The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

8. We come in peace

White steam billowed from under the wheels of a shiny black and red engine, which waited on the hidden train platform nine and three quarters, as much a character as the hundreds of witches and wizards milling about.

Elsa tried to look composed despite the mix of thrill and terror that sped up her pulse. It was happening. They would finally get to attend the school McGonagall had promised them. The witch dropped them off and went to sit with the other teachers but not before encouraging them to mingle with the other students, the first wizard children they would encounter.

Beside her, Jack craned his neck to see over the strange and colorful sight of the wizard families saying their goodbyes and school friends greeting each other. With a permanent grin on his face, he pointed to the stacks of trunks and animal carriers, musing out loud why people had so much stuff.

Elsa dragged him away from the crowd and onto the train. They sat across from each other in an empty compartment. Jack promptly kicked his shoes off and sat cross-legged, looking out the window at the commotion outside.

"They sure like owls," he said, pointing at bird cages.

"Remember what she said. You can't walk around the school barefoot. Put them back on."

"It's a long ride, Elsa," he complained. "Can't I get a break for a few hours? I'll wear them to classes. I promise."

She ground her teeth in frustration. All summer long, Jack fought McGonagall passionately about shoes. Elsa didn't have anything against footwear, but her brother hated this part of their human act.

"You promised you'd try to act normal," she reminded him.

They had agreed to be careful and not draw attention to themselves. McGonagall was quite clear when she explained that only witches and wizards attended Hogwarts. What would she do if she found out the truth of what they were?

"This is my normal," Jack insisted, wiggling his toes. "Besides, we're alone here."

As if on cue, a girl with long dirty-blond hair walked into their compartment.

"Can I sit with you?" she asked in a dreamy voice.

"Sure," Jack answered. To give her room, he jumped off his seat to sit cross-legged next to Elsa. Still without shoes. However, instead of sitting opposite them, the girl sat right next to him.

"Your eyebrows are a different color than your hair," she pointed out, leaning just a couple of inches away from his face.

Dumbfounded, Jack stared at her and scooted away.

She appraised him with her unnerving silvery stare as if he was an art piece. "Do you color it?"

Jack blinked rapidly. "Uh, no."

"I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood." She offered her hand.

"I'm Jack." He shook her hand and vaguely tried to smile.

"Cold," she commented in the same fascinated voice. "You're cold as if you've dipped your hands in icy water. That happens to me too sometimes."

Elsa felt left out as if she was still invisible. Or was her brother just that much more interesting?

"I'm Elsa," she said.

Luna smiled at her, then gazed at Jack for a while longer while he stared at his feet. Once she had her fill, she pulled out a magazine from her pocket and started reading it while humming to herself.