WHOA. Was this real life? Had this actually happened? Was he really...one of the FIRST PEOPLE TO BOARD? That NEVER happened! Alex was usually late and always had to scramble to find a compartment, but this year...he had his pick. Of ANY compartment he wanted. WOOT WOOT!

Smiling at his unbelievable luck, he headed straight for the back of the train where he knew there'd be the most openings and selected a compartment with a lovely window view. He couldn't wait to just sit back, enjoying the landscape as they set off to Hogwarts.

He set his schoolbag down on the seat across from him and plopped down, stretching his legs out across the aisle and propping them up next to the bag. Ahh. Legroom.

Aurora hopped onto the train, closely followed by her fluffy white cat, and realised the train seemed rather empty... wow, usually she was one of the last on. No point sitting on her own though... she noticed some feet through the window of one compartment... Oh! It was Alex! She slid the door open and leant against the frame, "Got enough legroom there?" she teased, grinning, and Sebastian ran into the compartment and jumped onto Alex's feet. "Sorry about that, your fault for wearing shoelaces." she added.

It was just a train..

But Bradley felt the need to become familiar the transport that would take him to and from school for a few years. He walked down the long corridor, passing straight through the middle compartments to end up at the very back. His eyes scanned through the doors and windows, seeing very few students on the train but wanting to find the right spot. He settled for the compartment at the end, the most secluded and quietest spot on the train he assumed.

He hung in the doorway for a while, calling for his bald cat Bastet that seemed to have got lost in the excitement and commotion of boarding the train. He bent at the knees, slightly concerned that the animal had gone missing and got off onto the platform, but he had seen her following, she was more like a dog than a cat, a companion. And the cat was as lazy as a teenage boy. He stood, frowning a little, craning his neck to look straight down the train, wondering whether she had settled within a compartment and fallen asleep on some poor students. Lucky she had no fur, or they would get it all over their uniforms.

He called one last time.

Alex had his eyes closed, and was about to open them when he heard someone entering his compartment, when suddenly...PLOP. Something landed on his feet! He jumped slightly, but then noticed it was just a fluffy white cat. He looked up at Aurora and chuckled. "Aren't dogs the ones that usually play with shoelaces?" he asked. He didn't know much about dogs and cats and all that. Animals and Alex did NOT get along most of the time.

"And no, there is NEVER enough leg room for me," he joked, gently nudging the cat off his feet so he could move them and allow a place for Aurora to sit down. "I swear the rest of my body stays the same and my legs just keep growing!" he chuckled. Seriously, WHEN would he stop?? He hoped it would be when he reached 6 feet.

Alyssa just grabbed her trunk and Shannia's cage and boarded the train to look for an empty compartment. Once she came across one, she shoved her trunk under the seat, placed the cage next to it and stared out at the window, wishing that the train would start rolling and that they would get to Hogwarts fast. She was so tired from all the drama that had happened on the platforms. So Alyssa just closed her eyes and tried to think of happier times.

Aurora laughed, "I don't know, I never had a dog. Sebastian loves them though." she said, grinning. Sebastian looked up at her, one of Alex's shoelaces hanging out of his mouth, meowed, dropped it, and went back to trying to catch it again. "I promise I'll fix them if he chews them off." she said - not prepared to stop her cat from having fun, obviously.

"Well you might have to do something about that." she said, moving over and grabbing the cat, moving him onto the floor - nudging the thing wasn't going to do anything. She jumped into the seat and crossed her legs, letting Sebastian jump onto her lap and curl up, purring softly. "Else you wont fit on the train next year. You'll have to have a whole carriage." She dug into her pocket and produced her bag of jelly babies, she popped one into her mouth and shook the bag at Alex. "Want one?"

Jayden stumbled through the train, her luggage and owl cage in both hands. "Merlin's pants!" She cursed under her breath as she searched for an empty compartment at the back of the train.

Finally. An empty compartment.

She set everything down with a sigh, taking special care to make sure that her owl was situated in a comfortable space.

"There you go snowflake! All nice and comfy!" She cooed, patting her snowy owl on it's head.

Now where was everyone?

Jez struggled through the train dragging her trunk and kitty carrier behind her. Discontented grumbles came from deep within the carrier, accompanied by a hiss if it accidentally banged against the walls. "Sorry, sorry!" muttered Jez, although she didn't quite mean it. The cat inside the carrier snorted.
Jez spotted Jayden in one of the compartments, and opened the door with a relieved smile. "Hello!" she said, struggling for a moment with her trunk then giving up and taking out her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The trunk flew upwards and secured itself in the overhead rank. Jez flung herself down opposite Jayden. "Did you have a nice summer?" she asked, playing with the end of her long plait, which wasn't looking scruffy for once but surprisingly smooth.

Jordan stumbled through the train, with his luggage in one hand and an owl cage in the other, with his small owl, Jazz, hovering above his head hooting happily.

Second Year already! he thought to himself, hopefully less drama this time... That obviously was not going to happen.

He looked into different compartments, trying to find someone he knew. Then he noticed Jayden in a compartment, "Knock knock," he grinned putting his head round the door. "Mind if I come in?" he asked.

Jayden had barely had time to get settled when Jezabel showed up, her trunk banging and clanging and her cat seemed to be in a bit of a huff.

"Hello there! Nice to see you again Jez! I did have a nice summer, Cael and I went on a dual family vacation to Hawaii over the holidays. It was sooo perfect!" Jayden smiled, looking over and doing a double take.

"Jez! Your hair! You did something to it! It looks so soft and smooth!" She giggled, leaning over to dig through her trunk and pull out her new Herbology book. Jayden was becoming quite enamored with Herbology, it seemed to be her new.... thing. \

And then in came Jordan! It was actually starting to become a full compartment!

