Once Again Like Once Before| R.J.Lupin

Word count: 3,092

Winona and her parents stood at platform 9¾, waiting in silence for the train to arrive. Her parents had insisted on arriving before the train so they could debrief their daughter on what they expected of her during her first year at Hogwarts, again.

"Our family's name rests on your shoulders little girl, you cannot fail us, we will send an owl to the owlery tomorrow for you to inform us on which house you were placed in," Her Father ordered as the small family stood by the train tracks.

"The owl should have a green ribbon tied to one of its legs, so you can tell the difference." Her Father continued.

"You are not to break any rules, converse with anyone other than purebloods, or be graded anything less than an O. And it would be preferable if you kept to a small friend group, not too many nor too little." Her Father told her as he started to pace in front of his daughter and wife with his hands behind his back.

Winona and her Mother stood side by side with their backs facing the train tracks while they watched the head of the family, who was riddled with stress, pace back and forth.

"But make sure you make and keep good company to make even greater connections." Her Father quickly added as he paused his pacing to point a finger at the small girl before resuming once again, she went to nod but paused, noticing her father wasn't looking her way.

"Yes, father." The young girl replied as she eyed her Father's unusual behavior.

He stopped his pacing before standing in front of his daughter and grabbing her by the shoulders.

"And lastly, some of the professors there may call you Lorelei, don't think too deeply when they do, they just think that you look quite like your mother." He said as he stared directly into the small girl's eyes, gripping her shoulders tightly.

Winona was quite confused as to why her Father felt the need to say that but gave him a slight nod, careful not to let her confusion show.

But how could that be? We have two completely different skin and hair colors and two different hair textures. she thought to herself, but her thoughts abruptly came to a stop because, for the first time in a very long time, her father smiled at her.

The young girl's eyes widened at the sight of her father's smile and before she could recover, her father patted her head.

Completely frazzled, she hadn't noticed her father letting go of her shoulders as he traded places with his wife.

"Do not fail us, Lorelei." She whispered in her daughter's ear as she (for the first time in the young girl's life) hugged her daughter before kissing her head.

Winona was once again so frazzled by her parents' unusual actions that she hadn't noticed her body faintly trembling nor the other people who were arriving at the platform, but once she did, she realized the reason for her parents' unusual affection.

It was all for show.

But Winona held onto the small hope that their affection was genuine and she used that hope to blurt out her next words.

"I love you." The small girl blurted out, looking at her mother and father.

She watched as their eyes widened, sending each other an uncomfortable look before they both gave her small smiles and swift nods. The small glimmer of hope that they gave her was quickly extinguished as she quickly recognized their fake smiles.

They couldn't even bear saying it back, they didn't have to mean it, I would have been satisfied either way, I just wanted to hear it. Winona thought solemnly.