The New School Year -- Hogwarts Express (Students & Professors)

Posts : 1364 Join date : 2015-12-20

September the First had come around in a very quick blur -- or, that was what all the hustling and bustling parents kept complaining about as they tried to navigate their children on to Platform Nine and Three Quarters that morning. It didn't help that many parents had to arrange to get in to London's King's Cross Station before eleven o'clock in the morning in order to put their children on the train, and this year, this year the First of September fell on a Friday.

The Muggles seemed to be somewhat oblivious to the majority of the Wizarding community passing through the barrier to the hidden train waiting to transport hundreds of magical children to their school, but some of them turned their heads to see why someone was carrying an owl in a cage, or why some people were wearing 'odd' clothes that didn't meet today's tastes.

There were, after all, some wizards who simply did not keep up with the new trends of the Muggle world.

The red steam engine had been sat at Platform Nine and Three Quarters since ten o'clock that morning, the engine billowing steam as the driver did his checks to ensure everything was in working order. Children and their parents had started to arrive shortly after, and the train was slowly filling with luggage and students alike, ready for the new school year to start.

OOC: Please use this thread to RP any journey's to the school you might have. If you would like to RP separately, that's fine, but do remember -- there's no such thing as privacy on a train full of students, and the new prefects might not need much encouragement to get their first taste of power!

Guest

Huffing in annoyance at the crowd, Gaspard scowled at the children and adults alike that were crowding the platform. Glancing at his suede shoes, he knew that he should have put on his running shoes. Somehow, someway, someone was going to greatly irritate him by stepping on his feet and ruining his shoes. He could tell and it wasn't going to be pretty. Still, at their age, the student body should have learned how to watch their feet and actually know how to walk properly. Squaring his shoulders, the boy let out a breath and headed onto the train, the grip on his trunk tight as he pulled it along thankful that just before his parents left, they cast a featherweight charm on it. They'd also put temporary sticking charms on his belongings so they didn't get mixed, mangled, broken, or wrinkled by setting it up on its end.

Not wanting to scratch the paint, Gaspard made sure that his trunk never touched the ground as he made his way through the corridor looking for a suitable compartment. Suitable meaning empty so he could lock it and not be bothered. He didn't do 'small talk' and what was the point of meeting people on the train? Gaspard wasn't sure he really wanted to test out how a very long and unnecessary train ride could cause impressionable children to 'bond'. It seemed very much like a Stockholm Syndrome type of episode in his opinion. Why they couldn't just bloody well floo to the castle he hadn't the foggiest. Some traditions really did need to be rethought.

Finding a compartment halfway down the train, Gaspard opened the door and after stepping onto the seat, hauled his trunk into the luggage wrack. Stepping down, he went and shut the door and frowned when he didn't find a lock. Well, that was rather unfortunate. While he knew the locking spell, the boy was rather put out for damaged compartment and had half a mind to change carriages. Rather than do that though and face a horde of students pushing about, he dejected sat and frowned at the door. "Perhaps, I should have asked about other schools."

Guest

Mercy was, if possible, even more excited to return to Hogwarts this year than she was to start the year before. Well, at the very least, she was equally excited, for several reasons.

Firstly, as a second year student, she was now old enough to qualify for the Gryffindor quidditch team, and she was currently in possession of her very own, brand new, used-only-twice-in-the-backyard racing broom, which she had begged and begged her Mam for for the entire summer, before the older witch finally surprised her three days before the start of term. She refused to let go of it, so it was currently clutched tightly in her left hand as she suavely slipped through the brick barrier into Platform 9 3/4. That's right, gone was the excited barreling of the previous year. She had a broom now. She was cool.

Secondly, and most importantly, Mimosa Harrington was attending Hogwarts this year. She was going to see her number one best friend every single day, starting today. Well, starting as soon as she could find the younger witch, which was starting to look like a daunting task as Mercy surveyed the crowded platform. Her Mam ducked through the barrier, and, without missing a beat, Mercy grabbed her hand and tugged her along as the older woman dragged her daughter's trolley full of luggage behind her.

"Mammy, help me find Mimosa, I don't see her," she called over the bustle of people. She rose to her tip toes and craned her neck, searching left and right.

"Maybe she's already on the train?" her mother suggested. "It is almost time."

"Maybe..." the twelve-year-old trailed off, scanning the line of cars. Suddenly, a flash of brown hair caught her eye and she gasped.

"MIMOSA!" she yelled from across the platform. The smaller girl was close to one of the open doors of the train, some 30 meters away. Mercy couldn't tell if the girl had heard, but it didn't matter much, as she'd taken off running, her broom in hand, and her mother and luggage standing neglected behind her.

Mrs. Williams let out an exasperated sigh. "One year at Hogwarts and I've already been replaced..." she huffed as she followed after her daughter, weaving the trolley through the crowd.

Guest

Remembering the promise to Elenore of meeting her on the train, Alexei had easily made his way to the train station early on after wishing his brother a good morning, forging eating breakfast as his stomach was feeling rebellious and he feared that he would just throw up it had always been like that before he went away to Hogwarts again.

