Aries wouldn't know it, but last night while his twin was off talking to dad...Atlas was off talking with mom. It had been a bit of a confusing conversation and feelsy too. He had even cried a little, though he would absolutely denied it if anyone asked or if mom had teased him about it the following morning (not that mom was the sort), and during it he had promised to look out for Aries. A promise he was taking to heart and with only a tiiiiiiiiiny bit of resentment. As twins, they already did practically everything together and he wasn't even sure there was a picture in the house where they were not in matching or at least complimentary outfits even AFTER mom and dad had stopped dressing them.

Aries copied him. That much was obvious.

So it was that after getting their trunks on the train and safely stowed in the luggage compartment - you were welcome by the way, Aries, for packing your trunk too - and giving mom kisses on the cheek and an incredibly awkward parting handshake to dad that the pair of them boarded the train, each on one of Andromeda's hands. Their sister had gotten them as far as the middle cars before branching off to spend time with her own friends - Ravenclaws, Atlas assumed - and left the pair of them to look for somewhere to sit. And, yes, Atlas WAS holding his brother's hand in a fervent hope that he wouldn't go literally bouncing off the walls of the Hogwarts Express. They hadn't even had THAT many chocolate chip constellation pancakes this morning!

"Which one looks good? I still need to feed Araneus so I'd rather we find somewhere to sit down fast," he nodded while peering into each compartment as they passed by while hoisting the carrier for his pet tarantula up further under his arm.

Despite the FEELSY conversation with his dad the night before, Aries was all smiles and full of excitement as he boarded the train. This was going to be fantastic, and Hogwarts was going to be everything he ever thought it would be.

"They all look the same to me, to be honest" Aries snorted, pushing open the door to one. "Lets drop our stuff, feed Araneus, and go look for the food trolley. I saw one when we were getting on. Also" he leaned in closer to his brother to whisper, "maybe let my hand go, I promise I won't let anything happen to you"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samia

Despite the FEELSY conversation with his dad the night before, Aries was all smiles and full of excitement as he boarded the train. This was going to be fantastic, and Hogwarts was going to be everything he ever thought it would be.

"They all look the same to me, to be honest" Aries snorted, pushing open the door to one. "Lets drop our stuff, feed Araneus, and go look for the food trolley. I saw one when we were getting on. Also" he leaned in closer to his brother to whisper, "maybe let my hand go, I promise I won't let anything happen to you"

Everything was FEELSY with Aries. EVERYTHING. Sometimes even the smallest thing turned into a whole thing where it was like someone was peeling onions nearby. Tears and snot, the complete waterworks.

"Probably because they are," he noted with a haphazard shake of the head this way and that. Though knowing Aries this seemingly random compartment was now going to have deep sentimental value and now EVERY trip to and from was going to have to be spent in the compartment third from the back on the fourth car of the Hogwarts express. Not that Atlas had been counting for his own sentimental reasoning or anything. "I'm not----ugh...you're just so...." But Atlas never finished the thought, insert the blank here and choose your own adventure, because in the next breath he had let go of his brother's hand so he could SHOVE him away. "Just need to give her a couple of crickets and then she should be set. DON'T touch the container this time."

Tossing his satchel bag down on one of the seats, Atlas carefully untucked the carrying case from under his arm and set it down on the seat as well while he kneeled on the floor in front of it. Smiling at his beaaaaaautiful new Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula, who just hand some of her front legs sticking out from the little rock cave she was nestled inside, Atlas pulled from his satchel bag the tiny canister of crickets and placed it on top of his bag for now.

Really, Aries, resist the temptation to be helpful in feeding Atlas' familiar.

Quinn was on his way to the food trolley—he hadn't eaten any breakfast this morning and was a bit peckish. He had already found a seat in one of the front cars, so he had set everything down but a satchel; it had his money, as well as a book, some yarn and knitting needles for the train ride. The money and the needles tink-tinked every now and then as he walked.

