His trunk safely in the luggage compartment, Septimus made his way through the train with just his broom. It never quite fit in his trunk and who knew what kind of jostling everything got into during the ride to Hogwarts. He seemed to be one of the first ones on board, the young Ravenclaw just a little eager to get back to school. After the drama of last term followed by the happier ending, Septimus had to admit his curiosity was getting to him as he thought of what the upcoming term would bring.

Soon enough to find out.

So, reaching the middle cars he had his pick of the compartments. He walked to a random one along the left side and slide open the door. This would do just fine. The third year stashing his broom in the shelf above before collapsing into a seat by the window to people watch.

Mary didn't want to be talked to or noticed, but she had come too early to know which cars filled up quickly, so she picked an empty compartment and put on her robes and hat. She was sitting down to read her transfiguration book, a signal that she didn't want to be talked too, when the young Siamese Cat jumped on her. She held the cat away from her for a moment, quickly figuring out that she was going for the hat.

"No, Blue," she said, before pulling a toy out of her pocket and lowering out down to the cat. It eagerly grabbed the toy and started joyfully playing with it in the floor. Mary went back to reading her book, laughing quietly at the cat.

???????????????????????????????????????????????

??????????
????????????????????????

??????????????????????????????????????????????????

H O G W A R T S E X P R E S S CAN IT BE??? CAN IT? CAN IT?????

IT SURE CAN.

Because guess what, dear people of the higher dimension. RONAN EMERY WALLACE, SON OF NEVAEH AND BARTHOLOMEW WALLACE, brother of the absolute coolest NOEL and the brightest SUNNY, is ON THE TRAIN. THE TRAIN.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Also stomach aches. Because he might have eaten all the candy at home yesterday (even the ones hidden in the tallest cupboard) in preparation for the shortage in candy at school.

But??? None of that mattered. With all the energy of a medium sized interstellar star collision, Ronan NYOOOOOOOOMED back and forth across the train, yelling hello at people he knew and strangers alike, his trunk dumped and Biscuit let loose... somewhere. He'll find him. Or he'll get someone to summon him, YUP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Mary didn't want to be talked to or noticed, but she had come too early to know which cars filled up quickly, so she picked an empty compartment and put on her robes and hat. She was sitting down to read her transfiguration book, a signal that she didn't want to be talked too, when the young Siamese Cat jumped on her. She held the cat away from her for a moment, quickly figuring out that she was going for the hat.

"No, Blue," she said, before pulling a toy out of her pocket and lowering out down to the cat. It eagerly grabbed the toy and started joyfully playing with it in the floor. Mary went back to reading her book, laughing quietly at the cat.

Eventually tired of all this, popped his head inside one random compartment that had a girl that seemed to be his age. COOL. Friends?? Would she be his future best friend??? How come she's already in her robes? "Hey, I'm Ronan, have you seen Biscuit? He's my rat- HEY, make sure your cat doesn't eat him!!!!"

Mary was quite alarmed by such a hyper person. This was exactly the type of person she was trying to avoid attracting the attention of. She sighed and called for Blue, who obediently continued playing with the toy in her lap.

"She won't, she's been playing with this toy for the entire time," Mary said quietly, somewhat unable to talk any louder. She stroked the cat and went back to reading her book, hoping to signify that she did not desire to talk to him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Mary was quite alarmed by such a hyper person. This was exactly the type of person she was trying to avoid attracting the attention of. She sighed and called for Blue, who obediently continued playing with the toy in her lap.

"She won't, she's been playing with this toy for the entire time," Mary said quietly, somewhat unable to talk any louder. She stroked the cat and went back to reading her book, hoping to signify that she did not desire to talk to him.

"HUH??" had she spoken?? He saw her lips move but he hadn't heard her at all. Ronan was quite sure that he wasn't deaf, and he's almost certain one couldn't just go a bit deaf without at least feeling something. Like a tickling in your ear??

But then he noticed that she was reading a book. "Oh, what are you reading? I love to read!" and his dad was an AUTHOR, how about that RIGHT?? Super cool Ronan Wallace. Just wait until she hears who his brother is.

Mary tried not to show the annoyance in her face. He had not taken the hint. Speaking a little louder, she said, "I said he wouldn't eat your rat; I'm reading my transfiguration book, because I want to get ahead." She hadn't spoken that much louder, but he should have been able to hear her.

