Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 31

~A/N~ Tried to ride my cousin's old bike today and discovered it didn't have any brakes so I crashed into a wall.
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

"No, no, don't cry Harry!" Ashton pleaded with his little brother as Harry clung to his leg, wailing at the top of his lungs. "I'll be back before you know it!"

"I don't want you to LEAVE!" Harry howled, causing many students passing by to stare at us. "You always leave and I don't like it!"

"Should we get on the train or...?" Michael whispered to me as the two of us stood awkwardly at the edge of the scene, waiting for it to all blow over. This reminded me of Sofiyah, only she never cried when I left or seemed all that sad to see me leaving - I supposed she was used to it, as Zara left for University every year and she had said many goodbyes to our parents when they left to go to conferences abroad.

"Yeah, we'll save a space for Ashton."

"Are you going now?" Lauren looked up at me with puppy dog eyes welling with tears, and I lent down to give her a hug, trying not to hit her with Kika's cage.

"Yes, but I promise I'll write to you," I replied, ruffling her hair as I untangled myself and went to say goodbye to Anne-Marie.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay," I said, also giving her a hug.

"It was my pleasure," she smiled. "Stay safe at school, and try and make sure Ashton stays out of trouble!"

"Believe me, it's usually the other way around!" I giggled, taking one last look at Ashton comforting Harry before linking arms with Michael and climbing onto the Hogwarts Express.

"Do you think Luke, Calum or Ginny are here already or should we get an empty compartment?" asked Michael as we maneuvered past groups of chattering students. Fortunately, I didn't have to answer him as I caught sight of a familiar blond head and pushed my way through to where Luke was sitting, deep in conversation with Calum and Neville.

"Leila! Michael!" Calum shouted as Luke lifted me up in a hug. "You took your time! Where's Ashton?"

"Trying to disentangle himself from Harry," Michael said.

"Harry Potter?" Luke asked, astonished.

"No, you numbskull, his brother Harry," I said, hitting him on the shoulder as Michael slid the compartment door closed.

"Oh."

***
Soon enough, Ashton had joined us, Neville had departed to sit with Dean and Seamus, and the scarlet train full of excited pupils had set off and was now flying through the countryside, all the scenery a blur of green and blue.

We had lapsed into relaxed yet muted conversation when Ginny burst into the carriage.

"I was starting to wonder," Calum remarked dryly as I stood up to embrace my red headed friend. "What took you so long?"

"I couldn't find you when I got on the train so I was sitting with Harry, Ron and Hermione, but Ron kicked me out so I looked again."

"Well, come sit," Michael patted the space next to him and Ginny gladly took it. "I have Exploding Snap."

It turned out Exploding Snap was a bad idea, because as soon as the first loud noise came Kika burst into an explosion of startled hooting.

"That's weird," I said, "Kika doesn't normally react to Exploding Snap, she's used to it." I reached up into the luggage rack above our heads to comfort my bird when a peck made me squeal indignantly.

"Hey!" I stood on the seat to glare at Kika, but screamed and fell down onto Calum and Ginny's heads when I saw another owl, much bigger and darker than my cute little saw-whet. My first thought was that someone had accidentally transfigured Kika, or another owl had come and eaten her, but those assumptions were dispelled by Luke's obnoxious giggling and the fact that I could see Kika peeking out from behind the other owl's large wings.