As she boarded the train and made her way down the aisles, Delilah Prescott gave herself a mental pep talk. She was trying her hardest to make the best first impression possible without doing something stupid like tripping and landing flat on her face. She slowed down at the first few compartments but quickly changed her mind. Sitting in the front of the train seemed like something a little kid would do which is exactly what she was, but anyway. The back of the train seemed like where all the older kids might go, too, so the middle of the train it was!

She slid open a random door and peeked inside. Oh, good. Nobody was in this one, so there wouldn't be some super awkward moment where she either turned around and left or asked if she could stay. She slid into a seat and just looked around. She'd heard this train ride was super long, and seeing as she was only eleven-years-old and knew zero people at Hogwarts, she figured she was in for a bore. Maybe she should go to the food trolley! Junk food sounded awesome on a long train ride! Plus, she wanted to get to all the good stuff before it was all sold out. She stuffed her hand into her pocket then pulled it back out with a hand full of change in it. She started counting it out to see how much her parents had given her.

Summer really had gone by far too quickly for his liking.

Evan had hoped to enjoy more of the time, see more of his friends and perhaps have spent more time doing things for fun as opposed to be stuck in his room with his study guide. He'd really intended to not spend too much time studying this summer, really he had. But every time he remembered OWLs he found his texts open in front of him as he poured over the information. He did not have high hopes for his train ride back to school being any different.

Hoisting his book bag up higher onto his shoulder, all of his books contained within instead of in his trunks, he headed from the front back in order to find himself a spot to perch for the ride. He didn't even check the front compartments, saving those for the younger years, but as he approached the middle he began to peer in. Most seemed to have at least one person here and there, but the back sounded so rowdy he found himself unwilling to go any further. So imposing on someone it would have to be.

Sliding open the closest door, Evan peered inside and noticed a younger looking student, first or second, counting coins. He pushed the door open a little wider and started to step in. "Hello. Is the rest of this compartment already full or do you mind if I join you?"

Bonnie carefully made her way along the corridor, peering in the compartments as she went. She didn’t want to sit too close to the front, what if she ended up being one of the first off the train? She didn’t know what was expected of her when they arrived ; A school for magic, one can only imagine. Some time had passed since Bonnie had found out she was a witch but the idea hadn’t quite settled with her yet. Everything seemed to be a whirlwind from finding out to buying school supplies and now she was finally on a train to Hogwarts!

Oh this will be perfect Bonnie thought sliding open the door to the empty compartment. She decided to keep her bag on the floor because..yup right on time Lola poked her head out. ’Why hello there, want to check out what’s happening do you?
Bonnie giggled as she lifted the small black and white cat out of the bag. Lola looked out the window before curling up on Bonnie’s knee. She was so glad her parents had allowed her to bring Lola with her. She was only a year old and the thought of leaving her upset Bonnie. Also it meant she’d at least have one friend before she arrived at Hogwarts. Bonnie looked out across the carriage and noted a few other students in the compartment opposite her. She hugged Lola closer and turned her head to the window.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dans_grl431

Bonnie carefully made her way along the corridor, peering in the compartments as she went. She didn’t want to sit too close to the front, what if she ended up being one of the first off the train? She didn’t know what was expected of her when they arrived ; A school for magic, one can only imagine. Some time had passed since Bonnie had found out she was a witch but the idea hadn’t quite settled with her yet. Everything seemed to be a whirlwind from finding out to buying school supplies and now she was finally on a train to Hogwarts!

Oh this will be perfect Bonnie thought sliding open the door to the empty compartment. She decided to keep her bag on the floor because..yup right on time Lola poked her head out. ’Why hello there, want to check out what’s happening do you?
Bonnie giggled as she lifted the small black and white cat out of the bag. Lola looked out the window before curling up on Bonnie’s knee. She was so glad her parents had allowed her to bring Lola with her. She was only a year old and the thought of leaving her upset Bonnie. Also it meant she’d at least have one friend before she arrived at Hogwarts. Bonnie looked out across the carriage and noted a few other students in the compartment opposite her. She hugged Lola closer and turned her head to the window.

