FIFTH YEAR.

Valentina walked the corridor looking for an empty compartment, super looking forward to another year at Hogwarts!! But OWLs? not so much. She was going to have to study a lot this term unfortunately. Anywaaay.

Oh hey, this one wasn't occupied. She slid the door open and sat down next to the window, hoping to see her friends soon!! Hopefully. Or maybe she should go searching for them. Hmm.

It was her third year. Wahooooooo! She was walking around and exploring when she spotted Valentina. OH HER BROTHER and unfortunately Jasper’s crush friend????? She popped by to say hi quickly. “Hey Val!”

Margaret peered into compartments as she made her way toward the front of the train. She was specifically looking for a not empty compartment, because who wanted to sit alone? Spotting little Lisa Nam, she peered over the third year's head to see Valentina was in the compartment she'd stopped at.

"Hi Lisa, Val," she said brightly. "Mind if I sit?" She wasn't sure if they were waiting for someone who wouldn't want her around. She didn't want to impose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watson

It was her third year. Wahooooooo! She was walking around and exploring when she spotted Valentina. OH HER BROTHER and unfortunately Jasper’s crush friend????? She popped by to say hi quickly. “Hey Val!”

Valentina had just gotten up to go find some of her friends - she had already started to feel bored being on her own when Lisa popped in. "Oh, hey Lisa!!" She offered the younger girl a bright smile, so happy to see her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waddles

Margaret peered into compartments as she made her way toward the front of the train. She was specifically looking for a not empty compartment, because who wanted to sit alone? Spotting little Lisa Nam, she peered over the third year's head to see Valentina was in the compartment she'd stopped at.

"Hi Lisa, Val," she said brightly. "Mind if I sit?" She wasn't sure if they were waiting for someone who wouldn't want her around. She didn't want to impose.

.. "Mamie! Hi!" The blonde greeted enthusiastically, offered her fellow fifth year a smile as well. "Of course you can! Come sit." She shifted in her seat a bit to make some space for her friend. "Did you guys have a great summer?" She asked, looking between the two of them. Val had the BEST time! Not that she wasn't happy to be back at school but.. oh well.

Walking alone through the carriage, backpack on her back and a book pulled up close to her face, Ingrid Luck walked cautiously through the train to a compartment on partially reading as he eyes helped he weave her way through the onslaught of the first years towards an empty carriage or towards one of her friends. She’d hoped for a busier summer but alas, that was not exactly what she’d got. Although, there was always enough going on at Hogwarts, so a quieter summer wasn’t exactly unpleasant.

Finding a quiet compartment, the fifth year Ravenclaw neatly packed away what little luggage she’d kept on her and seated herself next to the window and, pulling her feet up close next to herself, she continued to read her book or at least try to for her mind just continued to wander. First, to her family. Then to her friends. Next to the summer she’d had and her travels to London to visit her brother before finally moving back to her family in general. Over the summer, the Scottish teen had, for some unknow reason, decided that it was time to talk to her family about their mother, or lack of. But how could she bring it up without hurting her father’s feelings? He always seemed so, defensive whenever anything was mentioned. With a small sigh, she placed her book next to her and stared out of the window, resigned to the fact that this train journey wasn’t to be a productive one.

Her hair was tied in a single braid behind her back with a cute red bow to represent her Gryffindor House as she moved through the front cars in search of someone to sit with. Her fifth year at Hogwarts was beginning soon which meant that Trissa Hartwell was going to attend her O.W.L Exams and she was already trying her best not to freak out.

Her grey eyes landed on a fellow fifth year entering an empty compartment. Moving quickly before the seats in there were taken, Trissa slid open the door and realised that it was Ingrid. She was a Ravenclaw...that meant she was SMART right?! Maybe she had to befriend some more Ravenclaws this year? "Ingrid~! Hi! how was your summer?"

Milo knew people on this train. Two also-first-year friends, or so it had (allegedly) turned out, were around here somewhere. There had been talk of sharing a compartment and then a boat, but so far he'd made little effort to follow up on that. Then there were his kin; uncles mostly, four of them, ranging from seventh year to second. Maybe cousins too. Didn't know. Hadn't asked. He traversed the train alone.

His shoes were tied together at the laces, and he swung the pair lightly at his side as he walked on invariably odd-socked feet. In his other hand, a biscuit - Milo didn't know who had made it, but the story went that the batch was homemade - the edges already nibbled away as he spiralled his way to its centre. The biscuits concealed variously about his person would see him through the day, and the evening that followed it.

