The Hogwarts Express
The Hogwarts Express
Sailing across the lake with my head on Barnaby's shoulder, watching the castle shrink away behind us was something I will never forget. It was sad, but also calming for me, being able to say a slow, silent goodbye to my home of the last seven years. The boats drifted along in near perfect silence, and I could tell that my fellow graduates were all as lost in contemplation and memories as I was.
By the time we reached the platform and climbed out of the boats I had made up my mind that I would not allow myself to wallow and ruin this last train ride with my friends. And I would not squander the chance at a life that Rowan heroically sacrificed herself to give to all of us. I would make the most of every moment, do good and make my mark on the Wizarding World. However I could, I vowed to myself that I would never stop trying to make a better place for those who would come after us. For Rowan.
Feeling more optimistic, I smiled at Barnaby and led him down the noisy train to our favourite, double sized compartment at the the very back. We had just a moment alone together before the doors burst open and my favourite people in the world started spilling in on us.
Penny was first, chattering away to no one and everyone about her many exciting career offers.
".. But since I don't really want to be so far from home I had to turn them down, for now. I'd had my heart set on London anyway, so St Mungo's is really the perfect place, to start. There's so much that I can learn about antidotes in their potions department! And they almost never take people right out of school but they want me there straight away next week to start! I had hoped to have something of a summer holiday first but opportunity doesn't wait." She finished cheerfully.
Before I could get a word in to congratulate Penny, Chiara slid gracefully into a seat by the window and said "That really is a great job Penny, I'm a bit jealous. I got an offer from St. Mungo's as well, but only as an intern in the Creature Induced Injuries department. Because, well they thought I'd be good there, I guess". Chiara trailed off awkwardly but caught my eye and gave me a sly smile.
I was the only one who knew about why she was being assigned to that specific department.
I noticed Chiara was blushing a bit from being the sudden center of attention so I quickly jumped in and asked "How about you Andre, do you have a load of shops flooding you with owls about your designs yet?"
Chiara threw me a grateful look and visibly relaxed as Andre began bragging about his promising future career as 'Style Wizard to the Stars' at Twilfitt and Tattings in Diagon Alley.
We all gushed over how proud we were and made him promise not to forget his humble origins as 'Style Wizard of Celestial Ball and Valentine's Day date outfits' after he made it big.
As Andre carried on explaining what his exact duties were to be, in great detail, Barnaby casually put his arm around my shoulders and I leaned against him gratefully. Listening to my friends excited banter about the future and watching the train picking up speed as it headed out of Hogsmeade Village still felt like home to me. I found myself wishing the train would never have to stop and indulged in a daydream about what that scenario would look like. I figured after a few days of uncomfortable sleeping arrangements and nothing to eat but sweets from the lunch trolley, it wouldn't be as appealing and I was relieved to find I'd actually prefer to get off and go home, even if it meant officially closing this chapter of my life as a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At least I knew that going home was something I was looking forward to, a little.
I was so wrapped up in my own mind that I didn't hear my name being mentioned or notice I was being stared at until Barnaby gave me a gentle squeeze and whispered "Samhain? Are you sleeping with your eyes open?"
I blinked, taking note that I'd missed something in the conversation and giggled apologetically.
"Oh, no, sorry. I was just wishing we could go in a loop on the train for a day or two, you know, back to Kings Cross, then back to Hogwarts again. I guess I'm not in a hurry for real life to start yet. What was the question?"
Andre answered me with a knowing smile, "Well we're all wondering what the famous Curse Breaker of Hogwarts has planned next. Off to join Bill Weasley on his adventures in Egypt?"
I quickly reviewed in my mind the options I'd been presented with after our N.E.W.T results had been delivered a week ago. I had indeed been offered a place with Gringots Wizarding Bank as a Curse Breaker, I hadn't even applied, they had reached out to me. And I'd also been accepted into the prestigious Auror training program at the Ministry of Magic. But I hadn't accepted or even responded to either. I tried to push away the thoughts before the anxiety could get a good hold on me and answered as normally as I could, even in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"Nope, not me, I'm a retired Curse Breaker now. My plan is to go home and see my parents, and then I guess get some uninteresting and safe job until I figure out my true calling. Maybe St Mungo's could take me on as a cafeteria cook? I've had more than enough practice making sandwiches while on kitchen duty in detention-"
"Did someone say detention?"
