Chapter Two:
Claustrophobic Express
When Shelby met up with her mother, they headed back home so Shelby could wash her robes, and get everything ready for the return trip to Hogwarts tomorrow.
"Have you gotten everything packed yet?" Mrs. Clark asked three hours later.
"No, I'm still rearranging my trunk so everything can fit." Shelby said, neatly folding her robes and placing them into clean plastic bags.
"Okay. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Mrs. Clark said.
When Shelby had finished packing her trunk, she headed downstairs for dinner.
"Did you have enough plastic bags?" Mrs. Clark asked.
"Yes I did. Now, the only thing I'm not looking forward to is riding on the train tomorrow. Especially with all those people. I hate riding that thing, it makes me feel very claustrophobic." Shelby said, as her mother placed four plates of different foods down in front of her.
"See, I remembered that you don't like your food touching. At least I'm improving." Mrs. Clark said.
"Yeah. So, when did dad say he was coming home?" Shelby asked, taking small amounts of mashed potatoes.
"I think sometime tomorrow night." Mrs. Clark said.
"And I won't see him at all before I leave." Shelby said.
"I know. I wish he would've decided to take that business trip some other time." Mrs. Clark said.
After dinner, Shelby went back upstairs to see if she forgot to pack something.
The next morning when Shelby got up, she got dressed, and dragged her trunk downstairs to the kitchen.
Since her dad works for the Ministry, he had a car brought to the house.
As soon as the drivers packed up the trunk and everyone got inside, it took off.
Once they arrived at the train station, Shelby took it into her own hands to make the driver get a trolley.
Her mother was the one who wheeled it onto platform 9 3/4, because Shelby didn't want to touch it, since a lot of people have used it before.
As soon as she got on the train, she found an empty compartment, got in, put her trunk in the trunk holder-thing, and locked the door.
Everyone, including her friends, knew that if Shelby locked the door to the train compartment, it means that no one is to bother her, because they'd make her feel very claustrophobic.
"Where's your friend?" Sirius had asked Shelby's group of friends who had joined Lily in their compartment.
"She's by herself in another compartment." One of the girls said.
"Why?" James asked.
"She has this rule that we all respect and follow: If she's on the train, in an empty compartment by herself, and the doors locked, no one is to join her." The girl said.
"Why?" Sirus asked.
"Well, because, this train, and all the people on it, make her claustrophobic." She said.
"Oh, okay." Sirius said.
As the journey to Hogwarts went on, and the afternoon came, the witch with the food trolley came by the compartments.
"Would you like anything off the trolley dears?" The witch asked when she got to Sirius' compartment.
"Sure. I'll have some of those, some of those, and some of those." Sirius said, pointing to several different foods that were on display.
As they ate their snacks, Lupin, with robe pockets full of snacks, decided to take a stroll down the train.
When he stopped at a compartment, he knocked on the door.
"Yes?" Shelby asked when she opened the compartment door.
"I thought you'd like a little company." Lupin said.
"I thought everyone knew about my little rule?" Shelby asked, not bothering to stand aside.
"Yes I do, but, what's the harm in only letting one person join you?" Lupin asked.
"Well, as long as it's only one person, then I guess it's okay." Shelby said.
She then stepped aside to let Lupin passed.
Once inside, Lupin sat down opposite her, and pulled out a bunch of snacks.
"Want any?" Lupin asked.
"No thank you. I'm not really hungry." Shelby said.
Lupin, as careful as he could, opened a package of cauldron cakes, so it wouldn't make a mess. He even ate it carefully so that he didn't drop any on the seat, floor, or himself.
As the journey continued on, and it started getting dark, Lupin decided to go back to his compartment.
Once they stopped at the Hogsmeade station, Shelby decided to get into an empty carriage, and closed the door before anyone else could come in.
When the carriages got to Hogwarts, Shelby jumped out, and headed up the stone steps and into the cool castle.
As she entered the Great Hall, the other students had filed in behind her and took their seats at their tables.
Sorry it's so short, but I ran out of ideas for this chapter.