With the newborn kittens Ariel and Peter Pan in her arms and Verity beside her, Lorelai had headed straight for the Prefects Compartment after getting out of the carriages, and luckily she was first there. First there to cry. First there to mourn this ending. First there.

Which meant her best friends weren't here, and she'd be left to cry alone.

How heartbreaking?

Propping herself silently into the corner, the graduated Prefect sniffled, as she conjoured the bed for the two newborns and their mother, before placing them in it and sighed. She couldn't do this. She wasn't PREPARED for this. She had thought she was. Thought she was to the end and back.

But she wasn't.

The Gryffindor hadn't mentally prepared for this. No. Red, puffy eyes, a pale face and a squirming Pygmy puff greeted Lori as the seventh year walked into the Prefect's compartment. For the last time. She was on the Hogwarts express for the last time. Everything.. for the last time. She gulped, hugging the violently red fluffball to herself.

Hogwarts was her home. The only home she'd known for seven years. And now? She had no idea where she was going. She didn't have a home or a job. She just had several pitiful ambitions that she knew would never come to light. That was what scared her. That there was nothing after Hogwarts. Sighing, she looked at Lori miserably.

"This is it.." It was a very anti-climactic finish.

So this was it. The end. The end of an era, and the beginning of a new, scarier one. And Sarah didn't want to do it. It was with a heavy heart that she packed her trunk with the others, fed Screech some more pellets before leaving him in the secure area - and made her way through the train. She'd never see any of this again, and the thought made her want to cry again. As if her tear ducts hadn't had enough work already.

Taking a deep breath, she peered in the window of the Prefect's compartment, and smiled softly at the sight that greeted her. Lori and her kittens, and Cam and her Pygmy Puff. Good job Screech wasn't there. Sliding open the door, she gave her friends a tiny wave and sat on the seat opposite. "They really are so cute," she sighed, talking about the kitties, and trying to keep the conversation away from the depressingly obvious.

She really was ready to breakdown in tears again.

Brant made his way to the Prefects compartment, he put his stuff away and sat down. When looking up he saw Cam, Lori and Sarah. "Hello Ladies, you guys found everything okay?.." he asked for he knows that he's left some things behind before.

The Prefect saw Sarah come in and her lower lip trembled as she hid her face in the fat rotund animal's fur. This wasn't happening. Not yet. Not yet. NOT YET. She couldn't let it. She wasn't getting off the train. Ever. She'd go back and forth but she wouldn't get off the train. No. Because getting off the train meant that it was really over. And Cameron didn't want it to be over. All the people she'd never get to see again.

Cute? The.. cats? Cameron peeked at the Head girl wondering if she was mental. Were they going to talk about the cats? She made a face. Cats were irrrrritating creatures all purrrrry and bleugh. But she nodded. "The.. cats.. yeah." But with all her social tact, she didn't realise she would say the exact thing Sarah had been trying to avoid.

"We arrive in London in a couple of hours.." She mumbled as Brant walked in.

"Morning," She whispered to her co-Prefect.

Iris wandered down to the other end of the train, after giving up playing with the conjured up butterflies. She figured that she should make an appearance in the prefects compartment at the start of the train journey. That way, she’d be able to escape and go and sit with her friends again. Nervously, she opened the door and saw there was already four other prefects in the compartment. Smiling, somewhat uncomfortably, Iris made her way into the compartment.

She’d honestly been to Funerals that were more cheerful than this compartment. As Iris looked at the two Gryffindors and the two Hufflepuffs, it dawned on Iris that she was the only prefect currently in the compartment that wasn’t going to be sat on this train in September. “Um… Hey…” Heh… This isn’t awkward or anything.

Iris just stood there, looking and feeling VERY awkward…

Lorelai bit back any tears grinding her teeth into her lip as she played carefully with her fingers. ANything to keep her head off the flow of tears that were on their way.

She was joined after a few minutes, and the brunette glanced at the redhead and sniffed. Cam looked almost as bad as Lori did. And Lorelai looked terribly. She'd ridded of her makeup and was almost a SLAB! But she didn't care right now. Her gaze fell off Cam and it fell to the floor where she felt most comfortable to look.

"Shut up Cam. It's not it. They're just cleaning the castle. They'll let us back in in a bit...." Or so she was telling herself feverishly.

And then Sarah was there, and Lori had to bite back down on her lip, a little harder and shook her head as a little squeak left her. "Mmm. Cute." Was all she managed, before she had to close her eyes and focus on the floor again. This was hurting her, hurting her deep inside. Actually painfully hurting more than it had when she'd met Dakota.

