Just thought I'd stop by and post a chapter...since I have several on hand and I didn't want anyone to forget about me. Haha.
So, we've moved...as I think I mentioned. It took five days of driving and four nights in airbnbs to get here, but now we're settled in good old Texas. On the way down here, my car developed a fuel leak, but as long as I only fill up the tank to 3/4, I'm good. But it's not going to pass its inspection here until I've gotten it repaired. Oh joy! I have to admit that it's not as bad here as I thought it would be, but I haven't looked for a job yet, so we'll see how that goes. Lol. Like when we moved to Seattle (from SoCal), I'm playing housewife for a bit. I am doing a little babysitting for a couple from the ice rink...the couple we followed down here has two little boys, so I'm at least making a tiny bit of money. Yay. It is very hot here and I don't like that much, but as long as I don't move about too much, I'm good. Lol. This makes it hard to get the house in order, but it's coming along nicely imo. We've had a few rain storms. In the first week is rained so hard that I thought maybe we'd have to build an ark! I'd read somewhere that this area gets about the same amount of rain as Seattle and I found that very hard to believe as it rains EVERY day in Seattle. What I have come to realize is that, in Seattle it's gray and drizzly every day...but here, when it rains, it POURS! We've also had some thunder and lightning storms, which are really cool. I can see now why it's actually green here. I'd imagined that Texas was a hot brown desert and that I'd be miserable. I guess that's more western Texas, but where we are it's lush and green. THANK goodness! It is got though. I know I said that, but...it's HOT! It's been 95+ every day! We've been told that the weather changes on September 15th. Hmm. I find that VERY hard to believe too, but...we shall see!
Thank you to those you who reviewed the last chapter...
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...I really, really, REALLY appreciate it! Please continue to review.
Anyway, here's some story for you.
Chapter Fifty-eight
Arrival at Hogsmeade Station
Tom had been gone from Buffy's compartment for so long that she thought he'd never return. She'd almost decided that she'd go look for him when the door slid open and he stepped inside.
"Hey you!" Buffy burst looking up at him. "I was just thinking that I would need to come find you."
Frowning, Tom sat down across from her—Vin and Sophie were both at the window, one facing forward, the other facing backward, intently watching the scenery go by as if they'd never been on a train before—then leaned forward and took Buffy's hands.
"I'm glad that you didn't. They wouldn't have liked it," he said—causing Buffy to frown. "Are you all right?" he asked, changing the subject. There was no need to raise her hackles—yet!
Buffy shrugged. "Oh yeah, sure. A bit bored...and hungry."
Tom snorted. "You're always hungry."
"Isn't she always?" Vin remarked, turning her head to look at the boy.
Shifting her gaze from the window, Sophie said, "I've never seen a girl eat so much!"
"Neither have I," Tom added.
Buffy huffed. "I can't help it, you guys," she said. "Slayers need sustenance! And it's like...what, five o'clock or something."
Tom chuckled. "I wasn't gone that long."
"Fine then...four?" she amended.
"Not even close, unfortunately," Vin said, looking at her watch. "It's only just half past two."
Buffy grimaced. "Grr...argh!"
Tom smiled and squeezed her hands. "Well, they'll feed us at Hogwarts," he said reassuringly. "There's more food there than I've ever seen in my life."
Buffy grinned. "Cool."
Tom just watched her—she was so excited! He wasn't sure if it was just about the food or everything. He only vaguely remembered what it had been like to arrive at Hogwarts that first time. It had been four years and he'd grown and learned so much since then.
"How long before we arrive?" Sophie asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Oh. Er. We'll be arriving after dark," he responded.
Sophie pouted. "But then we won't be able to see anything," she whined.
"Sophie, we're moving to Hogsmeade, we have plenty of time to see things," Vin reminded her sister.
Sophie sighed. "I suppose."
Watching them, Buffy nodded. "We have a whole week before school starts to explore," she said. "Let's just get there and check things out, yeah?"
Sophie nodded. "This is going to be so much fun!" she said, rubbing her hands together.
~oOo~
Hours later, Buffy had fallen asleep, her head on Tom's shoulder. Before that he had moved to sit between her and Vin, so that they could be close. They'd talked for a while and watched the scenery fly by—and ate snacks.
