Green Apples; Draco Malfoy [1]

Chapter 3🍏

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭."

Alexis' free hand propped up the weighty owl cage that balanced dangerously on the tip of her books, which were stacked to the tens. It's September first and she was at Kings Cross station, ready to say goodbye to her parents and board the Hogwarts Express—except she couldn't find it. It's supposed to be on Platform 9 and 3/4, but there was only a brick wall separating platform nine and ten.

She had followed a family that had a similar trunk to hers and a toad, but all they did was run straight at the brick wall and disappear. She shouldn't be surprised because it seemed like a magical sort of thing to occur, but it still didn't give Alexis much confidence. She wasn't particularly fond of smashing into walls.

"Honey, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. If this summer has taught me anything, it's that magic exists. Literally. You have a magic wand, a potions book and an actual pet owl! Like hello! Introduction to magic 101 right there!" 

Cole grabs his wife's arms and shakes her lightly. "Bella, calm down, you're shouting and people are staring."

Bella was scared to send her daughter off to an unknown boarding school that would be teaching her magic, of all things. It was an overwhelming thought, especially because she knew how hard Alexis coped with normal school and the problems young children faced nowadays, and to top it all off, her daughter had powers that other children didn't, or maybe they did, she didn't know. If she's to be halfway across the country, how was she going to protect her? She liked to think that Alexis would always need a hug from her dear mother, but now it's just that bit harder to give it to her in those times of need.

Alexis took her dainty hands in her own and swung them back and forth. It was evident that this was not easy for her mother by the way her body was tense and she would sigh deeply every so often. She was glad that she was the only one with emotional problems, otherwise, this could have been a lot worse. In hopes of cheering her up, Alexis wrapped her long arms around her mother's thin waist and hugged her idol ferociously. 

"I'll write every week Mum, I promise, and if I ever need one of your hugs... well, I'm sure there's a spell to deliver them to me."

Knowing that her daughter was determined to do her best put Bella's fears to rest. They continue to hug for a few moments, only separated by an anxious Cole who also wanted to get a hug out of their daughter. He whispers words of encouragement in her hair and strokes it, remembering this moment for years to come. They break apart and with tears in their eyes, say their final farewell.

Alexis doesn't look as she runs towards the brick wall, closing her eyes, waiting for her newest adventure to begin (or to hit the brick wall and get a concussion.)

The hooting of a horn lets her know that she's arrived on the other side safely so she lets out the breath she had been holding. Walking past the groups of sad families alone, she realizes that she's just left behind her family, something she's never done before.

She wheels her cart down the platform, struggling to manage with it all when a loud voice is directed at her. 

"Dearie, would you like me to help with that?" 

The same red-haired woman that Alexis had seen at Diagon Alley was here, surrounded by her children. A big smile played on her warm face and she wore a quirky knitted sweater and a long patterned skirt that gave off loving mother feelings.

Alexis smiles gratefully and with a flick of her wand, she levitates all her items and places them with the rest of the school's luggage. Well, that was easy.