Of Peppermint Toads and Sugar Quills

𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕕 𝕡𝕠𝕡𝕤

       Smoke bellowed around me. Mum kept shaking her head, hand around dad. In front of us lay a great red train. It looked like a sleeping giant, great heaves and clicks of machinery kept ringing out. Now, instead of muggles, swishes of all different colored robes flashed around me. Wizards and witches hurried around, saying goodbye to their children or catching up with old friends. Ministry officials kept wandering around with big dogs, each one poking their head in or around trunks. They looked like huge black Labradors, but with whisps of smoke floated around them like a shield. 

I looked up at my parents in wonder. "What are those?" 

   "Gytrashes," My dad mumbled. "They're spirits. Highly dangerous- I'm surprised they got them under control, let alone have the Minister permit 'em. Must be some heavy spell-casting." An officer toddled up to mum, letting the spirit sniff our bags. As the two chatting, it brushed its head against my leg and a wave of pain rushed up my thigh. 

   After everyone finished talking, mum and dad embraced me. This time, tears were in all of our eyes. It was the first time I was truly going to be without them for more than 7 days. I drifted towards the entrance, smiling at my parents one last time before stepping into the trains threshold. A round man dressed in crimson smiled down at me. 

"Why hello there! Are ya a first year? I'm Charlie! I'll be your train conductor today! Not that it matters." He winked at me. "I just need that ticket o' yours and you go find a seat, hm?" 

   I handed him my wrinkled ticked and he studied it. "Well look at that! A Honeyduke, eh? My sister- Lisa- runs the Honeydukes' cart on here! Maybe if you tell her ol' Charlie sent ya you can get some free.. whatcha youngin' taken a fancy too? Wizzing Fizzbees?" 

 "Fizzing Whizzbees," I corrected. "And no thanks," I tried my best to smile up at him, "I got loads of sweets from home!" I patted my stuffed satchel gently. 

"Ah. Well then- off ya go! Have fun now!"

   The Hogwarts Express seemed almost bigger than it did on the inside, with compartments as big as rooms. Students were bustling everywhere, some disappearing into rooms and some waiting for friends. Pets ran amok- at one point a toad jumped on my shoe. Finally, a clearing opened and I scrambled into a compartment

 "Hello there!" I jumped and turned around. Sitting in front of me were two boys, one blonde and the other brown-haired. 

"Hi! Can I uhm... sit here?" I gestured awkwardly to the empty seat next to them. 

  "Of course mate! Take a seat!" The brown-headed one smiled big at me. "I'm Puck! Puck Granger." He grinned and imitated a little bow before pointing over to the blonde next to him. "This is Amos Diggory! His mum owns my mum's favorite tea shop and is also my..." He began to count on his fingers. "My seventh-"

"Ninth," Amos piped up.

     "Ninth- thank you Amos- cousin fifth removed! I think.." Amos nodded approvingly. "But yes! You can of course sit down!" After clearing the sit of any wrappers I sat and placed my trunk under my seat. I was still getting used to everything; even the smell was different than I was used to. Home smelled of sugar and warmth and love, whereas the train smelled like a pristine mansion overflowing with youth.

 "Dear Merlin!!" I jumped as Puck looked at me. "We totally forgot to ask you- what's your name?" I let out a soft chuckle; I could tell Puck was a nice boy. "I'm Icarus Honeyduke! And don't worry about it- I forget to ask the important stuff all the time." 

  Puck gasped. "Honeyduke?! Like the candy shop!! Wicked!!" He smirked at me. "I love Acid Pops! I can eat twelve in one go- a record!" Amos rolled his eyes; "He can only eat one before he screams like a baby." He mumbled, to which Puck playfully hit his arm.