...Oh Merlin alive please, please don't be crying. Raiden bit his bottom lip again, one hand hanging rather limply by his side, the other hovering in the air between him and her. WHYYYY.

"Don't be like that," Raiden mumbled, his hand moving awkwardly to pat her shoulder. There... was really no other thing he could think of doing to comfort her. "Look, I'm sure we can fix it up as soon as we get to school, okay? I'll look up a spell or something, to fix it. It'll be fine."

Uuuuurgh. He felt BAD. BAD.

"You're not... crying, are you?" Please don't be. "Really, Neptune, it will be fine. I promise."

Guh. His other hand stopped hanging there and moved to her other shoulder. He was... not going to hug her. It would be awkward and awful and just... weird.

But she was upset...

UGH. WHY.

He hugged her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celandine

Celandine smiled and waved back happily as she passed, a small gleam in her eyes at the sight of all that pink the other girl wore. Of course she'd have to find a way to work it (*snap snap*) into her uniform in a non-rule breaking way once they all got to school, and maybe there was such a thing as too MUCH pink, but in the meantime Cela just smiled.

She paused in the corridor, her things working their way out of her pocket. EEeeeeeK! Cela rescued her badge first and pinned it on herself for safe keeping, then she scrambled after her letters.


Blink.

Cela straightened up and clutched her letters to her chest, having been caught by surprised by the LOUD!ZOMG!SURPRISE hello.

"Hi!" She answered cheerfully. "I don't know you, I'm Celandine Toussaint. Cela for short."

"Oh, I know." Madiison smiled up at the girl. "I mean, I know you don't know me. I don't know you either." Beam. "I am Madiison Winloch. Di for short." As tempted as Di was to add a 'Madiison with a double 'i'', she didn't.

"Oooh. You're a prefect!" She squealed, pointing at the girl's badge. "Well, that's good because I had a question to ask." And then, she leaned in in an overly dramatic way, glanced from left to right as though she was checking to see if anyone was listening, and whisper-asked. "Are there murderous ghosts at Hogwarts?"

See, it was a very very important question, although she wasn't exactly sure how ghosts could KILL people since they couldn't even pick anything up as far as she knew. But if that girl's boyfriend really was murdered ... well ... it would be soo soo sad.

And scary.

"Daphne!"

Celandine waaaaaaaaaaved and gestured the Gryffindor over with violent motions that were mostly caused by a sudden lurch of the train.

See, Cela just rolled with these things and let them become grand and natural gestures.

If there weren't people through the corridors, Cela would totally have done a sloooow mooooootiooooooon run up and hug sorta deal because there was nobody Celandine could be happier to see right then.

Not even Copernicus.

Expression comparable to a cauldron about to bubble over, it was obvious Cela had things to SAY that were for DAPHNE's ears only.

And you know, whoever else happened to overhear.

"Maaaaadddddiiiiiiiiiison." Celandine sounded the name out thoughtfully. "Di. Cela." She pointed at her chest, quite happy to go with the girl's nickname. Cela LOOOOOOOOOOVED making names shorter. It was something she DID.

"Murderous ghosts?" Cela blinked a few times and appeared to think about this. "Well, some of them might have been murderous when they were alive, but I don't think that the three students that died last year were murdered by ghosts." Nuh uh.

Celandine beamed.

"They were all Hufflepuffs." She added helpfully.

So like, Cela wasn't concerned at all.

Brows knitted together, Daphne watched the girl talk. Whoever she was, she was a bit...special. You know, odd? A bit. Just a tad. Tilting her head, she was distracted for a second by her talk of murderous ghosts before Celandine's voice filled her ears. Beaming, Daphne breached the distance between them in a wobble.

Dear, Darling, Beloved Hogwarts Express,

You smell.

Gripping Celandine's elbow for support, and because she was there and she needed to touch and/or hug her before the next five minutes passed, Daphne heaved a sigh. "I missed you!" exclaimed the blond in a huff. Unforgivable sin. She wasn't allowed to miss Celandine.

Because--there just shouldn't exist such a thing as prolonged separation. There just shouldn't. "Who's your friend?" she asked, tilting her head again at the stranger. Friend, of course, because surely Celandine had already dubbed her so.

Right?

Neptune was not crying, no.

And why would she be? Raiden was taking CARE of her and he'd FREED her and well, now he was HUGGING her.

