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Francesca Sharpe doesn't like to be touched. Don't ever touch her, because you might just scar her with the glimpse of your death.
She was hoping to go through Hogwarts with only having had skin to skin contact with her best friend. Only ha...
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FRANCESCA WAS RELIEVED TO BE GOING BACK TO HOGWARTS. The rest of August had dragged on slowly. Aurora was gone, away to Spain with her family, as they always went to another country at the end of August.
She was left to her own devices as her parents worked constantly. But now that James and Sirius knew she lived on the opposite side of the village, they took full advantage of it.
They'd knock on her door and ask her to hang out with them. Half the time she said no, but sometimes she said yes, completely bored out of her mind. Even if it was just watching them play Quidditch together.
She was more than surprised to find out that her family had been invited over to the Potter's for dinner one night.
But they couldn't refuse.
Even her father, who was always busy was going. Although he could cheat his way into it.
As one of the Sharpe bloodlines, Finley Sharpe also had a peculiar ability of his own. He could duplicate himself multiple times, whilst having complete control over each clone.
It came in handy sometimes, especially when he needed to be in two places at once.
As the real him was at work in the Ministry, his clone went to the dinner. And no-one would suspect a thing.
James and Sirius must have said something to Mr and Mrs Potter because they didn't go to shake Francesca's hand when they arrived. She was relieved by that.
She was even more surprised when the dinner went on without a fault. The boys didn't pull any pranks and were on their best behaviour. She had her eyes narrowed at them most of the time, waiting for something to happen.
After that first dinner, there was many more. Both of their parents got on extremely well and were shocked that they hadn't met before.
What used to be family Saturday nights were now spent switching between the Sharpe and Potter household.
Both of her parents were last minute called into the Ministry, on the morning of September 1st. Being Auror's, they could suddenly be called into work, to deal with the crimes committed.
Especially the crimes committed by the death eaters.
They said their goodbyes and sent her off to the Potter's, so that she wouldn't travel to King's Cross Station by herself.
She watched with amusement as James and Sirius were pulled tightly into hugs by Mrs Potter. She kept pressing kisses to their heads, not quite believing that this was the last time they would go to Hogwarts.
She easily said her goodbyes to the Potter's and made her way onto the train. Her head peered into every compartment hoping to catch sight of Aurora, but she had no such luck.
However, she did backtrack when she saw a familiar face. She opened the door and greeted the boy.
"Hey, Remus."
The Gryffindor looked up from the book his head was buried in and a genuine smile appeared on his face.
"Fran! How've you been?"
"I've been good, although, my parents are now best friends with the Potter's."
Remus laughed. "I heard about that, weekly dinners now, was it?"
Francesca groaned as she took the seat opposite him. "Yes. I don't like seeing James and Sirius on such good behaviour. It's weird."
"That's just a front for your parents, after a while, they'd probably be back to themselves."
"I look forward to it." She replied sarcastically.
The door to the compartment burst open and Francesca was pushed into the cushion of the seat as Aurora jumped on top of her, hugging her tightly.
For once, Francesca didn't see anything.
Ever since the first time she touched her best friend and had seen her death, if they touched anymore, sometimes Francesca would catch a glimpse of another moment of Aurora's life; a job interview, blackout drunk Aurora or even a breakdown.
As she had no control over her ability, she couldn't control whether she saw anything or nothing.
"I missed you so much!" Aurora exclaimed, pulling away from Francesca and sitting next to her.
"I missed you too, how was Spain?" Francesca immediately asked.
"So many cute boys." Rory gushed, but a sideways glance at Remus made her stop. "But we can talk about all that later."
"How come she gets a hug and we don't?" Sirius asked, his voice sounding out in the compartment as he stood by the door. He was pouting.
James and Peter were on either side of him.
"Cause I'm not a self-pretentious git." Rory retorted immediately.
Sirius took the seat next to Aurora, placing his arm around her shoulders. "You love me."
She scoffed. "Ha! In your dreams." Rory pushed his arm off of her shoulder.
Remus and Francesca smiled at each other, amusement in their eyes as they watched the two.
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"Alright, what are we guessing this time?" Aurora asked Francesca.
The two of them were both sat on the bean bags in the Hufflepuff common room, relaxing before they went off to bed.
They had somehow made it a tradition on the first day of term after the welcome back feast, to guess the different ways that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would leave. Aurora's guesses were always wrong, too extraordinary to be true.
Whilst, Francesca was always similarly close.
"I've got a bad feeling about this one." Fran said, her head leaning back against the cushion, eyes closed.
Aurora stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
"I don't think it's going to end right for her."
Aurora knew exactly what Francesca meant. Everyone knew what she was talking about. It was getting worse. You-know-who had gained many more followers over the years. They were calling themselves 'death eaters'. The war was ever present, wizards and witches picking sides more often than not.
It was a waiting game to see who they'd strike next. And Francesca could only guess that Professor Jackson would be on that list. She was after all, a muggleborn.
The wannabe death eaters in the Great Hall at the feast, and glared at her as she was announced. They would not be taught by a muggleborn, that much was obvious.
Francesca had picked her side long ago. She didn't need her parents to decide for her. If The Dark Lord knew of her power, of her ability to see someone's death, see their future.
She was as good as dead.
He would use her to his content, use her to make sure that himself and none of his followers died.
She wouldn't allow that. Not ever. She'd rather die than be Lord Voldemort's puppet.
