Leo had found himself a compartment with the saner Slytherins: Theo, Daphne and Tracey Davis. They were opening Chocolate Frogs as they waited for the train to leave.
"Morgana," Theo muttered, "I've already got her. Anyone need Morgana?"
"I do," said Leo. "I've got Hengist of Woodcroft here."
"No, I've got him."
"Oh. Which ones do you need?"
"If you have Merlin or Fulbert the Fearful that would be great," Theo said.
"I've only got one Fulbert but I'm pretty sure I've got three Merlins in my trunk." Leo stood up and moved over to his trunk to get Merlin out. As he stood up, he found his eyes covered by a girl's hands.
"Guess who?" asked the girl in question teasingly.
"Hello, Marisa," said Leo, rolling his eyes and turning around. Trying to hide his overwhelming joy, he handed Merlin to Theo, who gave him Morgana.
"Anyone want Hengist of Woodcroft?" he asked. Tracey nodded. "I haven't got him yet." He handed the card in his hand to Tracey and sat down in the corner.
Marisa gave him a brief glance and then sat down on the other side as the train began to move. "How was your Christmas, Daphne?" she asked deliberately.
"Oh, it was all right," said Daphne. "Nothing too exciting. And you?"
"Fine, thanks. I figuratively murdered all the children on my street in a snowball fight. Mainly because they were too afraid of me to fight back." She grinned.
"My Christmas was just as awful as ever," announced Leo.
"Scrooge," said Marisa.
"That's actually why it was so awful. I called my dad a Scrooge, and you can imagine the awkward questions I got then. Yes, I know I'm an idiot, please don't call me one."
"Idiot," said Marisa, smiling. "Can I have a Chocolate Frog?"
"Buy your own," said Leo.
"The trolley witch isn't here."
"She will be later."
"Okay, fine. Can you loan me a Chocolate Frog and then I'll buy you one when she does arrive?"
Leo hesitated but said, "Okay," and tossed her a frog. He smiled. He had missed Marisa so much.