As Quinn walked by the small compartment, he glanced in and recognized a familiar face. "Oh, Atlas, hey!" He poked his head into the compartment, then looked around at Aries. "Oh. Or is that..." He examined Aries for a moment, then turned back to Atlas. "Nope, this is Atlas. I didn't know you were a twin." Quinn turned back to Aries. "I'm Quinn, it's very nice to meet you." He still wasn't sure that Atlas liked him much, but he figured he would say hi. And the response he got could confirm for Quinn where he stood.

Bella felt like a loaded donkey as she boarded the train dragging her heavy trunk behind her as well as having her satchel stuffed with necesseties, like snacks. Choosing an empty compartmet at random in the middle of the train Bella couldn't wait until they got to Hogwarts. Her parents had teary eyed waved her off on the platform, but she hadn't felt sad, just excited and full of expectations. She was going to learn to do magic what could be more fun?

Taking a seat by the window she dragged out her giant stuffed charmed snake from her satchel and placed him on the seat beside her. Next she pulled out a parchment and scribbled a few words on it before she stuck it onto the door in the corridor. This would keep unwanted persons away right?

Camryn was very, very nervous as she boarded the train that would take her to her new life. Of course, she was determined not to let her nerves show to anyone. She had put on a brave face when she said goodbye to her parents on the platform. Now if she could just pull off her fake confidence for a while longer, all would be well........or so she hoped.

After storing her trunk, she went about finding a compartment, preferably an empty one. That task proved to be difficult, as it seemed that most compartments had one or several students already occupying them. Resigned to giving up her desired solitude, Cam spotted a note on the next door she approached. She smiled when she read the note. Rather than being put off by it, she was intrigued. Peeking in the window, she saw a girl who appeared to be her age. She paused for a moment, thinking to herself. I’m a first year, I like snakes.....so, why not?

Camryn knocked on the door and slowly slid it open. She knew she was taking a chance, but maybe this girl felt like she did. “Hi”, she said cautiously. “Ummm I know I’m a stranger, but I’m a first year and I like snakes. My name is Camryn. Now we’re not strangers. Can I sit with you?”

Mamie was not about sitting in a compartment by herself. Her favorite thing about trains was the inescapable conversations with friends and strangers, so when she spotted a compartment with somebody already in the doorway, she decided that was where she'd sit. If they had room, of course.

Stopping just short of the doorway, she tapped the young boy (Quinn) on the shoulder in case he didn't see her. He was definitely not older than her, and not someone she knew so...a first year? "Excuse me," she said politely. "Is there room in this carriage for one more?"

Pleeeease don't make her sit in silence by herself. That sort of train ride sounded worse than Azkaban.

Quinn turned to the girl and blinked. "Oh, uh... sorry. I'm actually sitting in a different compartment, towards the front, so... I couldn't tell you. I just wanted to say hi. You'd have to ask them." He gestured towards Atlas & Aries.

As Killian boarded the train, she thought of the question her mother had asked her over breakfast this morning. 'Are you sure you want to do this dear?' It wasn't unkind, more of a cautioned note towards a daughter getting herself into something they didn't understand.

Instead of answering, Killian simply stared at the cereal floating in her oat milk, contemplating the question herself. She could back out now, go back to sleep, and wake up as her normal self. She could play old music and sing it loudly until her brother threw a pillow at her door to get her to shut up. She could go shopping with her friends, and have sleepovers where they painted their nails. This was the year she was going to audition for select orchestra in middle school. This was the year her mother was going to allow her to wear blush. All of her plans were changing.

Killian never actually answered the question. Instead, she drank the milk in her bowl and sat in the living room until it was time to go. She noted her mother looking her up and down twice, as though looking for any hole in her confident demeanor. Any sign that her daughter wanted to stay home.

Apparently, Killian had hidden any doubts successfully, considering that she was on the train. Her mothers perfume, a sweet floral smell, remained on her light blue shirt and black and white scarf. She was on the train now. There was no turning back. If she wasn't sure about this before, she had to be sure about it now. Her feet were moving forward without permission from her brain.

