Blood of The Birds (~Gabrielle)

Chapter 2 - Lysander Scammander

Platform 9¾ was bustling with families of witches and wizards, all saying their last goodbye to their children who would be gone for the next four months. The Hogwarts Express was a familiar sight for Rose, who was standing on the platform with Hugo, waiting for their parents to come through the magical brick wall behind them. They had told her before that the black and red train was the exact same one that they had once ridden, #5972. This had provided a comfort to Rose in some way, particularly when she was younger. It was as if every time she rode the train, her family was there too, sitting silently in the same cabin as her. Now though, Rose was staring at the train thinking that she no longer needed that comfort. After all, she had a whole other family waiting for her inside the train, and at that moment, the thought of them was all the comfort she needed.

Rose kept this idea in her mind as Ron and Hermione appeared behind her and Hugo. Hermione already looked like she was about to cry, and Ron was holding Hugo back as he tried to run off after a friend who had just boarded the train. The final horn blew then; they only had a minute left to say goodbye.

"Oh, why did we have to get here so late?" Hermione asked. She had always been the prompt one in the family, and it made her very uncomfortable to have so little time to see her kids off.

Nobody answered, though Ron wore a guilty look on his face. He had had to drive them all there, like they did every year on this day. Still, he wasn't quite used to this muggle custom, and along the way he made a number of wrong turns. The confundus charm may have worked to get his license to drive, but it didn't actually help him learn to drive. Unfortunately for the entire family, Ron was just too proud to let Hermione take the wheel instead.

"Oh Mum, does it really matter now?" Rose asked, starting to lose her patience. "The train's going to leave!"

Hearing these words, Hermione snapped right back into focus and said, "Oh of course, Rose, you're right. Well, come on then. Give me a hug." This was of course followed by an extremely tight hug from her mother, from whom Rose had to break apart in order to take a breath.

Rose then turned to her father, who had just given a big old bear hug to Hugo, and looked up at all six feet of him. For some reason, the sadness of leaving sunk in at that moment, as she realized how much she would miss the man she so idolized.

Before Rose began to cry however, Ron pulled her close and kissed the top of her ginger-covered head, which barely reached his chest. He never liked the part when he had to say goodbye to his little girl, this year in particular. Now that Rose was a teenager, and with so much attachment to her friends, Ron felt like she was really growing up. So he stretched out their hug, secretly wishing that he'd never have to let go.

After some time though, Rose broke away, and looked to both of her parents as she gathered up her things. Hugo had already left for the train, but Rose didn't care. "I'll miss you both so much," she said.

Ron and Hermione were now standing together, with Ron's arms around Hermione as she tried desperately to stop her tears from falling. "We'll see you soon," said Hermione.

At that, Rose was reminded of something. "Dad, you and Harry are still planning on coming to DADA soon, right?" she asked. Ever since before any of the kids were born, Ron and Harry had been paying yearly visits to Hogwarts, teaching a special Defense Against the Dark Arts class to fifth years. It was the talk of the school every time the two famous wizards came through, and a class that students looked forward to more than any other.

"Of course!" Ron said. "I wouldn't miss getting to teach my own daughter, plus Harry's got to come and see Al too."

This was reassuring to Rose, and so with the thought that she would be able to see at least one of her parents in the very near future, she said her last goodbye and turned around, just making it onto the train before it started to leave the station.