Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [5]

⚡️ Chapter 17 ⚡️

Vega, Harry and Ginny continued their way down the length of the train. They came across Cormac McLaggen, who offered a seat to Vega (and only Vega). But the said gave him a nasty look and pulled her friends further down the train, wanting to get as far away from McLaggen's smug smirks as she possibly could while still being on the train.

"Who was that?" Ginny asked, looking quite disgusted at the boy and also surprised at how incensed Vega looked when she rarely ever got angry at anyone. "Do you know him?"

"He's a Gryffindor Sixth Year," Vega muttered. "He finds it really amusing to annoy me – I don't know him personally but he's always passing comments about and to me,"

"Do you want me to Hex him?" Ginny said, reaching for her wand but Vega caught her hand, just pulling her further along the compartments quickly.

"I'll deal with him later – let's just find a compartment," Vega replied. "My head is starting to ache again and I just want to sit down, my centre of gravity is looping with every sway of the train,"

Finally, in the very last carriage of the train, they met none other than Neville Longbottom, whose round face was shining with the effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one-handed grip on his struggling toad, Trevor. He immediately noticed Vega, Harry and Ginny, and perked up a bit.

"Hey, Vega... Hey, Harry, Hey Ginny..." Neville said as he panted, still struggling with everything he was holding. "Everywhere is full... I can't find a seat,"

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, who had squeezed past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. "There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here –"

Neville mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone.

"Don't be silly," Ginny responded, laughing. Vega and Harry looked toward her as well. "She's all right," She slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside it.

Slowly, Vega, Harry and Neville followed.

"Hi, Luna," Ginny said, greeting whomsoever that was inside. "Is it okay if we take these seats?" Vega, using her height, peered over everyone's heads to see what was going on.

There was a girl sitting beside the window, and she looked up toward them – Luna Lovegood had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blonde hair with very pale eyebrows, and slightly protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness.

Her eyes are paler than mine.

And she is a bit... different from others I have met.

Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and came to a final rest on Vega and Harry. Luna nodded.

"Thanks," Ginny replied as she smiled at the girl.

Vega, Harry and Neville stowed the four trunks and Aquila's and Hedwig's cages in the luggage rack. It was then that Vega noted that she wasn't the only one growing tall – the boys were, too. Once they had placed their stuff in place, the three of them sat down with the two Fourth Years.

Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler. She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal humans. She stared and stared at Vega and Harry, who had taken the seats opposite her.

"Had a good summer, Luna?" Ginny asked, who seemed to be the only one who knew Luna – but Vega wasn't surprised as they were in the same year.

"Yes," Luna replied dreamily, without taking her eyes off Vega and Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know," She then added, "You're Harry Potter and Vega-Nova Lestrange,"