Lux could not believe it. The time had already come for her to head home from her first year at Hogwarts. Sadly, it would be the last trip for some, such as Sander.

Sighing, she entered an empty compartment with her stuff and took a seat. Hopefully someone would come by and say hello. Taking Toffy out of her pocket, she began feeding him Pygmy Puff treats while patting him on the head.

"I think I need to get some more Chocolate Frogs," she told him so that it would not appear that she was talking to herself like a crazy person.

Bay was so happy that he was all cured and just back to himself, all young and good looking. yup Bay loved his looks, but today wasn't about himself.. he was now on the train and in the search for his friends.

he was in the back cars area looking in each compartment to find anyone he knew, that when he saw Lux with her Pygmy Puff, she was feeding him.. knocking on the door he smiled.. "can I join you?" with out waiting for her answer he came in and sat down taking out Ziggy and placing him in-between him and Lux so their little friends can have a little play date on the train.

Hearing someone knock on the door, Lux smiled to see that it was Bay. About to tell him he could come in, it made her laugh when he did that on his own. That was typical Bay.

"You look really nice," she told him as he sat by her. It was amazing to see him back to his old self again. Curiously, she watched their Pygmy Puffs. Hopefully they would like each other so that they could have a lot of play dates.

"why thank you, I feel amazing…. so much better and I don't have to keep napping." which was true he hadn't napped since he was cured. "you always look great.. lucky that you didn't catch what we all had" she was one of the lucky few that wasn't old.

watching her eyes move towards their little pets he laughed.. "they seem to like each other, I'm glad you liked your christmas present…." then the thought hit him, he wondered if her parents approved of the pet for a present.. "errrrr…. I hope your parents didn't mind?" fingers crossed, for he was going to meet her sister during the summer and probably parents too and he didn't want them to be mad at him. He patted Ziggy on head.

"Well, that's great! You won't fall asleep on the train then!" It was good that he was happy, Lux really liked that. "I look okay." She shrugged. It wasn't like she was a super model. Some of the girls at Hogwarts were gorgeous.

Giving Toffy another treat, she laughed. "I love my present and of course my parents won't mind. I have pets." She had her dog and her cat, an owl as well. Nope, she wouldn't get into trouble.

PERFECT. An empty compartment was all she wanted and way in the back car was where she found one. She didn't really feel like being around people, she just wanted to nap for most of the train ride. Granted, having her best is there to keep her company would have been nice but she was sure he was off with his perfect perfect girlfriend so it would just be her for a while. Charlotte figured if she got too lonely, she could probably go find Lux or even Vannie, but only if she could not sleep and was bored enough.

Setting her stuff up, she closed the door, lowered the blinds, and curled herself up in the single seat and closed her eyes. She was sure no one would be bothering her any time soon.

Finally.

Slowly becoming young again meant parents weren't going to ask questions about why he had many wrinkles. And thankfully, most were already gone. Though Jun still had his grayish hair and the wheezing problem. Other than that, he was slowly getting used to being an actual sixteen year old. Making his way around the train, he spotted a certain little someone sitting by herself. Sliding the compartment door open, Jun walked in and closed the door behind him. "Char, why so glum, chum?" He asked, sitting in front of her and offering her candy. Maybe he bad mood had finally gone away. Jun prayed to the heavens they had. They both needed to make summer plans.

Charlotte looked up, her eyesight almost completely back to normal now, and saw Jun walking through the door. She blinked at him for a few seconds but didn't move from where she was. Once in the perfect most comfortable spot possible, there would be no further movement happening unless necessary. "I didn't know you'd be here." Really though, he had a girlfriend. Even if they weren't telling people, didn't they want to spend the train ride together? Charlotte had already learned not to bring her up into conversation though because everything just seemed to go so much more smoothly without mention of her because she was a mean mean girl.

She smiled a bit, hoping it would show him that she wasn't in a horrible mood. "I'm just really read to be home. It's great we're mostly young again, but I'm tired of Hogwarts." Her entire first year at the school was way too exhausting, even if she did end up sleeping for most of it.

