Heart of Courage and Fire | Marauders Era [Poems Rewrite]

Chapter Five - Felix.

Chapter Five

The hotel seemed rather stuffy when Adria awoke on the first of September at eight in the morning. She was sleeping in a rather uncomfortable bed in the cheap hotel her parents had booked for the week leading up to the first.

She had an interesting and hectic week and she was wished she was back in her own bed to sleep off all that she had gone through. To experience a place like Diagon Alley was something she never thought she would do, and although it was wonderful and completely magical it was also very hectic.

She had to push her way through crowds upon crowds of people of all ages. From parents decked in casual "muggle" clothes as Professor Slughorn called it, to parents dressed in robes much like Professor Slughorn. Then there were kids, from her age to older than Alfie and all of them seemed just as excited to be there.

Some ate ice cream that never seemed to go down, and some were cooing at owls and cats that they had just bought. She was overwhelmed, and she knew Benji was too as they stuck close to each other trying their hardest to look around them at all the different shops. She ducked when a large woosh of light danced over her head and gripped onto her mother's arm who was following Professor Slughorn in front of her.

He had a list, doubled for the both of them, and the first stop on their list was the large building that was known as the bank. From there, they could convert their muggle money into wizarding money they could use.

They needed everything under the sun. A pet, Adria didn't know why, but she was excited about it nonetheless. She would very much like a kitten and Benji had his heart set on a toad. They needed textbooks upon textbooks, a cauldron and all sorts more like their very own wand.

They also needed parchment paper and a quill which Adria wasn't too happy about, she would much rather write with a pen and wasn't sure why she couldn't. She was too nervous to argue, though, and kept her mouth shut almost the entire time.

That was until she saw the kittens that she could have.

They came away with everything they needed, and Adria knew after their time in Diagon Alley she could have slept for a week. Benji had named his new toad Al, after both Alfie and Alina as he said they both looked like slimy toads.

Neither of them were happy with that.

She named her new kitten Felix, for no reason other than it was the first name that popped into her head and she liked it a lot. It was cute, and it seemed to suit him very much. He was adorable and the idea of her having Felix at the school with her made it seem not so bad anymore.

Of course, she would have Benji too, but Professor Slughorn talked about something called houses at the school and she was more than worried that she and Benji would be sorted into different houses. It scared her.

It was a dreary day when Adria peered out the small crack in the blinds overlooking London. They had to be at kings' cross station for ten thirty, as the train left at eleven on the dot and would not wait for anyone. She pondered the idea of being purposely late, for the small factor of leaving behind her parents but it left her head quickly.

It was an adventure, as her mother put it.

"Adria," whispered Benji from the bed next to her. He could tell in some way that his sister was awake, but he still said, "are you awake?"

"Yeah," she mumbled groggily, "I just woke up there. I've had a terrible sleep!"

"Me too," said Benji, "I don't want to go, Adria. I really don't."

She turned to face him, the duvet pulled up to her cheeks to block out the coldness in the room, "I think it will be fun, Benji. We will meet loads of new people, won't we? It'll be a new adventure like mum said."

"What if it's scary, and what if everyone thinks we're weird?" he asked, a shakiness to his breath like he was going to explode at any moment, "I have friends, I didn't want to leave them."

"I know, but we'll have each other. I don't like all this fuss, and this new change is really scaring me too, but I'm trying to only think of the positives, or I think I might cry," it was true. She was known as very mature for her age, from her teachers at her old primary school.

Sometimes Adria wondered if that just meant she couldn't interact with her peers, and it was true. She preferred to be alone, to have the company of herself and her books and her mind. She loved her brother, he was her best friend and no matter how much she loved her own company, she loved his more. She knew they'd be okay, maybe scared, but they would still be together.

"I suppose that makes sense," said Benji.

_____

The Hopkins family had no idea what had just happened, but they had finally truly experienced magic. How it was possible that they ran into a wall at full speed and still made it out alive (and on the other side of said wall) truly put into perspective how bizarre the situation was that they were going through.

The train platform, that of nine and three quarters, was as crowded as ever as kids as young as Adria and Benji ran around with friends they knew. Older kids stood in groups, giggling and chatting and hugging each other all the same.

Adria kept close to her dad as they walked through the platform, her hand in Alina's just beside her and Alfie treading along behind them as though this wasn't cool to him when deep down it secretly was.

Judy had her arm wrapped tightly around Benji as they walked, she was hoping to tease him at first but when he threw his arms around his mother's waist, she knew that all he needed was a hug from his mum.

"Right, so Professor Slughorn said all you have to do is board the train before eleven and you'll be fine. Instructions will be given to you on board by others, and you have your robes. You'll be okay when you're settled in it'll be like nothing has changed!" Judy reassured, the comforting smile resting on her lips, but she was riddled with her own nerves.

"I just can't wait until Christmas," said Adria with Benji nodding beside her in agreement, "we don't know the first thing about magic. What about all these kids with magical parents that have taught them things, we don't know anything!"

"You'll learn," said Douglas comfortingly, "and your professors know that too, Professor Slughorn said himself that he will be there and so will all the other Professors. You'll be alright!"

"I'm holding you to that!" Adria wagged a finger in her dad's face. She threw her arms around him shortly after, followed by a round of hugs from her family members as well as Alfie. He seemed to hold on tighter and Adria knew he truly was a big softie, he just liked to pretend he wasn't.

"You better write to us every day," warned Judy to her two kids, "I mean it!"

"Well, you better write back!" Benji exclaimed after he had finished hugging Alina who was unusually quiet.

"Of course, we will." Douglas patted Benji's shoulder, "now off you two go. It's almost eleven."

They all said one final goodbye, and with their hands clutched together very tightly the two twins took off onto the large steam train filled with students.