THOxTQ: Consequence of Sounds

Yes, yes I am writing a fanfiction of a fanfiction. And yes, yes I will rename this later. ~

Chapter 1
In some ways, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was just the same as it had been last year. The platform was still crowded and noisy, filled with emotional parents saying teary goodbyes to their often times embarrassed children. Plenty of students still boarded the train, saying hello to their friends and trying to find the best compartment before anyone else could take it.

Yet there was a significant dull from what it had been like in previous years. Ava remembered what it had been like her first year: brighter, more cheerful, and considerably less like a send-off to war.

Ava had hugged her mother outside of the platform. She hadn’t given her much detail on the actual war going on–there wasn’t any reason to worry her mother about a certain wizard’s view on muggles and muggle-raised witches. She pushed her way through the crowd, nodding and saying hello to familiar faces. She had gotten there just early enough to get one of the last remaining empty compartments. Quickly stepping in before anyone else could take it, she put her bags away and sat down. Michael and Kyra would not be here yet–every year since third year, the year they had all become friends, they had arrived at the train in the exact same order: first Ava, approximately fifteen to twenty minutes until eleven o’clock. Then Michael, who would stride into the compartment just a few minutes after herself. Finally Kyra would run in minutes before departure, probably having slept in late or losing track of time at home.

As if on cue, Michael walked in. “Hey, Ava!” he said, appearing more cheerful than most of the platform outside. Michael had obviously grown another few inches over the summer, as if he weren’t already tall enough.

“Hey, Michael,” she greeted as he started putting his bags away.

“Have you seen Kyra yet?” he asked as he sat down.

“She’s probably just waking up,” Ava said, only half-joking. “Your girlfriend will be here eventually, don’t worry.”

Michael’s face went red. The two had just started dating over the summer and Ava had received letters from both of them announcing their new relationship within minutes of each other. “So, how’s Zack?”

“Haven’t you talked to him?” she asked quickly. “Well, yeah,” he said. “Haven’t you?”

“Of course,” she said. “I was in Hogsmeade last week.” That was true; she had been to Hogsmeade last week. However, she’d only seen her boyfriend of over two years for a very short time while she was there. They’d gone to The Three Broomsticks and had a very quick drink before she’d had to leave. She’d seen him many other times over the summer, of course, but not as much as she had in previous years. She told herself it was because of time constraints, which it was, wasn’t it?

Michael nodded. “That’s good. I can’t wait for the Hogsmeade trips this year.” “So you can go to Madam Puddifoot’s with Kyra?”

“No. I mean, if she wants, sure,” Michael stammered. “But I mean, it’s just that they’ll be fun trips, that’s all, they were last year, and–”

“Hey, guys,” Natalie Cole appeared at the door. “Have good summers?”

“Yeah,” said Michael quickly, obviously grateful for the change in topic.

Ava nodded. “Congrats on Quidditch Captain, Natalie,” she said.

“Thanks!” Natalie had been one of Gryffindor’s chasers for years and Ava guessed that she’d go down kicking and screaming before they lost the House Cup. The team had been great in the past, but last year they’d gotten a new Captain that hadn’t been as good. Sure, they’d still won, but only by a few points and a lucky catch by their Seeker. “Team’s going to be great this year, we’ve got good people lined up so far and I’ve got a good feeling about tryouts.”

“When are tryouts?” Michael asked. “Just wondering,” he quickly added.

“Friday,” she said. “If you want to try out, I’d suggest going out and practicing tomorrow before classes start up. And, Ava, make sure you’re not too rusty, you’re still going to have to try out too.”

“Not worried,” Ava said.

“Neither am I, but I don’t want to deal with some second year getting mad they didn’t get in because you missed a few bludgers and they had great flying technique or whatever. Practice. And tell Zack that he better not–”

“Hey guys!” In her normal nearly late, Kyra came to a sudden stop outside of the compartment, almost running straight into Natalie. Just then, the train began to move. Kyra grinned, blowing her long dark hair out of her face. “Made it.”

“Barely,” Ava quipped. “Sleep in late?”

“My alarm wasn’t loud enough,” she insisted, walking into the compartment. “Are you sitting with us, Natalie?”

The older girl shook her head. “No, just saying hello. See you at tryouts, Ava,” she said. Natalie gave a small wave at them and left.

Kyra started putting her stuff away, and Michael quickly stood up to help her. Maybe if Kyra hadn’t been about a foot shorter than Michael, she would’ve protested, but in reality she could barely reach the luggage shelves. They both sat down across from Ava. Kyra set an owl cage down next to her, which held a tiny little thing. It gave Ava the evil eye, and Ava returned the look.

“This year’s gonna be one for the books,” Kyra said. “I can feel it.”

“If you mean textbooks, sure,” Ava muttered. “Fifth year’s a pain.”

“I’m sure the OWLs can’t be that bad, can they?” Kyra wondered. Ava just looked at her. “Okay, fine,” she relented. “So the OWLs won’t be fun. But something big’s going to happen this year, I can feel it.”

“Something big already has happened. Read the papers. Something big happens every day,” Ava deadpanned.

Michael frowned. “The war’s got to end soon,” he’s said. “You-Know-Who’s already been going for so long, there’s no way he’ll last more than a few months, right?”

The war’s only just beginning, Ava thought, but before she had a chance to vocalize these thoughts, there was a knock at the door. She looked up.