There'd been no trolley witch on the train, but Tom had run out to see if he could find them something to eat to appease Buffy's voracious appetite. The dining car was abandoned when he arrived—for which he was glad—so he was able to nick a few pumpkin pasties that had been left out, hopeful that it would be enough to tide all of them over until dinner at the castle.
Tom wasn't sure what to expect. Usually when they arrived there was a huge feast, but this trip was anything but usual.
When the train finally pulled into Hogsmeade Station, Buffy was still asleep on his shoulder. Tom had napped a bit too. He also did a little reading to pass the time. Putting his book down, he gently reached over and touched Buffy's hand.
"Buffy," he whispered, "we're here."
Groggily, Buffy shifted against him, then lifted her head and stifled a yawn. "Already?"
Tom snorted.
Sitting up, Buffy leaned forward and glanced out the window. It was dark, but she could see the lights of the train station and smiled. "Vin," she said, reaching out and touching the dark-haired sister's shoulder. Vin was instantly alert and waking her sister. The two of them once again focused on the window and what little they could see outside.
"You'd better put on your robes," Tom said. He'd insisted on wearing his school uniform on the train. He'd even put on his robes the moment they crossed the barrier. Buffy understood why. It was how he'd always arrived on the platform—so that no one would see the poor condition of his clothing. He didn't have to do that this year—as he had new everything—but he didn't want to do anything out of the ordinary and possibly cause others to notice and question him in any way.
"Right!" Nodding, Buffy turned and looked at him—he was holding her robes up for her to put on and smiling down at her.
"Oh. Thank you," she said as she turned around and slipped into them. "You say these will turn into my House colors once I'm sorted?"
Tom nodded. "Yes. The inside lining will change and your House badge will appear," he said, touching the Slytherin patch on his chest.
"Green is a lovely color on you, Tom," said Buffy.
He smiled. "I'm hoping it will be your color too, Buffy," he said. "It will look nice with your eyes."
"We'll see," Buffy said noncommittally. It seemed like every time this topic arose, it sent him into a tailspin of worry and she didn't want to upset him, so she said nothing further about it.
Turning, they gaped at Vin and Sophie. They were adjusting their own robes—though not robes that either Tom or Buffy had seen in any of the shops on Diagon Alley.
"Where did you get those?" Buffy asked.
Vin smiled. "Well, we wanted to fit in, so...we made a purchase a few days ago."
Sophie giggled. "Maybe a few purchases. We've bought several."
"What do you think?" asked Vin, spinning around.
"Oh. Um. They're very...you," Buffy said, her eyes going to Tom.
Tom's brow was raised. "I'm not sure about fitting in...in those," he remarked. "They're quite..." He let his words trail off.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah...quite...interesting. I didn't see white robes in any of the shops."
"Mine are yellow," Sophie announced proudly, spinning a bit too.
"I can see that. They're very... bright," Buffy said.
"They match my dress...do you see?" Sophie said. "I wanted them to coordinate."
"We found them at that splendid little boutique over on Horizont Alley," Vin informed them. "The shop owner had all sorts of zany things for sale. We couldn't resist."
Sophie grinned. "Just wait until you see what else we've purchased. It was such fun!"
Buffy nodded, even though she had no idea what shop the sisters were talking about. Sophie was wearing a canary yellow knee-length dress with a very subtle black and pink geometric design. Her new robes were precisely the same color of yellow, lined in orange and pink. She even had on a pair of hot pink heels! The only words Buffy could come up with at the moment were...sunny and bright! More like blindingly. A bit like a sunset with the sun's angle just enough to be glaring in one's eyes.
Vin, on the other hand, was in nearly all white—white robes and a white, three quarter length dress. The only splash of color was a sky blue belt and neckline, which matched the lining of her robes, and heels that matched her bit of color.
They'd been wearing the dresses, but Buffy hadn't really noticed before because they were always wearing something outrageously flashy. They'd also had on large Kentucky Derby-like hats—with organza and mesh and feathers—that matched their dresses, but now both of their hats had disappeared.
"Where are your hats?" Buffy asked. She'd hardly registered that they had on hats until now.
"We've vanished them," Vin said matter-of-factly. "Sophie used a nifty spell to make them go away!"
Sophie nodded. "They didn't seem to go with our ensemble," she said as she flapped her sunset-esque robes with a grin. "They're not gone gone. Just... away! I can summon them back if I want."
"Isn't she clever?" asked Vin.
Sophie harrumphed. "Always the tone of surprise."
