Forrest just had the time to nod at her Headmistress question before he saw the F-animal. He heard her alright, but he was too occupied scratching himself to answer her properly. Normally, he could control the scratching after a few seconds but he KNEW it was there and the vision was too vivid to let him think something else. His neck and left arm was all red, but that was the least of his problems. As he couldn't see her, he just heard her footsteps and knew she was going away. She probably thought he was awkward and didn't want to be his best friend anymore. He'd lost his BESTIE all because of--oh, she wasn't going away. He opened his eyes, even though he didn't remember closing them tightly. He held her hand tightly and not tightly--he didn't want to hurt her, but he also had to hold them to stop scratching.

"The--your--" He looked at her in panic. He couldn't just use the word, but she had to know. He hoped she wouldn't laugh. "Your--not the owl but--" He faintly pulled at her hands to free his. He just had to scratch his legs, please? "Don't know why but this happens when I think of them." That was the best explanation he could give without fainting. He slowly got to his feet, still holding her hands. He was afraid she would run away from him because of his stupid itching if he let go of her hands. He wanted to explain to her that he was really a nice kid, that she shouldn't fear him, but all he could do was staring into her eyes beggingly.

Good job she was a tough little nut, because he was holding on TIGHTLY. Not so tightly that she felt her hands were going to drop off or something, but tightly enough that she knew she couldn't pull free without using lots of force. She didn't want to break free, anyway, because this was her best friend and he seemed to need this - so that he wouldn't scratching. Scratching was bad, she'd told him, just like her Mum had told her long ago.

Though she hadn't been so nice about it. SAD!FACE.

Bristol looked at her bestie in confusion as he tried to get the words out. "It's okay, take your time," she nodded and smiled encouragingly at him. She herself was calming now after the shock of his outburst and she could see the situation in a slightly different light. If it was anyone else she possibly would have just walked away with her pets, but this was Forrest and she needed to be here for him, obviously. Her Daddy had told her that you could never leave your best friends, even if you wanted to and now she understood just what he meant.

Distractedly, Bristol glared at some passersby that were staring and mentally shooed them away. Unhelpful strangers. She turned back to Forrest and smiled again, in a gentle way. "OH. I see. Does it help if I keep him covered," she asked, also avoiding using the name/type of her beloved pet. Just then, she felt a slight tug at her hands and looked down, frowning slightly, "if I let go, will you scratch?" This was important, because if he said yes, she was prepared to hold his hands to stop him from scratching all the way on the train. If that's what it took. Part of him were already red and sore from scratching, she couldn't let that happen more. OH. Now he was standing up and still holding onto her hands and looking at her in a .. hopeful-desperate-something way. She didn't know what exactly his eyes were asking, so she just stood there and smiled, squeezed his hands reassuringly and willed him to stop thinking about her pets and the scratching.

Did it work?

She was still there, although she was looking around. Forrest didn't have to look around to know there were people staring at them. It happened every time, so it got boring after a while. His clever brother Oliver's idea that he should wear a banner of warning didn't sound so silly after all. But Bristol was still here. That encouraged him. Maybe it wasn't so bad to scratch at the f-animal... another strong urge to scratch all over made him wince slightly, and it didn't help when she mentioned it.

"Just--don't mention it," he breathed. He didn't care whether it was covered or not, he was fine as long as he didn't know about it even if it stood right next to him. He breathed deeply now that he had calmed a little. Holding her hands were soothing.

... but she wanted to let go of his hands. He panicked, but tried his best not to show it on his face. He didn't want to, really, but he knew he had to, at one point. She'd stuck with him this far. Surely she wouldn't run away now?

"I won't," he promised after a moment, and even tried to meet her smile with his own. "Thanks for helpin'." Could she see the gratitude?

Don't mention it? Did that mean she could even agree to that because then she'd be mentioning that she wouldn't be mentioning it? Did she even make sense anymore? If Dee was here she'd be all logical and intelligent and non-confusing, but part of her was glad that Dee wasn't here, because Forrest was her best friend and .. she didn't want to share him, though she she'd have to. "Alright." Let's change the subject. "I forgot to ask you earlier; have you met Dee? She's by twin sister." Not identical, if that even mattered.

"Okay. Good," she said and slowly released him hands.

