It paid to be early for the Hogwarts Express. It meant you got your pick of empty compartments. Though honestly, Hadley really just picked the first empty compartment she spotted. With a yawn, she slid open the door and slipped inside. Her now short blonde hair tickled the back of her neck. Hads was only just starting to get used to it. She was deeply tan, with flecks of peeling skin around her cheeks and at the edges of her forehead; the last remnants of the sunburn she'd gotten her first week in back California.

She set Asher down on the seat and sat down next to him, resting her back against the window. Asher immediately climbed up onto her lap, and curled up. He barely left her side since she'd picked him up from Ace's. The orange Camp Half-Blood shirt she made herself, like most of her t-shirts. It went nicely with the Percy Jackson book she pulled out of her bag, but didn't open. Her sister had turned her onto the series and Hads was hooked now. But, Hadley still hadn't gotten over the jetlag or change in timezones yet, and the moment she settled in, she felt her eyes close. She wasn't sleeping, though, merely resting her eyes a bit.

FINALLY.

Canaan had pretty much thrown his trunk and his extra stuff into the luggage compartment because he didn't have time to be neat about this. He absolutely loved his parents, but the Muggle world now just seemed so boring. After being at Hogwarts for three years now, and being an only child, it was just... lame. BUT. He was here, he was excited. Not necessarily for classes though, but at least he would be back in his own realm of all things magical. No one back home understood him, but he didn't blame them. He was Muggleborn! His parents are still baffled about it.

The back of the train was his favorite place to be. He goofed around and slid down the walkway... when he noticed the WIND WENT THROUGH HIS HAIR. That wasn't okay. So he pulled himself up, pulled out his neat little brush and used an empty compartment window as a mirror.

But then he realized it wasn't empty. "Oh..." he said, standing there awkwardly. Was she asleep? Was she awake? Did she die? "You alright, or... just like... yeah?"

He was so good with words.

"Hm?" Hadley sluggishly forced her eyes open. There was a boy in the compartment. Who she knew. He was in her same house, same year. Still it took a moment to drudge up his name from her tired mind. She yawned and sat up straighter, earning a small but noisy chiding from the ferret in her lap.

The ferret curled up again and got comfy. It didn't surprise her Asher was tired. He spent all of yesterday sprinting and leaping around in excitement as though he were three years younger than he was. He wore himself out good.

"Hey, Canaan." Hadley stretched her arms above her head. He had asked her a question, right? It took her a minute to recall. "Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Just jetlagged still. How was your summer?"

Here's the million galleon question - what was her name? The only reason he even bothered to stop was because he recognized her since she was also in Ravenclaw.

So what was he going to do? Wing it.

"Pretty good," he said, leaning in the doorway while he watched her stretch out and look bored with being on the train. "I mean, it could've been better. It's hard talking to your family about what goes on since they don't really get it. I love them, I just find the Muggle world so BORING now." She said something about being jetlagged, so obviously she had done some Muggle traveling this summer too. "Where were you off to?"

Ashley? No, too common. Riley? No. But it definitely ended in "ley", he knew that much. Maybe he'd just make up a nickname for her.

Hadley nodded with completely understanding. She didn't wholeheartedly agree with his stance on the muggle world, but as a muggleborn herself, she saw where he was coming from. To her, though, there was still plenty of fun and excitement to be found in the muggle world. Would it ever compare to the magical world? No. But that didn't mean it wasn't there.

She also understood the muggle family issue. "My Dad and brother are like that. Mom tries to understand it though. And my sister, she understands, mostly." A perk of being an identical twin, she guessed. Not telepathy or anything crazy like that, just the fact they've been together since before they were born, knew each other so well, and even had similar ways of thinking, kinda made it easier to express it all to Nat in a way she could understand. "But, she can't really relate to it much."

A fondness crept into Hadley's expression. "Home." It took her a moment to catch on that Canaan probably needed more than that. "Er...where I grew up, I mean." Before moving to London. "Los Angeles." London was technically her home now, but LA would forever be the one place she thought of when she thought of home. "I was visiting my Dad. It was pretty fun."

Canaan watched her as she seemed to be a little... off. Maybe sad she was going back to school? Or she's just tired, especially since she was off traveling. He really didn't do any of that while on break. Mainly spending time with his parents because they feel lost without him. But come on... he's fourteen. He doesn't need his parents all the time.