Was Arden ready for the train? DUH. The REAL question….was if the TRAIN was ready for ARDEN. Because she had her doubts. She had said her goodbyes to her mam, dad, Milos, and Clia. Starr had gotten on without her since her mammy was teary-eyed and hugging her extraaaaa. Arden didn’t mind because any time she got extra hugs from her mam was a treat!

What her mam hadn’t expected was that Arden, to prepare for being sorted into Gryffindor (which is what she wanted most in ALL the world right now) had sprinkled red and gold glitter in her hair, going for a subtle shiny look.

However, the cap to the glitter came off, and all of the gold glitter went in her hair.

Which she had gelled to keep the glitter there.

So um. She was quite literally trailing glitter everywhere. Arden didn’t mind because glitter was LYFE but her mam had been VERY ANNOYED. The first year hopped onto the train with pep in her step and made her way down the corridor. She looked for Hoops, Parker…Yukie…even that Jasper guy from quidditch camp. But she didn’t see??? Anyone? Biting her lip, she glanced at compartments slowly filling up. There were friend groups…older kids…some prefects sliding by…and for the first time, she felt nerves in the pit of her stomach. And the youngest child side of her wanted to run right back out to her mam. More hugs? Homeschooling might still be nice, right?

But she took a deep breath and walked into the first compartment she saw with someone who looked equally as alone as she felt.

“HI!” She waved and BEAMED at the girl. “My name’s Arden, I’m a first year, and I am hAPPY to be here!” She bounced a little, gold glitter dusting the ground as she did.

Christianna Rivers swiftly made her way through the the train corridors, with a very determined expression on her face. Having just successfully purchased herself a sweet treat from the food trolley, she felt it was time to locate an available compartment and MUNCH the train ride away on snacks because well she was hungry OBVIOUSLY and because it was also smart to replenish one's energy...so...yes..

...Mhm..That's what she was going with...

The pink-haired teen had taken notice of how busy the front and back of the train compartments were already filling up, so she had to act FAST as she made it to the middle compartments. Immediately letting out a sigh of relief noticing that there was plenty of available compartments and she was fortunate enough to claim an empty one as she slipped inside.

Claiming one of the seats, she giggled to herself as she pulled out her purchased treat, which if anyone knew her, it was of course none other than her all time FAVOURITE treat: LICORICE WANDS! And she was not going to waste anymore time clearly as she was seen munching away like a little girl at Sugarplum's. But NOT before giving some to her trusty PINK companion Cotton, the world's BEST Pygmy Puff, who was happily perched on her shoulder! Letting out a content sigh, ah yes, fifth year was already off to a great start.

SO ready to not think about....certain things..

Delilah finished counting her coins and stuffed them back into her pocket. She had no idea if the amount she had was enough to buy a little bit of candy or a lot. She'd never been to the food trolley before. Just as she did so, she heard the compartment door slide open, and she looked up to see...well, someone she didn't know, because she didn't know anyone here. Literally everyone was a fresh face.

She peered around the compartment, which looked like it could hold maybe six to eight people. "No, just me. I don't even know anybody else to share a compartment with," she commented. Then she realized how lame that sounded. Oh, well. She was a first year. She had an excuse. "You want to sit?" She was surprised than an older student wanted to sit with a younger student. Regardless, she found herself sort of happy that this whole eight hour or so ride wouldn't be spent alone. At least not for some of it. "I'm Delilah."

IT WAS HAPPENING!!!!!!!!

Mozart had had a really good cry in both the arms of his mother and father on the platform and pleaded with them to please just leave so he couldn’t find a window to watch out of and cry some more. He needed to be grown up and independent and pressing your face against a window and sobbing was not the best way to make a first impression. He had no idea if they had left actually, but telling himself that they were gone made it a million times easier to BURST onto the train with his satchel of snacks and leap his way past a busy first few compartments towards the middle of the train.

”HALLOOOOOOOO ANYONE WANT TO SHARE SNACKS AND PLAY TRAIN BINGO?!” He had empty cards that needed filling up and snacks to get eating.

