Astrophile [J.P]

Chapter 17

~ We are running out, it's all gonna end

We are running out. End of time. ~

***

"I can't believe the monstrous fifth year has come to an end," Alicia turned over to Felicity and remarked.

She nodded, "same here. But you should better turn forward because if you don't you'll crash headfirst into the armored knights. Ah, that was a near miss."

Students were lined up and being led to the school grounds where the horseless carriages awaited which would take them to the Hogsmeade station from where they had to board the Hogwarts Express.

"Term ended up really fast," Alicia spoke up when the crowd had cleared a little and the procession stopped so that now both the girls were standing side to side.

"I guess so too. But it probably went off faster than before because we had so much work to do in so little time," Felicity replied, "I'm so glad the tension is over for now. There's nothing I look forward to doing more in the Summer Break than simply resting and catching up all those hours I missed of my sleep time."

The carriages had arrived and people had started to get on board, however the two of them stayed behind in order to let the crowd clear up a little before making their way to the carriages.

"I bet you're more glad that James Potter won't be bothering you anymore," she remarked playfully nudging her.

Felicity took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, "well... He's not that bad."

Alicia who had just climbed up the first step of the carriage nearly toppled back out, "excuse me, what?"

She pushed her in and climbed up herself, "what so surprising?"

"You hated him, Felicity," Alicia remarked after they had settled down and she had sort of grasped the meaning of what Fel had said earlier, "you absolutely despised him to the point of roasting his eyeballs out on a stake, and yet here you are now, stating he's not that bad. What did you expect? It was quite logical of me to be so surprised. In fact you're lucky I didn't get a heart attack."

She shook her head in a nod as if agreeing with her friend, "I know I have a lot of explaining to do so why don't we wait till we board the train? I'm certain we'll have plenty of time then."

In a short trip through the stony pathways at the edge of the forest, the carriages one by one at the Hogsmeade Station. The scarlet engine was already waiting at the platform, white steam sprouting out from its chimney. 

Hoards upon hoards of students climbed abroad the steam locomotive and then began the hustle of finding a cabin. Felicity and Alicia found a cabin with two Hufflepuffs at the far end of the train and settled down.

"Now start explaining," she remarked soon as Fel had stowed away her trunk.

She shook her head, "alright, have a little patience. As I was saying, he might be an annoying toadstool but he's not that bad at heart."

Alicia was looking at her with a meaningful look in her eyes, "so to what do I owe this great softening of your merciless nature? Did he present a foot long apology in your honor or is there something that I'm still missing out on?"

"That's not the case. What do you take me for? A prison guard?"

"From my perspective, I expect you to do even worse than that."

She pretended to be mildly offended, "Heaven's sake, Alicia, I don't even know why we're still friends."

"You know in that case I am kinda like James Potter," she remarked.