Jessamyn McPhee and the Hogwarts Mystery

Five: The Hogwarts Express

I ride the infamous Hogwarts

Express to the greatest school

in the world. But a good

experience always hits

a snag somewhere.

After some hugs and acquiescent kisses, I waved good-bye to mum and dad as I jumped on the train with trunk and cat cage in hand. Ben and Rowan trailed behind me as we searched for a compartment for us all to sit in, finding most of them full. And any that weren't full, they were denied entry — usually by girls — claiming that they were waiting on their friends.

At some point during our search, the train started moving, causing Ben's anxiety to skyrocket.

"We'll never find a compartment," he bemoaned, "we're going to be the only ones stuck in the hall."

I didn't even want to think of the possibility of us sitting in the hall on top of our trunks for the whole ride. Like I needed any more reason for people to talk about me before even arriving at Hogwarts. "There's no need to think so dramatically. They can't possibly be that low on compartments."

"You're right, Jessamyn," Rowan said brightly. "The Hogwarts Express was created to be large enough for the amount of students attending. I'm sure a free compartment will turn up eventually."

Though many students were already seated, others bolted past us as we wandered through, bumping against our shoulders just to talk to their friends in other compartments. It wasn't until we made it to a car around the very center of the train that we found a compartment occupied by a single girl.

At first glance, she seemed a bit plain. Her hair was a midnight black, and it cascaded all the way down her back. Much like Rowan and myself, the girl was also wearing her Hogwarts uniform already, only her tie was instead wrapped around her neck in the shape of a bow. She was seated next to the window with her hands clasped together in her lap, looking outside at the passing scenery.

The more I stood by the entryway, the more foreboding it felt to even say anything to the girl. Ben and Rowan must have felt it as well, for they both shivered uncomfortably beside me.

Despite the ominous sensations, though, I continued staring at the girl. Her reflection in the window betrayed a pale face with a somber expression. The same expression I was so used to seeing when I looked in the mirror.

"Excuse me," I said, sliding the compartment door open while ignoring the ashen looks Ben and Rowan were giving me.

The girl glanced over her shoulder at us, electric blue cat-eyes catching my gaze. For some reason, just the sight of her pupils being as thin as Purr's gave me a surge of confidence.

"Mind if we join you?" I asked. "All the other compartments are taken."

Eerily enough, the girl didn't verbally reply to my question. She did, however, nod her head and gesture us in with a slight wave of her hand.

While we stepped inside, she returned her attention out the window.

It was hard going, but we each managed to put our trunks up on the shelves above the seats by pooling all our strengths together. The heaviest, by far, was Rowan's which they admitted was because they brought extra books along.

Purr's cat cage I set down on the floor and opened it up so she could have the freedom to roam around... she didn't take the opportunity. Instead, she stretched herself out further, her lower body still hidden inside the cage whilst she lay on her back.