Best boy - well besides Xelly - Neptune had ever KNOWN. She clung to his neck and rubbed her forehead all over his shoulder.

That's about when the GIGGLING started again. "I'll just throw it away when we get there. I wont ever wear it again anyway. Not like my BRACELET that I'll wear everyday! Everyday, Everyday!" Neptune sang in his ear.

... then giggled about it.

Daniel laughed and said, "Maybe i can show you when we get to Hogwarts. I don't know where i put my pictures here." he said as he feeds the snowy owl another pellet.

He then looked up at her and said, "Have you got your OWLs result yet?" he said looking from her to the door then to the window.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celandine

"Daphne!"

Celandine waaaaaaaaaaved and gestured the Gryffindor over with violent motions that were mostly caused by a sudden lurch of the train.

See, Cela just rolled with these things and let them become grand and natural gestures.

If there weren't people through the corridors, Cela would totally have done a sloooow mooooootiooooooon run up and hug sorta deal because there was nobody Celandine could be happier to see right then.

Not even Copernicus.

Expression comparable to a cauldron about to bubble over, it was obvious Cela had things to SAY that were for DAPHNE's ears only.

And you know, whoever else happened to overhear.



"Maaaaadddddiiiiiiiiiison." Celandine sounded the name out thoughtfully. "Di. Cela." She pointed at her chest, quite happy to go with the girl's nickname. Cela LOOOOOOOOOOVED making names shorter. It was something she DID.

"Murderous ghosts?" Cela blinked a few times and appeared to think about this. "Well, some of them might have been murderous when they were alive, but I don't think that the three students that died last year were murdered by ghosts." Nuh uh.

Celandine beamed.

"They were all Hufflepuffs." She added helpfully.

So like, Cela wasn't concerned at all.

Di peeked over at the person Cela was waving at so vigorously and who was, apparently, called Daphne. OHHAIITHEREDAPHNE! But then she had to turn back again because Cela was STRETCHING her name out. Like a gum. The redhead decided she liked the sound of her name stretched. It sounded ... weird. Weird was good. Good weird was good. And this was a good weird. Good weird was different.

"Un-huh." Di confirmed as she watched Cela think. Oh. GOOD. Phew. She had been right after all. Obviously that girl was lyi- Three students died last year. O__O

"Umm ... Uh ... three students died?" Di was SURE she would have fainted were it not for the fact that she held Kiki in her arms and that she would have most certainly hit her head and ruined her cute dress.

It was TRUE?!

"... H-h-h-how?"

...

Di stared up at the girl.

All Hufflepuffs. Umm, well, phew. That was a relief. THREE STUDENTS DIED?!

"Maybe, I'll probably socializing with my friends at the Slytherin House table for awhile so you could just come over and interrupt if you wish." Raven said with a slight smile as she finished off her chocolate frog then grabbed her bass and began to play something that she had been working on during the plane trip back to London.

"Yeah I did, got mainly Os which frankly isn't surprising; I'm honestly just glad this term isn't going to be like stressful.. unfortunately it is NEWTs next term so we should begin preparation."

Of course he found himself in the section of the train where Cela and Daphne were, in their girly pinkness and their gleeful hugging and jumping and squealing. Of course.

Not that it was a bad thing, it's just that the last time he saw them had been at that big fancy, overly posh do over the summer. They had been the guests of honour and he had been the help. MEH.

Inferiority complex, much?

"Oy," he called, attempting a smile as he dragged his trunk (uncaring if he smashed a small firstie on the way or crushed someone's foot) over to where they stood clutching at each other as if they'd topple over if they didn't, "We gonna find a compartment or not?"

And of course, they were going to sit together.

"Di." Celandine answered helpfully and smooshed Daphne in a glad-you-are-here hug.

"Missed you too." Yes she had. "I have letters." Celandine leaned down to whisper in Daphne's ear. "you'll read them with me?"

Snugglysnug. Cela wrapped her arm around her best friend's shoulders and then beamed at Di.


"Sure. Three. I think that was all." Celandine shrugged cheerfully. "Are you a Hufflepuff? If you aren't, then you don't really need to worry."

Of course Cela didn't really click that the fact that Di was asking about it meant she'd likely be new. The fact that she didn't know her didn't help with the clicking process either.