With that, she swiftly continued reading her book, letting Blue loose on the floor again. She doubted he would take the hint, but it was worth a chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Mary tried not to show the annoyance in her face. He had not taken the hint. Speaking a little louder, she said, "I said he wouldn't eat your rat; I'm reading my transfiguration book, because I want to get ahead." She hadn't spoken that much louder, but he should have been able to hear her.

With that, she swiftly continued reading her book, letting Blue loose on the floor again. She doubted he would take the hint, but it was worth a chance.

OH, why hadn't see SAID so then. "That's good then! .. Do you know how to find a rat? I guess I could ask someone to summon him but I'd rather just find him on my own.. he's new, I got him two months ago!" Poor Biscuit must be scared by the loud train noises and hiding somewhere. Not to worry, Biscuit! RONAN TO THE RESCUE. But.. not right now. Now he eying this girl and that's a bit more interesting than finding his rat.

"Your transfiguration book??" Ronan repeated, entirely bemused by this concept of wanting to get ahead of SCHOOLWORK. Yuck? Boring? "Don't you want to read something more interesting?" he has SO many options.

Erg. She was not going to get rid of the overly hyper boy who would not take it that she didn't want to talk. She just hoped he would go away sometime soon, but she wasn't rude enough to say so. "I do not know where your rat is. I have not seen him and I do not know where to find him," Mary said, with a slight edge of annoyance in her voice.

She was very irritated by the second statement, so she responded, "You know, the entire concept of wandwork is actually beyond interesting to someone who was raised by muggles!" She had said this louder than she had said anything else, almost at the normal voice level, which was not normal for her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Erg. She was not going to get rid of the overly hyper boy who would not take it that she didn't want to talk. She just hoped he would go away sometime soon, but she wasn't rude enough to say so. "I do not know where your rat is. I have not seen him and I do not know where to find him," Mary said, with a slight edge of annoyance in her voice.

She was very irritated by the second statement, so she responded, "You know, the entire concept of wandwork is actually beyond interesting to someone who was raised by muggles!" She had said this louder than she had said anything else, almost at the normal voice level, which was not normal for her.

He hadn't asked her if she saw Biscuit, and she's never MET Biscuit before so Ronan didn't know why she so clearly hated his rat. Biscuit's done NOTHING wrong. But maybe she just didn't like rats. Patience hadn't been a fan when he came home with Biscuit after a visit to Diagon Alley, but she very soon warmed up to him. Maybe this girl will too.

As for her next words, Ronan blinked. "I dunno, my dad's not very interested in it and he was raised by muggles too. .. He's a muggle," he added with a grin, and slipped into the compartment fully, sitting across from her. "What's your name? I'm Ronan."

Patrick slunk through the train. He had spent his first few years in the back of the train, reluctant to head back to Hogwarts. This term was different. He no longer minded heading back to Hogwarts each fall but all of the people in one contained space really grated his nerves. He was taller now, nearly towering the majority of the students, which made getting around the compartments fairly easy.

He had already made his way to the front and come back after the leadership meeting. It was strange to see the new faces in the compartment, but was less of a shock now that he was a second term captain. It felt weird. Shaking the thought from his head he took a few strides into the middle compartments away from the leadership compartment. He found an empty compartment and slid in close to the window stretching his legs out.

He let his thoughts wonder to who he would have certain classes with and if they would have crazy amount of rules this term. He was only slightly nervous but felt calm compared to the end of the feast last term. He smiled as he leaned back in his seat wondering if he would stay alone or wind up with a friend or two soon.

Mary had screwed up. Social anxiety always won out. She had no idea what to say! After several awkward minutes she said, "Well, uhh, maybe I'm just more curious than your dad, no offense to him, people just have different personalities; it's also more interesting when you know you can do it," she said, trying and failing to cover up her accident. "Oh, and my name is Mary," she added. This was going south increasingly quickly, and now he had sat in her compartment. Would he ever leave?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Mary had screwed up. Social anxiety always won out. She had no idea what to say! After several awkward minutes she said, "Well, uhh, maybe I'm just more curious than your dad, no offense to him, people just have different personalities; it's also more interesting when you know you can do it," she said, trying and failing to cover up her accident. "Oh, and my name is Mary," she added. This was going south increasingly quickly, and now he had sat in her compartment. Would he ever leave?

There was... a really long silence.

UM.

Should he go? But that would be rude right? To just kinda go just because it's quiet. Mum wouldn't like that. At long last, thankfully, she did say something and Ronan relaxed. "That's true, I like magic much more than Dad does and DAD says that everyone's different and we have to respect people even when they're not like us!" Ronan beamed at her, very very proud of 1. remembering those words, and 2. his dad for being the best dad.

