Chapter 18: Returning to School.

Meadow's POV.

I rest my head upon my brother's shoulder in our usual compartment a week or so after Christmas (the first of January to be exact). There was only a couple of minutes before the train would leave for Hogwarts and both of us were wondering where James was. We had made a bet of three galleons that consisted of my brother saying that James was walking down the train over here whilst I said that he was seeing Lily but neither of us had seen him on the platform. Sitting in the chair closest to the window but on the other row of seats, Lynx was sitting there cleaning herself like a cat would not even noticing James' absence even when the clock struck eleven. As the train jolted forward a little, I take my head off of Remus' head and connect eyes with him before we both get up and look down the train corridor. There was still no sight of James and I was beginning to think that neither me or my brother was right. What if he hadn't boarded in time? How would he get to Hogwarts? Where was he?Sadly, I sit back down in the compartment and look out of the window at the beginning of the countryside rolling by. The sky was a boring grey thanks to the winter and there was many grey clouds too which made everything look sad including the trees. I felt a pair of paws rest upon my leg and I spot Lynx lying her head upon her small paws. She peered up at me with her large amber eyes and began to purr when I scratched her behind the ears. The compartment door clicked open revealing a messy haired boy with his hazel eyes behind a pair of round glasses. A big smile breaks onto all of our faces when we spot each other and James leaves his trunk in the middle of the corridor while he runs over and hugs Remus. He lets go and ruffles up my hair instead of hugging me which resulted in me rolling my eyes and Lynx purring when she saw him. Both of the boys pull the trunk in and put it away before they both sat down smiling. Lynx got up when she saw James sit down opposite her, and hopped over to him and curled up against his leg. I place a hand on my heart watching her with my mouth wide open."Really Lynx. Leaving me for him! Well fuck you" I roll my eyes and look away from her whilst James laughed. "Sis, language!" Remus scolded hitting me in the arm and trying to stop himself from laughing. He failed quickly though and we all ended up in fits of laughter, even Lynx seemed happy. It was good to be back.

"James! Remus! Meadow!" Sirius shouted on the small balcony looking over the Gryffindor common room when we had finally arrived at Hogwarts. We had decided that we would take our stuff up to the common room before dinner rather than having someone else do it so we could meet up with Sirius and Peter early. They both seemed happy to see us three and they raced down towards us as soon as they got a chance. Sirius practically leaps into James' arms when he was within reach and did the same to Remus while Peter just smiles and nods to the three of us. To my surprise, Sirius wraps me in a short side hug which I returned although it was a bit hard to as Lynx was lying in my arms. She purred loudly when Sirius scratched her behind the ears making all of us smile. Grabbing our trunks, we head into our dorms to drop them off before dinner where I am met with Lily and the other girls. "MEADOW!" Marlene tackled me into a hug shouting, pulling us both onto the floor. I laugh. "Marlene! It's good to see you too. I presumed you missed me?" "Just a little bit" she laughed pulling me up only for me to be tackled to the ground again by Alice and Lily."Don't forget us. We missed you too you know" Alice giggled allowing me to finally stand up when Lily had also stopped suffocating me. I got to my feet and rake a hand through my hair whilst shaking my head. It was good to be back with the girls but I think even they knew that they could suffocate someone in a hug. I swear most of the time we hugged, I would end up with some kind of bruises but I would take anything if it let me be with my friends. "I've missed you all too. Oh and I know your going to ask and I love the cloak and the leather boots. I would be wearing the boots now but they not really ideal for snow." We all laugh and we head down to the common room -after I grabbed a paper bag from my trunk- where we see the boys all sitting around the fire presumably waiting for me too show up. When they heard us coming, all of their heads snapped in our direction mainly looking at me (except for James staring at Lily obviously). "Ready to go?" I ask getting a few muttered 'yes' in response before we walk out the portrait hole and done the marble staircase. I stayed silent for most of the way thinking about what Dumbledore wanted to speak me about after dinner and I only broke out of my thoughts when James decided to speak to Lily."Lily-Flower, it has been four months since we met so will you go out with me now?" James asked stupidly letting out a snort from myself and soft giggling from Remus, Sirius and Peter. "No Potter" Lily answered abruptly stalking off ahead with Marlene and Alice. James turns back to us and waited for us to catch up a little before we all continued walking to the Great Hall for dinner him not noticing us snickering.

