Crashing Into You, Litterally
1st September | Tuesday
On the night of 31st August, it was a 5
'Hold on, pause, breathe, stand and wait. Demo had things to do.' That was what the staff often muttered to themselves when accompanying Demo on an outing. A newly appointed wizard background butler had been assigned to watch Demo as he boarded his first train to Hogwarts and he was informed not to waste his energy on reacting to what the child was doing. Whether or not he was judging Demo or not was none of the kids concerned. They were right! He had things to do!
Like running into that portal wall every few minutes, accidentally giving unease/scaring some passerby's that passed through. Again, Demo didn't care. He wanted to feel the rush of going through the portal over and over again. Who would stop him? If they would, he could. But until then, he might as well test his luck.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13 times. He must've been at the station for almost an hour. Waiting a few minutes before going through the portal again, and then coming back again. With the cheekiest, excitable smile that was often found among children his age. His butler merely stayed a few feet away on the correct platform, watching him with a side gaze but not intervening. Merely having a hold on the trolley that had Demo's items.
Finally though, Demo's luck had run out and just as he was about to rush into the London platform, something else appeared at the last minute, completely blindsiding him as he crashed into them with as much force as a hyperactive 11 year old could muster.
@Erast Yan
Hanako Tone | Sara Kohana | Kotoka Sako
Crashing Into You, Litterally
Banner by Leo Noxley
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King's Cross had changed. Well, the structure of Platform 9¾ did not seem to have changed. Beige brick walls stood as it did on the final day of the previous school year, as it had for generations before his own. Yet, everything felt… different. Previous memories of the platform had been laced with dread and plodding anxiety that furiously bubbled like hot oil under his skin. The hustle bustle was no less loud, but unlike previous times, it became a mere annoyance rather than needles in his nerves.
The chaos felt at arms-length instead of pressed and crushed against his chest. Everything just felt different– brighter, almost. A petulant chitter came from his arms, and Erast almost melted at the sight of the adorable new addition to his list of joys. Bin Bin was a treasure on her own, being the playful expressive darling she was, but beyond that, she was a symbol. His very own, chattering symbol of the love that existed for him just oceans away.
Behind him, the soft clacking of Governess Zhang’s heels approached. Erast barely flinched as a hand efficiently brushed a stubborn strand of his hair back into place.
The hand lingered, hovering just above his head. “嫣夫人让我向你表示她的歉意。” (Madam Yan requested for me to relay her apologies.) The woman’s voice was blunt, words void of opinion or emotions as it always had been. Yet, her hand lingered, and Erast knew the expression that was above him. He looked up at it. That tense jaw, and the tiniest furrow of her brows.
He let his finger poke Bin Bin’s nose, submitting to the punishing bite that came just a second later. The brunet shook his head, smiling before he could remind himself to do so, “不必。我早就料到会这样了。” (No need, I anticipated this.) He tip-toed, bumping his head ever so lightly against that hovering palm. Governess Zhang remained the perfect picture of indifference. Yet, a gentle knuckle brush brushed over his temple. It was years of experience that made him catch how the steel mellowed ever so slightly in her obsidian eyes. She gave a single nod, and Erast knew that the moment was over.
The boy slipped Bin Bin into the carrier on him with a cooed promise of treats, and with only a split second of a glance to his governess, turned to head towards the train.
Admittedly, Erast should have chosen a better path to take. He had walked towards the vicinity of the barrier, prepared to make a timely cut through the crowd to the Hogwarts Express. Yet, before he could even begin to walk, the brunet skidded to a halt as a clumsy, boy-sized blur shot past him.
Erast blinked. At first, he wondered if someone unleashed a bludger on the platform. Then, with a well-timed squint, he discovered that the blur was actually a boy. Gleefully grinning and wildly leaping back and forth through the barrier, the boy, dressed in the grey Hogwarts uniform, was a sight to marvel at. An absolute safety hazard in his own right, the boy was like the living embodiment of unrestrained energy. It was like watching Bin Bin rolling in a tub of dried beans. Same flair, same recklessness. Erast giggled. How cute.
However, the show could only last for so long. With the sheer extent of traffic shuffling between the Muggle and Wizarding platforms, it was only a matter of time before this poor boy barrelled into another poor soul.
It was around Round 30 when it happened. The younger boy had skidded and turned for another round, but BAM– A trolley of some random Hogwarts student came hurtling through the barrier, clearly uncontrolled and on their first rodeo. Erast dropped his trunk, wincing as his hands grabbed the other boy by the shoulders just in time and swivelled them away. At his side, Bin Bin clucked a grumpy sound at the sudden carousel ride.
Erast quickly set the boy upright again, and immediately went to give Bin Bin's carrier a few apologetic pats. He then brushed over the other's crumpled robes, amusedly patting them down.
“How exciting was that? Are you okay?”
Mentions: @Demo Chatura
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