Barnaby Lee x Reader - Year 7

New Beginnings

(⚠️TW: minor mentions of abuse⚠️)

August 31st, 8am.

Lana bolted up in bed when a loud ringing sound awoke her. Realising it was only her alarm, she groaned and fumbled around her nightstand to switch it off. She then gasped, eyes wide open as she remembered what day it was.

"'I'm officially a 7th year!' she thought, and got up out of bed to take a shower.

After getting dressed into leggings and a Gryffindor sweatshirt, she rushed downstairs with her trunk and quickly ate breakfast, eager to start the new school year.

"Easy there, kiddo!" her dad chuckled, patting her back.

"Sorry, I'm just too excited! I finish school, can you believe it?" Lana grinned.

"Not one bit! Seems like only yesterday you were up to my knee and chasing butterflies in the garden." the man reminisced, smiling fondly at the girl.

"I'm still your little girl, dad. That'll never change." she smiled, pecking his cheek and going to slip her sneakers on.

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Meanwhile, Barnaby was at home, snoring loudly as he accidentally slept in. There were three sharp knocks on his door, and when he didn't respond, his grandmother impatiently opened the door, her face scrunched up in disgust as she observed her grandson.

"Wake up!" she demanded, throwing a shoe right at him. He flinched and then opened his eyes, rubbing his arm where the shoe had came into contact with his skin. "Honestly, you're unbelievable. You'd better get up now before you miss the train. I want you out of this house as soon as possible." she told him strictly.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Barnaby said defensively, clambering out of bed and picking up the shoe which was now on the floor.

"Why you had to stay living here instead of going to an orphanage, I'll never know..." his grandmother tutted.

Barnaby glanced back at her, shaking his head as she turned around, thinking she didn't see it.

"Don't shake your head at me, boy!" her fierce voice yelled, "You're lucky I decided to keep you here!"

"Lucky?! You call this 'lucky'?!" Barnaby frowned, "Don't worry, I'm not coming back after this year!" he yelled back.

"It'll be a sigh of relief, I tell you! I'll no longer have to endure your foolishness!" the old lady hissed.

"And I'll no longer have to see you again, you hag!"

"I beg your pardon?!" she screeched.

"I said..." Barnaby said lowly, approaching the woman and towering over her intimidatingly, "...I'll never have to see you again. Hag." he spat, looking her up and down and shoving the shoe to her chest, her flinching as she held onto it. "Now get out of my room." he growled, his eyes suddenly losing their usual happy glow as he stared at her.

The old woman swallowed thickly and backed out of his room, hurriedly slamming the door and quickly walking away. Barnaby chuckled to himself as began to get dressed, finally happy that he stood up for himself against the woman that had been tormenting him his whole life.

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It was 10am, and Lana was at the station, pushing her way through the crowds of muggles waiting for their trains to commute to work. She found the wall between platforms 9 and 10, and ran through, emerging on the other side to find the familiar red steam engine still waiting.