WEHEEEEY. Train time. Riley boarded then train, and just as she'd done in Diagon Alley, went up and down the WHOLE train in search of the perfect place to sit. It was mostly all the same, but sectioned into a front, middle and back. She was told about the 'Prefect compartment' and not to go in, so she avoided that. She just found a compartment in the middle and sat herself down.

No one else seemed to be joining her yet, so she took the chance to let Chip out of his cage. Purrr.

Buying a cat had taken a lot of convincing on mum's part but was definitely the best idea she'd had the whole time in Diagon Alley. She would be needing a companion in Hogwarts probably, and what better companion than a cat? MEOW. Cat were fluffy, cuddling, and generally nice. Except when they scratched. But this was a magical place and there'd be cures for EVERYTHING, she reckoned. She couldn't wait to learn more. Doctor things, apparently calling healing, would be what she looked into first.

Going onto the platform was the easy part, Sam thought to his self. Now to find a seat on the train. Everyone else seemed to be full.
"Mind if I sit here?" Sam asked. 'I'm Sam by the way," He said to the first year girl.

For the second time today, Rooney had had to politely turf Brinlee out of his trunk and also caught her attempting to squeeze herself into Pomegranate's carry case. To no luck, obviously. Brinlee was ten times the size of Roo's ginger cat, and there was no was - without magic - that she would fit. After saying goodbye to her with a sloppy kiss on her curly hair, he had boarded the train in the middle of his mother's fourth sobbing fest. It was completely dramatic and definitely expected. Brinlee and Mama were very in tune and like with their emotions and when one bled, the other bled.

That wasn't his problem anymore and with a final wave to his father, the now-12 year old made his way along the train to find somewhere to sit until Calliope or Catie found him. It was al up to them, of course. He and Pomme would sit here and wait. Well...sit somewhere.

He watched another lad open up a compartment and ask to sit in there, so Rooney assumed that it was occupied. No problem there, though. But as he walked past, his cat darted inside and straight for the girl in there already. Straight for her ruddy lap. It was okay because Pomme was a gentle cat and was just looking for an ear scratch or some love. But it was still so very embarrassing. "Sorry! Sorry! He's mine, he's-- sorry!!" His genuine apologies went over the other boys head and Roo gave Pomme his best evil eyes.

He was an actor, so they were very good.

Reagan Penrose was FINALLY going back to Hogwarts...and she was an excited mess.

With an OVERLY bright smile firmly in place, she ducked into the luggage compartment to drop off her bags...aaaaaaaand then proceeded to find somewhere to sit. She felt absolutely wonderful about going back...but there were some nerves. Would her former classmates remember her?! Would those she hadn't known before LIKE her? Would she be able to convince them to plant trees together? Forage for seaweed? Try vegan foods?

It was SO IMPORTANT to make a good first impression...even if that impression was being remade after several years. Or...just three. Three years. Gosh, had it been that long?!

Finding a seat towards the middle of the train, Rea snagged an empty compartment and made herself all comfy. Oh! Maybe someone would sit with her and she can make a new friend before getting to school! Until they did, though, she was just going to jot a few things down...Random thoughts, so they wouldn't be forgotten!

Between the time it took to get settled and for someone else to want to share the compartment, Riley had made herself very much at home and comfortable. She had her feet long ways across the seat and was leaning against the wall next to the window, so when someone did come to the door, she could see them straight off. Like the boy that had just stuck his head through the door.

Riley offered the boy, Sam, a big smile and nodded. "C'mon in. There's PLENTY of room." Across from her, maybe, but that was beside the point. "Oh and my name's Riley," she replied because knowing each others names meant they were now acquaintances, and the more acquaintances she had, the better.

Before she could ask him anything else or launch into her 'excited about Hogwarts' speech, though, someone something else came into the compartment. Straight into her lap. A CAT. "'ello there, little one," she said with a grin on her face. Odd situation, maybe, but she took it in her stride and stroked the cat behind its ears. OOPS. Then off went her cat into Sam's lap. She looked up at Sam and gave a shrug and an apologetic look before looking up and noticing that the not-her-cat's owner (Rooney) had entered the carriage. "Don't worry about it," she giggled, "cats will do what they wanna do." She'd owned a cat for a grand total of one week, but this new boy didn't know that, so for all he knew she was an expert.

