Summer vacation had come and gone and it was time to return to school. Even after two years, the whistle from the train always gave me goosebumps and nervous energy. Not that it was bad nervousness, no. It was excitement.
Snowflake meowed in her carrier, begging to be let out. I shushed her, she knew better than that. She only meowed louder.
I sighed, dragging my suitcase cart behind me. That cat of mine would never like her carrier. But she liked our destination, and that's what counts.
Passing by some Muggles, I came to a stop at the gate, or rather, the wall. A couple magical families were showing their young ones how to enter the platform, and quite a few of them, probably Muggleborns, were staring in a mix of terror and wonder. I smiled and entered the platform behind a pair of siblings.
Emerging on the other side, my eyes lit up as I saw the train, in all its magnificence. I boarded, knowing it would be leaving soon. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a boy talking to his father. His father knelt down beside him, put his hand on the boy's shoulder, and said something, staring into the boy's eyes all the while. Then he smiled and stood up to give the boy a hug. The boy hugged him back, took his suitcase, and boarded the train.
I tried not to look at him or the man, but something was telling me that they both were quite important. The boy sat down next to another boy, a blond one, who was alone in the compartment. They started talking, and I couldn't help but smile slightly to myself.
The whistle blew and the train started moving. I stared out the window, thinking about my siblings' school year. Some of them might come with me when they're older. Some of them might not. I hoped that they would though, they would love it. While I'd be studying all sorts of fantastic things, they would be learning mathematics and geography and spelling words.
The sweets cart rolled around once in a while, the lady behind it asking if I wanted anything. I declined, politely, of course, because I heard rumors of what she could do when someone tried to leave the train. Apparently, the two boys from earlier hadn't, and were climbing out the window. I stared in horror as the sweets lady climbed out after them at an inhuman speed, with the intent to drag them back to their seats even if she had to kill them. I shook my head. Those poor, poor, foolish boys.
My friends were in a different compartment, sitting with some new friends they made over the summer. The new friends were some second years and their first year siblings.
Suddenly, the train stopped. I looked up and realized that we had reached our destination. I packed up my suitcases and Snowflake's carrier and hopped off. Hagrid was standing in his usual place, directing the first years to the lake. We caught each other's eye and grinned madly at each other. After he had taken away the first years, I turned my gaze to the castle.
Hello again, Hogwarts.
~o0o~
I've decided that every September 1st, I'll write a new one-shot, because why the hell not. See you next September!