At least she understood where he was coming from, kinda. Must be a girls versus boys thing. Oh well.

"Los Angeles..." he said. Thank goodness for Muggle school. He knew that was in the US. "I've never been there. The furthest out I've gone is Texas, but I hear California is wonderful. Really nice weather, fun places, fun people." The part about visiting caught him off guard. Must be a divided family? That would stink...

"Can I sit with you? Or are you waiting for... someone else?

Hadley beamed with pride suddenly, perking up greatly. But you could still see the tiredness behind her eyes. "Oh, it is." Wonderful, that was. She really couldn't help being proud of her home city and state. They had shaped her as much as her family had. "There's a lot of amazing places to visit, if you ever get the chance. The beaches, amusement parks, walk of fame is nifty. And further up, you have Yosemite and the Sequoia national park, which are pretty amazing too." Huh, perhaps that was the difference? Why Hadley didn't find the muggle world boring while he did? "Anyway, you should definitely try to visit there sometime."

Hads absently stoked and massaged Asher's head in her lap. The ferret appeared to enjoy quite a bit. Just normal owner/pet things. "Yeah," she gestured to the empty compartment around her. Plenty of open seating. "Absolutely. Have a seat."

Hadley studied him for a moment. "Have you thought about joining one of those juvenile quidditch leagues they have during the summer?" You know, to make his summers more enjoyable. "I was part of one last summer, and sort of part of one this summer, before I left for California." Could be a solution.

Good, she said he could sit. His knee was starting to hurt from the way he was standing. It probably didn't help that last year when he was *trying* to skate he wiped out. Shattered kneecap and all. Thank goodness for magic, because that would've taken WAY too long for him to heal in the Muggle realm. He moved from the doorway to the seat across from Hadley and watched the ferret. So THAT'S who the owner was... he had seen him a few times darting around the Common Room.

"Maybe one day I'll make it out there," he said in reference to California. He leaned back in his seat and put his hands in his jacket pockets. "But mum and dad are too excited any time I'm home for summer. I wish I had siblings so they weren't so attached. It'd be nice to go travel but dad gets stressed too easily." And then she mentioned Quidditch. Ahh... the freedom, the fun, the flying. He was much better at being a beater than anything else. And maybe he could go out for the team this year. "I didn't think about the Quidditch leagues. I probably should, just so I can be out more."

That's when he looked out the window and started to daydream about being out and about in the castle once again. Maybe he'd focus more on learning this year.

"Only child?" That was something Hadley Denaker couldn't really conceive of. She had never been alone, without a sibling. Not even in the womb. But she knew what her sister meant to her, and even her old brother, when he wasn't being a jerk. "Sorry," she said, sympathetically. "That must be lonely?" She didn't mean it as a question, but honestly she had such trouble wrapping her head around it that it came out as one anyway.

But she could relate to the traveling thing. "My parents aren't big on traveling either. I wish they were." She'd barely been outside of California when she moved to London. And since moving, she'd gone exactly one place: back to California, and only because Dad moved back there after the divorce. "Once I graduate and move out, I am going to travel the world though." She nodded as if trying to convince herself it'll happen.

"Yeah, you should. It's fun, plus it'll let you enjoy some of the magical while at home." So, you know, win win. "I'll owl you when tryouts are." Maybe they'd even be on the same team. She sized him up a bit, trying to guess which position he might play. She herself was a decent beater.

Then Canaan got quiet and pensive, staring out the window with a dreamy expression. Was he fantasizing about quidditch? She wasn't sure what to do with this, so Hads left him to his moment and turned her focus back on Asher for the moment. Asher, of course, was enjoying the chin scratches immensely.

Yeah, being an only child wasn't exactly fun. Canaan slowly nodded his head as he processed his words. He knew she had siblings, but how many wasn't clear. Something about a twin, because she was lonely without her. Or something.

You know, boy brain. Doesn't remember all the details.

"Yep, just me," he sighed slightly. "I always dreamed of having brothers or sisters. I think it would've been fun. But I can't change it now. It's a good thing I didn't have any, being Muggle born I'd miss them too much. You know how that goes, I'm sure." There was some part about her family that he was missing. He could tell there was some sort of split family dynamic. But he wouldn't ask, he didn't need to know.