"It's nice to meet you Mary!"

Phew! Mary had solved that problem. She had not screwed up her reputation just yet. Of course, this Ronan boy was still in her compartment, and hyper as ever. "It's nice to meet you too," she said, back in her normal voice range.

Just then, Blue started to sniff around underneath a seat in a certain place. Based on her activity, Mary knew that this was an animal that Blue had detected. Although the Siamese was only two months old, meaning it was not yet capable of eating any animal, she scooped blue up and held her in her lap. "There's something living under there," she said, gesturing towards the area Blue had sniffed, "it might be your rat."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Phew! Mary had solved that problem. She had not screwed up her reputation just yet. Of course, this Ronan boy was still in her compartment, and hyper as ever. "It's nice to meet you too," she said, back in her normal voice range.

Just then, Blue started to sniff around underneath a seat in a certain place. Based on her activity, Mary knew that this was an animal that Blue had detected. Although the Siamese was only two months old, meaning it was not yet capable of eating any animal, she scooped blue up and held her in her lap. "There's something living under there," she said, gesturing towards the area Blue had sniffed, "it might be your rat."

Ronan was going to ask his new friend Mary all about what house she wants to get into - not realising, of course, that she might have no idea about them - when something happened with her baby cat. Looking between Mary and the cat and then Mary again, his eyes widened as they swiveled to the spot in question.

"Are you sure?? How do you know?" but he scrambled on all fours anyway, his behind sticking up in the air, and put his cheek flat on the floor as he reached to check the space she'd gestured at. Could this be Biscuit?? Or maybe another rat? Oooh, maybe he'd find Biscuit a friend!!

She didn't want to further solidify his belief that they were friends, but it would be rude not to mention this, as he probably liked that rat as much as she liked her cat. If it was his rat, Mary understood she could never escape his overly talkative and hyper attitude.

"See, I can understand Blue's behavior very well. She almost looked hungry when she was sniffing around. Of course, I would never let her eat your or anyone's pet. Anyway, she's only 2 months old, so she can't eat anything living yet," Mary explained. She pulled a bit of kitty kibble out of her pocket and fed the cat to keep it occupied. Though she disliked Ronan, she definitely did not want his pet to be scared or hurt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

She didn't want to further solidify his belief that they were friends, but it would be rude not to mention this, as he probably liked that rat as much as she liked her cat. If it was his rat, Mary understood she could never escape his overly talkative and hyper attitude.

"See, I can understand Blue's behavior very well. She almost looked hungry when she was sniffing around. Of course, I would never let her eat your or anyone's pet. Anyway, she's only 2 months old, so she can't eat anything living yet," Mary explained. She pulled a bit of kitty kibble out of her pocket and fed the cat to keep it occupied. Though she disliked Ronan, she definitely did not want his pet to be scared or hurt.

Ronan wasn't a fan of looking under things. Just.. as a general rule. Especially if the things were dark and he didn't know what was going to be on the other side. He wasn't SCARED or anything (read: absolutely scared), this is just... being careful. Yes.

With much care, Ronan inched closer to the space with his hand. "Your cat's name is Blue? I like that name," he said from his position on the floor, and wishing she would say more so he could not be doing this. "Are you sure there's something down here? I can't... see anything..." He is, very clearly, not properly looking, but what are details to an eleven year old Wallace on a sugar rush?

Mary said a quiet thanks, and set the kitty down in her basket. She sighed and walked over to the area Ronan was in. She reached in and almost immediately pulled out a rat. She was barely holding it in her hands, and it was going to get out any minute. She did not like holding this rat.

Handing it over to Ronan, she said, "Is this one yours?"

Desiree had originally been hoping to find a nice quiet space alone, contemplate why it felt like she had been in school for a lifetime when it was really only her fifth year.. but someone caught her attention and she backtracked a bit. He looked familiar, they were in the same house after all and about her age, but she couldn't remember ever saying a word to him. Maybe contemplation could wait.

Not really knowing why she slid the compartment open and stepped in hesitantly; he was spread out a bit but seemed approachable enough- "Hi, would you mind if I joined?" gesturing at the seat across. It's not like she could use the other compartments are full excuse, it was really empty in here.

While waiting for a response she tried to get a better look, and it struck her he had an uncanny resemblance to the captain of the quidditch team. Seeing as she barely made it out of flying class alive, she wasn't all that well-versed in the sport.. Oh well, too late now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Mary said a quiet thanks, and set the kitty down in her basket. She sighed and walked over to the area Ronan was in. She reached in and almost immediately pulled out a rat. She was barely holding it in her hands, and it was going to get out any minute. She did not like holding this rat.