7th year.

When did this happen?

Cinna was a mix of emotions, happy it was her last year, sad it was her last year. She wasn't sure how she'd make it this term without some of the people who means so much to her. With Bart at the quidditch academy, Emmy and Lux finishing out 7th year in other ways, and several other friends not returning. She debated not returning herself. A few times in fact, but she was here.

Taking a deep breath before heading in an empty compartment. She cracked the door just enough to see out. She really didn't want to ride the ride alone. So she'd be happy if anyone joined her. Maybe and hopefully someone she knew already.

Soooo the train.

Paulina was TRYING to look forward to this - like a new adventure - but the struggle was real. It didn't really help that she was leaving behind six terms of Beauxbatons and heading to a new school where she didn't really know anyone.

After dropping her luggage off, the shy Seventh Year peeked into random compartments in order to find a place to sit; everywhere seemed to be full, so this was slightly problematic. Could she just barge in on people and be accepted? She did NOT know as it had been different where she used to go. Maybe she could ask someone for the rules of Hogwarts...? That way she wouldn't accidentally cross any lines that she shouldn't.

OH.

There was someone sitting alone and she seemed to be pretty nice judging by the smile on her face. Paulina could sit with her and make a friend. Yeah, that sounded like a plan!

Still feeling slightly timid, she knocked on the compartment door. "Can I sit here?" Or was she intruding?

Sam nodded and sat down. "Nice to meet you, Riley," He said and sat down. He offered a hand but quickly dropped it when A CAT landed in his lap! He laughed a bit and pet the cat.
"Ay' there little one," He smiled and looked up for the owner of the cat.

Pomegranate was the worst and SO embarrassing that the Ravenclaw could already feel the warmth flooding from his sandwich-full belly to his cheeks, and they were clearly matching the colour of one of the Hogwarts houses. And not the one that he had been sorted into. He was glad that the girl Pomme had sought out was not a cat-hater, nor someone allergic. Well, hopefully not the latter - that would be incredibly problematic. "He really just likes attention. He's very much a Gryffindor, were the hat to sort him." It hadn't, though. Rooney had tried his hardest to understand magic enough to recreate the object that was the sorting hat.

It hadn't happened.

Moving into the compartment, he crouched before the girl and opened his arms for Pomegranate with hope for him to get into his arms.

That didn't happen either.

"He likes cat people the best. Are you one?"

Kate loaded her luggage then climbed aboard the train. She patted her pockets, checking for the sweets she'd bought in Diagon Alley, then made her way through the corridors of the train. Merlin, it was crowded in here! She had planned on heading to the back of the train, but she doubted she wanted to edge through the crowds that far back.

Kate took a few more steps back then gave up. Yeah, she was SO not fighting the crowds any longer.

Kate stopped just where she was and peered into a compartment with a door that was still open just a little. Oh, look! It was Cinna! Kate slid the door open the rest of the way and entered with a big smile on her face. "Hey, Cinna," she said, walking in yet leaving the door open so somebody else could come in if they wanted. "These seats taken?" she asked.

If not, Kate would probably ride with Cinna to the school. The older Gryffindor was so cool--she knew how to style her hair and do her make-up just the right way! That was Kate's goal someday.

Reagan was carefully scribbling things down in her notebook, mostly concerning new vegan recipes she wanted to try, when she heard the knock!

Grinning up at whoever it was, in the name of GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS, yes, Rea nodded. It was a girl that looked about her age; a Sixth or Seventh Year, basically. "Yes, of course!"

Welcome, welcome to our compartment!

"I'm Reagan, by the way."

So this was it... she was coming back to Hogwarts but now things were going to be different. She had to get ready for her OWL exams at the end of the year which was going to be hard but what was worse was that Benny was leaving at the end of the year and she didn't like that thought.

Angel walked around the train trying to figure out where she was going to sit. She wanted to sit somewhere nice and quiet were she could read a book but where she could keep an eye out for any of her friends that she hadn't seen for ages.