And then Brant was here, and Lori hastily shot a glare in his direction and immediately regretted it, and let a tear slip over her cheek. Merlin. She was an emotional wreck. As always.

The tear was rubbed away almost instantly, and was replaced with another as the door opened to reveal a Prefect that WOULD be here next term. Lori couldn't even look at her in the eye, and just nestled her head into her jacket. She'd have said something she'd have only regretted anyway.

Well then. It became obvious that her attempt at lightening the mood - or at least avoiding saying what no-one wanted to hear - was not a success. Both Cam and Lori just responded in one syllable answers, causing Sarah to nod at them and let out a massive sigh. Pulling her knees up, she rested her chin on them and stared out the window. "Yeah, we will...and then...home, I guess," she sniffed, turning her head back round to answer Cam. Home. That was the place they were leaving, surely? Sigh.

As the door went, she shifted her eyes around to look at the newcomers. Brant was first, and he didn't seem as upset as they were. Maybe it was a boy thing? Although Oliver wasn't exactly over the moon about going. At least she didn't think so. "Heyy. Yeah, I think I managed to get everything," she smiled weakly in response to his question. And then the Slytherin Prefect wasn't far behind....She looked more nervous to be there. Maybe it was the overwhelming depression that was hanging over the room - the Snake was only a fifth year after all. Sarah patted the seat next to her and smiled. "Hi, Iris. Come sit down, there's plenty of room."

Taking a glance over at Lori, Sarah just made out a tear as her friend buried her face. If only there was something they could have done to make themselves feel better.

Brant looked down, he knew how all the seventh years felt right now and to top it all off, when he was packing he couldn't find his cat Jinx. "I got mostly everything, but my Cat he always wonders off... So I guess Hogwarts own's him now. I just hope the house elfs feed him." he said looking down at his knee's. He looked from his knee's to everyone in the compartment and he said "You all will keep in touch you hear." he said while trying to hold back tears. He's never cried in front of girls, but this might be one expection.

Iris looked away from Lori when the Head Girl spoke up. Smiling slightly at the offer, she scooted past the Gryffindor prefect, and sat down next to Sarah. Iris glanced back at Lori... She looked devastated about leaving Hogwarts.

She tried to listen in on the conversation that they were having, but in all honesty, she was a bit lost. Until the Male prefect spoke up. "You... just left your cat in the castle?" Iris could imagine how annoyed his cat would be, if it strolled up to the Gryffindor tower, expecting to find her owner... and then he just wasn't there. There wasn't much that could be done about that now, though, was there?

Still feeling awkward, Iris tapped her feet on the floor lightly. She was really tempted to start conjuring up butterflies again... But she didn't. Just in case any of the other prefects were scared of butterflies. Like Jimbo. Jimbo... Where'd be been lately?

Again, the conversation made her glance at her cats and she frowned. She'd given one away to Professor Hadley, another she'd let a first year have, and then two had been owl'd [NICELY AND CAREFULLY] to a pet shop. The ones left, were Ariel and Peter Pan and they'd been the cutest and she hadn't wanted to give them up. Ariel reminded her of Cam, just for the fact she was completely red-furred. And Peter Pan was just the cutest little thing and he was closest with Verity....

She glanced up and over at Iris as she took a seat next to Sarah, and settled to keep the jacket under her eyes and over the rest of her face. That way her tears were covered, but she could see.

Oh. Brant.

The Hufflepuff silently got up from her seat, and placed jacket down, next to the kitty bed, and moved over to sit beside him and put an arm around him. "I'm sure if you owl the House Elfs they'll find your cat... Maybe he even got on the train, and you don't know?"

She wasn't all that heartless.

Brant looked at the Slytherin Prefect. "I did NOT leave my cat at the castle, I've tried looking for him like crazy he's just so good at hiding, I looked everywhere but I can't find him..." he said kind of scolding the prefect. Then Lori got up and sat beside him, she put her arm around him. "Yeah....maybe thats what I'll do when I get back home is to send an owl to Hogwarts asking them to keep an eye out for him."

Brant just couldn't hold it back any longer, He put his head in his hands and started to cry. Yup he totally broke down and started to sob like a baby, not one of his best moments but he was just going to miss everyone so much. Brant needed a tissue badly but didn't ask any one. He just sat there with Lori's arm over him and he cried.

O____________________________________O

In all her years, she'd never seen a boy cry. Apart from her brother when she had to say bye last September, and at Christmas. And... this probably hurt her more, the fact Brant... was someone she didn't EXPECT to cry, and here he was sobbing while she had her arm around him.

A loose tear trickled over her cheek, and she wiped it away before placing her other arm around the boy and hugging him close to her. "It's okaaaay... It's okayyy...." She mumbled soothingly.

