If you want to be the last to leave or want to hang with the more rowdy crowd, then the back passenger cars of the train are for you. Just like the other cars, a long corridor provides access to the many compartments, each labelled with a letter, available for you and your friends to hunker down in until the train has come to a complete stop. Cushioned seats and large windows, allowing perfect views of the British scenery on your journey, await.

Well, what are you waiting for? Slide open a compartment door and make yourself at home. Place any of your belongings not in the luggage car on the racks above you. Chat with your friends about what your summer plans, enjoy munching on the snacks you bought from the trolley lady, get ahead of the game by exchanging addresses, or take a long nap as the train travels over numerous hills and mountainsides. Whatever you do, exhibit your best behaviour -- the prefects will be regularly patrolling the corridors and poking their heads inside your compartment to make sure you are doing so.

Summer had been amazing, perhaps one of the best ones she'd had in her past 16 years, but it had also been so busy that there was a certain relief Vera felt when September 1st rolled around and it was back to school. She'd given both Papa and Raju hugs good bye, and this time boarded the express with little to no heaviness to her heart. Her siblings were both still with her and Papa was obviously in good hands and being well cared for with Raju, so there was nothing to be considered about at home. And her OWL results had not been abysmal so she didn't feel the need to continue to exhaust herself with extensive studying to prepare for NEWTs in nearly 2 years time.

This time she'd just do the adequate amount of studying that she should have done the first 4 terms. But...y'know, hindsight was 20/20.

Making her way towards the very bag of the train, the brunette kept watch for her friends or familiar faces, before ending up selecting an unoccupied compartment for herself and sliding back the door so she could flop down onto one of the benches. She'd saved some of the goodies they'd purchased in Italy over the summer for this particular occasion, so she retired that bag carefully before popping a confection into her mouth and putting her feet up on the seat across from her.

She wasn't sure yet what she planned to do the train ride to home away from home, but she wasn't fussed.

There was a hint of sadness on Aurora’s face as she boarded the train alone for the first time now that Ariadne had graduated. It wouldn't be for another eleven years that another Ackerly would be heading for Hogwarts by which time the current youngest would have been long gone, that Ackerly hasn’t even made their presence into the world yet but it would only be a matter of days before they did. That was another thing that had affected her mood, she would be away from her Mum’s and her new baby brother and not able to meet them until she was back home. She’d spent the last week practically begging for him to come on his due date but a typical boy he was LATE and she was forced to board the train and miss it all.

Thankfully the unhappy face wouldn’t last too long as soon as she spotted a familiar face or someone she could bombard grace with her presence. Her blonde hair down over her shoulders in natural waves (a change from her braided pigtails in an effort to look more ‘mature’), the fourth year padded her way from the front and peered into the carriages until she happened upon someone who wouldn’t mind her joining. Not that she often gave them a choice of her company. The first person she came across was one she was very familiar with and if the chaos of her second year antics were to go by would obviously not mind her joining.

“Hi!” the fourteen year old beamed sitting in the seat opposite Vera and folding her legs underneath her bottom to get comfortable.

Only minutes had passed and the Gryffindor realized that not boarding the train with some company could end up being her downfall. While she was still at peace, she knew herself and realized that if she did not at the very least find some conversation it was going to be a longer train ride than she had optimistically thought only moments before. Thankfully, the fourth year Ravenclaw peering inside was sure to be her savior on that front!

And yes, Aurora was very correct that her presence was more than welcomed. "Auroraaaaa." Ve sang, moving her feet down so the girl had ample space in which to lounge herself. "I like your hair like that!" It definitely made the girl look a little older, which only momentarily reminder Vera of the fact they were all growing up. Gross. "How was your summer?" It was the most basic of questions one could ask, but she liked hearing how everyone else generally chose to fill their time.

Grabbing the bag of treats she'd brought, she opened it a little wider to offer towards the Ravenclaw. "Want one?" There were different butter cookie options, torrone and some assortments of truffles. With a sweet tooth as massive as the Thanatos family, she'd pretty much only bought sugars in bulk for the ride.

Truth be told Aurora was missing the freedom that her braids gave her to get ‘stuck in’, every time the wind blew she’d get a strand of hair stuck in her lip balm (lipstick and lipgloss were far off her radar right now) and she’d be left trying to peel it away. Still it made her feel more grown up and she’d have to put up with it if she was going to attempt to display this more mature side of her.

Attempt was the key word in that sentence if the childlike way she was sat on her seat was anything to go by. “Thanks!” she grinned back, twirling a strand in her finger and releasing it to fall into a loose curl over her shoulder. “Ari spent all summer teaching me how to do my hair and makeup.. oh and to box. I’m not very good at it though.” But she had fun and it gave her the opportunity to bond with her older sister. “We usually go on holiday but my Ma is pregnant. Like REALLY pregnant so we stayed home this summer instead in case she had the baby but he never came and now I’m going to be stuck at school.” Everyone knew that Aurora had a serious case of FOMO.

What a silly question. Would the majorly sweet tooth oriented fourteen year old want a chocolate. Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of those truffles and her hand dipped straight into the bag. “Yes please! Where did you get these?” They definitely weren’t from the food trolley that was for sure.

