𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐈 ━━ james potter

-ˏˋ 2

CHAPTER TWO
✻
— autumn

THE CARRAIGES WERE Mei's least favourite part of the journey to Hogwarts each year. There was something distinctly uncomfortable about being taken up to the castle by invisible creatures, especially in the dark carraiges that were shaking with the signature wind and rain of a Scottish autumn. She had never enjoyed it and she doubted she ever would — it was always bloody freezing — but it was worth the overwhelming warmth of the castle, once that part of the journey was over. This year, however, that feeling was slightly ruined by the fact the Professor Dumbledore had heard about the train catastrophe and promptly decided to announce it to the entire population of the school at dinner. There was nothing Mei could possibly think of that was worse than that on the first night back, considering the rate of gossip at Hogwarts. It wouldn't be any longer than an hour or two before people would work out that she had done it, and they'd probably add on a few tales of their own too just to make it all the more scandalous.

"It has come to my attention that an incident occured on the Hogwarts Express during your travels," the Headmaster began, "which resulted in a portion of the train being destroyed during the journey."

Mei fought to keep a neutral expression on her face as he spoke to them all in the Great Hall. She didn't want to give away any hint of her involvement in the situation because, although she knew it wouldn't last long, she wanted to have at least a slightly peaceful dinner.

   "As of right now we do not know the cause of the incident, nor the perpetrator, if there was one. However I would like to remind you all not to use magic outside of the school. Although the Hogwarts Express has been officially declared a part of the school, meaning it is a legal setting for underage wizards to perform magic, it is not necessarily wise to do so and I would advise you against it."

        His speech went on for another minute or two, although Mei decided to stop listening and to focus more on wishing it would end. When it did end, the food appeared before them and she tucked in, glad to finally have something to eat. Traveling made her hungry.

       "What are you going to do about Dumbledore?" Josie asked, intrigued.

        "I'll tell him later on," Mei shrugged as she took another forkful of dinner. "Potter and his group will have found me out anyway, so I may as well."

        Nadia snorted. "They might get top marks, but they're not that smart."

"They saw me there." Mei reminded her. "There's no way they'd actually believe that the trunk did that all by itself and that I convieniently returned it to its completely unaware owner."

"They might," Nadia shrugged, "I wouldn't be surprised if they did."

Mei shook her head, finishing her meal. She didn't believe it for a second — she'd just have to accept her own embarrassing fate and get on with it. At least next time she'd know better than to summon a trunk while on board a train. When dinner was over, she and the rest of the students made their way busily out of the Great Hall to go back to their respective common rooms to settle in once again. As she was leaving the Hall, however, she was approached by none other than James Potter, with his three friends trailing closely behind.