Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 83

Isabella was very put off when she had to put the fifth book away to guide the students outside. She sent Snow back into his carrier and closed placed him along with the other luggage, with a promise to get to him as soon as the feast was over. 

She took the book in her hands and stepped out into the night, when the train came to a stop at the Hogsmeade station.

She didn't say a word, but just stood by the doors, as students scrambled out of the train. 

Remus caught her eye from a few feet away at another door, and gave her a small smile. Isabella nodded back in acknowledgement.

Isabella heard Hagrid's booming voice, collecting the little first years and heading to the boats. The older students set off to the carriages.

By the time all the students had filed out of the train, the last carriages were leaving and Isabella had to jog to catch the last one before it was too late. . .she hated exercise. . .

"Here," Remus said, holding out his hand. 

Isabella could see James, Sirius and Peter smirking widely behind Remus. But that wasn't her problem.

Her dilemma was that she was holding her wand in one hand, her book in another. The book would burn Remus if he touched it. Now, if she moved her hand to place her wand in her other hand, it would just look awkward. 

And, by the way, what made Remus do that in the first place? Yes, maybe he was just being considerate, but she was perfectly capable of getting into the carriages, hell she could even get on a hippogriff and a thestral. A carriage was no big deal.

"My palms are sweating," Isabella said the first sentence that came to her mind. "Sorry and thank you," 

She pulled herself into the carriage and sat down near the window, feeling very uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the place. 

'My palms are sweating?' 
'My palms are sweating'?!
What the heck was she thinking when she said that?! Oh, Merlin, this was a disaster.
This was going to haunt her for years.
'My palms are sweating.' . .Ha! She was such an idiot. 

Feeling extremely stupid, Isabella held up her wand, muttering, "Lumos,". The light from the lamp in the carriage wouldn't be enough.

She held her wand in one hand and then plopped the book open on her lap and began reading, making sure to position her arm so that the Marauders wouldn't be able to see what she was reading. . .Well, they couldn't see anything even if they tried. But it would just look very suspicious if she was seen reading a book with blank pages.

When the carriage stopped at the steps to the castle, Isabella was the first one to jump out. 

She hurried up the stairs before she could listen to what Remus had just said. Isabella felt slightly guilty about that, but she had to meet Professor McGonagall first. 

Sure enough, when she entered the Entrance Hall, McGonagall was waiting for her. 

"Jefferson," the old witch said sharply. "There you are. The Headmaster's office, now,"

Isabella nodded and rushed after McGonagall, who was taking long strides. 

Isabella had grown taller over the summer, but she still couldn't keep up with McGonagall without gasping for air like a dying fish. 

"Sherbet lemon," McGonagall said crisply to the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office. The stone gargoyle jumped to life and moved aside, letting them pass.