This fic was inspired by art from bluefire986. Please see my profile for the art link ;)
The move to England had not been a planned one, Kurt knew that even before his Dad sat him down to explain it properly, after some relatives from Ohio got in touch after the War. His Mom was from Scotland originally, and her whole family had moved across the ocean during the first reign of Voldemort, when everything was terrifying and she had been very young. The family was still there, even after Elizabeth chose to return to Scotland when Voldemort came back. Kurt was still little then, barely remembered his Mom's involvement, though he was aware that her death wasn't quite normal.
When Burt began explaining everything in the week before Kurt's eleventh birthday, a lot of things suddenly began making sense. Like the way his Mom always smelled a little of herbs though she was never one to spend too much time in the kitchen. Or how there were vials and bottles beyond her perfume one in the bathroom cabinets that she never let him touch it. Or how she managed to get him a perfect copy of a pair of shoes he'd only ever seen in the adult section of the shops.
"So, Mom was a witch," Kurt said quietly as Burt concluded the explanation. "And she got killed in a big battle to defeat… a really bad guy."
"That about sums it up, bud," Burt nodded, his tone cautious, like he was afraid of Kurt calling it all crazy and impossible.
"Why are you telling me this now, Dad?"
Kurt couldn't help being curious. He had a few memories of things that shouldn't have been possible in a normal world, things that could be explained if magic was involved. But the was Burt talked about the magic world, it still shouldn't have worked.
"Because you're about to turn eleven," Burt said with a heavy sigh. "And from what your Mom did explain to me, you might not be starting in the school you've chosen for secondary."
"Wait, what, why?" Kurt cried out.
It had taken him months of visiting schools with his Dad, all across London where they lived now, until he found the one that they could afford and that had a decent reputation. Even at ten, Kurt was very adamant that he needed a school with a nice uniform, though he didn't want it to be at the expense of everything else.
"Bud, I'm pretty sure you take after your Mom," Burt responded in a resigned tone.
"I'm… magic?"
"I can't be sure, not until your birthday," Burt explained. "They don't contact us Muggles until there's a need for it. But you might be going to Hogwarts instead."
"Hogwarts is the school that Mom…"
"Yeah," Burt nodded and looked away.
They sat in silence for a while and Kurt found it impossible to speak. He was just on the verge of opening his mouth to break the tension, though he had no idea what he could say, when Burt whispered, "do you want to see some of her school photos?"
Kurt's eyes welled up with tears, but he nodded, wanting to know as much as he possibly could.
It was barely past midnight on the day of Kurt's birthday when a grey owl landed on his windowsill, a wax-sealed letter with green handwritten address in its beak.
Dear Mr. Hummel,
We are pleased to inform you...
The whole history of Blaine's childhood was punctuated with various outbursts of magical energy and the resulting teasing from his brother, some bordering on harsh. Blaine was told about being a wizard early enough - a hereditary trait from an uncle who didn't make it through the big war, as his wife explained to Blaine - it wasn't as much of a secret as it used to be, especially not in families with magical connections. But since Blaine was the only member of his family who inherited the trait, they didn't really understand. It wasn't that he blew things up, they were small incidents of his hair curling in all the wrong directions when his Mom tried to get him a haircut that would look respectable, or times where he'd managed to drop a plate and slow its fall enough that it didn't break.
Cooper's teasing was something Blaine simply learned to deal with, but at his young age, couldn't chalk it up as jealousy yet, because he didn't quite understand it that way. As his eleventh birthday approached, though, he became more restless, impatient, and worried for a long time that the letter from Hogwarts - his grandparents told Blaine about the wizarding school - wouldn't arrive.
So when an owl tapped on the window early in the morning on his birthday, Blaine almost ripped the frame off in his rush to open it and then, barely remembering to tip the messenger, devoured the words on the page that confirmed his acceptance to Hogwarts.
"Going to your special school, squirt?" Cooper called out when Blaine skipped down the stairs for breakfast.
Immediately, two things happened - Cooper got hushed by their Mom with a reprimanding glare, and Blaine hung his head. Despite being excited about getting a handle on his magic, he couldn't help but worry about whether he'd manage to fit in.