Buffy and Tom could only nod. What else was there to say to these two eccentric sisters?!
~oOo~
It wasn't long before the train came to a complete stop and Tom began ushering them out of their compartment.
"Oh! Our luggage?" Sophie burst out as she was being led out.
Tom shook his head. "The house-elves will deal with it," he told her.
Sophie smiled. "Oh good! I do hate lugging it along. How convenient."
Buffy snorted. "More slave labor."
"Everyone needs a job, Buffy," said Vin, as she pushed Buffy through the compartment door.
"Like you?" Buffy asked.
Vin chuckled. "All right, not everyone. Some are lucky enough to be financially secure."
Sophie giggled. "Thank goodness! Could you imagine having to work?"
"Definitely not!" said Vin.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "You didn't see that poor house-elf on Knockturn Alley. He was...pitiful."
"Buffy, Smudge wasn't that unhappy," Tom put in as he tried to wrangle the sisters down the center hallway.
"Right! Because being smacked around is the makings of happy times," Buffy countered from the front of the line. "When was the last time you swept out a chimney and enjoyed yourself? It was disgusting!"
It was Tom's turn to roll his eyes. "You'll see. There are hundreds of house-elves at Hogwarts. They're all rather jolly."
Buffy glared back at him. "Did Smudge look jolly to you?"
Tom huffed. "Could you wait until you are sorted and settled in before starting to make trouble?"
"Or better yet, stay out of trouble!" Vin suggested.
Buffy huffed.
~oOo~
When they'd finally shuffled off the train—which wasn't as easy as one might think with Vin and Sophie wanting to walk the length of the train, poking their heads into each and every cabin—Tom glanced around to see where the other Prefects were. He could just see Urquhart at the far end of the platform. She was with the Scamander girl and it appeared they'd held off leaving until he emerged from the train. The two girls glanced back at him—Urquhart waved—then the Hufflepuff girl pulled her friend along. All the other Prefects must have hurried away—which was fine with him, as he wasn't friendly with any of them—leaving him behind to lead Buffy and the sisters to the place where the carriages were.
Outside, Buffy immediately felt the first sting of the Highland night air. It was fall, after all, and already much cooler here—this far north—than it had been in London. As Tom led them off the platform and through the station, she could smell the pine trees that lined the dark, rain-washed road ahead of them.
As they walked, Tom explained that first years traditionally traveled across the Black Lake to the castle by boat, but everyone else took stagecoaches. For a few minutes, the sisters stared at the lake discussing the fun of boat travel.
"But not at night," Sophie said.
Vin nodded. "I agree. I mean, what could one possibly see when traveling that way at night."
Tom didn't mention there were strange creatures in the lake that, if one fell in, could scratch and bite and possibly drown a careless person. Nor did he say they'd be unlikely to see much traveling by carriage either—it was just as dark bumping along the road up to the castle as it was bouncing around in a small boat on the lake.
When they arrived where the stagecoaches left from, Buffy looked at the black, horseless coach for a second. It was open and spacious with lanterns at the front of it, to light the way, she supposed. Next she glanced up the trail—she could just see the light from the previous coach moving out of sight.
Hearing a noise, Buffy's gaze quickly shifted to what was immediately in front of their ride—two very large, horse-like creatures had appeared! Eyes wide, she stared at the creatures. They were black and strange-looking—they weren't just ordinary horses at all! They were winged, but...nothing like a winged horse either. Instead, they had massive leathery-looking batwings.
Cocking her head, Buffy approached slowly. Even though everything told her to shy away, the Slayer in her was curious. The Slayer in her also itched to pull out a stake—just in case—but she resisted.
"What are... those things?" she asked.
Tom frowned. "What are... what things?"
Sophie came up beside her. "It's a coach, Buffy. Don't you have them in your time?"
Buffy glanced at them to see if they were being serious and decided that they were. "We have carriages similar to this in my time...though, I've never ridden in one. But..." She paused. "You don't see them, do you?" Everyone was giving her a blank expression. "You don't!"
Looking around, Sophie frowned.
"See what?" Tom asked, still frowning.
"I see...a large black stagecoach," said Sophie.
Buffy bit her lip. "But...you don't see what's pulling it?!" she said, flinging her arm out at the thing—and causing the strange, black, skeletal, horse things to prance a bit.
Tom shook his head. "Buffy, nothing pulls the carriage. It pulls itself...just as they always do," he said, wondering if she was okay.
