Choooo choooo~

The new Groundskeeper , who had been waiting at the platform stood up from the bench the moment he heard the trains whistle. He straightened his shirt and scratched his beard. When the red train stopped in front of him he took a deep breath and waited for the doors to open.

"FIRST YEARS! THIS WAY PLEASE, COME ON HURRY UP" he waved his arm to get their attention. "PREFECTS! LEAD THE SECOND TO SEVENTH YEARS TO THE CARRIAGES, PLEASE" Now...where were those first years?

Charlie heard a loud voice. Something about first years. He was a first year. He hurried up to the man. "Um do I need my trunk or does it magic itself to my bedroom?" He was curious. He had his robes on, and Fred in its pocket. He also had his rucksack. He was ready without his trunk. He can bring it with him if he needed to.

THEY WERE HERE LIKE HOW EXCITING WAS THIS?

Beaming from ear to ear Abigail Campbell grabbed her luggage along with her cat and walked on out of the train. She did a twirl and took in her surroundings. This station was quite different to the one back at London. She didn't get much time to take in any more of the station nor Hogsmeade for now as she heard somebody saying something about first years. She was one of them and therefore her attention span was on the adult.

She had heard him. He shouted fairly loud, you know?

The eleven year old moved her feet and began walking that way with her luggage. "There you go, Mr." She gave the luggage to him. She was tired. He didn't expect her to continue carrying her stuff did he? He could magic it or something or whatever the other boy nearby had said. The fairy's arms could not hold such heavy things for long.

Petra got off the train and heard a man calling for first years. dragging her luggage with her She walked over to the man and saw another first year boy standing there. Remembering her manners she turned to the first year boy and said " Hello.. My name is Petra. What's your name?

Laura was really glad that she could stretch her legs after spending all the time on the train. She couldn't want to see Professor Romanos again and tell her the good news about her OWL result. She had tried to do her best in the DADA and she actually achieved a good grade, she was also a bit shocked with her Transfiguration grade.

Laura then remembered her two over grades that has shocked her. There was the Potion Grade, when she saw that she nearly fainted because she didn't think she was very good at Potions, now though she had to think of a career to sort things out.

Laura looked around for a couple of friends to talk to but when she couldn't see them she decided that she would just look around to see if there was anyone else to talk to.

........

There wasn't much need to idle out by the station, she'd already sent Cassia to get their things and needed to focus on getting them a good carriage. One that didn't have anyone else in it. 'Cept of course Lottie. She wouldn't have minded finding Lottie seeing as she'd somehow managed to lose her. Guess she'd be visiting the Puffer table before the night was over. Unless of course Lottie came looking for her.

Felix tucked away in her arms she began walking, not really paying attention to the people around her until she bumped right into one. Second time today, she was even more out of focus than usual.

UGH.

Lex felt her kneazle lick at her face, clearly concerned and offered him a smile before looking up. "Oh. Laura. It's just you." And suddenly the bumping wasn't all that important. She was back to fixating on the perfect carriage and the yelling new Grounds Keeper. Lottie and her needed to have a word with him later.

Laura was looking around, she was still a bit upset about what had happened to the last groundskeeper and she really missed him but well there was nothing she could do about it, she was just staring at the new groundskeeper, seriously she hoped that he knew what he was getting himself into, someone had told him right.

Laura was about to go and say hi when someone bump into her, seriously what was wrong with people today, she looked down to see Alexa was near her, seriously it seemed like the girl was back to her old self again. "You alright there Alexa?" Laura had no idea why she asked, it just seemed like she was a bit upset about something.

She stopped walking altogether. The carriages were off in that direction but maybe if she could find Lottie she could ride with her two Best Friends? It was three...it was...but then that happened and now she didn't know anything anymore. Laura's question brought her back to the present. She shook her head lightly, trying to focus on her.

"I...hmm? Oh, yeah. Wonderful. And you?" They were asking about how each other was doing. That was the current conversation. She didn't know how they got to it seeing as she'd blanked out but no need to not return it.

"I was on my way to the carriages, thought I'd look out for Lottie while I was at it." Seeing as she already knew where Cassia was. Dare she ask where the other was? No, she didn't and wouldn't and probably didn't wanna know anyway.

Laura looked at Alexa and smiled. "Yeah I'm fine." Laura had a feeling that Alexa was hiding something but she wasn't going to push the younger students, now though she was going to just have a think about things and hope that Alexa wouldn't laugh at her for asking any questions.

"So did you have a great summer?" Laura decided that she might as well be nice and actually try and be friendly after all she was going to be turning 17 in December and she would be classed as an adult then. Where the time had gone she had no idea.

