the train
The station was filled with goodbyes, ‘see you soon’, ‘don’t forget this’, and ‘owl me when you get there’. There were more first years this year compared to the past few years. You could tell based on the fact most of them had their robes on already, unlike the upperclassmen who would wait until they were closer to change into the itchy robes they dreaded. The dark worn brick surrounded the station as the large train began to approach in the distance. She remembered the brick being brighter and more inviting the past few years but recently it’s felt more dull and run down. The past week had been sunny skies and warm weather but this morning was the opposite, a cloudy, gloomy sky looking to let out at any second. The glass arched roof becoming more overcome with the grey haze as minuets past, the rain decided to let out as soon as the train came as if the train brought the weather. Setting the tone for the upcoming semester. As the train pulled into the station children began eagerly waiting until they could race on and find the best seats, with a few upperclassmen doing the same. Mothers seen giving their young children large hugs and kisses before letting them run off, sniffles and large breaths followed as they began to leave or move closer to where their children sat, peering through the windows. Many of the young students pulled the windows down to stick their heads out waving to their parents or extending their hands out to hold. The smell of rain began to flood the station, and a slight mist sprayed towards the students as the wind picked up. Clementine held back with her trolly waiting for the younger witches and wizards to figure themselves out before shoving herself through the crowded corridors. Tugging at her sweater almost impatiently, she hated being one of the last people on but it was the best for her. Less pushing and shoving. Soon the station was filled less with sorrowful goodbyes and more with overwhelming excitement and anxiety of a new school year.
“Hey Clem!” a girl cheered,
“Clem!” a slight tap on her shoulder from behind called. She turned, pushing her headphones off her ear.,
“Hey Lils!” she smiled, they didn’t get to meet over the summer since Clem was working for her mom. But Lily barely changed, her gorgeous red hair still as vibrant as ever, the waves flowing over her shoulders, and her eyes as encapsulating as the first time she met her. Her face had slimmed out a little more, her cheekbones slightly more prominent along with her freckles. She had gotten a slight tan, and a slight sunburn on her nose. A cluster of freckles painted around the burn. She was wearing a new jumper from diagon alley that Clem had seen in a window too the color brought out her features, as usual, she looks perfect.
“How was your summer?” Clem asked, slowly making her way towards the train. Pushing past the parents who had now began to prepare to leave. The rain began to pour harder, the two getting slightly damp, the thunder rattled the entire station.
Lily smirked, “I’ll tell you once we’re in the cabin,” pushing her and Clem’s luggage under the train before handing her back her backpack.
“Oh no… what did you do now?” she whined. Lily didn’t respond, but her grin became wider.
“It’s nothing rash don’t worry”. As they opened the train door the sounds of heels and other shuffles of shoes passed them, Mothers with their small heels eagerly rushing to their children with their husbands who’s loafers and dress shoes added to the rushed commotion against the grey pavement. Most of them dressed in their wizarding robes and dress clothes under, probably all going to the ministry after the send off. Clem had never understood why the women chose to wear the skirts they did, often tight and uncomfortable, she vowed that when she became an Auror she would wear trousers no matter what the ministry had to say. Waving profusing to their parents students started screaming out goodbyes and see you soons. Parents smiling trying to contain their newfound sadness, waving sorrowfully. As the train pulled out of the station the chilled wind was hushed away once the students closed the windows in a hurry to not get rained on. The station signs growing more blurry as the train continued on. ‘Platform 9 ¾’ sign on the top of the glass roof slowly disappearing changing to almost nothing. As if the platform never existed. The two began to search the cabins for their other friends who had already gotten on.
“Lily!” a girl called out, waving down the doorway. She too had ginger-colored hair, but her skin was slightly more pale, her eyes a more muted color in comparison to Lily’s. She had sharper more profound features, her eyebrows more arched and intensl. Lily grabbed Clem’s hand and began walking quickly, shutting the door behind them.
“I had my internship over the summer with an Auror!!!” Lily squealed, and all the girls followed suit congratulating her and asking what it was like.Her smile beaming, bring warmth into the cabin all on it’s own. She sometimes wondered if Lily knew how much she brought into a room. “It was so magical, I loved it… I cannot wait to be an Auror myself.” Lily followed a Longbottom around for the summer learning what they truly did, while also taking a class or two to get ahead in school. She sighed sitting further back in her seat, extending her feet out to the chair in front of her. The muted blue cushioned seats had seen better days, most of them stained with who knows what. Clem chuckled, throwing her bag onto the metal grated shelf above Lilys head. She picked her feet off the chair, placing them onto her own thighs before sitting down.