"So, I'm guessing we should call Aunt Amber so she can bring you shopping for supplies?" Blaine's Mom asked quietly when Cooper ran off to his bedroom while Blaine was still poking at his breakfast.
Blaine smiled at her, thankful that even though she wasn't a part of what was now his world, at least his Mom was willing to accept it without protest.
Platform 93/4
Kurt never liked being unprepared for things, and hated going into new places basically blind, uninformed about how they worked and where they were. He clutched the heavy book to his chest and sighed as he wandered around the station. As much as he'd spent almost every minute since the shopping trip to Diagon Alley reading it over and over, it didn't help him right there, when he was trying to locate the platform his train was supposed to be leaving from.
Maybe I'm not magic enough after all, he thought with a slightly bitter tint to the words, maybe this is a test and I'm already failing.
Just then, as he sighed with resignation and looked around one more time for any sort of hint as to where he was supposed to go, he noticed a lady in robes that didn't fit the regular fashion looking at him with mild amusement.
Great, now I'm a laughing stock, Kurt thought and felt his forehead scrunch with a frown.
His Dad had offered to come with him, but Kurt - from his rather extensive reading since his birthday and the trip to get his school supplies - knew that he would have to get to the platform alone. Muggles - Kurt was still getting used to the terminology - were only allowed as far as the passage. Which would be a moot point if he couldn't find that passage at all, since a quick glance at the clock told him that he was running out of time.
"Hi there, sweetheart," a gentle voice interrupted his musings.
Kurt looked up to find the lady who was looking at him earlier right in front of him, her eyes warm and friendly. Still, his self-preservation instinct made him shiver and step back a tiny bit.
"You're a first year in Hogwarts, aren't you?"
When Kurt nodded, she smiled at him like she understood, then reached a hand out.
"My name is Amber," she said, still smiling. "My nephew is starting this year too; he just got on the train. Do you need help getting to the platform?"
"Y-yeah," Kurt replied with hesitation, but politely shook the lady's hand. "My Dad's not magic and I don't … Mom was, but her family isn't around here anymore, so I had no one to ask."
He immediately chastised himself for sharing too much information, but none of it changed the friendly expression in Amber's face. She didn't offer condolences or platitudes, just reached for the trolley that Kurt was struggling with and nodded towards the back of the station.
"I'll show you," she said to him. "They keep changing the passage location, because after The War, it's become a sport for some Muggles to find it. I don't know why they bother, it's not like non-magic people can get through it anyway. Might as well have it be obvious or put up a fake one to deter them."
Amber rambled on as they walked through the thickening crowd of people, towards an unassuming wall at the back of the station. She pulled Kurt closer then, and after a quick glance around, leaned against the bricks that seemed to be shimmering in the light coming from the glass ceiling. The next thing Kurt was aware of was the horn of a train and the smell of coal in the air. Amber led him around a corner and he couldn't help a gasp escaping his mouth at the sight of the old-fashioned and beautiful engine on the tracks.
"Here you go, honey," Amber grinned. "Now, you'll need to hand your luggage over to this nice man," she pointed to the porter who was already headed in their direction, "and hold on to your ticket; the controller will check it as you're getting on. Safe travels now, and I hope you like Hogwarts."
"Thank you," Kurt said quietly, then watched as the porter wheeled his trolley towards the baggage car.
"Oh, my nephew is called Blaine," Amber added hastily just as the horn sounded again. "Now, off you go, wouldn't want to be left behind now!"
With that, she gave Kurt's shoulders a gentle push in the direction of the nearest carriage. Before Kurt could say anything else, he was pulled up onto the stairs by the ticket controller, who sternly reminded him that it was almost time to go. Kurt felt the vibration as the train started moving, but when he looked back to wave at his helper, she was already gone. With resignation, he clutched his book and the small backpack with his personal stuff closer, then started walking down the corridor to find a place to sit.
Hogwarts Express
There weren't many unoccupied places on the train, not even once it left the station and most people settled in with their friends. Even most of the first year students - Blaine could only guess which ones were in his year - were sitting with others, either their older siblings or friends. Since his aunt dropped him off at the platform and shooed him onto the train, he was mostly wandering across the carriages trying to find someone to sit with.