Gazing out the window, Bonnie’s thoughts began to wander. She was still in disbelief this was actually real and not a dream she was going to wake from any moment. After walking through a wall (which was mad enough itself) she found herself surrounded by other kids all excited to be heading off to school.

Distracted with her thoughts, Bonnie almost didn’t notice Lola lift her head from her knee. Following her gaze she realised she was no longer alone. There was a very excited looking girl waving at her and..what is that? Is it glitter?! The girl’s hair appeared to be shimmering gold.

‘Hi, my name is Bonnie.’She wondered if it would be rude to mention the girls hair. What if someone had done this to her, she didn’t want to draw attention to it. Regardless, whether it was intentional or not Bonnie still thought it looked cool. She loved glitter and sequins and anything that sparkled.
‘By the way, I love your hair. It’s so sparkly and festive I wish I could pull something like that off’ Bonnie smiled.

Bram was normally a back of the train type of person, but it was so packed back there and in the front that he decided to head for the middle. The middle seemed to be much calmer, and right now he needed calm.

Despite being a fifth year student, this was his first year at Hogwarts. He had been homeschooled up until this year because his mother was worried about sending him to Hogwarts with all the insane things happening there in the recent years...especially the most recent battle. But with his father's untimely passing, his mother had to go back to work as a healer to make ends meet, which in turn meant that he had to go to Hogwarts.

He hated leaving his mum and sister today, but he knew it would be for the best. Hopefully this term would be better than the past.

Bram quickly found an empty compartment. He tossed his satchel into a seat and gently placed his Tawny Owl Angus' cage into the luggage rack above him. He was ready for Hogwarts. Bram plopped down in a seat and propped his legs up on the seat across from him, pulling a sandwich out of his satchel. Hey...bro's gotta eat, yo!

Moose got up from his original compartment and moved through the train corridor. Sometimes you just need to get up and move around. So that's what he did to stretch his feet. He would look into some open compartments to see who was in them. None of them barely even interesting enough to his taste in people. Dull, boring, lame, uninteresting...Whoa...That's a TON of Pink... That couldn't be?! Was it? "Don't you ever think there could be too much Pink on one person?" He said as he stepped into her compartment. Saying just the right words to see if it would egg her on.

He moved to the opposite side of the compartment and sat down to look at her with his glaring stare. Then he spotted it. "What is That thing on your shoulder?!" It looked like some kind of living pink puffball. Yeah this was definitely Christianna Rivers.

There she was, happy living her life with her licorice wands as any girl might feel as she watched the passing scenery the world had to offer outside go by. Yes, life was certainly good. Well, for at least those few moments when she suddenly heard the sound of an all too familiar voice she recognized instantly by his first syllable.

Instantly rolling her eyes as she slowly turned away from the window to look over at one Moose Stover as he peered into her compartment with the his usual level of probing for a fight. Not to mention, knowing all too well he wouldn't be leaving as he made his way into the compartment with her. Already glaring at him before he even sat down as she responded in an icy tone to his rude comment, "And do you ever think that my decisions are not meant to be for your approval? Especially MY hair.." Honestly, who did he think he was?!

Then looking a littleb baffled as Christianna heard his RUDE and INSULTING question about Cotton perched on her shoulder. She scoffed, SO offended as she defended her boy, "That thing has a name, and his name is Cotton! And he's NOT an IT! You've never seen a Pygmy Puff before?!" Shaking her head as she turned to look at her dopey looking companion, "It's alright Cotton, you just ignore the mean and rude boy.."

HAPPY HIPPGRIFFS, HE WAS GOING TO HOGWARTS.

He’d done his waiting… 11 years of it… in Azkaban Birmingham. The incessant bubbling feeling in his stomach was becoming uncomfortable, so naturally, he followed the kid who was offering snacks. Although, he’d perhaps pass on the train bingo, whatever that was. Hopefully the kid had the decent kinds and nothing sour. Who was he kidding? Amos would take ANYTHING. His insides were already on a complete sugar high but his face was the picture of calm and collected.