"They just dropped dead. Probably they were like, interfering in stuff that wasn't their business or getting in the way or something."

Cela looked at Daphne suddenly.

"I heard that Profess... Mr. Truebridge got arrested for their murders and for the murder of Professor Forrester!"

She paused for a second and added, "And for jaywalking!" Cela had NO IDEA what that was, but it sounded BAD.

Celandine beamed at Garret and had to let go of Daphne in order to stretch uuuuuuuuuuuuup and mess up the Hufflepuff's hair. Only one arm though, the other was still clinging to Daph.

"Why haven't you put your trunk away?" Cela scolded him happily. "You might crush someone and then I'd have to tell you off!"

And that would be hil-ar-ious.

Not the ... crushing. The telling off XD

Bad Garret!

Snort.

There was no chance she could manage that! He was the caaaaaaptain!

...and yet, somehow, Raiden didn't feel quite so shocked that she wasn't crying. Probably because this time he'd hugged her willingly, even if it had been under false pretenses. Either way, really. He allowed her to be all singsong in his ear, all smiles and happy despite her slightly damaged sweater, before carefully disentangling himself from her.

"Are you sure that's alright, just tossing it? Seems a bit wasteful of a sweater." It was a nice sweater. She should keep it. He looked at the bracelet again and kinda half-smiled in resignation. She would wear it everyday, everyday, everday, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. At least that didn't mean she HAD be telling everyone she came across that he'd been the one to give it to her. "Try not to get caught on other stuff, okay?"

He was glad his earring hadn't gotten caught when he'd hugged her, actually. Had she decided to snuggle his head, it could've... been ugly.

Although there was no emotion on his face, Parker was excited to go to Hogwarts. He would finally be able to use that wand of his, and he was looking forward to it. He walked through the hall looking for a compartment all to himself. He didn't want to be bothered with talk, he just wanted to be alone. Alone with his rat.

Parker found a compartment all to himself, exactly what he was looking for! He pulled his trunk into the compartment, shut the door and pulled down the curtain. He plopped down on the seat and shut his eyes. Next stop, Hogwarts.

Oh joyful reunion! Daphne even grinned at Di, as that was her name. She was in such a good mood. Nodding once, Daphne agreed silently to read the letters with Celandine. As if that needed to be asked. Whatever it was, Daphne would read them. Even if, you know--it ended up making her feel uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Speaking of uncomfortable, Daphne sort of...shuffled on the spot. "Jaywalking?" she repeated with pink cheeks. What was that? It couldn't be as bad as being accused of murdering people, right? "Sounds like serious business to me."

Before Daphne could continue the conversation any further, a loud dragging noise was filling the small corridor and---it was Garret Crocker.

Daphne made a face at Garret and his loudness and his trunk. "Oy yourself, Crocker," mumbled the blond displeased. "Is that your own way of saying you're happy to see me?" Daphne wrinkled her nose and resisted the urge to elbow him.

Cranky!Pants.

Scrunching up his nose at her mussing up his hair, Garret shook the mess out and gave her a look which clearly said that she shouldn't do that again, "S'not me fault they're so small, innit?"

And as IF Celandine Toussaint would ever dare scold him. Well, no, she would dare, but she wouldn't.

He grinned at Daphne's scowl and lazily draped an arm around her soft shoulders, "Yes, yes, I'm positively cryin' tears of joy at the sight of your blonde self, Daff." He leaned in, offering his cheek, just to annoy her, "Now give us a kiss, eh?"

LOOKIT! Cela was her friend now! Her ... Di paused for a moment to count ... third friend? Surely Georgie was her friend too and Koda ... well, he was more of her sidekick than an actual friend, but sure. Three friends at Hogwarts on her first day. YIPPPPPIE!

Her little bubble of happiness shattered into little pieces when Cela continued. "I ... don't know yet." Di looked horrified. What if she was a ... a ... HUFFLEPUFF?! "I am new here. Transfered from Beauxbatons."

...

Murder of a professor ... By a professor?

She was MISERABLE. She could absolutely NOT be sorted into Hufflepuff. She never really wanted to be sorted into Hufflepuff in the first place. It was Ravenclaw she was after. The house for SMART people. And she was smart. Yes, she was.

Suddenly, she wasn't overly excited about going to Hogwarts.

GET ME OUT OF HERE! Sure, Beauxbatons was boring, but at least she was sure to be alive there.

