The Magic Within

Chapter 32

Lavana sat staring out of the window, watching the fields go past as the train clattered along the tracks. She usually liked seeing the countryside on the journey, watching animals in the fields munching on grass, the sun shining in the sky, barely a person in sight but now everything just seemed so dull. It made her feel sick. There was no happiness in her eyes.

A girl laughing in another carriage drew Lavana's eyes away from the view. Any sign of joy made her feel angry but she tried not to show it. She didn't want to show Fred, who was sat quietly next to her, how broken she really felt. Nothing mattered to her anymore. She had officially given up. She wanted to just be alone but Fred had refused to let her sit alone in a carriage. She wasn't sure what he thought was going to happen. He couldn't be having much fun sat on the chair watching her look out of a window but she appreciated his kindness all the same. Knowing that she had someone sat with her, even if it was just in silence, brought her some comfort.

She looked over at the sound of packet rustling and watched as Fred opened a chocolate frog. When he saw her looking, he offered her one. Lavana had no idea when the food trolley had come round but she accepted the frog. She hadn't eaten that morning. In fact, she had barely eaten at all over the past two months. Food was the last thing on her mind. She tore the package apart, thinking about the card she might get. This used to be a fun game that her and her friends used to play. Before opening the box, they would each take a guess as to who it would be. Whoever won would get the frog and if no one won, the frog would go free. This usually ended with Gabriel sneaking it in someone's carriage and them all listening to the screams. They would all be close to wetting themselves with laughter but now thinking back to those times, it seemed cruel to those people.

"Who did you get?" Lavana said effortlessly. Fred turned over his card and she watched as his face turned scared. She tried to look over at what was so worrying but he hid it from her view. "What is it? Show me!"

"Lav, maybe don't open yours." He told her quietly and tried to take it from her but she pushed him away. Him telling her not to look at it only made her want to see it more. It was a chocolate frog card, what would be so worrying. She let the frog jump onto her lap and hop around the compartment as she turned over the card. Her face dropped. There on the card was a picture of her Uncle, his hands by his side and smirking at her with the words 'Alistair Grindelwald' written below.

"Don't look at it. It's just someones sickening idea of a joke." Fred told her taking the card from her frozen hands and putting it with his one in his pocket, muttering to himself about what he would do when he found out who's joke this was. At this moment, the compartment door slid open and Lavana turned to see her boyfriend Gabriel enter.

"Lavana, there you are. I've been looking for you everywhere." After seeing who it was, Lavana turned back towards the window.

"Here I am. You found me." She said in a careless voice not bothering to look at him.

"Don't be like that, Lav. I just want to talk."

"I don't." She said coldly.

"But you should."

She finally turned to look at Gabriel. He looked as good as ever, with his bright eyes, his messy hair, his cute smile. No doubt, he walked through the carriages getting compliments and smiles from loads of girls. Good for him. But while he was looking as good as ever and feeling on top of the world, Lavana was sat here questioning everything in her life. She felt gross and she probably looked gross. She did not want someone like him trying to shine a light on her situation. She wanted him to leave.

"Just because I should doesn't mean that I will. Ask Fred if I've been good company. Fred?" She looked at Fred who looked slightly uncomfortable but was willing to help her in any way in this depressing time.