They were finally here! Adi was beyond excited! He scanned his surroundings when he got off the train but didn't get too far when he suddenly heard a booming voice. First years? Oh yes! He now remembered! His mother had told him about the first year class's journey across the Lake!

Adi hurried forward, towards the voice. He could see other young students too. Probably also first years. Standing close to the man, he heard another kid ask about his trunk. Yes! Adi did not fancy having to drag his trunk around.

Maybe standing out here wasn't such a good idea. If she'd run into Laura out here then chances were she could bump into someone else too. Merlin's beard, imagine if she'd accidentally bumped into him!! Now her head was shaking a bit more forcefully, willing away that horrifying thought. There would be no running into of any kind, most likely by choice and she'd have to accept that. Oh wait, Laura was still talking. The girl was fine. Lex nodded. "Good to know."

And they were talking about summer? She could do that. "It was good!" A small smile spread across her face. Thinking about summer wasn't half bad. "I got a sleepover with Cassia and Lottie, learned how to skateboard and saw fireworks with Aid--" Ugh. "Saw fireworks. How was yours, spent partying since you got your OWLs results?" How did she even do on those?

Laura looked at Alexa. "I'm glad you had a good summer." Laura really was glad that the younger student had a good summer. "I've been ill unfortunately. I spent last month with the flu." Laura really hadn't done much since them. "Oh I did alright in them got an O in DADA and Transfiguration and I got an E in Potions and Muggle Studies." Laura smiled. "I got A in History of Magic, Astronomy and COMC." Laura didn't want to say the rest but she decided that she would anyway. "I failed the rest, so I know I have to improve them grades which I'll do for my NEWTS." Laura was going to try and be awesome in them.

Consider her somewhat distracted. She wrinkled her nose at the older girl. "Ew. It's completely gone now, right? I don't want to be getting sick at the start of term, that's when I have most of my free time before the Professors start getting ridiculous with their homework load." The flu would SUCK right about now.

Her eyes widened a bit. "In DADA, that's brilliant! I'm going to get an O in that one too when I take it. I have to." Like legit. It was one of the only things worth sitting and she knew she was good enough. If she didn't get an O things would burn. "How'd you fail though? The only things left are Charms and Acient Runes. Neither are particularly hard." Or was she missing another subject? Either way, nothing too complicated.

But that might not have been the best thing to say so..."Sounds like you did good though."

Laura looked at Alexa. "It has of course, otherwise my parents wouldn't let me come." Laura had to be 100% better before her father had even allowed her out of bed. He hated colds and he didn't want Laura near him with one, so she had been forced to stay in her room until she was better.

Laura smiled. "I love DADA, it's by far one of my favourite subjects." Laura really did like it and she was hoping for a good NEWT exam as well, she wanted to do something in that field she was thinking but she wasn't sure yet. So she wasn't going to tell Alexa that. "And Transfiguration is an awesome subject." Laura really thought it was a cool subject and she couldn't wait to see what they would be doing in those two lessons this term.

Merlins Beard what were these kids small!

Nick looked down at the little first year kids who stood with their luggage in front of him. He vaguely wondered if he had been this small when he went to Hogwarts but then laughed in his mind at the thought. Who would have thought he'd be here again, standing on the Platform to the very same school he had studied at as well. Like these little first years, Nick couldn't wait to get to the castle as well.

Oh? Luggage? The Groundskeeper nodded his head. His gaze went to two older students for a second before turning back to the group of first years. The older ones should be smart enough to find a carriage. "Alright listen up! For those of you having your luggage with you, you can place them right here" he motioned next to him because it seemed that some students had already dragged their luggage out of the train. "I will then move them to the castle so no need to worry about having to drag them along" they weren't even going to be able to get in a boat if they did anyways. "We'll wait some more until every first year is here and then get to the castle" And no, he wasn't going to tell how they were going to get there. Why ruin the surprise for the kids that hadn't heard it yet?

That was a relief. No catching a cold for her or her darling kneazle. He could get sick too and she would have rathered him not be in a mopey mood walking around the Common Room being a grouch. "Alright, that's okay then. Does that mean you didn't get to do much of anything fun for your summer? Spent it all in bed? How boring." It was true. She couldn't see what might have been so fun about lying in bed all day with a headache.

Lex blinked. Would you look at that. Something she had in common with Laura Hyde. It was enough to make her shudder. Awful thought, it was. They weren't anything alike so it shouldn't have been the case. "It's a brilliant subject." She allowed herself to agree to that much. "I don't mind Transfig but I don't think it's anything special. That's more Lottie's subject." Lex was quite happy to leave her best friend to that subject. "Do you like Astronomy?"

Gwen jumped off of the train and looked around. Students were everywhere and there were all of these carriages pulled by some creepy black skeletal horses. Gwen shuddered. They looked like they were going to pull the carriages into the underworld.

