Year Seven

Chapter One

"Mum, save it for later," Louis groaned, but wrapped his arms around her thin frame anyway. "You'll set me off and then I won't be able to stop."

The last thing he wanted to do was get emotional there on the platform, just before meeting back up with his friends. He had spent a few days with a couple of them toward the end of the holiday, when they met up in Diagon Alley to shop for their school things. But he knew they would never let him hear the end of it if he made his way onto the train in tears.

"I'm just really going to miss you, boobear," the woman let out a bit pathetically, still trying to hold back her tears.

"I"ll write you first thing, I promise." Giving her a quick squeeze, Louis released his arms and took a step back to offer her a reassuring smile.

"I know, you always do," his mum nodded. "Make sure to watch after Lottie, she's still nervous as ever. And tell Liam the same."

With a quick nod, Louis pushed the cart further on down the platform to where it was less crowded so he could get on the train. It took him a couple minutes to get both carts and his owl cage settled in the overhead racks in the empty compartment he'd chosen, but as soon as he had finished he collapsed into the seat, leaning his head back into it with a sigh. His friends would find him, he wasn't about to waste any more energy looking for them.

He could see the orange glow of the morning sun through his closed eyelids, a slight tug at the corners of his lips as he relaxed for a few brief moments. The noise of the movement outside on the platform, and in the corridor, were simply background noise to the thoughts rushing through his mind. Mostly of his family, and how much he would miss them while he was away.

Louis was pulled from his thoughts when the door slid open with a quick bang and his eyes snapped open.

"Oh, so glad we've found you, boobear!" his friend's voice went rather high pitched on the last word, a slight tone of mocking hidden in there somewhere.

"Piss off, Zayn," Louis scoffed, rolling his blue eyes before glancing out the window.

"Wouldn't want to go the entire ride back without seeing our boobear," came the familiar Irish accent behind him as both boys entered the compartment.

Normally Louis would have given a sassy remark, but his eyes were focused on his family on the platform, that he could just make out between the other bodies rushing about. Lottie was still with them. Not only that but it always took him a little bit extra to recover from having to bid them farewell. Something that most teenagers didn't have trouble with, but he had always struggled to manage. His family was everything to him.

"Hey, boobear, you in there?" Zayn waved a hand in front of his face.

"Guys, stop giving it to him. I think it's sweet," came the familiar voice, shortly before Louis actually saw the tall curly haired girl enter the compartment, followed by Liam.

"'Ello, Danielle." He actually greeted her, as opposed to Zayn or Niall, after their mocking of his mother's nickname for him.

She replied with a warm smile, tossing her hair back over her shoulder as she took her place beside Liam, leaning into his side as he wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulder. Their matching Prefect badges glinting in the sun, and for a moment Louis wished he had one so he could threaten to take a few points from his friends for harassing him. Though he would never actually take points from them.

Louis was glad to see them, he had missed them the most after the school holiday. After all, he had spent time with both Niall and Zayn over the time off, so he couldn't really miss them too much now.