ʻFirst of September, first of September,ʼ chanted Serena as she pinned her hat to her curls. ʻHow I miss that train. Thatʼs quite a Quaffle throw.ʼ
ʻYes,ʼ said Oliver slowly. ʻItʼs over three years since I last was on that train.ʼ
ʻAnd itʼs six with me, so stop moaning,ʼ sang Serena, checking her face in the mirror. ʻThe branches donʼt move too much do they? The Muggles wonʼt notice?ʼ
ʻIʼm sure they wonʼt,ʼ said Dennis. ʻSuch a pity that all the leaves are gone.ʼ
ʻOh, they will return in spring,ʼ said Serena cheerfully. ʻGive me your trunk.ʼ
Dennis dragged it towards her while she threw the Floo powder in the chimney and then helped Colin to heave the trunk into the fire, climbing after it.
She waved at them before saying ʻDiagon Alley.ʼ
ʻNow you, Dennis,ʼ said Oliver, taking Colinʼs trunk.
Dennis threw some Floo powder in the chimney and stepped in to disappear a second later in the green flames.
ʻYour turn, Colin,ʼ said Oliver. ʻIʼll manage your trunk alone.ʼ
ʻI can travel with my trunk,ʼ said Colin, but Oliver just smiled and shook his head. Colin sighed. ʻSee you in a moment,ʼ he whispered while throwing the Floo powder in the fire. He jumped into the green flames and shouted, ʻDiagon Alley.ʼ
Immediately he got sucked into the chimney and closed his eyes, pressing his arms to his body, as he twirled in the chimney until he slowed down and stumbled out into the Leaky Cauldron.
ʻTravelled all right?ʼ chirped Serena, immediately starting to brush off the soot from him.
The fire turned green again, and a second later, Oliver heaved Colinʼs trunk out of the fireplace, and the little group was ready to go.
ʻBye, Tom,ʼ shouted Serena, waving madly at the old pub owner before she led them out into the Muggle world and on to the nearest underground station.
ʻDo you often travel with the Tube?ʼ asked Colin amazed as Serena managed to buy tickets from the ticket machine in the station without the usual embarrassment Colin had noticed when wizards had to handle Muggle inventions.
ʻWe always took this way when I went to school,ʼ said Serena, handing out the tickets. ʻAnd this might have been a long, looong time ago, but my memoryʼs not that bad.ʼ
They squeezed themselves into the underground with their trunks, none of them talking all the way to Kingʼs Cross. Colin could feel his breakfast heavily in his stomach, but he kept his eyes on the plan where the different stations were listed, not allowing himself to think of anything else.
At the station, Oliver found them two trolleys on which they loaded their trunks. From there, ghey got smoothly on to platforms nine and ten, making their way to the barrier that would enable them to enter platform nine and three-quarters.
ʻCome Dennis,ʼ fluted Serena, pushing the trunk with him as they strolled casually towards the barrier and a moment later had disappeared.
ʻReady?ʼ asked Oliver as he turned the trolley with Colinʼs trunk to face the barrier.
Colin put one hand on the trolley and nodded. ʻReady.ʼ
Pushing the trolley, Oliver broke into a run while Colin did all he could to keep up as the wall drew nearer and nearer. He closed his eyes, and the next second, they stood before the Hogwarts Express, their view limited by the steam.
As they made their way down the platform, looking for a free compartment, Colin realised how much quieter it was than usual. There were not noticeably less people around, but the students kept closer to their parents who seemed to be filling them with whispered last-minute advices, glancing nervously around every now and then.
ʻColin? Colin!ʼ
Colin turned towards the voice.
ʻWeʼre over here, you and Dennis can sit in our compartment.ʼ
Colin waved at Rob and David, two of his classmates, who were leaning out of the window of one of the compartments. Oliver and Serena steered the trunks in the direction.
