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Chapter 2: The Hogwarts Express
I was, without a doubt, the latest I had ever been in my entire life. I had woken up late in the morning, and hadn't even had a chance to eat breakfast.
I got a number of strange looks - what with running with a large trolly with a cage of a tawny brown owl.
I darted through the barrier and emerged on the scarlet-steam-engorged platform. I moved through the crowds of easily recognizable first years and familiar friends and giggling girls until I came to a lone figure standing in front of the train, checking her watch. Rinée caught sight of me and turned towards me, hand on hip and eyebrow raised.
"You're late." She stated.
"Yeah yeah, I know." I moved past her, loading my own cargo onto the train. After I had done so, I moved towards Rinée, wrapping an arm around her waist and pecking her lightly on the lips. "Sorry, I woke up late today."
"You always wake up late." She rolled her eyes.
"Okay, that is not true..."
"You know it is-" I knew I was going to lose this argument, and so I pulled her in for a deeper kiss, caressing her cheek lightly as I did so. I felt her knees buckle slightly before moving away. Her eyes still remained gently closed, and she still leaned forwards. I grinned to myself as she opened her eyes.
"I'm an awesome kisser, I know..." She coughed uncomfortably, making me turn around to see where she was looking. "Mr. Wolfe." I said, utterly surprised for a moment. My shock subsided as I realised - obviously, he'd walk his daughter to the train... especially with a guy like me on said train.
"...Aiden wasn't it?"
"I prefer Shanks." I nodded. We stayed like that for a moment, glaring into each others eyes before Rinée spoke, seconds after the whistle blew.
"Well, we need to go..." Wolfe finally tore his antagonized gaze away from me and hugged his daughter tightly.
"Okay, I'll see you at Christmas sweetie."
"Love you dad." She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't work too hard-"
"I know, I know." He and his daughter broke away, leaving him to turn to me. "Take care Aiden." He extended a hand towards me.
"Shanks." I corrected him once again, shaking his hand once before boarding the train without a second glance backwards.
A few moments later, were walking through the corridors of the train, Rinée turned back to me.
"You looking forward to it?" She asked me.
"Definitely." I said, grinning at her knowingly. She hit me on the arm once again.
"I meant Hogwarts." I chuckled.
"Sure. I mean, it's our last year. And you know what that means - Order of the Phoenix is next year-" I received another punch to the arm, to which I yelled out. "Ow- can you stop hitting me?"
"I thought we agreed not to talk about that around people..." She said lowly, looking up and down the carriage.
"Who exactly is around us at the moment?" I asked, confused.
"You never know." She said firmly, staring me directly in the eyes as she spoke. I rolled my eyes.
"Fine, fine... whatever." Rinée pulled bag over her shoulder tightly as she looked in the next compartment. "Okay, I'm going to get changed." I opened her mouth, but she put a hand on my chest, keeping me at a distance. "And no, that's not an invitation." I rolled my eyes again.
"Alright - I'll see you in a minute." I pecked her on the cheek again before going into the adjacent compartment and changing into my robes.
I had just pulled on my trousers when Rinée walked into my compartment - fully dressed in her uniform, which was as neat as ever. Her brows were furrowed and eyes were narrow.
"What is it?" I asked casually, tying up the laces of my shoes and pulling out a button-down.
"Why are you in the Prefect's carriage?" She asked carefully. "If you're planning another prank or something-" I reached into my rucksack and pulled out the Head Boy badge, showing it to her. Her mouth widened in shock.
"Oh my..."
"I know - I'm such a goody-goody." I grinned, pulling on the shirt and beginning to button it up, which I found hard - the buttons seemed too big for the holes...
"Give it here-" Rinée moved towards me, buttoning up my shirt. As I tried to reach up to button the shirt myself, she slapped away my hands. "How'd you become Head Boy?" She asked me, slightly amazed.
"I have no idea." I shrugged. "Usually you have to be like a golden boy to make Head Boy right?"
"Usually." She nodded. "Maybe Almsdeeds sees something in you?"
"Probably my authoritative nature..." I murmured. I then paused, looking towards her. "So, wait, does this mean I outrank you?" I asked. She chuckled, pushing me backwards a bit and then picking up her bag. "Come on then."
I pocketed the badge, grabbed my rucksack and walked through the carriage with her to a large and open carriage, with a series of eight chairs with two scarlet armchairs at the front. I grinned at Rinée, lounging comfortably in one of the armchairs, leg sprawled over one of the arms.
"I'm assuming the golden kids sit here?" I asked, looking around. The carriage was a dark maroon polish of wood, with golden frames around the windows. Rinée took her place in one of the chairs opposite me.
"I still can't believe you're Head Boy." I shrugged, ruffling my hair backwards.
"What can I say? Hogwarts' finest..." I grinned, picking at the arm of the chair.
In a few moments, a flood of students came in - most of them were in my year, save one Gryffindor boy - someone I didn't recognize.
My fellow Head Girl finally arrived - I recognized her instantly; Athena Matthews stood a good half-a-foot shorter than me, her eyes a stone-y and brighter green than my own. Her uniform was pristine and flawless, her hair perfectly combed and her nose speckled with freckles.
"Sorry I'm late." She said, then caught sight of me. "Shanks?"
"Hey Thea." I fluttered my fingers in a brief wave.
"Did you get lost?" She asked me, raising her eyebrow in disapproval of me.
"Didn't you know?' I pulled out the badge, showing it to her. "I'm Head Boy." I grinned.
Thea just groaned.
"At least put your tie on..." She muttered before sitting down, looking like she had just utterly lost hope in everything. "Okay, now, we're here to discuss what your duties will be this year..." Thea looked from the prefects towards me, although I hadn't realized, since I was too busy digging out my tie. "Shanks?"
"Hm?" I began to tie it loosely around my neck.
"Duties?"
"What duties?" I asked.
"Didn't you read the letter?" I frowned.
"I didn't get that part..." I murmured. "Oh well - you take this one." I grinned, taking out my Quidditch Captain badge and pinning it on my shirt. Thea began speaking.
"Okay guys, so I'm Athena Matthews, but you can call me Thea. I'm in my Seventh year, obviously, and I'm in Gryffindor. This year I'm going to be your Head Girl. Now, this here, is your Head Boy... although he doesn't look like it." She muttered to herself. I simply grinned back at her, then winked at Rinée. "Shanks? Do you want to say a few words?"
"Shanks, Gryffindor, Quidditch Captain, Seeker, Dueling Champion." I said simply, turning to Thea. "Is that enough?" Thea rolled her eyes.
"Now, onto your duties for this year...
