Train ride

Chapter 4

I carry my case as Nanny walks on to the train platform. I fed all my creatures and dealt with all my plants in the case before we came. Fizzle and Nibby will deal with any issues that come up. Achilles is chilling in the office/library area I made in the shack of the case. Hopefully he doesn’t tear any of the ancient books, as well as my other books, everything from romance, language learning, and literature. As we go between platforms three and four, I see the Weasleys and an all too familiar messy brown haired boy. I nervously look at the wall. I’ve always wanted to do this, but Merlin’s beard. It’s kinda scary… How do normal magic kids do this and not get scared.

Nanny pets my head,“ Dear, you can do it.” I grip my case and run through the wall, I open my eyes and see it, the bustling platform 9 ¾.  Hogwart Express’s red paint gleams in the sun, I hear Owls flapping nervously in their cages, Cat’s meowing in kennels, and Frogs croaking. Parents waving goodbye to their children. I feel a hand touch my shoulder and jump, whipping my head around. I see Nanny. “See wasn’t so hard dear.” She smiles at me. I hear the occasional swish of magic.

 “Yeah, it wasn’t.” I smile. I hold my case as Nanny runs her hands along my sweater, flicking her wand to smooth my clothes.

She smiles,” Go on dear, i’m rooting for you, i’ll visit in the case often.” I nod and enter the train. I look in each cabin to see them full. I see Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. Their compartment isn’t full… should I ask? What if I bother them? A student walks behind me and i get bumped into the door. I watch Fred and George look up at me. I freeze and smiling and waving awkwardly. I internally cry in embarrassment.

“Oi!” He calls me into the compartment. “You lost, or are you here for the best compartment on the train?” 

I smile nervously,” I, uh, i’m looking for a seat.” I say and hold the handle to my case. “ Could I sit in here?”

Fred grins, leaning back into the seat,” Plenty of room, if you can keep up with our conversation.” He jokes. George smirks from his seat and Lee Jordan speaks up.

“Don’t mind them. Come and sit!” He smiles and I shyly walk in and sit next to the window. The latch to my case clicks and I shut it quickly.

 I smile awkwardly,” Thank you.” I feel my hands clam up. It always looks so easy in the fanfics. Stupid writers making it seem easy! I take a deep breath, watching as the station begins to slip away.

“No need to thank us,” Fred smiles mischievously. “It’s always a pleasure.”  I look down quietly at my case. The three of them start talking again and I pull out my wand. I carefully inspect it , hoping it will calm my nerves. I could open my case to bring out a book but I have the strange feeling Lady might sneak out to steal peoples things. I try to do the cool pen spin with my wand but it falls. 

George picks it up and hands me my wand,” So, you’re a first year, huh?” He asks casually. I accept my wand with a nod.

“Is it that obvious?” I ask. The three laugh and nod, I cover my face with one hand. “ I’m just nervous I guess.” I say to the three of them.

Fred looks at me amused,” Don’t worry, we can fix that.”

Lee chuckles. “Or you blokes will scare her off before we even reach Hogwarts.” 

“I don’t scare that easy.” I say using my last bit of courage I don’t have. 

Fred raises a surprisingly well maintained eyebrow,“ Oh? We’ll have to test that.” George nudges his twin. 

“Give her a break, mate. At least let her settle in before we start scheming.” George’s lips curl up into an evil grin. Oh no… did I just become a target for the twins… I hug my case nervously.

Fred huffs dramatically but grins the same nonetheless. “Fine, fine, we’ll give ‘er a month.” I shift in my seat somewhere between comfortable and uncomfortable, letting their playful energy settle as they fall in conversation on pranks they should pull this year. Maybe this won’t be so bad… All I have to do is go through school… a magic school with an evil dude trying to kill people regularly… I’m dead. I glance down at my case, hoping Achilles, or any of the other creatures don’t get any ideas. The last thing I need is for the latch to pop open and a magical creature to escape in the middle of hogwarts. That’s what Newt was kicked out of hogwarts for.

“So, what’s in the case?” Lee asks, nodding toward it. “You’ve been holding it this whole time and you didn’t seem to have anything else on the platform, I saw you.” 

I freeze and say the first thing that comes to mind,” My stuff…” I internally kick myself. Really! My stuff, no shit! George eyes me curiously but doesn’t press.

 “Fair enough.” He says. 

The old trolley witch comes by,” Anything from the trolley dears?” 

“No thank you ma’am,” I say respectfully as the others order. As they are distracted with the trolley I open my case. I see a lady climbing up the ladder. I lean in and whisper,” No, bad Niffler, no.” She looks at me and sniffs around. I glare down. I close the case and lock it. I fall into the comfortable quiet until they start talking about pranks again. I watch the sky slowly turn a brilliant orange then grow darker. I should change into my robes… I stand and the three of them look at me.

Lee speaks up first,” What are you doing?” 

“I’m going to change into my robes.” I say and all three boys react. Fred and George immediately exchange identical mischievous grins, while Lee Jordan raises an eyebrow in amusement.

Fred smirks, leaning back dramatically. “Blimey, already making yourself at home, eh?” Wait, do they think I’m gonna strip?

George snickers,” What, you’re just changing here? We promise we won’t look.” He says with such an almost believable serious face. They really do think I’m gonna strip.

Lee laughs, shaking his head. “Oi, You lot are gonna give her a heart attack before we even reach the castle.” I already regret saying anything. I clutch my case handle tighter, my face heating up. I grab my wand and tap my clothes and like magic they slowly change into my black robes, from top to bottom.

“It’s simple magic…” I say quietly. The three boys blink at me in surprise, then break out into identical grins.

“Well, well,” Fred chuckles. “Someone’s got a few tricks up her sleeve already.” He claps once.

George nods approvingly. “Color me impressed, firstie. You sure you’re not secretly a fourth-year in disguise?”

“No I'm not, I just like reading so I know a few spells.” I say. Such a lie, I know wandless magic and I came into this world with magic not from this world memorized. I also studied everything I could get my grubby hands on.

Lee Jordan smirks. “Yeah, thought you’d have to go running to the loo like the rest of the first-years.” I feel my face heat up under their attention.

 “I just… like being prepared. I knew a lot of first years would go to the restroom….” I say.The twins exchange glances, their mischief practically radiating off them.

“Prepared, huh?” Fred muses. “We’ll see how long that lasts at Hogwarts, all firsties think they're prepared.”

George nods solemnly. “Best start preparing for some chaos then, yeah?”

I grip my case a little tighter, suddenly feeling like I’ve just painted an even bigger target on my back. “I’d rather not...” I murmur.

Fred gasps dramatically,” Did you hear that, George? She’d rather not!” How did he hear me! Stupid Weasley!

George places a hand over his heart. “How tragic. We’ll just have to make it our mission to change that.”

Lee watches them with an amused shake of his head. “Poor girl. You’ve barely stepped foot in Hogwarts, and they’ve already adopted you.” This bloody- calm maybe they are just playing up. I groan, slumping against my seat.

 “Merlin save me…” I murmur and cover my face. I suddenly feel a shift in weight. I uncover my eyes and see Lee across from me. I whip my head to my sides, Fred is to my left and George is to my right. 

Fred slings an arm around my shoulders like we’ve been friends forever. “Merlin can’t save you now, love. Welcome to the best mistake you’ve ever made.” George puts his arm over Fred’s on my shoulders. Their cheshire grins make me hide my face. The rest of the ride is them teasing me and talking about everything in between the sun and moon.