Straight faced. Bored. Resting face. Whatever you wanted to call it.

“What kind of snacks you got?” Amos slid one of the compartment doors open and made himself somewhat comfortable.

His heart was racing as the train was preparing to depart. OHHMGLFKFNSGOSH, HE WAS GOING TO HOGWARTS AT LAST. He may have let out a small and discreet squeak, followed by a straight faced stare at the fellow student.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dans_grl431

Gazing out the window, Bonnie’s thoughts began to wander. She was still in disbelief this was actually real and not a dream she was going to wake from any moment. After walking through a wall (which was mad enough itself) she found herself surrounded by other kids all excited to be heading off to school.

Distracted with her thoughts, Bonnie almost didn’t notice Lola lift her head from her knee. Following her gaze she realised she was no longer alone. There was a very excited looking girl waving at her and..what is that? Is it glitter?! The girl’s hair appeared to be shimmering gold.

‘Hi, my name is Bonnie.’She wondered if it would be rude to mention the girls hair. What if someone had done this to her, she didn’t want to draw attention to it. Regardless, whether it was intentional or not Bonnie still thought it looked cool. She loved glitter and sequins and anything that sparkled.
‘By the way, I love your hair. It’s so sparkly and festive I wish I could pull something like that off’ Bonnie smiled.

Arden had made up her mind. She would be sitting in THIS compartment for the train ride, therefore making a totally new friend. “Bonnie! It is very nice to meet you.” At the other girl’s next words, though, Arden scooted her trunk in front of her and knelt next to it to open it up. “I don’t think I can get my trunk up above us, so…I’ll keep it down here. I like to get my stuff in and out anyway,” she said as she dug around, messing up her mother’s beautiful clothes folding.

OH WELL.

“You like my hair? I have the bottle with me..I LOVE glitter. It’s my FAVORITE.” AHA! She pulled out the gold glitter bottle and gave it a shake. Without checking that the lid was on because when did Arden ever learn her lessons? “I didn’t mean to put THIS much. Luckily I have big hair,” she said. Currently her blonde curly hair was hanging loose. She had inherited her father’s very puffy hair. Where had the blonde come from? WHo knew. Her Welsh side, maybe????

Violet could never make up her mind which section of the train was best to sit in, so she usually wound up somewhere in the middle. She looked briefly into several cars, didn't see anyone she particularly knew in any of them, and so pushed her way through the door of a (mostly) empty car. "Hi, mind if I join you," she said absently, but she had already stowed her book bag under the opposite seat and placed a large cage containing an irate-looking magpie on the seat next to the one she set herself down in.

Pulling out a notebook from her bag and a pencil from behind one ear, she was immediately absorbed in reading, and occasionally making marks or corrections, something written in the notebook. Gradually, though, she became aware of another person in the car with her, an older boy who only looked a little younger than her, but someone she couldn't remember seeing anywhere at Hogwarts before. She had a flash of memory of how awkward she had felt, coming back to school a year behind everyone after her escapade in her second year. So she pushed through her usual social awkwardness and ventured a conversational opening. "Are you new to Hogwarts?" she asked him. Oh, brilliant conversational opener, Blackthorne! "Or..it's just, I don't recall ever seeing you in class before."

‘Arden,’ Bonnie repeated. ‘That’s a lovely name, it’s nice to meet you too.’
She watched as the girl rummaged through her trunk. ‘Do you need some help to get your trunk up there?’
Arden looked about the same age as Bonnie but she was sure between the pair of them they’d manage.

As Arden held up the bottle of gold glitter, Bonnie’s eyes widened.‘Are you kidding me? I LOVE it!’ She beamed.
‘Id never have known you’d used more than planned, I think it looks perfect!’ Bonnie self consciously tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Ugh her hair was so boring, it was in two Dutch braids her mother had insisted on doing for her this morning. She could hear her now, ‘It’s important to make a good impression Bonnie, you don’t want to arrive looking like you’ve been dragged through a bush’.

