I Am Sam: Chapter 7
The red train pulled into King's Cross Station in a triumphant cloud of billowing steam. The platform was already quite busy, with parents and other family members milling around the platform, waiting for the students to arrive. The Hogwarts Express slowed to a halt, and the carriage attendants began opening all of the doors. Slowly at first, the first students hopped down from the train. Then more and more students piled off the train, and suddenly the platform was completely buzzing as the children were reunited with their loved ones.
Lily, Hugo and Sam decided to take their time to get off the train, allowing the floods of students to rush off first, so they would not be separated from each other. As they descended the train, they noticed that the platform was a lot less crowded as families left the station, so it was easier to spot the Potters and the Weasleys. Lily spotted her father's messy black hair first. She let out an excited squeal and ran lightly down the steps and into his arms. Her father grinned and scooped her into a huge hug.
hugo and Sam caught up eventually, Sam carrying Mystery's bulky carry box.
"Hi, Uncle Harry," Hugo said with a grin, as he gave his aunt a hug. Then he turned to his own parents. "Mum, Dad," he greeted them warmly. Hugo's father, a tall man with the red hair that Sam had come to associate with the Weasley family, ruffled his son's hair.
"All right, son? Good to see you, and in those Gryffindor robes!" he said with a wink.
Hugo's mum rolled her eyes. "Ronald, I told you that it didn't matter what houses the children were in. They are at Hogwarts to learn!" She gave Hugo a hug and kissed the top of his head fondly. Hugo's father waited patiently for her to release their son before bending down and muttering in Hugo's ear.
"That's what she likes to think, but you know your house matters!" he said with a grin.
Sam stood slightly away from the families, watching the exchanges curiously. A voice behind her startled her out of her observations.
"You can go over and say hello, you know. Oh, and I got your trunk for you, by the way."
Sam spun round and found herself face to face with Albus Potter. He shot her a small, tentative grin. She raised an eyebrow at him, but felt obliged to say thanks.
Albus shrugged. "No problem," he said, before reaching out to turn Sam around and face his family. "C'mon," he said, "come and meet my parents."
Sam stepped back from his touch and frowned. Albus sighed. "Sam..." he said quietly, but she could hear the exasperation in his voice. "I'm sorry, okay? Listen, let's not make this Christmas awkward. I know I put my foot in it, but I wasn't thinking. You can be friends with Malfoy if you want. Just...I liked talking to you, Sam."
Sam looked into Albus' brilliant green eyes, which were watching her earnestly. She could see the honesty etched onto his face. She sighed. Maybe her grudge had gone on long enough.
"Fine," she said gruffly. "But only because I'm going to be living with you for Christmas."
Albus' lips quirked into a grin. "That's good enough for me," he said. "Now, are you going to meet my parents or are you gonna stand there like a lemon?"
Sam rolled her eyes and couldn't help the small grin which appeared on her face. She went to grab her trunk, but Albus beat her to it.
"I've got it," he assured her. "You hold on to Mystery."
Sam nodded her head in thanks and headed towards Lily, who glanced back at her and gasped apologetically. "Oh, Merlin, Sam, I'm so sorry, I abandoned you there!" she said. She turned to her parents. "Mum, Dad, you met Sam at the beginning of the year...she's my best friend."
Sam met the eyes of Lily's parents. "Hi, Mr and Mrs Potter," she said.
"Oh, you can call us Harry and Ginny, Sam," Mrs Potter was quick to inform her warmly. "It's good to meet you properly."
Harry nodded. "So, you met on the Hogwarts Express and became best friends, huh?" he said with a grin, and he turned to Ginny. "Like me and Ron."
Ginny smiled. "Yes, yes, all very similar, but that doesn't mean that Lily and Sam are going to get into as much trouble as you and Ron did!"
Sam watched the interaction feeling like that she was missing something. Suddenly she felt the breath of someone in her ear.
"Ron is Hugo's dad. Dad and Ron have been best mates since their first day at Hogwarts," Albus muttered from behind her. Sam turned her head to look at him.
"Will you stop doing that? It's creepy," she told him firmly. "Also, I haven't properly forgiven you yet."
Harry laughed. "Al, why are you hiding behind Sam anyway? I haven't seen you properly yet."
Albus stepped up and greeted his father with a mammoth hug. "Hi, Dad," he said fondly. Turning to his mother, he kissed her cheek. "Hiya, Mum."
Leaving Albus to greet his parents, Sam turned to Lily. "Where's your other brother?" she asked, not out of concern, but out of curiosity. She didn't care for James that much; she found his attitude too unpredictable.
Lily looked around the platform, which was rapidly emptying of people. "You know, I have no idea..." she said with a frown.
Not that far away, Hugo appeared to be having the same problem with a missing sibling. He made his way over to Lily and Sam. "Have you seen Rose?" he asked Lily. "We're thinking of heading off, and we don't even know if Rose got off the train..."
"Maybe she's with James?" Sam asked.
Hugo laughed humorlessly. "No, they can't stand each other. Unless they're duelling, they won't be together."
"Well, they're not duelling," Sam said, pointing to a corner of the platform. "There's James."
The other two turned to follow where Sam was pointing. Sure enough, tucked away in a corner, they could see the side of James' head, and he was speaking rapidly to another person. He appeared to be angry.
"Is that Daisy Finnigan?" Hugo asked with a frown.
Lily nodded. "What are they doing? He looks like he's shouting at her..."
"Well, Daisy is giving as good as she's getting, so..." Hugo commented. He wasn't lying; Daisy appeared to be retorting as heatedly as James.
"Wonder what that's about? They are always arguing," Sam said.
"Quidditch, probably..." Lily mused. "Even though James played really well in the match last week...maybe he's asking her about why she fainted...Daisy is sick and tired of people asking about that."
"Maybe," Hugo agreed. "Either way, he needs to get a move on, we'll all be leaving soon...well, when we find Rose."
After five minutes of walking up and down the platform, which had become progressively clearer, the trio had not yet glimpsed Rose. They were making their way back to where the Potters and Weasleys were congregated on the platform, when they spotted the strawberry blonde head of Rose Weasley stepping down from the Hogwarts Express.
"Rose!" Hugo called out, and Rose's head snapped round to look at him. She flushed slightly, then hurried over to them.
"Why are you only just getting off the train? We've been looking for you everywhere!" Hugo asked.
"I got off, then I realised I had left something on the train, that's all, Squirt," the older girl said breezily.
Hugo frowned. "But -"
"Look, it doesn't matter, Hugo. Drop it." Rose said firmly, before turning and walking over to her family.
The three eleven-year-olds looked at each other, their faces all mirroring confusion at Rose's outburst. Then they shrugged and returned to the gathered Weasleys and Potters, Lily calling for James as they went.
A/N: I decided to split the events of Platform 9 3/4 and the Christmas festivities into separate chapters, mostly because I have a feeling the next chapter will be a really long one, and I feel bad making you wait for an update for too long. So yes, this one is a short chapter, almost filler-length, but quite a lot of important things just happened, a lot of hints were dropped as to what other story lines might unfold later ;)
Anyway, I am really looking forward to the next chapter, myself, because it means I have a legitimate reason to get into the Christmas spirit early! :')
See you next update, PLEASE REVIEW THIS LITTLE 'UN! :D