When she mentioned traveling the world, he got excited. "Oh yeah, for sure. I've got a whole list of places to go. I haven't been to the good places in the US yet. I need to go to New York, California, maybe some other places in there. But I need to go to Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Portugal, South Africa, I can't even think of all of the places right now but yeah. I figured I would go into magical transportation so I could learn more about it." Then he stopped for a minute. That was a lot of schooling, UGH.

He ran a hand through his hair carefully. His stuff was in his trunk so if he messed it up, it'd be bad.

"Here's an empty one, Abey. Let's park it here." Junia had decided that as the older cousin, it was her duty to make sure Abey's first ride on the Hogwarts Express was an enjoyable one. The job would be a bit harder considering the younger boy was leaving his mama for ages and clearly upset about it, but the Junebug wasn't too worried. She was prepared with sweets and cuddles and Prince Charlie, who was meowing non-stop. Someone clearly wanted out of their carrier.

"Maybe Rula will join us in a bit, too," The thirteen year old said cheerfully as she let her cat free and settled on a seat by the window. "Then we can make a plan on how to make this the best term ever for you." Because he deserved it, he did.

Abey was positively MISERABLE. Which was so so so confusing because actually he was also excited TOO, but the reality of leaving his home and his mama behind until the next set of holidays had been almost too much to bear. Oh, there had been a lot of crying and clinging and fretful sobbing on the platform - neither of his siblings had escaped any of that either actually - and Abey had even hinted at them taking him right back home again, and skipping Hogwarts altogether.

But of COURSE he wouldn't actually do that actually, even though he had really really really actually wanted to for just a moment actually. It had been the fear talking, apparently, because actually Abey really really did want to go to Hogwarts just like everyone else in his family. None of them had been so scared that they had to stay home.

After some encouragement... here he was. On the train. On the Hogwarts Express. Abey had DREAMT about this day actually. Lots and lots of times all through his life. Actually being here was so strange that Abey almost felt like it wasn't happening at all. He had followed Junia through the train, lugging Squigs' cat carrier along with him and accidentally bashing it against the walls every now and then because really it was quite narrow through here actually, until she found them a compartment.

"Okay," Abey replied, following his cousin into the compartment and sniffling just a little bit. The majority of the crying was all done and over with, leaving only red eyes, the sniffles, and a mild headache in its wake. And the occasional lip wibble, that too. He followed suit, taking a seat and letting his own cat out of its carrier. "I like that idea," Abey agreed, nodding. "Thank you, Junia." It sounded like the perfect distraction. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, determined to let no more tears fall today, not after that entire, um... scene.

Watching Mr. Squiggles approach Prince Charlie, Abey's thoughts turned to his trunk, safely stowed away in the luggage compartment. Or, more importantly, they turned to who what was inside.

He chewed at his lip. It... would probably be a good idea if he went to go retrieve the, uhhh... precious cargo... sooner, rather than later.

Cue absolutely definitely totally actually innocent haven't-done-anything-wrong-honest-I-haven't voice. "Um... Juni..."

Hads nodded with a sigh. She knew the pain of being separated from both her siblings. It might have been different if she wasn't so close to them, but she was. And now with Mark, her older brother, going to university back in the States, she wouldn't really see him much anymore on breaks. Not like it had been at least.

Canaan's excitement raised her own excitement. A big grin and some sharp nods greeted each destination he listed. They were on her list as well. Especially South Africa, so she could see wild lions, her favorite animal, as everyone pretty much knew. "And Australia. And Hawaii. They have some great surfing there." As did South Africa. Hadley tilted her head ever so slightly in curiosity when he mentioned working in magical transportation. "Like a ministry job?" She made a face at the thought. Sitting at a desk, pushing papers sounded like hell to her. But, hey, for some people it worked well. No judgement.

Genny got on the train a little late this time. Who knew the older you got the heavier your luggage was? Anyway, it took her a while to get everything in the right, appropriate place before she headed out to the corridor with her backpack. It felt nice being taller than most kids now, gave her a feeling of authority and responsibility. Moving to the back compartments because the front ones were almost full, she started looking for a friendly face to join in.

