They had left from home late. Which felt all sorts of strange to Lamont. His mother was compulsively early to everything. Always. But she'd not been feeling well the last few weeks or so, and she'd refused to go see a healer while he was still home. She wanted to spend all the time with him that she could before he left for school. His father, good with potions, had done what he could to keep her comfortable, but he couldn't do much to cure her aliment. So she had decided she'd finally go get seen to after Lamont was on the train to school.
So they'd left late and it left the boy feeling awkward about himself.
The trip through the fire places on the floo network had been as thrilling for him as it always was, even if he found himself ducking as awkwardly out of the exist fireplace as his father who stood almost a foot taller than him. Being very tall had its disadvantages, and if he was going to get closer to his father's height, he knew it would only get worse. Lamont helped his mother stand safely out of the way as she came after him, making sure she wouldn't get knocked over by her own husband as he came through with her things.
She smiled gratefully up at her soon, just half a dozen inches taller than her. "Remind me to send you new pants soon," she said offhandedly after looking down again. "I have a feeling you'll be needing them soon."
"Yes, momma," he smiled, shifting his shoulders some to dislodge his near twenty pound tom cat from his shoulders where he'd ridden along. His claws had gone through Lamont's shirt and he was starting to feel them in his skin now. The cat obliged at last, seeing they were safe and ponced a few feet away after something no one else could see. "C'mon Mister," he called as he started walking along with his mother, carrying his trunk in his arms. The cat brought up the rear, following along behind his father's long legs.
The little family made their way along to the station, chatting animatedly in French. People looked at them less strangely when they thought they were foreigners. They made it to the platform in just enough time, the doors starting to close as cars filled up with students. Lamont cursed in French and earned himself a cuff to his ear from him mother. "Sorry," he mumbled while giving her a tight hug.
"We love you, boy," she murmured with a hint of tears in her voice as he embraced his father briefly.
"I love you both," he said giving his mother a kiss on her cheek before picking his trunk back up and hefting it along with him onto the train. He wandered along the compartments for a moment before finding one with a few fourth year Gladium boys who he decided to join for the short ride to school.