But was it really? Would anything ever be okay again?

Iris looked at the Gryffindor as he started to defend himself. She looked down at her feet, feeling like a kid that'd just gotten told off by their grandma. Glancing back up at him, Iris nodded awkwardly. The first time she'd spoken to this prefect, and she'd already shown herself up. Great. "Um... Okay, okay... sorry... I didn't mean to sound so blunt about it... Sorry...." She watched him and Lori talk, and decided to just stay quiet. She'd probably only go and say the wrong thing again.

Or, worse, she'd say something that was okay, and then one of the graduating Prefects would take it in the wrong way. As the gryffindor prefect started crying (Is it bad that Iris doesn't even know his NAME?! Not that it really matters much now. After this train journey, she'd probably never see him again anyway.) Iris looked away from him, and focused her attention on Lori's cats instead.

Okayy?

Brant was slightly short with Iris, making Sarah's eyes go wide with genuine shock. She'd never seen him like that before - he'd always seemed so...calm and friendly. Maybe the thought of losing his cat forever was what was getting to him. Shooting her eyes sideways as Iris stuttered her apology, Sarah reached across and patted her on the arm. It wasn't her fault. They were all raw in different ways.

And in the end she couldn't keep her tears back. The sight of Lori comforting a crying Brant was enough to set her off. Sobbing into the sleeve of her robe, she gripped her knees tighter and gulped hard. Merlin, she looked so pathetic.

So this was it. Hmm.

Probably, this time would be the last time he'd ever set a foot on the Prefect's compartment, what with the 'Oh-You-Might-Die-Cedric-My-Child' fiasco that happened to him this term (with his mom being the 'creative mind' of the said rubbish) which, most unfortunately, resulted of him dropping his prefectness quite unwillingly and out of his original plan. But he shouldn't be bothered by him not being a prefect anymore, no? Well, he is still cool and awesome and witty and... handsome!

But still... ugh. Okay, he'd miss being a proud, authoritative prefect and just thinking about the pros and cons of being one sorta made him cringe a little. That was really... ugh-worthy. More than that though, and rather surprisingly, he'd miss his co-prefects as well, especially Lori and Cam.

Cedric slid the door open and closed it upon entering. Well? What do we have here? His eyes glazed over, deliberately regarding his co-prefects. They were rather tearful, weren't they? Awww. Grudging a grin, Cedric mouthed 'hi' and jammed himself into the seat.

He was sad. Really. Umm, just a bit. But this wasn't the end, right?

It was with heavy heart and broken soul that Oliver boarded the train for the last time ever and headed silently up the narrow corridor towards the prefect's compartment. He avoided eye contact with everyone he passed for fear they would engage him in unwanted conversation. He was leaving. So what? That wasn't really what was playing on his mind anymore.

Anyway... wasn't avoidance supposed to be Cam's forte, not his?

Cam. Jeez! Merlin... Crap crap crap! The Slytherin had never felt so guilty about anything in his life.. and by Merlin, he had done some uncool things in his time.

He arrived at the compartment and peered in to see that most of the prefects had arrived. He also noted that most of the girls, and Brant, were in tears. Wait... Brant was in tears!? o.O!! As if trying to cope with a room full of upset hormonal girls wasn't enough. Blehhh... Best get this over with before the sudden need to bolt became completely irresistible. He closed his eyes, took a breath and entered...

“Woah... did someone, like, die or something?” He asked loudly with a smirk to all. He eyed Brant, flinching inwardly as he looked at the Gryffie. That just was just...urgh, Poor kid. “Dude... I know you're gonna miss me but don't you think this..” He gestured at him with his hand. “... is a little much?”

His gaze then rested on Cameron. He slid into the seat next to her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek and a pang of guilt knotted his stomach as he did so. She didn't need to know what had gone on with Trixie, right? What good would it do anyone? She'd be hurt, Trix would be in trouble and Oliver would be left having to pick up all the pieces.

Nope. Best keep quiet on this one, snakey boy...

Out of habit, Raiden made his way to the prefect's compartment. While he'd already handed in his badge, which now waited for next term and its new owner, he was still actually a prefect, right? At least for a little while. Still, the front of his shirt felt strange at the absence of something that was pinned there so regularly; absently, he tugged on a button of his shirt and slid the door open.

One foot crossed the threshold, and then he froze. The scene would have been almost comical if he had no feelings. Eyes fell immediately on Brant, who seemed to be crying... and then switched to the others in the compartment, who all kinda looked either somewhat awkward and uncomfortable or upset.

"Er. Yo."

Part of him considered just... backing out of the compartment and leaving... but that was just silly.

