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ENOCH'S FREE HAND remains against his ferret's fur, who titters anxiously from his shoulder. The white animal's claws are digging through his shirt—an old one, a comfortable one, with a print so faded it's hard to make out exactly what it once was—as he ensures he isn't pushed off during all the commotion. The ferret, whose name remains Ferret as he has given no indication of what he'd like for a name, seems to reflect his owner's own feelings, as they grip tightly to one another.
"You could skip the train, if you want." Odeda suggests as she once again watches her son, taking notice of the way his body has tensed and his eyes refuse to stay still. He's licking his lips again, repeatedly, which she's always taken as a sign of taste overload. But still, he quickly shakes his head.
"I'm fine." Odeda doesn't need an empathetic power to tell her son is really freaking out, and probably not fine. But she can see that blaze of determination—the same his father gets, and she will admit to possessing—in his eyes and immediately knows there's no point arguing. He's made his decision, and will stick with it for as long as he can.
"Write me letters, okay? Heaps of them." Alistair says as they begin saying their farewells, pulling Enoch into a tight hug, "And smuggle me back some of the wizard food." A muffled chuckle comes from within the older man's shoulder. They continue to hug for a few more moments, only separated by a prompting nudge from Odeda. "I'll miss you, kiddo. Look after yourself."
Then, Odeda pulls Enoch into a hug and the young boy knows he's going to miss the herbal tea. It brings a brief moment of quiet amongst all the noise of emotions, and he drinks it in. His mother whispers words of encouragement into his hair, before placing on final kiss on the top of his head.
"Now go get on the train," The dark haired woman smiles, giving him a light shove in that direction. As they both wave goodbye, Enoch reluctantly pushes himself through the crowd of parting families and makes his way to the carriage entrance. He takes one last glance back at his smiling parents, both still waving, and his ferret squeaks in encouragement. Taking a deep breath, Enoch does it; he boards the train and leaves the family he's never actually left before.
For a while, Enoch thinks he might spend the train trip in the sole company of Ferret. Which wouldn't be so bad, if he didn't feel so terrifyingly lonely that he genuinely desires the mess of emotions. His stomach is still churning, and he knows this belongs to him. There's no one around for him to get a reading of and it's only on rare occasions that his powers work through walls. But, fortunately, the carriage door slides open and a face peers in. Warmth radiates through the carriage, originating from the girl intruding.
