you believe in me
Blaise arrived at their compartment just before the train departed, spitting out some excuse that his mother being too busy getting flirted with to say bye to him.
He sat beside Draco, who had Pansy's head fully resting on his shoulder now. Daphne had buried her face in a book and Kayda had left their compartment to try and find her Uncle after they'd finally left the station.
The corridor of the train was practically empty, she had her destination in mind– knowing that Remus would only be in one specific compartment. As she walked, she ran her hand along the wooden ridges in the wall beside her.
"Black!" Came a familiar voice, she'd heard the sliding door open just before he called – Oliver's hand grabbed her arm gently before she was even able to turn around and look up at him. "Hiya darlin'," he whispered.
Kayda turned to face him fully, her hands gripping at his forearms as he held her shoulders. She looked from his eyes up and down the corridor to check who was there.
"It's jus' us, love." He spoke so quietly it was all she could focus on.
She sighed, glancing right and left again. "I know, was just check–" Before she could even finish the word – Oliver had grabbed her jaw and kissed her.
"It's...just us."
Kayda didn't open her eyes immediately after he'd kissed her and only blinked slowly when he barely breathed the words.
"One of these times; it won't be." She laughed, shoving at him – he didn't move an inch. In fact, it only led him to lean closer to her. His arms snaked around her smaller frame, encasing her tightly with a deep exhale.
"Merlin, how I missed you." Oliver rested his cheek on top of her head.
She gripped him tighter. "I missed you too."
The sound of a door sliding open had Kayda prying herself hurriedly out of his embrace. She leant against the window behind her, giving a faint smile to the older student who walked in between the pair. Oliver ran his tongue over his teeth, making no effort to avoid her eyes as she did just that to him.
"You ashamed o' me or somethin', Black?" He forced a laugh, but Kayda knew it was more than a joke.
"No, of course I'm not." She answered blankly, stepping towards him when the student was out of sight. "It's just, if my friends find out–"
"– they'll kill me." He sighed, his head falling back against the wooden wall of the train. "I reckon I'd rather that, than wha'ever," he gestured to the fact she was stood away from him, "that was."
Kayda immediately closed the gap between them, her hands pressing against his chest, one reaching up to his cheek. He grinned, wetting his lips as his hands sunk onto her waist.
"Dick." She shook her head, her hand curling into a fist and hitting his chest gently.
"You're too gullible." He leant down to kiss her softly.
"I care, is what you mean." She raised her eyebrows, unable to stop her lips from curving upwards after he had done the same.
"It's endearing."
"Shut up."
Once again, a door further down the train slid open – one so far that Oliver didn't hear it, he also didn't hear the voice of Draco announcing that he was leaving.
"You ok, love?" Oliver said above her when her eyes had unfocused to listen for Draco's footsteps. "Kayda–"
"It's Malfoy."
Oliver pulled Kayda's head into his chest instantly, using his arms to completely hide her face and the other to pull the majority of her hair out of sight. Kayda pressed closer to him as she heard Draco's slow footsteps grow closer.
"Wood," he spat, his voice was sour – Oliver's heartbeat pounded louder in her ear, "I'm not surprised you have nowhere to sit, I'd already assumed that nobody wanted to sit with you and...your bitch?"
Oliver sighed. "At least, I have one, Malfoy."
"No response for 'nowhere to sit' though." He laughed throatily. "She shy, or something?"
Kayda tried to tilt her head so she could see the blonde boy, but Oliver's grip only grew tighter before his shoulder jolted forward and the sound of skin hitting skin echoed.
"Don't try that again." Oliver's voice was much louder with her ear pressed to his chest.
"Alright, alright – easy, Capt'." Draco chucked. "I'm going, I'm going."
Only when his footsteps were barely audible, did Kayda look up at Oliver again.
"What did you do?" She asked, he was still staring in the direction Draco had sauntered off in.
"He tried to reach for your shoulder, to turn you around, I'm guessing." Oliver smiled down at her, his hand caressing her cheek. "I slapped his hand."
"I should see where he's going." Kayda mumbled, now gazing down the hallway after the blond boy. "They think I'm with my Uncle right now."
"I'll see you later, then?"
"Of course."
She pushed herself up onto the tips of her toes and kissed Oliver softly, his hands roamed her body for a moment, leaning into her needily before she stepped out of his reach with a smile.
