(A/N): Hey Guys! So, this is one of the last chapter's of third year. It's pretty short, and fairly pointless to be honest.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.

Leo

With the rest of the night passing without any particular excitement, it was soon enough time for school to resume at the end of the Christmas break. Lily and I headed down to Hogsmeade train station in the afternoon, preparing to wait for the Hogwarts Express to return so we could welcome back our fellow students- or, well, two students in particular.

Just as the Hogwarts Express came into sight, the others sat down beside us on the concrete of the train station platform, not saying so much as a single word. Eventually, Lily straightened up. "I think I hear it!" I rolled my eyes, and Elaine smothered her laughter. Remus, Sirius, and James were smiling, but not quite as entertained by my heightened as hearing as she was- which was good, I suppose. If I'd had to choose one person to delight on a regular basis...

About a minute later, the train slowed to a gradual stop in front of us, and people started filing out, politely avoiding us until a smile burst across Lily's face. "Sev!" She cried, pushing her way through the crowd until she reached him so she could throw her arms around his neck.

I continued to scan the crowd, moving along the train and tracking her progress in my head via the blood in her veins. "Leo!" Mia exclaimed as she reached the door of the train, and I hugged her, spinning in a circle and returning her to the ground out of the way of the other students.

"Mia. How was Christmas?" She winced, rubbing her arm through the sleeves of her pink jumper.

"It was... good, considering." She wasn't lying, I was sure of that, but I also knew that good wasn't the same for us as it was for other people.

"How bad was it?"

She hesitated for a second before pushing her sleeve halfway up her arm, revealing a yellowing bruise on her forearm. "It wasn't that bad, Leo, honestly." I glared at the ground, arms crossed tight across my chest as I resisted the urge to wrap her in them again and never let her go. "You've been through worse." I turned my gaze to her, softening it enough to let her see the pain there.

"I'm not quite as fragile as you, Mia. I want to protect you, even if it is against our own mother." She watched me for a long second, as if she was seeing someone else- or maybe not anyone else, but just me, at some other, younger, time- before nodding slowly.

"Alright, Leo... but just- promise me that you'll be careful."

I grinned at her. "Totally," I said, middle finger crossed over index behind my back- I hoped she would forgive me if she ever found out I was lying, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

"I love you, big brother." I ruffled her hair with my hand, and especially knew it was true because she didn't bat my hand away immediately.

"I love you more, little sister."

(A/N): So, what did you think?

Leo is such a little liar...

Please review and/or check out my other stories!

This chapter has had edits made to it on 24/3/24 - formatting, and reconfiguring sentences to make more sense. Added Leo saying he was happy to have amused Elaine, rather than anyone else. Added Leo saying Mia was watching him as if she was seeing a younger version of him. Added Leo saying he hoped Mia would forgive him for lying if she ever found out. Added Leo saying he especially knew that Mia loves him because she didn't bat his hand away (because that's just such a Leo thing. No, I don't know that my sister loves me because obviously, she does, but because she doesn't push him away when she clearly would to anyone else).