Book 1: The First Year (ROTBTD Hogwarts AU) (PREQUEL)

27. Rapunzel's POV: Late May

On the last day of her first school year, Rapunzel discovered that there was something especially fascinating about being a new soul in a well-worn place. Of standing in a home that was someone else's first. That was now hers.

Out of all the things she'd imagined for herself, it had never once occurred to her that she'd ever get to ride the Hogwarts Express.

Her mother had written to her. She'd said that she could not come to retrieve Rapunzel at school, so Rapunzel had to take the train and find her at the station. It was all Rapunzel could do to sit and finish her last exam instead of running out of the exam hall singing from the news.

She made many plans in the days that followed. Who she'd sit with, what they'd talk about, what games they'd play—so many things. Too many things. When she wasn't baking or crafting or trying not to run around screaming for joy, the plans that popped into her head were so many that she kept forgetting them as fast as they came.

The other half of her time was spent out in the sun with her classmates and visiting as many friends as she could. The weather was so good she didn't even have to take her weekly visit to the greenhouses.

Rapunzel lived in a world of freedom and joy so strange and new to her. This was what she'd been missing. Friendship and acceptance, comfort and peace. That's all she'd really wanted, more than anything else. If the rest of her life could just stay like that forever, then she could die happy. She knew she could.

But time moved onwards, and it carried her with it.

After what felt like hours of hustle and bustle, of getting all her things sorted, boarding the train, settling into her compartment, Rapunzel could finally sit in a place and breathe. Just breathe. So many things had happened so quickly, it made her wonder how long it had been since she'd last had time to take a deep breath.

She gazed out the open window at life passing her by, the scenery unfolding in an endless wave of vibrant green, fading into smoky blue in the distance.

Rapunzel perched as close as she could to the wide, glorious world without pushing her entire head out in the wind, arms folded on the window ledge and chin perched on top. She could not truly claim that the breeze that met her face was the reason for the tears that brimmed in her eyes.

She was just so happy. She'd never felt more aware of being alive and present and real, of being a part of a world that she had never truly felt like she belonged to. Everything was right in her life, and she didn't know what else to do but dwell in the feelings that coursed through her like the tide.

Behind her, something fell over and shrieked.

"I don't know about any of you but I'm bored out of my mind!"

Nancy—apparently the cause of the shriek—announced to the cabin. She hopped out of swatting range as Rebecca crawled on the floor gathering her playing cards. Unlike exploding snap, the cards she had were a variety that gave out sound affects depending on how the game was going. And confetti, from what was sprayed all over the seat.

The hop sent her near Meena, who ducked under her arm. "It's literally been fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes too long, obviously! What kind of injustice is it that I have to sit in one place for an entire day? I refuse to be contained!"

"Well, I had planned to get some reading done, so off with you then. Shoo! Begone!"

"Zell-bell, you hear that? I'm being shunned." Rapunzel turned away from the window. Nancy paused mid-spin. "...What happened to you?"