Dear Fellow Traveler PV Lucinia Thawin, Kara Hazel Closed

Platform 9 ³/₄
London, England
September 1^st, 2021

yar hello Even having been in London for almost twenty-four hours at this point, Aedan couldn't help but feel as if the stuffy, humid air of the city had chosen him from the masses to punish in particular. The manner in which the towering buildings of the city which flanked King's Cross seemed to amplify the heat; the pull of the sticking, sweaty air on Aedan's hair. Those strips of pallid blond which sat unruly atop his head felt as if they had become a further mess. Ignoring the deep annoyance he felt at the slight inconvenience of the London weather, Aedan shuffled out slowly from the enchanted gate that led onto the platform. The steam engine and the sounds of students talking and joking as they forced their luggage underneath forced the boy to come to a dead stop. His eyes searched for his parents, heart beginning to race at the possibility of dealing with that feeling of new he'd had on his first day of primary school five years back. The fear only lasted a moment before the reassuring sound of his parent's voices caught him from behind. "Easy there A stór, we're right 'ere." His mother's words had a calming touch, but they were temporary panacea to the coming shock.

yar hello Trembling breath came to a rest and with a single deep breath Aedan began to walk again towards the great train engine. "I-It's only one hundred a-a-and eighteen days and then I come home for holiday... right?" Had his voice not been so delicate and airy it would almost resemble the sweetest flute, but as for now it faltered as he tried to summon the courage to talk with so many faces nearby.

yar hello Donal shook his head and knelt close to his son a reassuring smile plastered across the rosy burned face. His father's movement and attempts to bolster Aedan's courage forced the boy to adopt a subtle frown. "Don't count the days, get lost in it. You'll miss it much worse than home soon enough." Rubbing soft tears from the boys eyes and rustling the mop of ashen hair Donal continued to push Aedan towards the train.

yar hello It must have been clear that he simply couldn't take the next step because Donal and Roisin began to pack Aedan's things away for him. They shared playful jabs at each other as if they were returning to school themselves, when it didn't get a giggle from their son the two finished up before returning to his side. Roisin's hands found their way into his hair once again where she played with it sweetly. "When I firs went to Hogwarts, my parents were so proud... and I couldn't 'elp but escape 'em. I wanted nothing more than to go be a witch. Do you want to know what I foun' out sweetheart?" Said Roisin as she got low to meet her son's gaze, he was tall for his age but still under five feet. Aedan gave a cautious nod, "I foun' out that what I needed most was friends, an a place to grow. Hogwarts is so much more than a school, its a place to learn, how you want a be."

yar hello Her words fell over him like a blanket, and his cyan eyes covered over with fresh tears betrayed the hesitant acceptance underneath. Aedan pulled himself into his mother and gave her a strong hug around the neck. Moments later she'd picked him up in a bear hug so that he'd be between herself and Donal, who came in to join the embrace. "Besides, if anyone doesn't want to be your friend, just hit them. Wizards don't know how to take a punch." Donal's joke elicited a stern look from Roisin but raised a single snort out of the tearful child.

yar hello Finally the whistle of the Hogwarts Express horn carried its way through the station and Roisin and Donal hurried Aedan towards one of the doors. They exchanged not one but two final goodbyes and reassured their son that he'd be begging to stay for the holidays in no time, and finally the compartment door closed between them and the soft chugging of the powerful steam engine began to pull the train away. He took one last longing look out the window of the door at his parents before turning back towards the train cars, students passed him, most not bothering to notice the thin boy in the doorway, his shivering eyes betrayed him and called out for anyone who could show him where to go. Though he knew not a word of what he'd say if someone actually approached him.