Exactly one week had passed after Sirius' and my stargazing session.

I'd spent every night racking my brain about who his crush might me, but I didn't have any leads or clues, and Sirius hadn't made a move yet as well.

So nothing had changed. I'd patrolled with Remus once again, was lonely and bored in History of Magic and I kept joking with Sirius during Arithmancy, much to our Professor's dismay.

This Saturday, we couldn't have our Astronomy tuition because the Easter holidays were beginning.

I'd just had breakfast, and now I was in my dormitory, packing to go home for these two weeks.

I was buzzing to see my family again. I'd missed them very much, especially always when Valerie, Lina and Aleya were living their best lives without me. Although my homesickness had gotten much better ever since I'd befriended Remus and Sirius, I still couldn't wait to see my mum again.

Sirius had told me that he and James would stay at Hogwarts because James' parents were on a mission and the teenagers would've been home alone, so they could just stay at Hogwarts as well. And since the boys loved the castle, they had decided to stay and cause mischief.

Lina, Aleya and Valerie were all going to go home- they had their trip to France coming up, after all. So we were all packing, and I tried to cancel out my friends' excited chatter about their upcoming trip, because that only made me feel sad. I'd always wanted to do a trip with them, but they had never asked me if I wanted to join.

Shaking my head, I vigorously closed my suitcase. Enough of that, no need to depress myself when I was about to see Francisca and mum again.

"I'm done," I said, making all of them look at me. "I'll take my suitcase downstairs already. See you on the train."

I levitated my trunk down the staircase to the common room. Maneuvering it into the corridor with my bare hands, I contemplated carrying it through the castle, since magic in the corridors was strictly prohibited. But I decided against it.

There was no way I would carry this heavy thing this far just because I was scared that Filch would get me.

It was a boring stroll through the castle, so I was glad when I finally reached the place where the carriages were waiting to get the students and their suitcases to the Hogsmeade trainstation.

I looked at my watch. Still half an hour until the train would leave.

"Oi, Freya!"

I turned around and saw the marauders coming my way. Sirius and James were walking ahead of Remus and Peter, who were struggling to pull their suitcases behind them.

Sirius stopped in front of me, his arms crossed. "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?"

I had hoped I would see them, so no, I wasn't. "Nope," I grinned. "I was hoping that you'd come, and if you hadn't, I would've still had enough time to look for you."

Sirius smiled and nodded approvingly.

I was scared that I'd do something stupid if I kept looking at him, so I quickly turned my gaze away, looking at Peter and Remus, who'd finally caught up and were now standing next to their best friends.

I eyed their suitcases.

"You're going home?"

Peter nodded and Remus said "Yes."

"Which is why we're here," James announced and pointed at a horseless carriage. "Let's go and save you lads a compartment."

They walked away, but Sirius stopped and turned back to me when he noticed that I wasn't following them. "Aren't you coming?"

I smiled and shook my head. "No, I'll wait for Lina, Valerie and Aleya. They'll come soon enough. But thanks."

"Oh, okay," Sirius nodded. Then he walked towards me and my heartbeat sped up in anticipation. What was he planning to do?

I almost combusted when his arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly. "Have amazing holidays, Frey. Don't let that father of yours bring you down, yes?"

I suppressed a content sigh and just hugged him back, discretely nuzzling my head to his warm chest. I nodded, breathing in his smell. It wasn't even the smell of anything, it was just him. Merlin, I didn't want to let go.

"I won't. Thank you, Sirius. I'll see you after the holidays."

I could feel him nodd. "You bet you will. Bye, my tiny favourite Ravenclaw."

Although I was also his only Ravenclaw friend, my heart skipped the usual beat or two when he let go of me and gave me a lopsided grin. "I'll miss you."

My head was probably red already, and that exclamation didn't help. Since I couldn't string together any words, I just nodded frantically, practically beaming.

I was one happy tomato.

"Bye Freya," James shouted from his seat in the carriage, waving. I waved back. "Bye James!"