"Make friends, Blaine," he muttered to himself after yet another full compartment closed its doors in his face. "She says it like it's nothing," he grumbled.
It took a trip back across the whole length of the train before he found a compartment filled mostly with kids who seemed to be his age, and an empty spot on one side.
"Hi, uh," he said as he peeked through the door. "Would you guys mind if I…" he waved towards the seat.
Everyone in the compartment shook their heads, but they all seemed too busy with something else, so Blaine just threw his backpack onto the overhead shelf and sat down. A quick glance confirmed to him that most of the people in the compartment were first years - the two by the window were quietly talking about the Houses and Sorting, the one across from him had his nose stuck in Hogwarts: A History (the revised edition) and the two by the door seemed to be discussing classes, if Blaine went by the snippets of conversation that carried to his ears.
None of them paid Blaine or the boy across from him a lot of attention, at least not until the sweets trolley passed by and Blaine couldn't resist the temptation of chocolate. He knew a few of the wizarding snacks from before, his aunt used to give him some of the less magical ones as he was growing up, but some of them had been strictly in the "not until you're at least in school" category.
Watching a Chocolate Frog leap out of the box and onto the shelf above his head, Blaine was beginning to understand why. He couldn't help blushing as the others giggled at his attempts to retrieve the frog, but in the end the mishap broke the ice between them. Well, most of them at least, since the boy across from Blaine - he introduced himself as Kurt - remained quiet and mostly just read his book while the others began chatting animatedly about the school. They were all first years, like Blaine had guessed, and the rest of the journey consisted of them talking about which Houses their family members had been sorted into.
"I totally forgot to ask aunt Amber!" Blaine exclaimed. "She's the only witch left in my family. I wish I knew which house she'd been in."
"Hufflepuff," Kurt whispered towards Blaine.
"How… what?" Blaine gaped at Kurt's comment.
"She… she helped me find the train," Kurt answered and Blaine didn't miss the pink tint in the boy's cheeks. "My Dad's a Muggle, so I couldn't bring him. She mentioned her House," he finished and added, "and that her nephew's name is Blaine."
"Oh, well, thank you," Blaine said and smiled at Kurt, then felt warmth flooding his cheeks as their eyes met. "I'll hope to be in Hufflepuff then."
That immediately brought on a discussion about which House was the best and where everyone wanted to be. Blaine noticed Kurt withdrawing again, but the chatting was too lively for him to do anything but join in.
Hogwarts Castle - Great Hall
"Whoa."
The sentiment echoed across the small boat as it rounded the corner and the castle came into view. Kurt had seen pictures of the castle, inside and out, but nothing could've prepared him for the sight, really. It was dark, only illuminated by torches and candles in windows, and he couldn't even feel awkward about staring with his mouth open, because a quick glance at his classmates told him that he wasn't alone. Even the ones whose siblings were already in the school, the ones who grew up in the magical world, were equally amazed at the view of what would be their home for at least the upcoming school year.
No one spoke much as they finished the boat ride and were ushered up the stairs, all of them trying to not trip over the bottoms of their robes that they'd changed into on the train. They looked like mass of black fabric with heads bobbing up and down at the top of it, as they walked to the massive wooden door that - according to what Kurt read in his books - would lead into the Great Hall.
"Good evening, first years," a voice rang through the vast space of the castle. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Professor Flitwick and I'm the Head of Ravenclaw. When we pass these doors, you all will walk towards the front of the Great Hall, where everyone is already waiting to see the Sorting."
Kurt couldn't see where the voice was coming from, but he did recall reading about Professor Flitwick, the Charms Master, and realized that the teacher was most likely using a spell to enhance his voice. He listened to the short introduction to the Houses, finding none of the information new to him. Before he could calm himself enough to pay proper attention to his surroundings, the kids around him moved and he followed into the Hall and to the space right in front of the teachers' table.
"Is that the Hat? How is it still intact? I thought it was lost in The War," Kurt heard the hushed voices around him when they all noticed the famous Sorting Hat perched on a stool in front of Headmistress McGonagall.
