Wyn exited the train to see Malfoy and his cronies, including Day, climb into a carriage.

She looked around for her other friends. Not seeing them, she climbed into an empty carriage as well.

John noticed Wyn going into a carriage. "Hey Leigh I think I just saw Wyn go in there!" He said pointing. "We should go join her!" He said walking towards the carriage.

"Okay,"Leigh says as she follows John toward the carrages.

Jay sticks his head out the stairway and looks around , seeing no one he jumps into the nearest carriage for the ride up to the castle...

Day looked out the carriage window to see the others filing into various carriages, before turning her attention back to her friends. She sighed, what was this year going to be like, anyway?

Wyn looked up with a tired smile as several people clammered into her carriage. "Hey, guys..." she greeted them.

"Hey Wyn!"Leigh says as she climbs in."Whats up? Glad we found you!"

John gets in and looks at Wyn. "You seem..tired..."

Drake saw Malfoy so he walked up to him. "Hey Malfoy, miss your third eye?" he taunted.

"Yea, you do Wyn... everything okay?"Leigh asks,

Jay finally catches up to their carriage just before it begins to pull away, "got room for one more?", he asks not waiting for the answer, "sorry I didn't get a chance to chat with you guys on the trip out here", he continued, "I've got a lot of things going on that I am going to have to clear up if plan on doing well in my NEWTS", then he added, "after all, that's what my parents want", he looked away making sure no one caught his eyes as he said that.

"Hey Jay! I'm glad you caught us,"Leigh says to him. She silently nods in agreement with the statement about his parents.

Day was quiet on the carriage ride to Hogwarts. Draco kept shooting her strange looks while, Gregory, of all people, tried to engage her in conversation. Pansy didn't seem to upset by Day's lack of interest in Draco, in fact, she wsa quite pleased to have him all to herself.

"thanks Leigh," said Jay, "I wasn't sure if I wanted to be around a bunch of people or not, I think this is going to be my most difficult year and I'm not talking about my studies"

"Really?"Leigh says."Why do you say that?"she asks, then closes her mouth like she was going to take it back."I mean... You don't have to tell me... Gosh I'm sorry that was probably kinda personal..."she says sheepishly as she blushes a little.

"no, it's okay," Jay answers, "it just that my parents are expecting so much from since this is my last year, I mean my Dad especially," Jay looks away from Leigh and towards the floor as if curious about the loose straw there, "he really thinks I should follow in his footsteps"

Day wondered where Wyn was... probably hanging out in a carriage with a bunch of good-for-nothing Gryffs.

"Trust me, I know how parental expectation can be,"Leigh says slowly with a sad look in her eyes."It'll all work out fo rthe best though."she says with confidence.

Jay looks back up at Leigh, "no you don't understand, my parents both work at the Ministry," Jay continued, "my mom makes arrangements for the Department of Social Activities, but my dadis the Head of the Department of Sporting Rules and Enforcement."
he sees the bewildered look on the other's faces, " it's the governing body for the international Quidditch rules, and my dad, who used to be the keeper here at Hogwarts, thinks that I want to work at the ministry too."

"Oh..."says Leigh."Yea, that certainly could be really tough."she says with a half smile."Parents sometimes,"she says as she rolls her eyes thinking about her own."Just don't understand."

Jay's glad that Leigh seems interested in listening to him, although he doesn't know if she's just being nice right now or what, it really didn't matter to him, he just needed to talk, "the biggest concern I have is that not only do I not want to work at the ministry, I really didn't want to play quidditch," he paused as the students look up amazed, "I know I'm the Gryffindor Captain and Keeper and all, but that was just to keep my father happy," Jay looked out the winow towards the nearing castle, "I mean, I could fly since I was 4or 5 and everyone assumed that I would follow him, I guess I liked it when I was younger because it did allow me to have lots of friends," Jay's voice trailed off not sure how much more Leigh wanted to hear

*Leigh looks at him and meets his eyes, looking intrested in what he had to say*"Myself I was never one for flying,"she says with a small smile as he eyes float to the ground."but that's one thing my parents didn't really push me to do..."she says then looks back at him with keen intrest.

"well it's easy for someone my size," Jay continued, "to be expected to go into something atheletic, tha's what my dad always says "son, with your talent and size why would you waste your time with books and things", Jay looks directly at Leigh, his eyes starting to redden, "it would kill him to know what it is I really want to do, what I've already been doing for several years now"

*Leigh looks at him with sad eyes, but intrest*"What have you been doing?"she asks quietly.

Jay looks back out the window and hesitates...."I, I write stories...," he stuttered, "you know poems and things," he looked at Leigh's face, "if my father ever found out that his son," he gasps, "his 'Pride and Joy', Quidditch Captain, tough guy of a son likes to write poetry, I'd be dis owned, I might as well get a room at the Leaky Cauldron instead of going home.....", his voice trailed again and he looked down at his binder he held tight in his hands