After stowing her trunk, Alex made her way toward the back of the train. This was her final run on the Hogwarts Express. Wow. Trying to find a seat, she peered into the various compartments. Seeing Lux and Bay inside of one of them, Alex decided not to interrupt their.......private moment. Seeing that the next compartment was empty, she went inside. She could always pay them a visit later.

Besides, right now Alex needed to get herself together for a moment before she took on any human interaction. This was going to be hard, very hard. Sitting down, Alex made herself as comfortable as possible and stared out the window. She was alone for now so she could allow herself to feel the sadness that she had been trying to ignore.

Didn't think he'd be here? "Where exactly did you think I'd be?" And he hoped she didn't say with Lex because she was doing prefect duties. But yeah, Jun knew that'd be the obvious answer to say anyway. They needed to talk about other things that involve his relationship status with a certain prefect. "Anyway, why are you sitting by yourself?" Even though Jun knew Char liked to be alone sometimes, but that alone time was too frequent.

Oh. Was she not going to take the candy? Even though it was a lollipop. Jun raised his brows a bit before putting the candy back into his bag and taking a sour kind out for himself. At least he had just saved the life of a lollipop. Jun laughed. "Your first year already tired you out that much?" With the whole aging thing, anyone would be exhausted of this school. Including him.

Sander made his way through the corridors looking for his friends. He had taken one last ride across the Black Lake in the graduates boat and amidst the crowd of students getting on the Hogwarts Express, he has lost sight of Tessa, Alex, Bay and Lux.

He peeked into the train compartments searching for them when he sighted a familiar face. Name Twin!! Sander poked in his head and smiled. "Is there room for another? I'm really having trouble finding a Pygmy puff/Cat/seven person filled compartment," Sander grinned at Alex as he stepped in and sat across from her.

Yes, he was reminiscing about the first time, they both met each other on this same train. So much time has passed since then and now Sander wished he could go back to that very day again because that would mean he would be just starting the term again in Hogwarts, instead of it being the end of one.

He looked at Alex and smiled,"So how are you doing?" Sander asked his best friend. Knowing her as well as he did, he suspected she was experiencing a whole set of mixed emotions.

Alex was in her own world when she heard the door to the compartment open. Looking around, she saw Sander peeking in as he called out to her. She smiled and motioned for him to come in. Alex laughed when Sander recalled their first meeting on the Hogwarts Express. "That was one crazy train ride", she said. "It was a ride I'll never forget. Crazy as it was, I don't regret one minute of it because that's how I met my best friend.

Looking at Sander, Alex responded with a sigh. "I'm doing OK, I guess.....better than I was fifteen minutes ago. How are you doing?" Suddenly realizing that she had a moment alone with Sander, she decided to say her goodbye. This might be the only chance to talk to him alone before they went their separate ways. "Twin, I promise that I won't get all sad and mushy at least not now anyway. While I have your undivided attention......I just wanted to say......thanks for everything and hasta la vista baby". Alex reached across the aisle and gave Sander a hug. She was realllly going to miss her friend. Rushing back to her seat, Alex sat down and tried to keep her promise, but it was harrrrrd. Trying to keep it light, Alex said, "That was a another little Arnold Schwarzenegger reference."

Noel Wallace was so very very ready to be going back. Lying on his back, and resting his head on his backpack - the puff let his cousin's crup nestle next to his stomach.

They both were waiting for Hayley, who was currently making sure their luggage got into the train safely. Between Noel's dramatic monologues and complete lack of responsibility for his own things, Hayley somehow or the other always made sure to be the adult in their relationship.

She was the best, really.

The eleven year old scratched behind Tulip's ear - making sure no other entered the compartment. He wasn't sharing. Nope.

There.

Finished.

Thanks to an older student who had helped her get both trunks into the luggage compartment upon seeing her trying to pull both in on her own, Hayley's task was shortened. Not that she had needed help, she could have done it all on her own, but it was nice to know some of the other students cared enough to look out for the younger ones like her. Once the pair of trunks were through the train archway, putting them in place was a piece of cake.