That was something Vera certainly could have related to. Although, maybe not so much the getting stuck in the lip balm. She would wear some make up around her eyes, but the feeling of lipsticks or glosses made her feel uncomfortable. But hair, as pretty as it could be, DID also tend to get in the way a lot when she went running or doing yoga or even studying. Ponytails were better. Though when she was trying to look feminine and pretty it was kind of nice to curl it and leave it a little bit down.

Being a girl was hard.

"Your sister is really pretty, so that makes sense she'd have a ton of tips and tricks!" Not that there was anyone she'd encountered that did not have their own type of beauty, but Ariadne had seemed the conventional sort that everyone seemed to think was pretty. It reminded her a bit of Kinsay, from years previously. "Boxing sounds like fun, even if it wasn't a natural talent! Did you like doing it? Even if you weren't very good?" Sometimes the having fun was really the only important part, although it was really nice to be the best at something too. Wait... did she just say pregnant!?! ashijdsoiewl. Usual FOMO or not, that was something that everyone would be excited about right!? Being a big sister was Vera's absolute favorite thing in the universe, so she was very excited for her younger friend. "A little brother!! That's so exciting!! Do you think your Ma will be able to get approval to take you out of school for a day or something to get to meet him when he does come?" It would be awfully unfair to make her wait months before getting to meet her little brother! "When is she due?"

She held the bag out a little further when Aurora's baby blues lit up, a small giggle at the enthusiasm of her yes. "My papa and his boyfriend took us to Italy this summer. We picked these up at a bakery and I saved them for the train ride." She had a small bag too she'd especially set aside for Logan too still in her bag.

Being a girl was impossible sometimes. Not that there was any pressure for her to be more feminine, her Ma was much more of tomboy herself who barely wore makeup and the family were all sporty. But Aurora had a fear of being left behind and with her closest friends growing up faster than she was it was about time that she tried too.

Of course Ariadne was pretty, she was the spitting image of their Mom who had been a model when she was younger. Ari was also a Beauxbatons girly and they seemed to ooze classic femininity that the Hogwarts raised Rora didn’t. “She’s been doing it much longer than me. I think they had secret makeup lessons at Beauxbatons.” She giggled. Boxing wasn’t a sport that Rora naturally gravitated towards but Ari had insisted that the fourteen year old being on her own at school that she had to learn. “I have bright pink gloves.” Which clearly made the whole experience more enjoyable.

The Ravenclaw was in two minds over whether she was excited at the prospect of becoming a big sister. In the one hand she loved kids and she was looking forward to encouraging and influencing her own kin but then again they’d been a family of four women for such a long time that the boy might disrupt the harmony. Plus she was so used to being the youngest in the family and everyone knew the middle child was the least favourite! “She was supposed to have him a week ago but he’s late” her lips pouted. Boys were always leaving girls waiting.

“Delicious” she grinned after popping one into her mouth. She had missed travelling dearly but there was always next summer.

Vera was... a strange mix of in between. She was fairly certain she preferred herself to be more of a tomboy, but in her third year she'd had a difficult time figuring out and coming to terms with what identity she DID want to give out. She did necessarily have a problem with who she was but with changing feelings and the like, there was internal pressure to more 'girly'. She didn't have an example at home for stuff like that, usually relying on the older Paton girls to bother for questions and try to learn things from. And then when she went into her little mid-school crisis, it occurred to her she wanted to know how to do everything anyways so Vesper didn't have to have the same confusion she did.

Being a big sister really was her favorite thing.

The giggle seemed to suggest Aurora was joking, but... truthfully? Vera wondered herself too, because the classic Beauxbatons-ness was something she had noticed on all of the transfers as well. "Honestly though, I wouldn't be that surprised! Don't they have more of an emphasis on dancing and etiquette too?" Or maybe that was something Vera just assumed from the moment she heard they had a massive ballroom. Why have a ballroom if you weren't going to use it? The information offered for sports made Vera chuckle, but she smiled and gave a nod of her head in understanding. "Do you get to wear a pink helmet or anything too for sparring?" Or was that only in other forms of fighting or martial arts?

As a middle child herself, she would have been happy to assuage that fear. Perhaps it was because Vera was loud and always had demanded the attention (and maybe more of) she deserved, but never once had Papa ever made her feel less loved than her siblings. She was certain that Aurora's mums would be the same and still show each of the girls, in addition to baby, how much they were cared for. Even if she didn't KNOW her mums, it was clear by how Rora presented herself and just how she WAS that she came from a loving background. "I imagine that must be so disappointing!" Probably for everyone involved. "Does your Ma like being pregnant at least, or is she super ready to be done?"

Speaking of boys keeping people waiting too... she glanced at the door just to see if there was any sight of her boyfriend. They probably should have clarified where on the train they'd meet, but she'd just assumed if she sat all the way at the back he wouldn't be able to miss her. She COULD have gone to look but... she was enjoying the Ravenclaw's company and her leg was already protesting the idea of moving more than was necessary. She'd find him at some point.