Chapter Text
DAPHNE SAT curled into herself on the seat. The Prefect compartment was far more comfortable than the other ones, she had to admit that. Smoothing out her blue Ravenclaw robes, now adorned with the shiny golden pin that showcased her status - proof that her determination hadn't been in vain - she listened to her best friend, Cade Ganders, talk to the Gryffindor Prefect sitting across from him, June Conifer.
Next to her, Percy Weasley, the Head Boy, was involved in a heated discussion with the Head Girl Penelope Clearwater. She was a Ravenclaw as well, and had already taken Daphne and Cade under her wing as soon as she met them. The Slytherin Prefects were huddled in the corner, talking in hushed voices.
She looked out the window to see the familiar approaching sight of Hogwarts, the castle on the hill peaking out of the uncharacteristic fog that loomed low over the horizon.
She reached into her trunk for her book - Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 - and quickly found the page she had marked, resuming her reading. She liked to flip through the course books over the summer holidays so she wasn't completely clueless in the first lessons of the year.
Percy glanced at her book with an approving hum. "See, this is why you were chosen as Prefects. Because you're responsible."
Daphne peeked over the edge of the book. The corners of her dark blue eyes crinkled as she managed a minuscule smile.
"You know, my brothers, they're in your Year," the Weasley continued, blissfully ignoring the fact that she wasn't really listening to him. "Fred and George. They're not nearly close to being Prefects. It's strange for those who don't know them, seeing as both Bill, Charlie and myself were. But when you meet them..."
"I do know them," Daphne replied without setting down the book. Of course she knew them - who didn't? They were pretty adamant on upkeeping their status as Hogwarts' biggest troublemakers in years. She'd crossed paths with them before, but not frequently enough to get to know them properly, and not nearly enough to be able to tell them apart.
Percy then, apparently taking a bit longer to decipher the social cues she was subtly giving away, realised she probably didn't want to talk. He turned back to Penelope to converse with her instead.
Daphne immersed herself in her book, her lips subconsciously mouthing the spell words like she were already practicing them. She was so engrossed in the book, muttering Silencio under her breath that she didn't notice the windows and the glass on the doors frosting.
She looked up when Cade gently kicked her foot and Percy and Penelope stood up. "What's going on?" The blond.
"I don't know," she mumbled. All she knew in the moment was that something bad was going on, and that the world around them suddenly felt devoid of all happiness.
Dementors. She knew it before the doors slid open with an almost menacing lethargy and she caught sight of the horrid creature she had read all about. A hand, smaller and softer than hers - she guessed it had to belong to Rosie Penbrook, the Hufflepuff prefect - grasped hers. She squeezed back.
Percy stood, his face a calm and reassuring one despite the slight quiver in his usually steady voice. "He's not here. You can go."
The dementor, as if understanding the Head Boy's words, slowly drew back before disappearing down the train, probably to haunt the next compartment.
"What was that?" The Gryffindor June whispered as Percy and Penelope sat back down and he let out a heavy exhale.
"A dementor," Daphne said before either of them could. "I know that. But why was it here?" She glanced to her left, where Percy sat.
"Remember the news?" He inquired. "Sirius Black escaped Azkaban."
Daphne recalled the headline of the Daily Prophet - Sirius Black's mugshot, far from the look of an innocent man. And now, he had escaped the profoundly guarded wizarding prison of Azkaban.
"They're here because they're looking for him. Safety precautions, we were told," the Weasley boy continued.
"But... Why would he be at Hogwarts?" Cade gulped.
"We don't know that," Penelope said, looking at Percy. "All we know is there's something there that he wants. And given he was willing to break out of Azkaban, I think he's quite determined to get that."
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The rest of the ride went smoothly, with no further checkups from the Dementors. Daphne had managed to read a couple more chapters of the Charms book before Percy nudged her as the train began to slow down. "We're here."
She put away her book, wrapping the silver-blue scarf around her neck as she and the other Prefects each made their way to their respective doors, holding them open as the younger students scurried out of the train. First Years got into their boats and rowed to the shore of the castle while the other students boarded the carriages.
The Prefects were among the last to leave with the Head Boy and Girl, packing into two of the carriages. Daphne sat between Cade and Rosie, opposite Percy and the Gryffindors, June and Kieran.