A new thought entered her brain; where was she going to sit? It was like choosing a seat on the school bus, it could make or break the ride. Her brown eyes scanned the compartments, making mental notes all of the while.

Not the front. The front was the worst place on the bus to sit. Everyone looked at you when they passed. The kids who sat in the front on her bus were usually either nerds, or those who got in so much trouble the bus driver had to watch them. Besides, seats were filling up fast, all with kids older than her. It might be fruitful to befriend someone older, get the lowdown on everything that happened at Hogwarts, but she wasn't going to ask some random fifteen year old to sit with her. She was trying to be confident, but that was something very different.

Maybe the middle section. On her bus, it was unassuming. The normal people sat there. The people who tried to do their homework, those who slept, those who listened to music. Maybe she could get a compartment to herself. Maybe then she could read the book that was on the summer reading list for school. She promised her friends that they would read them together, and even though she was going to a completely different school with completely different values, she was going to keep her promise.

She luckily found an empty compartment after some searching and slid inside, sitting down. She pulled out the book and set it on the seat, the bird on the front cover facing up at her.

Bella had her nose in her copy of 'Hogwarts a history' re-reading the passage about the great hall and the sorting ceremony, when she heard the knock on the door. Grumbling to herself she said a few choice words about the note that was supposed to scare away unwanted visitors, but had clearly not done its job. Sitting up straighter on the seat and pushing her black hair out of her eyes Bella looked on as a girl about her age slowly slid her compartment door open and headed inside.

"Hisss! Hiss! Hiss!" Came from the mouth of a charmed stuffed animal snake that was supposed to warn her off strangers. "Hi!" Bella mouthed out cautiously to the other girl. "You’ll have to excuse my snake, he just hisses, but he has no bite." She was going to try and figure out how to give him teeth though, so he’d be a better protector of her belongings. For all she knew it could be needed at Hogwarts.

Bella thought the girl's words over before she nodded with a gesture around the compartment. "Sure, take a seat anywhere you like." After closing her book with a bookmark she said, since her mum had drummed in politeness. "It’s nice to meet you Camryn. I’m Isabella but I prefer being called Bella." It seemed pointless to say that she was a first year, since the other girl already knew that from the note outside.

Aries RIGHTFULLY smirked in his brother's direction. It was so easy to annoy him at times. Sometimes he wasn't even sure what he did to do so - but somehow it always worked. ANYWAY, he dropped his own backpack unceremoniously on the ground and took a seat opposite his brother and his creepy pet. "You know I still think you should have opted for something bigger - something that wouldn't be so easily stepped on" The blonde was only teasing but he was ready to receive another shove - that was however before someone interrupted them.

Oh? Atlas already had friends???

"Helloo" he greeted the boy with a wide smile before loooking over to the OTHER girl who had stepped in, "there is TOO much room, if you ask me - come on in" The more the merrier, he always said. "I hope you are not afraid of creepy tarantulas though" FAIR WARNING. Also how did you spell tarantulas? It sounded as complicated as it looked.

SPOILER!!: all you lovelies in this compartment :3

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiallNIP

Quinn was on his way to the food trolley—he hadn't eaten any breakfast this morning and was a bit peckish. He had already found a seat in one of the front cars, so he had set everything down but a satchel; it had his money, as well as a book, some yarn and knitting needles for the train ride. The money and the needles tink-tinked every now and then as he walked.

As Quinn walked by the small compartment, he glanced in and recognized a familiar face. "Oh, Atlas, hey!" He poked his head into the compartment, then looked around at Aries. "Oh. Or is that..." He examined Aries for a moment, then turned back to Atlas. "Nope, this is Atlas. I didn't know you were a twin." Quinn turned back to Aries. "I'm Quinn, it's very nice to meet you." He still wasn't sure that Atlas liked him much, but he figured he would say hi. And the response he got could confirm for Quinn where he stood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waddles

Mamie was not about sitting in a compartment by herself. Her favorite thing about trains was the inescapable conversations with friends and strangers, so when she spotted a compartment with somebody already in the doorway, she decided that was where she'd sit. If they had room, of course.

