The rest of their summer since their trip to Diagon Alley went by very quickly, and as soon as they knew, it was the morning they were to head off to Hogwarts. Venice was carrying her trunks downstairs when Mrs. Weasley shouted "Everybody ready? We're going to be late!" Venice dropped her trunks down when she got to the bottom of the staircase, and waited for Ron and Harry. She had decided to wear a simple outfit for her journey back to Hogwarts: a dark green fitted dress and black sneakers. Her wavy hair still fell to her shoulders, and complimented her outfit nicely. "Alright, off we go!" Called Mr. Weasley as Ron and Harry came down the stairs.
Platform 9 and three quarters was almost scarily empty. It was either everybody was already on the train, or not as many people were going to Hogwarts. Many parents had decided to keep their children home because of the known fact that Lord Voldemort was on the run, and his main target was Harry Potter.
Venice and her lot boarded the train after saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and looked for an empty compartment. "Um, Hermione, I have to use the bathroom, I'll find you in a few," Venice said suddenly, feeling a pang of nausea overcome her. "Alright, Venice," Hermione said, and strolled off with the rest of the group. Venice turned around and went the opposite direction, hoping to find the bathroom. She passed compartments full of happy or solemn students, no in-between. It was sad, really. Venice pushed open the doors to the bathroom to find it empty. She gripped onto the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked and saw her skin turn white, and she felt something surge up her throat. Rushing to the toilet, she vomited. Venice collapsed onto the floor, and began to sob.
20 minutes later, Venice lifted herself up and dragged herself out of the bathroom. Walking down the corridors of the train, she saw Draco with Pansy and Goyle in a compartment together. She rushed passed, concentrating on where she was walking. But when she was past their compartment, she looked backward. Draco had gotten out of the compartment, and was walking toward her. Venice sped up, hoping to avoid the boy that had started to make her emotionally unstable. She whipped her head back around to look ahead of her, when she crashed into somebody. "Venice Evans?" The man said in awe. He was old, and quite big. "Um, yes. I'm very sorry, I'm quite the klutz, I better get goi-" "Oh, what an honour! You must have lunch with me, Ms. Evans! Dumbledore had told much about you, and I would like to know more about you!" The man exclaimed with a big fat smile. Venice turned around to see Draco standing there awkwardly, about 15 feet away. "Oh, alright," Venice agreed, and followed the man down to the train and away from Draco. "I'm Professor Slughorn, by the way! I'm your new potions teacher," Slughorn said as he pulled open a compartment door. Inside the compartment was Harry, Zabini, McLaggen, and a few other students Venice did not know. "Here, Ms. Evans. Sit down beside Mr. McLaggen here," Slughorn said, pulling out a chair for Venice and setting it in front of the table. Cormac McLaggen looked up at her an gave her a supposedly seductive smile. Venice tried to smile back, and sat down beside him. Slughorn struck up random conversation with each person in the group, especially Harry, and asked them about their lives and interests. Venice mostly ignored the conversation, and stared out the window of the train from her seat. "Venice? What about you?" Professor Slughorn suddenly piped up. "Pardon, sir?" Venice asked stupidly. "Quidditch, dear girl! Do you play Quidditch?" He asked, a bit annoyed at the fact she hadn't listened. "Oh, no I don't. Sports hasn't really been my thing of interest," Venice said. "Ah, but a talented Slytherin like you must have a hobby?" He asked. Venice didn't like the attention, and wanted to leave. But, she was a bit too polite for that, so she fought through her urge. "I guess I'm just really into magic, professor, and the different aspects and kinds of it," Venice replied with a gentle tone in her voice. Professor Slughorn seemed a bit taken aback, like he was having a flashback that wasn't pleasant. He did not spark up a conversation with her again about magic.
When Draco saw Venice walk by his compartment on the train, his heart almost skipped a beat. Her beautiful green dress complimented her beautiful grey-green eyes, and her image just stuck his mind. As soon as she looked at him before disappearing out of sight, it was like a demon possessed him. He stood up abruptly and ignored Pansy's "Where are you going?" and followed Venice. She picked up her pace, and Draco wondered why. But then he saw her turn to look at him, and her face had gone the palest shade of white he had ever seen, and it looked dewy, as if she had been crying. Her look of distress was almost alarming, and he felt like her sadness was transferring over to him. He wanted to run up to her, and wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was alright, and everything was going to be okay. But he knew he would be lying is if he said those things. Because on the Dark Lord's side, he knew what danger was to come.