Compartment 451

Part 8

Dean tells Zayn as much about magic as he's willing to hear that night on the way to his flat, as well as the next morning when he makes them breakfast. It's equally as confusing as it is exciting to learn about what he's capable of, and the world that's been hidden from him, but all Zayn can really think about is what happens next.

He called his parents house numerous times that morning, but he was always met with the answering machine. When Dean's telling him that his address has erased itself from the Hogwarts student directory, Zayn knows there's no hearing from then again. Instead, he's on his way to Wolverhampton, where there's a family who had been contacted the night before and asked if they'd be willing to house Zayn for the summer in case things ended up as they had that morning. By now, Dean, or Professor Thomas rather, has explained that there are quicker magical means to get to the Payne's, but he'd rather ease Zayn into the foreign environment with something he knows, like the National Rail. It may have taken them three hours, but he's grateful.

Standing outside of the house, Zayn's suddenly petrified. The thought of being some sort of foster child was one thing, but to be tossed into a magical household the day after learning he was a wizard was starting to sink in for him. Plus, he had no idea who these people were and how they might treat him.

He's completely taken aback when the door opens and he's faced with a boy his age who's got the worst spiky haircut Zayn has even seen.

"Liam, what did I say about opening the door!" A woman who Zayn guesses is the boy's Mum is now standing beside him. "He's just excited," she's saying, smiling at Zayn. "You must be Zayn. It's lovely to meet you, I'm Mrs. Payne. Come in, I'll make you boys some tea."

She seems nice enough, Zayn thinks, smiling back politely. He looks to this Liam kid, giving him the same grin, though he's sure he doesn't look half as excited as the other does.

"I can take your backpack," the boy finally says enthusiastically.

Zayn doesn't have all that much, but he hands it over anyway to make him happy, since it seems like the boy just wants to feel needed.

After he's taken off his shoes at the door, Zayn starts to follow Liam into what he assumes is their front room, but he hesitates only a few steps in.

There's a hoover moving on it's own in the hallway and the picture frames that are scattered around the sitting room are moving as if they were short bursts of video. Zayn nearly topples over when Dean bumps into him from behind.

"Welcome to magic." Zayn thinks it's a bit late for that considering the spells the man showed him last night were more the real introduction, but he figures it's appropriate nonetheless. "This is as magical as a house is going to get. I tend to keep mine a bit more like how we grew up," the professor's informing him.

"How did you grow up?"

Zayn turns to look at Liam, who's now sitting on the couch, bursting with curiosity as he waits for an answer to his question. Zayn's backpack sits on his lap, Liam taking his job seriously and keeping it safe.

"Liam," his Mother's scolding once more, but with a fond expression, clearly used to her son's non harmful prying. Zayn doesn't mind it, and really he doesn't see the purpose in scolding the boy for being curious. Zayn was more than curious himself, so he liked that one of the people he was going to be living with for the next three months was too. "I briefed him on it all this morning when we got your response letter but..." She shakes her head as if to say that she's done all that she could.

"It's to be expected," Dean replies kindly to the woman before speaking to the boys. "Liam's going to be going to Hogwarts for the first time in the Fall as well. Now the two of you won't have to go at it alone like everyone else, you'll already have a friend."