Since the beginning | Deamus |

(fourth year) Ch. 33 Popcorn

The next morning I was shaken awake at the crack of dawn by Gwen who was grinning way too brightly for someone who only woke up a few minutes ago.

"Get up, get dressed, we're leaving in a few minutes."

I groaned and pulled the covers over my head, only to have Gwen pull them back down.

"Nope! You have to get up. We're leaving in a few minutes and I don't have time for you to get a few minutes extra sleep."

"I swear to god your accent is annoying in the morning."

"Yeah, well yours is annoying all the time. Now get up!"

For the next ten minutes I was being rushed through everything, getting dressed, eating toast, and bushing my teeth. Gwen's a very nice guy but he can be awfully rude and pushy in the morning.

By some miracle (and by that I mean Gwen's constant nagging) I was able to do everything I needed to do and I even had a few minutes to visit a new-born dragon who was born only an hour before.

"C'mon Seamus! Say goodbye to that dragon! I told ya friends mam I'd have you back by noon."

I hopped onto the strange broom, making sure to hold my bag tight, and we took off into the sky. The landscape was beautiful from my view. I could still see some of the larger dragons even when we were miles into the air. I hoped to come back there someday, and who knows maybe I could get a job there next summer.

"I hope you're ready!" Gwen shouted over the roar of the wind.

"I'm not but get on with it!"

"Hold on!"

We took of across the sky, faster then anything else I could imagine. The landscape beneath me was nothing more then smudges of green and brown. Occasionally we would run into a bird who thought it was a good idea to constantly fly off only to get back on the broom. I named him Dave.

Gwen landed us in the backyard of the Thomas', assuring me that he had put a cloaking spell on the broom so no muggles could see us. The whole family ran out of the house to meet us once we landed. The twins as hyper as ever.

It must've been midday but Dean was still in his pajamas and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as if he had only woken up a few minutes ago, which he very well could have.

When we landed Mrs. Thomas wasted no time in rushing towards me and hugging me like she hadn't seen me in years.

"Welcome back Shay! Did you have fun?"

"It was great!" I got off the broom, and almost collapsed due to my legs feeling like they don't exist after breaking the sound barrier, and hugged Mrs. Thomas back.

The twins rushed at me as soon as Mrs. Thomas stepped away. If you don't think small children can be scary then you obviously haven't been knocked over by two six year olds screaming about dragons.

When the twins had finally calmed down and I was helped back up to my feet, Gwen was gone.

"Kind of rude," I mumbled. "He didn't even say goodbye."

~~~

The next couple of days went by pretty fast. A letter came for me from Mam, delivered by Owlbert who refused to leave afterward.

Seamus,

Everything is fine, so don't worry. He's sobered up and has been spending most of his time yelling at the TV. You'll have to spend the next few weeks until school starts at the Thomas', and I won't be able to see you at the Platform. I am so so sorry, but it would be safer this way. I really do want to see you off to school but you know how your father is. I'm sending your school stuff over today so you should be getting them soon.
I love you, and I am sorry

Mom

I can't tell you that I wasn't surprised about that letter. I thought I would be staying with Dean for only a couple of days and then I'd be able to go back home, but I guess I knew it would be safer this way. What really surprised me was the fact that she wouldn't be able to get to the platform. I had always just expected her to be there to see me off to school.

"Shay?" Dean quietly pushed the door open and sat next to me. I was sitting in my air mattress staring at the letter with what I can only assume was an expression of disbelief and sadness. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." The letter was still clutched in my hand and the words were starting to blur as tears filled my eyes.

"Is your mum ok?"

I nodded but I couldn't bring myself to speak. I was worried that if I did all the tears I was trying to hold in would come spilling down my face.

"Can I see the letter?" I nodded again and Dean gently took the letter from me.

A few moments of silence went by while Dean read the letter. I was still staring at the empty space between the mattress and the wall when Dean put down the letter and wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's not your fault," I mumbled into his shoulder.

"I'm still sorry."

A couple of comfortable moments went by and I could almost forget how sad I was about mam.

"Come on." Dean stood up and offered his hand to me. "It's almost dinner, I think we're having pizza."

I smiled brightly and followed him out the door. "Good, I love pizza."

~~~

"Lav! What are you doing here!"

Lav was standing by the door way, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail and a couple of luggage bags in her hands.

"I'm staying here for the rest of the summer! Don't sound so disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed, I'm just surprised!"

I rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm taller then you now!" Lav laughed.

"Don't gloat, I'll be taller then you soon enough."

Dean then emerged from wherever he was hiding and pushed past me to see Lav.

"Well I'm taller then both of you."

"You're a giant Dean! It doesn't count."

Lav moved into our room, which was becoming pretty cramped. Having three people in one room meant there was a lot of cursing in the morning when someone went to go use the bathroom and ended up stepping on someone's face. But it was nice in a lot of ways. It had been months since I had seen Lav and this gave  us a chance to catch up. Though I didn't tell her about my father, I had cried enough in front my friends recently.

We all had a lot of fun that last week of summer vacation. The twins absolutely adore Lav so whenever they were not sleeping or in the bathroom they were crowding around Lav and practically climbing up to her neck to ask her insane questions that were so weird I don't even remember them.

On one of these occasions, the twins fell asleep hanging onto Lav while she was still walking. After a careful extraction of the twins and taking them to their room, Lavender, Dean, and I sat down on the couch and watched Aladdin. A huge bowl of popcorn sat on the coffee table along with a bowl of Skittles and M&Ms.

It was a great movie and the candy was even better. I ended up having the bowl of popcorn dumped on my head and we all had to shamefully pick up eat kernel while Mrs. Thomas glared at us.