Taste of Youth

The view from out the window looked like it belonged in a painting. One with soft edges, perhaps, that reminded someone of the smell of rain and grass. Green hills rolled away from me as the pane fogged from my breath. It had been two months since my feet had touched European soil. Two months of packing and arguments and watching out another window wondering if the rain smelled the same anywhere I went. Logically it did, but my heart said otherwise.

The compartment door had swung open once or twice. Teenagers and children searching for friends, safe places, empty corners. None of them stayed long. Only one of them had stopped to sit and try to talk, she was met with a silence I had perfected years ago. Soft around the edges but heavy. I was good at being just uncomfortable enough.

I could hear the other students mutedly from my spot. Hello’s, how are you’s, shouted happily and excitedly among friends. I couldn’t say if my predicament would have been different had I stayed in Salem. Friends were complicated there, more alliances that partnerships. Harsh and vicious and oh so carefully crafted.

“Hey,have you seen a red head about so tall- undeniably gorgeous.”

“James, you shouldn’t just barge into compartments.”

“But, Moony, this is important. Prong’s livelihood depends on it.”

I blinked slowly at the boys crowding the door, “No, I haven’t seen them.”

“Hey! You’re Professor Rein’s sister right? We met you just before end of term.” The boy with watery eyes piped up from the back grinning widely, “You’re going to Hogwarts now?”

My shoulders lifted slowly and one of my legs curled up to rest my chin on. I returned to watching the landscape again, something inside me thrown off by the recognition in the boys faces. The silence stretched for just a moment before the shuffling started. My eyes closed, after the shuffling would come the soft click of the door closing as it always did. Instead came the rattle of a wrapper just across from me. I blinked my eyes open and stared at the chocolate that was being held out for me.

“Chocolate makes everything better.” Lupin smiled at me chewing on the other half of the bar.

“Thanks.” I whispered snapping a bit off the end and chewing slowly glancing from the window to the boys.

“Do you mind if we bunk up here? Most everywhere is full by now and we could use a place to dump these trunks.” Peter hauled one of the cases to his chest sheepishly.

I shrugged again, “I don’t own the place.”

“I’d hope not,” Black said from the door expertly tossing a bag into the holder above Lupin’s head, “We’ll be back - Prong’s has to be turned down for the new school year at least twice.”