"I know." Celandine answered in a hushed tone, her eyes went all wide. She would, as soon as she got to Hogwarts, go on a mission to find out what Jaywalking actually was.

Cela beamed between her two besties, being sure to include Di in her big ol group smiley session.

Daphne and Garret were so NICE to each other these days.

She totally taught them that. Yup.

Teehee.

"You were positively miniscule once." Celandine pointed out, ignoring the look though she knew it well considering how touchy each of her brothers could be about things like hair.

It was entirely possible she was testing Garret.

He passed.

Cela looked at Daphne, the shortest of the three who was now in the middle with one of her besties on each side, and then across Daphne's shoulders at Garret who surely needed to stop growing even if he wasn't yet as tall as Plymouth and Copernicus.

Oh the lulz.

Cela snorted, completely ladylike and all and leaned in front of Daphne to place an intentionally nasty, sloppy kiss on the cheek Metal Mouth had offered to Daphne.

Buaha! Slobber!

Just to annoy him.

And maybe to protect Daphne from a fit of outrage because Cela didn't much want to hear that shout of 'impropriety!'

But mostly to annoy Metal-Mouth.


"Ohhh well. Good luck then." Cela laughed cheerfully. "I hope you get Ravenclaw. Its the best house." Obviously since she was in it and all.

Teehee.

"You are sooo lucky to be going to Hogwarts for the first time! It's sooo wonderful! I remember the first time I got to go, in my second year since our first year," And she gestured at herself, Daphne and Garret, "Hogwarts was closed and we had to go to Ministry approved schools instead. But you know, I think there is a secret when it comes to not dying at Hogwarts. You have to be pretty. Or smart. Or just made of awesome."

Also, none of Cela's friends ever died. So... maybe there was that?

Daphne...glanced down at herself. She had managed to get herself trapped! SQUISHED between her best friends! Not that she was complaining. Bravely, she raised a brow at Di. Seeee? She could withstand prolonged contact with...people.

Like this. And not, you know, break out in a sweat. Although--why was Garret Crocker so tall?!

And requesting a kiss? O____O?! Was that okay? HAD she kissed him before and make him think it was okay to ask for one whenever he felt like it?

"I beg your pardon, Garret?" finally said Daphne, her voice quavering only slightly as her cheeks tinted. "I know your love for me is vast and..."

....Still with one brow raised, Daphne puckered up....

Stared at the girl from Beauxbatons. "Beauxbatons? Is it nice there?" asked the blond...and then puckered up again.

And...BACKED AWAY! ZOMG!SLOBBER. "Oh! OH OH! Saliva!" exclaimed the blond and pointed right at Garret's cheek. "Oh. Ohhh! You're so gross right now."

There was Daphne actually shocking him cos she was being sporting and was puckering up, and he was just about to lean in and drop a kiss on her waiting mouth (WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, GARRET CROCKER?!?!) when Celandine chose THAT moment to surprise attack him with an overly wet, overly loud and overly unwanted kiss on the cheek.

"Bluegh!" he wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, then proceeded to wipe that hand on Cela's shoulder, "Cela!"

"Scourgify!" yes, the wand was out and was pointed at his cheek. And just for good measure: "SCOURGIFY!"

Di would have beamed back at Daphne if she hadn't quite been so horrified about dying and she would have talked to the Hufflepuff boy too if that were not the case, but since she WAS more than a little terrified now, well, she didn't want to smile at them and end up looking like a troll. A cute one, but a troll none-the-less.

Madiison was distracted when Cela kissed the Hufflepuff boy. Distracted meaning forgot all about the horror awaiting her at Hogwarts.

Pretty or smart eh? Well, who knew. She'll be fine after all. It wasn't that Miss Winloch loved to brag or anything but she was totally cute. And pretty. And cuddly soft. And she was smart. Yes, she was. She had grades to prove that. So she'll be safe after all.

"I wanna be in Ravenclaw too." She said. "My father was one ... a long long loooooong time ago." Di blinked and looked far faar faaaaar away, imitating her father's dazed look whenever he thought of Hogwarts.

Quote:

Stared at the girl from Beauxbatons. "Beauxbatons? Is it nice there?" asked the blond...and then puckered up again.

