𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐚

Chapter 13

-Muggles-

"I'm leaving without you!" Emerson declared, her voice echoing down the train corridor as she briskly searched for an empty compartment. With the holiday break approaching, the Hogwarts Express was abuzz with excitement, students eager to reunite with family and friends for Christmas. Among them were Marco, Victoria, and Emerson, each with their own plans for the holiday season.

"That would be a miracle, wouldn't it..." Marco muttered under his breath, casting a sidelong glance at Victoria, who appeared to be struggling under the weight of her belongings.

"Need a hand?" he offered as he observed Victoria's precarious balancing act.

"Nope, I can manage. I'm a strong, independent person," Victoria insisted between breaths, determined to prove her self-sufficiency.

"Alright, just remember I asked," Marco replied, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips as he settled into the seat in the empty compartment they finally found.

As they settled into the compartment, the anticipation of the upcoming break filled the air. Marco knew he would be spending the holidays at his grandmothers, or uncles if his grandma isn't doing well. Emerson, on the other hand, had plans to join Victoria at her home for a brief visit before the festivities began in earnest. And Victoria, ever the enthusiast, was brimming with excitement at the thought of Christmas, her mind already buzzing with plans for gift-giving and holiday cheer.

"Found one!" Emerson announced triumphantly as she barged back into the compartment, claiming a seat with a dramatic flop.

Marco seized the opportunity to retrieve his book, eager to immerse himself in its pages during the journey. Meanwhile, Victoria navigated the cramped space, careful not to drop any of her carefully selected Christmas purchases.

Finally settling into her seat, Victoria couldn't help but offer a playful jab at her companions. "You're all so kind, thank you so much for helping..."

"Oh, no problem," Emerson replied with a lazy stretch, already on the verge of drifting off to sleep.

"I offered my assistance, and you declined. Not my fault," Marco chimed in with a nonchalant shrug, his attention already drifting back to his book.

"And you left without asking twice, like I could've needed help five seconds later. But no, you just asked once and never again. Rude," Victoria teased, a playful glint in her eye as she settled in for the journey ahead.

"Can you two argue another time? I'm trying to catch up on all the sleep I lost because of stupid work," Emerson hushed them, her voice muffled by the scarf she had draped over her face in an attempt to block out the noise.

Victoria finished arranging her belongings before sinking into the seat with a contented sigh. "Is she asleep?"

"Most likely. Can't you hear her snores?" Marco replied, his eyes still fixed on the pages of his book.

"Nope, but besides that, I've come up with a few nicknames for you!" Victoria announced cheerfully, turning to face him. Marco gave her a sideways glance before closing his book with a resigned sigh.

"Tell me them..."

"Okay, first I know Emi calls you it all the time, but how about Mars? It adds to the theme of planets, especially since Emi's middle name is Mercury. Then there's Coco because your last two letters are 'co,' so I thought it would work. And my personal favorite, idiot," Victoria added the last one with exaggerated flourish, punctuating it with a jazz hands movement.

"Her middle name is Mercury?" Marco asked in a mumble, sinking deeper into his seat.

"Sure," Victoria retorted, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.