Then they parted ways, Oliver watched Kayda walk quickly down the corridor before heading back to his friends.
She was aiming for the compartment with 'MARAUDERS' carved above it. She knew that if Remus was anywhere, it would be there.
When she found the compartment, she had to do a double-take, because Draco was leaning through the door, Crabbe and Goyle at either side of him.
"I swear to Merlin." She whispered to herself, taking a deep breath and approaching the trio. Crabbe saw her first and instantly switched to stand beside Goyle, allowing Kayda to stand beside Draco.
"Weasel, I heard that your Father finally got his hands on some gold this summer," Draco ran his tongue along his lip, "did your Mother die of shock?"
"Hi Black." Harry said loudly, raising his brows at Kayda. Draco jumped and looked to his side, his grin falling as soon as he saw the girl.
"Hi Potter." She put her hand up slightly, as if to wave. She barely turned her head to look at Draco. "Malfoy."
"Black." He smiled, shyly.
"What on earth could you be talking to three Gryffindors about?" She leant against the door frame. Draco stuck his tongue into his cheek, looking Kayda up and down as she tilted her head at him.
"Just, talking about– you know, how poor Weasley is."
Kayda glanced at Ron. "Ah, I see." She grinned. "And how kind of you it is – to offer him some of your own riches."
"What?" The pair of them said at the same time.
"Go on, then." She threw her hand out towards Ron. "Give him a Galleon, or something, Malfoy."
Draco stared at her, but she didn't fail to notice that his hand had sunk into his pocket as soon as the words had left her lips.
"I don't have any change on me." He sucked air between his lips when his rings chimed against the nickel as he stuffed his hand deeper into his pocket to make it appear natural.
"Pity."
The look in Kayda's eyes must've worked – because Draco stepped out of the doorway, his eyes still locked with hers.
"C'mon," he muttered to Crabbe and Goyle, "let's go."
"I'll be there soon." Kayda spoke as Draco passed her, his hand brushing her own momentarily. "He sleeping?" She gestured to Remus with her head.
Hermione nodded.
"Alright, good. Come let me know if he wakes up?" Kayda smiled at them before closing the door and walking down the corridor to catch up with Draco.
She jumped up with her hands gripping onto his shoulders when she reached him, laughing as he spun around and scowled at her.
"Ooo–" She taunted, pulling a face at the boy.
"What was that, Black!?"
"Calm down, Malfoy." She sighed, throwing her head back. "You were being an arse."
"When am I not?" He sighed, exasperated as she walked around him. "That doesn't mean; 'make me look like an idiot'."
"Why? You're afraid Potter 'll think you're a pussy?"
His jaw lowered.
"That's real intimidating, Malfoy." Kayda rolled her eyes, turning her back to him and continuing to walk down the corridor. "You should try that one on Potter next time you see him."
─ « ⋅ » ─
It was hours later when the train jolted to a stop miles away from Hogsmead station.
"That's weird." Daphne muttered, peering through the window into the darkness that shrouded the train.
"We there?" Freya yawned, her head resting in Kayda's yet lap again.
"Shouldn't be, it's too early." Kayda was doing the same as Daphne, attempting to make out shapes outside.
Pansy groaned from where she slept, using Draco's shoulder as a pillow.
"Agreed, Parkinson." Freya mumbled, her eyes shut tightly.
Cold air blew through the train, making Theo roll his shoulders and Draco shiver suddenly, bumping Pansy awake. Blaise, who was sitting closest to the door, stood up and peered out into the corridor – just before the candles went out and they were immersed in complete darkness.
What felt like the entire train shook violently for a moment, Blaise was pushed down into his seat, hitting his back on the wall and cursing out in pain.
Then everything was eerily still.
Freya sat up slowly, the sound of rustling clothes telling Kayda that she'd scrambled onto Theo. Unable to ignite her eyes as she stared into the corridor, Kayda was forced to use what little moonlight was shining through the window on the other side to see.
Then moonlight disappeared – a floating figure, with a torn, black cloak draped over his head and a an even darker cloud rising and spinning around him had blocked it. He was staring into the compartment, or atleast, Kayda assumed that he was; his face was hidden by the hood of his cloak.
She stood up slowly, a hand grabbing suddenly at hers when she did.