Junia knew that tone all too well, she did. Eyebrows raised, the brunette looked to make sure no one was around to barge in, interrupting the confession that would surely take place, and then returned her gaze to her little cousin. "What did you do and who do I have to make sure doesn't find out about it?" Because while she didn't agree with all the decisions Abey made, she was obviously going to support them and protect him. That's what you did when you were a Botros. It just was.

"Go on, spill."

Colt had one thing to show his certain friend he made last term. He didn't have much time to contact her this summer due to being busy with his girlfriend Juliette. He just wanted to let her know he didn't forget her. He wanted to keep his head boy badge surprise from Dora. He was wondering what her reaction would be. He also wondered how she was doing. He hoped she got his message and would meet him in the back of the train. He knew not a lot of people come back here. Mostly everyone goes to the food trolley and the front because they are either lazy or want to be the first ones off when they see the castle.

He found an empty compartment and sat in there and look at the passing scenery waiting for Dora.

Abey drummed his fingers on his lap and fidgeted in his seat a bit. Of all his cousins and siblings, Junia was the one who was most often privy to his little... confessions. Mostly because Hassan and Lilian were proper grown-ups, and Eureka and Rula may as well have been, and though Aaron and Alanna were still young, they had always seemed a little too... well... sensitive. It had always been different with Junia. She felt much more like a partner in crime than the others did.

"Well," he started, then started drumming his finger tips against each other. "I suppose mama will find out soon anyway, but..." Before he knew it, Abey had burst forth into a rambling explanation that actually didn't really explain much at all actually, regularly switching back and forth between English and Arabic, transitioning so fluidly he hardly seemed to notice he was doing it. "Really, it's actually really only fair, really. 'Cause Feo's mine now 'cause Jaddi said he could be mine. And I really can look after him here, and I didn't technically ask if I could bring him so it's not like anyone really told me no, but I was worried that if I did ask that they would tell me no, so I thought if I just bought him with me anyway, nobody would take him away again. But I don't think mama wanted me to bring him 'cause of I had to beg her to let me bring Squigs." Abey turned his big shiny brown eyes on Junia. "But I do love Feo so much and I couldn't just leave him behind, Junebug. And I heard that people can get away with all sorts at Hogwarts, so I can probably keep him hidden, right?"

... Right?

The thing with the train, and Hogwarts alike, was people gossiping. All the time. Telling everyones business. So, before Dora ever reached the back of thE train, she had already heard people talking about the new Head Boy. And her own Prefects as well. Ha!

After peering into several compartments she finally found Colt... and stood outside for a moment. She knew that, sometimes, power changed people... and she hoped he wasn't one to be affected as such.

Smiling brightly she pulled the compartment door open and made her way inside. Plopping on the seat opposite him she just smiled and glanced down at his badge. "I already heard congratulations were in order. "

Brent hadn't visited the back of the train yet, so he figured while there was still time, he'd give it a go. He'd been in the middle a little too long, and he was started to get bored of staying in one place for such a long period of time. He weaved his way in and out of the crowd and finally found his way to the very back of the train. He figured out pretty quickly that the back wasn't much different than the front. There were still compartments after compartments full of people. At least there were different people back here, so that had to count for something.

Brent didn't figure he'd be back here long enough to occupy a compartment, so he just walked around and explored the area while looking for something cool to do. He was already kind of looking forward to the train ride home, when he'd had a full year to make friends and at least knew a group of people to hang out with. Reaching the very, very back, he turned around and began the walk back to the middle again. Maybe he'd try the front of the train next.

Junia listened thoughtfully, used to the way her cousin navigated between languages. It was something she'd also done when she was very small, something she assumed all the Botros children had done. It made her feel connected to her family somehow. Speaking of, the mention of Feo had the thirteen year old up and out of her seat, eyes wide because she was fairly certain having more than one pet at Hogwarts was forbidden. Feo, though, he wasn't really a pet. He was a part of the family. She was pretty sure there were no specific rules about bringing family along to school.

"It'll be tricky and if we're found out, you have to say he stowed away in your luggage without your knowledge. We also need some kind of plan." One to get around the whole only having one pet thing. "Maybe you can make a friend that didn't bring a pet, so if anyone asks about Feo, that friend can say he's theirs." Yeah, yeah that could work! "But it can't be just anyone, Abey. It has to be someone we can trust." Did he understand that?