None of them got their answers, though, because Professor Flitwick opened a roll of parchment and looked towards their group.
"Anderson, Blaine," he called out.
Kurt scanned the group of first years for the boy he met on the train, the one whose aunt had been so helpful at the train station. Blaine was the only one who'd engaged Kurt in conversation at all, the rest of them content in leaving Kurt to his book and silence. When Blaine's eyes closed as the hat landed on his head, Kurt couldn't tear his eyes away, and held his breath until the Hat made its decision.
"Hufflepuff!"
Blaine's face lit up at the decision and Kurt's grin matched Blaine's expression. The applause was almost deafening when Blaine ran over to his House's table, and Kurt - even though they weren't exactly friends - was happy for the boy. It didn't take long for his own name to be called and he slowly walked up the few steps. The Hat almost fell over his eyes, but Kurt barely noticed because he clenched them closed, his mind spinning with possibilities. He knew his Mom had been a Ravenclaw, but he didn't dare to have hopes for any House in particular.
You're smart enough to follow in your mother's footsteps, and brave enough for Gryffindor. You're a tricky one, dear, but I guess at the end, you'll be best suited to…
"Slytherin!"
The last word rang through the whole Hall and Kurt's eyes flew open when the cheering and applause started. He did his best not to trip over his robes on the way to the green and silver table, then settled quickly, reassured by the pats on his back from the older students in his House.
As the Sorting continued, Kurt glanced towards the Hufflepuff table a few times. He knew already that he'd find friends in his own House and hopefully the others, but he did feel a connection to Blaine. When the dinner was finished and they were all ushered towards their Common Rooms, Kurt pushed the thoughts of Blaine away. If they were meant to be friends, they would be, even in different Houses.
Hufflepuff Common Room
It didn't take long to get settled, once Blaine and his classmates were directed to the warm and inviting Common Room and their bedrooms, where their luggage was already at the feet of their beds. He was still buzzing from the Feast and from being at the school, so instead of heading directly for his bed like some of the other students did, he settled in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace and tried to relax. His mind kept running over the events of the day, though, and the possibilities that were opening to him. For a moment, he debated writing a letter to his parents, but he figured he'd have more to say after a few days of classes.
"Hey, man," a quiet voice interrupted his musings, and Blaine looked up.
"Hey," he answered the boy standing nearby.
"I'm Mike," said the boy. "Can't sleep, eh?"
Blaine shook his head. He noticed Mike at the Feast, but not too much, besides knowing that he was one of the first years.
"Still amazed that I'm even here," Blaine admitted.
"You're a Muggleborn, aren't you?" Mike asked without any judgment in the question, unlike some of the snarky comments that Blaine caught in hushed whispers from different tables.
He remembered reading up on the big issues that Muggleborns used to face before the Big War, prejudices that still lingered in the air. Hufflepuff's total acceptance was one of the reasons Blaine was delighted with his sorting, because it already made him feel like he belonged.
"You're not?" Blaine asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
"No, both my parents are magic, though not the same kind as around here," Mike explained as he settled in the armchair opposite Blaine's. "We're old Asian magic, dragons and all," he smirked.
"Wow, so you…"
"I didn't actually meet a dragon, my little sister and I grew up here and in America," Mike said. "But my grandparents used to run a dragon sanctuary until a few years ago, so they always sent me things from there."
Blaine's eyes opened wide, partly in amazement and partly in curiosity. Everything was new to him, and to start with a classmate whose family was dragon taming was on top of the list of things to absolutely floor him.
"So, you play Quidditch?" Mike asked when Blaine stayed silent for a while.
"No," Blaine said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I only read about the rules and history, but," he paused for a beat, "my uncle used to play, but he died in the Battle of Hogwarts, so…"
Blaine shrugged, not sure how to put his lack of experience into words. Mike just smiled and nodded, like he got it without needing the explanation.
"I can teach you, if you want," he offered to Blaine. "I know Brittany, one of the girls in our year, is pretty good, too; I saw her in the mini-league. We can't play this year," Mike added with a disappointed tone, "but I'm definitely trying out next year."
