Closed Blood Ties PV: Mey and Jun

It was just after sunset and Colin and Liam burst out of the great doorway of the castle that gave them access to the long viaduct. Kilts flapping about their legs, the boys’ feet tramped across the stone paving and they ran all the way out to the middle of the structure. The deep purple and black sky above revealed myriads of stars and the faint course of the galaxy itself. Once out in the middle, the two stopped, coming to rest at last against the stone bulwark.

“Brilliant!” cried Colin. The air was cool and the evening was clear as glass. “I wonder if Da and Ma ever came out here Liam?” Colin mused. “I imagine it’s changed a bit, but not much I reckon?”

“Probably Uncle Colin and Moray and Morvan too. And — Cail, I reckon probably everyone who’s ever been to Hogwarts has come out here! But I know what you mean.” Colin watched as Liam ran his finger along the stone work.

“I wonder if this was the spot Riddle’s giants were thrown off by our stone guardians? Can you imagine casting that spell?” he asked.

“Piertotum? That must have been a sight!” Liam said. “You can hardly tell the stonework was even broken. Maybe in the day time.”

“I reckon it’s been thirty years almost. Both Scathach and Malcom have come and gone.” Colin thought about his older cousins. They were twins too, Auntie Indigo’s, born a few months after the Battle that took place here. “And just think, little Aoife will be starting soon and all.” He smiled at the thought of another McCoire beginning her journey into magic. Colin smiled. For some strange reason the images of two other girls flicked across his mind’s eye ... those dratted and annoying first year twins!

“And in a couple more years, we’ll be leaving Hogwarts,” Liam said wistfully.

Colin’s heart thumped. He’d never thought of leaving Hogwarts before. It had been home for so long. All his friends were here: AngelFyre especially, but also Luci and Ava and the Averys; and of course quite a lot of his family. Not just Liam but Ciarán was back now, and the Gryffindorque twins Merlin and Argus. He wasn’t even sure how many other cousins

Liam nodded. “That’s right. Think about it. We’re just over half way through.”

Colin looked up at the stars as they strengthened in the deep black sky. How many kids must have come out here onto the viaduct at night to watch them — and wonder.

@Jun Mayumi Mochizuki | @Meyra Lancaster