Trying to find Noel and Tulip, that was an entirely different subject all together. Brown hair pulled up into a ponytail swished back and fourth as she walked down the crowded aisle, blue-grey eyes glancing left and then right and left again as she checked in compartments for her companions until she spotted them in the very back of the train, Noel laying across a whole seat with Tulip snuggled up, ready for a nap.

Hayley had to admit, it was early. And it had been a long, long school year. There was no hiding it, she was excited to be going home. Excited to see her mum and dad, her whole family. Beaming nearly as bright as the morning sun, Hayley slid their compartment door closed - as if sensing Noel's thoughts, - and plopped herself down opposite him. "We're going home, Noel." She said, stating the obvious.

Letting her school bag slide off her shoulder next to her, the small Ravenclaw reached inside and pulled out two things wrapped in napkins, before tossing one toward the boy. "Did you eat this morning?" Just a curious question. Because she hadn't, what with last minute packing. The 'Claw had been smart and grabbed something for both of them, to go along with the snacks they'd get on the train ride home. "It's a muffin, in case you didn't. Or in case you're still hungry. Blueberry."

Terry wasn't sure how to feel about going home. On the one hand he was relieved and excited. He was looking forward to seeing his family, being in his own bed and with the pets, especially Amadeus. But then again, the Slytherin really enjoyed school and the prospects of not seeing his friends for a couple of months, some of them not for longer seeing as they were graduating was kind of disheartening. He was sure that visiting Diagon Alley on a couple of occasions over the holidays would result in chance meetings with a few of his friends but still the train ride home always seemed to be a sombre one.

The seventeen year old walked down the train, heading towards the back carriages as he attempted to find a seat. His eyes scanned each of the compartments looking for an empty one, or at least one that wasn't cram-packed with groups of friends where his presence would only be looked on as a little awkward. Upon settling on a completely empty compartment about 2 carriages from the very back, he slid open the door, closed it behind him and flopped onto the seat. He glanced out the window before tucking his knees up to his chest and resting his chin upon them. The position would be comfortable for a short while and it was the perfect contemplation pose.

He still had his ears trained on the door should anyone wish to join him. He did not mind after all, company was always welcomed.

"B]And I don't regret every minute of that ride and all the days after in Hogwarts. I got to make a whole bunch of new friends. I have you, Bay and Lux as my best friends and Tessa as my girl friend. This has been one crazy ride and I don't want to get off it just yet[/B]," Sander told Alex, regret and sadness showing in his eyes.

So when Alex reached across the aisle and gave him a hug, he returned it affectionately. He was going to miss not seeing Alex all the time. Then he chuckled when Alex broke into a fake german sounding accent and said hasta la vista.

"Wait why is this Austrian guy speaking in Spanish?" Sander asked Alex, puzzlement all over his face. Then he laughed realizing that Alex was most likely teasing him again, which was confirmed a few seconds later when she identified who had said those words.

"Oh that guy again? I think I much prefer his other famous line...Ah'll be baaahhccckk," Sander grinned as he faked a german accent although it wouldn't really have been faking since he did actually speak with a European sounding accent himself.

He smiled affectionately at his best friend,"And I'm serious about that, Alex. I'm not going to say goodbye. There may be times that we won't get to talk with each other, but I'll always be back to see how you're doing," Sander informed Alex.

Friends forever. They had promised each other once, and Sander was going to keep his promise. He looked out the windwo of the train and then turned to look out into the corridors watching as students walked by their compartment. He wondered where his girlfriend and other best friends were.

"I'm going to look for Tessa and the others. Would you like to join us? No one should have to take their last ride home, alone," Sander told Alex as he got up from his seat.

Yes, it was time to be with their friends and take this train ride one last time.

Lily wasn’t honestly sure what she was feeling. She wasn’t graduating yet, so she didn’t feel sad that the term was over, but she did feel like she’d almost slacked off last term. Aside from the initial disbelief when people had started showing the evidence of aging, which had ended as soon as things had progressed beyond ingle grey hairs that she could have believed was just the other students’ imaginations, she felt like she’d just sort of been there. She’d enjoyed the term, but something had been missing. At least she had a whole other term to make up for it, but first came summer. Summer meant free time, although it also meant a whole month without her family, Austin or her friends back in California. She still didn’t know if Aunt Rhiannon was going to get married over the summer either, but then that could have caused issues with the whole being gone for a whole month. It’d get figured out, and she could always talk to them to make sure she could actually go to the wedding. Obviously it hadn’t been planned yet or she’d have known when it was.

