Seven Students, a Cat, a Rat and an Owl
Disclaimer: None of the characters or settings mentioned are mine.
In the last compartment on the train was a veritable gaggle of students, a cat, a a rat, and an owl. There were seated like this:
On the left, towards the back, where Professor R. J. Lupin (honestly Ron, it's written on his case) had the spent the majority of the ride sleeping, sat Ronald Weasley, who was pushed towards the window when three other students joined him on a bench that was meant to seat two: Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Colin Creevey. Ron was at a bit of a loss, because even an hour after the dementor had been expelled by Professor R. J. Lupin she was still pale and clinging to his arm like a limpet. Luna was looking quite pale as well, her legs drawn in with her head nestled between her knees. Colin had a hand on Luna's arm, and occasionally patted it awkwardly.
Ron, additionally, had the mangy old rat Scabbers in his pocket, an object of intense interest to the being sat across from him, the squash-faced and crooked-tailed Crookshanks. Though it may have been much more comfortable for all of the humans in the compartment for Crookshanks to sit on his owner's lap (insofar as any person can be a cat's owner. A more appropriate term could be unwitting servant.) Hermione, Crookshanks' unwitting servant, was seated beside Harry, and was resisting the urge to run her finger's through his perpetually unruly hair because her friend looked so cold and scared and empty after his encounter with the Dementor. She did not do this, of course, because Harry was being stupid and Gryffindorish, worrying about appearing strong when he really ought to be worrying about feeling better, so Hermione did what she could to help without ruffling Harry's prickly feathers. Neville, seated next to Harry, did not mind being crowded into the corner. He was just happy not to be alone, right now.
Hedwig, the owl, did not feel overcrowded at all, because she was safely ensconced in her cage on the shelf overhead. She did, however, want to peck Harry until he felt better, but that was a common state of affairs.
"I'm worried about Link," Luna spoke from between her knees. This was not a new thought, but it had taken her this long to voice it. Luna had spent the better part of an hour combating a particularly virulent plague of nargles, and it was only now that she could think clearly. Or, semi-clearly, at least, she modified as another nargle flitted across her vision. A half-dozen remained, but Luna was convinced that they would not leave until she'd seen that Link was alive and well.
"Link stabbed a Basilisk in the eye. Twice," Ron snorted. "I'm sure he'll be fine."
"But that's why I think he won't be fine," Luna argued.
Hermione caught on. "Because he was in the Chamber, too," she said, realization dawning. "You and Harry and Ginny were the people the Dementor effected the worst, because the Chamber was such a bad memory for you. Amongst other things," she stole half a glance at Harry, who was looking resolutely into the middle distance, determined not to make eye contact with anybody.
"Mmm-hmmm," Luna's nose brushed her knee as she nodded. "I want to go check on him."
"But Luna," Hermione protested. "The conductor told us to stay put."
"Did he?" Luna tilted her head. "I must have missed that bit while I was sorting out my nargles."
"Link's up with the conductor, isn't he?" Colin interjected. "So if the conductor's able to make an announcement, then Link must be alright. The dementor probably didn't visit that part of the train," he concluded optimistically.
"That makes sense," Ron nodded eagerly.
"Wasn't Professor Lupin heading up there?" Neville put in from his corner. "Link will definitely be alright if he's with him."
Everybody in the compartment agreed on that point. Professor R.J. Lupin was a figure of unparalleled heroism and competency in their eyes, and if he was with Link, then their friend was in good hands.
A few more nargles flitted away, leaving behind a persistent trio. "Okay," Luna agreed. "We'll pick him up when we disembark."
...
...
Exiting the compartment was something of a nightmare – Neville trod on Colin's toes, Ron trod on Crookshank's tail, and Luna trod on everyone else in her haste to make her way to the cab of the train. She had delayed enough already.
Luna faintly heard Ginny mutter "Oh, bollocks" and hurry to catch up, dragging Colin along as well. It took a certain amount of skill to weave her way through the pods of gossiping, shivery students. Several students had lips stained with chocolate, and Luna idly wiped the back of her hand over her mouth.