"What actually pulls these carriages?" Cade asked her. They met each other on their first day at Hogwarts and became friends almost instantly. He had quickly already gotten accustomed to using her as a personal encyclopedia, asking her even the stupidest questions.
"Thestrals," she answered. She had read about the horses, despite not being able to see them herself. "They're these winged horses that can only be seen by those who have seen death."
"That's kind of morbid," Cade shuddered.
"But true," confirmed Percy approvingly. "You really are clever, Cadell. Ravenclaw should be proud to have you. People like my brothers should look up to you."
Daphne nodded. There he was, bringing up the twins yet again. Was he hoping she'd reform them? Take them as her charity cases for the year - as if she didn't have enough on her plate as Prefect - and miraculously rehabilitate the hopeless troublemakers?
She brushed off the thought rather quickly. They made their way into the castle and took their seats at their respective tables. She and Cade joined their friends Eloise Hartwell and Rowan Fenlow. The latter immediately clapped Cade on the back. "Well hello, Mr Prefect!"
Cade chuckled. "What can I say? It's a good life. Man, the compartment - pure luxury. I don't know how I suffered in those normal ones all these years, not knowing what I was missing out on."
"Come on, Cade," Daphne dictated. "He's exaggerating it. It's nice, but it's nicer sitting with you guys."
"I missed you," said Eloise, leaning her chin on her palm.
"You saw me on the train, before we had to leave for the compartment," Daphne furrowed her thin eyebrows.
"Exactly!" The long haired brunette replied with an exasperated sigh. "That was hours ago!"
Daphne chuckled, her eyes surveying the Great Hall, from the Slytherin table behind them to the Gryffindor one across the hall. There, she could spot the five red heads of the Weasley family representatives huddled together, along with Harry and Hermione.
Looking back, she saw Rosie waving at her from the Hufflepuff table just across, and she returned the wave with a small smile before Dumbledore began his speech for the year. She rested her chin on her palm, hoping it wouldn't be a long one.
જ⁀➴
Daphne's clapping was amongst the loudest in the hall when the Headmaster finished his speech. She was all for education and wise words, but not when it interfered with the grand feast on the tables and Eloise's gossip even she wasn't immune to.
About an hour later, she and Cade stood by the doors to the Great Hall, waiting for the First Year Ravenclaws to finish eating so they could lead them to the common room and show them the dorms.
Percy passed by with Penelope, nodding his head before stopping for a moment. She went on without him. "Hello Cadell, Ganders. I'm sure-"
"Hello, Head Boy!" Someone crooned from behind him and before you knew it, the twins had appeared on each side of him like a comedy version of an angel and a devil on his shoulders.
"Don't you just look dashing with your pin," the other taunted, resting his chin on an impassioned Percy's shoulder. He shoved his brother off with a flick of his hand like ridding himself of a fly.
"Be careful, Fred," the twin - possibly George, keeping in mind the way they liked to switch names just to confuse people - said teasingly. "It's going to get to his head. I can already see it growing bigger."
"Sod off, you two," the Head Boy sighed. Sirius Black, Dementors and now these two? Daphne felt genuinely bad for him.
"Cadell, Ganders," the other one - Fred, if they weren't lying - said, mocking Percy's previous words. Daphne glanced at him, looked away - and glanced back. And then she saw him. Really saw him.
His hair was longer than she recalled, no longer that choppy hairstyle it was in the previous years. Not that she noticed, but... Daphne liked people watching. It was messy in an effortless way, the front bits swept to the side. His face was more narrow, he had lost the baby face over the summer. And the Quidditch training had certainly paid off, she thought when she caught a minuscule sight of how his sweater hugged his arms just a bit tighter.
She was shaken out of her thoughts by allegedly Fred himself. "It's good to know there's still uptight people like good ol' Perce out there. Now, he might actually have friends."
With that - and an overly enthusiastic pat to good ol' Perce's shoulder, they were gone. He sighed. "I'm so sorry about that. Just take the First Years to the Common Room, will you?" He didn't even wait for a nod before leaving.
Cade turned to Daphne. "What the hell was that?" He asked.
"What the hell was that?" She agreed.