Tibi sat the floor of the common room, legs splayed out in front of him. The charmed blue lights on his shoes were flashing as other students filtered in from the Quidditch match and the shared living space grew louder and louder.

But the noise barely registered. Tiberius had his hands in his lap, thumbs rubbing the edges of picture that had just arrived by owl.

Thought this might help with your fear of flying. Love, Mum is what the note had said.

Black and white, and slightly crinkled, a tiny Tiberius and his father flew together, rooftops of London visible in the distant background. Tibi’s eyes were fixed on the image, hoping that the longer he stared, the more likely he would remember what it felt like.

Wiggling his toes in his sneakers, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine being up in the air like that, with his dad. Wind on his face. Shrieks of baby laughter and a deep, hearty laugh behind him. Memory or wishful thinking, it was uncertain, but Tiberius smiled, eyes still closed as the rest of the world continued on around him.