Where Luna maneuvered lithely through the crowds, Ginny steamrolled through, and Colin followed behind offering cheery apologies and soothing ruffled feathers.
The door to the cab was closed, but Luna paid that barrier no heed, springing the door open without hesitation. She had already delayed enough.
"…and that's why Professor McGonagall confiscated my slingshot," Luna heard Link say, and she sagged with relief. Link was safe, though he looked ashen and chocolate stained his fingers and mouth. He was also visibly bouncing, shifting and moving, vibrating from the excess energy of a massive sugar rush.
"I can't say I blame her," Professor Lupin grinned ruefully. "Ah, hello there. Miss Lovegood, Miss Weasley, Mr. Creevey. Mr. Faron's told me all about you."
"It's Link," the Gryffindor complained, and he was already hugging Luna. "Faron is a province, or a river or something. Maybe a spring." And, though Link's words were flippant, there was an edge of desperation to his embrace that Luna sympathized with all too well.
"Perhaps a bay?" Luna suggested blithely, because the only other option was crying because her best friend was here, safe, and not trapped in the Chamber of Secrets with a basilisk and Voldemort's possessed diary.
"Faron bay?" Link pulled back, and his hands were shaking. "That sounds about right." He held Luna's gaze for a moment, and there was a lot dwelling in his head that remained unspoken. Luna supposed that was all right, because there was a lot Luna couldn't say either. But then the moment passed, and Link was hugging Ginny and Colin with more strength than any twelve-year-old had any right to possess.
"So, so let's go, right," Link tripped over his words. "Carriages this year. Sounds cool."
"For your friends, perhaps," Professor Lupin said, "But you are going with me to the hospital wing."
"Hospital wing?" Ginny asked, looking at Link with concern.
"I may have gotten on the bad side of the dementor," Link shrugged as if this was nothing.
It wasn't nothing. Everybody in the cab knew that much.
"And, and I've about ten bars of chocolate!" Link argued.
"I'm aware of that," Professor Lupin said drily. Luna vividly imagined the tired looking man sighing as Link became more and more hyped up on sugar. "But I am going to insist that Madame Pomfrey give you and Harry a once over. Understood?"
"Fine," Link threw himself on the floor comically. "Go, my friends. Enjoy the enchanted carriages in my name. Pursue the adventure I cannot, while I lay here, withering."
"Jolly good," Colin grinned. "I'll bring you a souvenir."
"A nice sliver of wood," Ginny added.
"We'll probably pull at the first thread of a mystery," Luna smiled. "But we'll be sure to fill you in."
"Gosh, I hope you do," Link grinned at them goofily. "Go on, now. Have an adventure. Those enchanted carriages won't move themselves."
"Actually," Ginny considered. "I think the point is that they do."
...
...
"I don't suppose either of you can see handsome skeletal horse-like whirligig pulling the carriage?" Luna asked her companions casually.
"What?" Colin blinked. "A skeleton horse? That sounds amazing!" He whirled around excitedly.
"No, I can't see anything but the carriage," Ginny said more reservedly.
"Well, that's interesting," Luna frowned lightly. "I wonder why you can't see them." Luna hesitated for a moment, but if the whirligig was considered safe enough to pull the school carriages, there likely wouldn't be any harm in saying hello. She approached the whirligig from the front, and extended a hand in greeting. "Hello, there. Thank you for pulling the carriage. I don't suppose you could take us for a ride?"
The whirligig nuzzled Luna's hand briefly, then shook its head, briefly extending its wings.
"Thank you very much," Luna smiled, and alighted into the carriage.
"Did you say hello to the invisible skeleton horse?" Colin asked, curious.
"Hm? Oh, yes," Luna said. "They have wings, too."
"Woah," Colin breathed, his eyes huge.
"Perhaps we should have gone to the hospital wing with Link," Ginny muttered.
"But we promised him a quest, and a quest we found," Luna turned to her friend. " 'The Mystery of the Not-So-Enchanted Carriages.' I imagine he'll be quite pleased."
AN: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I had way too much fun imagining everybody crammed into one, tiny compartment. Updates are weekly!