The compartment door slid open and Jae Kim bounded in grinning broadly. "Please please tell me that's not what you're all talking about on our first day of actual freedom. It's going to take me years and a lot of therapy to get over my nightmares of being eaten alive by massive loaves of bread while Pitts is screaming at me not to forget the mustard." Jae finished with a dramatic shudder.
Everyone laughed as Jae squeezed himself in between Penny and Andre and wiggled his eyebrows at them. "Alright Haywood?"
Everyone laughed again, except for Andre who looked more than slightly annoyed at being budged to the side as he turned to Jae and asked, "So Kim, where are you headed to after this, gonna go skulking down Knockturn Alley selling your illegal potions and dangerous artefacts"?
Jae smiling in delight, gave a very ominous wink and said, "Might be. I have a few things lined up, a little of this, a bit of that, dabbling in whatever strikes my fancy. I'll tell you what Egwu, since we're both going to be working in the same area I'll give you the friends and family discount, five percent off all uncommon collectables if you help me sell. We could make a absolute killing, especially off of next September's first years, you gotta think big mate!"
Andre rolled his eyes and laughed "Yeah sure, but if you get into trouble with the Ministry just don't tell them I know you. I've got a career to launch and it won't help being affiliated with my dodgy school mate."
Jae looked like he had the perfect comeback but luckily he was interrupted by the compartment door sliding open again. Charlie Weasley strode into the compartment beaming and cheerfully took a seat on Andre's other side "Alright you lot?"
He was followed in by Ben Copper, who said nothing at all and quietly chose the least disruptive seat next to the window with Chiara, who had a very big smile for him and reached out to pat his leg comfortingly.
"Well now we have most our favourite Gryffindors here, I'm starting to feel outnumbered." Joked Andre. "What have you done with the twins Charlie?"
But before Charlie could reply we got our answer, there was a sudden series of explosions followed by several indignant shrieks and the sound of hurried and disorderly footsteps from somewhere in the middle of the train. The compartment door flew open yet again and in scrambled Tulip Karasu, Talbot Winger and Badeea Ali, being chased it seemed by a long trail of dazzlingly bright and extremely noisy fireworks. Tulip was quick with her wand, pivoting and shooting non verbal spells back down the corridor before slamming the door shut. Leaning against it like she'd just outrun a herd of stampeding hippogriffs and breathing rather heavily she turned back to face us.
"Those brothers of yours Charlie! I've never seen anyone who beats me in the mischief and chaos department, those two are truly gifted. Hogwarts is going to be in for some ride the next few years if they keep up this pace, poor old Filch will have to retire." She smiled gleefully stowing her wand in her pocket and took a seat across from Charlie, looking positively impressed with him for being related to Fred and George.
Badeea joined Tulip and chuckled, "They think you'll go easy on them if they end up in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office one day. Our big Ministry Official, and former head mischief maker."
Tulip grinned sheepishly, clearly that was a very likely possibility.
"I'm not saying anything, my parents have already read me the riot act over and over. They expect me to uphold their good name and dignified reputation when I start working at the Ministry."
Talbot looked uncomfortable at the mention of our friend joining the Ministry of Magic. Years before he had confided in me that he was an unregistered Animagus. I had never told a soul, but he was still obviously nervous about people finding out and reporting him. I knew he was hoping to qualify as an Auror himself one day but keeping his secret was still extremely important to him.
We were interrupted again by a knock on the compartment door. I felt Barnaby sit up straight and knew immediately who it would be. But that meant the train ride was already approaching the halfway point, how had the time slipped away so quickly?
"Anything off the trolley dears?" The cheerful lunch witch asked us.
