june
June
“Well, I’ve done it again. Outsmarted all of you and became the first of the year. I hope you all become worthy competition over the summer, I’m getting rather bored.” Tessa states as she gathers her things to leave the train compartment where a flock of Ravenclaw gathered to journey home. They all laugh and groan at her boasting, something they are used to by now, as she slides the compartment door closed behind her. The train is going to arrive at King’s Cross any minute, and Tessa is on her way to find her younger brother before they reach their destination.
The last weeks of term flew by once the dust of May had settled over the school. Ravenclaw was bustling with study groups, embellished with the few students obsessing over side projects to distract from the overwhelming need to study. Tessa had managed to pull outstanding marks after being knocked off course for a week or so, much to the distress of Lily Evans. Now, she was overflowing with anticipation to finally return to her family’s country home for the summer.
She knocks quietly on the door of her brother’s compartment once she spots him through the glass. Bennet, already changed out of his robes, slides the door open with a smile to greet his sister on the other side.
The two of them have never been very close, despite their closeness in age. However, the past year or two has created a special bond between the only two Cole kids attending school. Something that Tessa was surprised she wouldn’t trade for anything.
“The train will arrive soon, are you ready to go?”
“I’ll just have to grab my backpack when we arrive. Why in such a hurry, Tessie?”
“No hurry, just a desperate need to return to my own room and not speak to anyone for days.” Tessa reaches out and flicks her brother on the head, earning small chuckles from his friends in the compartment behind him.
“Piss off!” Ben mournfully rubs the stop on his head where she flicked him. “Besides, I’m ready to be home too. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can start forgetting all the knowledge they tried to shove in my head this year.” A mischievous smirk forming on his mouth.
“Well, I hope not all of it. You’ll need some wisdom in that head of yours to keep up with my training plan this summer.”
Just as Tessa finishes her sentence, the train comes to a stop at the station, The two Cole siblings swiftly gather their things and make their way towards the doors. Once they have exited the train, they quickly gather their trunks and hastily look for their parents,
“Do you see them?” Tess asks after looking around the entire platform.
“No.” Ben says as he runs his hand through his overgrown hair.
“Tessa. Bennet.” A voice cuts in from behind them.
“Dean! What are you doing here?” Ben asks enthusiastically as he drops his things to the ground and steps forward to embrace his brother. Dean leans slightly to accommodate the shorter boy, and ruffles his hair affectionately. Something Tessa hasn’t experienced in some time.
“You need a haircut brother.”
“Everyone wears their hair like this now.” Ben argues.
“You are not like everyone, Bennet. Especially those in that disgrace of a house you are in.”
“No need to be rude, brother. Surely, you can think of something more creative to insult dear Benny on. Angie has better wit than you these days. Some would say you’ve lost that Cole spark.” Tessa teases as she leans on her trunk, smirking at her older brother.
Dean, expression returning to its usual hardness, meets her eye for the first time. There is no warm hug and no affectionate gestures, just the slight proper bow of his head to acknowledge her existence. “Tessa, I see you haven’t been taken by some strange illness. Alive and well, it seems. How was I to know since you insisted on not responding to my letters?”
And, there it is.
“Well, brother, I was rather busy achieving the highest marks in my year.”
“From what I hear, you were doing much more than that. You should know by now that nothing is truly contained inside those walls, sister. No worries, I am here to set it all straight.” Dean pulls his lips into a smile so tense it would not surprise Tessa if it started to crack.
“Where are mum and dad?” Ben asks from next to them, all too used to sibling hostility.
“They are at Cole Manor with the children. I am here to accompany you home.”
“You came all this way to escort us home?” Tessa asks.
“Of course not. I am here to escort you because I will also be returning. In fact, I will be there throughout the entire summer.” Dena states coldly.
“The entire summer?! What on earth would you need to do in the country?” Tessa asks in shock.
“I have business to attend to. Some of which includes reminding you of the decorum I worked so hard to teach in the first place. How else am I meant to arrange for you a future husband? Now come along, we need not doddle.” Dean claims as he turns to walk from the station. Bennet, unaware of the bomb dropped on his sister, follows closely behind the older boy with eager steps.
Tessa, however, was shocked into place. A husband? Her brother hanging over her shoulder all summer? How is she to survive it?
By pretending, like I always do.
Oh, what a summer it will be.