Olivia Rainford stepped onto the train and then took a seat close to the front. Her best friend, Evangeline Livermore, sat to her right and her younger sister, Pearl sat in front of her. Pearl’s pet cat, Barney, lay in her lap, sound asleep.
“Let’s hope that the ride home doesn’t take too long,” Olivia said, setting some books she had been holding to her side. “I’m starving.”
“So am I,” Evangeline said. “I bet my mom is making a bunch of cookies for me right now. She always has a large batch of cookies ready for me when I get home.”
“I would like a cookie,” Olivia said. “You should save some and bring them back after Christmas break is over.”
Evangeline laughed. “Why don’t you come over? You can have as many cookies as you want.”
“Nah, I really need to be home for Christmas. You already know why.”
"Yeah, I know."
Olivia pulled a sickle out of pocket. “Maybe a few chocolate cauldrons can keep me full for at least right now.”
“Can I have a chocolate cauldron?” Pearl asked, stroking Barney very softly. “And a liquorice wand?”
“Pearl, I only have one sickle.”
Olivia lay back in her seat, hoping that the trolley would hurry up and get there.
“So, Pearl,” Evangeline said. “Are you enjoying your first year at Hogwarts?”
“Oh, believe me,” Olivia said. “She really, really loves Hogwarts. She only tells me every single day.”
Pearl had been over-excited about going to Hogwarts ever since the day that Olivia got her letter. Whenever Olivia went home during her first two years, the only words she would ever here from Pearl were: “I can’t wait to go to Hogwarts, I can’t wait to go to Hogwarts.” Sure enough, the day that Pearl got her letter, she nearly fainted.
At Hogwarts, anytime Pearl learned something new in class, or if something interesting happened, she would excitingly go and tell Olivia about it, even if it was late at night. Olivia would always listen to her just to be nice, although she grew very tired of it by the beginning of October. Sometimes, she would politely cut Pearl off just so that she could finish her school work or get some sleep. Olivia loved her sister very much, but she was often very annoyed by her.
Sure enough, for the next thirty minutes or so, Pearl went on about how much she loved Hogwarts and everything that she was learning about. The trolley came by at one point and Olivia spent her sickle on a few chocolate cauldrons, peppermint toads, and a liquorice wand for Pearl (Evangeline was willing to lend Olivia another sickle, much to Pearl’s excitement). Olivia was half asleep by the time Pearl was finished talking.
“Wow,” Evangeline said (She did not say a word the entire time Pearl was talking). “You really do love Hogwarts.”
“Yeah,” Pearl said, biting her liquorice wand. “Well, I love everything except Mr. Seavers. He’s really mean.”
Olivia and Evangeline both laughed.
Gilbert Seavers was the very elderly caretaker at Hogwarts. He was extremely strict and had very little patience. On the second day of school, he nearly made Pearl cry after he shouted at her for running down the halls to tell Olivia about her first Charms lesson.
“I don’t think Seavers will be around much longer,” Evangeline said. “He’s probably nearing one hundred and eighty at this point.”
“Let’s hope so,” Olivia said.
“Wow, I can’t believe that we’re already halfway through our third year,” Evangeline said. “It seemed like just yesterday that we were at Diagon Alley buying our wands.”
“I know, right?” Olivia said, smiling.
She could never forget that day. Not only was it the day that she had first bought all of her necessities for Hogwarts, but it was also the day that she had first met Evangeline. The two had met at Massengill’s House of Wands. Olivia could never forget the moment that they both happily talked to each other about the wands that they had just bought and how they couldn’t wait to use them.
Olivia continued to reminisce as she lay back, closed her eyes, and slowly fell asleep. Evangeline fell asleep shortly afterwards. Pearl remained awake and snuck one of Olivia’s peppermint toads from her lap.
ns 172.70.126.79da2
and then Add to home screen.