amongst velvet and chocolate frogs
[font=times new roman]september 1st, 2019.
soft powder blue eyes scanned their surroundings, slightly obscured by the platinum hair that fell like a curtain over them. the train station was a familiar sight that stirred excitement in basil's chest each time his parents brought him along to see his brother off on the hogwarts express. today would be the day basil would follow in the footsteps of his brother, parents, and many generations before him who had taken the same train to the famed hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. yet, there was a melancholy feeling that lurked in the recesses of his mind. his brother's absence weighed heavy on his mind and made his shoulders slump as if they carried the weight as well. instead of aster's comforting words to ease his worries, his father's hand patted the boy's shoulder firmly while the other pushed his mother's old wooden wheelchair through the crowd. his mother's face remained solemn, her catatonic stare fixated ahead, unblinking at an invisible point in the distance. "basil, your mother would be proud of you if she was here. it was her greatest wish that her boys would both be exceptional wizards. you've already taken the first step." his father spoke up after a moment of silence between them, a soft smile revealing twin dimples in the man's cheeks that basil had inherited, "aster was just as nervous as you are now. I had to yank him from your mother's robes just so he wouldn't miss the train."
as much as his father's words were meant to be comforting, the way he referred to basil's mother as if she had passed instead of being wheeled in front of them drove a dagger of sadness through his heart. did his own father not believe that basil's mother, his wife, would recover? the dark shadows that loomed beneath his father's eyes confirmed his fear. as much as basil wanted to scream at the man for giving up so easily, he couldn't bring himself to raise his voice against the husk of a man he looked up to. instead, basil returned his father's smile, "really? he didn't mention that at all...I wonder why." the boy chuckled, leaning into his father's arm that wrapped around his shoulder as they made their way towards the brick pillar between the 9th and 10th platform.
as soon as they stepped through the pillar, the world around them seemed to swim for a moment before steadying itself. the boy and his parents had been transported to an identical station, although instead of sweatshirts and jeans, a sea of robes and pointed hats crowded around the trio. if basil had his way, he would much rather explore the muggle cities that were forbidden to him. aster's tales of the muggle cities that were powered by electricity instead of magic fascinated him. basil had become accustomed to having magic influence his life in every aspect and couldn't imagine how muggles survive without it. he still cherished the record player his brother had brought back from his travels. begging his father since he first got his invitation to hogwarts, narcissus finally agreed to shrink the record player so basil could bring it along in his trunk.
caught up in his own thoughts, basil hadn't noticed they had made it to the doors of the first compartment of the train. a gentle nudge from his father pulled basil from his daydreams. narcissus turned to his son and enveloped the boy in his arms in a suffocating embrace, a gasp escaping from basil as the wind was knocked...or rather squeezed from him. finally, the father let his son wiggle out from his arms, "promise you'll owl us? I want to hear about all the trouble...er, adventures you get into." the man grinned, a flicker of his old self returning to his sapphire eyes. the dimples on basil's cheeks showed themselves as the boy smiled wide for the first time since aster's death, "i'll write you as soon as i'm able to" the young boy hugged his father close before clutching his mother's hand in his own. he knelt down so he could meet her blank stare, "i'll make you proud, mum. i know you're still in there and i'll do everything i can to bring you back so you can tell me what happened to aster." basil promised his mother, his throat becoming uncomfortably tight with emotion. the boy began to turn away from his parents to board the train, but his mother's hand reached out and tugged at his wrist. basil immediately stopped in his tracks and faced his mother who hadn't moved on her own accord in months. her grip tightened as if to tell basil to kneel down, so the boy fell to his knees. a feeble hand reached for the journal that sat on her lap. the journal had a cover of dust from not being touched in months but the name 'aster laurel' was still visible through the pale dusting. the journal was handed over to basil, his mother's pale green gaze glistening with life for a moment before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. the youngest laurel embraced his mother, careful of her fragile body, and with the journal tucked under his arm, boarded the train.
after walking halfway down the aisle, basil found an empty compartment where he could prop up his trunk on the velvet cushions of the seat beside him and read his brother's journal that had been gifted to him. most of it was just notes on the various magical creatures that inhabited the british isles and beyond, but most curious was the pages that were blank in seemingly random places. before he could spend another moment wondering about the odd journal, a knock on the compartment door caught his attention. looking up, his blue orbs met the gaze of another student who also wanted to find solace among the chaos. the boy offered the other student an inviting smile and motioned for them to find a seat in front of him.[/font]
amongst velvet and chocolate frogs
Opeila was brought to the platform by her parents and her grandmother Lady Margary.
The three women looked excited, while Opeila's father looked like he was experiencing his last hour on earth. None of them talked until the eleven year old was about to enter the train. Her mother was the first one to embrace her daughter. "I am proud of you, Sweetheart. You know that, don't you?" Did she? Opeila just nodded and smiled at her mother, but she was only too aware, that it was her mother's bad concious, that made the woman talk like that. Fioria Seilun had been hiding in the cellar for the last months, she only came upstairs to eat and to sleep. Her skin had turned white as snow.
"You will have a great time at Hogwarts. You and I are so alike... I wouldn't be surprised if you will be a Ravenclaw as well!" Opeila forced herself to keep smiling. She wasn't like her mother. She would never abandon her family like she did. "Thanks, Mum...", was all she answered.
