The long summer holiday had finally come to an end.
To be honest, Daphne Greengrass had not enjoyed this summer at all.
Her mediocre O.W.L. results weighed heaviest on her mind.
She had earned only a single O (Outstanding), in Charms. In Transfiguration, Potions, and History of Magic, she received three E's (Exceeds Expectations). Along with two A's (Acceptable), that meant she had passed only six subjects in total.
In the remaining three subjects, her grades were P or lower—outright failures.
The results weren't disastrous—but they were disappointing.
More importantly, they meant Daphne would not be able to follow the same path her mother once had—securing a respectable position at the Ministry of Magic immediately after graduation. The Ministry's requirements for O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. results from Hogwarts graduates were notoriously strict.
Her mother must have been deeply disappointed.
Although Lady Diana hadn't said much, Daphne could tell from her expression that her mood was terrible.
Daphne herself felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.
On the day the owl delivered her results, she locked herself in her room and spent the entire night in silent misery.
...
Aside from her O.W.L. results, there was also her younger sister, Astoria Greengrass.
Daphne had known since childhood that their mother had been hiding certain things about Astoria from her—perhaps even from Astoria herself. Astoria had always been frail, spending several weeks each year at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Still, Daphne had never imagined the situation was this severe.
So when she learned that Astoria would not be returning to Hogwarts for the coming term, she was utterly shocked.
"Astoria should be starting fifth year… O.W.L.s are incredibly important…" Daphne stammered as she argued with her mother. "Is she really that sick?"
"Yes," Lady Diana replied with a bitter smile. "This summer… may be the last time you and she see each other like this."
After saying that, she turned away from her stunned eldest daughter and returned to her study.
Astoria herself had changed as well.
Once cheerful and lively, she had become quiet and withdrawn.
She liked to lock herself in her small room, staring blankly at a delicate little mirror for hours on end.
Daphne tried everything she could to make her sister smile again, to lift her spirits—but nothing worked.
Left with no other choice, she simply stayed with her, chatting about the things Astoria liked.
On the final day of the summer holiday, Daphne went into Astoria's room and couldn't help asking softly,
"That mirror you're holding… was it a gift from him?"
"Jon Hart?"
"Yes." Astoria, who had been silent for most of the holiday, suddenly smiled faintly. "He promised me… that it's only a small problem… He'll definitely cure me."
"Then… where did he go?" Daphne asked hesitantly.
"Mother said he went to Albania." The smile on Astoria's face slowly faded. "She hasn't heard from him in a long time either… I hope Jon isn't in any danger."
"Albania…" A trace of worry crept onto Daphne's face. "I've read a few books. None of them say very good things about that place… Some even say there are terrifying monsters there."
"Jon will be fine…" Astoria Greengrass stared intently at the little mirror in her hands and murmured, "I believe in him. He promised me… he'll come back."
Daphne felt her eyes grow damp.
Unable to hold back any longer, she pulled her sister into her arms and gently stroked her hair.
"Yes. He'll come back," she said softly.
"And you'll be fine too, Astoria."
...
September 1st.
Astoria had wanted to see Daphne off as she boarded the Hogwarts Express.
But Daphne refused.
She didn't want her sister to see the train, be reminded of Hogwarts, and fall into sadness all over again.
Their mother also didn't dare leave Astoria's side, so Daphne bravely suggested traveling to London on her own.
After all, she was already seventeen—legally an adult now.
In the end, her mother still didn't agree. Instead, she sent the house-elf Hod to escort Daphne part of the way.
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was as bustling as ever, crowded with students and parents alike. However, the presence of additional Aurors on guard lent the place a faint sense of unease.
The platform signs were completely covered by large notices posted by the Ministry of Magic. These intimidating purple posters were mostly enlarged versions of the safety advisories distributed over the summer, along with several notices displaying black-and-white photographs of wanted Death Eaters.
Walking alone along the platform, Daphne spotted many familiar faces.
Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff, for instance—he was already wearing the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain's badge. It seemed he had taken over the position after the former captain, Cedric Diggory, graduated.
Daphne wasn't particularly interested in Quidditch anyway. Slytherin's team hadn't been performing well in recent years and seemed to have little chance of winning the Quidditch Cup.
She also saw Harry Potter—the so-called "Chosen One" frequently featured in the Daily Prophet—boarding the train with the Weasley family. Once numerous, the Weasley family now consisted of only Ronald and Ginny Weasley.
Harry Potter was chatting quite intimately with Ginny Weasley.
Had they started dating?
Just as Daphne was indulging in a bit of idle speculation, she bumped straight into Hermione Granger, who was walking toward her.
"Sorry—sorry!" Daphne apologized at once.
But Granger didn't respond. She kept her head down and hurried straight into the prefects' compartment.
...
The train soon began to move.
Daphne shared a compartment with Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Tiffany Selwyn.
Through the crack in the compartment door, Daphne spotted Draco Malfoy skulking along the corridor. After checking that no one was watching, he quietly slipped into another compartment.
If Daphne remembered correctly, that compartment belonged to Professor Snape.
Just as her curiosity stirred, the compartment door slid open. A breathless third-year girl rushed inside.
"Professor Slughorn…" she said between gasps. "He asked me to deliver this to Miss Daphne Greengrass."
In her hand was a letter, which looked very much like an invitation.