Courage

-62-

Book: Courage
Chapter 62
Word Count: 5166

When the next day came around, however, signaling the first day back to Hogwarts, Layla's walls were back up. Hermione had tried to talk to her about what had happened, but Layla acted as if nothing had taken place. As if she hadn't completely broken down in front of Hermione. As if she was perfectly fine.

Layla debated on what to wear on the way to King's Cross and headed up putting on Cedric's jumper. She knew that it would just result in her getting even more stares on the train. But as long as she had a piece of Cedric close to her, she didn't care.

As Layla descended the stairs, she heard Mrs Weasley screaming at Fred and George, causing Layla to roll her eyes. Nothing new.

Layla gathered from the screaming that Fred and George had bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carrying them, with the result that they had hurtled straight into Ginny and knocked her down two flights of stairs into the hall; Mrs Black and Mrs Weasley were both screaming at the top of their voices.

"—COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS—"

"—FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS—"

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Mrs Weasley bellowed up the stairs. Layla sighed and exited her room, dragging her trunk along along with her three pet cages with much struggle.

"Um, do you need a hand?" Harry offered from the bottom of the stairs, noticing how much Layla was struggling with all of her belongings.

"No, I'm good," snapped Layla stubbornly. Harry sighed in defeat and strolled off.

Mrs Black's portrait was howling with rage but nobody was bothering to close the curtains over her; all the noise in the hall was bound to rouse her again, anyway.

"MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!"

"Oh, for heavens sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!"

A bear-like black dog had appeared at Layla's side as he was clambering over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Mrs Weasley.

"Oh honestly..." said Mrs Weasley despairingly. "Well, on your own head be it!"

She wrenched open the front door and stepped out into the weak September sunlight. The great black dog gave a joyful bark and gambolled around them, snapping at pigeons and chasing its own tail. Layla couldn't help but crack a small smile. Sirius had been trapped inside for a very long time.

It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross on foot and nothing more eventful happened during that time than Sirius scaring a couple of cats for Layla's entertainment. Once inside the station, they lingered casually beside the barrier between platforms nine and ten until the coast was clear, then each of them leaned against it in turn and fell easily through on to platform nine and three-quarters, where the Hogwarts Express stood belching sooty steam over a platform packed with departing students and their families. Layla inhaled the familiar smell.

"Well, look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round. He reached Layla last and pulled his daughter into a hug. "You have fun, okay?"

"It's not easy having fun when you are constantly being stared at, dad," said Layla, gesturing to a group of fourth year Hufflepuff girls who were stood nearby; whispering and pointing at the Hufflepuff jumper that Layla wore.

"You have never been one to care what others think of you, honey," Remus reminded with a smile. "You'll have a great time, alright? I know it. I think it'll be refreshing going back."