The First Ride: Part 3

Behind her book, Valeria blushes at Nikki’s comment. Laying her book down to protest (“I… That was… ”), her words are cut short as she watches Nikki pull out a copy of Hogwarts: A History - the same book that she herself had been reading just seconds ago - from a tiny handbag and curl up in the seat across.

“Want some?” Nikki asks, indicating a bountiful supply of Chocolate Frogs.

With some uncertainty, Valeria looks around at the other two girls, and then back at Nikki. Hands cradling her book, she manages to utter a few words.

“Sorry if I offended you, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Raised by strict parents, Valeria did not have much contact with the outside world prior to this day - all she ever did was read, and read, and read every day within the gates of the Géroux manor. With no friends (except for Alain and her owl, Lumi), Valeria had always longed for someone to talk to, to share her secrets with, to go on adventures with, to simply laugh with. She had never been so excited as the day Lumi dropped off her acceptance letter to Hogwarts. It was a new chapter for Valeria.

“They seem like interesting people,” Valeria thinks.

Biting her lip and plucking up the entirety of the courage she possesses, she decides to follow Gemma and Nikki with an introduction - breathe in, breathe out.

“H-hi!” she almost yells.

Wincing slightly, she continues. “I’m… Valeria. Géroux. This is Lumi,” she says, gesturing to the owl cage sitting beside her.

“And… can I have some Chocolate Frogs?”