Truly Fantastic

Chapter 11

The train whistled and groaned as if chugged its way through the storming weather. 

Emily Scamander had luckily managed to find a single train compartment to herself and was quite content with the silence.

 It was the first day of the winter holidays and she was going home along with a handful of other students to their families. She couldn't wait to go home to her mum and dad, and all the creatures. 

Dougal and the Niffler she missed especially. Not that she was choosing favorites. 

She missed the warm hugs her grandmother would give her and the smell of ink coming from her grandfather. 

The fist bumps she would share with her Uncle Theseus and the caring how are you's from her Aunt Clara. 

The pastries that her Uncle Jacob would always have on hand for her to try, the soothing words and cheerful attitude from her Aunt Queenie. 

Little Alice with her bouncy enthusiasm and adoration for her older cousin. 

Emily sighed at the sweet memories and pressed her head against the cold glass window and watched the snow fall down from the sky. 

She vaguely heard the door slide open and turned in surprise when she heard someone enter. 

It was Gerald. 

"Hey, mind if I join you?" he asked with his lip curled up and his hand casually running through his soft hair. Very very... soft... shiny.... No.

"Er, ah... okay." Emily stuttered, extremely flustered gesturing to the empty seat across her.

"So," he prompted sitting down "You going home to see your folks?"

"Yes."

"Cool. Me too."

"Ah."

"Yeah, Dad's throwing me a big welcome home party."

"Hm."

"He said I could bring a friend from school."

"Oh, I'm sure Shirley would be ecstatic to be going with you."

"Uh, actually, I was thinking of asking you."

Say what now.

"Me?!"

"Yeah.. I mean if you want to."

She really really wanted to.

Emily opened her mouth, then closed it abruptly.

 What was she thinking? 

She hated parties. 

Loathed was more like it actually. 

"I... can't." she whispered looking down at her wet and muddy shoes from going down to the grounds to say goodbye to Professor Kettleburn. 

Gerald frowned and was about to say something but was interrupted by the arrival of the Trolley Witch. 

"Anything from the Trolley dears?" the kind woman asked, Emily got up with her money pouch in her hand. 

"A Pumpkin Pastry and three Licorice Wands please." she said fishing out two sickles from her pouch. 

A hand slammed down on the trolley with two sickles enclosed in it. "It's on me." Gerald said handing the witch his money as she gave Emily her treats and moved along to the next compartment. 

Emily frowned "You didn't have to do that, I had the money." she protested sitting back down and was slightly startled as Gerald took a seat beside her.