Milo didn't know where he was going, or who he was looking for, but he knew that he'd know once he found it. As well as the odd sock situation, all of his clothes were worn back-to-front, front-to-back. Halfway through the front cars, he turned one hundred and eighty degrees and seamlessly transitioned into a backwards walk down the narrow train corridor. Better.

He took another tiny bite of the chocolate chip cookie. Not great, but not poison, so that was okay.

Moose had kept the door to his compartment open. Not as an invitation, but as a warning. He didn't want to bother with shocked faces when they saw who was in it. He'd rather they look quick, see it's him and instantly decide that this Moose's temper was not worth the trip up to Hogwarts. First Years beware, unless his visage was enough to strike fear into them. He had yet to change into his School Robes. They were sitting out on the bench in his compartment beside him ready for once they got closer. For now, Moose had the appearance of a Greaser who had just rolled out of bed. He had found an affinity for leather jackets as of late, fake obviously. His mother was very particular about that. His slick dark hair was a disheveled mess falling over his forehead and covering one of his two piercing eyes.

He was nursing a wound on the back of his left hand. Putting a bandage over a large scratch, and muttering obscenities under his breath.

He looked up for only just a moment. The briefest of glances toward the hallway outside his compartment as he watched a younger kid just walking backwards. Their clothes were not how they were meant to be, and the shoes were loosely tied together. He got a lot of information just from the brief look of this person. Every fiber of his being told him to stop watching this, but what started brief turned into a stare. Then it became a "You're gonna fall and hit your head, mate." Like he cared? Maybe the words would be enough to actually startle them, and make them trip on their own feet.

Jimena was sure that she stuck out like a sore thumb. She had felt that way since she had arrived in the United Kingdom, unable to stop herself from darting her head left and right to take everything in. It certainly was a different world on this side of the pond, wasn't it? At least she thought it was, based on what she had seen in the short amount of time she had been there.

Even though she felt this way, being here was something she openly welcomed. All the newness and adventure was exactly what she wanted out of this experience. After all, the fourteen-year-old was taking a train to school for the term, which was something she thought she'd never say. It was rather old-fashioned she had to admit, but she was going to Hogwarts after all.

Not knowing anyone or having anywhere specific to be, Jimena found herself walking down the corridor of the front car of the train. Her brown eyes shifted from one compartment to another. A few were empty, but she was on the look for one that had an open door, hopefully with friendly faces inside who wouldn't mind letting an exchange student tag along for the ride.

Staring out the window, her mind wandering, it took her by surprise when the compartment door slid open. With a small start, she jumped and turned to face the entering girl. “Oh, Trissa, hi!” a smile quickly spreading across her face now as she looked at the fifth year Gryffindor. Not wanting to really go into too much detail about her summer, she simply shrugged, replying “Oh, you know, the same old really. I helped my dad in the shop for a bit and then visited my brother in London. How was your summer? Have you done much O.W.L prep?” She almost hated herself for bringing up the O.W.L’s this early in the year but she was honestly curious. Like, how much was everyone else doing? Was she doing too much or not enough?

Saturn was fidgeting with their rings. The silver, pewter and bronze baubles they wore on their manicured hands were handed down to them by family friends and family alike. Each told a story. Today they told the story of nerves run rampant.

The newly transferred in 13-year old was not usually prone to anxiety- unless a gobstones match was on the immediate horizon- but making the leap from homeschooling to Hogwarts was a lot scarier than anyone had prepared them for.
people were gathered together almost everyone they looked- chattering and laughing, catching up on summer days and last minute assignments. It made Saturn feel like a sore thumb.

And try as they might, it showed. In the wringing of their rings. in the tight line of their full lips. in the anxious glances toward their twin...
Yeah. they were bugged out. "Let's grab a seat alone." Please? they needed a second.

Valentina was so pretty. No wonder Jasper liiiked her. And her brother too. She was also so kind and sweet and ahshshdjahbwjxjsab. She’d totally have a crush on her too. Bright beam caused all of her jealous thoughts to go *POOF!* and instead she smiled right back at the older girl. “How was your…” she began and then was cut off as another person joined.

“Margaret! Hi!!” Another big grin for an older student who was also very pretty. When Val insisted that they come sit, she quickly joined in the compartment. She could stop by for a bit before heading to the food trolley to get some snacks. “It was great thanks! Theatre camp was a blast and then I went to see a Quidditch match with a friend.” The friend comment had her blushing because it was a special friend… but in her mind… she hadn’t confessed her feelings because she was still figuring it all out.