Walking with a purpose, that purpose being getting away from her younger brothers she decided they would likely camp out in the back of the train causing a ruckus and being obnoxious overall.

Sighing she moved further into the middle train cars letting her curls bounce and trying to let her younger sister find new friends too. It was weird enough last year with her sister at Hogwarts, but add in her twin heathen brothers it would be even worse. Oh she really hoped that they wouldn't embarrass her, or at least not that bad.

Glancing into a few train cars here and there she found an empty one and took up the seat by the window glancing out of it. Her legs propped on the opposite seat she was hoping that she'd survive the term and maybe, just maybe she would be able to pass her NEWTs. twirling a curl she tried to keep herself calm and relaxed before arriving at the castle.

He scoffed at her. Look at her hoarding even more of the Licorice Wands. How ridiculous. Their glaring contest commenced. "Oh..I'm sorry. I guess I can't ask you a reasonable question." He said sarcastically. "I suppose I'm not allowed to voice my opinions. I was gonna say it was a good look on you, but sure let's just get right too it, shall we?!" Which is fine with him. He enjoyed their spats.

She had done pink before, he liked her in pink. Pink really wasn't even that bad of a color. It was just a brighter version of Red.

"No. Maybe... I don't know.... Pidgeypoofs" It was hard to remember so many magical creatures. It was one of his worst subject after all. He at least knew of SOME creatures that were written about from fictional muggle authors...but a Piggypluff was NEVER written about before. " 'Abandon Absolutes'... " ...Right kid?

"I'm not rude!" He retorted angrily. Why did no one believe him when he said he wasn't rude!? "I bet you, Cotton would LOVE to sit on my shoulder, as much as your own." There wasn't anything particular he had to know about Pink Fuzzy Furballs did he?

Bram had just finished chewing the last bite of his sandwich, when a girl burst into the car, disrupting his solitude. He knew it wouldn't last for long but, and was honestly surprised it took so long for someone to join him. He quickly swallowed and removed his feet from the seat opposite him before the girls sat down. "Uh, Don't mind at all." He said in his lilting Scottish accent.

Before he could make polite conversations, she had pulled out a notebook and was scribbling in it. So much for making new friends. He sighed quietly to himself and looked out the window. Then, just as she abruptly burst into the car, she started talking. Bram quickly turned his head back in her direction. He gave her a small smile.

"Yes, I am new. I was homeschooled my first four years. I'll be a fifth year. So, yeah, you wouldn't have seen me in classes before." He leaned forward and put out his hand for her to shake. "My name is Bramble, but you can call me Bram." It wasn't awkward to shake people's hands...was it?

In truth, that was something Evan never knew much about either. It was not often he'd spend anything at the trolley, much preferring to bring his own. He just imagined it was cheaper to buy in bulk at the shops in Diagon Alley as opposed to individual candies on the train. Did he have the evidence to back that? Not in the slightest. Receiving permission to join, he moved further into the compartment to snag himself a seat and settle in for the long ride.

Hearing her admission that it was open and she didn't know enough people to fill the space, he gave a small smile and a nod in understanding. At least she had the excuse of being younger. His issue was just he did not seem to have the ability to keep friends. But... that was okay, or so he told himself, since it was OWL year and good marks were his only current focus. "Is this your first term going to Hogwarts?" Plenty of people transferred, she could have been a second or a third year as well so he was trying not to assume too much. He'd already sat but he still offered a "Thank you" at her invitation to do so. Manners were always a good thing to possess, came in handy with most of the Professors. "Nice to meet you, Delilah. I'm Evan. You excited to be going to Hogwarts?"

Well she wouldn't have to hoard the licorice wands (WHICH SHE WASN'T), if someone didn't selfishly buy all of the licorice wands for himself when they were younger. And she didn't buy all of them, because you know, she's considerate to other students who also like to enjoy licorice wands.

"And what makes you think that that's a reasonable question, Moose Stover?" Now it would appear it was her turn to scoff now, "Well you certainly had an odd way of going about voicing your opinions, more so like you were imposing your opinions on me. And if you thought it looked good, WHICH I KNOW IT DOES, then why not just say that from the beginning?!" Honestly, boys were so strange.