There.

No scratching, right?

"What are best friends for?" She grinned and just .. grinned. Of course she'd help him, it came with the title of best friend, didn't it? And it was what she'd want him to do it their situations were reversed. Not that they would be, because she didn't have allergies or reactions like that, that she knew of, anyway. Maybe reading. Could you be allergic to that? Or maybe she just didn't like it. That was it.

Forrest shoved his hands as far as they would go in his jeans' pockets when she let go, and eyed her somewhat worriedly. But she didn't go away. Instead, she was talking normally... she was mentioning being 'besties'... she was grinning... relief washed over him like a tsunami and he grinned back. His whole face was a big grin, actually, because his eyes shared the joy too. She was his best friend. He wanted to show her his gratitude, but he couldn't find a sane way. Instead, she spoke again and saved him from acting stupid.

His body wasn't fully relaxed, but he didn't look tense either. He exclaimed an "Oh?" So that was Dee. Her twin. He shook his head somewhat shyly. He was still overwhelmed with gratitude and shame, so he wasn't acting his happy self around her.

"Can I--can I meet her?" He promised he wasn't going to scratch.

Bristol watched the way he moved carefully. He still seemed quite stressed and a little tense, but she didn't bring it up, because that make him MORE tense and that would be ... counterproductive. Big word. Instead, she just smiled and went on with what she was saying.

.............. wait, what?

He wanted to meet her? "Sure you can! Now or .. ?" she asked and tilted her head, pretending in her head that everything was normal when really it was more like this: rthjmndbfngsf. Forrest was her best friend and she wasn't sharing, nope. Buuuuuut Dee was her sister and she loved her and was nice to her. Forrest was a nice thing and she was supposed to share nice things with her. RIGHT? Right. Bristol didn't want to be one of those selfish types that was controlling, so .. she'd just have to hope that Forrest wouldn't like Dee more and want to be her best friend instead.

"I think she's over there," she said and pointed towards the direction Dee and gone off in.

Forrest paused to think. Would she be willing to introduce her twin to an itching boy? He didn't think so. His heart sank at the thought. "Erm... whenever you want," he answered, unable to meet her eyes. He followed her finger and saw the girl. He remembered her luggage at that moment.

"After we carry your bags onboard?" They couldn't leave the bags there unattended, and he didn't want to drag... that thing... to everywhere they went.

OH. "Yeah, I'll take ... these," she said and pointed at her cloak covered cages and one of her small trunks. "Could you take this one?" Bristol pushed the slightly-larger-but-still-small trunk over to him and grinned. After taking the luggage to where it needed to be, then Forrest could meet Dee and also they would be free of any other extra weight and a certain little hoppy creature that caused her best friend discomfort.

"Where do they go?"

Clueless first year over here.

His hands curled into a fist when he glanced at the covered animals, but he didn't scratch anywhere. Instead, he grabbed the one she indicated and tried to grin reassuringly. Well, at least she was communicating. That meant she didn't hate him or thought he was someone to be avoided. It lifted his spirits to think so, and he walked slightly ahead of her to the other end of the train.

"There's a luggage compartment," he said, not turning to face her. He didn't want to see the cages.

"Lead the way," she said and followed as her best friend did just that.

Józsua had made his own way to the station this morning. He didn't even need to insist on it. In fact, he was pretty sure his Aunt had no intention whatsoever of seeing him off considering she was still in bed when he left. ..But that suited him down to the ground; there was nothing more embarrassing than having to sit on a train full of strangers and wave and grin out the window like a complete idiot. This was better. This way he could get on the train and get settled for the journey without looking like a numpty in front of his new peers.

His older brother had offered to help with his trunk and, although getting it across London the muggle way had been a struggle what with the overcrowded, packed to the rafters tubes and Londoners who disregarded personal space and in some cases, personal hygiene, and ALLL the steps, Józsua, with his steely, stubborn, resolve had managed it alone.

Second most embarrassing thing after waving to your thirty-something-Aunt from the train was Enre showing up and sticking out like a GIANT sore thumb.

He pulled his trunk along the platform and paused outside one of the carriages, DIRECTLY in front of a girl he hadn't even seen (the Londoners lack of spacial-awareness was catching it seemed). He peered in the window and reached up to wipe his brow with the back of his arm.

