Chapter 2 Hogsmeade Station

Irene

As the brown boy entered the small cabin where we were sitting the exchange of glances between him and Aphrodite did not go unnoticed. Based on what I knew from the books I was reading and the experience I had in reading others I knew there was a love here. Both had flushed cheeks while their sparkling eyes showed interest in each other. That was it. I had to somehow bring them together. And when I got the chance with that card from the Wizard Merlin, I grabbed it like there was no tomorrow. That was it. I was gonna get them on a date.

I rose from my seat almost jumping and approached the young man who was waiting impatiently to hear my proposal. I leaned towards him as I smiled brightly from my excitement.

"I'll give you the card if you'll go on a date with the girl next to me. " I told him and he immediately smiled and blushed even more.

"Okay. Okay. " He said and first turned his gaze to the other guy and looked at Aphrodite blushing harder.

I continued to smile and stood up sharply reaching out my hand while I looked at him half closing my eyes.

"As soon as what I asked you to do comes true the card will be yours. " I told him and again I sat in my seat looking at my hands impatiently.

"What did you tell him? " asked the girl next to me with a tone of jealousy in her voice.

"Don't worry. I work for you here. Be patient and you'll find out" I answered them and Hermione passing my line smiled broadly.

"Good job Irene. " she said and we all looked at each other curiously.

I smiled to myself for a few minutes when I finally decided to get serious and get on with something else. So I picked up the newspaper called the Daily Prophet and started reading the news. I still remember that incident that kept me up all night. I remember it was the day of the annual Quidditch championship, many wizards and witches gathered to watch it however the joyous event was overshadowed by tragedy. The so-called Death Eaters, who no one I asked would tell me more about them, vandalized the wizards' camp and launched their symbol, a skull and crossbones with a snake coming out of its mouth, into the sky. The blissful sight was depicted to this day as a portrait, and I was not surprised why. Though a newcomer to this world, I didn't feel good about the way things were going. What if war broke out against these death eaters? Would I have to fight too? And Aphrodite? Oh, no. I don't like that possibility. I gazed melancholically out the window and let out a breath. I had a very bad feeling about all of this, and unfortunately somehow I somehow knew that both me and my cousin were involved.

"Everything okay? " Aphrodite asked me, and for a moment I looked at her in disbelief.

Was I supposed to express my opinion on the matter? Should I talk about my hunch? I wanted to do so, yet I had five pairs of eyes looking at me with concern. I put a smile on my lips and nodded negatively.

"No, it's okay. I was just thinking about some things and... " I said still smiling and Aphrodite took my hand showing she understood.

"Don't worry, cousin, you're not alone anymore. " Aphrodite said to me and I felt tears well up in my eyes.

A flash of my life from months ago came to me and the lump in my throat grew. I was always alone.

I smiled warmly at her and took my hand from hers, hugging my torso. The cloak may have been long but I could still feel the cold chilling me. Early September and it was already freezing. I sighed once more and looked at the company that had just formed.

"Do you mind if I get some sleep? " I asked and they all nodded in the negative.

I thanked them and taking the jacket out of my bag I settled better into position covering my torso. Before my eyes closed completely I heard the young boy my cousin liked introduce himself and Aphrodite let out something like a purr. Cedric Diggory was his name and I had a feeling that this Diggory was going to become my relative in a very short time.

***

As I slowly began to wake up from my long sleep, I stretched to catch my breath. My whole body ached from being still while I felt my buttocks being one with the leather seat. Muttering something about the uncomfortable position and readjusting my bones, I heard Ron and Cedric probably laughing at me.

Those two were wide awake and talking about something I wasn't very interested in hearing. With a quick glance I checked out the entire cabin and shifted in my seat.

In fact there were three of us awake the rest of us were sleeping off the good weather with Aphrodite on top of me and Arco at her feet.

Feeling my belly grumbling I opened a cherry pie I had kept from the stuff we had taken and began to slowly chew it first to set the ear to the conversation they had started.

"How do you like being in your senior year, Cedric? " Ron asked him and at that moment I choked on something in the pie.

I started coughing and the two boys looked at me with concern. As I coughed, the other three woke up and looked at me, wide awake. Just before Aphrodite gave me a bottle of water, I was able to pull out a pimple.

"One time I thought I'd have a pie. And I was supposed to get a pimple? If that's possible. " I said, drinking water, and the children laughed.

"How unlucky can you be? " Ron asked me laughing and I sighed.

"To be choking on a cherry pie by a pipsqueak is probably pretty much infinite. " I said sarcastically and the guys started laughing again.

By now we were all awake and chatting merrily about school and other things.

"Guys, look, we've arrived at Hogsmeade Station. " said Hermione happily and with her we stuck to the window to look.

The light may have been minimal, but I could see a row of brick houses and lots and lots of trees. It was beautiful and I couldn't hide the smile that started to form on my face.

No more jokes. Now the hard stuff begins.