"That would be cool," Blaine perked up. "I might need flying lesson, though, it's not like I know how to."
"Oh, Madam Hooch is supposed to be great," Mike said with a nod. "I'm sure you'll pick it up fast. Then we can take the team over!"
Blaine laughed and bumped the fist that Mike was holding out to him, both of them giddy with excitement of not only the Quidditch plans, but the whole day. They both grew quiet after that, and Blaine returned to thinking over the day that was drawing to a close. It felt good to be in the castle, in the Common Room of his House, his new family. It was on the way up the stairs to the first years' room that he thought of the quiet boy he met on the train, the one who'd met aunt Amber, and Blaine wondered how Kurt was finding his first day. A quick peek at his schedule before he curled up in his bed told him that he had a Charms class with the Slytherins the next day, and he hoped he'd get a chance to ask then.
Charms Classroom
Kurt was out of breath by the time he finally stumbled into the right classroom, having mixed up his schedule three times on the way there. He'd first fell into the empty Potions classroom, which resulted in a gentle nudge in the right direction from Professor Slughorn, their Potions Master. Then he literally ran into - and through - a few ghosts, none of whom were Peeves, to Kurt's relief. He was well aware of the cheeky infamous ghost's habit of sending first years in the wrong direction.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he muttered when he almost fell into the nearest seat, just before Professor Flitwick climbed up onto the platform at the front of the classroom, and Kurt realized that he knocked his classmate's books over.
"It's okay," the boy next to him whispered, and smiled as he straightened the pile.
"Oh, hi Blaine," Kurt said then, recognizing the boy from their ride to the castle.
Neither of them could say any more, as the Professor began his lecture. There was still a buzz of excitement that ran through the class, noticeably stronger in the students who didn't come from a magical background or upbringing. Most of the ones who had some experience helped out the ones who were completely new to magic, and Kurt found himself relaxing as the class progressed, more than he managed in his Common Room after the Feast.
"You okay?" Blaine asked when Kurt grumbled his way through attempting a simple Sparks Charm.
"Yeah, just, I don't know…" Kurt said with a sigh.
"Hey, I've never done magic before either," Blaine told Kurt. "But you're in Slytherin, so The Hat knew how smart you are. Try it again!"
Kurt, emboldened by the faith that Blaine seemed to have in him, swished his wand again and then stared in amazement as the rainbow-colored sparks flew out of its tip.
"See, I knew it!" Blaine cheered happily.
Kurt's responding smile was less exuberant than Blaine's, but he couldn't help feel braver after their exchange. He thought of the coolness of his Common Room, though not reflected in how warmly he and other first year students were greeted by their older classmates, and for a moment, Kurt wondered if the Hat chose right. But he had the determination that he knew was associated with his House, so he couldn't find it in himself to argue the Hat's choice.
The class was over before he could dwell on anything more than mastering the Sparks Charm, and on watching Blaine figure it out with ease, even with a few hiccups along the way. After they left for their next class, Kurt didn't see Blaine for the rest of the day, not even at lunch. But the day turned out to be so busy that it wasn't until the evening, when he sat over his homework, that he thought back on the Charms lesson and the Hufflepuff boy.
"You sing?"
Kurt looked up at the question that broke the calm around him, and a hum he wasn't aware of making died in his throat. He hadn't realized that he was quietly singing to himself as he read over the textbook on the table, but he nodded when he realized what prompted the question.
"Hi, I'm Rachel, and I'll be the Choir Lead," the girl who was asking Kurt about singing told him, her voice carrying no hesitation at all.
"Oh," Kurt said, then raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Isn't that a position for Seventh Years?"
Rachel shrugged. "Someone has to start a change. I'm better than anyone else in the Choir; did you hear them at the Feast?"
Her tone was filled with disdain for the Choir that Kurt, if he was honest with himself, admired and found impressive. Rachel, however, didn't seem to share the sentiment.
"You're going to sign up for the Choir, aren't you?" Rachel continued, not waiting for Kurt's response to her question. "You have a nice voice; it would be great to have it accent mine," she stated.