Handing it over to Ronan, she said, "Is this one yours?"

WHAT.

The eleven year old jumped away because 1. TINY COMPARTMENT, TOO CLOSE, and 2. D: D: D: she reached her HAND IN THERE and PULLED SOMETHING OUT what if it was an ACROMANTULA????? A SCORPION??? A snake of some sort with seven fangs and a poisonous bite and THREE HEADS??

Oh. It's... a rat. Patting himself down, Ronan - a nice, bright shade of pink now - squinted at the struggling little thing in her hands. "No, Biscuit's more gray. But maybe we can keep this one? Name it... Cracker! A friend for Biscuit!" What a marvellous idea!

Ronan was clearly scared she was going to pull something dangerous out, but Mary had a different fear: holding this thing. It was actively trying to escape her hands, and Ronan had jumped backwards instead of taking hold of it. There was a reason she had a cat instead of a rat.

"Ok. Can you take him? He, Cracker, is going to get out of my hands," Mary panicked. She squirmed a little bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

Ronan was clearly scared she was going to pull something dangerous out, but Mary had a different fear: holding this thing. It was actively trying to escape her hands, and Ronan had jumped backwards instead of taking hold of it. There was a reason she had a cat instead of a rat.

"Ok. Can you take him? He, Cracker, is going to get out of my hands," Mary panicked. She squirmed a little bit.

She wanted to have a pet with him? Ronan was a tiny bit surprised. For one, she didn't seem happy about it at ALL which he thought was very odd since pets are supposed to make people HAPPY. Doesn't her cat Blue make her happy? "Um, yeah, okay, give him here," Ronan reached out for the squirming thing and held it carefully, grinning at the tiny little head even if it squirmed in his hands too.

"Are you okay? You seem kinda scared," Ronan remarked after a beat, now noting the way her face looked. He didn't know her well - they'd only JUST met after all, he'd know his friend much better soon enough - but she didn't seem all that... relaxed. HE had been unrelaxed before, but that's only because he had been taking precautions and obviously it's got nothing to do with fear so maybe she's not afraid too. Yes. Okay.

Cracker's cute!

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I just didn't like holding it, it was probably gonna escape if you didn't take it," Mary said, relieved, "We should probably check to see if it belongs to anyone before we take it in. You know, before we name it or anything." She had originally called it Cracker just to get him to take it, as she knew they should look for it's owner first.

She went back to Blue, who was now prowling around on the floor and picked her up. "That's not your food," she said quietly to the cat. She kept the cat busy cuddling on the bench so that it wouldn't scare the rat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zannash

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I just didn't like holding it, it was probably gonna escape if you didn't take it," Mary said, relieved, "We should probably check to see if it belongs to anyone before we take it in. You know, before we name it or anything." She had originally called it Cracker just to get him to take it, as she knew they should look for it's owner first.

She went back to Blue, who was now prowling around on the floor and picked her up. "That's not your food," she said quietly to the cat. She kept the cat busy cuddling on the bench so that it wouldn't scare the rat.

Holding little Cracker - more like firecracker with the way the rat was wriggling around in his hand - Ronan nodded. And then looked SUPER, disproportionately, sad. "What?? Nooooooooo, we might have to give up Cracker??" that's the saddest thing that will ever happen to him today, more than saying goodbye to Mum and Dad and Noel and Sunny and the other two COMBINED.

Watching as Mary picked up Blue the Cat, Ronan brought Cracker the Rat to his face. "I'm sorry Cracker, but your name might not be Cracker after all because Mary says we need to look for your real owners. But I'm sure they'll let you play with Biscuit!!" The rat didn't seem to care that Ronan was deeply disappointed in this turn of events, and the eleven year old sighed before shifting to pop his head out of the compartment doors.

"ANYONE ELSE LOSE A RAT?"

Mary continued to play with Blue, really hoping that "Cracker" had an owner. Though she ask admitted to herself that she was warming up to Ronan, she still hoped that the ball of energy would be in a different house than her, so it certainly didn't help that he wanted to raise a rat with her.

She watched as people in other compartments turned their heads to see what was going on, and was suddenly glad she had someone loud enough for this with her. Not only that, but Ronan could hold the rat, something she planned not to do anytime soon. She would not have known what to do if she found the rat under the seat while she was alone.

"If nobody finds it, we should probably alert someone of it. Like the prefects maybe?" Mary knew this would further disappoint him, but it was, in fact, the right thing to do.