wanderlust ☆ n.longbottom

.:01:.

Daisy Walshaw dragged her trunk across the station floor. She was trying to ignore the stares she was getting from her fellow Hogwarts students. Over the course of the summer, Daisy had developed a whole new style and, though her Hogwarts uniform restricted this new development, elements of the new Daisy still peaked through. For example, her previous golden hair was now a dyed black. The rest of her look also revolved around the colour black: black, chipped nail polish, smudged black eyeliner, black boots, black tote bag. Even the jewellery she had in her pierings, that lined both lobes and the ring through her left nostrill, were black.

"What's everyone staring at?" she grumbled loudly, glowering at a group of third years who were gawping at her. They retreated sheepishly.

"I told you, you should've washed that make up off and dyed your hair back," snapped Augusta Longbottom, Neville's grandma. Since her sister's death, Neville had persuaded his grandmother to let his best friend stay with them as she had no other relatives.

Daisy glared at her. Though she was eternally grateful for the family's benevolence, she hated that Augusta tried to control her like a parent would. She shared a roof with them but that didn't mean the eldery lady could dictate how she dressed. Neville, knowing Daisy's fragile temprement all too well, sensed conflict arising and ignited a trivial conversation about the weather. Daisy rolled her eyes at Neville's predictability. Without her permission, Daisy's eyes landed on the three most popular girls at Hogwarts: Veronica, Velma and Vivienne. They were the last people Daisy wanted to encounter, not just because they had a tendancy to be malicious, but because they reminded her of Emmeline. Her older sister had befriended them for a while, before coming to her senses and making up with the Weasley twins and Angelina Johnson.

"Oh look, a new girl! Why is she in fancy dress?" Velma said. The girl was known for her dumb remarks. What she lacked in intelligence, she made up in looks and that was enough to ensure her success and popularity. Daisy hated that.

"Well I never, if it isn't Daisy Walshaw!" scoffed Veronica.

"What the hell is she wearing?" cackled Vivienne.

"Who's funeral are you attending Daisy?" Veronica teased.

"Yours if you don't shut up," Daisy retorted calmly. Her reply earned her a crowd of jeering Slytherins to cluster around her.

"What was that? Don't think I've ever heard you speak. Where have you gotten this temper from?" Veronica mocked, her voice sickly sweet. She towered over Daisy, her blood red heels clicking against the floor as she moved closer. "Imagine what your sister would think if she could see you now..."

"Don't you dare speak about her like that!" snarled Daisy. How could they speak about Emmeline so disrespectfully? She used to be their friend!

"Or what?" cooed Veronica.

Daisy brandished her wand from out of her robes, pointing it directly at Veronica. Her chest was rising and falling, her face screwed up with anger.

"Daisy, no, it's not worth it," Neville pleaded.

Daisy calmed and placed the wand back in her pocket.

"I knew she wouldn't do it," cried Vivienne, her eyes alight with triumph. No one could challenge Veronica. Or so Vivienne thought.

Without warning, Daisy lunged at her. Neville grabbed onto the bottom of her cloak in desperate attempt to pull her back. Veronica screamed, shoving Daisy off her. The commotion had attracted an even larger crowd, their eyes all ablaze with excitement. Angrily, a Ravenclaw prefect stepped in to pull them apart, threatening them with detention.

Veronica picked herself up and smoothed down her hair and cloak. "She's feral!" she cried, snatching a compact mirror off Vivienne and pinning her loose hairs back in place.

"I barely touched you," replied Daisy, her face tinged red from the brawl.

Neville offered his grandmother a sheepish look. She, as he suspected, was scowling and her lips were pursed. She was not amused.

"We've been here all of five minutes and she's already fighting!" Augusta barked, backing away from the scene in desperate attempt to dissociate herself from the corruption.

"She deserved it," spat Daisy.

Augusta looked as though she was about to snap back, but the train was arriving. Relieved of the distraction, Neville began saying his goodbyes.
The elderly lady kept her stern demeanor, but anyone could see she was sad to wave her grandson off. They exchanged a hug and tension arose when it came to say goodbye to Daisy.

"Thanks, you know, for everything," Daisy sniffed. She shuffled her feet across the floor, her eyes trailing off to follow the eager gaggle of students boarding the train.

Augusta's expression remained the same, though Daisy was convinced she could see a hint of her smile out the corner of her eye.

"Do try not to get into trouble," Augusta warned. "If you get expelled, do not be thinking you can live with me."

Daisy imagined the scenes if she did have to live with Augusta without Neville to keep the peace. She shuddered at the thought. Augusta would grow more and more angry at Daisy's reckless behaviour and Daisy would become sick of her outdated regulations very quickly.

"Is it alright if I hug you too?" asked Daisy. Augusta tried her best to keep her expression still, not wanting to come off as rude. She stiffened up as Daisy embraced her, the bristles from her brown fur coat tickling the young girl's skin. Augusta's natural scent of roses and cabbage filled Daisy's nose.
Augusta removed herself from the hug as quickly as she could. "Get on the train, go on. Stay out of trouble!"

"I never get into trouble!" Daisy argued, a mischievous grin on her face.