The Other Snape

Chapter 24

As Hermione and Ron dragged their trunks, Crookshanks, and a caged Pigwidgeon off toward the engine end of the train towards the Prefects carriage, Harry felt an odd sense of loss. He had never traveled on the Hogwarts Express without Ron.

"Come on," Ginny told him, "if we get a move on we'll be able to save them places."

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, picking up Hedwig's cage in one hand and the handle of his trunk in the other.

They struggled off down the corridor, peering through the glass-paneled doors into the compartments they passed, which were already full. Harry could not help noticing that a lot of people stared back at him with great interest and that several of them nudged their neighbors and pointed him out. After he had met this behavior in five consecutive carriages he remembered that the Daily Prophet had been telling its readers all summer what a lying show-off he was. Even if he never publicly said Voldemort was back.

In the very last carriage, they met Neville.

"Hi, Harry," he said, "Hi, Ginny. How was your summer?"

"Alright," Harry said automatically, "Yours?"

"Better than I had in a long time."

Harry couldn't help but notice how much more fit Neville looked. There was a glow around him that Harry hadn't felt before and he tanned a bit.

It all made Harry feel self-conscious.

"Hey, Luna," said Ginny, looking into one of the compartments. "Is it okay if we take these seats?"

The girl beside the window looked up. She had thin dirty blond hair that went down to her waist and big eyes that made Harry uncomfortable. She was pretty fit, Harry supposed, but she gave Harry a feeling that she was hiding a whole lot of things from everyone.

She nodded.

"Thanks," said Ginny, smiling at her.

Harry stowed two trunks, barely noticing Neville's third one.

Luna's wasn't there.

The girl called Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler.

"Good summer, Luna?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," said Luna dreamily, "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know."

"What did you do?"

"Oh, my father and I went to look for schengiddrups, little sprites with wings sharper than the best knives you can find." Harry was a bit scared of the little grin on Luna's face. "Neville came with us for some time."

"Wait, you know Neville?" Ginny said, then turned to Harry to explain. "Luna here is in Ravenclaw. My year."

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," said Luna in a singsong voice. She raised her upside-down magazine high enough to hide her face and fell silent.

Harry looked at Neville for an explanation, but no good that did. He was just looking at Luna with a dopey smile on his face. Ginny suppressed a giggle.

The train rattled onward, speeding them out into the 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. But that was Britain for you.

"Guess what I got for my birthday?" said Neville.

"Another Remembrall?" said Harry.

"No," said Neville, "I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago. . . . No, look at this. . . ."