"The carriages pull themselves?" Sophie asked.
"Yes. Of course they do. This is a school of witchcraft and wizardry," Tom responded.
Buffy snorted. "That may be, but...no, they really don't," she returned quickly.
Still looking at the creatures, Buffy held her hand out to the closest one and waited patiently. She knew she should be afraid—or at least more cautious—but for some reason she didn't think she needed to be. While sinister in appearance, the creatures seemed...peaceful. After a moment, one of them lowered its bony head and nosed at her hand, then huffed into it. Its muzzle wasn't soft and tickly like a horse's sometimes was. In fact, now that its face was closer to hers, this creature looked more reptilian than equine, its face dark and hard, but smooth—even a bit slippery, Buffy noticed as she continued to pet its nose.
Or was that its nose, she wondered, realizing that there were no flexible holes at the end of it. Instead, there was a hooked beak-like protuberance, with its nostrils slightly higher up its face. Running her hand over them, Buffy smiled as the animal then blew into her hand from there too.
"You're a bit...spooky-looking," she said to it, looking into its big white glittering, eyes that were somehow expressionless—and lacking pupils. "Almost like a dragon, but...without scales. Does Hogwarts keep dragons at the castle too?" she asked over her shoulder.
Tom shook his head. Then, realizing she wasn't looking at him, he responded aloud. "Er...no, not usually."
"Well, that's a relief!" whispered Vin.
With her other hand, Buffy reached out and ran it over the creature's neck. It was covered with a glossy, but translucent coat and had a long black mane, which twitched as Buffy touched it. When her hand reached its withers—where bat-like wings were attached—the creature pranced again, then pawed at the ground, then open its mouth to reveal sharp fangs, snapping them at her, but not attempting to bite.
"Ooo, that's different. I'm sorry I don't have snacks for you," she said to it as she took a step back, then reached out and placed her hand on its nose again, receiving another blow of air. The other one was keeping its distance—as much as it could while being attached to the carriage.
"Buffy, are you...all right?" Tom asked from behind her. It looked as if she were petting a very large animal, but he saw nothing there.
Turning, Buffy stared at him. "Of course I'm okay. Why?"
Tom glanced at the sisters, then back at Buffy. "Er...because you're talking to something that isn't there.
Buffy snorted. "I'm not talking to nothing, Tom! There's a…something here. Two somethings, I just...don't know what they are. They're attached to the carriage. Can't you see them?"
Tom shook his head. Sophie did too. Vin just gaped at her.
"Oh! I have some pastry left!" Buffy burst, reaching into her bag and pulling out the remnants of the snack she'd been eating on the train. Turning, she tore it in half and held it out to the creatures. This time the one that shied away moved closer. Both of them sniffed at the pastry pieces, then took them and chewed—then promptly spat the gooey mess back out onto the ground.
"Hmm. I guess you don't like pumpkin pastries," Buffy said, smiling a bit. "I'll have to read up on you and find out what you do like." Turning, she looked at the others—and saw them staring at her. "What?"
"Are you sure you're all right, Buffy?" This time it was Sophie.
"Oh, come on. You saw me hold out my pastry, didn't you?"
Tom nodded, his eyes on the two small piles of mushy, chewed up pasty on the ground. He'd seen them disappear from Buffy's hand, then drop onto the ground, seemingly out of nowhere. "There's an invisible creature there," he stated flatly. "I've read about them, but...I've never seen one. They're called Thestrals." He glanced around, wondering if there were others.
Buffy nodded. "Oh right. I read about them too," she said excitedly.
"They can only be seen by someone who's seen death," Tom explained to Vin and Sophie.
The sisters gasped.
"Invisible creatures?" said Sophie.
"Of course, a slayer would see them," Vin said, nodding.
"What are they like?" Sophie asked, her eyes on Buffy.
"Like very large horses, but not. Skeletal, but with black skin and a sleek coat. With huge leathery wings," the dark-haired sister described.
Everyone turned to stare at her. "You can see them?!" they said in unison.
Vin nodded. "I...I can," she said—then shuddered and glanced away.
