Good Morning Sunshine ((Sita))

[Gavin Armstrong H6]

“Anna! You give that back or I swear I will hex you like you wouldn’t believe!” Gavin hollered after his sister who had just made her way down the stairs with his WWN. She had a thing for Wizard Rock apparently and wasn’t too keen on him bringing it back to school where she couldn’t listen to it anymore. Gavin was considering getting her one for Christmas but that was months away and today he needed to get everything together and into the car to go back to school!

September the first was always hectic in the Armstrong house, as the parents tried to get all three kids ready for back to school, as all three kids said farewell for awhile. Gavin was the only one who left, Anna and Jheylon went to school locally, so that eased some of the stress but still… it was never easy. Gavin went back to his room and started throwing more and more things into his trunk, books, clothes, games, hair products he never touched. Korena, Gavin’s mother, walked in with the WWN “Really honey, you know you can’t hex your sister, why do you even threaten? Anyways, we would never let her keep your things, you know that.” she began, in a too kindly voice, the one she always used just before she told him how much she was going to miss him and to be safe and not take sweets from strangers and the like.

“I know mum” he cut her off before she could even start, “I just… I’m ready, let’s head.” Gavin pulled his trunk to the door, cursing the fact that he wasn’t 17 yet and still had to do this by hand. He gave his sister a hug and pulled her hair lightly for good measure before following his brother into the back seat of the car. After all his back to school stuff was loaded in and Alexander was safely in Gavin’s lap they drove off, heading to King’s Cross. The car ride was quiet, the only noise being the brothers playing Exploding Snap and Korena’s occasional ‘hmm’ as she hoped they were not burning holes in the car but couldn’t dare ask in case they were and she didn’t want to get them in trouble right before Gavin left for months.

“I’ll really miss you guys, write soon!”Gavin said, a little too cheerily as he hugged his mother and brother outside the scarlet steam engine. His mother gave him a sort of sad knowing smile but just said “We will, keep safe.” With that Gavin climbed into the train and shrugged a big shrug as soon as he was out of sight. September first was never ever easy. Gavin was a little early, so the compartments weren’t full up yet, but few were empty even then. He found one with only one occupant, someone he knew pretty well…

“Morning sunshine!” Gavin said in a cheery voice as he opened the compartment door and stepped in. “Mind if I join? Could sure use some company right about now.” He asked his old friend Sita as he sat down across from her.

[Sita Mehadi H7]

The summer holidays had been brilliant for Sita. She’d spent them in a glow of happiness after catching the Snitch and winning Hufflepuff their Quidditch game against Slytherin. That, added to the fact that she’d been shuffled up to the main Hogwarts team for the Wigtown Wanderers tour after another player had withdrawn or whatever, had given her plenty of reason to smile through the sunny months of the year. For the first time in her life, Sita reckoned that she really couldn’t care less what her next-door neighbour Ingrid Lewis chose to do with her life. Aaron was welcome to her and her unpredictable phases. Billy made a much better friend in that respect – he was completely predictable. She wasn’t sure that he’d gone through any phases at all. He would probably go straight from being an average 10-year-old boy through to being an unimposing, slightly boring but absolutely dependable adult, without ever displaying any teenage characteristics at all. It occasionally frustrated Sita that he possessed absolutely no spontaneity, but he was perfectly amicable when she chattered away at him, so he served a very useful function, and she had come to value dependability among the best traits a friend could have.

Well, Sita didn’t know how Ingrid had done in her OWLs. Probably better than Sita, she always had been more academic, but whoever said that was the most important thing, anyway? Sita was perfectly satisfied with her three Outstandings in Herbology, Potions and Muggle Studies, and she’d even passed all her exams except for History of Magic. She was quite proud that her level of attainment in the dull subject had officially been proclaimed to be ‘Dreadful’. Her parents weren’t quite so pleased, but they were happy with her overall results and prepared to overlook this minor ‘blip’, considering her success in Quidditch. Hufflepuff Vice Captain! Now that was something Ingrid couldn’t even hope to boast of. She hadn’t even made the team. (It was entirely immaterial whether she’d auditioned or not). All she needed now to outdo her childhood friend was to get herself a boyfriend.

Actually, she didn’t just want any random boyfriend. For a number of years, she would have been quite satisfied with that, but that was before she’d formed a particular crush on anyone. Before she’d started talking to Gavin again and suddenly realised that not only had he become a complete cutie, but that he’d retained all of his former friendliness and added to that a liberal dose of charm, without going over the top… oh, he was just perfect! She just wished that she’d realised that a few years ago, and she could have been more sure getting her feelings returned. She shifted uncomfortably at the thought, knowing that she hadn’t exactly tried to keep the friendship going… in fact she’d done completely the opposite, wanting to cast off all her old friends in an effort to forget that she’d been the one who’d ended up unwanted.

As if summoned by her thoughts, the Gavin himself suddenly appeared in the doorway to the compartment. Sita beamed at him as he sat down, her face lit up with genuine pleasure at seeing him, her insides feeling a bit fluttered at her being described as ‘sunshine’. She was extremely gratified that he’d actually chosen, without any coercion, to sit with her, and that made her beam all the more brightly.

“Of course I don’t mind!” she replied finally, realising that she’d forgotten to say anything in her happiness. “Company is definitely welcome. I’m missing my mum and dad already!” she admitted, immediately regretting it because that wasn’t a very cool thing to say, she must be more careful. “Did you have a good summer?” she asked him. Pretty standard question. Must say something a bit more interesting next time it was her turn to make conversation.

[Gavin Armstrong H6]

Gavin grinned wide when Sita said she didn't mind him joining, they were great friends so he knew she wouldn't but it was still nice to hear... Especially today while he was leaving his family and his home for the sixth time. He was glad to hear she was missing her family too, there was something about the parting that really made him sad, he knew they would be there when he got back... he knew they would send letters and gifts... he knew they would love him just the same but still... there was something about life at home going on without him that just made him feel left out.

"Oh yeah, brilliant summer. It was stellar to get to see my brother again, hang out you know. And London, I didn't realise how much I missed it. You know Jheylon and I used to run around the city on our own all the time before I started Hogwarts... never realised how important that was. I know what you're thinking "you were only 10!" but... we were together okay. And we had friends and all that so... it wasn't so bad. Not that running around Hogsmead isn't great... it is... And not that my friends at Hogwarts aren't amazing, they're really cool but... it was nice to be home for a spell. Can tell you though, not too sorry saying goodbye to Anna, have I told you about my little sister before. Seriously, are all girls that bratty at that age? You weren't bratty at all. I don't know, anyways my summer was really just a lot of hanging out at home with my brother but it was nice.

"How about your summer? Anything new and exciting happen? You looked pretty happy when I was walking in, does that mean anything wonderful happened over your summer? Did some muggle come sweep you off your feet and promise to take you away from all this magical nonsense?" Gavin joked. Not that there was anything wrong with dating muggles of course, plenty of people do it, he could easily too considering he was muggleborn. It was just funny the thought of some guy thinking he could lure Sita away from being a witch really. Not to mention he was starting to feel the excitement and cheerfulness of school again, being on the scarlet steam engine...

Gavin remembered his first trip on the train, that was spent with Sita too ((if I recall correctly...)). The thrill of being on his own and meeting new friends... He had never really been on his own before and having friends sure helped with that... Gavin really had to wonder what happened to split up that amazing first group of friends he had had.