Two Souls

Chapter Two

        The train ride home was about three hours and I stayed with Grayson and Francesca the entire time. We also had to sit with two second year twins, Ruby and Rebecca, who were especially reserved. So the three of us were mainly the only ones speaking while the twins read some type of novel.

"You better write to us, Amelia," Francesca tells me sternly, crossing her thin arms over her chest.

"Yeah! I'm talking an owl a week," Grayson adds.

I laugh at my two friends. "Of course, an owl a week. You two better write to me as well, this Summer is going to be awfully long," I say, groaning. I've been dreading seeing my parents for the entirety of this train ride and we are nearly home.

The large train comes to a halt and the whistle blows. I don't have to look out the window to know that we've arrived at the final stop, where me, Francesca and Grayson will get off at. We all happen to live in around the same area- Grayson and I from Virginia, while Francesca is from Delaware.

Gently, Grayson removes all three of our trunks from the upper area and hands it to us. I send him a weary smile before leading the three of us down the stairs and out of the train.

Without taking a second to think, I wrap my arms around the both of my friends. They instantly do the same and the three of us are in a three way hug.

Grayson is the first to break free. "My parents are on the other side of the platform, I've to go. Promise me you'll both write," He says, keeping his eyes on me.

I gulp. "I promise," I say. I actually intend to keep it.

Francesca and I depart each other as well and I immediately find my parents by the entrance of the platform. My mother looks identical to me, with the same strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes that I have. Our only difference is our face- hers is worn and tired while mine is youthful and naive. My father is also here, we don't share any similar qualities. He's a tall man with black hair, pale skin, and black eyes.

Unlike the other students, I don't embrace my parents nor do they embrace me. We have a very formal, impersonal relationship.

"Hello father," I greet. "Mother."

My mother doesn't even bother smiling at me. "Hello, Amelia, how was your end of term?" She asks, her English accent still prominent despite spending years in the United States.

I nod. "It went well," I state.

My father looks to me. "Which house earned the most points this year?" He asks me. Every year, he asks me the same question, and I always have to tell him that the Horned Serpents won.

"Horned Serpents, but Thunderbirds placed second by just four points," I say awkwardly.

My mother purses her lips. "That's still a loss in itself, Amelia. This would be different if you had been sorted into Horned Serpents originally," She tells me, looking at my father who nods.

I play with my fingers in shame. "Thunderbirds won the Quidditch cup. It was our first time in eight years," I add, biting my lip to suppress the proud smile threatening to come on my lips.

My father speaks up this time. "You won't be pursuing Quidditch in the future, Amelia, I hope you are aware of that. Your mother and I are displeased at the fact you are involved in Quidditch now," He says, running a hand through his greying black hair. I force myself to stay quiet at his statement and instead drag my suitcase along the pavement

I'm trapped in my own thoughts that I don't even realize my mother had floo powder in her hand ready to give to me. Quickly, I take it. I notice that my parents don't have any floo powder.

"Amelia, I trust that you can use the floo powder adequately? Your mother and I will be apparating," My father informs me.

I nod, not trusting myself to respond civilly.

My parents apparate almost instantly after saying that, leaving me alone with my suitcase and floo powder. I glance around, careful to make sure there are no no-majs nearby, before dropping the floo powder onto the ground.

The next thing I know, I fall through my chimney and onto the ground. My parents must have gone upstairs because they are nowhere downstairs.

Carefully, I reach into my suitcase and pull out the chocolates that Grayson bought me, a piece of parchment, and a quill. I run up the stairs and into my bedroom, ready to begin writing a letter to my friends, who I already miss dearly.

I start with Grayson's first.

Dear Grayson,

I promised you I would send you letters once a week. I'm fulfilling that promise. I've been home for about five minutes and I'm already bored out of my mind. It must be nice having so many siblings in your house, it must never get quiet.

The chocolates you have gotten me still remain my favorite no-maj food. I hope I get another opportunity to see you before the next term starts.

Best regards, Amelia

I neatly fold the letter and place it in an envelopment. By now, the sky is growing darker so I opt to send the letter in the morning.

"You know I've been wanting to go back to London for years now! He's slowly been coming back for three years, Charles! We have to return!" I hear my mother's voice through the thin walls of the flat. I've never heard my mother's voice so anxious and raised before, it strikes me curiously.

I hear my father hushing her. "I promise we'll return soon, Edeline. Lucius has already offered us a place to stay in his estate," My father says in a much calmer voice. His voice is so low that I have to press my ear against the wall to hear him.

I hear things moving around, so I know my parents are using magic right now. They talk for a bit more about irrelevant things such as current events and memories. Just as I'm about to give up and go to sleep, I hear sounds of them kissing and moaning. I hold the gag in my throat before running to my bed and shoving my face in the pillow.

How disgusting.

I rotate myself around the bed so that my head is now facing the empty ceiling. The design of my room is pretty dull, considering I spent three quarters of the year at a boarding school miles away.

My walls are painted a daft shade of white, along with my bed and curtains. It almost feels as if I'm locked away in a psychiatric ward, because of all the whiteness. My house might as well be a psychiatric ward, since I'm hardly allowed to leave it during the Summer holidays.

I wonder what my friends are doing right now. Surely something more interesting than what I am doing. I can easily imagine Francesca trying to teach her no-maj father how to play exploding snaps, only for it to fail miserably. Grayson is most likely arguing with one of his four siblings, threatening to jinx them if they don't succumb to his demands. A smile creeps on my face as I think of that.

I turn around once more, so that I am laying on my side and facing my window. My owl, Willow, sleeps peacefully in her cage with her feathers relaxed.

After what feels like hours, I finally feel myself drifting into a deep sleep.