Grow As We Go

The Child Is Crying, What Do I Do?

The ride to the train station was chaotic as always, the family now used to the stretching and wild movements that came with avoiding muggles. But once they were inside platform 9 and 3/4, Acacia felt the giddiness of the new year take over. She bid her family goodbye, separating from her sisters who went towards their friends, before searching the crowd for Isadora. She spotted her snogging Theo just next to one of the doors, causing the families of younger students to veer away from that door and move down to the next. She sighed and walked over, trolley in tow. She cleared her throat to make herself known but that didn't work so she bumped them with her cart.

"Watch it," Isadora started meanly but softened when she saw her friend. "Oh, Acacia hey."

"Sorry to interupt," Acacia smiled sarcastically. "But I'd like to hang out before I have to meet with the prefects. Once I'm gone you two can do it in the cabin for all I care."

"Aww, you'd let us do that?" Isadora joked and hopped onto the train.

The three of them climbed on and wandered until they found their usual cabin. In the second year, Isadora and Acacia had found the last free one and settled in, hoping no one would bother the two. But Blaise and Theo wandered in and that was the start of their little friend group. Every year after that, the four of them would sit in that cabin, claiming it as their own. Their names were etched in the wood above where each of them sat. Acacia next to the window across from Isadora, Blaise by the door next to Isadora and across from Theo. However, after Theo and Isadora got together after the Yule Ball, Theo and Blaise swapped spots.

"What's up wankers." Blaise said as he entered the carriage, closing the door behind him.

"Not much ya punter. Took you long enough to to get here." Theo joked and they dap each other up.

"Surprised your still here, little miss prefect." Blaise joked as he sat down next to the small brunette.

"We're not meeting until halfway through the ride so I'm stuck with you sad sacks." Acacia replied and bumped shoulders with the boy as he sat next to her.

"Please, you love us." Isadora said playfully and puckered her lips, teasing Acacia as if she was going to kiss her.

The group laughed and chatted as the train pulled out of the station. They talked about their summer adventures; Isadora had gone to France to visit her sister teaching at Beauxbatons, Blaise had been invited to go to the Malfoy's but came down with a touch of dragon pox so he forwent his visit and Theo had learned a new strategy for wizard chess.

"You think you'll finally beat the queen?" Blaise amused his friend, referencing Acacia who was the current wizard chess champion of not only their friend group but also for the whole of Hufflepuff.

"He can try, but the crown is firm on my head." Acacia joked, miming placing a crown on her head.

"Well maybe for now." Theo taunted but the banter was cut short by Roger Davies knocking at the door.

"Acacia Fletcher?" Roger asked, looking at the young girl. "Prefect meeting starts in 10 minutes. Change into your robes and meet in our cabin."

He quickly left in search of the rest of the prefects, closing the door behind him. Blaise and Theo mocked the boy jokingly, making the two laugh as Acacia pulled out her robes and tucked the pin into her pants pocket. She made her way out of the cabin and towards one of the loos on the train. She quickly changed, slipping into the warm yellow sweater and long black robes. She nearly fashioned the yellow and silver enamel pin onto the right of her robes and left, heading down to the prefects meeting.

Once she arrived to the cabin, it was full. Roger Davies and Ella Wilkins, a seventh year from Slytherin, stood against the window while everyone else sat. She spotted Ernie MacMillan, who would be her counter part, Pansy and Draco like Blaise had said, Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for the new Ravenclaw prefects, and finally Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley for Gryffindor. All the older returning prefects barely listened to the Head Boy and Girl, knowing what to expect for the year. Acacia listened carefully, shooting Ernie a quick smile when he glanced her way.