Date Posted:18:56:53 01/09/03 Thu Author: Tina Subject: Hogwarts Express: Max, Nathan, Rema, Marissa and Tessa
“C’mon Rema! If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss the best car!” Max shouted, trying to keep up with Nathaniel who had run ahead through the gate between platforms 9 and 10. Max ran at the barrier and disappeared. Rema shrugged and started after him.
“Don’t mind him, Rema,” Marissa said behind her. “He’s just reliving his toddler years.”
Rema giggled and ran at the barrier. No matter how many times she had done this, she always felt a hesitation as she was about to hit the barrier. She had heard stories of the gate closing on people in the past and always wondered if it would happen to her.
As she came through the other side of the gate, she nearly ran her trolley into Max who was waiting for her on the other side.
“There you are!” Max shouted. “C’mon, we haven’t got all day.”
“Haven’t got all day,” came a mocking tone behind Rema.
“Shut it, Tessa, you Malfoy-lover.”
“Let’s just all get on the train before it leaves, shall we?” Marissa sighed as she pushed her trolley between Max and Tessa who looked as if they were going to kill each other.
They hurried on the train and clamored to get to the third car from the back where Nathaniel was already waiting for them.
“Blimey, where the devil have you been?! I’ve had to threaten about a hundred first-years, three Slytherins, and a toad.” Nathaniel said, exasperated as soon as they walked in the door.
“Right, Nathan. And the giant troll, too?” Marissa asked, smirking.
“Shut it, Rissa, you prat. Get in here,” Nathaniel said, winking.
They all moved into the car, setting their things down and picking seats… Maxwell sat next to Nathaniel and moved over so that Rema could sit beside him. Tessa and Marissa took the seats on the bench across from them.
“Anything from the trolley, dears?” came a voice from the aisle.
Maxwell went over and bought some chocolate frogs and gave a pack to Rema.
“Thanks Max,” Rema said, opening her package.
“Oooh, I got a Harry Potter,” Rema exclaimed, grinning.
“Big deal,” said Nathan, who pulled some cards out of his jacket pocket. “Anyone up for a game of exploding snap?”
“Yeah, alright.” Max said and Marissa joined in.
Rema pretended to be reading her new book, “Animagus,” so she wouldn’t have to play with Nathaniel. Sometimes that boy could get on her nerves.
Tessa excused herself and said she’d be back later.
“Oy, Tessa… don’t be bringing Malfoy back to this car. We don’t want his stench in here,” Maxwell said.
Then again, Rema thought. Max could be annoying too.
She settled down into the seat while Max, Nathan and Marissa played exploding snap and talked in hushed whispers about their plans this year. Leaning in slightly, she tried to hear. The older ones always left her out of the mischief. But then she heard a cry from the hallway.
“That’s MY pet, give him back!” came a girl’s voice.
“And what are you going to do about it?” came a boy’s voice
Max looked up from his cards. He reached in his coat for his wand.
“Max, do you really think that’s necessary?” Marissa chided.
“Sounds like first-years. I’ll just scare them a little bit.”
Rema and Max peeked out of the car. A young boy with messy brown hair and freckles was holding a rat by its tail, letting it dangle in the air as it struggled to free itself.
An even younger-looking girl with neatly pinned red hair was staring him down, her green eyes almost glowing with fury.
“I’ll … I’ll…” she said, shaking and reaching in her coat for her wand.
“And what’s going on here?” Max said, trying to sound manly.
Rema stifled a laugh.
The boy, seeing that Max was almost twice as big as he was, quickly dropped the rat, which the girl, with amazingly quick reflexes caught right before it hit the ground.
“Oooh, Frankie! Did that mean boy hurt you?” she said, glowering at the boy who was backing slowly away and into a car.
Max turned to Rema and grinned. “See there, Remmy. Now there’s a lad who knows trouble when he sees it coming.”
Rema shook her head at him and turned to the girl.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Thank you. My name is Chelle.” She said, looking up expectantly.
“I’m Rema and this is Max.”
Max flashed Chelle a smile.
“Well, thank you for helping me with Frankie. I’m going back to my car now. See you at school.”
“Yes, see you,” said Max.
“She seemed nice for a squirt, didn’t she?” Max said when Chelle had departed. Rema nodded and followed him back into the car.
“Handled it alright did you, Max?” Marissa said, grinning. “Did you scare the little tyke?”
“I just did what I had to do…” Max said, still smiling.
“Should we fit you for your tights and cape now? Or wait till after the sorting?” Nathaniel said, smirking.
“Oh ho! We’re almost there!” Tessa said as she walked in the door, laughing at Max and Nathan. “We’d better get changed into our robes.”
