Rose Petals ✿ Remus Lupin - Discontinued :(

Chapter 9

The train ride went quicker than any of the children wanted it to. By the time the Hogwarts Express rolled into the station, both Sirius and Eileen were downright depressed. Eileen stared off out the window, and Sirius wasn't cracking any jokes anymore. Everyone in the compartment noticed the mood shift.

"You all write me, correct?" Rose demanded, her eyes catching everyone's. She latched onto Belle first, hugging her so tightly that the breath was knocked out of her.

"Love you too, Rosie." Belle huffed, trying to catch her lost breath when Rose moved onto Lily, and then Eileen. She wasn't at all shy when hugging the boys either, catching all of them off guard when wrapping them in her arms. She scoffed when James didn't hug back, awkwardly embracing his uncomfortable stature.

"Stop being such boys." She teased, making Lily giggle. 

The four boys awkwardly shrugged, before Rose stepped out of the way, letting everyone else say goodbye. Belle and Lily embraced, promising to write much over the summer and to not be a stranger next year. Just as Lily broke off from the hug she turned around to face James, his arms wide open with a grin. Lily just rolled her eyes, hugging the rest of the girls and exchanging head nods with Remus and Peter.

"Hey!" James and Sirius exclaimed, but they weren't really upset, because they both were on the verge of laughing themselves.

"Have a good summer."

"I'll get you one day, Evans." James assured, his cocky grin arriving on his face once again.

"Sure you will, Potter. That'll be the day Belle hates reading." 

Belle looked offended, gaping at Lily, but then turning to James with sympathetic eyes.

"Sorry, James, but that is too much of an absurd thought to even consider." She cooed.

James narrowed his eyes at Belle, before turning to look Lily in the eye.

"Watch your back, Roux." James spoke, making everyone in the compartment laugh, even Lily, who quickly hid her face before someone noticed. Next was Eileen, who spent a little longer hugging everyone, trying to delay the inevitable. Belle leaned next to her ear when they hugged.

"If you ever need a place to go, my place is always open."

 Eileen looked away from Belle and nodded, her eyes turning mildly glossy for a mere second before the tears disappeared beneath her eye sockets.

"I will." She nodded, grasping her friends hands. She gave the boys head nods once again. Now it was Belle's turn. Since she already hugged all the girls, she turned towards the boys. James had his hand out, to which Belle quickly high-fived. Her eyes than landed on Peter and she gave hug, telling him to write and to stay in touch. Then, Remus, who looked quite sad to see his best friend say goodbye for two months.

She locked him in a bear-hug, not exchanging any words. When she pulled away, the girls looked ready to tease Belle and the boys sat quietly with smarmy smirks on their faces.

"Have a good summer, Remus." She smiled, before turning to Sirius, who she awkwardly reached out to hug, but quickly pulled away, noticing what she was doing. They look each other in the eye before reaching out their hands to hand-shake. The compartment laughed as the two children's faces turned beet-red.

"Erm- Nice summer, Belle." Sirius coughed, before stepping back.

The train pulled into the station, a loud horn signaling the arrival of the train. Cries from siblings and parents on the platform echoed off of the walls of the station flooding throughout the train. There were a few mournful sobs of some seventh year girls who were devastated about leaving their home-away-from-home. Belle, eager to see her mother, bid her friends one last goodbye.