Back of the Train
 

There's plenty of seating at the back of the train. Grab a compartment with your friends, it's time to head to school!

Lima sniffled as she entered the very last compartment on the Train. She closed the door behind her and sadly took a seat. She placed all her stuff down beside her and then turned her attention out the window. She watched the outside and thought that this would be the last time that she ever saw this. She sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her hand, hoping that she wouldn't start crying like an idiot.

Celandine liked the back part of the train when she was leaving and the front part when she was arriving. Last to leave first to arrive and all that. She was totally pleased when she found the compartment was not empty... and that it was one of her friends. Or more specifically, Copernicus Kettleburn. And Cela couldn't hide her happiness at seeing him. She didn't want to interrupt his reading though, so she sat across from him with her legs tucked up under herself on the seat, and she watched him with an innocent little grin. It actually took her a few moment to realise that there was another person in the compartment and that she totally looked upset.

She shuffled to face Lima and stared at her. "Are you okay?"

Even though she had her own compartment that she could sit in and she would eventually, Kayla wanted to stop by the other carriages so that she could see the people she had not managed to talk to at the feast. And the first person she came across was Copernicus and she slipped quietly into his compartment. "Mind if I join you for a bit?"

Kayla hadn't realised that Celandine had walked in before her and she edged back toward the door. "Sorry I didn't realise that - um maybe I should go." Kayla knew that Cela and Cope had grown quite close over the year and she didn't want to disturb their time together and besides that Cela still didn't seem to be talking to her and so it was probably a good idea if she just left.

Trying to find a compartment in the back of the train, like he had before he came to Hogwarts, on the way there, Jake wound up in the compartment he'd first been in on this train. Well... not quite in it, because somebody else was already there.

"Lima," Jake muttered to himself, standing stock still in the doorway... thing... place, the tank which held his new baby tarantula safely in both hands. He stared at Lima, lost on what to do. Should he just walk away?

"By all means," Cope started at the voice and closed his book. Color him surprised to find LOADS of people in the compartment (or... four). Apparently, he'd been deep in his book. He gave Cela a longer-than-reasonable look before smiling at Kayla. "How are you, Winters? Glad to be going home?"

Amanda had her guitar case on her back and her owl cage that had her gorgeous snowy owl Belkin in it, in only a matter of time, she'd be on her private jet, heading off to Manchester for the recording of her album. Stopping at the first empty compartment she saw, she opened the door, then closed it and took a seat. Setting her owl cage on the seat beside her, she opened up her guitar case and started practicing.

"I suppose so" Kayla replied with a shrug and sat down on the seat and gave Cela's a small sideways glance. Besides seeing Nicholai again, there really wasn't much to be going home to. A house with no-one but herself occupying it and the occasional visit from Nico when he could get away...yeah she was really looking forward to going home...not!!

"What about you Kettleburn? What are your plans for the summer?" For some unknown reason she wished Plymouth was in the compartment, at least the mood would be more livelier.

She started when she heard a voice speak her name. Turning her head, she saw that Jake was standing at the door looking unsure. She sniffled again and said, "why don't you sit with me?" She wanted to see him one last time before she went.

And then Liz peeked her head in. She smiled at the girl's concern. "I'll be okay. I'm just really sad now that Term is over and I'm never coming back. Or seeing you guys again." Well, she knew that that wasn't true, but in her mood she almost believed it. She turned her head back to the window and said, "I wish Mads would come here." She was sad that she would probably never see him again.

Rose hadn't seen anyone she'd known, so continuing down the train she spotted Elizabeth at the door of a half full compartment. Leaning forward slightly she saw a girl on verge of tears whom she didn't know. Hesitating to enter slightly she half-smiled in greeting, "Ello" Glancing at the older Hufflepuff girl she frowned, "Last ride home" She murmured softly.

Cel offered a tentative little smile, suddenly wishing two conflicting things at once; one, that she could talk to Kayla and figure out all the confusing junk and two, that she would go away. "You can stay."

Celandine looked out the window when Kayla asked Cope about his summer. Oh gosh she hoped it would all work out well and they could go flying again! She smiled a little bit and turned her attention back to the other goings on.

She heard yet another voice at the door now, and turning her attention back on the others, saw that there was a new girl she had never seen before. She smiled at her weakly and said, "yes." She sniffled again and tried to keep her face composed. She was not going to start crying like a Dork. Unless Hugie and Terry showed. Or Miles.

Nodding, Jake moved awkwardly inside the compartment and took the seat opposite Lima, biting his lip a little. "I'm..." he said, but stopped himself. Yes, best to steer clear of that subject. Taking another breath, Jake held up the tank and showed Lima his baby tarantula. "This is Charlie."

