The Adventures of the Junior Phoenixes, Part 1: The Pendant of Life

Chapter 9: The Long Bus Ride

Chapter 9

The fog rolled in thick in the morning throughout the town of Salem, almost thick enough to cut with a sword. It made visibility tough. It was an ordinary thing for the small witching town. The locals, though, were used to the thick fog.

     The buses to Salem Academy lined up on the front side of Salem Station. There were ten buses, and all were long and rounded, painted white with the colors of the four wards on a flag on the side: Brown for Parker, Green for Hubbard, Blue for Bishop, and Gray for Putnam.

     Students all dressed in their robes all gathered and stood about, ready to board the buses. The bus drivers and the stewards were all loading the trunks on the underside baggage compartments along the sides of the buses.

     Shade stood waiting for the group, tempted to go to the Jefferson and drag them out of bed. He remained on the platform instead, faithfully hoping that they weren’t going to be late. He waited as more and more students arrived at the platforms and were loaded onto the buses.

     Then the first of the buses began to leave. Shade decided to run towards the Jefferson, knowing that if they missed the bus he would have to make whole new arrangements to get the kids to school. He tried not to think about the possibility that something bad happened to them over night. The thought crossed his mind and fear set in.

     He ran.

     When he came to the end of the platform and turned the corner of the station house, he saw Marion Runner and the students behind her. They were lugging their packs, bag, and trunks, cursing and grumbling as they stumbled to get to the station.

     “What took you guys?” Shade asked.

     Ms. Marion just shook her head, rolling her eyes as she trudged past him, carrying her bags in a huff.

     “That bleedin’ hag, Ms. Rainy, went an’ left us!” Rose shouted, trying to drag her trunk as fast as she could.

     “What happened?” Shade asked.

     “She was supposed to wake us for morning tea,” Sky Heart said, “But she never showed. Then we went to her room and she weren’t there. We thought she might’ve gone lookin’ for you this morning.”

     “No, I haven’t seen her,” Shade said, trying to help carry some bags. “Screw this, everyone stack your trunks and bags right there!”

     The kids all piled their trunks and bags into a big stack, and Shade drew his wand and said aloud, “Wingardium Leviosa!” The pile lifted off the ground and he moved it slowly. He walked backwards as he kept the bags and trunks levitated.

     The kids all cheered and were glad to be free of carrying the trunks. They still carried smaller sacks on themselves.

     “Dare, Dev!” Shade shouted, “Do me a favor! Run up to the platform and hold a bus for us! Make sure they haven’t all left!”

     Dev and Dare gave each other a look of disdain, neither happy to be paired off with the other. They both ran off, heading to the platform.

     “They wouldn’t leave without us, would they?” Sky Heart asked, concerned. “That’s not fair! Bring us across the ocean just to keep us stuck in this bloody place!”

     “I’m sure they won’t leave us behind, sis,” Rain Fox said, rolling her eyes.

     Then, from the platform through the fog, four kids ran up and greeted the Hogwarts students.