“I'm not sitting with a bunch of first years..” He mumbled to himself in half American drawl.

So this was it... Her final time coming to this station to go to Hogwarts. She didn't mind that no this term was going to alright she hoped, but she was beyond nervous for the term for many reasons. Responsibilities, NEWTS, Quidditch, but none of that compared to not having a certain claw, well former claw with her. Glancing over at Ethan she held tightly to his hand. As she walked Minerva fidgeted nervously with her necklace.

Eyes darting around the busy platform seeing people she knew and people she didn't. She hoped the train would be late. It was never late, could it be late just this once. She needed more time, her summer hadn't been long enough. That stay at St. Mungos took time away from their summer and now she was going to have to be away from him. She wondered when the first Hogsmeade weekend was already wanting it to come.

Feeling movement at her shoulder she glanced at Fluffy seeing the Pygmy Puff bounce a bit with excitement. "At least one of us is excited." Not that she wasn't excited for classes to start. She had always been ready for classes. It was the nerves of new things and the anxious feeling she was getting knowing she was going to be alone at school. She knew she had friends, plenty of friends to lean on, but it just wasn't the same.

He didn't want this and it showed on his face. Maybe if he radiated all of this negativity, people wouldn't talk to him. His mother always said no one wanted to talk to a grump. Lennox's eyes glanced around the station. He took in everyone else's appearances knowing darn well that he stuck out like a sore thumb. For starters, he wasn't super chatty and excited like everyone ELSE seemed to be. Plus, no one else seemed to be the owner of wonderful dread locks AND no one seemed brave enough to wear a leopard print top with such pride.

He was an individual, what could you say?

Lenny's arms folded across his chest, waiting for something to happen. What was that something? He didn't know but right now nothing was going on. He didn't like nothing and was bored. The train needed to hurry, darn it.

Oh, Gemini was getting attention now, it seemed?

Elodie smiled as Cassia crouched to him and stuff. "That's my Gemini, yeah." Had she have been in a storytelling mood, she would have divulged the whole toad time of Gemini's life, but alas she wasn't, and instead she was in the mood to just grin at her cat sleeping. "He's so lazy." She stated, rolling her eyes a little. Bloody lazy cat and his sleeping patterns were crazy and pathetic and ugh, animals. FIVE?! Els stared at the other fifth year and shook her head in disbelief. "Five of them?!?! Do you have another for school?" Five...wow. That was.. wow. She gave a last glance to her own cat and considered what five of him would be like.

A lot of damn hard work, that was what.

She had found her trunk, ah good. Els grinned, and then laughed at the further explanation. "A someone?" A soemeone could be anyone, though. Anyone here, which..was adults and children and animals and whatever some of the older people were. Grandparents? Coat stands? No idea. NO IDEA WHATSOEVER. But..Els supposed that someone was still living and things. A trunk couldn't KILL someone at all. Right? She'd assess her own trunk later.

For murderous ways.

............... Exams. Ew. Thanks, Cassia. Elodie pulled a face and sighed. "I am so not looking forward to those." Or the studying for them. That was going to be killer. She'd just make Coul help her like she'd helped him for his. THAT was what boyfriends were supposed to do.

Because her brother was seriously taking foreverrrrrr just to get himself some food, Schuyler decided to take a walk down towards the other end of the platform. She had been getting pretty bored just standing there, awaiting the arrival of the train.

As her eyes landed on a particular someone, her footfalls stopped.

...............

Was this for real? Oh, who cared!

"LENNY!" Beaming, the fifteen-year-old rushed over to her friend, dropped her trunk, and threw her arms around him. Squeeeeeze. She pulled back, her expression incredulous, to double check that this was indeed Lennox. And it was! "What in the world are you doing here?!" Why wasn't he back at Salem? Could he maybe, possibly, actually be going to Hogwarts, too?

Okay, he heard his name. The fact that he heard his name alarmed him. He hadn't met anyone yet so HOW did anyone know his name? Were they mind readers? Oh, maybe there was another Lenny at this school. Ugh, Lenny didn't like that thought. He liked being the ONLY Lenny, it was HIS name not anyone else's.

