Chapter 168: Back to Hogwarts
After checking a few more compartments Chris, Ginny and Harry found Luna and Colin sitting with Neville.
"Hiya Chris! Hiya Ginny! Hiya Harry!"
As always Colin greeted them with full of enthusiasm.
"Guess what I got for my birthday?" said Neville, after they stowed the three trunks and Leon and Hedwig's cages in the luggage rack and sat down.
"Another Remembrall?" said Harry smiling.
"No," said Neville, "I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago. . . . No, look at this . . ."
He holds out a new wand.
"You got a new wand." Chris said happily.
"Yes. Your idea worked. When I told her about my... er.. your theory about wands, she was very impressed." Neville grinned. "Then she talked to Ollivander and I got a new wand."
Chris remembered, she had told Neville last year, that maybe he was not good at spells because his wand belonged to his father. Chris really believed the thing Ollivander said four years ago, "Wand chooses the master," and after reading few books about wands, she realized it was true. If the wand was old it could create problems for the wizard.
The train rattled onward, speeding them out into open country. It was an odd, unsettled sort of day; one moment the carriage was full of sunlight and the next they were passing beneath ominously gray clouds.
Chris chatted with her friends for almost half an hour before leaving the compartment. She didn't see Jason when they were looking for compartments. So she headed to the opposite direction to look for him.
After passing a few compartments with full of curious gazes, Chris came face to face with Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, two Slytherins. Prefect badges were pinned on each of their robes.
Pansy snorted as she noticed Chris but Draco's expressions were unreadable.
"Hey," Chris said as politely as possible. She was really not going to ruin her mood over these two new 'Prefects'.
Draco looked surprised but quickly hide it in a sneer.
"What do you want?" Pansy said looking annoyed.
"Nothing. Just wanted to get past you two. If you move, kindly." Chris said sarcastically.
Pansy was about to deliver some snarky remarks when Draco stopped her.
"Leave it, Pansy, we've better things to do." He said with a tired voice.
Pansy looked back and forth between Chris and Draco then angrily walked away.
"Five points from Gryffindor, Norton. For your disrespectful attitude." She called over her shoulder.
Draco sighed. Chris was watching him very curiously. It's definitely not like Draco Malfoy to not bully others or not abuse his powers. But Chris realised he looked very tired and vulnerable for some reasons.
It was a few seconds before Draco realised Chris was staring at him. He just glared at her then sauntered after Pansy.
Thinking about this weird Draco and that weird Theodore, Chris stepped forward. She had barely crossed two compartments without looking into them when a familiar voice called.
"Hey, Norton! Looking for someone?"
Chris stopped and a smile appeared on her face as she turned around.
And there he was smirking at her, leaning on the compartment door. Jason Fawley. He was looking a little taller than last time. He was the same height as Chris before, but now maybe he was few inches taller than her. Chris saw his black hair fell on his forehead which made him look cuter.
"Hey, Fawley! Yes, I'm looking for my boyfriend. Have you seen him?" Chris said.
Jason's smirk widened.
"Oh yes. He's here. Come in." He said.
Chris shook her head still grinning and entered the compartment after Jason.
Chris stopped grinning as she saw there was no one else other than them in the compartment.
"Where is everyone else?" She asked.
"Everyone? Like Theodora, Daphne, Astoria?" Jason asked.
Chris nodded.
Jason shrugged and sat down.
"Theodore said he'll be with the other Slytherins in his year, Astoria was already with her friends so Daphne didn't want to sit alone with me."
Jason sounded and looked casual but something in his voice told Chris that he was disappointed. He really was enjoying this friendship thing.
Chris sat down beside Jason and put an arm around him.
"I've missed you." Jason smiled looking at her.
Chris smiled, gazing back at his dark brown eyes.
"I've missed you too."
They kissed. First official proper Kiss.
The weather remained undecided as they traveled farther and farther north. Rain spattered the windows in a halfhearted way, then the sun put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more.
Chris and Jason talked about many things, Chris tried to avoid hard topics and her curiosity about Theodore. Jason looked so happy and relaxed that Chris couldn't bring herself to say something which will ruin his mood.
When darkness fell and lamps came on inside the carriages, Chris gave Jason another peck on the lips and decided to leave. Though she didn't want to leave him alone, Jason insisted that he'll be fine.
When Chris returned to her friends, Hermione and Ron were preparing to leave again.
"Chris, will you look after Crookshanks? We're supposed to supervise.." Hermione trailed off.
"Yeah. Sure." Chris replied and they departed.
At last the train began to slow down and they heard the usual racket up and down it as everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure. Chris took Crookshanks, Ginny took Pigwidgeon and Luna happily carried Leon.
They shuffled out of the compartment feeling the first sting of the night air on their faces as they joined the crowd in the corridor. Slowly they moved toward the doors. Chris could smell the pine trees that lined the path down to the lake. She stepped down onto the platform and heard a female voice she didn't like, "First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!"
She looked around and saw the prominent chin and severe haircut of Professor Grubbly-Plank, the witch who had taken over Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures lessons for a while the previous year.
"Where's Hagrid?" Chris and Harry said in unison.
"I don't know," said Ginny smiling.
"Why are you smiling?" Chris asked Ginny as they walked towards the carriages.
"It's funny. You and Harry think exactly the same things..." Ginny said giggling. "... Sometimes."
Chris rolled her eyes and cast a quick glance at Harry, who was busy staring at Professor Grubbly-Plank.
"Yeah sometimes."
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To be continued...
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