Liam sat there at the breakfast table staring at his now soggy breakfast cereal.
His mum was busying herself scrubbing away at dishes, humming one of those Irish folk tunes their dad was so keen on.
He then heard a loud screech and whooshing noise. Two immaculate letter sat on the table before him, right next to the toast.
“Boys your letters are here!”
Liam looked at the family owl and scowled.
“I told you not to bring anymore ruddy letters,” he whispered to it, stroking it’s head.
He heard the sound of his older brothers hurrying down the stairs, both nudging at each other to get to their letter first.
“I bet you Noel’s failed all his classes again,” Paul said grabbing his letter and a piece of toast.
“I only failed one you knobhead, you didn’t do so well last year either,” Noel said openeing his letter and pouring over it’s contents. “Look Paul’s got 3 O’s! One for breakfast, one for lunch and another for dinner!”
“Oh stop it you too give me those letters,” their mam said sweetly. “Good job Noel. Oh dear Paul, you really are a bright boy I don’t know why you keep getting bad marks.”
Liam sat there feeling invisible, he still wasn’t old enough to go to wizarding school like his brothers. Another year of watching his brothers go away…
“You got your lists of school supplies, I guess that means a trip down to Diagon Alley.”
“Mum,” Noel said as sweetly as possible. “You think me and Bod are old enough to go ourselves?”
“Yeah mum,” Paul joined. “We did alright last year, we’ve been there loads of times.”
“Please,” they both said together.
“Alright,” she said as Noel and Paul exchanged excited looks. “But you have to take Liam as well.”
“What?”
“That’s not fair! He’s gonna slow us down!”
“He’s gonna whine and complain the whole time!”
“It’s either that or we’re all goin’!”
Noel and Paul shot Liam a dirty looks and he just sat there grinning eat to ear.
* * *
“Alright I’m off!”
“Where the fook you off to?”
“I gotta meet some mates by the Leaky Cauldron. Be a good little brother and finish our shoppin’, I’ll meet you by Ollivanders in an hour.”
“You’re not leaving me with him!”
Paul already began to walk away, he shot Noel a smile and kept on walking.
Noel looked at Liam and frowned.
“Well c'mon we have lots to do, I guess you can help me carry all this shit. Fookin’ Paul, I’ll get even with him alright.”
* * *
“Those robes are all worn, you sure Paul will like ‘em?”
“Well if he didn;t want shit robes he should’ve bought them himself. And with the money I saved buying second hand I can get better ones.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Of course, there’s a cafe 'round here if I’m not mistaken.”
They walked into a ramshackle cafe which was empty save for a women mopping, a cat, and some guy at the counter. It had a strange aroma of burnt candles and Florida water. The place had obviously seen better days as one wall was strewn with old reviews, on was for five stars.
After ordering tea and a slice of pie for Liam they sat themselves closest to an open window.
“Noel?” Liam said, mouthful of pie.
“Yeah?” Noel answered giving Liam a disapproving look.
“What’s it like?”
“What what’s like?”
“Hogwarts?”
“It’s mega.”
“I mean like, don’t you get lonely?”
“Nah man, I got me mates, I got me bird, I got Paul, what’s there to miss?”
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?”
“Oh me mam? Yeah I guess, but she writes and I see her at holidays.”
Two big tears rolled down Liam’s cheeks, he started sniffing into his cup of tea.
“What’s wrong you madhead?” Noel said with that scrunched up smile of his.
“You dick,” he said wiping away his tears with his slightly too long jacket sleeves.
“What the fook I do? Okay I’m gonna miss your sorry arse too.”
Liam looked up from behind his sleeves.
“You will?”
“'course I will! I write you don’t I?”
“You won’t forget me?”
“How can I forget you kid?” and he leaned over and ruffled his hair. “Now finish your pie.”
“Noel.”
“Yeah?”
'I wish you din’t have to go.”
“Look at it this way, next year you’ll be goin’ with us. We might even end upin the same house.”
“But you and Paul aren’t even in the same house. He’s a Hufflepuff.”
“Never mind him. We’re more alike you and me. I mean we share the damn room.”
Liam immediately brightened and finished his tea and pie. Now determined more than ever to get into the same house as Noel.
“Now let’s find Bod.”
* * * “What the fook are these?” an irate Paul yelled.
“There yer robes dear bruv.”
“This isn’t funny Noel, I’m gonna look like shit.”
“You already do, this is an improvement.”
“Shut it.”
“Next timebuy yer own stuff,’ Liam added.
“Shut up pipsqueak.”
* * *
The house was dark and everyone was in bed.
Liam lay awake still worrying.
“Noel.”
“hmm..”
“Noel wake up.”
“what the fuck..?”
“Move over.”
“What’s wrong?” Noel said moving over obvioulsy used to Liam sneaking into his bed at night. “had a bad dream?”
Liam hugged his brother tight and hooked his leg over his trapping him, not that Noel wanted to flee.
“What the fuck is wrong?” Noel said stroking the top of his head. He smelt like strawberry kids shampoo Noel thought chuckling in his head.
“Don’t leave tomorrow.”
“Fucks sake, I thought we went through this?”
“Don’t leave, I don’t want you to go. You never write enough, you're never here.”
“Fookin’ hell Liam. I have shit to do,” he said but he started to feel his shirt getting wet, Liam was crying. 'Look I’ll write everyday, I’ll send a photo anything just chill out.”
“You always promise.”
“I know, I know but I will this time,” and he gave Liam a kiss on the forhead. “I promise.”
Liam looked up at him and although Noel could barley make him out in the dark he knew Liam was still crying.
“Don’t g-”
And Noel kissed him on the lips. A short peck. He put his forehead to Liam’s and sighed.
“I promise.”