SEA, SWALLOW ME, remus lupin

deich air fichead, homeward bound

CHAPTER THIRTY
homeward bound

                           𖦹 ⋆｡˚⋆ฺ ⋆｡˚⋆ฺ˚⋆˚ 𖦹

  COVE HAS DONE QUADRUPLE CHECKS of her luggage and still isn't satisfied that she has everything, but this is usually how it goes when she's returning home for the holidays. Fallon always has to drag her out of their dormitory or else she'd never leave. They narrowly avoid missing the train home every time, leaving it solely up to Mary to secure their compartment. End of term is a chore for all three of them for that very reason, their existing anxiety only doubling at the notion of not having anywhere to sit on the journey home.

She's being pulled in the direction of the carriages, a thousand more things to fret over running marathons around her head. Her trunk and a woven cat carrier that has Pip sliding around inside float behind them, her frayed nerves making for unpredictable spell work. The levitation charm she had cast is precarious and wobbly at best, threatening to spill her luggage all across the corridors until the school is practically painted in her clothes and belongings. Luckily for her, Fallon is constantly shooting charms over her shoulder to keep it steady when Cove cannot.

"Fallon, I think I left the straighteners on."

  "What? You don't even own straighteners!"

  "Hattie does!"

  "And why would you be using her straighteners, sweetie?"

  Cove purses her lips. "Okay, fair play. I just feel like I'm forgetting something—"

Fallon stops in her tracks, grabbing Cove by the shoulders to stare her right in the eyes. Pip yowls in terror as the carrier and trunk are lurched to a halt.

  "Don't invent problems to distract yourself, it'll only stress you out more," she says firmly. "I know what you're like. You have everything, Vee. You've ticked every box and checked everything in our dorm that could be a fire hazard more times than I can count. Just breathe."

  Cove obliges, her knuckles whitening as they curl into the fabric of her floaty top. Her grandmother ridicules her for her frown lines, saying that they'll leave marks, but she can't help the perpetual furrow of her brows when everything in the world seems to be out to get her.

  "I don't think I want to go home."

  "Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head. It'll be super," Fallon reassures, squeezing her arm softly as they begin walking again. "No classes for two weeks, quality time with family..." She ignores the way Cove's face scrunches in distaste. "You can swim in the actual sea again, as well. Is that not exciting?"

  "Yeah," she choruses glumly. "Exciting."

  Fallon can feel a tug on her heartstrings at the sight of her best friend so upset, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she thinks hard. "What can I do to make you feel better? Would a box of Ice Mice off the trolley help?"

  "That's okay, Ally," Cove reassures. "I'll be alright."

  She sighs. "If you say so."

  They're hit by cold air as they step out and brave the elements, flurries of snow trundling down from the puffy grey clouds above. Cove suspects that it won't be nearly as snowy when they descend from high up amidst the mountains and munros, perhaps being greeted by something on the rainier side when they arrive at Arisaig station to drop herself and a few other stragglers off.