~oOo~
Other than the bumping and jiggling along, the ride up to the castle in the open coach was uneventful. However, Buffy and Vin couldn't stop turning around to look at the creatures pulling them. Thestrals, Tom had called them, Buffy thought in wonder as she considered them—and the many other creatures she'd read about over the last seven weeks since she'd found out she was a witch. She vowed to read up on them further—Tom had mentioned that Hogwarts had a vast library—then find out where they were kept and go visit them. They must be housed on Hogwarts grounds!
And what about all the other creatures that existed in the wizarding world? She'd read about so many of them—had met a house-elf and seen Gringotts' goblins—but hadn't truly taken them seriously. It was a bit like she was living in a fantasy novel! Time-travel, hidden magical shopping centers, strange creatures, magic wands—and a school in the Scottish highlands where magic was taught to children in a castle! It was...fantastical! Extraordinary!
But then, so had been her previous life—or rather, her other life. Being the Slayer of vampires and the other monsters in that other life wasn't ordinary either, was it? Her life as the one girl in all the world was also quite...exceptional. This was just a different experience. One that was equally hard to believe—staggering even—but seemed less deadly.
Or so she hoped.
But there was a trade off. Being here, in this time and place, meant she was cut off from everything she'd ever known. Her home didn't exist. Her mother hadn't even been born yet!
And yet she still had something of a family here. Vin and Sophie—and even the Giles—were family-like. And she was making friends. Tom and Edmund were certainly friends—even though she'd wanted to smack them both at times. But...did she want to stay here? She wasn't sure. She missed her mother and her friends at home—and Giles—desperately, but...the idea of not having to hunt down vampires twenty-four seven or worry about the next big bad was... extremely nice. She did miss technology and the thought that, if she stayed here, she'd be old and gray by the time all of that came along. That part was a little distressing...to know what was to come, but have to wait for it! For years! Decades!
But Buffy pushed those thoughts away. She was here now and had no way of going home at the moment, so...best not to dwell on it, right?
Sighing, Buffy focused on the castle that had just appeared in the darkness. For most of the ride nothing could be seen. And then...there it was. Or rather, there was a glow in front of them that had previously been dark as pitch.
Excited, Buffy sat up straighter and strained to see as much as she could. It had started to rain, which had the open coaches instantly covered—obstructing her view of what was to come—though her slayer vision allowed her to see just a bit more than the average person. Imagine that though, open to covered in a blink?! Magic was cool, Buffy thought as she leaned to look out the window.
Through gates that wereflanked with statues of winged boars and up the sweeping drive, their carriagetrundled, swaying somewhat dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Pressing her faceagainst the window, Buffycould see Hogwarts castlecoming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind what was now a thick curtain of rain. And then lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before a pair ofgreat oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps.
It was massive...with all of its windows lit up, as if it were just waiting to welcome her—and all the Prefects—into its vast hallways and rooms. Or so she assumed. It was a castle, after all.
Vin and Sophie, who'd been fairly silent for the ride, had their gazes locked on castle. Both had startled with the first bolt of lightning and jumped a bit at the second.
"It never rains like this at home," said Buffy. "We'll be drenched before we can get inside."
Tom chuckled, then pulled out his wand and waved it about, whispering the spell that would repel water. "That should prevent drenching," he said.
Sophie grinned at the tingle of magic. "Brilliant. Let's go then," she said as she pushed open the coach door and started to get out—only to be stopped by Tom.
"Hold on. Let me get out first," he said. "The ground will be muddy. You might slip in those shoes."
Sophie glanced down at her heels and nodded. "Oh. Thank you, Tom," she said with a sheepish smile.
Getting out, Tom quickly glanced around—all of the previous coaches were gone and the Prefects that had occupied them had already disappeared up the stone steps and into the castle. He decided this was a good thing—there was no one around to witness them fumbling about in the rain!
Reaching up, he helped first Sophie and then Vin from the carriage, resisting the urge to snigger as he watched them fuss about in the mud. For a few seconds they stared at the sloppy mud, then seemed to realize it wasn't seeping into their shoes and grinned.
"This is...fantastic!" Sophie burst, picking up her foot and stomping it back down into the mud. She watched for a second, grinning when the mud splashed up onto her leg, then dropped back to the ground without leaving a spot on her.
Chuckling, Tom turned to help Buffy, but she'd already jumped down from the carriage and was making her way up the steps. Clearly, even with the impervius spell, Buffy didn't want to take any chances of looking like a drowned rat when entering her new school.
Turning back to the sisters, Tom offered them his arms, then guided them up to the castle doors.
~oOo~
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