The light lazily drifted in through the veiled windows as the early morning breeze blew into the bathroom and through into the hall. The last breaths of summer escaped in that breeze as it filled each and every room one by one. Every nook and cranny and corner of every memory stained room could feel it. This was more than just any moment - no moment or memory would change this house more than this day. Today Olivia's world was truly going to start.
As she heard the door behind her creak wide there was a pause, a muffled sigh and finally those words she'd been expecting ever since she'd been to Diagon alley all those weeks ago to get her wand; To get everything for her very first year at Hogwarts.
"You're really growing up. I can't. I honestly can't believe it-" the tender voice was cut off by a set of sobs. Olivia briefly looked down towards the floor as a sigh of her own escaped. From where she stood in front of the mirror Olivia could see her mother turning away, hiding, as she attempted to stifle the unflattering noises. Hurrying to her side, Olivia wrapped her arms around her mothers waist. She wasn't used to this - to her mother crying. She wasn't used to seeing her as any less than her pretense of strength and support. She was her rock. Olivia attempted a smile as she fought back tears.
After a very long moment the quiet gesture ended she was suddenly an arms length away from the teary eyes, runny nose and cherry cheeks as she finally continued. "This is the day, huh?" she squeaked as her hands clutched and grasped at her shoulders, "you're going to love it. Every single second. Every single feast, friend and bit of fun. I know it. Hogwarts will be like your second home in no time." Miss Shelley's arms slide and fell beneath the weight of her pride. Their entwined hands grasped tightly with the other. They couldn't let go. Not now. Just one more second.
Olivia raised her hand, tucked a strand of amber hair behind her ear and wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. Rubbing them into bawled fists as her face flushed red with emotion. There was another shared embrace and then an awkward, nervous smile drawing out a giggle or two from the both of them.
"I love you mu-" Her comforts were quickly interrupted as something flew through her peripheral and suddenly there was a crashing noise. Spinning around she found the mirror in shattered pieces, and laying on the floor in a sea of reflections a hairbrush.
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO! YOU CAN'T GO. I NEED you." a wobbly toddler-ish voice barked from the open doorway. Like a tiny chihuahua the little girl went charging at her sister but the effect was little more than an angry hug before two arms forced their way between the two of them and the tantrum was being held up by her mother.
"It's alright, it's all ok. I'm only going to be gone till Christmas. You can wait till then right? It'll be like i am the present" a nervous laugh followed her attempt to lighten the conversation. "And i'm going to write every week so it'll be like i'm with you.". Her sister's eyes longingly looked up to her as she calmed and her mother put her down.
"Every day"
"Twice a week"
"Every other day"
"Deal" Olivia said, giggling away with her sister. They hugged again and this time she felt her sister nuzzle her head into her shoulder as they stood in the little bathroom at the end of the hall; the bath, which she had spent so many nights as a little kid playing in the bubbles with the army of rubber ducks that were now lined up along the side, sat beside her; the rack of shampoo and bath bombs with the mirrored door stood behind her. As she took it all in she could smell the strawberry scent of her sisters messy brown hair, the dampness of the room and the bleach from the recently scrubbed floor tiles which lead to the door and were then cut off by the mottled brown carpet. Out the door lead to each of their rooms, a mess of clothes and toys on the landing and the worn, creaky stairs. And there, half hidden from sight beneath her childhood blanket, an owl's hoot echoed out as if signalling the end of this chapter.
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TTTHHWWWOOO! TTHHWWOOO! CHUGGA! CHUGGA! CHUGGA! CHINK! CLUNK!
The train's pistons finally quietened and the steam that had billowed out dispersed among the heaving swarm. So many witches and wizards had gathered with their whole families as they waited for first dibs on new friends and seats. People kept filing in through the platforms magical entrance but as the station busied itself with loading the trolleys full of trunks and parents taking photos and kids cramming onto the almost holy Hogwarts Express, more and more older students began to slip in through the entrance. The remarkable show of new students were always the first to arrive at the station but as the time passed one still hadn't arrived. The train was suddenly exploded with another loud "TTHHWWOOO" of its horn. Steam began to billow out and fill the station once again but now it hovered on the platform where the parents had once stood. They had stepped back into a huddle as the pistons and the rest of the trains mechanics began to whir to life. Some kids waved from behind windows whilst others leaned out almost to the point they were one push away from the platform.
A lone girl hurried through the entrance and, startled by the trains noises, began sprinting towards the nearest door. Panic overcame her however as she stopped halfway.
Her trunk. Desperately she raced back as a trolley loaded with her cases and sister hurtled through the entrance. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief as her mother arrived pushing it.
There was a quick kiss on the forehead and a loving look from her mother before her bags were loaded into her hands and she was being forcefully spun round.
Now the train was moving and the CHUGGA CHUGGA CHUG of the wheels began to sound around the cold stone station. As she ran the front disappeared beyond the tunnel exit and, increasingly as it sped up, the carriages began to too. The doors were all shot except perhaps one.
As she built up speed a hand reached out from the last door to help her pull. Other students aboard the train cheered those at the door and the whole spectacle doubled in tension.
YYEEEESSSSSSS! cried out from the train as her legs cleared the floor and a group of students from all years finally heaved her up onto the train.
And then, as she turned to the window to see her family one last time, everything she knew disappeared...
