There was a different type of sadness to him as he boarded the Hogwarts Express at the end of his fourth year. Truth be told, he was mourning the graduation of some of his favorite elder students - a weird thing to do since he really should have just been excited for them and the opportunities the future would be presenting them with. And yet... the sadness was there none the less.

There was also the fact that now he was headed home, his year as a fourth year student was officially to a close. It had been a good year - he'd socialized more, he'd realized more the importance of friendship and that he did in fact have those. But also... he'd given himself one year. This was the year he told himself he could relax and enjoy the social perks of student life. From here on it, his Ravenclaw heart was reminding him his studies mattered more than ever.

But he still had this train ride. Despite his newly created study guide calling to him from his bag beside him. So instead of reaching for that, he pulled out his sketchbook and some pencils to try to sketch some of the patterns he noted on the seat across him.

Front car. Back car. Middle car. Front car. Back car. Middle car. Front car... This was a dilemma. SHE COULDN’T DECIDE WHERE TO GO. Well, the actual problem was very small, but Ash was Frustrated already, and this seemed like a very big problem. She had stood immobile on the platform for who knows how long, but then someone had practically dragged her onto the train. Who? Dunno. It was all kinda hazy. But Ash had a vague memory of seeing Evan somewhere around here, so she searched the nearby compartments for him. She couldn’t find him, and she was going to give up, but maybe she’d check this last compartment. YES. HERE HE WAS. Evan, one of the few people she trusted to put up with her when she was like this. She curled up across from him with a sigh of relief, then stared moodily out the window.

...

”Hey.”

...

“What are you drawing?”

The seats were really rather boring, but there did look like some specks of lint or dust that created some interesting patterns. But nothing that he actually wanted to draw, so he gave up on that endeavor and instead pulled focused on looking out the window to draw something of what he saw out there. There were some clouds off in the distance, and if he strained his eyes he could see them juuust enough to be able to sketch out the shape.

So that's what he was attempting to do.

Hearing the compartment door open and someone come in, he turned his head to see Ash. Ah, that was good - he still hadn't had a chance to follow up and check in with her after the feast. "Hey." He glanced at the window again as her eyes went there too. "Just the clouds in the distance. That one kind of looks like an owl delivering post." He attempted to point it out, before gently closing his sketch book on the drawing which did not accurately represent.

"You okay?"