the hat | 𝐬.𝐛

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟵 || To Board a Train

The next morning, Emery boarded the train with Cecilia, both heading home for Christmas holidays.

Sirius, who would be spending Christmas with the Potters was also aboard the train, but he was seated with his 'goons', as Emery put it.

Cecilia was reading a thick history book from Hogwarts, while Emery steamed the window with her breath and proceeded to draw a stick figure story with her fingers.

So far, Emery had drawn a man, a dog and an umbrella, and she still had to draw a scarecrow and a pumpkin.

It was quite disgusting, in Cecilia's opinion, but as long as Emery was quiet, she was fine with it.

Emery had made a mistake in the drawing, so she took her pinky finger and began rubbing it off violently. As her finger rubbed against the glass, a horrible squeaky noise was emitted, and Cecilia clicked her tongue, annoyed.

"Em, that's enough," she said. "The driver's going to have a really hard time rubbing it off," she continued.

Emery shrugged. "The window looks boring bare."

Cecilia rolled her eyes. "The window is supposed to be bare. Otherwise, how will you even look outside?"

"Well you've seen the outside loads of times. My drawings are a work of art," she said dramatically. "They are a masterpiece!" 

"Oh, for Merlin's left armpit," Cecilia muttered, then turned back to read.

She looked up at the drawing, then caught sight of one of the stick figures with a pumpkin in place of a head.

"What is that?" Cecilia questioned, pointing at the weird stick figure.

Emery looked at what she was pointing at.

"Oh, that," she said casually. "That's Mr. Pumpkin Man. He's the village terror. He scares people, but really, he's just a sweetheart. All he wants is a head."

"Ugh," grimaced Cecilia, shaking her head.

She turned back to reading.

An hour later, there was absolutely no space left on the window, and Emery had gotten bored of drawing on the glass. Her finger was all wrinkly due to the moisture, and so she took out a quill and drew eyes and mouth on it, claiming it looked like a grandma.

Tired of sitting in the compartment, she left Cecilia alone and began looking for Sirius, whom she knew could entertain her much better than Cecy could.

After searching three compartments, none of which Sirius was in, Emery decided to take a shortcut and call him to her.

She stood at the front of the train, facing all the compartments.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

***

Sirius Black was in his compartment with the marauders, who were making lame jokes about random stuff. He was slumped against the window, his large feet crossed as they rested on the seat opposite to him. He had a stack chocolate frogs by his side, and a packet of sunflower seeds half open in his lap.

Remus Lupin, a tall boy with a lanky figure and sandy brown hair was reading a book, simultaneously eating chocolate. He had a couple of raw scars across his face, adding a tough look to his ruggedly handsome self. Occasionally, he would place his input in a conversation hosted mainly by James and Sirius.

Peter was listening, lying across the seat. His legs hung off, and he had a bunch of sweet wrappers near his feet on the floor. He would speak when spoken to, and laugh when a joke was told. 

James Potter, the head of the gang. He was animatedly talking to Sirius, using a lot of unnecessary hand gestures and expressions to get his point across. He had a flying snitch in his hand, and kept on messing his hair, sending quick, jerky glances to the door, as if someone would walk in any moment.

The four in the compartment were having a heated debate on whether thestrals could see each other or not, James and Sirius on opposite sides, while Peter added tiny inputs to the conversation. Remus, however, refused to take part in the conversation at all, yet he was still supporting the side with the most common sense.

"Shut up, both of you," said Remus. "This argument is pointless."

Before Sirius and James could answer him back, they were interrupted by a loud yelling somewhere on the train.

"SIRIUS BLACK!"

They all froze, knowing that voice all to well.

 Sirius looked at James, who looked back at Sirius.

"Uh oh," said James.

Remus snickered. "Padfoot, your girlfriend is calling you," he teased. 

"She's not my girlfriend," snapped Sirius, swatting Remus on the head.

James let out a fake cough. "Says the guy who met her after curfew last night in the owlery. Alone," he added, with a smirk.

Sirius let out an irritated huff. "She's a friend," he emphasized. "And much cooler than the lot of you gits," he muttered.

"What did you just say?" asked James. 

"Nothing," Sirius said grumpily. "I'm gonna go get her. I'll be back." 

He stood up quickly and brushed the dust off his clothes, then looked in the window in an attempt to check his reflection. Smoothening his hair, he straightened his shirt then left the compartment, ignoring the hoots and teasing from his mates.

Once he left, Remus smirked, looking at James knowingly. 

"Don't pretend you didn't see that," Remus said. "He was blushing."

"Did you see how fast he left?" added James, shaking with stifled laughter. 

Remus nodded. "She has him wrapped around her finger, and he doesn't even know it yet," he chuckled.

"He is so whipped," sniggered James.

"Twenty galleons he falls in love with her by new years," Remus said.

"Ah, Moony, that's taking it a bit too far. He won't fall in love that fast. Still, you're on," James agreed, holding out his arm.

"Deal."

They shook on it.