All Magic Comes With A Price

Train Trip to the New Year

An average-sized boy walks down the hallway, glancing in the windows to check if he sees his friend. Toward the end of the hallway, he finally spots his friend's matching black hair. Sliding the door open he smiles, his lip piercing glinting in the light, when he spots the girl curled up reading a herbology book with her wand holding some of her curly black hair away from her maroon eyes. She looks up and meets his grey eyes before smiling.

"Hullo Artie!"

He sits across from her after closing the door behind him, "Hullo Alethea, how comes your studying?"

The newly named Alethea smiles and sets her mary jane heel-clad feet down before smoothing out her green knee-length skirt, "It's going good. I decided to read my herbology book as it's one of the better books for fun reading."

She played with her silver snake locket that lay on top of her long-sleeve blouse and black vest. She spots her friend wearing his black skinny jeans and Converse and giggles, "Still not wearing the full uniform I see?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, "You know I don't like slacks. At least I'm wearing the jacket and tie." He gestured to his mentioned to his suit jacket that had the Hufflepuff crest and his butter yellow tie that laid around his neck untied.

"So what made you almost late to the train this time Artie?" Alethea said looking at her friend.

Arthur smiled tightly at Alethea, "Pops. He was going over the rules while I was at Hogwarts...Again. As well as to keep the family a secret, well, father again."

He sighed and pulled his book out to read while Alethea settled back down to read.

Alethea giggled, "We could find our mischievous duo." Her face lit up, "I could show them my snake!" After Alethea said that, a little head popped up from beside her chin in her hair. It was an opal corn snake.

Arthur laughed at his friend and nodded, "Okay, let's go find those two knuckleheads." Alethea's small face lit up as she quickly packed her book away and stood beside Arthur, ready to find their two crazy friends.

Alethea mosied down the hallway and paused as she had an idea. Letting a grin cross her face, she called out, "Marco!"

A couple of seconds passed, and then suddenly, she heard, "Polo!"

Alethea skipped down the hallway and spun to face Arthur, "So~ You excited to see your menace of a boyfriend?"

This made Arthur blush, almost as red as an apple. "Fred is not my boyfriend, Thea. We are just friends. Besides, he's not gay." Arthur said, looking away from Alethea while being both embarrassed and sad.

Alethea stopped dead in her tracks and looked Arthur in the eyes, "You never know what someone likes. He might just be in the closet until he outright tells you he CAN be your boyfriend. Also, once Gil knows their scent, I am going to send him to find them. Just randomly."

Alethea giggled and smiled before turning back to keep skipping, "Marco!"

"Polo!" was called out a bit ahead of them.

"I still don't think he'll like me... Anyways it looks like we're almost there." Arthur said, pointing to the door where they both saw one tall redhead waiting. "Hey, George! How've you been, mate?" Arthur said while giving the taller male a 'bro hug.'

"I'm good, mate. How's our favorite Hufflepuff and Slytherin doing?" George said while leading them into a compartment where another boy that looked just like him was.

Alethea smiles, "I've been reading herbology and magical creatures. Especially the reptiles, they're fun."

"Remind me, how did you get into Slytherin again?" Said George while he sat across from the boy who looked just like him.