Excitement and Disappointment

[April Ward]

April was so excited to finally see her mother again. She didn't know exactly how long it had been, but waaaaaay too long. This would be the last time she visited her mum before she left for Hogwarts and would be able to see her even less. That thought made her sad so she pushed it away.

Her mum had just picked her up from her dad's house and they had dropped off her things at her place, then she had told April that they were going shopping, which was always exciting. Her mum ALWAYS got her the best things and never seemed to limit how much she was allowed to get. She loved shopping with her so much! But first her mother wanted to get some coffee, which meant that April would get hot chocolate and maybe a slice of apple pie if she played her cards right. She bounced in her seat as they took their places at a nice café table and beamed at her mother. "It's so fun to be here and to go shopping and I have so much to tell you!" She said excitedly. "I'm so hungry, though, I can't talk if I'm this hungry. Could I get apple pie, please please?" She looked at her mother pleadingly, making her eyes as big as she could.

 

[Adelia Kolter]

Looking at April, Adelia couldn't help but wonder where the time had flown. She had been too busy to see her daughter as much as she would have liked recently, and now April was about to leave for school, and there was no telling when she would next get to see her. She was getting so tall, so grown up, and it was all happening so fast. But April still had the same spirit, was still the same bubbly, excitable baby Adelia loved so much. She smiled warmly as she watched her daughter take her seat, listening interestedly as she made her case for apple pie. "Well, it's just about lunchtime." Adelia said warmly. "We'll get you some apple pie, and a hot chocolate? Does that sound good?" If there was ever a time to spoil her daughter it was undoubtedly now, right before she was about to step away, into the magical world Adelia still couldn't quite wrap her head around all these years after first finding out about it. A momentary flash of fear ran through her as she ordered their food and drinks. What if the magical world changed her daughter, what if she didn't recognise the April she saw next time? She knew it was likely an unfounded fear, but letting April slip so far away from where she could reach or understand was a terrifying prospect at times.

 

[April Ward]

April let out a whoop of joy as her mother allowed the apple pie AND the hot chocolate. Her mum was the best! She kicked her feet eagerly. "Thank you so much!" She said, grinning. "That's awesome! I bet it'll look super good and I can take a picture of it and make all my friends jealous!" April loved taking pictures with her phone and sharing things online, she liked it when people paid attention to what she did. Unfortunately, at Hogwarts she wouldn't be able to anymore. That made her sad, but Hogwarts was very exciting. "Mum, did you know we go to Hogwarts by train? Isn't that weird!? I can't wait, I think it might fly or something because why would magic people have a not flying train?" Her dad had told her it wouldn't fly, but April wasn't so easily convinced. "Did you know there's a talking hat that sorts us into our houses? I thought dad was joking but he promises it's real." She sighed. "I wish I was there already... though I will miss ballet." It was true, there were a lot of things she was leaving behind to learn magic. But every time she saw her father perform magic she knew she wanted to be able to do that too, and she couldn't have both. "I'll miss Kyle and October too." She said quietly. "And dad, of course."

 

[Adelia Kolter]

Adelia smiled warmly, listening to April's enthusiasm about such a variety of topics. It reminded her that there would be plenty of time to worry later, right now was about enjoying the precious time with her. She gave an interested nod as April described various aspects of the school, somewhat startled herself. The more she heard about this place the less it sounded like it existed at all. "Hush voice dear, remember you don't want people hearing you who shouldn't." She reminded April gently, patting her hand. It would probably be a fruitless reminder, but they weren't the only ones in the cafe, and she didn't want April getting in trouble before she had even made it to school. "That all sounds quite fantastical. You'll have to write to me about all your wonderful new adventures..."

Adelia tensed slightly as April shifted the subject to Matt's new family. Adelia was happy for her ex, it certainly sounded like things had worked out for him, Kyle seemed a much better match than Adelia herself had ever been. But it did sting slightly, hearing April talk about these new people as family more and more. She didn't have the time to be in her daughter's life every day, and the thought of a stranger eventually taking her place in April's heart was chilling. "Well, I'm sure you'll be able to write them letters too, just send them to your dad and he can pass them on..."

