Hogwarts express
"BYE MOM!" One of the first years yelled through the open train window and George winced. George had, as it seems, severely underestimated how difficult it would be to push his way through a packed train to the prefect's compartment, or at least any other empty compartment that isn't full of noisy children.
As a seventh year in Hogwarts, it felt almost strange to be walking through the train again, this time with a shiny golden badge pinned to the front of his robes showcasing his status. He felt like how he did when it first arrived in his mail along with his book lists and congratulatory letter every time he looked down at it. The same flush of pride and honor to be holding such a high position of leadership, and to represent his house.
Straightening his blue collared uniform, he muttered apologies as he went. Dragging his heavy truck along behind him with some effort. George was never one to visit the gym, he always thought that magic would suffice until it doesn't. He was so painfully close to turning 18 it's unreal, but it seemed so far away whenever he had to do as trivial and as tiring as dragging a 10 kilogram chest of leather bound books through a hallway full of teenagers. If the school can magically transport and sort all the student's luggage by the bunk bed, why can't they just teleport the luggage by floo powder or something?
It also elevated his frustration when people his year were making their luggage race each other along the halls because they were born early. Some of them had already passed their apparition tests by now, and George is still two months away from even qualifying to using magic. he might be the smartest Ravenclaw in his year but what is the point of knowing every spell if you can' use them?
Finally arriving at the front of the elaborately decorated prefect's door, he didn't bother knocking as he slid the door open. Directing in front of the door stood someone. Someone with blond hair and reeks of cologne. Someone with a sleek green collar and the classical telltale wheeze.
The devil himself. Dream...
George had always had a deep dislike for Dream. Dream was intimidating sometimes, but when he wasn't been a complete asshole, he's a complete idiot. Dream just radiated confidence, charm and talent, even though sometimes he can be rather harsh. It's almost as if even if he's all smiles and laughter, he still scares you. But to George, Dream was nothing but a pest that he needed to get rid of.
"Get out of the way! You're blocking people." George snapped and Dream turned around, much to the disappointment of the several fangirls he had previously been talking to. Dream looked shocked a first, be as soon as he noticed George, his face split into an annoying cocky grin of amusement. George could almost SEE the fangirls woo at the display of Dream's jawline, and that just makes George's annoyance ten times worst. Why here out of all places must dream put up his popular act. Aren't there other compartments?
"I don't think I will." Dream drawled and George felt the urge to punch him, even knowing full well that punching Dream would result in him breaking his own wrists.
"Well. You should." George said curtly and tried pushed past Dream.
However, Dream purposefully shifted to block George's path once again. This time turning to face george completely. "Do you need help carrying your luggage then?" Dram mocked and George felt his face turn red. Dream knows full well that George hasn't turned 18 yet and he has the audacity to be sarcastic about it? It's that a form of harassment towards minors?
"Dream, let it go." One of his whiny redheaded fangirls said, clinging onto Dream's arm. Dream gave her a measured look before finally shrugging, and allowed himself to be dragged away by the group. It's unbelievable to think that all those girls are prefects. They are let into the compartment after all, but that could just be because no one had the guts to tell dream otherwise. There's no way the prefects are allowed to act like that.
Shuffling into the compartment, George glanced around and was relieved to find a small group huddled at a corner. A group he was very familiar with. Just Karl (the hufflepuff prefect and his best friend), Niki (the second hufflepuff prefect), and Leah (his fellow Ravenclaw prefect). They were friends since their first year because Ravenclaws and hufflepuffs had so many classes together, and it's great to see that all of them had rose to a respectable position.
"George! Over here!" Karl called out as he waved him over. Niki was even nice enough to cast a 'wingadium leviosa' on his luggage to make his life easier. once settled in, everyone started catching up on their break. Apart from George and Karl, the other two were both very much muggleborn, so they didn't have many ways to keep in contact through the summer, much less with the obnoxious amounts of homework they get.
"what did you do during summer break, George?" Niki asked after she finished telling everyone about this muggle music artist she really liked. Three pairs of eyes focused on George and he swallowed.
"Nothing interesting. I got a few books, read through the year's lesson materials. History through the ages by itself took me 2 weeks." He said as the group nodded conversationally as they moved onto other subjects. In all honesty, George wasn't exactly lying when he said he spent most of his time reading through lesson things. He did. But he also spend the other half of his summer getting over a breakup (which he was completely blameless for), and working on a little research project about animatronics.
Watching the train speed past the familiar meadows of sheep and cows, George sighed. That was his cue that they are almost reaching. "Imma go stretch my legs." He muttered as he stood up and excused himself from the compartment. Since this is his first time in the prefect's compartment, he decided to do some exploring. From word-of-mouth, he heard that there was a secret balcony at the end of the prefect's compartment where you can look out and enjy the breeze. He wasn't sure how credible the information was but it didn't hurt to check it out.
Walking along the now empty hallway, George took a deep breath as he he closed his eyes for a moment a to listen to the sounds of the train; the creaking of wood, the sound of wheels against the rails, and shaking of metal and the puffs of steam that float through the air like clouds. he isn't going to be experience this again next year. Something about that thought made him feel slightly more empty.
Suddenly, the train jerked and George's eyes flew open. Right, he's suppose to be exploring... glancing around, he noticed one of the doors at the end was designed slightly different. A unique swirl of oak and a brass number plate to the side of the door. This room isn't like the rest of the compartments on the train. Pressing his ears to the door, George leaned in but couldn't hear anything from the other side.
But, just then, the door slip open and it took George's entire body with it. Stumbling to the side, he stare eye to eye with the same bright green eyes that haunt him in his sleep.
"Well, well,well. What are you doing here outside my compartment." Dream demanded, as George caught another glimpse of the compartment inside. It looked like every other one. There isn't a balcony after all huh?
"Nothing. Just wanted to check a rumor. Apparently it isn't true, so I'll be on my way then." George said as he tried to leave but Dream once again blocked him. Why is Dream so keen on blocking him? George fumed internally.
"What rumors? Are they about me?" Dream asked, his voice suddenly sharp. Now George could seen why sometimes people are scared of dream. There's this side of Dream that comes out so abruptly and so harshly it's terrifying. but George stood his ground.
"No. It has nothing to do with you."
"Then what is it about then? Something that got you poking around outside my compartment?" Dream challenged and George bit his lips. He could just tell dream the truth anyways. It's not as if it's some big secret.
"There's a rumor that there's a balcony in the prefect's compartment. Somewhere nearer the end. I thought your compartment looked suspicious, I thought I'd check. Not that I expected you to be in there."
Dream was silent fro a moment. Then he burst out laughing. the signature kettle wheeze is back, just like the harshness was never there before. "You believe that? I was the one who started it as joke during my third year. I can't believe it's even reached the ears of the all aspiring self-proclaimed prodigy."Dream laughed and George bloomed red. Did he really just get tricked by dream. All this time? George could die of embarrassment if not for anything else.
"Well. I'm just gonna say it once. But it may or may not be true. Believe what you like I guess. But there is something special about this room though. It has locks. do what you will with that information." Dream said cheekily as he strolled off and left George wondering what the hell he meant...