Hogwarts Express: Middle Cars

[Wilber Winterbottom]

If you suffer from FOMO or just want to be in the involved with everything, then the middle 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.

[Lottiepot]

Elias was in two minds over whether he was looking forward to traveling back to Hogwarts although if anyone were to outwardly ask then he would deny that there was any part of him that enjoyed the school and that his mind was still set firmly on being a Durmstrang boy. The summer had been filled with activities perhaps not so akin to a usual thirteen-year-old boy but rather with Wizarding Chess tournaments and reading and a couple of weeks spent on a dragon reserve with his Great Uncle Nathan that had reignited his passion for the fiery beasts ever more. The rest of the time had been spent in the shadow of the elder Greenwoods very much so keeping himself to himself. The family were a secretive bunch after all.

There was however something different about the way that the now third year was carrying himself now he was directly out of sight from his Grandfather and safely into a compartment in the middle of the train. It hadn’t been his first choice to be firmly in the centre of all the ‘action’ but it appeared he had arrived somewhat late to steal a position at the front of the train where he usually frequented. His appearance had altered slightly too, his usually neatly slicked back hair now longer and more disheveled, falling often in front of his seemingly smokier eyes. His nails were hastily painted black as if he had attempted such a feat in the dark and with no prior experience. The standoffish expression remained much the same, the type of face you’d expect a dementor to make before they sucked out your soul. Cold and emotionless.

Yet he wasn’t really that bad, it was just that any emotions were reserved for those that truly mattered and not for those considered unworthy of a response. Still it might not have been the warmest of welcomes for anyone who did choose to interrupt his silent enjoyment of the train journey to the Scottish Highlands.

[Felixir]

This summer had been the strangest, most amazing of Typhon Prince's life. Granted, he was still, frankly, devastated, what with having to give up his Billy dreams in order to seize the opportunity to go to an actual school of magic. It was, like, in the top five of most difficult things he'd had to do, giving up the role, especially after he'd actually had the chance to be in the show these last few months.

Anyway. Ty wasn't thinking about that right now. He was too focused on the today, and was brimming with nervous energy (the good kind!) about going away to Hogwarts.

The last few days of summer had been difficult to navigate, but Ty and his mother had managed it, staying in the city until she saw him onto the Hogwarts Express. She'd been the only one to see him off, as they'd made the decision to keep the magic stuff a secret from his dad and brothers, who would probably go on thinking that Ty was still away at his theatre school. After walking through the barrier(!), and lingering on the platform with his mum, Ty had said his goodbyes. It wasn't too difficult, as he was now used to being away from her for school, but he couldn't claim that their parting had been easy. Too much had happened these part few years for him to say that, or maybe any other kid would feel the same way.

And now, here he was, on the train. Ty's head was spinning so much with the excitement of it all that he thought it would be a good idea to sit somewhere and gather his thoughts. He peered into a bunch of full compartments as he passed them, and it wasn't until this one that he stopped. It was the nail varnish that did it; for some reason, despite the boy's expression, it made Ty think that the occupant would be open-minded enough to humour a first year, even if just for a few minutes.

So Ty knocked on the window of the compartment, and then immediately slid the door open. "Hi," he said in his Mancunian accent, a little breathlessly, and smiling nervously. "Is it alright if I sit here for a bit?"

[Lottiepot]

It took a few moments for Eli to let his guard down enough for him to relax back in his seat where he began picking at the polish he had haphazardly slapped over his cuticles, irritated at himself for not doing such a great job at it as he did at most other things he put his mind to. It shouldn’t have been automatically assumed that he would be able to maintain the compartment to himself for the entire journey and yet the second that a knock came upon the door, he was disappointed all the same.

The poor first year would be utterly mistaken in his thoughts that his newfound creative expressionism would make him receptive to company. The evidence of his annoyance that an eleven year old dared filled the room with his chirpiness was plastered on his face as he peered through that messy fringe at the naive party. “I suppose” he grumbled a response somewhat in the affirmative.

See? P r o g r e s s.

He wasn’t all that bad, just a little rough around the edges. And at least this boy was on his own and not accompanied by a band of screaming banshees. If he thought that Elias would offer him a smile back or some sage advice on how incredible his life at Hogwarts was then he had another thing coming. Any advice coming out of the third year's mouth was more likely to be about keeping yourself, your knowledge and your personal life firmly to yourself in case it ever be used against you.