Starstruck

18. Reflection

A handful of hours, a broken satchel and a disastrous car journey later, Albus Potter lay cocooned in the warmth of his duvet as the casual splatter of raindrops sounded above him. The uncovered, glass skylight in which he was staring into clouded with droplets, yet he could still make out the dozens of twinkling stars atop an inky-blue canvas. Each shined as if they were diamonds sewn onto a velvet sky, scattered randomly to lighten the darkness.

Albus could lie for hours, simply taking in the night sky and fascinating constellations, studying the shining sliver of moon as it enlarged, before shrinking and slinking back into the shadows. He often compared people to the moon. Ever changing, yet the light side is the only fraction others ever see. The darkness is always hidden, always concealed.

The events of his day kept buzzing in his mind like a film on repeat, and sleep was pointless to even hazard an attempt at. It was almost as if the events of recently had been flooding his mind, so he'd shut the away in a corner of his mind only to find them leaking out again just. He had experienced the best and most odd day of his life, and who knew he could have ever actually enjoyed shopping? His new trunk heaved with newly purchased items, including spectacular robes, clothes, a pointy wizard hat, protective gloves, the newly designed cloak with arms and fur, 10 magical school books, reading books, 3 magical books, a crystal phials, a cauldron, a telescope, scales, and of course his magnificent wand!

Yet the best surprise had been delivered at the end of their trip. After Albus's wand had chosen it's owner, he met up with Rose again who seemed to have developed some sort of bulky lump in her jumper. More worryingly, it had seemed to be moving slightly of it's own accord! Rose refused point blank to tell Albus what it contained, until they reached the car and she pulled out a large birdcage from within the folded bundles. 

Perched inside was a gorgeous tawny baby owl, with eyes the colour of melted chocolate. "Late birthday present" Rose had beamed, or something of the sort but the truth was he hadn't exactly been concentrating. He swear his heart had stopped there and then. Just the look it gave Albus was enough to convince him that it wasn't just wands who chose their wizards.

It had hopped tentatively forward to greet him, acting like a child unsure of it's new surroundings. Albus didn't even pause to think before he swept Rose into a bone-breaking hug, stammering his thanks as she joked around, clutched her throat and breathing in gasps. Ron rolled his eyes . "It's just an owl you prat." And Rose punched her father playfully in the arm.

A soft beep penetrated the silence, regardless of it's low volume nevertheless caused Albus to jump. 1:00am flashed in piercing red letters. It was pathetic, he thought, that the wizarding world couldn't have invented some sort of sleeping charm. Instantly within the click of the fingers. But no, pathetic!  He glanced up at  Felix the barn owl- envying the sleep that had come to his pet within seconds- and his overflowing trunk which lay on the floor, stuffed with all his worldly belongings.

 He may have overreacted slightly packing a full 15 days before he was due to leave  on the 1st of September. Better safe than sorry though. Knowing Rose she would cram a couple of things in at the last minute and quite probably miss the train!  But he would see all his cousins in Hogwarts, and maybe even... possibly... make a friend or two? He loved to think that he could be liked and popular but there things just didn't seemed to have been included in him.

As his eyelids drooped, his head began to feel hot and heavy, and he felt himself drifting off into sleep. Within seconds, Albus’ breathing slowed and he was fast asleep dreaming about the castle of Hogwarts and it's houses, before a serpant seemed to wriggle in, hissing and spluttering. Slytherin. It's often funny how dreams can turn sour.