“I can already picture it.” The wooden sliding door opened rather quickly,
“Picture what, our future together?” a boy teased, with a big smile on his face. The door making a rather large thud considering the force he had swiped it open with. Clem thought he had possibly even cracked the frosted textured glass, but he didn’t she checked.
Lily groaned, getting up and pushing the door in on the boy. “James go away. I’m not in the mood for you yet.” the girls giggled behind her, teasing her slightly. James smirked as his eyes lit up
“Ha! You said yet!” Lily rolled her eyes trying to close the door “At least take my chocolate frog” he complained, handing her the purple box,
“Just… let me have the trading card okay?” he asked softly.
“Of course, now go away” Clem looked over to James. He pays almost no attention to anyone but Lily. James for the first time, spares a look to Clem.
“See you on the field tomorrow at 6 am.” He states, and she simply nods. She slammed the door closed, taking a look at the card.
“I don’t understand his fascination with these things.” she sighed, popping the frog in her mouth “I’ll be back…” getting up and making her way to his cabin. Sliding past the trolly and smiling at the witch manning a large group of first years wanting almost one of everything.
“The worms please!” one begged “The Jellybeans too!” the other added, the other two had already began stuffing their faces with sweets. Lily winced at the fact those boys would be nauseous and dying from a stomach ache later. James’ cabin was in a few train cars past hers, she passed multiple cabins with the blinds down meaning either they were asleep, or snogging. Lily learned that the hard way once. After passing a few with Slytherins who would begin to tease and she walked past them she finally hit his.
“James, your girlfriend is here” Sirius smirked, shaking the boy softly from his nap on the window. His cheek had a slight mark from leaning against the wall. The train car a mess, wrapped from goodies on the floor, James’ trunk open on the ground.
“Hi Lils” Remus smiled, not even looking up from the book in his hand
“Have a good summer?” he asked routinely before taking a piece of chocolate from the golden packaging.
“Yep.” she smiled, slightly reflecting on her internship. James stood up slowly, in a groggy state stretching as if he had been sleeping for years.
“Here, I pulled someone you already have” She stated, Sirius chuckled slightly, while Peter hissed slightly in pain knowing James would whin about this later.
“Awe man…” he complained, “This isn't fair, I’m only missing two more.” Lily chuckled slightly as a familiar scent passed her,
“Ah! Sniverulls!” He teased, Lily looked over with a sympathetic look on her face. He paid no mind to either of them and continued to walk back to his cabin. She switched focus back to James and hit him over the head with Sirius’ newspaper
“Hey!” Sirius whined
“Stop being such an arrogant twit!” hitting him with every word. “You’re so cruel!” looking at Remus, his face painted with the same sympathy. Slamming the doors shut, the glass rattling. James called after her as she walked back to her friends. Peter chuckled, popping a piece of popcorn in his mouth.
“She’s never gonna go out with you if you keep picking on him.” James groaned, slouching back in his seat, Sirius patted his upper thigh before returning to his newspaper. Remus placed his book on his seat,
“I’m gonna go to the loo” He stated. A collective hum was given by the boys. Remus began to pick up his pace to catch up with Lily.
“Hey Remus” she sighed.
“Hey, Lils. You know they’re only playing around, they’d never actually cause him harm.”
She scoffed, “They’ve gotten close a few times” Remus agreed but knew nothing he could say would be new information.
“The internship went well? Sorry, I didn’t answer your owl quicker. I was busy this summer” Lily lightened up a little and began to tell him about it, Remus and Lily had been friends since year 3, after she discovered his secret. Before they got too close to her cabin Remus knew it was time to turn back.
“Just promise you won’t be too hard on James” Lily rolled her eyes and waved before getting to her door.
The girls giggled as she walked back in huffing and puffing into her seat.
“You okay Lils?” Patricia asked
“Trouble in paradise?” another teased
“Drop it, Patricia, you too Marlene.” Clem snapped jokingly, pulling her headphone back over her ear, and rubbing Lily’s back. Her head in her hands mumbling something they couldn’t make out. The train ride was smooth even with the rain coming down as hard as it was. Lily eventually calmed down and was her bubbly self again talking to her friends, Clem only chiming in occasionally, overtaken by her novel. The train station was swarmed with cloaks and screams that they were getting wet all rushing to the nearest carriages. It was now dark out, the tall trees felt taller than she remembered. The lights at the station had just clicked on, they glowed a warm orange hue instead of the bright white that was at Kings Cross. Clem took a deep breath, enjoying the smells of the rain and the pine, happy to be back home.
