After a tearful goodbye, Euphemia and Fleamont were finally ready to bid goodbye to their three children for their last year at Hogwarts. Sadly they couldn't come to see them off due to work complications, despite Euphemia's desperate attempts to alter them. Ines avoided thinking about it, not wanting to succumb to the fear surrounding not only her future but the future of the world that she would be thrust to after leaving Hogwarts. Ines was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. With the boys at her side, they leaned casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it; and as they did so, platform nine and three-quarters materialized in front of them.
The Hogwarts Express, the gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents milled about. Ines, Sirius, and James set off to find seats and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They had found Peter quire quickly, as he aimlessly roamed the halls, no doubt in search of them and eventually Remus came along. The trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Ines bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share and a pack of sugar quills for herself.
Just as they were about to dive into them Lily had appeared in the doorway. James immediately stood from his seat, stared at her as she was him, and sat back down. "Hello everyone, good summers I hope?" She was speaking frantically, visibly nervous. "Good, well… we've got to get to the meeting, James… and Remus you two of course.". Sirius kicked his feet up onto Ines' lap, "Get it over with, don't get pregnant, I'll see you all later now shoo." Sirius's declaration and Ines' woefully hidden sniggers didn't help the tension that brewed between Lily and James, but soon enough they left. Leaving Sirius and Ines with only Peter.
Ines' couldn't help but feel guilty, she loved Peter, without a doubt. He was nothing if not a loyal friend and wanted nothing more than to please everyone. But his awkward behavior and lack of conversational skills made spending any time alone with him rather difficult. They spoke briefly about his summer, which he didn't have much to say about, and were yet again found in a bout of awkward silence. Sirius lifted his legs off of Ines' and pulled her to her feet, "I'm going to go get Ines pregnant or something, not that you'd do the same to anyone, but don't. I'll see you later".
He pulled her into the corridor and they started walking down in an incredibly quick pace. "Fat chance of that happening,". He grinned, "I know, just wanted to say something so I know he wouldn't go looking for us.". "Who's to say he won't? Maybe he'd want to watch, maybe he likes that sort of thing.". Sirius gripped her hand, pulling her slightly faster now. "Peter is not seeing you naked before I do, so if he dares I'll punch him.". Ines chuckled, holding back more laughter at the comment.
To her left, she spotted the comforting sight of the trees as they made their way over the bridge that she had always appreciated. She walked to the window, practically pressing her entire body against the glass as she watched the place of brilliant sunlight, never undappled. The shafts of lemon-gold brilliance lanced down to the forest floor covered in a rich grass, between bars and pools of brown-green shade; and the light was never still, never constant, filtering all the sunlight to a pearly sheen and brushing every pine cone with moisture that glistened when the mist lifted. Minutes later once the sight passed from view, she felt Sirius' touch from behind her. His lips making their way down her neck in a uniform row, leaving her toes curling. Now reaching her collarbone, she turned to face him. "I refuse to make an illegitimate child with you on this train.". His face was still inches from her body, his grin was practically pressed across her jaw. "So you mean you'll make an illegitimate child with me elsewhere?". She stifled a snort and playfully punched his side before quickly making her way out of the compartment.
They scurried down the hall, their hands fumbling with each other sides as they giggled. It wasn't until they were halfway down the train that they stopped, and with seemingly perfect timing. To their surprise, they found their brothers alone, but not in any sort of situation that they would have expected them to be in. They seemed to be having an incredibly serious conversation, not exactly crying but not exactly arguing. But there was no denying the tension. "Ines," Sirius whispered, "We should get going.". Ines turned to face him now, "What if something is the matter?". He ran his hand through his hair, "If that's the case, then I think we'd be the very last people on this train that they'd want to see.". He tugged on her arm slightly but she ripped it from his grasp. "But Sirius I can't just-".
They were interrupted by the slam of the door and the scurrying of feet. Oberon and Regulus stalked away from them in the other direction, as quickly as they could. But Ines went after them. "Oberon, please. I'm sorry I just-". He turned to face her, Regulus stopping mid-stride, and looked from her to Sirius and back. "I'm sorry," Ines was able to croak out, tears now pushing to spill, "I just want to know if you're alright I really-" He spun on his heel and walked off again, leaving only Ines and Regulus now. "You'll take care of him, I know you will, I just-". Regulus, never much of a talker only reached out and squeezed her hands, before walking off to join Oberon who was now several train cars down from them. Leaving Ines to watch them walk away in silence, still trying to keep her tears at bay. At some point Sirius came up behind her to console her, pressing into her back as he had been only a few minutes beforehand.
I am so sorry for neglecting this story for so long. Going through the college application process as well as the ups and downs of life took quite a toll on me in the past two months which I hope you all can understand. I hope to update this story again soon in an effort to push myself to be more creative. Also for those of you who like Regulus and Oberon, I've had stuff written about them for ages that I hope to publish once I finish this story.