Obsidian (Harry Potter Fan Fiction, Sequel to the Lazuli Trilogy)

Two - Tobias

My trainers slapped against the wooden floorboards of our Hogsmeade house as I thundered down the stairs, clutching a stack of books and my Astrology telescope as I hurried to finish packing. "Typical Toby," my younger sister Andromeda had said as she watched me rush around packing the last of my belongings, "always leaves it to the last minute."

I shoved the books messily into my open trunk and laid the telescope down on top of them, being careful not to scratch it. Mum wouldn't be happy if I broke yet another piece of school equipment before the year had even started. Yesterday's trip to Diagon Alley to find a replacement set of scales had not gone down well.

There was a whoosh as my youngest brothers - Caleb and Xavier - slid down the bannister shouting, waving miniature toy dragons they'd been given by Uncle Charlie in the air as they pretended to fly with them. I grabbed the nearest of the identical twins - I knew him to be Xavier from the missing front tooth - and lifted him up, swinging him through the air wildly. Xavier let out a cackle of amusement as I lifted him up and dropped him low suddenly, only just stopping before he crashed into the freshly polished floor. "And here we have a most dangerous and wild beast," I shouted, holding Xavier steady in front of me. "Known to the natives as Crazy Xavey, see how he hovers hundreds of feet in the air, so he has a better view of his prey." I hoisted Xavier high above my head, holding him perfectly still. "Now watch as he pauses until the opportune moment - when his prey is distracted - and then he SWOOPS..." I dropped Xavier suddenly and threw him on Caleb, who erupted into fits of laughter as his twin crashed down and began to tickle him. I laughed as I watched the two of them wrestle; both determined to prove who was the stronger of the two, and barely noticed as my sister Cecelia came downstairs and rolled her eyes at them.

"Do you have to encourage them, Tobe?" she drawled, rubbing her temples with her hands as she reached the bottom step. "They're giving me a migraine."

I rolled my eyes and pulled her towards me, hugging her tightly even though she hates hugs. "They're just having fun, Cece. Remember when you used to have fun?"

"Cece's boring now!" Caleb piped up from amidst the wrestling. "Yeah," Xavier agreed, "she never plays with us anymore."

Cece placed her hand over her chest and gasped in mock horror. "Oh I'm boring am I?" she exclaimed. "If I were boring, would I do this?" With that, she lunged at our brothers and began to tickle them both, trapping them beneath her arms and tickling them until their faces turned red from laughing so hard. I crossed my arms across my chest and chuckled as I watched the three of them.

"What on earth are you all doing?" a voice said from the dining room door. We all looked up to see Dad leaning against the door frame, an amused grin on his face as he took in Cece's dishevelled hair and the boys' wild grins. "They said I was boring Dad, so I was proving them wrong!" Cece explained, jumping back to tickling the boys whilst they were unprepared. The boys howled with laughter, but were interrupted as Dad shouted, "Cecelia! I thought that I brought you up better than that. Picking on your younger brothers; is that how I've taught you to act?"

Cece blinked at Dad, and then grinned. She always had a way of weaseling around him in a way that none of the rest of us could. Although, I'd noticed over the summer that Andy seemed to be taking notes from our sister, and was able to manipulate Dad more than any of us boys could.

"Yes, Daddy," Cece replied innocently. Dad's face lit up with a grin. "Well, at least I taught you to share."

With that, he too lunged at the boys and pulled Xavier out by the feet, and began tickling him. Cece laughed as she began to tickle Caleb, and within seconds both boys were screaming out with amusement.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" another voice called, sharp enough to break tha laughter. We looked up to see Mum stood in the doorway frowning, the muggle telephone in her hand and pressed to her ear. "I am trying to speak to Scorpius. Will you please stop making all of this racket! Boys, go and eat your breakfast. Cece, Toby, finish packing and make sure that Tom has everything he needs. The Hogwarts Express leaves at 11 o'clock, and I'll be damned if it's my children who miss the train!"