ʻHow were your holidays?ʼ shouted Rob. ʻThereʼve been such strange things going on, my grandmother-ʼ
David hushed him into silence. Oliver took Colinʼs trunk and carried it on the train while Rob and David started a heated, but low-voiced discussion.
Colin looked up at the train, his spirits drooping and rising more in irregular intervals. A part of him was excited that he was going back to Hogwarts, the other part dreaded what was expecting him. Only this morning it had been in the papers that Snape had become Headmaster. They would be under the regime of the murderer of Albus Dumbledore. Colin couldnʼt bear the thought. Distraction came in the form of Serena who had just ceased cuddling Dennis and closed him in her arms instead.
ʻYouʼll come to us over Christmas, wonʼt you?ʼ she whispered. ʻYou must come to a match too, but thereʼs none at this time of year... thereʼs one against the Chudley Cannons during your Easter break that weʼll certainly win, weʼll take you with us.ʼ
ʻWe normally donʼt go home during Easter break,ʼ mumbled Colin, trying to keep his cheek from the needles in her ear.
She drew back a bit and looked at him gravely. ʻI suppose,ʼ she muttered, ʻthat there will happen quite some things that didnʼt happen normally. Do write to us, but donʼt criticise anything. They might intercept letters.ʼ
ʻYouʼve been saying this daily. And we told you, Umbridge already did this,ʼ whispered Colin back as Oliver returned from the carriage to get Dennisʼs trunk. Serena let go of Colin and started to rummage in the pockets of her robes.
ʻColin?ʼ called a girl, stopping on her way further down the train.
ʻHi, Ginny.ʼ
ʻYouʼre all right?ʼ She approached them quickly while a red-haired woman remained standing nervously several steps behind. ʻGeorge told me that he met you,ʼ said Ginny with a quiet voice. ʻYou were there with an aunt?ʼ
ʻThatʼs me, dear,ʼ piped up Serena, beaming up at Ginny, who was nearly a head taller than she was. ʻYouʼre the youngest Weasley? I remember your eldest brother, how he caught that Snitch in my first match, that was quite something. Youʼre Chaser arenʼt you?ʼ
Ginny stared down at her. ʻYes,ʼ she said tentatively. ʻBut Char-ʼ
ʻThatʼs lovely. Whatʼs your Quidditch team?ʼ
ʻEm,ʼ said Ginny, trying to do not stare too obviously. ʻThe Holyhead Harpies.ʼ
ʻThe Harpies?ʼ asked Serena, a little scornfully. ʻThey were quite something once, but Jones is such an arrogant b-ʼ
ʻYour trunks are in the compartment,ʼ interrupted Oliverʼs voice, making them all turn to him. ʻSo, I suppose itʼs time to say goodbye for now-ʼ
ʻBut theyʼll come for Christmas,ʼ said Serena, leaning over to hug Dennis, while Ginny quickly returned to her mother. ʻWait a moment, Iʼve got chip-, no chop-something... chaphatters and some other Italian what-so-evers for you after a recipe from Let- your mum.ʼ
She retrieved two bags from her black robes, thrusting one in Dennisʼs, the other in Colinʼs arms.
ʻSee you at Christmas, then,ʼ said Oliver, shaking Colinʼs hand.
The train whistled and Serena jumped over and pushed Colin through the train door, Oliver helping Dennis to climb in after him.
ʻTake care,ʼ said Oliver with Serena jumping around to shake their hands a last time while the train slowly started to move. Colin waved as the train left the station until he couldnʼt see Oliver and Serena anymore. He stared out of the window a moment longer. For he had never had a worse feeling upon returning to Hogwarts - instead of the usual excitement, there was just dread. But he would have enough time to worry when they were there. With a sigh, he turned and went with Dennis to join Rob and David in their compartment.
A/N Sooo, that was this story. Was it so badly written that no one read it? Or does just nobody love dear little Colin? A moment of silence for his untimely death. Poor, poor Colin.