“How was your summer?”

Whew. Margaret had been briefly worried that Val would want to sit with Lumi, since both were Gryffindors. But Lumi wasn't here, and Mamie was, and she was determined to get some girl time before they reached the castle. Mostly because, with her having spent most of her summer either playing Quidditch or with her brothers and their friends, she was realizing she didn't really have enough friends she could talk about, like, makeup and hair and clothes with.

Especially with Misa leaving, who'd taught her how to get her hair shiny in the first place.

But, yes, she had been invited in!! Margaret took a quick look up and down the corridor, giving a bright smile to a girl she didn't recognize down the way (Jimena) before stepping fully into the compartment, leaving the door open, and taking a seat across from Val.

"Summer was fine," she said simply. Other than playing U-17 Quidditch and finally getting invited to hang out with her older brother, it hadn't been anything special. Sure, she'd had fun, but it had been a weird summer with her parents living in different countries. "You went to a Quidditch match?" She beamed at Lisa. Had it been one of hers?

Sirius was breathing far too quickly to feel normal. The hood of his sweater was pulled tight around his head, just some of his soft brown curls breaking free. His arm was wound around Saturn's firmly in a desperate manner, afraid to get caught in the wave of students and their families. He looked at his father, Declan Hazelwood, one last time on the platform.

Declan waved at them, a smile plastered on his face. "WE LOVE YOU!!! HAVE FUN!!" He shot up two eager thumbs up at his two twin children who were disappearing into the same train he boarded long ago.

Sirius' grip on Saturn's arm tightened as they grew farther from the sight of their father. He managed a nod at their twin, his bones were trembling to the core. "There's...one..." The lanky boy raised a trembling finger at an empty compartment.

Clutching the babiest kitten with the most unfortunate of names, Kinsay led her cousins to the first empty compartment she saw. "We can sit here." No hesitation, no uncertain looks around the hallway to double check that this compartment wasn't already claimed, no questions asked - just a firm decision made by one very tired fifth year, Kinsay James, who so did not want to be at Hogwarts this year.

But things were going to be different because she was tired of being tired. That's why she needed to sit with family. She didn't want to talk to anyone else right now; others would just get on her nerves, and an argument was the very last thing she needed on her first night back. She was also maybe not-so-secretly hoping that some of Mercer's first year enthusiasm would rub off on her. She loved Mercer and Cooper lots and it was nice to share this with them. But. But there was a big Teddy and Phoebe sized hole in her heart.

Making her way into the compartment, she climbed onto the seat nearest the window, looking outside wistfully and letting baby Jimothy nuzzle her neck affectionately. He didn't want to be going to Hogwarts either, she could tell. He was really scared. He was terrified.

"How are you feeling, Big M?" She turned to look at her littlest cousin. She'd try to be pleasant and not-sulky for his sake. But no promises for anyone else.

The most hazardous aspect of moving through the train corridor like this was ultimately nothing to do with Milo's retroambulatory capabilities, but the narrowness of the train corridor and the other people who kept getting in the way or shoving past. Milo was an expert. This time last year - he remembered because it was that time when Papo Jake had started talking to Rose again about Milo needing to be at a school with other children - he had walked through the village all night, backwards and without stopping, refusing to face forwards until the rising sun had completely cleared the horizon

But that time, he had been in the open air, bare feet on solid ground, moon and stars up above, completely alone. Today, Milo walked sock-footed on a moving train, no contact with the ground, people everywhere, a rush of noise and voices and energies. Interference. Static. He wasn't likely to fall, but he could easily become untethered, and float away, and disappear into the ether. Easily.

Comments were common. Milo heard them often, but for this last, he stopped (because he'd passed the compartment from which the voice had come) and moved forwards a few steps (to reach it again) and looked in through the open door (voicewards) at the injured occupant.

"Specifics are suspicious."

Oh no.

Looking at him, Moose was really starting to question himself for calling out to the kid to not trip. He was in the compartment now. "Clearly." It was easy for Moose to just loose it. Sure when something new and strange happened it set Moose over the edge. But that was usually due to all that magic that still forced itself to make him need to understand it's absurdities. But this...it was different but didn't make him angry. For now Moose would be curious and questioning.

