Post by Fate on Feb 11, 2012 1:22:34 GMT -8
Title: Mildew
Challenge: Hogwarts Express
Rating: G
Word Count: 470
Summary: Neville and his Grandmother say goodbye on the platform before his first trip to Hogwarts.
Everything was ready. They had purchased everything on the list. They had stitched his on to every sock and every pair of underwear. They had packed his trunk had repacked it with everything he had forgotten the first time. They had arrived at King's Cross Station an hour early, his Grandmother not wanting to take any chances.
He'd lost his toad and found him again.
The gleaming scarlet engine was waiting and all there was left to do was say goodbye.
"Respect your Professors."
"Yes Gran."
"Do your homework each night."
"Yes Gran."
"Go to bed on time."
"Yes Gran."
"Write every weekend."
"Yes Gran."
She rebuttoned his robes (he had missed one) and fussed with his hair. "Hold on to your toad! Uncle Algie would be very displeased if lost him and he ended up in someone's cauldron!"
His hand tightened around Trevor, concealed in his pocket.
"Yes Gran."
"And..."
Neville looked up at his grandmother. She was wearing the same old green dress she always wore with the stuffed vulture hat and red hand bag hung over the crook of one arm.
She swooped down and kissed his cheek nosily before pulling him into an embrace. "I'm going to miss you, Pet."
He returned the hug. Pressing his face into that old green dress he breathed in the smell of mildew. It clung to the dress no matter how many times she tried to charm it out. But to him it was simply the smell of his Gran and it comforted him.
"I'll miss you too Gran."
The train's whistle split the air.
"Goodness!" His grandmother cried, releasing him and steering him towards the train. "You don't want it to leave without you! Up you go now, watch your step."
Neville climbed abroad. His heart thudded in his chest. He had never been away from his grandmother before, going to school would be the first time they were separated since he could remember.
He hurriedly found a compartment and copied the other students by sticking his head out the window (although the other students didn't smack their foreheads painfully on the sill in doing so).
"You'll tell Mum and Dad I've gone?" He asked rubbing his forehead.
His grandmother nodded. "I will Pet. I know they'll... I know they'll be proud."
The Hogwarts Express had begun to move. His Grandmother walked a few steps and reached her hand up to the window. "I love you Pet."
Neville reached but they were moving too quickly, his fingers missed, but he called back to her above the swirling smoke. "I love you too Gran! Goodbye!" He waved vigorously as the old woman on the platform became smaller and smaller until she was just a green speck in the distance. "Goodbye Gran! Goodbye!"
The whistle screeched and Neville turned his face northwards squinting into the distance. His eyes were watering, it must be the wind and the smoke.
Challenge: Hogwarts Express
Rating: G
Word Count: 470
Summary: Neville and his Grandmother say goodbye on the platform before his first trip to Hogwarts.
Everything was ready. They had purchased everything on the list. They had stitched his on to every sock and every pair of underwear. They had packed his trunk had repacked it with everything he had forgotten the first time. They had arrived at King's Cross Station an hour early, his Grandmother not wanting to take any chances.
He'd lost his toad and found him again.
The gleaming scarlet engine was waiting and all there was left to do was say goodbye.
"Respect your Professors."
"Yes Gran."
"Do your homework each night."
"Yes Gran."
"Go to bed on time."
"Yes Gran."
"Write every weekend."
"Yes Gran."
She rebuttoned his robes (he had missed one) and fussed with his hair. "Hold on to your toad! Uncle Algie would be very displeased if lost him and he ended up in someone's cauldron!"
His hand tightened around Trevor, concealed in his pocket.
"Yes Gran."
"And..."
Neville looked up at his grandmother. She was wearing the same old green dress she always wore with the stuffed vulture hat and red hand bag hung over the crook of one arm.
She swooped down and kissed his cheek nosily before pulling him into an embrace. "I'm going to miss you, Pet."
He returned the hug. Pressing his face into that old green dress he breathed in the smell of mildew. It clung to the dress no matter how many times she tried to charm it out. But to him it was simply the smell of his Gran and it comforted him.
"I'll miss you too Gran."
The train's whistle split the air.
"Goodness!" His grandmother cried, releasing him and steering him towards the train. "You don't want it to leave without you! Up you go now, watch your step."
Neville climbed abroad. His heart thudded in his chest. He had never been away from his grandmother before, going to school would be the first time they were separated since he could remember.
He hurriedly found a compartment and copied the other students by sticking his head out the window (although the other students didn't smack their foreheads painfully on the sill in doing so).
"You'll tell Mum and Dad I've gone?" He asked rubbing his forehead.
His grandmother nodded. "I will Pet. I know they'll... I know they'll be proud."
The Hogwarts Express had begun to move. His Grandmother walked a few steps and reached her hand up to the window. "I love you Pet."
Neville reached but they were moving too quickly, his fingers missed, but he called back to her above the swirling smoke. "I love you too Gran! Goodbye!" He waved vigorously as the old woman on the platform became smaller and smaller until she was just a green speck in the distance. "Goodbye Gran! Goodbye!"
The whistle screeched and Neville turned his face northwards squinting into the distance. His eyes were watering, it must be the wind and the smoke.