"Jordan! Of course you can come in! The more the merrier I always say!" Jayden giggled, setting down her book and patting the seat next to her. "Sit down! Sit down!"

"Cael should be here soon... I think he's just having some issues with the ferret." Jayden smiled, her blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"Oh yes! And this here is Jez! I don't believe you've met....?"

Amethyst hauled all of her stuff into the compartment, Sir Saber, clinging to her shoulder as she placed her trunk and broom in the top part of the compartment. She smiled as she was finally able to relax. The ringing in her ears had finally stopped. She just wanted to forget all that happened. She sat down and saw that Alyssa probably didn't want to be bother. She pulled out her sketch pad and began to draw.

Christopher walked toward a compartment and turned around to Angela and said, "Is this good?"

"It sounds wonderful!" Jez pictured Jayden on a surfboard and smiled. "I can just picture you in Hawaii!" She grinned self-consciously at Jayden's comment about her hair. "Yeah, Pam's mum came at me with a hairbrush and demanded my hair be tamed." It was actually a relief not to have it weighed down by knots.

Jez glanced at the door as it opened, and smiled at Jordan. "Oh, I believe I've met Mr Macey," she said. "How were your holidays?" She felt a little bad about leaving Jordan on his own when she, Nate and Pam had gone off to America. "And what's this about a ferret?" she asked, looking at Jayden quizzically.

Harlow walked down the length of the train looking for an empty compartment. Not that she didn't want to sit with other people, but the compartments looked full enough without adding her little self to the mix. And just to be safe it was always a better idea to avoid a lot of legs to get lost in.

She smiled as she found an empty compartment. Legalos was yowling in his cage, "Alright, ok. Keep your hair on." she told him. Harlow walked into the compartment opening Lealos' cage. He streaked out of the cage and jumped into a seat. Harlow set his cage on the floor and used it to climb up into the seat next to her cat. The quarter of a inch that she grew over the summer wasn't helping getting up into seats made for giants.

"Of course!" Angie replied happily. She immediatelly took a seat and pages through one of her books. "I really can't wait to get there, this is all gonna be so exciting!"

Jordan smiled at the pair as he sat down, Jazz fluttered down and settled on his shoulder. "that ferret is viscous!" he exclaimed, "I feel sorry for Cael, having to cope with it..." e rambled, remembering the time it had almost gnawed off his finger. "And yes in fact I have met Jez..."

Jordan looked at Jez noticingif the difference, she actually looked healthy now... He smiled at her, "It was really good thanks," he grinned. "How was America? It must've been great!" he smiled, she had needed that break really the country wasn't safe for her and he had kept his memory so all was well...

Harvey lugged his stuff into the compartment and stashed his trunk and broom away and looked around the compartment to see a girl he knew.. Amethyst Geleto.. so went and sat down next to her "Hey Alyssa." he greeted before turning to Ame "Hey Ame.. you are drawing?! Cool.. so what you drawing?" he asked Ame..he loved it when people sat down to sketch as it showed their talent..

"It is exciting! And even better, I get to ride on the train with you..." Chris said to Angie. He hoped she didn't find that weird...

Charles ran through the back of the train as quickly as he could looking over his shoulder for the expected onslaught of angry upperclassmen. Slipping in to what he thought was an empty compartment he shut and locked the door behind him before sliding down below the window.

It was then that he noticed someone else in the compartment and his eyes widened. "Oh um...if you see some angry seventh years in the window I'm not in here," he said breathlessly as he peaked above the window and sat back down on the floor. "I'm Charles by the way." Might as well make small talk

Elliot trailed into the compartment, having heard Jaydens loud voice from the hallway. She didn't recognize any of the people there except for Jayden. She wondered where Caelius was...?

"Why hello, Jayden Troutwater" she began, her face smirking with glee. "How are we doing yoday, eh?" She asked, her eyes twinkling slyly. Elliot happy was about as pleasant as a dragon being happy....

"Y-yeah..." Angie replied, her voice a bit softer. It wasn't that she had disliked him saying that, not at all, but rather she was pretty unused to hearing things like that from boys. "Hm, whaddya know, I'm hungry already," she added, with a laugh, not sure what else to say.

"Oh... the ferret! It's Cael's familiar. Cute little thing, but he can be quite the pill sometimes!" Jayden answered with a chuckle.

"Oh wonderful! Then the conversations won't be too akward."

Or hostile.

"Yes Mr. Macey.... your holidays?" Jayden eyed him suspiciously.

And then along came Elliot.

"Elliot, daaaaarling!" Jayden called out cheerfully. "Come in! Take a seat, make yourself comfortable!" She motioned for the girl to come farther inside. "I've had better days, but it's alright." She admitted, her eyes sparkling sadly. The truth of the matter was, her day had been going terribly. She had almost missed the train with her waking up late and all.

"How've you been? It was so lovely to see you and your family a few weeks ago!"

Harlow was rooting around in her bag for some chocolate when the compartment door slide open. She peered at the boy as he ducked into the compartment and slide down to the floor. "Are you running from something?" She asked him. This train wasn't a good place to be running from something. It was only so big after all.

She found her chocolate and bite a piece off as the boy spoke. "Why would seventh years be angry with you?" This was getting really strange. Harlow made sure her wand was within reach as the boy looked at her. "I'm Harlow," she told him her legs sticking straight out on the chair.

Amethyst looked up the the familiar voice and smiled as she saw it was Harvey. She giggled and waved to him. It was good to spend time with him. "Hello, Mr. Watson." She chuckled. He had noticed she was drawing. She smiled, nodding to him. "I'm drawing the cavern.." She looked at the unfinished drawing.