Chapter 18: Back to Hogwarts!
"It's September first!" Lexie shouted from the top of the stairs before hurling herself down the banister.
"Alexandria Hall! What have I told you about sliding down that banister!" Mrs. Tobias scolded when she reached the bottom and lie sprawled out on the rug "You are going to hurt yourself or heaven forbid someone else one day!"
"Sorry Mrs. Tobias! It's September first though! First day of school! No time to waste."
Mrs. Tobias shook her head and couldn't prevent the chuckle that escaped "I swear child, I've never ever seen you excited for school. I don't know what that school up North has done to you but I'm glad to see I no longer have to fight you kicking and screaming to get you to class. Go get your things ready and have something to eat. I've arranged to have Paul drive you to the station. I still can't believe you managed to drag your trunk home on the tube."
"Yes ma'am!" Lexie said giving her an army salute before running back up the stairs before shouting back down "Tell Mr. Tobias I'll be ready in five!"
"Walk Alexandria for heavens sake!" Mrs. Tobias yelled after her. "Oh that child is trouble" she muttered.
True to her word Lexie was waiting at the orphanage door in five minutes, trunk in hand and a piece of buttered toast crammed between her lips.
Paul, also known as Mrs. Tobias' husband, was waiting for her and laughed when he saw Lexie trying to balance he trunk and manage not to drop her breakfast. "Allow me to help Mrs. Lexie." He grabbed her trunk freeing up her hands so she could remove the toast from her mouth.
"Shhh… don't let your wife hear you call me that" Lexie joked "Nice to see you Mr. Tobias."
"A pleasure as always. Let's get going shall we? I wouldn't want to see you be late for the train."
The drive across London was pleasant enough and before she knew it Mr. Tobias was fetching her trunk from the boot of the car and waving her goodbye. Lexie dragged her trunk to a side street and took a furtive look around before she pulled James' invisibility cloak from under her coat and tossed it over both her head and her trunk making sure nothing was sticking out.
She had spent a good portion of her summer with Sirius' words echoing around her head about the possible murder of her birth father and didn't want to risk running into her mother on the platform. She discretely made her way through the barrier, still astounded that she didn't bounce off as she took a running start through the bricks. Lexie saw the familiar view of the Hogwarts Express and grinned, she was finally going home.
Staying out of the way of the students and families rushing around her, she skirted around the crowds and carefully made her way aboard the train searching the compartments for her friends trying her best to remain unseen. Lexie peered through the compartment windows until she came across James and Remus already seated and chatting excitedly.
She pushed the compartment door open and in her deepest voice boomed "Abandon hope all ye who enter here!"
Remus who is normally calm, jumped while James just laughed and reached out grabbing the top of the cloak from Lexie's head and pulling it off until her face was exposed.
"I can see someone had fun with my cloak this summer" he said laughing.
Lexie giggled pulling the rest off and tossing it to him "You're a lifesaver James, you have no idea. Help me with my trunk will you?"
James and Remus both stood up and maneuvered her trunk into one of the bins.
"So where's Sirius and Pete?" she asked taking a seat next to Remus.
James cringed and pointed out the window, "Sirius is currently being lectured by his mother and I haven't seen Peter yet."
Lexie peered out making sure to stay low and saw that Sirius was in fact in the middle of what appeared to be a reprimand by the woman she now recognized as his mother.
"Yikes, poor guy. He wasn't joking. Have you been in touch with him at all? I didn't get any letters from him all summer and couldn't send any of my own. Sorry about that by the way, kind of hard to keep in touch as it turns out when I don't have an owl and didn't have any addresses to send post the muggle way."
"No hard feelings, we all figured. I sent him a couple letters. Other than a few forced occasions with family he didn't seem to down. I tried to convince him to visit but he said that his parents would never allow it."
Lexie kept her eye out the window looking away only to greet Peter who had also entered the compartment at one point. Sirius was finally freed and she saw him sullenly make his way onto the train.
"James, quick, let me borrow your cloak again! And Remus hand me that quill please!"
James tossed it over no questions asked while Remus shrugged and handed her his quill. Lexie quickly hid herself from view.
Sirius finally found their compartment and lugged his trunk inside "Hey mates, sorry I'm late."
Lexie inched forward and gently poked Sirius in the shoulder. He turned in her direction and frowned when he didn't see anyone there. Lexie held in her giggles and gently poked the quill out from the quill and tickled his cheek that was now facing away from her.
"Bloody hell, what the-?" said Sirus spinning around. Lexie was too quick though and by the time he turned the quill too had vanished.
Sirius frowned again and this time Lexie grabbed Sirius and gave him a bear hug. Sirius yelped which caused the rest of the boys to start laughing since he had gone completely stiff.
Sirius seemed to catch on though "Oh ha ha, very funny Lex. I know it's you, nobody else this scrawny gives hugs that are so bone crushing."
Lexie grinned as she removed the cloak and tossed Remus back his quill "I'm not scrawny, I just have delicate bone structure" she said indignantly "It's good to see you too."
Sirius returned her hug "Okay, so maybe I missed you a little" he said holding up his fingers an inch before he sat down next to James. Lexie returned to her place next to Remus.
"So who's up for a game of Gobstones?" asked James, "my mum gave me a new set this summer and I haven't had anyone to play with."
Just like that it was as if the summer never happened as the five friends laughed as Peter made a bad move and received a squirt of liquid to the face.
Lexie turned to Sirius when the trolley arrived and while the other three were busy discretely asked "Summer okay then?"
Sirius shrugged "Not great, glad to be back."
"Same" Lexie smiled. "Hey, I have some questions to ask you but um… just you. About something you said on the platform before summer. Think you can meet me in the common room after they go to bed?"
Sirius nodded quietly before asking "You want anything from the trolley? My treat?"
After the whole group had stocked up on way too many sweets for them to consume, Lexie propped her head against Remus' shoulder as she watched the group continue to razz each other over multiple rounds of Gobstones finally feeling true happiness for the first time since leaving Hogwarts.