He finished bandaging his hand and rested both his hands on his lap and leaned forward. Taking one hand to push some of his hair from his face before putting it back on his lap. "Moving around the train, like that. It was bound to end up with your back to the floor. " And sure, baring witness to such a fall would be quite the spectacle, no one would want to be the one who did the fall right?

Was that a cookie? Moose looked at the cookie in their hand. He hadn't yet gone to the Food Trolley yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArianaBlack

Clutching the babiest kitten with the most unfortunate of names, Kinsay led her cousins to the first empty compartment she saw. "We can sit here." No hesitation, no uncertain looks around the hallway to double check that this compartment wasn't already claimed, no questions asked - just a firm decision made by one very tired fifth year, Kinsay James, who so did not want to be at Hogwarts this year.

But things were going to be different because she was tired of being tired. That's why she needed to sit with family. She didn't want to talk to anyone else right now; others would just get on her nerves, and an argument was the very last thing she needed on her first night back. She was also maybe not-so-secretly hoping that some of Mercer's first year enthusiasm would rub off on her. She loved Mercer and Cooper lots and it was nice to share this with them. But. But there was a big Teddy and Phoebe sized hole in her heart.

Making her way into the compartment, she climbed onto the seat nearest the window, looking outside wistfully and letting baby Jimothy nuzzle her neck affectionately. He didn't want to be going to Hogwarts either, she could tell. He was really scared. He was terrified.

"How are you feeling, Big M?" She turned to look at her littlest cousin. She'd try to be pleasant and not-sulky for his sake. But no promises for anyone else.

Stocking up a bit at the Food Trolley while there with Celyn, Cooper had plenty of snacks for all of them between those purchases and the pastry mum had made absolutely sure he tucked into his bag in abundance for his younger brother and sister's first train ride to Hogwarts. Despite his impulse buying, he was also trying to ration things...so to speak...so no one was too full to not enjoy the bounties the house elves had waiting for them upon arrival to the Great Hall. He was also acutely aware that Nerina was not present, but there was a certain aura about Kinsay this whole day that told him now was not the time to try and split his energy more.

Two little cousins to look out for and his own siblings...this was going to be quite the term and that was not even factoring his on absurdities in. And NEWTs. Ooooooooh boy NEWTs...the future...

...one step at a time...and right now step one was following Kinsay to the compartment of her choosing.

Something...was off with his little cousin and he felt it was not just because of Phoebe and Teddy's graduation - though he was also sure that that made up a large part of the tension too.

Smiling, and humming under his breath, Cooper patted his pocket for a random shoelace that had found its way into his pocket and stayed their all summer and wiggled it towards Kinsay's new not ducknapped pet.

"Either of you in the need of a pick-me-up? Got plenty to snack on." he asked, surrendering the shoelace and pulling his back around front to get his camera out as he flopped into the seat opposite of Kinsay. "Mom packed your favorite too, Mercer."

Trissa interpreted Ingrid's conversation with her as permission to enter the compartment. She removed her bag from her shoulder and placed it on the opposite side before she took a seat next to her book. "What's the story about?" she questioned, placing her finger on the cover. She didn't particularly enjoy reading, but if she wanted more friends to help her during the exam year, she had to show interest in the other, right?

"Which shop does your father work at?" or own? She realised that she knew almost nothing about the other girl apart from that they were both fifth years.

"O.W.L Preparation?" she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh... suuuuuure" She hadn't started her O.W.L prep yet. "I mean, i opened my textbooks...once. But then i got distracted by games of Exploding Snap with my sister" she replied sheepishly, scratching the back of her head before she let out a long groan at the thought of her upcoming year. "I should've paid more attention in classes" she now regretted it "But exams aren't until later in the year, so there's still time!" Think positive! "My main concern is Herbology" sigh.

"And what about you?" how much had she done to prepare for exams?

"Is it clear?" Did that mean, then, that the human(?) occupying this compartment, with the chilly reception and the patchwork hand and the impractical hairstyle, had meant to be suspicious? If so, to what end? Milo turned his head fifty-five degrees to the right, and regarded the speaker out of the not-quite-corner of his icy blue eye.

It was strange, in a way that wasn't strange, that the further this train barrelled north, the worse the thoughts churned inside him. What had started as ripples on platform nine and three quarters had by now morphed into rapids, complete with whirlpools and eddies, alternately freezing and boiling. Milo's options for managing this were limited, but he did what he could and kept the turbulence under control. A common side effect of controlling the turbulence was drawing drawing attention, but it was nothing he wasn't used to.