Christianna was well aware she had done pink before, and he knew that it was her favourite colour, so it really shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone that she would revert back to her signature. And she may have had a different reaction if he had said that to her, but alas, that was not the case.

Looking at him unimpressed, "Now you know that I did not say, Pidgeypoofs, Moose.." That would've been surprising to know that that wasn't his strongest subject, she rather enjoyed the it though she did have to agree there was a lot of different kinds of creatures and their names to remember, so could understand that.

Her expression barely changing as he'd shouted that he wasn't rude, which SURE MOOSE. "After the way you insulted him by calling him a thing? I couldn't even imagine him doing such a thing as sitting on your shoulder now. Besides, you're too far away and he's grown accustomed to MY shoulder.." So there.

Still in shock that one of the older kids randomly chose her as their compartment mate, Delilah sat in silence for a few seconds. Finally, she nodded in reply to his question. "Yeah, I'm a first year. It's my first term going anywhere actually," she said. As an afterthought, she added, "Homeschooled until now." In a way, she was kind of relieved that her mom had chosen to homeschool her. This way, Delilah had been exposed to a little bit of magic (although in theory only) and wouldn't be arriving at Hogwarts looking and acting like a complete and total newbie.

"Oh, yeah," she said, replying to his last question. "I've pretty much been waiting on this day for years. My mom's a witch. Dad's a muggle. We weren't even sure I'd have magic abilities until this one day at the park." Now that had been a day to remember, and thankfully all the muggles had blamed it on the non-existent wind. "So what year are you in?" she asked, trying to move along the conversation. He was at least a fourth year. Maybe even a sixth year.

Violet smiled back and returned his handshake, properly, as she'd been taught (not too weak, not too strong). It was nice to meet someone who observed the niceties, and to tell the truth, she'd gotten rather lax the past few years at school. And...he had a rather lovely accent of some sorts--Scots, she thought.

"Well...it can be a little taxing at first fitting in when you're new, or haven't been around for a few years--I missed my second year and had to do it over, and I felt like everyone I'd met before had moved on. But if you make yourself talk to people, at meals and in classes, you'll probably make friends in no time." Especially if you're not as socially awkward as Violet was--every time she initiated social interactions like this it was an effort, but worth it--hadn't she finally made a couple of friends by doing just that?

His was face was turning red, but this was fine. This was all he wanted around her anyways. "It's hard to impose an opinion on you. So I could give you my opinions without needing to worry you'd care about them anyways!" Was it really an imposing opinion if the person he was giving it didn't care about them at all, and in fact argued against his opinion at every moment. "There SEE!? If you already know your Hair is stunning when it's pink, why should I bother telling you something you know? There were plenty more and better things I could compliment you about. Hence Why I asked my original Question!" also because he knew it would touch a nerve ,and it did. So it worked.

"Pygmy Puffs. Fine whatever." It looked weird, but yeah...it looked cute too. "Do they all come as pink as you do, or are there varieties?" He raised an eyebrow at her. Wanting to see how she'd react.

"I only called Cotton a thing because I didn't know what HE was. There happy? Moose even used the Plimbyboofs name.

He stood up from across her then plopped down on the same seat beside her with the creature on her shoulder directly next to his own. "That's one problem solved." How difficult would it really be to let a small pink puffball sit on someone else's shoulder for a minute or two?

Summer walked down the train corridor, she was very nervous, last night when she had gone to bed, she had eagerly got her stuff ready and packed her trunk, but now saying goodbye to her parents this morning and realising just how long terms are, she was kind of feeling a little sad.

At least there were a few students she knew, but she hadn't been able to find them, even Desiree who she had known since she was little wasn't anywhere to be seen. So here she was walking and looking for a nice place to sit until they got to Hogwarts.

After a few moments, she found an empty compartment and she walked into it, putting her stuff away, she sat down and stared out of the window, trying to imagine if what everyone had told her about the castle was real, was it really so huge that even now people were finding new rooms.