Kurt raised an eyebrow at her but didn't comment with anything more than a shrug. He had been thinking, when he walked by a poster announcing the Choir practice times, that he wouldn't mind joining. It wasn't his plan to sway in the background, though, but he figured Rachel would find that out soon enough.
They fell into silence then, Kurt turning back to his textbook and thoughts, Rachel flipping through a planner that seemed to be marked with notes for the rest of the year already. When she left, flicking her hair over her shoulder after one of the older students gave her notes a questioning look, Kurt opened his own planner and marked the Choir sign-up date boldly.
The Great Hall
It was Christmas, and Blaine wasn't quite sure how the time flew so fast that almost half of his first year in Hogwarts was already gone. He made it through Flying Lessons, and with Mike's help began practicing Quidditch - not that he was on the levels of dedication that the teams themselves showed on rainy and snowy days - and with encouragement from Madame Hooch, he knew he'd be trying out for the Seeker position when he was allowed to try out.
"You're small, Blaine, that means you're faster," Mike explained when it came up for the first time.
Blaine was, for the first time in his life, happy about being short. It had been one of the things Cooper used to tease him about, but it was proving to be convenient for Quidditch.
A lot of the people had gone home for the holidays, but Blaine's parents were taking Cooper to scout out colleges in America, so Blaine decided to stick around. He wasn't disappointed with his choice, because once he walked down to the Great Hall on Christmas Day, and saw the special Feast decorations, his mouth opened in amazement.
"It's fantastic, isn't it?" Mike commented when he walked up to Blaine.
Brittany, the girl from their House and year whom the boys became good friends with, joined them moments later and started explaining about mistletoe and the creatures that she said were living in it. Mike and Blaine smiled at her, indulging her in retelling the stories that they mostly found amusing, though implausible. Instead of paying attention to her, Blaine surveyed the Great Hall and the people who stayed for the holidays. There were a few Hufflepuffs, a small group of Gryffindors - amongst them Sam, who was quickly becoming one of Blaine's best friends after they'd been paired up in their Potions class - and an even smaller group of Slytherins.
"Oh, Kurt stayed," Blaine said with surprise in his voice. "I didn't think he would; he was looking forward to seeing his Dad."
Blaine had talked to Kurt quite a few times through the semester, though mostly only in and around the Charms class that they shared. They weren't friends, but they were aware of each other enough for Blaine to know about Kurt's holiday plans, even if Kurt only mentioned them in passing.
"Oh, I think his Dad had a job interview at the Ministry," Mercedes, a girl from Gryffindor whom Blaine knew to be a close friend of Kurt's, said when she passed by just as Blaine was wondering about Kurt being at Hogwarts. "That's what Kurt said, at least."
"Oh, so he is going for it, that's great," Blaine said with a smile. "It's the first time the Ministry is branching out and accepting Muggles. I do hope he gets the job," he added.
They moved towards the tables then, set up in a square instead of the usual House-separated lines that they were used to. Blaine quickly realized that it was to not encourage separation for the Christmas Feast. He picked a seat impatiently, not too picky about who would end up next to him. Soon, their plates were full with the starters, and a friendly chatter added to the holiday atmosphere as everyone dug into their meals.
It was then that Blaine noticed, for the first time since the beginning of the year, that Kurt seemed to be mostly alone, even throughout the Feast where everyone was included in some way. Sure, Kurt was the one who helped Rachel lead the caroling after they all were done eating, but even then he wasn't pushing his way into the spotlight as much as Rachel was. Blaine didn't get a chance to talk to Kurt, though, since he kept being pulled into conversations all through the entertainment part of the evening that followed the Feast.
Once people began leaving, Blaine started looking for Kurt, wanting to at least wish him happy holidays, but Kurt was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed a little, Blaine slipped away to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Sleep took over his mind then, and he didn't even make it to his bed, instead staying curled up on the small couch in front of the fireplace.