"It didn't." If his response was frosty, that was only because it was so often how he sounded when he opened his mouth to speak. Empty voices made for cool words, but there was little to be done about it. Even less desire to try. "Abandon absolutes. You know nothing for sure."

Without hesitation, Milo placed the biscuit back in his pocket, keeping it covered with a hand to protect it from predators.

For the first time Moose cocked an eyebrow. It was not a common thing even he felt he would do. The longer he tried to figure this individual out the more strange Moose felt, and the weirder he felt the angrier he looked. So while his face looked to become more and more furious he kept the same level tone of voice from the get go with them. He had to try his best to keep his temper in check. "No, not really." He shrugged. Letting out a deep sigh to let out some tension with shrugging his shoulders. That felt better.

Holding a normal conversation was not going to be a thing with them was it? He noted their cold response. It was something he could catch onto when someone was talking to him when they would rather be elsewhere. He wasn't holding them here. They walked in when he spoke up to them. So if they felt threatened the door was behind them. Moose wasn't about trapping anyone in situations they couldn't get themselves out of. Okay well...some people, if he wasn't teasing with them to an extent. BUT IN GENERAL after his experience Moose preferred freedom over forced submission.

Wow...were they some kind of personified oracle? He narrowed his eyes into a glare. Then jabbed his wrapped up hand with his index finger pointed forward "I abandoned those when I became a Wizard."

"What's your name?" He asked them. This would be his invitation for them to stay. "I'm Moose, a Fifth Year Slytherin." He sat up straight from his seat and waited to see how else they would continue to surprise him.

"Yeah?" Mercer snapped out of his absolute daze at ALL THE THINGS when Kinsay spoke to him, and he made squinty eyes at her before remembering he wasn't wearing his glasses. Those got fished from his pocket and he shoved them crookedly on his nose, and WHOA ALL THE THINGS WERE EVEN MORE DAZING. Weird how he sometimes just forgot that the world could be clearer if only he took the time.

"Oh, yeah! Look!" Mercer immediately climbed on his seat and started pulling things out of his bag to show Kinsay. And Cooper, although Cooper watched Mum pack it, so it wasn't as impressive, but STILL. "See, I got a wand? It CHOSE me, did you know? And my robes, but I won't put those on yet because my knees get hot. And look at this keen quill? It..." He shook it and it changed color. "And I have THREE colors of ink because I need... three. At least."

What else? Mercer stood there, on the bench, all his belongings everywhere, and he looked puzzled. "And Cooper has snacks. Can I see your kitten? It's quite small. Like... quite? Very very tiny. I will be so gentle. I held a newborn bunny one time because I found it by the loch, so I am SO gentle. Well. Dad held it and I did NOT poke it at all with my fingers." He absolutely poked the heck out of it, but it was fine.

Dadclan's boisterous goodbye had only excerberated Saturn's nerves. He meant well, Saturn was sure, but he clearly didn't remember what it was like to be a new kid, going to a new school. It wasn't cool to have your father yelling at you across the platform... and it wasn't cool to have your twin clinging to your arm.

The Hazelwood family seemed hellbent on painting a bullseye on their back.

"Relax, Siri. The train's not going to digest us." They said, tugging their twin along by their conjoined arms. The compartment was, in fact, empty and surprisingly spacious. Magic, probably. "I'm... gonna sit down now." Saturn added after a beat, carefully tugging their arm loose so they could plop down into a window seat.

"pretty cozy. I like it." Did they like it? Naturally. Were they adding more zeal to their words to get Siri to chill? Naturally. "I read in Hogwarts, A History, that the train's got a trolley witch with snacks. we should go looking for her." a beat. "After everyone chills out."

and by everyone... They meant the two of them.
fr. fr. fr.

Digest them? Digest them? That wasn't even a thought that had crossed his mind! Oh, Merlin! They were going to be devoured by an ancient piece of moving metal! Oh, no. Oh, NO, NO, DON'T PEEL ME OFF, SATURN! His arms fell loose at his side like noodles.

Sirius' breathing was irregulating. He was overwhelmed, but on the outside, he was stoic as a rock. He sunk into the seat across from Saturn, sitting on his trembling hands. "I feel like everyone's aura is suffocating me..." Dramatic? A little, but it was smothering. How can he chill this way? "Maybe you can. I'm not moving from here until we've stopped." Not that he had an appetite anyway. Just nausea.