Kayla looked over to Cela and returned the same tentative smile. Okay so when did it become so difficult between the two? When she had first met Celandine they had been really good friends and quite close. They always had stuff to talk about and now...well now it always seemed to be so awkward and Kayla wished deep in her heart that it was the way it used to be. She watched the younger girl out of the corner of her eye as she looked out the window and Kayla let out a small sigh. "What will you be doing over the summer Cela?" she asked her quietly.

She was a little disappointed when he sat down across from her and wondered if he was still mad at her. But she understood things now. And she was sorry for how she acted at the Feast. "I'm sorry, Jake.." she muttered softly. I'm sorry for leaving you...

Then she saw the tarantula. It was freaky, yet cute in a weird way. She laughed weakly and said, "hai, Charlie."

Bella meowed once in Elizabeth's arms, wondering why they'd stopped moving, as Elizabeth listened to Lima. "You'll see us again," she said reassuringly. "Just because you aren't going to be back at Hogwarts next term doesn't mean we won't find time to see each other" She had faith in that idea. If only everyone else she knew had seemed as determined to keep that a possibility. She tilted her head to one side slightly as Lima spoke again, facing the window. "Maybe he will," she said faintly, not quite as sure about that as she was the rest of what she had said. Especially since she had to admit to herself that she hadn't seen Maddox much since that one time earlier in the term.

As she continued to stand near the doorway, she vaguely noticed movement nearby, and turned as Rose spoke. "Hi Rose," she greeted her, before shrugging a little in confirmation of the Gryffie's soft comment. That was going to be them after next term.

"Um..." He tried not to look at Cela too much. Ugh. He was getting over that whole silly childish crush thing. "Some traveling, probably. My father likes to travel during the summers when I'm not in school. And I'm visiting Cela to take care of the Abraxans. And SOMEONE has a birthday this summer, or so I've heard."

Cela looked up at the question and waited for Copernicus to answer first. She smiled when he mentioned the Abraxans and lit up completely at the mention of a birthday. She was SO excited for that! It would be her first proper party!

"Mostly boring things. Except for seeing the Abraxans. And going to a carnival with Plym... and my birthday," Cela paused and shot a nervous and hopeful look at Kayla, "Kayla? Could you... come shopping with me? For a dress?"

Cela jumped when she heard Tobi, and she immediately launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a huge hug. "Tobi!"

Because Kayla LOVES Plymouth...
 

Plymouth was tooting and skipping and just SO HAPPY. "HoooOOoOooOoOome to seee my MOMMMAAAAAAAAAAA!" he was singing, loudly, carefree as one person could be. He had no issues with looking into each compartment until he found the right one.


And find it he did! It had his Perni in it. It had his Girlfriend in it. It had his girlfriend's brother's girlfriend in it. All the gooders, minus Anna, were here. And even Elizabeth who had scared him to death was there. "Helloooooo!" Plymouth stuck his head in first before swinging into the compartment.

Rose sighed, giving her a small smile. Hovering at the door, she frowned as Jake? She remembered him from somewhere. "You will see them again"
She murmured her words more confidant than her stance. "I'm..em, Rose" She introduced meekly.

Rose laughed softly as Jake produced a rather in an extremely affectionate manner his baby tarantula. "Does he bite?" She asked playfully.


Rose smiled, stroking Bella's soft head, "Hello sweetie. Haven't seen you in a while.." Trailing off as she heard Liz's conforting words, she frowned. In a couple of weeks they'd return to school, for the last time. She could't help but feel .. sad. "Ey Liz" She murmured, "Where is everyone?" She asked glancing down outside into the aisle.

Kayla couldn't help but notice the looks that Cope was giving Cela, how could she not she would have to have been blind not to notice the way he looked at her. Sometimes she wished she could bang their heads together and tell them to stop tip toeing around it and just admit how they feel about each other. Of course there was Plymouth to consider but in all honestly Kayla didn't really think that Plymouth would be devastated for too long.

"Well that sounds like fun must be nice to have your parents to take you travelling." Kayla looked over at Celandine and let out a small smile, "Oh yeah I know and I have already got a very special birthday present for the birthday girl."

Plym, Cela, Cope, Kayla, Tobi, and anyone else in there. :P
 

Anna had grown a bit tired of moping around in the prefect's compartment, so she'd decided to take a tour of the rest of the train and see if she could round up any of her friends. Spotting Plymouth heading to the back---singing loudly, at that---Anna giggled and followed him. Where Plymouth was, Anna was bound to find Cela and Cope and the rest of the gang. "Helloooooo!" Anna said, mirroring Plymouth's little greeting. "I thought I'd find the rest of you lot in here. The prefect's compartment is pretty empty right now, so I thought I'd come pay some of my favorite people a little visit."