 

[April Ward]

April laughed at her mother's concerns and shrugged. "Mum, they'll just think I'm playing pretend. They won't think it's real." She grinned. "You wouldn't if you hadn't seen it yourself, right?" April knew a fair amount of the muggle world and she knew muggles wouldn't just believe a girl that said she would board a magic train to a magic school to become a witch. They'd think she was playing a game. "Of course I'll write you! Every day!"She said earnestly, nodding along. Maybe every day was an ambitious goal but she wanted to try and make sure her mother knew she wouldn't be forgotten.

Then the waiter came with their order and April was distracted by the huge mug of hot chocolate put in front of her along with a slice of apple pie. She beamed, it looked amazing! She grabbed her phone and took a picture of it, swiping to find the best filter for it. "I think I'll write them a few times, but I don't know what to write about if I can't tell them what I'm doing..." She sighed. "It's difficult, I wish I could just tell them! If Kyle marries dad we could, right? Then they could see me off..." She paused and looked up at her mother. "Could you come see me off?" She asked more quietly. "I think you'll be allowed, it's at the train station and I can wave from the window like in a movie." She looked at her mother hopefully.

 

[Adelia Kolter]

Adelia hesitated, but she knew her daughter was right, other muggles around them weren't likely to interpret her chatter as anything but childish imagination. Still, it never did to let your guard down. "Just be cautious who you talk around." She said softly, sipping her drink. She smiled a little sadly at April's insistence that she would write every day. "You don't have to write quite that often, sweetheart. Just often enough. I imagine you'll have enough adventures to fill a novel by the end."

Adelia smiled a little, watching April's focus on documenting her meal. She didn't remember quite when her daughter had gotten so heavily involved in social media, but her enthusiasm for photography was a good outlet for all that creative energy. Adelia was so absorbed in warm thoughts about her daughter that the change in April's tone caught her quite off guard and her face fell. "I'm sorry, pumpkin. I have a conference coming up, this visit is gonna be the last time I see you until your next school holidays..."

 

[April Ward]

April was a little relieved that her mother didn't really expect her to write every day, it had slipped out but she was sure she wouldn't remember that often. "I hope so! I will tell you everything about it because you've never seen it so you'll need a good description." She said, nodding as she took a bite of her pie. It was good!

She hadn't realized how much she had hoped that her mother could come after all until she said no. April lowered her fork and bit her lip before looking at her mother. "Please? Can't the conference wait? Or ..or you can come by just really quickly! With magic you can be transported back in a flash, I promise!" She wasn't sure if that was allowed and she didn't care. "It's just going to be dad." She said, a frown forming on her face. April loved being the center of attention and she felt like her leaving for Hogwarts was worth more than just one spectator. She wanted her mother to come and Kyle and October too, it wasn't fair.

 

[Adelia Kolter]

Adelia smiled warmly, sipping her coffee. "I'm sure I'll be able to picture it clearly from your descriptions." She said, watching April happily. It felt so odd to be sending a child so young away to boarding school already. As her daughter started to pout Adelia reached across the table to gently take her hand, stroking it reassuringly. "I'm sorry sweetheart. You know I'd be there if I could." A lie. Adelia didn't know if she could handle actually watching April walk away to a whole new world in the flesh. "I'm sure everything will be fine. Besides, this way when dad picks you up next week you and I can say goodbye and on the platform you'll only have to worry about saying goodbye to dad and meeting your new schoolmates, won't it be better not to have so many people to worry about? I bet you'll be making friends before you're even on the train."

 

[April Ward]

April felt her hope fall away as she saw her mother's expression. Of course she wouldn't be able to make it. Of course. Her words about it was better to jus have her dad to say goodbye to did nothing to make her feel better. She didn't understand. "I don't want to only say goodbye to dad!" She said, a frown creeping onto her face. "I want lots of people to say goodbye and watch me go! If its just one person its not special. It should be special." She hated how upset her voice sounded. It wasn't cute to whine, she wanted to be peppy, but right now she couldn't help it. "I'm going away, you know, to a new school. It's a special occasion! It's about me!" She clenched her fist in anger and as she did, her mug of hot chocolate toppled over all on its own, spreading the drink all over the table. She knew she had done that with accidental magic, and in a muggle café no less, but right now she didn't really care. She wanted her mother to pay attention to her, not be busy as she always was.