Jerry awakened with a jerk. He looked around to see that Ella and Alex were also asleep.
"Guys! Wake up! The train has stopped!" Jerry yelled. He glanced out of the train window - it was snowing.
Ella woke quickly and exclaimed, "We're home already?" It was true. It had only seemed like minutes that they had been on the train home.
Alex woke too. "Ahhh! Well, it does feel good to be home..... except...." he paused. "Except the telling off that our parents will tell us...."
"Yeah," said Jerry gloomily. Then he thought of Christmas. He had been looking forward to it at Hogwarts. But now... but now they had been expelled. Jerry felt worse than ever. And the Ministry of Magic will break....... his wand. He groaned. He did really need his wand. But he tried to be cheerful and he stepped out of his compartment, his bags slung over his shoulder. The other two came slowly out.
"I suppose this will be the last time we see this train," said Ella.
"Yeah," said Jerry quietly. "Well, let's hurry up anyway. It's better to get the telling off quicker than slower."
"Yeah." Ella nodded. "Come on Alex."
The three of them briskly walked down the train and jumped off it.
They all looked once more at the train as it pulled off.
"Come on," said Jerry again. He walked slowly through the deep snow. It started to snow more. Jerry began to run, calling after the others, "Come on! It's going to snow more heavily! Hurry up!"
Ella and Alex ran behind him. They all lived quite close together.
When they had been running for a while, Jerry said, "Well, I'l have to part here."
"Me too," said Ella.
"Well, bye guys!" said Alex. "Keep in touch." And with a wave, he ran off.
"Bye Jerry," said Ella. "Uh.... are you - um... well, bye!" and she walked slowly off, glancing over her shoulder at Jerry as she went.
"Bye!" called Jerry, and he too, started for home.