only Finn Attway, and Effy was limping with a black eye and a swollen lip as they walked across Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
Last night had been a bad one and Effy's current state of appearance was proof of just how bad and violent the night had been like. Miss Moore had lost it for good and nearly took out her poor mood on Rory but Effy had put herself on the line of fire for her little sister.
"People are staring," mumbled Via who was glued to Lara's side.
"I think they are always going to stare from now on," said Lara.
Rory was walking next to Effy, offering her support if she needed any. She felt all eyes on them as they were heading towards the spot where they were supposed to meet Hermione, Olive, Ron and Harry. After the events at Grimmauld Place, the March sisters and Olive had gotten to know Harry and Ron a little better and it turned out that they got along really well. This had given Hermione the courage to tell her two friends of her relationship with Rory — Harry and Ron had grinned and congratulated them.
"Are you going to be alright?" Rory glanced at Effy, flinching at the sight of her sister's injuries.
"I'll be fine," said Effy, though Rory didn't believe her.
The March sisters were the first ones to arrive at the meeting spot. They quickly brought their trunks inside the Hogwarts Express before stepping back on the platform.
Effy tried to avoid her sisters' gaze — they were all looking at her like some fragile porcelain doll, which she was not. The eldest March sister was the furthest thing from fragile and getting beaten by Miss Moore wasn't anything new.
"Stop worrying," sighed Effy, running her hand over Via's head. "All of you. I will be just fine. I won't cross her anymore."
"You didn't cross her at all," Rory said bitterly. "She just snapped and hit you."
"It's fine, really. I will spend most of my time at Mr Bee's or at Caleb's," Effy told her sisters.
The bustle at the platform got more and more intense but still there was no sign of Hermione, Olive, Ron or Harry. The parents guiding their children at the platform looked more nervous than ever, the news of Voldemort's return and Cedric's death still fresh in their minds. Rory noticed how there were fewer students waiting for the Hogwarts Express to take off than earlier years. She thought it was understandable — Olive had mentioned how her mother didn't feel too great about letting her attend Hogwarts after everything that happened last semester. But still people were in a great state of denial and thought that Cedric's death was a tragedy and not a promise of Voldemort's return.
"Now I need you three to be safe," Effy started, turning to her little sisters. "If anything out of the ordinary happens, you let me know. Last year cannot happen again."
Lara sighed, the weight of Cedric's absence weighing on her more than usually. She and Cedric loved going back to school because it meant that they got to spend more time together.
"We will," Rory assured and flashed her eldest sister a smile. "And I will try and stay out of trouble."
"Isn't it wonderful that it is Rory now who needs to stay out of trouble and not me?" Grinned Via — she used to get into trouble at school for talking back at a professor or sneaking out after curfew.
Rolling her eyes, Effy pulled Via into a sweet hug. "That is wonderful."
More and more students and their families started to show up on the platform but the sisters didn't pay attention to them but instead continued their conversation. Rory would look around every now and then, in search for Hermione and Olive and the others but so far she hasn't seen them. It wasn't alarming nor did it worry Rory — she and her sisters had come to the platform early on to avoid Miss Moore's morning chores.
"That looks nasty."
The all too familiar voice of Draco Malfoy's reached the sisters.
Effy was the first one to turn around and saw Little Shit who was staring at her with large grey eyes.
"Fucking kill me," mumbled Effy.
Rory was ready to fight Little Shit or Big Shit, who was standing behind his son with a strange expression. Lady Malfoy was there too, her hand tightly clasped around her husband's arm. The last time Rory had seen Lord Malfoy was in the graveyard where he refused to help her, leaving her to defend herself. Effy hasn't seen Lord Malfoy since she threatened to cut off his arm at Eudora's ball a month ago but was still holding onto that threat despite her current state.
"Sod off," Via scoffed and was about to step towards Draco but was stopped by Lara who took a hold of her arm.
"Who did you piss off?" Asked Draco with a smug sneer.
"Miss Moore," said Effy with all the coolness she could compose. "She's the head of Raffedy."
Draco made a face before remembering one of the many articles Rita Skeeter has written about the March sisters. "Aah, so someone from the orphanage?"
"It's technically not an orphanage," mumbled Rory. "It's a children's home."
"She hit you?"
It was Lady Malfoy who spoke, her usual cold voice had disappeared off somewhere and there was real concern in her eyes. The worry was the kind Via had once seen after the Second Task when she was crying in the corridor outside the infirmary and worried out of her wits while Lara was unconscious. It was quite unsettling really, to see Lady Malfoy somewhat human, especially now that the sisters were more familiar with the Black family's history, thanks to Sirius and Mrs Tonks.
"It wasn't the first time. I wouldn't worry about it," Effy said bitterly. "But do tell Eudora she won't be seeing me until this settles down. I know how she thinks of appearances and such."
"B-but — ," Lady Malfoy started but didn't get a chance to finish when another voice entered the scene.
"Merlin, Effy!" Mrs Fernandez cried, hurrying past the Malfoys and to the March sisters. She stopped right in front of the oldest girl, placing a hand on Effy's shoulder. "What happened to you?"
Effy grimaced and that was all Mrs Fernandez needed to know in order to realise the fault was Miss Moore's. "God I wish I could take you girls away from there..."
