I hope you all have enjoyed Peeves' story so far. A HUGE thanks goes out to CrystalizedLily for a big confidence booster. :-) I don't know what I would do without all your wonderful reviews, everybody!!! That's what a writer lives for...the response of the audience. Enjoy chapter 2!
The train raced swiftly on through all of the morning and afternoon. Finally the train stopped a while after dark at a Muggle station several miles away from London, England to refuel. The Hogwarts students stepped out onto the Muggle platform and tried to adjust their eyes to the darkness around them. The few oil lamps that lit the train station were very dim compared to the light inside the coach created by wizarding powers. Peeves glanced around mischievously at the yawning Muggles seated on benches on the platform, waiting for trains. He was thinking about turning an old gentleman's shabby top hat into a flowerpot when Sherman grabbed his wrist and dragged him over to the food stand.
"I don't know about you, Peeves, but I'm starved! Honestly, for having such a rich looking train, you'd think they'd have some sort of food on board!" They sprinted up to the counter and looked up at a tall young woman with a full-skirted gown and tired looking eyes. She rubbed her temples and mumbled above the clicking of a telegraph in a back room.
"Charley!" she called to the back of the shop. "Quit the clickin' will ya? I got customers! Ya can send a message to you're ma any other time!" The noise stopped and the woman turned around, looking resignedly at the two boys.
"So, what'll it be, boys," she said, waving a hand at a sign that listed the available food. Peeves looked at the list and then at Sherman.
"Er—Sherm?" he whispered. "What's a hotdog?" Sherman shrugged and whispered back, "Do ya know what a candy bar is?" Peeves shook his head and looked up at the lady. She was peering at them curiously.
"So, where'd ya say ya'll are from?" she inquired. Peeves shifted uncomfortably.
"Um, up north," he replied. She nodded and shook her head to clear her mind. "Oof, it's just been a hard day, I'm not thinking right." She stopped and scowled at the boys. "Have you made up your mind yet?"
"Oh! Well...we'll...er...take a hotdog," Peeves said, drawing out the word hotdog. It was new to his tongue.
"We're out," the woman said without emotion.
"Okay then, we'll take a...um...a candy bar," Peeves said, trying again.
"What kind?" was the reply. Peeves looked at Sherman in despair.
"Um...any type you've got, really," Sherman said. The lady raised an eyebrow.
"How 'bout a regular Hershey," she said.
"Sure," Peeves said as he dug in his robes for money. "How much?"
"Ten pence." Peeves stopped short.
"Ten pence?" he said in disbelief. What the hell was ten pence? The woman put her hands on her hips.
"It's a fair price, kid. Ten pence," she said sternly. "Look, if you don' 'ave enough, then leave." Peeves' stomach growled as he heard the train whistle behind him. The lady was really beginning to look mad when Professor Sourdine swept up behind the two boys.
"Come on, the train's leaving!" she said and then looked from the boys to the woman behind the counter. "They aren't causing you any trouble, are they?" the headmistress asked. The woman smiled tightly, rubbing her temples.
"Oh, just a bit. They're not buying anything." Professor Sourdine's eyes widened. She dug in her robes and dumped out several rectangular slips of paper. "Will that pay for something?" The woman stared at the papers that had four crisp 100s printed in each of the corners.
"Plenty," she squeaked and slid two small silver packages across the counter.
"Keep the change," the headmistress said, then led the boys away from the counter and onto the train, leaving behind the speechless counter-girl. "She expected you to pay with Muggle money, dears," Sourdine explained. Peeves and Sherman sat down quietly and tore open their silver packages to reveal a brown lump. They cautiously bit into them, the other students staring at them in respect.
"Careful!" Lawson whispered. "They may be poisonous!" Peeves chewed thoughtfully and smiled. It tasted just like a Chocolate Frog. An idea instantly formed in his head. He gave a bloodcurdling scream and slumped lifeless in his chair. Pandemonium broke out.
"I killed him! It killed him!" Sean bellowed. Sherman dropped his piece and tried to make himself barf up what he had eaten. The other students shrieked and ran about the coach, trying to get away from the "dead body."
"I'm gonna die too!" Sherman moaned. Professor Sourdine hurried over and quickly observed what had happened. She picked up Peeves' chocolate lump and scowled.
"PEEVES! GET UP!" she commanded. Everyone was silent as Peeves sat up like nothing had happened.
"Is something wrong, Professor?" he asked, acting puzzled. All the students let out a collective sigh. Sherman regained his color and then leaned over and slapped Peeves across the face.
"Don't you ever do that again!" he roared.