Beauxbatons? "It was ... boring." Which was the reason why Di wanted to move to Hogwarts in the first place. Boring Boring Boring. "EXCEEEEEEPT when Pompon the nymph came out to do her mischeif." Di giggled. "She used to spit these ... beans at us and then our skin would turn orange or yellow or pink for a few days." She had been turned into green herself once. "She's kind of like Peeves here, only she comes out only once in a while. Like during Halloween or Christmas." Hmm. Actually she came out whenever she chose to come out.

"That was fun." She finished, sighing.

"So gross." Celandine agreed cheerfully, apparently oblivious to any odd tensions that may or may not have been circling.

She gave Daphne a super brief and questioning look before her expression went all vapid!cheerful again, though she clung to Daph even tighter.

"Garret!" Cela answered, still in that cheerful voice, something else clouding her eyes a little though. She was unconcerned by the slobber wiping, since it was her own and her uniform was quite imperviused to begin with.

"Oh Garret you are getting so GOOD at charms now!" Cela showed them all the sound of one hand clapping, her other hand was wrapped around Daphne of course.

The sound was...

nothing.

But she was trying HARD.

"My Boyfriend went to Beauxbatons and transferred here." Celandine offered helpfully. "Pompon sounds fun! Peeves isn't very fun." Cela shook her head decisively. It wasn't that she disliked the poltergeist it was just that no matter the effort she made to meet it personally, it avoided her completely.

"I don't think Peeves is the murderer either." She added brightly.

Emily wandered along the length of the train looking through the compartment windows until she found one that was relatively empty. She took a deep breath and tried to open the door, but found that she was paralised with nerves.

"Cool, I will probably do that and talk to the friends I have met before, too." he smiled and said, "You are one bright girl, but mine is probably with my godfather's, I did got them in the castle... erg house." he said with a smile.

He then saw Raven fiddle on her bass and decided he can do some playing too. He took his violin and started playing a Sonata called "Ave Maria".

Daphne....was a little aware that Di's father seemed to be really old, if Di was to be taken seriously. Daphne would have asked if her parents had her late in life, as inappropriate as it was but she was still busy making faces at both Garret and Celandine.

O_O ZOMG. So gross.

Then she was back to staring at Di and her tale of....how they liked to change their skin color at Beauxbatons? Odd. Odd. "I see," said Daphne in a meek voice.

Still...busy...Daphne pointed her finger at Celandine's face. "You wouldn't kiss me like that, would you? And, yes," finished Daphne, adopting a bored tone. "Bravo, Garret. You learned to clean up after yourself."

Snort. His Mother must be so proud. SNORT.

"I don't think someone named Peeves could be very dangerous," offered Daphne. "Now, you know what's a good dangerous sounding name? Jedediah or....Icabob. Scary, right?"

Even after her mother had turned into a speck Allison looked out the compartment windows. It was the first time ever that Allison would be away from her mother. Surely her mother would send the old cat or owl with letters, but it wouldn't be enough.

Biting her lower lip Allison gave Perseus one last hug and let him run towards Arya. After a long uplifting sigh, Allison managed a small smile and attacked her bunny bag. "Of course you are. It's going to be quite odd without them." Laughing Allison opened her bag and her eyes widened. Her mother had smuggled family muggle chocolates into her pack.

"Unbelievable." Shaking her head she grabbed one and threw it at Arya, "Think fast!" giving Arya a big smile Allison then proceeded to opening her own. It was a plus to be kin to the family owning part of the Ferrero Rocher company. She always got an unlimited amount of chocolates. And the one's the company made were her favorites.

"My mum and I had a tradition. Every morning she'd tickle me to wake up...and then we'd each share one of these chocolates. Then when we finished we'd say, '‘oh misseur, with this ‘ferrero rocher’ you’re really spoiling us!' " Allison broke into giggles. "It's funny because that was what this weird French lady would say in the commercial...and she was sooo funny." She couldn't stop laughing at such a trivial thing. Perhaps Arya wouldn't get it, but that one little line always made her day. And now without it...it would be a long year.

"I wonder what's taking them so long," Allison thought out loud.

Emily peered through the window again and steeling herself and opening the door while mentally berating herself 'Emily Acaycia Black you are better than this! Now get over your nerves and get in there!'
"Um..."she said to the carriages occupants "Do you... do you mind if i sit with you? Only this is the first carriage I've seen without sixth years in it so...." she trailed off smiling hopefully