Angel had made it to the middle of the train when she suddenly an empty compartment, she went inside and sat down. She took out a book and then she opened it at the first page and settled down to read it. She was careful to keep an eye on the door in case anyone came into the compartment.

On the train...check.

Trunk with all school supplies and belongings and Conrad's cage in the luggage car....check.

Everything seemed alright for this trek back to Hogwarts, except the realization Benny had had a couple of weeks ago. That this was his last trip on the first day of the term. Unless he went home for the holidays, this was the last train ride to Scotland and the school. Seventh year was about to begin and to say he was nervous about it was an understatement. It was one of the reasons the Gryffindor was glad that Conrad was coming with him, the owl perched on his shoulder.

He had one friend that was definitely along for the ride with him.

Now he just had to find a compartment.

Angel had just turned a page when she suddenly saw that Benny was looking around for a compartment and she hadn't seen him for what seemed like ages because of her being away most of the summer.

"Benny!!" Angel shouted out from the compartment she was in trying to get her boyfriends attentions. "Benny!!"" Angel shouted again, she hoped that Benny would be able to hear her shouting.

Benny had sunk back into his thoughts, getting distracted as he wandered down the corridor. It was the reason he hadn't caught sight of the familiar face sitting down in one of the compartments that he had passed. That was until his nickname was being called out repeatedly by the familiar voice that belonged to it causing him to turn.

"Um...hey..." he said, moving tentatively back towards the open compartment door. Now why was he feeling weird about it?

Angel smiled as her boyfriend came into the room but then well he was acting weird, now this was odd and she didn't like it... he was going back to the way he was with her that first year she had met him when he was all nervous.

"Hey..." Angel looked at him as she tried to figure out what she would say next. "How was your summer?" Angel decided that was the best thing to ask. "Did you do anything good?" There was no need for them to talk about last term right, though she was hoping for a quiet year this year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry174

Angel smiled as her boyfriend came into the room but then well he was acting weird, now this was odd and she didn't like it... he was going back to the way he was with her that first year she had met him when he was all nervous.

"Hey..." Angel looked at him as she tried to figure out what she would say next. "How was your summer?" Angel decided that was the best thing to ask. "Did you do anything good?" There was no need for them to talk about last term right, though she was hoping for a quiet year this year.

There was the smile directed at him...and the casual conversation. Benny tried to act normal in the matter. Because he was....right? "It....it was real great. I actually interned at a dragon rehab." That had been one of the highlights of his summer...likely the more acceptable highlights given what had happened in the class around dragons. Who wanted to know their boyfriend had been a test subject and pet dragon?

"What about you?" he asked, returning the favor. He vaguely knew she had been traveling while her sister was with Adi, Ilia and Henric.

This was it.

This was the last time Damien would take the Hogwarts Express on his way to Hogwarts, and the first few moments of his seventh and final year. He hadn't been entirely sure he was going to get on the train until the last few days when he'd just begun packing, almost without meaning to.

He felt a weird anxiousness to get to the school, more so than in other years.

Truthfully, he kinda missed the place and his friends, and one pinked haired fairy creature who would remain nameless, but there was something else too, propelling him on, that Damien couldn't pin his finger on. He ran a hand through his not quite brown, not quite blonde hair and looked out the window and then back to the hall and then back to the window and-

Right, anxious energy. He needed to do something to chill out. Damien opened up his backpack and looked for his playing cards, finally finding them tucked safely away under his robes. Damien turned in his seat and laid out the cards, starting to play himself in a game of blackjack.

He was kinda hoping Rorie someone would walk into the compartment.

Giving an internal sigh of relief as she was allowed to enter, Paulina tried to make herself feel at home. This was the first of two train rides she would have to go through during her Hogwarts career, and it was best to make the most of it despite nervousness.

At least she was going to make new friends!

Taking a seat opposite from the girl, Paulina gave a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Reagan. I'm Paulina. I'm new here, so I don't really know much of anything." Blush. Hopefully she wouldn't do anything to make a fool of herself - such as faceplant during the sorting ceremony. Now wouldn't that be hysterical for everyone??