Gavroche had been annoying, not wanting to stay in his cage as she’d tried leaving him with her luggage back in the luggage compartment, so the little owl was alternately flying ahead of her and coming back to perch on her head or shoulder as she roamed the corridor looking for a compartment. There was a chance she’d manage to find Astrid if she looked hard enough, unless her fellow musketeer hadn’t been hiding in her common room all term and had left school. Either that or she could find Austin, who seemed kind of down when they’d talked last, although not as much about his parents’ separation anymore. They’d find time to do stuff over the summer, but maybe talking on the train to figure out when would be nice. Either way, she wasn’t finding anyone. Not even any of her other friends, but as she’d gotten even further toward the back, she’d peered through the window in the door of one of the compartments she’d passed, calling her owl back softly as she saw a familiar figure inside. She hadn’t really talked to Terry much since the dance lesson, but that still counted as knowing him.

Sliding the door open, she poked her head in, rolling her eyes as her owl took off again, flying into the compartment and perching on the window. “Gavroche, you can’t go outside,” she said, before turning her attention back to the Slytherin all folded up on the seat. “You look lost in thought,” she observed, sliding into a seat across from him. Her owl wasn’t going anywhere, so she might as well get comfortable.

Alex laughed at Sander's response to her Arnold reference. Ever the top student, he had obviously done his homework because he now knew Arnold's other famous line. "I'm impressed twin", Alex said. As for why an Austrian guy was throwing around Spanish phrases, who knows? "I guess they thought it would be funny and it was."

Alex smiled when Sander reminded her of the promise they had made to remain friends forever. She had meant those words and was glad to see that he had too. "You know pinky swears are the most powerful promises ever", Alex said with a laugh. "So we'd better not break it!."

At the suggestion that they join their friends, Alex agreed. "OK twin, let's go find the crew." And with that, Alex stood up and followed Sander out of the compartment.

It didn't look like Terry was going to get any company soon, at least it gave him an opportunity to sit and think about things. What his thoughts were filled with was a little obscure. He was wandering where his girlfriend was, whether he would be joined by her fairly soon. He was also thinking about what it would be like when he got home. Had Tilly finally grown up or was she still the spoilt sister who got whatever she wanted? He sighed out loud, his eyes moving to look out of the window.

That was until he heard the door to his compartment slide open and an owl sat on the window next to him. He glanced at the owl, his head tilted slightly to the side, observing him before looking up at their owner. He smiled, noticing it was Lily whom he hadn't spoken to much after the dance lesson. She was a good partner, neither were brilliant and they were comfortable with one another. "Hey" he nodded at her as she sat opposite him. "Yeah, just trying to speed up time" he chuckled. The train journey could be long and when you were by yourself for a short period, it felt like time was going so slowly.

"Who's this?"he indicated to the owl, stroking his chest with the back of his fingers. He loved owls, he loved all creatures to be honest.

"With friends? I know I'm not your only friend, Jun." Girlfriends counted, of course, but being vague and just saying friends was probably okay, right? They weren't going to start an argument or anything because they needed to see each other over the break and Charlotte didn't want them to be fighting the entire time. "I thought of going to look for people but then I saw this empty compartment and it was calling my name." It really was though. Her full name, she could hear it, and that's how she knew it wasn't calling some other random Charlotte. This compartment was meant for Charlotte Reese Stylinson to nap in...after Jun left to go be with his friends.

Realizing she had accidentally not seen him offering candy to her, she mumbled no thanks because she wasn't actually trying to be rude, and turned onto her back to look up at the ceiling. "YES!! You can't honestly tell me you aren't still exhausted?" Being an old person was the worst thing she'd ever experienced it and she decided that she would start planning on finding out how to stay young forever. Maybe not fifteen young, but young enough to get by without being blind and in pain for the rest of her life! "Being old once was plenty for me. I never want to do it again."