Star of Gryffindor - Book 1

Chapter 10 - Wild Holidays

I was literally bouncing in my seat as the train sped towards King's Cross Station. James kept sending me amused looks from across the compartment as Luna chattered happily with Albus, making plans for the four of us hang out over the holidays. McGonagall had arranged for Wren to take the Floo Network to a wizard's house near the airport earlier that morning, then she would fly home. It amazed me that wizards couldn't find any better way to travel across oceans than airplanes.

At the station, Luna ran off to meet her parents with two identical blonde boys who I think were her older brothers. They all looked remarkably like their mom, a dreamy blonde woman who was smiling proudly as Luna talked excitedly. I couldn't hear my friend, but she gestured at me several times so it didn't take much to guess the topic. Professor Potter waved at the family before leading Albus, James, and I through the magical wall concealing the platform from muggles.

As soon as I'd stepped through, I was met with an ear-piercing squeal from Lily. She jumped up into her dad's open arms, then hugged Albus and James. Albus smiled and hugged her right back, but James stiffened looked incredibly awkward. Of course, hugging his sister in public was much too childish for the great James Potter. What else would I expect?

We piled into a regular looking car. It appeared small on the outside, but turned out to be incredibly roomy. James, Albus, Lily, and I could sit comfortably in the back along with my owl and Albus's.

Professor Potter drove through the London traffic and out into the country. Living in the suburbs, I'd never really left the city for more than a camp with Mara one year when she was too nervous to go alone. That was one of the worst weeks of my life, between the constant pranks, being thrown in the lake in my sleep, and being thoroughly alone the rest of the time.

This, though, didn't look like a summer camp. We drove past small villages and snow-covered fields, and my eyes were glued to the window the whole trip. I'd never seen so much white snow. Of course, there was snow in the suburbs, but it was mostly dirty from being in the street or slushy from people walking in it.

At some point, Lily fell asleep on my shoulder. I didn't care, though. In between questions about school from Mrs. Potter, Albus and James whispered about how they would spend their time over the holidays.

"Boys," Professor Potter called, glancing at his two sons in the mirror, "remember that we're hosting everyone this year. Don't make too many plans, because you'll have to help your mother set things up, all right?"

James and Albus both muttered something along the lines of "Ok," and stared dismally out the window.

After another twenty minutes, we drove into yet another small village. In this one, however, Professor Potter turned off on another, smaller, road. Five minutes later, the car stopped in front of a beautiful, large Victorian house.

It was a huge three-story blue house, the biggest I'd ever seen, with flower boxes at every window and curtains and pretty things that Mrs. Lewis always thought were a waste of space. A porch ran across the front of the house, and wrapped around the side. A bay window rose three stories and ended in a circular tower with a weather vane on top. I wasn't sure, but I thought the rooster on the weather vane was moving, pecking at the roof. There was a large tree in the front yard with a rope swing hanging from it, as well.

"You ok?" James asked, waving a hand in front of my eyes. I realized I'd been staring at the house, openmouthed, for a couple of minutes. My trunk was resting motionless at my side. I probably looked pretty stupid, it was just I'd never seen any house that looked so much like home, if that makes sense.