Lilliana Snape (Book 5)

Part 9

The thing that I look forward to the most when going to Hogwarts is the train and I slept through the entire journey! I just shut my eyes for one second and the next thing I know, Fred’s nudging me awake and the train had stopped!

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” I asked him, frowning as we trudged toward the carriages. I’d missed a riveting journey apparently and I was really annoyed. Harry and Neville had been covered in stinksap after Neville poked one of the boils of his Mimbulus Mimbletonia with his wand; apparently, Fred had acted all gallant and protected me…well that’s what he says; I’m pretty sure that I was covered and he just cleaned it all off.

They also met a girl named Luna who seems to like staring at everyone. She gives me the creeps just a little bit…I’m sure she’s a nice person but I really don’t think she’s all there.

“You looked so sweet” he shrugged.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes as I clambered into the carriage.

Five or so minutes later, Harry climbed in along with Luna, Ron and Hermione. “What are those weird horse things?” Harry asked as the carriage started to move.

“What horse things?” Ron asked.

“The ones pulling the carriages” came the reply.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Harry. “Harry” Hermione started “there’s nothing pulling the carriages; they pull themselves.”

Harry agreed with her but he didn’t look convinced. I noticed Ron and Hermione glancing looks at him every now and then…to make sure he wasn’t going to flip out or something.

I would have been more concerned about him, if I didn’t feel so ill. My stomach had become my number one enemy; it was flipping, spinning, churning, growling and whatever else a stomach can do to make you feel as though you’re going to projectile vomit every time you open your mouth. I clamped my mouth shut and tried to focus on something else…like my new turquoise converse and the starry laces that came with them.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked me dreamily as the carriage pulled to a stop and we started to climb out. I nodded, not trusting the contents of my stomach to stay put if I unclamped my mouth. “You look rather pale; I think you may have a nargle in your ear. They can have that affect sometimes.” Then she turned around and walked toward the castle.

“Nargle?” Fred frowned as he stared after her. He then shook his head and turned to me “she’s right though, you look worse than Harry did when he fell off his broom.”

Taking a deep breath, I prayed that nothing would come out but my voice and said “I think I might skip the feast; I feel a bit sick.”

“What’s going on here?” Came dad’s familiar drawl “in case you hadn’t noticed but this isn’t the time to be standing around talking; you’re meant to be in the great hall for the sorting.”

“She was just-” Fred began but, conveniently, at that point I groaned and threw up all over dad’s feet. “Telling me she feels sick” Fred finished, staring at the vomit looking rather amused.