The Hogwarts Diaries - Marauder's Era

The Station - Marcia

The Station - Marcia

Dear Diary,

I love long train journeys. The gentle shuddering of machine as it powers along the track. The quivering of my seat lulling my feet to sleep. The ticking of the wheels as they pass over each cavity between rails. It’s hypnotising. I can just close my eyes and think as tremble of the train lures me into complete relaxation.

What I don’t like, however, is the insatiable buzz that streams from my classmates mouths. The needless chatter. Everyone asking how the other’s holidays where, when they know they were good, and, well, they are only asking so they get asked in return and can share their own tales, no doubt only half as riveting to everyone else as it is to them.

It’s so trivial. A waste of effort. I’m sure for others it comes naturally, but for me it requires so much energy to make conversation. Not only do you have to stay focused and pretend to be interested in what someone you don’t like has to say, but you have to think up intelligent yet casual replies. For what it takes it hardly seems worth it, when it’s so much easier just to let your mind wander.

***

Even now, before the train had even left the station, I’d given up following Wil and Mulciber’s conversation, opting instead to pen out an entry. When I first started keeping a diary I’d been worried about one of them grabbing it and reading aloud. Mulciber did of course, but he must have found it frightfully boring after a few sentences and never glanced at it again. Now they are used to it.

I’m thankful neither of them seem to care. Now I am free to write whatever I desire without fear of retribution. Which is good really. Everyone needs someone they can talk to without being judged, someone they can tell anything and have them listen. For me it used to be Wil, but he would usually just tell me how silly I was being, so I stopped. And lately, a lot of it has been about Wil.

Snape seems to have tuned out of the conversation a while ago too. We joined him and Lily in their carriage when we arrived, but she left soon after. I don’t blame her, Wil and Mulciber don’t exactly treat her well on account of the whole ‘mudblood’ thing. I personally don’t see what’s wrong with it, it’s not her fault her parents are Muggles, but try explaining that to my brother.

We met up with Mulciber earlier, on account of his parents being friends with ours. They stalked into the carriage, cutting off Lily mid-sentence as they plonked down on their seats. Lily muttered something under her breath and rolled her eyes.

“Heya Snapey,” Wil greeted his friend with a grin. Snape nodded back at him and glanced at Lily. She didn’t look back. Mulciber said nothing, just pulled out his wand and began tapping it firmly on the window. On every third beat he would put particular emphasis. He fixed Lily with a cold smile, his eyes narrowing to slits.

“Do you smell something Snape? God that’s awful,” Wil said, screwing up his nose. “Oh, hi Evans, didn’t notice you there. Or rather, didn’t see you there, as I did notice with other senses I suppose.” He cackled at his own joke, looking at me then Mulciber for praise at his witty insult.