The Not So Perfect Potter

8 ~ The journey

"Psst, Isabelle. It's time to go." Clementine whispered quietly trying not to wake Sylvie up. Isabelle jumped out of bed and looked at her pocket watch. They had an hour to get ready before they finally got to leave for their journey. She jumped in the shower before changing into her school robes. She smoothed out the silk material and stared at her reflection. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that she shouldn't go, there was something telling her to stay. She shook it off and brushed her flaming red head before playing her hat on top.

The two quietly krept out if the room and silently shut the door behind them. They smiled as they found the boys doing the same thing. Together the four of them made their way down the stairs and into the dinning hall. It looked almost empty with only the very few amount of people joining them at Hogwarts. Fleur and her friends were sat at a table with two boys who seemed to take great interest in the girls, but it was not reflected as Fleurs face lit up when she saw Isabelle and the others approach. She quickly got up from the table and raced over, "Good morning, Belle. Are you excited about visiting Hogwarts?" Isabelle smiled and nodded, sitting down at the round table with Max, Alex and Clementine. "My friends and I must join you, we want to hear all about Hogwarts. We hear you know a lot about it." Isabelle nodded slowly sending the others apologetic looks. "Well Fleur, have you hear that Madame Quinn said she is one of the best witches Beauxbatons has ever had?" Max smirked, the girls eyes widened as they looked to her Vivienne smiled down at her. "Well, you must be pretty amazing then. Madame Quinn doesn't compliment people very often. If I earn the opportunity to be the school champion, would you help me?" Isabelle nodded turning back to the others. Aiméé stood from her seat and smiled, "We can tell that you'd rather be alone for now. But we'll see you on the coach, hopefully you can tell us all about Hogwarts." The three girls waved as they joined the two seventh year boys again."Well, aren't you popular?" Alex chuckled handing her a slice of toast. 

Madame Maxime strode into the hall, she wore exquisite robes made of a fine black silk and a fur scarf around her neck. "If you all will accompany me to the carriage we will begin our long journey that waits ahead for us." The students rose from their seats and formed two lines, they marched behind the headmistress out of the castle. They exited the large doors and into the beautiful grounds. In the middle of the two gardens was a larger version of the carriages. Around the size of a house, the powder blue carriage was sitting behind a dozen white winged horses, all palominos and each the size of an elephant. Isabelle gazed in awe at the horses, they were much more gentle and perfect than any she'd seen before. "We pride ourself on our picture perfect image, this will continue through you and our transport." Maxime explained as they reached the carriage. The entered in two at a time to see the carriage appeared even bigger inside and there were different floors as well. The bottom floor appeared to just be seats alike the regular ones, but the second and their floors had separate rooms allocated for the students to sleep in pairs. "While our stay at Hogwarts we will attend their lessons for the year but spend the evenings after dinner and our nights back here in your rooms."

The students piled in and took their seats, Isabelle had sat beside the window with Max next to her then Alex and Clementine next to them. Isabelle quietly groaned as she saw Feur, Aiméé and Vivienne sit in the seats behind them. "Hold on, we will be taking off shortly." The headmistress informed them as she took a seat herself at the front of the carriage. Shortly after, the carriage jolted slightly as the horses gracefully inclined into the sky. Isabelle gazed out of the window, watching as the large, beautiful carriage grew smaller and smaller before disappeared from view. Isabelle grew nervous, the sickly feeling that she'd had this morning had now intensified as she thought more about what she had done. Max gripped her hand and smiled, "You okay?" He asked sweetly. Isabelle nodded her head, almost trying to convince herself. Max rubbed his thumb over her hand and looked into her eyes. "I don't need to have Legilimency to tell there's something wrong, you can tell me Belle."