"We'll see you on the train," Remus smiled, and I nodded as a reply.

And then I almost fainted on the spot.

I only saw Sirius' head coming closer and then felt a little pressure on my right cheek.

He'd kissed my cheek!!!

I was paralised, in shock and completely dizzy when Sirius climbed onto the carriage and waved one last time.

I couldn't think straight, but at least I managed to lift my left hand and wave back at all of them until they rounded a corner and were out of sight.

Merlin's beard, that couldn't have happened!

There was a weird and high sound that made me look around, but then I realised that it had come from me.

What the fuuuuuuudgeee!!??

All my head seemed to be repeating was 'Error, error, error'.

I probably would've stood there for eternity, trying to remember my name, age and who I was in general, but three voices snapped me out of it.

"You ready, Freya?"

My head whipped around to my dorm mates.

Aleya gave me a confused look. "Why is your face so red?"

I still felt dizzy. "Errm, what? I don't know? It's just hot here, isn't it?"

Lina shrugged, amused. "Okay, let's get going. Thanks for waiting for us, Freya."

"Oh, no problem," I smiled back and we all made our way to the carriages.

I was lost in my thoughts until we were in the train's hallway.

"Oh, look," Valerie said. She was leading the way, peeking into a compartment. "There are Julia, Beatrice and Miriam."

"Oh, yes, let's join them," Lina smiled when Valerie opened the compartment door. "Hey girls!"

Lina and Aleya followed her, each one heaving their trunks up and sitting down until only I was left and the girls were already invested in their conversation.

And there was no seat left.

"Oh," Aleya said with a sympathetic expression, looking around. She had noticed it, too. "Erm... It's full already..."

"Oh, no problem," I said cheerfully, although I felt everything, but.

I was struggling to talk, with that lump in my throat and the dreadful feeling in my stomach. "I'll just go and join Anna, then."

"Okay," Aleya smiled. Then she stood up to pull me into a brief hug. "Have great holidays, Freya."

"You too," I muttered. When Aleya sat down again, I spoke up to be heard by all of them. "I wish you all great holidays and happy Easter. See you after the holidays. Bye."

I didn't wait to turn around and leave the compartment behind me. I could hear their goodbyes, but I walked away and didn't have to keep that fake smile up anymore.

Now I only had to make sure that I wouldn't start crying.

Merlin, I was such a wimp.

Taking deep breaths, I walked through the hallway, briefly peeking into each compartment, trying to find an empty one. Because the truth was that Anna wasn't on this train. She'd decided to stay in the castle during the holidays, to stay away from her helicopter parents.

I'd just said that I'd look for Anna because I knew that they didn't want to leave the Hufflepuff girls. I didn't want to be their usual burden.

"Freya?" Someone behind me called out.

I looked back, only to see Peter Pettigrew peeking out his head from a compartment. "What are you doing? Why are you alone? Weren't you going to meet your friends?"

I quickly forced a smile back on my face. "Oh, yeah, but they are sitting with some other friends now, and I was about to find an empty compartment to just read throughout the whole ride."

He tilted his head. "Oh. That's not very nice of them," he said quietly and said something inaudible, looking inside his compartment. Then he smiled at me. "Don't bother looking; you can sit with us, if you'd like?"

The small smile on my lips turned sincere. "Thank you."

Peter nodded and opened the door a little wider, so that my suitcase would fit through.

I hurried over to him and entered their compartment.

"Hello again, Freya," Remus smiled. He stood up. "Let me handle your trunk, okay?"

I didn't even have time to nod before he took the trunk out of my hands and put it away.

Peter rummaged through his bag.

"Chocolate frog?" He offered, the sweet in his outstretched hand.

I smiled and took it. "Thanks, Peter."

He nodded, smiling, and a little red in the face. "So, Remus and I were about to play some Exploding Snap. Care to join?"

"We can read after that," Remus winked at me and I chuckled. Maybe this train ride wouldn't be so terrible after all.

"Okay, I'm in."