Hogsmeade Station
The year had flown by way too quick, Kurt thought when he was walking towards the station, his luggage already in the care of Hagrid, who was still the Groundskeeper in the castle. Kurt wondered about all the changes the past year had brought - him being a wizard, his Dad being one of the first handful of Muggles employed by the Ministry of Magic to promote Muggle-wizard relations, having a frontline position in the Choir much to Rachel's dismay at not being the only one chosen, having friends in and beyond Slytherin House.
"Had a good year?"
The question shook Kurt a little, since he'd been walking a little away from everyone, by his own choice. He looked up to find Blaine walking by his side, trying to balance a backpack and a small carrier for the kitten he'd adopted in their final Care of Magical Creatures class. Kurt was holding on tight to the cage of Glinda, the owl that his Dad had sent him as a belated Christmas present, a snow-white beauty bought with the first paycheck from the Ministry.
"Yeah," Kurt said quietly with a nod. "Yeah, I have. Yours seemed pretty good, too," he said then and immediately looked away, cursing himself for disclosing that he'd noticed Blaine through the year.
It had been hard not to, though. Blaine became more popular than he seemed to have looked for, though Kurt was not surprised. Blaine was the type to be friendly to everyone, and people flocked to him for a lot of things.
"It will be weird to be home," Blaine said a little wistfully. "With no magic and no one living nearby."
That was not something Kurt minded as much, though he had made friends. He knew Mercedes and Rachel would be in touch through the holidays, and that it would be easy enough since Kurt had his own owl to send out. He'd miss the magic, sure, but they still had reading and practice they had to do during the summer break.
"Were you planning on cursing someone at home?" Kurt asked, chuckling.
"My brother, maybe," Blaine grumbled. "It might stop him from teasing me as much."
"He doesn't know that you're not allowed to use your wand, though, does he?"
Blaine looked at Kurt with surprise written all over his face, but moments later there was an amused and mischievous glint in his eyes. Kurt smirked when Blaine shook his head.
Before either of them could say anything else, they got to the platform in Hogsmeade and Blaine got tugged away by some of the boys that Kurt knew to be his closest friends. They exchanged a quick wave and then Kurt started looking for his own friends, hoping for a last good round of talk with Rachel and Mercedes. The train departed before he found them, but then he slipped into the compartment the girls had claimed and relaxed in his seat.
When they pulled into King's Cross, Kurt perked up at the thought of seeing his Dad for the first time in months, and he shot out of the compartment quickly, eyes wide open as he searched the platform.
"Dad, hey!" Kurt called out when he spotted Burt at the back of the crowd of parents.
"Hey, bud," Burt said, and pulled Kurt into a clumsy hug immediately, both of them trying to not knock around Glinda's cage too much. "So, did you have a good year, kiddo?"
Kurt glanced back towards the train and spotted Rachel rushing to her Dads, Mercedes hugging her little sister and then Blaine, looking a little lost until he sprinted to a nicely dressed and a little confused-looking couple.
"Yeah," Kurt said with a content smile settling on his lips. "Yeah, I did."
"I can't wait to hear all about it, more than you told me in letters," Burt said, then added with pride in his tone, "I've heard quite a bit about the Choir around the Ministry; you never mentioned that you got a solo, kid."
Kurt blushed, remembering the hours of practice that led to his shining moment.
"Your Mom would be proud," Burt said quietly, and patted Kurt on the shoulder.
Thinking of his Mom brought a smile to Kurt's face this time, unlike the ache that he was used to feeling - he'd spent a lot of the year wondering what she'd think, looking for traces of her in the castle from before The War. Having made it through the first year, he felt closer to her. He glanced around the platform once more and then looked to Burt with a smile.
"Let's go home, Dad," Kurt said. "Then you can tell me all about your groundbreaking job; don't think I've forgotten about your promise to tell me."
They set off to find Kurt's luggage, and Kurt couldn't shake off a smile and the happiness he felt. He'd made it through the first year, and his life was nothing like what he expected it to be a year earlier. Even though he wasn't at Hogwarts anymore, the feeling of being right where he belonged wasn't leaving him.
"See you in September, Kurt!" Rachel called out to him when they passed by her and her Dads.
Kurt waved back, reveling in the feeling that even though the school year was over, it really was just the beginning of what was now his life.