Stopping just short of the doorway, she tapped the young boy (Quinn) on the shoulder in case he didn't see her. He was definitely not older than her, and not someone she knew so...a first year? "Excuse me," she said politely. "Is there room in this carriage for one more?"

Pleeeease don't make her sit in silence by herself. That sort of train ride sounded worse than Azkaban.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiallNIP

Quinn turned to the girl and blinked. "Oh, uh... sorry. I'm actually sitting in a different compartment, towards the front, so... I couldn't tell you. I just wanted to say hi. You'd have to ask them." He gestured towards Atlas & Aries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samia

Aries RIGHTFULLY smirked in his brother's direction. It was so easy to annoy him at times. Sometimes he wasn't even sure what he did to do so - but somehow it always worked. ANYWAY, he dropped his own backpack unceremoniously on the ground and took a seat opposite his brother and his creepy pet. "You know I still think you should have opted for something bigger - something that wouldn't be so easily stepped on" The blonde was only teasing but he was ready to receive another shove - that was however before someone interrupted them.

Oh? Atlas already had friends???

"Helloo" he greeted the boy with a wide smile before loooking over to the OTHER girl who had stepped in, "there is TOO much room, if you ask me - come on in" The more the merrier, he always said. "I hope you are not afraid of creepy tarantulas though" FAIR WARNING. Also how did you spell tarantulas? It sounded as complicated as it looked.

Atlas was ready to wipe that smirk clean off his brother's face...but his supplies were also packed up nice and neatly in his trunk which was aaaaaaall the way in the luggage care and it would entirely defeat the purpose to march all the way down there, take things out, and then march back. Plus during the walking he would release enough endorphins to not feel this burst of pettiness anymore so...it would just be a waste of effort. Much easier to shove now.

Which he did, clumsily, while he was on his knees.

"Don't you dare." Atlas narrowed his eyes at Aries while reaching for the container of crickets to twist the cap off. "I'll squish your...something." He didn't know what the something was right NOW but he would squish it. Squish it real good. And since he was looking at his brother, the blonde also saw the compartment doorway become occupied by a familiar face. "Oh. Hi Quinn," he smiled a bit and then glanced at Aries. "Yeah. This is my brother I was telling you about."

Cap off the crickets, Atlas turned to dump them into the carrier for Araneus to have her late breakfast when he heard someone else step inside the compartment and of course Aries was welcoming whoever it was...so he cast a cursory glance over his shoulder at the girl and was about to speak when Aries went and insulted his familiar AGAIN.

Two strikes, dear brother. Two strikes.

"Creepy is a matter of perspective," he retorted, sounding entirely too much like his dad in the moment. "Don't force your opinion on others or your cabbage breath." Since Aries had been eating double servings of braised cabbage since their wand fitting. So HA! Although...cabbage was one of those vegetables to cause excess gas...so...maybe no ha for anyone.

His attention turned back to Quinn again. "If you want to move compartments you can," he offered while hoping back up to stand and setting Araneus' carrier on the seat nestled in to the corner up against the wall and himself plopping down beside it.

Quinn's eyes widened with understanding. "Ohhh, this is Aries. I kind of expected him to be older than us, but I guess that just means we'll be seeing each other more often." He smiled at Aries. Then, when the two started insulting each other, he got a grasp on what their relationship was like. He'd seen this kind of treatment between boys at his school—jests and insults in the name of fun, but it didn't feel so fun to Quinn. It felt like there was truth there, sometimes.

He tried to take a peek at what Atlas was doing on the floor, and then got a better look than he was hoping for. A bright blue tarantula? Quinn had no intention of getting closer to that thing than he had to. And then to go and feed it crickets out in the open? Yuck. "Sorry, Atlas, I think I have to agree with Aries. That's creepy." He shivered, thinking of it crawling up his arm onto his face.

Quinn frowned with the side of his mouth. "I would, but there's this really nice girl, Eden, sitting in the compartment with me, and she's new to the whole magic thing, too, and I would feel bad leaving her. Plus, you have a tarantula in here."

