Who: Jane and Eloise
What: catching up after the summer
Where: The Hogwarts Express
When: Morning of September 1, 1997
Rating: G
Status: unfinished

Jane hugged her brother goodbye, then, dragging her heavy suitcase, found the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and went through as quickly as possible. Her mother had, as usual, refused to come; her father was working. She didn't mind. She was just glad to be going back to Hogwarts. Even if it was empty... her eyes grew wide as she looked around, realizing how empty the platform was. Where was everyone? They couldn't all be on the train already, could they?

No, she realized as she boarded and looked for a compartment. Someone she didn't know was in the first compartment she checked, but the second one was empty. She never found one that quickly. The corridors were empty, too. She hadn't been aware of what went on over the summer, as she had to hide wizard newspapers from her mother. She briefly entertained the thought that people had run away when they learned that Snape was to be Headmaster, but dismissed it with a smile and a shake of her head. While she would miss kindly Headmaster Dumbledore, she doubted that Snape would have enough effect on her life to make it miserable, especially since she was no longer taking Potions.

The train hadn't left yet. Maybe some others would still appear. Rummaging in her luggage, she found the book she was currently reading, Emma. She found her marked page, tucked her feet under herself, and began to read.