Don't Tell Anyone About This | Regulus Black

Chapter Nineteen

"I don't quite know how I couldn't pack everything in my trunk when it's the exact same stuff I brought to Hogwarts in the first place." Edgar complained as he struggled to wheel his trunk over the uneven rocky pathway down to the train platform in Hogsmeade.

Nera laughed and pocketed her hands, "Why do I bet heavily on your mum having packed your suitcase before the start of the year?"
"You'd win that one." Edgar replied.

Obviously, Nera wasn't going to get on the train along with everyone else. She was staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. Even though she couldn't go home for the holidays, she still wanted to accompany everybody else down to the train station. Maybe, at least for a moment, she could trick herself into believing she was going home.

"I thought Ada was heading home too." Edgar remarked, "Is she not?"
Nera smirked, "Oh, no, she is going home for the holidays. She was running late this morning and told me to go ahead with you. Hopefully she'll catch up before the train leaves."
"Why am I not surprised?" He chuckled and shook his head side to side.

Nera was quite surprised that she was Edgar's only company as they wandered down to the train station. She wondered, in passing, if he'd told his other friends to go without him. Or maybe they'd stopped being his friends because they didn't want to be associated with her in any way.
Stop it, she told herself. Stop putting yourself down.

"You alright? You look really serious all of a sudden." Edgar nudged her gently with his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah." She nodded, "I'm good. Will you be up to anything exciting for Christmas?"
He replied, "Probably not. We normally just have the family stay with us. I don't know if everyone will come this year, though... Mum is still feeling rough."

Nera's expression softened. She didn't really know how to comfort him, so could only muster up, "I'm sorry. Maybe it'll be nice to keep it close knit this year."
"Yeah, I think so too." Edgar adjusted his rucksack over his shoulder, and then wiped away his serious expression and replaced it with his usual bright grin, "Anyway, I'll make sure to send you some of the bread that my dad bakes. I guarantee it will change your life."
"Really?"
"No doubt."

The two of them looked at each other and laughed.
"I look forward to it." Nera smiled, "Thanks."
"No problem."

At this point, they'd arrived at the platform for the train and Edgar momentarily left to load his trunk onto the carriage.
Nera turned and glanced back up the path to see if she could spot Ada Ostrowski anywhere in the distance. Much to her delight, and amusement, Ada was clear to see not a far way up the path. The blonde girl was running down the way and struggling to keep her trunk in tow.

"Ada!" Nera called out and waved her hands over her head.
"I'm here! I'm..." She panted, "I knew I'd be on time!"
Nera giggled, "You just about managed it."

"Sorry this is a naff goodbye." Ada dropped her trunk onto the floor and pulled her friend into a tight hug, "My fault. Remember to write to me, or the boredom might kill me."
Nera scoffed, "I doubt Hogwarts will be any more exciting."
Ada shrugged, "I don't know about that. It might be. Anyway, I'll see you in January, yeah?"
"Yeah. Have a good Christmas."
"Doubt it."

The two girls hugged again, and Ada gave Edgar a quick wave before she went to lid her trunk on the train and the. boarded herself.

"There's something I wanted to-" Edgar was cutoff mid-sentence by the train's whistle harshly slicing through the air.
Everybody else had already boarded and the platform was nearly empty.

"There's something I wanted to ask." He reiterated.
Nera asked, "Yeah, what is it?"

"I was wondering if, maybe, sometime when I'm back... In January... We could... Go on a date?"