Hogwarts is my Home

Chapter 16: Leaving Home (SS CH17)

I placed each of my belongings individually into my trunk the next day, even though it would've been done in a second if I used magic. I knew that once I'd returned to my parent's house, all my wizarding items would be padlocked under the stairs- five different keys all identical, so you'd have to fumble with each lock and key for minutes at an end until you get so frustrated and give up.

I looked at every detail of everything I owned closely, always scared I'd forget during summer. I put my wand in last. "Bye, phoenix feather," I said softly.

Fred and George helped me heave my trunk down to the common room.

"Took you long enough to pack, Tone," Percy grumbled.

"Yeah, well, as soon as I go home, this baby's gettin' locked in the cupboard under the stairs." Harry whipped around to look at me- I'd forgotten that's what his aunt and uncle did to him for 10 years. "The trunk, not me."

"Why would my parents lock away your stuff?" Ron asked. 

"What?" 

"Oh, we forgot to tell you," started George. "We know you don't like staying at your house, so we wrote to Mum and Dad and they agreed to let you stay with us this summer."

I clapped my hands to my mouth. "You're kidding!?"  I asked incredulously.

"If you don't mind the hustle and bustle of the Burrow, that is. It gets pretty loud there with five kids."

"Beats the uncomfortable silence at the Marston house."

I was positively beaming. Two months spent with my favourite family, this was going to be the best summer ever! I'd even get to spend my birthday there!

"Harry, do you mind if I borrow Hedwig? I should at least send a letter to my parents so they don't get worried about me."

"For sure."

I never received anything back from either of them, so I assumed they didn't care.

We all gathered onto the Hogwarts Express, and I stopped as Harry turned to get one last look at the castle, in all its glory. "It'll still be here in September," Ron pointed out before going inside, but I stood next to Harry on the platform.

"I do the same thing every year. No one understands what it's like leaving this place when you consider it your home."

"Yeah," was all he said, staring in awe at Hogwarts.

Hermione walked up to us. "Ready to go home?"

Harry turned to her. "I'm not going home. Not really."

Hagrid cleared his throat, and motioned for Harry to come forward. 

"I'll wait for you," I offered.

"Thanks. I'll be right back."

I watched as Hagrid gave Harry a photo album then told him to get on the train. I waved to Hagrid one more time.

Harry clutched the book under his arm as he followed me through the train door and into the compartment with Hermione and Ron.

"Where'd you get that?" Ron asked.

"Hagrid just gave it to me. You guys wouldn't mind if I looked through it, would you?"

We all shook our heads. In fact, we all crowded onto one compartment seat and looked at the moving pictures with him. The three of us were just happy for him to have something about his parents.

It had only felt like 20 minutes, when the Hogwarts Express arrived at King's Cross station.

We all hugged Hermione and told her to have a good summer, and she returned the sentiment.

"Bye, Harry," Ron said.

"Bye." He turned to walk away, but then turned back around. "Toni."

"Yes?"

He looked like he wanted to tell me all his deepest, darkest secrets. Instead, he swallowed hard and said, "Have a good holiday." Whatever I thought he was going to say, it wasn't that.

"You, too."

"Oh, I will. They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

I smiled as he walked away, already excited for the upcoming year at Hogwarts. Ready for whatever fun adventures he would get me into next.

"Toni, are you ready?" Arthur Weasley asked me.

"Ready as I'll ever be."