Lucille Rose Potter

Chapter 7

"You have everything? Robes? Books?"

The morning of September 1st was a hectic mess in the Hogs Head.

"Yes! I have everything!" Lucy shouted, shoving forkfuls of her breakfast down her throat.

Abeforth gave Sawyer a look.

"I'm on it!" Sawyer jumped up from his seat at the table and ran up the stairs to Lucy's room to double-check she had, in fact, packed everything she would need.

"It doesn't even matter!" Lucy yelled up the stairs, "if I forget anything, I'll just grab it when we get off the train or the first Hogsmeade trip."

"Doesn't hurt to double-check, Luce," Abeforth chuckled, "after all, you don't have the best track-record of not having to owl home for something you've forgotten."

Lucy stuck out her tongue, "well I won't have to owl home this year, I'll be less than a mile walk away, I can easily retrieve whatever I've forgotten."

"All clear," Sawyer declared, coming back down the stairs with Lucy's hairbrush in his hand.

"Whoops," Lucy laughed, taking it from him, she got up and tucked it away in her trunk.

"Matchi's in her cage," Lucy said, "Minuo will stay here, he spends most of his time up in the Hogwart's owlery anyways."

"Sounds like a plan," Abeforth nodded, "Sawyer, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, my trunk is packed and Helios is in his cage," he gestured to his packed trunk and the tawny barn owl that was asleep in the metal cage.

"Atta Boy," Abeforth clamped the teen's shoulder, "Lulu, you oughta learn a thing or two about organization from him."

Lucy glared at him over her orange juice.

"Hurry up and finish eating," Abeforth frowned at his watch, "we're already behind schedule."

Lucy and Sawyer inhaled the rest of their plates and hauled their trunks to the front of the pub.

"Here you are," Abeforth handed them both a brown bag that seemed on the brink of tearing, "packed you some food for the trip."

"Thanks," they chorused.

"Alright," Abeforth said, "You know how to get there, watch out for each other... and don't forget to write! Or visit!"

"We'll be fine," Lucy smiled giving the old man a hug.

"I know you will," he kissed her forehead as she pulled away.

"Bye, Abe," Sawyer shook the man's hand.

"Take care, Son," Abeforth's eyes crinkled, "be smart and stay safe! I don't care about Albus's rules, if you want to come home, you come home!"

"We will!" Lucy laughed, "Don't worry about us!"

Sawyer stuck his wand into the street and a purple, triple-decker bus appeared on the road in front of them.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus!"

>•<

"Lucille! Come on! The barrier is going to close!"

"I can't do it!" Lucy stared at the brick wall between platforms nine and ten.

"Just walk straight at it!" Sawyer looked nervously up at the clock, "come on I'll do it with you, just close your eyes."

Lucy nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt Sawyer's hand pulling her trolley forward.

"Ok," Sawyer let out a breath of relief, "you can open your eyes now."

Lucy did as he said and opened her eyes. She gasped as she saw the scene in front of her. '

They were no longer standing in front of a brick wall, there were people everywhere, all staring at a scarlet-red train that had Hogwarts Express painted on the side of it.

"Come on, Lu, we have to get a compartment," Sawyer navigated her trolley through the large crowd.

Lucy tried to help but ended up just watching as he lifted their trunks onto the train.

She jumped as something brushed up against her calves.

She looked down to see a big, bear-like, black dog whimpering at her heels.

"Hi," she cooed, bending down to pet the dog, "I'm Lucy."

The dog whined and nuzzled her hand. He was staring up at her with wide eyes.

"Evans!" Sawyer shouted, "let's go! The trains about to leave!"

The dogs head snapped in the direction of Sawyer's voice. He started barking aggressively snapping his head from the train to Lucy.

Startled, Lucy stood up and took a step back.

"Sorry!" A young woman with bubblegum-pink hair grabbed the black dog by the scruff of his neck.

Sawyer stepped off the train and grabbed shoved Lucy behind him, the dog was still pulling against the young woman to get to Lucy.

"He means no harm, he's just a little overexcited," the woman gasped, struggling to keep her hold on the dog, "Snuffles! No! Bad dog!"

"Get on the train, Lucille," Sawyer said.

"Really! I'm sorry!" The woman called over the dog, whose barks had now turned into a sad yelping.

"Let's go," Sawyer guided her further into the train by a hand on her lower back.

"I—I don't understand," Lucy was shaking.

"Let's just go sit," Sawyer soothed.

"Ronald, move! I can't see!" A girls voice came from the compartment to their left.

Sawyer pulled Lucy into his side and sent a scowl to three curious eyes peering around the curtains to their compartment.

Sawyer led the younger girl to a compartment in the back of the train.

"Sit," he ordered, pushing the dazed girl onto the bench. The dog was still audible from outside the train, "stay here, I'm going to go get you a glass of water."

Lucy nodded. As soon as he was gone she scooted over to look out the window, the dog was being restrained by three people.

The dog spotted her and stopped. He sat down and let out a sorrowful howl.

Lucy frowned and leaned out of view from the window.

"I'm ba—," Sawyer stopped in the doorway, "are you alright?"

"The dogs eyes," Lucy started, "they seemed so... I don't know, human-like?" She shook her head, "it's like he recognized me? That's crazy right?"

Sawyer handed her the cup of water, "it's a silly dog, Luce, don't worry about it."

"Yeah..." Lucy's voice trailed off, she leaned forward to look outside the window again but the dog was gone. The train had started to move.