"Black, sit down." Daphne whispered.
"Shush. It's a dementor." Kayda muttered back, taking another step towards the door as the Dementor's boney hand managed to curve around the frame and pull it open incredibly slowly.
That same hand wasted no time reaching for Kayda's face, pausing only inches away. She remained completely still.
"I am his daughter. He is not here." Her voice gave her away, it was shaking as much as her body was threatening to, due to the cold that had engulfed the compartment.
The ice-cold bone grabbed hold of her face with such force it jarred Kayda's head back instantly. The Dementor was so close to her now that the cloud surrounding him wrapped around her own body too, her skin was raised with bumps, and his hood was almost touching the top of her head – yet there was still nothing behind it.
Kayda stared back at the darkness that was holding her – she knew what it saw, and just how similar she appeared to what it was looking for.
The others in the compartment were silent. They didn't even dare to breathe. It was freezing.
"He isn't here." It was difficult to talk with the way it's hand was squeezing the sides of her face. Her voice was strained and raspy.
The dementor's head tilted, the grip it held on her face loosening ever so slightly. She was sure if she could see it's eyes, they'd be narrowed.
It edged closer again, and a flash of bright light from the window behind them revealed its hideous face — it's dark mouth was opening slowly, it's jaw unhinging as it inhaled.
Before she knew it — everything hurt. It felt like it was pulling out her eyes from their sockets, her teeth from her gums, the small hairs of her eyebrows, the saliva from her mouth. It was ripping her face off, to read what was underneath.
Everything blurred, it was getting darker and darker.
Then there was another flash of light, this time from the door — the Dementor's hand on Kayda's face was gone in an instant, as was the dementor itself. The warmth returned to their compartment as her knees hit the wooden floor with a crack.
She coughed rawly, her elbows joining her knees on the wood as she rubbed her face with her hands — they were soon replaced by two others lifting her head up, except these hands were warm, and they were accompanied by a panicked voice.
"Kayda, sweetheart—" He was breathing heavily. "You're alright, c'mon— let's stand you up."
There were several more voices filling her ears and even more hands attempting to sooth her as she was lifted to her feet carefully.
She eventually stood without wobbling, just before she was pulled into a tight hug.
"What the fuck was that all about?" Theo was quiet in her ears.
"They were looking for Sirius Black." Remus' low voice was considerably louder than Theo's — it was his chest that her head was pressed against.
Kayda's eyes pried open cautiously, she could see Pansy staring blindly at the sliding door that was unlatched and noisily knocking against the frame as the train rocked gently.
"And who are you?" Blaise coughed, Kayda could see him glaring at Remus over his shoulder.
"My Uncle." She murmured. Remus sighed, stroking her hair as her breathing softened. Kayda reached her hand back towards where she thought Freya was standing, who took it immediately.
Remus' arms loosened around her and she stepped out of his embrace, looking around the compartment, everyone was standing — either staring at her or the door.
There was a crinkle and a snap before Remus' hand was passing chocolate out to them all. Each of them took it and ate it without any hesitation, then he left the rest of the bar in Kayda's hand before he stepped out of the compartment to talk to the train driver.
Kayda sat between Freya and Daphne, her head resting on the blonde girl's shoulder. The others surrounded them.
"That was terrifying." Pansy wept, her cheeks glistening in the little light that existed in the compartment. Draco seemed to be ignoring the fact that her tears were dampening his shirt sleeve as she hugged his arm. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
Theo, on the other side of Freya, had his head pressed against the wall behind him, his hand interlocked with the girl's.
"Why do they think Black is on the Hogwarts Express?"
"No idea. Maybe they figured he was trying to get into the school?" Daphne sighed.
"Or maybe they just felt Kayda?" Draco said blankly. "She's his blood, after all."
Silence.
"What? Am I wrong?"
"Stop talking." Freya sighed, shaking her head.
"Why haven't the lights turned back on?" Pansy whispered, after they'd all fallen quiet again.
Without any hesitation, Kayda took her wand from her pocket and flicked it quickly — from the tip of her wand sprang several sparks of light that flew to the small candle holders that were hung in the compartment.
The light revealed just how pale all of their faces were.
The train jolted suddenly and they began moving once again — they were all silent until they reached the Great Hall.