"What's going on?"

Lori had her arms protectively around Brant, until she could feel the tears on her and she slowly loosened herself away from him and mumbled something about getting him a tissue. She could deal with tears, someone elses tears, until she could feel them, and they'd soaked through her robes. Then she couldn't deal. It probably didn't help that she'd spotted Sarah was crying into her sleeve. Merlin. This was HER fault wasn't it? She'd shed the first tear, and now she was paying for it. What if they drowned her?! O___O

Hastily, the Puff shoved a tissue into Brant's lap, patted his back comfortingly and headed back to her seat only to take Sarah's hand in hers, and give her a quick hug, disguising her own tears into Sarah's robe also.

And then there were people. People being the ones she kinda didn't want to see. At the start of the term she and Ced had NOT gotten on, but now they were kinda close.... And she was going to miss having him to patrol thing. Actually, she'd just miss patrolling in general. Really.

And then Oliver. His sarcasm made her lift her head and rub fiercely at her eyes, then sigh. "Dont be so bigheaded, Glitter!Poodle." Did she mean it? No. Actually it probably made this all feel a little normal to her.

With her free hand that wasn't holding Sarah's she began to strok Ariel and Peter Pan softly. Cuties. oh Raiden. The brunette sighed as he entered and looked at them all, but sighed even more as he asked a question which, she felt, had the eaaaaaaiest answer considering this was the same for he also.

Cameron frowned at Lori as she gave her a accusing look. She rubbed at her eyes angrily and shrugged her off. "You've looked better too, Lor." She muttered defensively. She was tired and this wasn't the time for prettiness. She slumped into a seat, and curled up into a tight ball, protectively around herself. She didn't want to leave.

She pouted a little as Lori spoke. "Cleaning. Chyeah, Lolly. It's like a cheap flight.." She mumbled trying to talk herself into it. Yeah. The more she said it, the more she believed it. Or tried to tell herself she did. It was stupid. A fantasy. But she wanted to believe it. Prayed it was true.

Her brown eyes turned to look at Sarah as she spoke. "Home," She whispered to herself and cringed. Where was home? Home was a feather, four poster bed inside the third door to the left of the Gryffindor girls' dorm. Her family didn't want to see her and she didn't want to see them.

She peeked from behind her knee's as Cedric walked in. "Ced..-..ric," She stuttered out carefully. "You..-" The redhead tried to form a sentence but the words didn't seem to make sense in her head let alone if she tried to vocalise them.

But it was okay. That was Oliver. She managed a bright smile, completely contrary to his guilty face she completely misinterpretted as sadness. "Lori says they're cleaning the castle and that they'll let us back in. Spring cleaning. We're not leaving." She half-smiled as he kissed her cheek and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Can't we just hide somewhere in the castle?.." She looked up at him hopefully. "You'll get to keep your best friend!" She added, trying to make the offer appeal.

While she felt pathetic, she nodded quickly. "Right? Like a broom cupboard of summat." The door opened and she looked up. Raiden. Looking suave and collected. She cringed.

"Yo.." Why couldn't she be nice and collected like him?

Oliver's lifted his skinny long legs and crossed them, resting his feet on the seat opposite. He looked a vision of complete relaxation as he looked at Lori, his sad eyes filling with slight amusement at her words. “I think we both know it's too late for that, Lori.” He raised a brow and his gaze shifted to Brant momentarily and back to the soon to be ex-Puff Prefect. He shrugged. “Ehh.. it was a joke. Just trying to lighten the mood in here.” Cos, seriously, the feast had been way too intense for Oliver's liking without the ride home being like... this.

Ah so company wasn't actually all that bad, in fact it was appreciated. It proved to be a good distraction from blondie and her tears and her...lips. *gulp* Oh man.

He turned his head to look at his girlfriend and smiled warmly as she spoke, snaking an arm around her shoulders, his hand moved up to her wonderful red hair which he stroked nonchalantly as as she spoke. “You know the change might actually be a good thing.” He replied, and woe and behold, it sounded genuine enough that even Oliver could almost believe it himself. But then she mentioned Trixie and a flicker of a hurt crossed the snake's face. Yeah... and THAT was gonna happen. Oliver wouldn't blame Trix if she never looked him in the eye again. “Yeah..” He replied, unable to think of anything else to say on the subject: his best friend who had kissed him; his best friend who was in love with him! Merlin, how could they ever be friends again when she had professed such a thing?

He averted his gaze to Sarah, surprised to see her crying and he frowned as he watched her. Sarah had never struck him as the kind of girl to be so emotional. “You alright, Sarah?” He asked her, concerned.