Mamie's eyebrows raised at the greeting from one of the boys inside the compartment. This was certainly a friendly bunch. "Hello," she said brightly as she stepped fully into the compartment. Wait, did these two look alike? Siblings, maybe? Or cousins?

She paused at the mention of tarantulas, but still sat down in an empty seat that she hoped was out of the way. She had almost forgotten the ordeal with the Acromantulas in the forest last term, but now the thought of it made her shudder. "P-pr-probably, I can handle a t-tarantula," she said, trying to hide some discomfort at the thought. "As long as it doesn't try to eat me. We had a run-in with its big cousins in the Forest last year." Honestly, as long as it didn't talk, she would not be worried about a regular-sized spider.

"I'm Mamie, by the way," she volunteered. "Are you lot first years?" She thought maybe the one who wasn't actually sitting in this compartment could fetch his friend to join them, but she wasn't about to make anybody sit with a spider they were afraid of.

Being late wasn't exactly unusual for Gabrielle - she'd lost her shoes and then forgotten to pack her toothbrush, and even with her dad making lists and hurrying her along she'd barely made the train. In the mad rush once they'd arrived at the platform, she'd lost Willa - not that Gabrielle was worried: she was sure her sister has managed to find friends or a compartment.

The seventh year headed for the middle of the train, thinking she'd start there and see if she could find anyone she knew. An empty compartment seemed unlikely, but she wouldn't question it if she came across it.

Camryn was startled, but not frightened when the snake began to hiss. Given permission, she headed inside the compartment. “It’s nice to meet you Bella. Thanks for letting me sit with you.” Cam wasn’t exactly sure that she was really welcome, but since Bella was being nice, she was going to roll with it.

Taking her backpack of and sitting down across from Bella, Cam eyed her fellow first year. “I like your snake. It’s pretty cool.” And then the awkwardness set in. Noticing that her compartment mate had a book, she peeked at it and said, “What are you reading?” “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Leaning back in her seat, Camryn reached into her backpack and fished around for a moment. She pulled out two chocolate frogs. Holding one out, she said, “Do you want one?” Then she began to unwrap her own. Was it crazy that she was hungry already? The journey had barely begun.

So this was it. Lilith Crane is on her way to Hogwarts. The ever so legendary school of magic. She was both excited and nervous. And a little but sad. Her family moved to the UK this past summer, and even though her dad tried to reassure her that it’d be okay for her to stay at Ilvermorny, Lilith knew it was going to be hard. Especially because her mom was expecting. Traveling back and forth between countries was going to become a struggle. So, taking one of the team, Lilith agreed to change schools and leave her old life behind. It shouldn’t be too bad, right? School is school? Except...all of their friends were back home.

Lilith shook her head and told herself to snap out of it. New beginnings were good. Yes? Yes. So this...it’d be an adventure. One she’ll be able to tell her future sibling about.

After hugging her parents and making sure she had everything, Lilith boarded the train and followed the path where there seemed to be less commotion. She left the compartment door partly open for whomever needed a seat. For now, she glanced out the window and readied herself mentally.

Bella was well aware that her stuffed pet's should we say unusual behaviour could frighten and startle many. Camryn seemed pretty unfazed by the hissing though which made her rise just a smidge in Bella's eyes. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad to have her as a companion for the long ride to school. "You're welcome," she murmured distractedly to Camryn as she stroked her snake on the head affectionatley.

Slightly startled, but more proud if anything Bella beamed across at Camryn. "Thanks, I've charmed him to hiss at strangers and such. If only i could give him a bite too, but I haven't found a charm that works for that." Nevermind if snakes weren't supposed to have teeth, maybe her new CoMC teacher could help her with that?

Glancing down at the forgotten book in her lap Bella replied. "It's Hogwarts A History. I wanted to read up on the sorting ceremony." Since they we're going to be sorted into their house homes in just a few hours. When Camryn fished out a chocolate frog Bella accepted one eagerly. "Yes, thank you. I love these. Do you collect the cards?"