“Clemmy!” Hagrid smiled, making his way over with an umbrella,
“Hi Hagrid!” she smiled grabbing her luggage from under the train. “Have you seen him?” she asked quietly, he gestured towards one of the benches, and she smiled softly
“I’ll see you inside”
She pulled her hood over her hair attempting to cover some of her face as she approached a tall, lanky, dark figure.
“Hey, how was your summer?” she asked
“It was okay…” He responded in the usual monotone, “How’s Lily?” She sighs looked up at him, “You really should try to just ask her yourself, she still cares about you” The boy awkwardly smiled and sighed looking out towards the forest
“I would, but, I can’t keep just taking James’ teasing. It’s almost at a breaking point for me.” She placed a gentle hand on his arm,
“I know Sev but you can’t keep avoiding her.” He nodded, pulled his hood up, and began to walk with her to one of the last carriages. They continue the light small talk about their summers, Clem providing the occasional input of how Lily was and her internship. She hated watching the two drift apart. They were thick as thieves as children but, something changed in their dynamic. As they got closer to the castle they went their separate ways. Clem pulled her hood down as she entered the great hall, saying hello to some of the staff and ghosts. She would often see them roaming at night, keeping watch, and over the years they all grew fond of her and trusted that her being out late was never a sign of mischief but rather her trying to sleep. After this past summer, she knew they’d see her more frequently than beforehand. Exams always kept her up at night and year 6 was notorious for being the most difficult.
“I made you a plate.” Patricia smiled, her cheeks slowly becoming flushed,
“Thanks.” Clem smiled, pouring herself a glass of juice and water.
“James has already came over here three times, and we haven’t even gotten announcements yet” Marlene whispered, she chuckled while taking a sip of her drink.
“Why am I not surprised” Lily rolled her eyes as Clem looked up at her
“It’s just annoying at this point. I should just transfigure myself into a rat. He’d leave me alone then.” the girls laughed allowing the atmosphere to overtake their moods. Clem finished first, which always surprised the girls since she arrived late to the first dinner every year.
“I’m going up to unpack. see you guys in there?” they all nodded still eating and adding more to their plates. She grabbed her book and bag from under the table and began to head up. A loud group of boys not far in front of her opened the common room with just enough time for her to snake in behind them. The familiar sound and smell of the fireplace immediately put her mind at ease. The common room was almost empty, the red and gold pallet made the entire room light up in red hues. The ceiling lights were golden and calming for students when walking in. Occasionally a ghost would come in and say hello. Clem made her first tea of the semester and headed up the stairs and quickly put everything away. She has enough time tonight to go to the astronomy tower for a while before Lily would freak out. She made sure to hang her cloak up on her bedpost so it wouldn’t become creased or wrinkled, and placed her snacks under her bed. Her collection of reads for the semester overflowed her nightstand and onto a stack on the floor.
After a much-needed shower. She changed into her sweats and dad’s old t-shirt,
“Lils I’ll be back before curfew.” Lily hummed an understanding as she turned onto her side, turning off her light. She smiled and quickly darted out of the room, grabbing her book and headphones. Leaving her wand on the nightstand, she let it be an indicator of when to head back. If she needed light to continue to read it was time to head back. On her way over she passed Dumbledore and smiled sweetly,
“Going up to your favorite spot so soon? You only just got here, I’m sure Lily would want you in the common room” He said softly, his voice had gotten raspier over the years. Clem smiled “You’re probably right professor. But, I can’t take listening to her complain about James confessing his love to her every five seconds. I fear my ear would fall off.” Albus chuckled softly and excused himself.
As she got closer to the tower she smelled a familiar and wonderous smell. Smoke and cigarettes, she stopped for a moment to take in the smell but continued. By the time she got to the tower the rain had lightened up, the smell of rain was lessened by the smell of cigarettes and a slight mint scent, possibly from the herbology room. She read for a few hours before it became late into the night. Her back leaning on the railing, staring out into the sky, the moon almost at its peak. She had made it halfway through her novel, and she had only started on the train. She took one last sip of her tea before slowly getting up off the ground. She dusted herself off and left the tower. As she headed back, the smell of smoke was still there, she believed it was a few Slytherins just messing around and continued to get to bed before it was too late in the evening to justify anything.
“You were 30 seconds from being past curfew!” Lily complained, “If you’re late I have to give you detention.” Clem chuckled softly not to disturb the others already asleep from the long day of travel.
“Weren’t you going to bed before I left? I’m sure McGonagall would understand me being seconds late Lils.” She placed her book back on her nightstand turning her lamp off, crawling under the covers.
“Goodnight Lils” Lily turned off her bathroom light and left the room quietly to make sure everyone else was also where they should be. Lily called it her prefect duties, but half the time it was her snuggled up on the couch by the fire for an hour before going back to bed herself.