The door opened and in wandered Raiden. Oliver nodded at him in greeting. "Hey, dude." He seemed so fine about leaving, but then, so did Oliver, right? Even if it was far from the truth. "Got any plans for the summer, man?"

Oh she was going to look so ugly when she finally stopped crying. The red puffy eyes, tear stained face and damp hair where she had brushed the tears away into it. So very attractive. But Sarah honestly didn't care - she knew in the long run crying now would help make her feel better. Get it all out, her mum always said.

Sniffling into her robe, she didn't even notice when Cedric entered. Of course he never spoke to them, so it wasn't surprising. Oliver on the other hand, he never missed a chance to make an entrance - and it was his voice that caused her to look up, hiccuping and wiping her eyes. And while it wouldn't have surprised her to find his comments irritating, Sarah actually hiccoughed a giggle instead. Her emotions were all over the place.

As Lori moved back to her seat, and took hold of Sarah's hand, she hugged her friend tightly and momentarily buried her head in the other Puff's shoulder. "I never knew it was going to be this hard," she whispered, snorting at her friend's response to Oliver. Poor boy, he was only trying to help, even if it was in a slightly insensitive sounding way.

Looking up as the door opened once more, Sarah smiled at Raiden. What a sight they must have looked - three people all yucky from crying, one looking very fidgety and another two wrapped around each other. "We're a bit...emotional," was all Sarah could say in answer to his question. And he was calm. A little freaked looking, but calm. How did he do it?

Sarah had half an ear on the conversation between Cam and Oliver. It was sweet really, and she certainly wished it was true. How she dearly wanted to be able to hide in the castle and stay for next term. Maybe the House Elves would have let them stay in the kitchens? They were really nice things after all...The thought made her smile wistfully, more tears dripping down her face, and she only snapped out of it when she heard her name. It was Oliver. "Oh, ummm...." No, not really, was what she wanted to say, but the mood was down enough as it was. She had to try and pull herself together now - didn't she? "Yeah, I'm..." Pause "...fine." She gave him a warm smile before quickly looking out the window again. Only a couple more hours.

Lorelai looked silently at Cam and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She KNEW she looked terrible. There was no need to remind me. "I made the effort." She remarked, almost sarcastically to her best friend, before resuming her floor gaze. Made the effort to look terrible? Yep. Because THAT sounded like something Miss Bristol would do. Sounded like it so much.

Her depressive look mellowed as Oliver spoke and she travelled from beside Brant back to the kittens and Sarah. "Mmm, I guess so. I don't see why it could be so big though. You're not that important." She retorted, cracking a little bit of a smile. It was the truth, as much as she hated him at some times because he was an insensitive prat, he did know how to make her smile. And it was pretty much by letting her attempt to insult him. Because ... that was how she kept herself stable. Kept her emotions stable. By poking fun at someone else. Remember the fountain? Okay. Bad example. That had turned into a crappy emotion-fest. Maybe in their old age, Oliver was making her get even more emotional

As she took her seat, and the hug with Sarah came, Lori made it her every intention to listen to anything that came out of her mouth. Because Lori knew it'd be something she wanted to hear. And it was. Her own reply came back as quiet as Sarah's initial vocals had been, and a few tears trickled down her cheeks as so. "I know... I... I never thought i'd be so attached to a old building," In a nice way of course.

WAIT!!!! "The train hasn't moved yet, has it? Do I still have time to run back and get my dust? I left a speck of dust!" Said speck of dust was... her dorm in entirety. She wanted BACK!

The young man swallowed, eyes flicking quickly from person to person and looking for one that wasn't tear-stained and... worrisome. Crying was worrisome, okay? And while he wasn't going to cry about leaving, much as he was sad about it... it made him squirmy, that others were.

He didn't like tears.

Taking particular note that Nia wasn't here, and hoping with a little stab of guilt that it wasn't because of him, he flopped into an empty seat and sighed.

"Yah. You're all..." he shook his head, a slight smile tipping one side of his mouth. "Is this really how you want your last memories of Hogwarts to go?" He focused on Sarah, for lack of having a million pairs of eyes to look at everyone at once. "Being sad about it won't change anything."

And he was done with that topic. There were tears and general sad-packing and while it was understandable... he wanted to remember smiles. His attention turned to Oliver, who seemed for his own part to be fairly calm and tear-free. Helpful. Raiden half-smiled and shrugged.

"Finding a job, I guess. I still haven't actually decided what I'm gonna do." Life-wise, he meant. Maybe he'd bother Celandine about it. She knew anything and everything, surely she'd just... pull something out of thin air and tell him he should do that. "What are you gonna get up to?"