It was her father who embraced her next. His embrace was different from her mother's. It felt like he was tempted not to let go. Quickly she freed herself, then showed her father an apologizing smile. "Opeila. You don't have to go to... this place. You can just come back home with us and have a normal life! You are clever enought to get your A-Levels someday, I know you are." Why did he have to make her feel bad on this day? She knew, that her father had hoped all along, that Opeila would stay with him. That was why he had forbidden his wife and Lady Margary to tell Opeila anything about the wizarding world. He wanted her to stay with him.
"Dad, please. We had this conversation once, I am not willing to have it again. Not now. What is holding me here? Can't you see, that this is a chance for me?", Opeila said. She had been right to fear this moment. It was just as bad as she had imagined.
"Nicholas." Lady Margary had put a wrinkly hand on her daughter's husband's shoulder. "This is your daughter's choice. You should respect that choice since it will influence her whole life. Don't make it any harder for her, please."
He pushed her had of his shoulder and hugged Opeila once more. "Alright, kiddo. I am sure you will have a great time." He smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. She could see the disappointment all over his face.
Then he stepped back and put an arm around his wife's shoulders.
Lady Margary put her hands on Opeila's shoulders now. "You will be a great witch Opeila. I can sense it." Opeila smiled a little. Her grandmother's senses were... special. More trustworthy than others. "Don't get me wrong, child, you will have your harder moments at Hogwarts, but they will make you grow stronger. Stronger than you are already. I am proud of you."
"Thank you, Lady Margary." Opeila hesitated for a moment but then also wrapped her arms around the old lady. She could feel her chest move as she laughed a little. "Alright, Opeila, off you go.", she gently pushed her in the train's direction. "Don't waste too many thoughts on home, we will be fine." Lady Margary stepped back, next to her daughter and Opeila entered the train. When it started moving, Opeila wouldn't look outside again. She didn't want to see her father's disappointment, her mother's guilt anymore.
Instead she walked through the train to look for a seat. She had never thought that there would be so many young wizards and witches in Great Britain and they were taking all the seats. She sighed and walked on, looking for an empty compartment. Eventually she found one with only one student inside, looking like a first year like her. Light blond hairy blue eyes... A face she would definitely remember. Carefully she knocked at the door.
The boy looked up from his book, smiled and motioned for her to take the seat opposite him. With a greatful smile Opeila entered the compartment pulled her trunk inside and on the covers. She sat down next to it. "Thanks. I feel like this whole train is filled to the top."
The three women looked excited, while Opeila's father looked like he was experiencing his last hour on earth. None of them talked until the eleven year old was about to enter the train. Her mother was the first one to embrace her daughter. "I am proud of you, Sweetheart. You know that, don't you?" Did she? Opeila just nodded and smiled at her mother, but she was only too aware, that it was her mother's bad concious, that made the woman talk like that. Fioria Seilun had been hiding in the cellar for the last months, she only came upstairs to eat and to sleep. Her skin had turned white as snow.
"You will have a great time at Hogwarts. You and I are so alike... I wouldn't be surprised if you will be a Ravenclaw as well!" Opeila forced herself to keep smiling. She wasn't like her mother. She would never abandon her family like she did. "Thanks, Mum...", was all she answered.
It was her father who embraced her next. His embrace was different from her mother's. It felt like he was tempted not to let go. Quickly she freed herself, then showed her father an apologizing smile. "Opeila. You don't have to go to... this place. You can just come back home with us and have a normal life! You are clever enought to get your A-Levels someday, I know you are." Why did he have to make her feel bad on this day? She knew, that her father had hoped all along, that Opeila would stay with him. That was why he had forbidden his wife and Lady Margary to tell Opeila anything about the wizarding world. He wanted her to stay with him.
"Dad, please. We had this conversation once, I am not willing to have it again. Not now. What is holding me here? Can't you see, that this is a chance for me?", Opeila said. She had been right to fear this moment. It was just as bad as she had imagined.
"Nicholas." Lady Margary had put a wrinkly hand on her daughter's husband's shoulder. "This is your daughter's choice. You should respect that choice since it will influence her whole life. Don't make it any harder for her, please."
He pushed her had of his shoulder and hugged Opeila once more. "Alright, kiddo. I am sure you will have a great time." He smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. She could see the disappointment all over his face.
Then he stepped back and put an arm around his wife's shoulders.
Lady Margary put her hands on Opeila's shoulders now. "You will be a great witch Opeila. I can sense it." Opeila smiled a little. Her grandmother's senses were... special. More trustworthy than others. "Don't get me wrong, child, you will have your harder moments at Hogwarts, but they will make you grow stronger. Stronger than you are already. I am proud of you."
"Thank you, Lady Margary." Opeila hesitated for a moment but then also wrapped her arms around the old lady. She could feel her chest move as she laughed a little. "Alright, Opeila, off you go.", she gently pushed her in the train's direction. "Don't waste too many thoughts on home, we will be fine." Lady Margary stepped back, next to her daughter and Opeila entered the train. When it started moving, Opeila wouldn't look outside again. She didn't want to see her father's disappointment, her mother's guilt anymore.
Instead she walked through the train to look for a seat. She had never thought that there would be so many young wizards and witches in Great Britain and they were taking all the seats. She sighed and walked on, looking for an empty compartment. Eventually she found one with only one student inside, looking like a first year like her. Light blond hairy blue eyes... A face she would definitely remember. Carefully she knocked at the door.
The boy looked up from his book, smiled and motioned for her to take the seat opposite him. With a greatful smile Opeila entered the compartment pulled her trunk inside and on the covers. She sat down next to it. "Thanks. I feel like this whole train is filled to the top."
Reducio
@Basil Laurel