The Stone

Chapter Four

Bella placed her bag on the seat next to her and relaxed trying to get comfortable for the long journey ahead. She was thankful she was alone as she could get lost in her thoughts whilst gazing at the scenery that sped past, she couldn't really see much due to the speed the train was going, but that didn't matter to her. 

She hadn't even been away from her parents for an hour yet and she already missed them. She defiantly wasn't used to leaving them but she knew that coming to this school would be the best thing that will happen to her and she should accept whatever life throws her way. She won't be living with her parents forever and at some point, she had to leave them, she just never expected it to be this soon. Still, as much as she was excited to try/learn something new, the touches from her parents embrace lingered on her skin like a distant memory. 

The door to her compartment opened and Bella looked over to see her bushy-haired friend walk in closing the door behind her. Hermione turned around and sighed in relief as she sat down across from Bella. 

"Oh good you're here, I was beginning to worry," Hermione says. 

Bella raises her eyebrow. "Why? I wouldn't miss the train"

"I know that" she waves Bella off. "I couldn't find you and I just started to worry that I'd have to spend the journey alone"

Bella smirked. "Oh, so you're just using me for train company?" she joked and almost chuckled at Hermione's expression, clearly she didn't know that she was joking. 

"What? Bella- oh God no!" Hermione shook her head fast. "It's just...you're my first and only friend that I've made since I found out about coming here. People don't like me that much...I can't make friends easily"

"Relax 'Mionie" Bella chuckled. "I know you weren't being serious." she smiled. "And you don't have to worry about making friends, you have me now"

Hermione grinned and her eyes twinkled with happiness. "Oh good, thank you"

"Pfft, no need to thank me"

The two girls fell into a friendly conversation as they both chatted and laughed about different stories. They found out more about each other and both of them could tell they would be great friends, best friends even. Halfway through the journey, Bella decided to see what her mother had packed her to eat and she gagged when she pulled out the mushed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She hated peanut butter! 

Hermione, sensing her disgust, smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, they have a sweet trolly that comes around"

"Good" Bella held up the sandwiches. "As you can tell, my mother isn't the best of cooks. She even messes up sandwiches and forgets my hate towards peanut butter"

"I don't blame you, peanut butter - hey what's going on?"

Some commotion outside their compartment door tore their gazes from the horrid sandwiches to towards the scene. They couldn't make out much, all they could see was a group of boys that seemed to be bullying someone. Bella, hating anyone who's a bully, frowned, dumped her sandwiches on the chair next to her and stood up opening the compartment door and folding her arms. A young boy with a sharp, pale face and blonde hair was teasing a boy with brown hair and had a little weight to him. 

Bella cleared her throat. "What's going on here?"

"Oh come to see the show have you?" The pale faced freak grinned. 

"Who would want to see a show with you in it?" Bella scoffed and the pale faced boy frowned clenching his fists. "All I want to know is what's going on" She looked at the brown haired boy. "Are they bothering you?"