"I still can't believe you had a snowball fight with the seventh years and you managed to survive" I giggled at the Gryffindor table a little while later. We all decided to talk about our Christmas holidays (me and Remus both left out that Dumbledore wanted me to see him but we did tell them we got the Monsters Book of Monsters we don't know who from though) and it turns out that Sirius was brave enough to challenge the seventh years. I still don't know how he survived that without catching a cold but even if he had, I would be surprised if that was the only thing he came out with.I feel a small tap on my left shoulder that turned out was from Naomi who was holding a small parcel under her robe. "Hi Meadow. Um, can I speak to you really quick?" She asked. I quickly glance around at everyone's faces who were looking at everything but at her with their faces blank except Remus who smiled. "Of course, I was then about to head off to do something anyway. I'll catch up with you guys later" I answer, getting up off the bench and following her out of the great hall. We stayed silent as we walked through the silent corridors, the only noise coming from our feet. She stops abruptly and turns to face me pulling out the small package from the inside of her robe. "I got your gift on Christmas and I wanted to thank you for being my friend even though I've been avoiding you for months. You didn't have to send those sweets so I wanted to give you something back in return". She holds out the package for me to take which I reluctantly do so. "You really didn't have to get me anything Naomi-" I start ripping of part of the brown wrapping revealing what seemed to be a Honeydukes chocolate bar. "I know but I felt bad, I know it isn't a lot but I don't really have much money. I mean before we came to Hogwarts, Dumbledore and McGonagall were the ones to buy everything I needed". Naomi shrugged her shoulders and let a small smile fall upon her face whilst I tucked the chocolate into my robe pocket. "Thank you Naomi but you really didn't have too-"."I know, I know. But I wanted to so keep it. Anyway earlier when I heard you saying goodbye to your friends, you said you had something to do. May I ask what it is?" "I need to go speak with Dumbledore" I blurt out before I could stop myself. "He wanted to see me about something."She nods thoughtfully. "I see, well I'm going to head off and let you see him. By the way the password is toffee éclair, see you later." With that she walked off leaving me alone in the corridor to walk alone. "So that's what Dumbledore meant when he said toffee éclair in the letter" I thought, walking in the direction of the Headmaster's office. I felt a bit stupid now knowing that I had brought him an actual toffee éclair although it was only the password now. I see a stone gargoyle down one end of the corridor and I immediately rushed over to it and said the password. It sprung out of the way allowing me to climb the spiral staircase leading to a wooden door at the top. I hesitated before knocking on the door with the paper bag still in my hands.The door swung open almost instantly revealing the headmaster sitting at his desk with a large book propped up in front of him. I felt as if I was intruding but he did invite me here after all so he must of known I was coming. "Ah Meadow, it's good to see that you made it. Take a seat" he said and with a wave of his wand, a chair appears in front of his desk. I nod and sit in front of the desk and place the paper bag on the corner of the book."I... um. I didn't realize that the password was toffee éclair until Naomi told me not long ago, so I hope you don't mind a real one" I say quietly earning a chuckle from the headmaster. "Of course not, I technically wasn't lying when I said that I liked an éclair every once in a while. Now I presume your wondering why I have called you here Meadow." Dumbledore smiles kindly at me and shuts the book on his desk. I didn't get to see what he was reading by the time he tucked it away on a shelf but I presumed it was nothing important. From behind his half moon spectacles, he looked at me with curiosity even when I nodded my reply. "Well, the main reason I called you here was because I have something to show you which I thought that you would quite like to see" he continued rising from his chair. I follow his action and wander over to an empty perch with a bowl underneath where the headmaster was awaiting. "Only a few know that I actually have a magical creature of my own and I figured that the 'Second Scamander' would like to see it". I feel myself going red at the nickname as usual but that just amused the headmaster. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Meadow, not many people are usually named after great witches and wizards. I must admit that you do act like him in some ways. Always found reading in the library and trying to see the best in everyone. However, you are mischievous too and like pulling pranks which is unlike him but even then he would break the rules at times." My eyes widen when I realize that Dumbledore knows I like too play pranks. Does that mean he knows it was me that set off the fireworks back in September? As if he could read my mind he laughs. "Yes I do know it was you who set off the fireworks Meadow.""But why didn't I get in trouble then?" I blurt out."Because you didn't just show pride for Gryffindor house. You done all of the house colours including Slytherins despite the feud between them and Gryffindor's. Although you should of got in trouble, you united the houses. It's not often that you will find a Slytherin friends with a student of any other house. Believe it or not Meadow, just with those simple fireworks you started to bring the houses together..."