Barnaby was first out the door and returned moments later, his arms loaded with cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs and as many other snacks as he could hold.
"Blimey Barns, leave some for the rest of us!"
An amused sounding voice called from outside the compartment. Followed by the sound of something glass shattering and, "Oh no, oops. Sorry! Here let me-" "No no dear, please, just go take a seat." Nymphadora Tonks shuffled through the door red faced, clutching a packet of fizzing whizbees, as she sat down heavily.
Barnaby waited to make sure Tonks had completely stopped moving before gingerly sitting back down, plopping his pile between us and tossing out sweets to everyone.
He handed me a bottle of pumpkin juice and whispered, "Don't let Tonks have that, I'm dreadful at mending spells."
I giggled and gave him a quick kiss, amid several whistles and hoots from our friends. It still amazed me that they bothered teasing us for any show of affection, even after we'd been going steady for nearly four years and we weren't the only ones.
Andre had taken his opportunity when Jae got up for a visit to the lunch trolley to pull Penny into his lap in the opposite corner of the compartment. She looked a tiny bit embarrassed but mostly pleased about it. Andre just looked smug, especially when Jae returned with his licorice wand to the empty row of seats. Jae just shrugged as he stretched out on the remaining seats and pretended to snore loudly.
"So Tonks, are you going to your see your mum and dad first or go straight to Auror training the minute the train stops?" Penny asked.
"Straight there if they'd let me! But blimey, mum would have a fit, she didn't want me to go at all, not for a couple years. She's always saying I lack maturity but what's more mature than a burning desire to get started catching dark wizards? I know it'll be ages before I'm allowed out for field work so I've got to start as soon as possible haven't I?"
The mood in our compartment shifted then, we were all remembering what Dumbledore had said in his last speech. Dark wizards were definitely still out there, our encounters with Rakepick and 'R' told us that much. And that was only what we'd seen at Hogwarts. Out there in the real world, where we were all headed, there would be much worse and we all had to be ready to face it now.
The rest of the afternoon passed by too quickly. We talked more about our future prospects, Charlie told us he was headed to Romania to study dragons, although he'd had an offer of joining a local Quidditch team. Badeea would be going to France to continue her study of magical art and portrait painting. Ben would be returning home for a while, much to his dismay. His parents were still very overprotective and insisted he spend some time with them that summer, working in the family (Muggle) restaurant. Talbot said he'd be doing some independent study before he joined the Auror training fleet, which sounded exactly right for him. I also learned that Penny, Andre, Tulip and Jae had all gone in on a flat together in London. I was a little jealous thinking about that, one of the only things that helped my anxiety was being around my mates. I was very aware it would be hard for me to leave them all and go home by myself so I avoided thinking about it as much as possible.
As the sunlight shifted from the brilliant, blazing afternoon to simmering early evening it dawned on me that I, nor anyone else had thought to ask Barnaby what his plans were. That was an oversight to be expected by many, people normally didn't ask Barnaby his thoughts or ideas. But from myself who knew him best it was inexcusable and absolutely shameful. Of course I had the assumption that he'd accepted the position he was offered to go down South as an apprentice Mazoologist, with Liz Tuttle. But I'd been so wrapped up in my own anxiety and emotions, and the avoidance of thinking about us not being together, that we hadn't really talked about what would happen at Kings Cross station when the train came to a stop.
I felt a knot in my stomach growing tighter and tighter and finally because I couldn't stand it any longer I blurted out, "Barnaby? How long will it take you to get to Brazil from London, will you be apparating?"
That adorable and familiar look of confusion clouded his handsome features for a moment before he replied quietly. "Brazil? Samhain, I'm not going to Brazil. I turned down the position. I mentioned that, didn't I?" I quickly wracked my brain, had he mentioned it? No. The last time we talked about it was over breakfast a week before when he'd received the letter. He had been so excited and proud of his acceptance.
