Sparks Fly || A George Weasley Story

Year 4: Here and There

"Are you sure you packed enough?" Amaryllis asked, hands planted firmly on my shoulders, "Is one suitcase going to be enough?"

"We're only going to be gone for like two days, mum," I said, smiling over at her, "One bag is plenty."

She pursed her lips as she looked down at Cedric and I. I wasn't sure why she was making this into such a big deal. She packed me up and sent me away for months at a time from the time I turned eleven. I don't see how there is much of a difference, besides the fact that she was letting us get on a muggle train instead of the Hogwarts Express. But that wasn't that big of a deal. We were going to a magical household, so that meant that we would be able to floo home if anything happened.

"And are you sure that you two will be alright on your own?" She asked, looking over to Cedric as well, knowing Hogwarts was the only time he'd spent away from home as well, "I could still probably buy a ticket if you want me to ride with you."

"Mrs. Cogshire," Cedric said, flashing her a smile, "Everything is going to be just fine. I think we're old enough to handle a simple train ride."

"Oh alright," She sighed, "Now when you get there, Hiram won't be there. His nephew will be there with a sign and it'll have your names on it. You'll go with him and he'll aparate you to Hiram's house. He lives with him now that he's older, and if anything, and I mean anything, feels off, I want you two to floo straight home!"

"Okay," I said, nodding.

"I'll keep an eye out, Mrs. Cogshire," Cedric said, and she ruffled his hair.

"Alright, you two should hurry on now. I think the train is due to leave soon and I want you to make sure that you get a spot together." She said, handing us our bags off the ground and pushing us towards the train.

I knew that she was pushing us to get on before she could change her mind and take the two of us back home. Normally, she didn't care all that much where I went and what I did as long as I was with Cedric. Two heads are better than one, unless one of those heads is Cedric's, but she didn't need to know that. Mostly because if she did, I would not be stepping foot in this train station without the promise of her coming with us for the next two days.

We got on the train, waving back at her and saying our 'I love you' s quickly so we weren't just standing in everyone's way. There were other people with places to be, believe it or not.

I looked around, noticing that while it was not the Hogwarts Express, it was set up eerily similar. There were the long hallways with the different compartments that could be closed off from the rest of the train. It wasn't what I was expecting from something made my muggles, but I was enjoying the familiarity.

Cedric and I quickly found a compartment to crash in for the next few hours and I hoped that no one else would try and sit with us. It was hard enough to act normal in the station itself, but at least if we had the compartment to ourselves, we could talk about school and stuff. We could end up in some real
trouble if we talked about potions or magical creatures and quidditch in front of a muggle. I wasn't sure, but I had a sneaking suspicion that it could land the two of us in Azkaban.

I tucked away my suitcase, we didn't take our trunks because these looked a bit more normal, while I looked out my window at all the muggles wandering around the platform. My family stood out against the crowd, even with our best efforts to blend in.

There was just something about them that I couldn't place, but whatever it was, it really set them apart. I wondered if it was the way they kept an eye on Gardenia, not to make sure that she didn't run off, but so they could make sure she wasn't performing any accidental magic. It could also be the way that Leilani and Oleander seemed much too interested in the newspaper a man nearby was reading. (I had a sneaking suspicion that they were wondering why the pictures weren't moving.)