Regardless of the thoughts going inside his head, he turned around. Lennox's eyes doubled in size, a grin stretching out on his face. Forgetting the fact that he was trying to look cool, he opened his arms up for a hug.

"I could easily ask the same thing to YOU, you know!"Because he was pretty positive she never said anything about going to a new school. PRETTY sure meaning he very well could have easily forgotten her mentioning anything. He decided to stop with the whole mysterious not giving answers thing he had going on and just answer her question. "Parents wanted me to have a fresh start."He shrugged.

He didn't want a fresh start but then again, this wasn't about what LENNY wanted. Meh.

Hand grasping hers, Ethan walked alongside Minerva onto the platform, trying to keep the smile on his face. He wasn't about to miss escorting her to the train for the last time, his last chance to say goodbye as he wouldn't see her for at least a month until the first Hogsmeade weekend. But he tried to push those thoughts out of his head for now and focus on making their last moments together happy ones.

It amazed him how fast this summer had flown by, so much faster it seemed than the last couple were they had been so busy. And now it had come to an end with school starting again. In a way he was a little excited to be starting off on new adventures, but he couldn't help but be sad that his favorite person wouldn't be there with him. At least he could share the details of his experiences with her. "You have your mirror with you, right?" he asked, realizing he had probably already asked her that at least a couple times. That was the one thing that was going to help him survive until the next time he could see her.

One might think he was going off on the train as well with all that he was carrying - messenger bag strap slung across his shoulder with a couple packages tucked inside for her, a rather large teddy bear tucked under his arm, and a new broom bought as an early birthday present grasped in his other hand. Things that were hers, things that he needed to see her off with.. and he figured he might have to help her board her luggage, not wanting to think about someone might have to help her unload it once at school. Shaking himself from these thoughts, Ethan turned to look at her as they stopped to wait for the train, giving her a small smile and not yet ready to say goodbye.

Schuyler giggled and shook her head. "I told you I wasn't going back to Salem." Seems like that went in one ear and out the other. Not that Ky cared at all, she was simply happy that he was here. It was still settling in her mind. One of her eyebrows quirked up. "A fresh start? That's weird. Are your parents still back in the states?" Lennox didn't exactly seem all too thrilled about his school switcheroo.

She tugged on one of his dreads. "These look longer." And for LOOKING like such an I-don't-have-to-do-anything-to-my-hair kind of hairstyle, dreadlocks actually were kind of a lot of work. When you were trying to start them out at least. "Also, compliments on the gold and leopard print get-up." Most likely, there wasn't another witch or wizard here who could pull that off.

Yup, she was right! That was her cat. See, the snake was good at guessing.

And she was used to the surprised reaction. Cassia nodded knowingly, she didn't blame people who were surprised. "Mhhmm. They were only two you know," She started, "Then they had three kittens," And they were adorbs! Needless to say as all kittens were! The other question. Not many asked that, but Cassia liked people who did because it meant that they were smart enough to figure that she liked cats so it only meant that she'd have a cat as a school pet. Only she didn't. "I wish I did, my cats are too spoiled and I don't think they'll like it at the castle," Royals cats I tell you. "I have an owl. But he's evil," Her eyebrows furrowed at the mention of her owl. That awful creature that probably was hooting and screeching in its cage. Not that she cared!

Maybe someone or some creature would get angry at it and like kill it? She'd fake sadness for an hour or so then move on and bring one of her cats!

Seeing the laugh, Cassia assumed that Elodie understood the situation regarding the stuck trunk and what sequences it might have caused. Cool girl there who didn't need lots of words to get the idea. The snake liked those. Because saying too much usually made that thing not so cool. Especially if it had anything to do with someone not making it. For all they knew, MLEs would be lurking undercover then BAM the two fifth-years are shipped to Azkaban. NOPE! Thank you, they kinda wanted to graduate.

Yeah, she was a paranoid kid.

"I don't think anyone is." For the exams that is. "Except maybe some Ravenclaws," Just a guess there. The eagles sure liked to study and all. Cassia had lots of friends and she liked hanging out with them because it feels like their smartness would rub off on her. Or so she hoped. So she already decided that she'd be attached to both Blue and Dora.

"Other than that, being fifth year is quite cool!" She cared about titles a lot. Obviously. "We're older than half the school," They get to have minions! YAY!

