The Art of Dour Departures solo

word count: 965. xxxxx english ;; thoughts ; dialogues [#6d695a]

Steam.

The heavy curls of smoke from the awaiting train greeted Avali as they stood quietly by the side. It was too crowded for her liking and the atmosphere is definitely not one of her family's taste, basing from the irritated glances that her parents throw over the unaware families. For someone who had been used to silence and empty spaces that seems to multiply every minute of every day, the noise felt quite unbearable for her as she stood by the side of her luggage, gloved hands rested neatly before her.

If someone would give notice, their family looked like one of regality with the perfect posture and immaculate wizarding robes. But against the children rushing around Platform 9 3/4, animals hooting and wounding between trolley wheels, they seem like statues instead of a family.

Avali can see the distaste in Liora's eyes as they stood by her side, awaiting their parents' signal to board the train. And she knew why. Others were stumbling around excitedly, others happily reuniting with the friends they made throughout the years of studying at the school. There's also some that nearly crashed into a trolley near their area before being dragged away by their embarrassed mother. Yet no reprimand ever came... not even the sharp correction that they always receive from home at every little inconvenience and mistake.

Her blue-gray eyes can only subtly stare after their direction. It was... foreign in her world of perfection. To only receive laughter and a question of care was a luxury to her life that her parents never once grace her. And the only one who ever showed care already left them to their own freedom.

Her thoughts redirected almost immediately, not wanting to spoil her emotions complicatedly for today. There are time for grieving and now is not the time... not in public and with eyes around.

Appearances. It always mattered to her family, after all.

Her head turned when an arm touched her sleeves, and Avali saw her mother's hand fixing an invisible crease in her already immaculate fabric. She never questioned anything but still, she immediately uttered a quick, "Apologies," to her mother, not wanting to hear a lecture right before her departure.

"Imperfection reflects poorly," her mother spoke.

"Of course, Mother."

From the corner of her eye, she saw her father a few distance away from them, seemingly in a locked discussion with a familiar man that she saw from that New Year Gala last year.

Suddenly, she felt a figure nudged her. She turned and saw her little brother, Elias, grinning at her. "You should head inside and leave Liora here," he said. "Leave before Mother starts correcting your breathing too."

She subtly pursed her lips as her eyes softened at the sight of him. Unlike the perfection that she's trying to maintain as much as she could, the younger boy was the epitome of rebellion that she doesn't have the strength to do so. His hair, the same color as hers, were completely windswept and untidy and his tie were crooked just an hour after her mother fixed it earlier at the manor. He seemed to thrive in keeping their parents displeased which she doesn't know whether to fear or not.

"Elias," their mother immediately noticed, eyes squinting in disapproval.

"What?" her sibling asked, faux innocence reflecting in his eyes.

"Fix your tie."

"It builds character, though?"

"It builds embarrassment."

Avali hid the twitch in her lips, feeling amused at her brother's behaviour. But her back straightened rigidly when the sharp whistle pierced through the chaotic station. As the students immediately surged towards the train in palpable excitement, her mother suddenly stepped forward first. "Remember yourselves while at Hogwarts. You are Avazandos before anything else."

Liora immediately inclined her head, graceful and perfect as always. "Of course, Mother."

Avali mirrored the gesture. "Yes, Mother," she said softly, ignoring Elias who whispered about something that suspiciously sound close to 'tragic' beneath his breath.

Their father stepped back to their circle, cold eyes staring at them. "Your conduct reflects the family. Do not disappoint us."

It was always like that... never 'be safe' or 'write home'. Not even a small 'good luck'. Only expectations... only perfection.

Avali didn't look at the other families hugging tight, parents seemingly in tears as their own children depart for quite some long time. Why would she even need to watch something that she won't be able to experience herself, anyway? She already had too much in her shoulder to add 'jealousy' on the list.

As Avali watch Liora board the train, Elias whispered in her ear. "If you got bored at school, set something on fire. At least then, the newspapers will finally write something interesting about us."

Her eyes met the same blue-gray eyes that held mischief and life on it. "Hurry up and grow. Then do it when you got your letter," she said before walking inside to the train to settle her things in the compartment, leaving her brother who immediately laughed out loud, earning a reprimanding glare from their father.

Her lips formed in a non-existent smile as steam rolled heavily around the platform once again, swallowing her family in white haze outside. Then she followed the sea of students already cramming to find compartments of their own. Liora already left her alone, but she didn't mind being alone since she can handle her own self.

She just... felt like the chains that always surround her loosen as her mind focused on one thing: a good long distance away from the suffocating walls of her house. Distance away from her family's eyes always watching over her.

It wasn't freedom. But the distance will do. At least it will give her some room to finally breathe after years.