She noted a man yelling for the first years. It was her first year, so she headed over to him. Her luggage! In a second she panicked, before she realized that most students didn't have their luggage with them. Maybe it was magically transported out of the train. She stepped toward the man, but far enough away he wouldn't be able to reach her in less than two steps. That was her rule. Two steps away gave her ample reaction time. She was quiet, not calling attention to herself as she tried to figure out what she was supposed to do next.

Petra turned to another girl that was a first year and asked " Are you nervous, ya know about being at hogwarts? "

Laura looked at Alexa, seriously she had something in common with the Gryffindor girl well maybe things weren't that bad after all. "I did get out towards the end and went to the cinema but other than that, I spent most of my time in bed." Laura sighed, she had totally hated it but at least she was feeling better now.

Laura looked at Alexa and smiled. "DADA is awesome, I can't wait to study more on it, what do you like the most?" Laura wanted to know she liked to learn about all the hexes and things that she could defend herself with. "I think Astronomy is alright, what about you?" Laura couldn't believe she was having a civil conversation with Alexa.

Someone was speaking to her. Gwen turned with a guarded expression. Oh, she was being kind. Gwen shrugged. She was absolutely nervous. This whole magic thing was still so foreign and scary. But she would never admit that. "Not really. Are you?"

Like she said, it didn't sound very exciting. Bed and the movies. Movies required sitting still, keeping your voice down and focusing all your attention on a big screen for over an hour. That was just asking too much of her! Like legit! Who could do something like that? Granted, she had to on occasions were Jeremy just wanted a normal day with his friends why expect normal when your friends had magic? Weird muggle, he was but she didn't make a habit of it. "Did you at least see anything good? Anything worth watching?" There were very few movies like that out there.

Yet another thing they seemed to be agreeing on. Lex didn't typical read or study but once it involved DADA she was all over it. The only books she read had to contain something on the subject or she'd unceremoniously discard of it whether the gifter was watching or not. "I like learning the hexes, jinxes and curses--not the rubbish ones though, I prefer learning the ones that are hurtful or destructive." No use hexing if it didn't do much. "I like learning about the dark creatures too. I find them fascinating." She wouldn't ask Laura about herself, she assumed the girl would volunteer that information on her own and if she didn't, then Lex would assume she didn't want to share.

As for Astronomy. "I love that subject! It's one of the best and one of the ones that I'm exceptionally good at. Made top Astronomer twice!" She said with a proud BEAM. It was yet another subject that she took particularly serious and her mind had begun straying again, in a good way, further and further from the earlier happenings on the day. Yay for short attention spans?

Laura looked at Alexa "I saw a few films that reminded me of dark magic and then a few funny films that my mates wanted to see." Laura giggled, she was totally interested in Defence against the Dark Arts. "I just like everything that is Defence against the Dark Arts, the whole subject is amazing and I can't wait to study some more Professor Romanos is an amazing teacher." Laura didn't mind saying that.

Laura listened to Alexa and smiled. "I like Astronomy, it's not my favourite subject, that has got to be Defence Against the Dark Arts." Laura giggled she totally enjoyed it. "But it is kind of cool." Laura hoped that everything would calm down this term and she couldn't wait to see what happen.

Admittedly, those did sound like good films. She could have seen herself sitting through the dark arts ones, especially if someone got outed in any of them. "Cool." Lex wouldn't ask which ones though because chances were she wouldn't watch them anyway, she'd prefer finding something that kept her active. She nodded at everything else too, the whole DADA and Professor Romanos thing but before she could comment she was side tracked by all the giggling.

Today wasn't all that great a day. She couldn't see the point in giggling so much no matter what the subject was--except certain subjects because of priority reasons in which case those would demand a compulsory happy feeling. Mhm.

"It IS cool and Professor Airey's cool too so that's a plus!" He brought the subject to life which was a good thing otherwise she wouldn't learn. "I can't wait to get the feast over with. I'm ready to collapse in my Common Room, aren't you?" And more giggling, really it needed to stop.

Laura listened as she looked around to see what everyone else was doing, she had no idea what the groundskeeper was doing. She would have to go and see him sometimes so they could actually talk. She wanted to make so he was okay and he probably could use a friend.

Laura smiled. "Well Professor Airey is awesome and he know his subject, so I can't wait to see what we will be learning today." Laura just hoped that everything would be good, and she also couldn't wait to see what they would be doing this summer.

"I'm totally ready for a good nights sleep." Laura said truthfully, she was so ready to spending time in the sixth year dorm. "I just can't believe I'm growing up so fast, can you believe how fast your growing up?" Laura hoped Alexa would like it because she had found it hard at first.