The sweets he had bought were bursting out of his pockets and he had great difficulty walking with them, but he somehow managed to go as far as the South End. He had intended to buy from every brand to try them out. His money was only enough to buy half of them, so he'd bought anything he could and stuck them into every pocket-y thing on his jeans. The result? One fair-haired boy, bending down at every step to pick up the sweet that had just falled from his pockets, and more fell at every step. He didn't look stressed about it though. In fact, he looked content. He was going to eat them all either way, so he didn't mind bending down to collect them.

"I think you missed one!"

Ella had been wandering the platform, anxiously awaiting the trains arrival, when she spotted one of her favorite ickle Hufflepuffs dropping candy as if he was leaving a trail for her to follow. He was doing a good job picking up after himself but the blonde couldn't help but smile at the forgotten one. She couldn't let that one go unnoticed.

Walking over to the younger boy, she held the sweet out to him and smiled warmly, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair. "Hi Forrest!" BEAM. It was good to see him, y'know? Plus she was hoping he wasn't cross with her for the whole flying lessons thing. The offer still stood if he wanted the help.

Forrest halted half bent and kept that posture for a second to make sure that was addressed at him. He then got straight and turned abruptly at Ella with a warm smile on his face. Since the elephant and muggleborn conversation, she had been his idol. He was happy to see her.

"Hello," he greeting somewhat shyly, because idols were better than him and he had to be extra careful with what he said not to disappoint her. He eyed the sweet in her hand. It was Crunch Original. He shrugged. "You can eat it." Because he had like six more sweets. "But thanks anyway."

............silence.

He was cute, Forrest was. The blonde continued smiling at him and tilted her head at what he said. "I can, really?" Well that was nice of him. She was tempted to refuse because it was probably frowned upon to take sweets from smaller kids but he'd given it to her willingly so she figured it was okay. "Thanks!" GRIN!

Ella eyed the boy curiously when he got quiet and stepped a bit closer, noting that he seemed to have gotten a bit taller since he last saw her. That should be outlawed, y'know, everyone getting taller except her. It really wasn't fair. Just saying. "So, have a nice summer, Forrest?"

Deep in thought about everything that was sitting before her in the near future her eyes snapped towards the only voice that would have brought her out of her own head. Giving him a weak smile she nodded "Yes I have my mirror.. I double checked before leaving the house." After getting lost on her walk that morning she made sure her wand and her mirror were with her. She couldn't forget the only way she was going to get to hear him and see him until that first weekend. She sighed at the thought and bit her lip not being able to push it away.

Still pushing the heart around her chain she returned the small smile even though she was struggling to keep her lower lip from trembling a bit. She opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find the right words so she closed it again. Looking down she adjusted the claw jacket that was hanging on her shoulder bag. She smiled up at him, "Thanks for letting me bring this." She knew it was silly, but she didn't care it was his jacket and she wanted to have it at school with her. She leaned in kissing his cheek. Glancing at his hands she shook her head, "I feel like I have a ton of stuff this year." She half chuckled touching her bear.

Feeling Fluffy on her shoulder bouncing a bit to much. Min scooped her up and set her on the ground. The pygmy puff bounced back and forth and then looked at them. "I'm sorry girl... Elise isn't coming this time. She's still at home." Minerva reached down petting her furry little pet. Watching her bounce off, Min shook her head feeling bad for her little pet. This would be the second year of loosing a pet friend at school. Looking back at Ethan, "Do you want to sit on one of the benches until the train comes.".. Hopefully not for some time yet.

After he'd done all the pleasantries at the north end of the platform, Toby had realised that there may be a whole bunch of other people he knew down at the other end too. Or maybe even new friends. Or acquaintances that COULD be friends.

Either way there was still a while before he had to board the train, and Toby didn't want to spend the entire time with his grandparents in case he accidentally got sad, so here he was.

Tobias rolled down the platform easily on his skateboard, pleased that he was still small and agile enough to slalom around the people ahead of him without any issues. He wasn't going too fast, because his new kitten was still held in his hand, and was watching the world go by too.

Looking around the platform, Tobias tried to look for someone to interact with, obviously making sure he was looking where he was going, ready to stop or swerve if he needed to.