"Well once the train boards, I will take you to St Mungos," said Mrs Fernandez then.
"I can't afford it," Effy mumbled.
"Ask for Andromeda Tonks. She will help you," Lara said quickly. "I know she will."
Rory and Via swiftly glanced at the Malfoys, and especially Lady Malfoy, who physically tensed up by the mention of her estranged sisters. For the slightest, fleeting, second it looked as if Lady Malfoy was about to faint. They still thought it was stupid and honestly just very childish for her to ignore her sister only because she had decided to marry a muggle. Ever since visiting Twelve Grimmauld Place and learning about Sirius Black's family, the March sisters felt very fortunate for not knowing anything about their family history for it could be much worse than the one of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
While Mrs Fernandez was fussing over Effy, Olive had made her way to the younger March sisters. She too looked at Effy with a confused and worried expression but decided to give her some space. She shot a glare at Draco Malfoy who was still standing some feet away from the sisters but now occupied — Theodore Nott had appeared and was talking Malfoy's ear off.
"Is Effy okay?" Olive asked, glancing at Effy.
"She says she is," said Lara. "It's not like this is the first time."
Hermione, Ron and Harry showed up right after Olive, a black dog walking by Harry's side. There was an aura of nervousness and uncertainty radiating from the trio which was very unlike them but Rory understood where it was coming from. Hermione sprunt to Rory, giving her a warm hug but that was all the public affection they showed to one another. While their closest friends and family knew about them, they did not desire for everyone else to know too. Rory's been on the news too much lately and knew if Skeeter was to ever find out about Hermione, she would write a whole book — starring Rory March and the people in her life.
Everyone was now at the platform — this included Olive's parents, Ron's parents, Mrs and Mr Granger and a dog who apparently was Sirius Black. Concerned parents gave their children hugs, wished them a safe and good year.
Soon the train was boarded and left King's Cross Station, leaving behind the somewhat safe environment. Everyone knew — whether or not they wanted to acknowledge it — that going back to Hogwarts was no longer as wonderful as before. Now the place was shadowed by Cedric's death. Students and their parents knew the school was no longer safe but still some did not say it aloud as admitting it would only bring further destruction.
Rory and Hermione were walking down the narrow corridors of the train while their friends stayed behind. Hermione had been chosen as a prefect, and so was Ron, which meant that they had to spend the journey to school in the compartment reserved for prefects. Ron had gone already, deciding that for once he would not be late.
The two girls were walking, their fingers brushing against the other one's but never taking a hold of a hand. They were worried about the prying eyes in each compartment.
"How do you think this year is going to go?" Rory wondered as they were walking, trying to keep steady as the train turned a curve.
Hermione sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
She loved books and for a long time, books had been her best friends. She found great comfort from them — how she could escape reality whenever she needed. Back to the time before Hogwarts, young Hermione had been more than confused with her strange skills which neither of her parents had. It had been, and it still was, strange to live a life where magic was actually real and not something that only happens in storybooks.
But just like in every storybook, there was some darkness too. Voldemort had returned and there was no going back from that — no matter how hard the ministry tried to deny it. It wasn't only Harry that Hermione worried about now but also Rory, and to that extension Rory's sisters as well.
Still, it was where they were standing right now and there was no going back to the life they used to live. The life where there was no wizardry around them or they knew nothing of it. Both of them had the same kind of past with magic — neither of them grew around it. Rory of course had her sisters and it was Effy who first learned about magic and so on but it didn't mean they understood it right away.
While Rory had her sisters, Hermione had her parents who supported her through the strange period of her life where her accidental magic grew stronger.
"It's funny if you think about it," admitted Rory. "How different our lives are now than they were a few years ago."
"Do you ever wish that you were not a witch?" Hermione asked carefully.
Rory shrugged her shoulders. "I guess not. While things have been shitty at Hogwarts, they are nothing compared to home. Hogwarts has given me and my sisters an escape which we appreciate."
"But isn't it hard? To lie to everyone there?"
"No one cares enough," said Rory, noticing the flicker of empathy in Hermione's eyes. She didn't need it but was grateful for it. "Which is fine because then we don't really have to lie. Just alter the truth a little. I don't mind doing that. It's not exactly lying, per se."
"What do you think will happen if Miss Moore or anyone else finds out?" Asked Hermione.
In her life, Rory has thought about it. Mr Bee knew but he was different from anyone Rory and her sisters have ever known. He was understanding and kind, he didn't judge nor was prejudiced. But Miss Moore was a whole other story.
"I think she might actually burn us at stake if she was ever to know," said Rory. "She isn't very open minded."
"I'm not surprised," Hermione sighed, another question popping into her mind straight away. "So if she was to find out about us...?"
"She won't," Rory said sternly. "She won't find out."
There was so much certainty in Rory when she spoke which proved to Hermione that if Miss Moore was ever to find out, things might turn from bad to worse.
"And you thought you wouldn't have to worry about legal guardians," grimaced Rory. "I might not have parents but Miss Moore is much worse than anyone could ever be. For all I know, my parents could be Lord and Lady Nott and yet, Miss Moore might be even worse than them."