Eternal Patience

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"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts, teach us something please..."

The girl muttered the school song under her breath to occupy herself on the otherwise silent journey to King's Cross station. Now sixteen, it would be the sixth time she made the trip Hogwarts at the start of a new year, and now she walked a few paces ahead of her parents instead of following behind or holding her father's hand.

Though her family were wizards, they had all donned muggle clothing to blend in with the many people at the crowded station. The daughter strode ahead in jeans and trainers, but she couldn't resist dressing a little for the occasion, and the thin, red sweater she wore featured a cuddly lion, the symbol of her school house.

"Hold your hippogriffs, Sarah," called the girl's father. "You'll be on the train before your mother and I even get to the platform at this pace."

Sarah slowed a little. She supposed she was particularly eager to get back on the Hogwarts Express this year. Sarah had spent most of the summer avoiding her parents, unable to take her mother's moping and her father's outbursts. Time only increased their grief over their lost son, it seemed. She wrote many letters to her friends and now she couldn't wait to see them all again. One person, especially. He'd stopped writing to her halfway through the summer, and she'd spent the rest of the summer worrying about him. 

She arrived at the barrier hiding Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. At the first opportunity, when no muggles could see her, she walked through the barrier and arrived on the Platform. She grinned at the cacophony around her, glad to be back in the wizarding world. For the muggles, everything was straight lines and dull colors. King's Cross was a place of no nonsense, no whimsy. Here, everyone was brightly dressed. The place was filled with hooting owls and mewling cats. Students ran about laughing and singing, and the magic was thick in the air.

Sarah felt her parents appear behind her, but she didn't turn around. Her eyes scanned the platform, looking for any of her friends. She crossed her fingers as she searched for the Slytherin boy. She'd told herself all summer that he would be there, but she couldn't help but feel the small shred of doubt weighing in her mind. Had he passed all his exams? Would his grandmother let him come back to Hogwarts afterall?

Her heart leaped, and she nearly let out a loud whoop of joy.

At the front of the engine, standing with his grandmother, looking like a joyful puppy excited by all the sights around him, was Barnaby Lee.

 He'd done it.

Barnaby caught sight of her. Smiling widely, he took a step toward her before remembering himself and staying in place. His grandmother caught him looking at Sarah though; she frowned and reached up to smack the back of his head. Still grinning, he turned to hear his grandmother's lecture, but Sarah could see him still watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, have a good term," said Sarah's father, pulling her in for a quick hug and letting her go. No lectures telling her to follow the rules, no warnings to stay away from the vaults. Her father had evidently finally given up on her. It seemed both of his children would be failures.

Sarah's mother said nothing. As she so often did these days, she looked like she was trying not to cry. When Sarah gave her a hug though, she whispered, "Save him." Sarah pulled away and met her mother's glossy eyes, then nodded.

Dragging her heavy trunk behind her, Sarah boarded the scarlet steam engine. Her parents didn't stay long after that. They preferred not to linger under public scrutiny, ashamed at all the whispers about their wayward children.