Rufus grinned as his sister sprang toward him, opening his arms to give her a big proper bear hug. He wrapped her up and swung her around in a circle the way he had when she was very little, her legs swinging out behind her. She use to call it ‘flying’, at least before he’d taught her how to fly a broom. “I’ve missed you too!” He admitted, giving her a tight squeeze before setting her back on her feet.

“Tell me all about school.” He enthusiastically demanded plopping down on her bed to listen to all her school stories, his face cheerful and interested in how her first year had been going. Letters were one thing, but actually listening to the girl’s tales was a whole different thing. The way her face brightened with excitement during a telling or the somber look in her eyes when she related something she thought quite devastating, they were all things he’d missed since she went to school.