Hogwarts Express: Back Cars

[Wilber Winterbottom]

If you want to be the last to leave or want to hang with the more rowdy crowd, then the back passenger cars of the train are for you. Just like the other cars, a long corridor provides access to the many compartments, each labelled with a letter, available for you and your friends to hunker down in until the train has come to a complete stop. Cushioned seats and large windows, allowing perfect views of the British scenery on your journey, await.

Well, what are you waiting for? Slide open a compartment door and make yourself at home. Place any of your belongings not in the luggage car on the racks above you. Chat with your friends about what your summer plans, enjoy munching on the snacks you bought from the trolley lady, get ahead of the game by exchanging addresses, or take a long nap as the train travels over numerous hills and mountainsides. Whatever you do, exhibit your best behaviour -- the prefects will be regularly patrolling the corridors and poking their heads inside your compartment to make sure you are doing so.

[BanaBatGirl]

Was she resting her eyes or was she truly passed out? The redhead in sunglasses slumped against the window of the very last car could be either. Her designer shoulder bag was carelessly tossed on the seat next to her with one chocolate frog box currently spilling out of it.

[Lottiepot]

As had become synonymous with one Aurora Ackerly, a cheerful expression was plastered on the blossoming blonde’s face as she made her way through the train on the lookout for a friend to talk to or somewhere to perch her bottom until a familiar face happened upon her. The gleeful smile hadn’t been so present merely minutes before when she had been forced to say goodbye to her Mum’s, sister and the (admittedly adorable) baby brother whose first birthday was rapidly approaching in the coming weeks and she had momentarily had a little protest about missing. Still she had quickly forgotten any such emotions upon remembering that she was heading back to perhaps her second most favourite place, even if the whole educational side of it was a little lost in the empty space between her ears.

It was the familiar locks of auburn hair she had spotted first, always so perfectly styled like she had stepped out of a cover of Witch Weekly. Aurora wasn’t so bad herself, mostly thanks to the gifts she had received for her fifteenth over the summer and with lessons from a former model of a Mom and a naturally glamorous older sister. She wasn’t against the idea of getting disheveled however, the other Ma certainly helped in that direction as did the weeks spent volunteering at the Creature Samctuary where she had often been sporting the hay in the hair look.

“Hi Zara!” she chirped sitting in the seat opposite her yearmate before swiftly realising that the sunglasses might’ve been disguising a pre-Hogwarts nap. “I mean hi Zara, are you sleeping?” she switched to a sort of stage whisper that wasn’t really much quieter than before.

[BanaBatGirl]

There was a bit of drool on the corner of Zara's mouth, but as her friend LOUDLY INTERRUPTED entered the car, the girl sat up with a soft, "huh," snort, precisely the sound one makes when one is awoken from a nap. She blinked awake behind her sunglasses, subtly trying and failing to wipe off the drool before Aurora saw.

"Well well well," she replied, playfully tapping Aurora's shoe with her own boot, barely peeking over her glasses to wink at her friend before she pushed them up again, "Zara isn't rehearsing her part for Sleeping Beauty now, nooooooo not at all." She gave her fellow fifth-year a half-grin and turned to her bag beside her. "You're lucky I have younger siblings who frequently like to startle me awake. So. How was your summer? Fancy a chocolate frog? I have something in here for you...." She started rooting around while waiting for a reply.

And, for the record, she thought her blonde friend could easily grace the cover of Witch Weekly any month of the year. After all, the good looks were one reason Zara approved so highly of her.

[Lottiepot]

Thankfully Aurora wasn’t the most observant of teenagers and was too concerned over disturbing her friend’s peace and quiet to notice any drooling that was currently going on. She would’ve also been too polite to comment anyway, it wasn’t like she personally would’ve been too fond if a friend of hers pointed out that SHE drooled in her sleep. Now talking was another matter, it had been noted before that the blonde was capable of holding a full conversation with another whilst engulfed in a deep slumber.

Was it really a surprise anyway? She could hold a conversation with an inanimate object if she really wanted to.

“You know, for someone who shares a name with that Princess, I don’t sleep very much.” There already weren’t enough hours in the day for her to do everything that she wanted, so sacrificing some of her night to sleep wasn’t always on her agenda. Did it mean that she sometimes got in trouble for yawning all the way through early morning lessons? Absolutely. “But I imagine it wouldn’t be difficult to rehearse napping. Do you think that anyone that has actually played that part before has actually fallen asleep on stage?” Easily done, she’d argue.

Satisfied that Zara wasn’t annoyed with her for potentially waking her up, the fifteen year old settled herself down in the seat for permanent occupation, crossing her legs underneath her. “Busy! I volunteered at a magical creature sanctuary and they had babies..” she started a little distracted by what it was that Zara had concealed in her bag for her. “Yes please. I always want a chocolate frog.” It was a silly question really for such a sweet tooth.

Aurora would be flattered that Zara found her looks worthy of such an honour although her Mom would likely flip if she ever admitted that she wanted to be a model.

[Felixir]

Elio could hardly believe this was finally happening. Him, away to Hogwarts. For the last few years he'd felt like this day would never come, time had dragged so much. But now he was going. To Hogwarts! With Reuben!

Away from home. For the first time.

Nervous excitement and anxiety were writhing in Elio's stomach like a couple of wrestling snakes. It had really hit him, on the platform, while saying goodbye, that he was actually going away. Like, away away, though of course he'd be going home for Christmas and everything. Elio was prepared for it though; he knew he'd have some days where he'd miss home, because he'd already started missing home and his dad and Candela and Cosmo before even leaving. Which was weird. But he knew how to be independent and to take care of himself; he wasn't scared or even apprehensive, he was just a little nervous.

Right now though, Elio was focused only on the excitement of the day, which buoyed him through his nerves. He moved down the train, his skateboard strapped to his backpack, looking into compartments for somewhere to sit, or more specifically someone to sit with, as none of the compartments he passed were empty and almost all fo them did in fact have at least one spare seat. Lonely-looking first years, that would be ideal, if he couldn't find Reuben or someone he sort of recognised, but if pushed then he'd just grab any seat in a compartment of younger kids who seemed welcoming enough.