The last few days of summer before we returned to Hogwarts passed quickly with little happening, mostly spending time with Daphne since the bulk of my preparations were now in place. Daphne had also managed to convince me to take her to a dancing hall on the muggle side of London as a date, dragging me onto the dance floor to learn new dances while also showing off our waltz.
When the time came for me to board the Hogwarts Express, Lord Black accompanied me apparating us to the station and standing with me as we were mobbed by some of the lords that arrived before us. Luckily Arcturus took charge of the conversations while allowing me to head towards the train else I would have been very bored with the ass-kissing.
Boarding the train, I found an empty compartment which I marked as occupied before sitting and taking out a book to ready. Well, that was the plan however my eyes were drawn from the book to the platform as a commotion occurred due to the Potter's arrival.
"Do they have to make so much noise?" I asked Daphne as she walked into the compartment, which caused her to chuckle while looking at the Potter twins squished in the crowd. "I would have thought it was because they liked the attention however since getting to know Grace I would now say that it was because of people wanting to ride their fame."
From the platform, the twins seem to sense our gazes and look up towards us, seeing Daphne and me talking to one another drew varying expressions from the siblings. Grace, was happy due to seeing some friends that she wasn't able to see so a smile broke across her face. Whereas Harry, still got that pain in his head every time he looked towards me which he had forgotten about over the summer so his face grimaced.
Making a quick excuse to her parents, Grace pulled her brother away from the gathered crowd and hurried along to the train. "I doubt Ron is on the express already, you want me to help put your trunk on the rack?" Harry asked while anticipating her to sit in his train compartment. He was mistaken and found out quickly due to Grace's reply, "No Erik should be able to help me, thank you though brother."
His brain stalled as he couldn't think of a reason why I would help put his sister's trunk on the rack in his compartment when he was there already. It wasn't until Grace opened the door to the compartment where Daphne and I were sitting that it finally clicked that she intended to sit with us.
"Are you not going to share a compartment with me, Grace?" He asked from the threshold of the door, enduring the pain of looking at me to speak with his sister. "There is still a spare seat next to Erik." She says confused at his question since she doesn't know of the pain Harry is going through.
"I think they may feel weird with a Gryffindor in her with them no?" He said trying to say no delicately but was out of luck when I burst his bubble by interjecting, "We don't really care about which house you are from as long as your less of an ass than Draco, we shall get along fine."
My comment got an involuntary chuckle out of the boy before he realised that I had just cut off his only escape and that he now had to deal with the pain for the entire train journey. Reluctantly he entered, closed the door and flopped into the seat next to Erik, his trunk already been levitated onto the truck before he could refuse.
"So how was your summer?" I ask the pair getting a wincing look from Harry and a happy smile from Grace, she was the first to reply. "It was boring as most of my friends were busy with family holidays. My Mother also kept adding to the homework she gave us before the break."
"Mine was the same however with a lot of quidditch in between." Came Harry's concise addition. I look towards Harry again causing a small flinch from the lad which all three of us noticed. "Are you still scared of Erik?" Grace asked while looking confused at her brother trying to figure out why he would be flinching.
"No, it's just subconscious or something." He said while trying to deflect, turning slightly away from us. "No, that wasn't fear Grace. You're in pain aren't you Harry?" I ask causing the boy to tense since I had got it correct.
"Pain? What's causing him pain?" Daphne asked while trying to look him over for any wounds, "He doesn't look wounded or anything." Daphne and Grace proceeded to fuss over Harry for the next few minutes without letting him get a word in, finally, he managed to get out, "I'm fine it's just a small twinge when I look at Erik."
Daphne, Grace and I all look confused for a moment until it hits me. My aura of death seems to be reacting negatively with the soul piece in Harry's Forehead, "Ah, well then I would have to apologise. It appears you are overly sensitive to auras. Due to my family's affinity towards death, mine is very disturbing so it may be that." I say trying to make an excuse without revealing my powers.
"Affinity for Death?" The Potter twins ask simultaneously, receiving a nod from me without any further elaboration. "I normally suppress it so that normal people cannot sense it so your brother must have pretty sensitive senses."
That answer seemed to satisfy Harry but Grace looked even more intrigued, "Would you be able to let me sense this aura of yours?" She asked while letting her imagination run wild. "I suppose I could let it out just to this compartment however it will be pretty shocking," I say not wanting to traumatise the three of them.