many moons ago - mary macdonald

III

Of all the magical things Mary was left out of, the only one she could enjoy throughout the years was the trip to the platform 9 3/4; after all, it was always the last chance to say goodbye to her brothers.

That day, King's Cross was so crowded that their dad had to say goodbye to the three kids in the car, because he wouldn't have been able to find a park, bring them all to the platform 9 4/3 and then go away in time to be at work.

«Be good kids!» he yelled as they all got off the car and took their trunks from the luggage.

«We always are» grunted Brian, picking up his trunk, heavier than himself.

The three MacDonald children and their mother started to walk down the station, with three trunks and an howling owl, trying not to lose a member of the family in the dense crowd. Cynthia MacDonald led the way, holding Brian's hand, while pushing his trunk; behind them Magnus was holding a cart with both his and Mary's trunk on it; at last, followed Mary, walking quickly near her eldest brother.

Cynthia turned around «Magnus do not lose Mary» she called, over her shoulder.

Magnus tried to take his sister's hand, but he could not drive the cart with just one — so he stopped. Mary stopped beside him, confused «What... ?»

Magnus kept an eye on their mother and brother, who were stepping away, and took the cage of Coconut the owl, giving it to Mary.

«Sit on the trunks» he said, quickly.

«I... what?» she asked, holding Coconut's cage tight.

«Hurry or we are going to lose them»

Mary carefully climbed on the cart and sat on the two trunks, still holding the cage close to her chest. She looked at Magnus, who was sweating for the effort of pushing two trunks and was now probably thinking of the perspective of pushing his sister's weight too.

«Hold on tight» he said «Do not fall»

Mary hugged the cage and tightened her hand around one of the bands that were keeping the trunks on the cart. Magnus started to push with all his might, swerving dangerously to avoid crashing into people. Mary laughed loudly, still holding the cage and the band and she heard Magnus laughing behind her too. The cart was racing fast, but she was sure her brother had everything under control.

Mary knew Magnus wanted to shout at people to move, but she also knew he felt way too old to act like a little child.

"Well" she thought "I don't".

«CAREFUL» she yelled, with all the air she had in her lungs to a confused family right in front of the cart. The family jumped aside and Mary heard Magnus shouting a «SORRY» followed by a loud laugh.

This way, the two siblings reached quickly the platforms nine and ten, where their mother and brother were already waiting.

«What are you two doing?» Cynthia hissed, looking at her children absolutely disappointed «Mary who taught you to shout like that? Are you an animal? Be quiet»

Mary, ashamed, looked down at Coconut, in the cage; it seemed he had had a good time too. "Be quiet" was her mother's favourite phrase when it came to discipline Mary, and it was never referred to her brothers in any circumstance. Mary always felt like the only one who had to be quiet was her, as if girls were supposed be silent and boys didn't.

Magnus approached and put his hand on Mary's shoulder, facing their mother «We were just having a little bit of fun, mom, nothing to be too concerned about»

Cynthia didn't seem happy about that explanation, but she didn't reply. No one ever replied when Magnus talked or justified something; actually, in the MacDonald's house, Magnus was the only one everyone listened to, as if he was the voice of the reason of the family. And he probably was, because most of times his intuition was correct.