Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 58

I drag a trunk filled with my summertime outfits and swimsuits out of my room. Reaching the stairs I debate over how to go about this seeing as I'm not strong enough to carry the thing down myself. Deciding pushing the thing down is my usual fallback, I follow through with it.

"Argh!" A groan is heard once my trunk plummets to the bottom. Leaning over the railing I find James squished underneath the large thing. "Why me?" He wails.

"James! What are you doing down there?" I call down.

"What am I –" He cuts himself off scoffing loudly. "What am I doing down here?! I'm obviously dying of suffocation from your stupid trunk!"

I hop down the spiral staircase and giggle at James' dramatics. "Here James," Everliah sets down the Daily Prophet and removes the trunk from on top of him. "be free!"

Dad stumbles through the doorway from the kitchen, cookie in hand, and stops in his tracks at the sight of James laying on the floor as if he's been knocked out. "Ah James, punctual as ever."

James picks himself up and grins, "Yep!" He straightens his crooked glasses. "Thank you again for letting me tag along."

"Don't be silly," Mum cuts in. "we love having you around." She then turns to the rest of us and claps her hands. "Okay! Are we all packed and ready to go?"

A chorus of confirmations are heard from each of us. "Let's go then!"

*

"I still can't believe you guys forgot me." Benjamin grumbles as we traipse through the airport.

"We said we're sorry, Benny!" Dad says, clasping a hand on his son's shoulder. "With James here, I just counted heads as if it were us five."

He still frowns so I whip out a large bag of Fudge Flies and wave it in front of his face. "Cheer up, I didn't forget you. I've brought your favourite for the trip over...fudgy good-ness." I persuade.

He cracks a smile and greedily snatches the bag from my hands. "Thanks."

The aeroplane smells odd and not at all like what I expected it to. James has unfortunately taken the window seat but I'm right beside him and can see through it over him so I don't mind too much. "Muggles can fly too." James starts thoughtfully. "If they can make these things fly then why would they be so surprised with flying brooms?"

"Interesting logics, Jamesie. I don't know, keep that question for if you take Muggle Studies."

Just then a voice sounds from the front of the plane coming from a woman dressed in a pantsuit. She instructs the passengers to be seated and fasten our seatbelts for the thing is about to take off.

Dad hands us each a piece of mint chewing gum claiming it to be so our ears don't pop...I don't ask questions, this must be some Muggle culture thing. The plane comes to life around us and starts driving forward on the tracks. James looks like he's having the time of his life as it finally takes off. What can I say, the boy loves flying.

The flight from London to Athens is estimated to last around four hours so I take that as my cue to nod off.

"By Merlin, it's warm!" I swiftly pull off my jumper and tie it around my waist as we make our way off the plane 

"It is warm. Why the hell are we dressed ready for the arctic?!" James sheds his jumper as well leaving him in only a pair of shorts and his undershirt.

After picking up our luggage and taking a ride on a boiling hot bus, we make it to the hotel we're to stay at. Everliah and I are sharing one room and Benjamin and James are sharing the one conjoined to ours. I set my things down beside a bed dressed in a plain white duvet and sheets. I notice a pamphlet standing on the bedside table and pick it up to read aloud, "Donkey riding. Each hotel guest is given a free ten minute ride on a complimentary donkey."

"Random," Everliah giggles.

"But extremely fun-sounding." I add, rushing off to retrieve James and Benji so we could all go ride donkeys together.

*

"I swear I won't ever complain about your farts again." James mumbles to me as Benjamin takes his turn riding a donkey.

He isn't wrong, these animals smell horrid but I cannot for the life of me stop smiling. "Oh hush, you. Once in a lifetime opportunities are upon us, Jamesie."

"That may be, but I'd still much rather propel myself off a cliff than be around these foul-smelling animals any longer." He grimaces.

"Well then you're in luck because that's what we're doing next!" I shout out cheerfully.

"Says who?" He crosses his arms over his chest.

"Says me! I just spoke to the manager of this establishment and he's the one that suggested it to me. Mum would never go for it of course, but I think I can convince Dad. "You in?"

"You only live once." He grins. "I'm in."