But now he was looking at me in such a strange way. Confused, and a little hurt? I was sure my expression was similar, I was just as confused as he was. I put my hand on his, and opened my mouth to say something comforting, and to ask why he had turned it down. But before I could speak, the compartment door slid open yet again.
"Ah, there you are Strixx. Been looking for you. Look, someone said you were spending the night at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, what do you say to one last night of being roomies, for old times sake? Thing is, we tried to get a few rooms this morning but Tom's just sent back the owl and they're fully booked." Merula told me, pushing her way into our compartment, flanked by Ismelda, Liz, and surprisingly, Diego Caplan.
Two years ago I'd have been prepared for a fight seeing Merula. But now things were so very different, I was actually happy to see her. I still wanted to talk to Barnaby about his plans, find out what exactly he was doing if not going to Brazil, but Merula was waiting for me to answer.
"Um, yeah I guess, sure, the more the merrier? But wait, you all want to sleep in my room?"
Diego laughed and said, "Don't worry, not me. I'll be Apparating home to my parents house since it's close. But I'll catch you all for breakfast in the morning before we start our grand adventure."
"So that's settled then, one last hurrah for Slytherin's most powerful girl gang!" cheered Ismelda.
Liz looked slightly guilty but relieved as she added, "Thanks Samhain, we'll try not to crowd you. I'm not going abroad with this lot but my parents are out of the country and I still haven't passed my Apparaiton test, so I'd be stuck waiting for the Knight bus or floo network if you said no."
They were all beaming at me with such eagerness I just had to laugh. I'd been so upset about leaving my dormmates that morning, I should have thought of this myself. One last girls night did sound good, even if the four of us had to share a bed or kip on the floor. But what about Barnaby?
I turned back to him to see his face changing from quiet concentration to surprise, and then arriving at happiness. "You girls could take my room, if you want it. If Samhain doesn't mind sharing hers with me? It would be less crowded."
All conversations in our compartment paused as everyone registered Barnaby's suggestion.
My initial reaction was total shock, Barnaby was staying in London? Then I felt the heat of a blush creeping into my pale complexion, not because I was embarrassed by the idea of sharing my room with him, in fact, nothing could have made me happier.
But because I could tell, even without using my natural gift of Legilimency, exactly what everyone was thinking.
I pushed hard at the boundaries I'd created in my mind to keep out the thoughts of the others, it was always harder when I was caught off guard, but I really didn't want to hear it.
I clung instead to thought that I'd finally get to sleep in the same bed as Barnaby, that I was finally allowed. No longer would teachers or prefects be looking to catch us breaking the rules. I let that wonderful notion overtake my discomfort of my friends thoughts as Barnaby hastily amended, "I'd sleep on the floor, of course."
That broke the tension and got everyone laughing and teasing us again. "Sounds good to me." I agreed quickly. "But Barnaby you still haven't told me where you're going after London?"
Once again the chatter died down and everyone turned their attention to my boyfriend to hear what his mysterious plans were.
Barnaby cleared his throat nervously before looking straight into my eyes as he said, "Well, I.. I dunno, I thought I'd just, go with you Samhain. If you'll let me, I'd follow you anywhere."
My heart absolutely melted. Never would I have dreamed of asking Barnaby to postpone his career to stay with me. As much as I'd tried to avoid thinking of it because of how painful it would be to say goodbye to him, I'd always wanted him to pursue his dreams of becoming a Mazoologist. And I told him that.
"But you're my dream Samhain." He mumbled. "I can be a Mazoologist anywhere, but there's only one of you, and I'd be the biggest fool in the world if I let you go." I could barely hold back my tears as I threw myself into his arms and kissed him full force in front of everyone. "You're my dream too, Barnabae" I whispered as I pulled back a few inches to look at him.
We smiled at each other, ignoring the whistles, laughter and lewd comments of our friends. This moment was pure magic. We had just cemented our future together and no matter what came next, I knew with Barnaby by my side I'd be okay.
Outside the train whistle blew as the Hogwarts Express lazily chugged the last stretch into Kings Cross station and we prepared to begin our lives after Hogwarts.