The train ride was a lot of fun, but I could still catch myself staring out of the window in anticipation now and then, trying to see if I recognised the landscape.

Once I did, I stood up, making Peter and Remus look at me.

"We'll be in King's Cross soon," I explained cheerily, almost bouncing in anticipation. "I always like to get out of the compartment early, so that it won't be so crowded when I get out with the rest."

"We'll join you," Peter said and gave Remus opposite him a questioning look. "Right?"

Remus shrugged, pocketing his latest chocolate bar. "Sure, why not?"

The lads were so nice to take care of the suitcases, despite my protests that women and girls could also deal with weight- they said that they didn't doubt that, but they wanted to be gentlemen.

When we came to a halt in front of the wagon's door, I spoke up again. "I'll be completely honest with you. When these doors open, I'll run and you won't see me until after the holidays, so let's say our goodbyes now, okay?"

Because I really couldn't wait any longer to finally hug my mum and sister again.

"Uhm," Peter and Remus exchanged confused looks. "Okay?"

"Okay," I repeated, beaming. "Again, thanks for letting me sit with you. It was a lot of fun."

"Thanks for sitting with us," Remus grinned. "The pleasure was ours."

"Exactly, we have to do that again one time, preferably with James and Sirius," Peter said enthusiastically.

And even the mention of his name alone gave me butterflies, Merlin. I hoped I didn't blush. "Okay," I said.

"Great," Remus bent forward and hugged me. "Have great holidays, Freya."

"You too," I smiled into the hug. He smelled like chocolate- no wonder, after all the chocolate he'd consumed on this train ride alone. It was a miracle that the boy wasn't as round as a Quaffle.

Because I felt so comfortable around the boys now, I even gave Peter a quick hug, too. "Bye, Peter. Have amazing holidays, too."

"I will," he beamed. "Oh, look, we're actually already there."

I followed his eyes, just in time to see the green grass be replaced by King's Cross Station's red bricks.

My grin widened and I turned to the boys again as the train got slower. "Bye you two."

"Bye," they said in unison, and the train came to a halt.

I hadn't lied when I announced that I'd run immediately. Because that was exactly what I did.

I hurried towards the place where Mum usually stood, struggling a bit to run fast with the heavy trunk behind me.

I almost cried out of sheer happiness when I spotted her short and fair brown curls. "Mum!"

With a two metre distance, I let go of my trunk and ran into her outstretched arms. "I missed you so so so much!"

"I missed you, too, sweetie," She chuckled in my ear. "Very much."

She let go of me and held me away on a shoulder length. "Have you grown?"

"No," I immediately answered, still grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "I'm not growing anymore, I've already been taller than you last Christmas."

Mum smiled. "I remember it now." She hugged me again, letting out a content sigh. "It's been too long."

"I love you," I murmured and kissed her cheek.

"I love you, too, Sweetie." She let go of me and went to pick up my trunk from the floor. "Any special news?"

I thought about it, pursing my lips. Aside from Sirius-related facts, there were no news, so I shook my head no.

My mum already knew that I had befriended the marauders, and there wasn't more to know. I didn't even dare to tell her about my growing crush.

"Let's get going, then."

She tilted her head to make me follow, which I did.

"Any news from your side?" I asked after we'd left the barrier behind us to walk to our car.

Mum hesitated. "Well, there's just the usual arguments, and Francisca will want to tell you her news herself."

I consciously ignored the part about the arguments. "Francisca has news? Is she pregnant? Engaged?"

Mum paled. "No?"

"Oh, okay." My excitement died down. I loved children, and since Francisca and Henry had been a happy couple for a little more than five years, I was actually hoping to get a little niece or nephew, despite them being so young. But I'd still have to wait, apparently. What other news could she have, though? What was something that she hadn't said in her letters already?

I shrugged it off and told Mum about the events at school while she drove us home.

I summarised how I'd been assigned to patrol with Remus and that that had been the beginning of my new friendship with the marauders. I told her all about the secret trip to Hogsmeade and the Quidditch match against Slytherin.

Mum had a smile on her face the whole ride, although she already knew about all of the stories from my letters.

When we arrived at home, only an half an hour ride from King's Cross, Mum levitated my suitcase into my room.

"Where is Francisca?" I asked when she didn't come down to greet me.

"At the hospital, but she will be home soon."

"When do you have to go back to work?"

Mum and I were walking into the kitchen, and she flopped down onto a chair. "At nine."

My smile dropped, although I'd expected it. "You couldn't get the day off?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. You know how it is, we're very busy. And everyone wants to have the day off when their children come home, but someone has to take care of the patients."

I nodded, resignated. While I understood that, I didn't understand why it was always my mum who didn't get the time off. She always jumped in when someone else couldn't or wouldn't work.

Her urge to help everyone was the thing I admired and hated about her the most.

I admired it because that made her the amazing person she was, and an amazing Healer. But I hated it, because she always hurt and pressured herself to help others, and I really worried about her because of that.

All of the stress and work couldn't be healthy, and Mum was always tired and looked older than she actually was.

But I didn't want to bring all of that up again.

Mum stood up and opened the fridge. "You can go and take care of your room, now. Be down in one hour, okay? Dinner will be ready then."

I nodded and pecked her cheek. "Call me when you need any help."

She nodded and I took off.

I stopped in my tracks when I heard noises coming from the living room.

The TV. Great. So Fransisca wasn't here, but he was.

I sighed. I always tried to act friendly towards him, so that there wouldn't be even more arguments at home. I hated arguments, which is why I almost always hid in my room to not talk to him.

But to act nice, I'd have to greet him after not having seen him for three months.

"Hi Dad." I stopped in the doorway, showing the most believable smile I could muster.

He was laying on the couch, the remote control on his right leg.

It smelled like farts in here.

He gave me a joyful smile and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "Hello, sweetheart."

As if he actually cared about me. "How was school?"

"Great," I replied, still with that fake smile on my face. "We're leading in the Quidditch cup competition."

"Great," he said and returned his attention to his beloved TV.

Now I actually allowed myself to roll my eyes and turned away to go upstairs and to my room.

I took the most important stuff out of my suitcase, while listening to my favourite music.

That was something else I really missed when I was at Hogwarts: Muggle music. The radios there only played the music of witches and wizards, and I just couldn't take songs about different potions, cauldrons and toads seriously.

I loved music with deep messages, music that moved me, whether it was positive or negative. And when I was at home, my music was on almost 24/7.

I put my quill and books next to the parchment on my desk, telling myself that I would do my homework tomorrow, but knowing that I wouldn't actually do that.

After that, I looked around. It was weirdly tidy in here, just because I didn't use this room when I was at school the majority of the time.

So there wasn't really anything else to do in here until dinner was ready.

I sighed and flopped down on my bed, arms and legs outstretched.

I closed my eyes, letting my thoughts wander off.

But I quickly stopped myself when the image of a certain boy with wavey black hair and grey eyes appeared in my mind. Wow, less than one day and I already missed him.

How pathetic.

I shook my head and decided to concentrate on the music instead.

'Eleanor Rigby, died in the church and was buried along with her name-'

I sighed when I recognised the song. I had to take my pillow and bury my face in it.

I loved the song, but it never cheered me up or distracted me. I didn't even know why I kept listening to it when it always made me sad.

It hit home way too close.