To take her mind off of it, Paulina decided to focus on something else. "You working on something cool?" she asked curiously as she saw that Reagan was writing something down in a notebook. It wasn't homework, right? Did Hogwarts give out summer assignments?

Janelle had finally gotten her luggage put away and now, it was time to find a seat. She was happy to be starting her third year at Hogwarts and could barely contain her excitement. Walking through the corridor, she peeked into one compartment after another. She was hoping to find a friend or at the very least, someone who looked like they needed company.

Finally, Janelle spotted someone she knew. Tapping lightly on the window, she slid the door open and stuck her head inside. "Hi Kate." The Ravenclaw was glad to see her housemate and hoped that she wouldn't be bothered by a little extra company. Realizing that she had unintentionally ignored the older Gryffindor girl sitting with Kate, Janelle tried to remedy the situation. She turned to the girl and added, "Hi, I'm Janelle" Even though she knew the girl's name was Cinna, they had never really been introduced. "Do you all mind if I join you? I hope I wasn't interrupting."

Moving the rest of her body into the compartment, Janelle waited expectantly. She hoped that the girls would agree to let her join them. She wanted to start the term off on the right foot.

THAT WAS IT.

SHE WAS DONE.

Timmy pushed people out of the way to get into an empty compartment. Finally getting it, she shut the door carefully and flopped onto the seat, taking up all the space. How does one lose their best friend on the train. Timmy would have to put a tracker on him or something. Or carry around one of those physics books Brian's always reading. Hmm, maybe she'd become smarter that way? But then again, Brian tried explaining the whole physics thing to her before and she didn't understand a hoot.

Closing her eyes, blonde started to doze off, until she was actually asleep. Brian would be the one having to look for her now.

Brian was in the middle of a particularly engaging conversation with Timmy when he'd tripped over the bare floor and by the time he managed to get himself up, his best friend had abandoned him and all he could see were the backs of people's heads. Not that he'd find hers that way, because even though Brian knew exactly what the back of his bestie's head looked like, she wasn't the tallest person around. So he settled for searching the train compartments one by one.

She had to be around somewhere, right?

Finally poking his head into a compartment near the middle of the train -that was half the train searched, now- he found her. Sleeping. Hey, that was his thing. He was the sleeper. She usually woke him up so he didn't end up eaten by acromantulas. Squeeeeezing in because she'd taken up all the space, he poked the blonde's shoulder.

"Timmyyyyy," he whispered. "Wake uuuuuppp." He had candied peaches. Surely the scent of that would help in the awakening process. Prod, prod.

Angel smiled as her boyfriend told her what he had been doing and she was a bit worried about it but she knew that was what her boyfriend wanted to do and she was going to support him one hundred percent. "That's good, I'm glad you did something amazing on your holiday." Angel smiled it sounded fun.

Angel then thought about her summer holiday. "I got to do some amazing stuff with plants and I got to plant some in this small field." Angel thought that the herbology summer school had been amazing. "Only problem was, was that you wasn't there." Angel had missed her boyfriend like crazy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry174

Angel smiled as her boyfriend told her what he had been doing and she was a bit worried about it but she knew that was what her boyfriend wanted to do and she was going to support him one hundred percent. "That's good, I'm glad you did something amazing on your holiday." Angel smiled it sounded fun.

Angel then thought about her summer holiday. "I got to do some amazing stuff with plants and I got to plant some in this small field." Angel thought that the herbology summer school had been amazing. "Only problem was, was that you wasn't there." Angel had missed her boyfriend like crazy.

He simply nodded as she commented on his plans. It was good...had been good. It was the going back to school that was hard. It was the seeing Angel, smiling so much and happy that made what he decided the hard part. Benny really wished they had managed to get together over the summer to really talk but it hadn't happened. "That's great Angel," he remarked, truly happy she had been in her own niche all summer. But there was the comment about missing him.

"Listen...I have to say something. " That being said he paused, struggling with what he had to say. "I've had a lot of time to think over the summer. And one of the things that kept coming to mind is the future." The Gryffindor swallowing to fight the nerves. "You want to travel the world studying plants after graduation. I want to spend my time on a reserve or something working with dragons. And if there is anything I learned with my internship, is that I definitely want that part of my future."