Walking through the barrier, his trunk shrunk in his pocket, Alexei easily spotted the brunette female looking out of a window. Normally, he wouldn't have recognized someone straight off but after that one meeting between them in the library, he easily found the lone Clement girl. Knocking on the window once, he grinned roughishly and waved his hand cheerily at the girl before jumping on the deep red train and making his way into the compartment the girl was in.

"Morning Elenore." He bowed at the waist, his eyes lit up as he watched the beautiful Hufflepuff from beneath his fringe. "How is my fair lady today?"

Elenore's summer had been one of isolation. Mostly through choice, the Hufflepuff witch knew exactly what she had to do to come out of the isolation insisted upon by her Maman, but Elenore had been nothing short of strong willed on this one. Opting instead to not succumb to her Maman's wishes, Elenore had not moved to apologise to Mimosa -- the longer Elenore had thought of it, the less the apology seemed necessary. Guilt had threatened -- more from the 'normal' view on how you should deal with such a situation -- but Elenore's resolve was final.

She did not owe Mimosa Harrington anything, and she never would.

This news had done little to ease the tension between Elenore and her family. The stiff goodbye from her Maman was one that Elenore knew the older witch did not mean as much as she had in previous years, the hug was much too forced, the words too short. In contrast, her Papa -- still oblivious to the situation -- brought his daughter in to a warm hug, telling her he would miss her greatly, as always, before adding a new line to his usual speech.

"Don't forget to look after Mimosa for us."

Elenore's blood had run cold even as she smiled at her Papa, insisting she would do that despite her lack of interest to do so. He was appeased, though, before he and the Lady Clement left for Greece on their latest project.

From there, Elenore, Mimosa and Jacques had made their way to London on private jet -- because, of course, they could never ask Mimosa to be more reasonable with her travelling method. A night in The Connaught Hotel of Mayfair did little to aid Elenore's mood, either. By the time it came to boarding the train, Elenore took Jacques' momentary lapse in concentration -- which was solely on Mimosa as they said their goodbyes, Jacques promising to write as much as he could to the little American witch -- and slipped on to the train alone.

Heading to an empty compartment away from everyone else, Elenore sat by the window, watching other families saying their farewells to their children. The hugs that actually looked like they might hurt because they were so tight, the incapability of some parents of letting go of their children because they loved them so much, the obvious checking children had everything they needed before they boarded the train. All these actions were alien to the young French witch, and yet she felt drawn to watching them as a sharp stabbing feeling presented itself in her chest.

Elenore had jumped in a very unladylike manner when Alexei had tapped on the window, managing to catch herself from looking so surprised as her eyes fell on the boy who had become something of a solace in the last two months. A smile pulled her lips upwards in to a true sign of relief upon seeing him, but Alexei hurried off only a moment later. Wanting to reach out to stop him, but knowing it would be impossible, Elenore instead moved her eyes to the door.

Alexei had promised to meet her on the train, and she couldn't help but be more than a little bit excited for his appearance.

Thankfully, the youngest Clement did not need to wait too long, for Alexei arrived only a few moments later, flourishing a bow to her and speaking in the most unnecessary of manners that Elenore knew was to bring a reaction from her. A soft giggle left the witch's lips, a sound that had not been there for a while now, but one that did not sound out of place.

"Alexei," Elenore returned, still fighting the amusement from her features, but the smile was not going to leave for a while, of that much she was quite sure. "All the better for seeing you, I must admit. And you? You have all of your school supplies?" Elenore asked, taking care of one of only two friends she had in this world, because it was important to keep those whom she cared for close.

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From his letters with the younger witch, Alexei had come to enjoy Elenore's company, even if it had been through letters and he knew quite well that he would enjoy spending his last year at Hogwarts with the Hufflepuff witch, even if they couldn't spend all their time together.

Watching the witch, Alexei made notes on how the witch looked and even though she was wearing a smile on her face, the Slytherin had a feeling that she wasn't as happy as she should be, he had a feeling that the witch had a long day but he would not ask, if she wanted to tell him then he would listen to her but otherwise, he wouldn't put his nose in her business, at least not unless it would be needed.

"Want me to lock and silence the door?" He questioned with a jerk of his head towards the door behind him, having it closed as soon as he walked inside and even though the lock on the door was alright, he had no doubt that someone would be able to open it.

"I'm happy to be back at Hogwarts for my last year but I must admit that seeing you has made my day even better." He chuckled as he took a seat opposite Elenore. "I got my supplies the moment the letter came into my room. And you? Did your maman let you go to get your supplies or did a maid get them for you?"

The question of the door brought a small smile to Elenore's lips. "That would be quite nice," She replied to the offer. "But, leave the blinds up." Elenore added, whilst privacy would be something Elenore would enjoy, she would rather not have it look like something scandalous was happening inside -- Merlin knew there was already enough of a scandal coming from the Hufflepuff Common Room, Elenore did not need to add her own to the mix.

But even as Elenore had asked for Alexei to do that, she had to marvel at his thinking. Privacy was something Elenore needed, and he seemed to have known that without her uttering a word. Endearing, Elenore thought to herself a moment later, that was exactly what Alexei was.

Elenore's cheeks flushed a soft pink as Alexei admitted his day had grown better with her presence. The use of such familiar ideas was new territory, but a territory she liked being in. Alexei always made her feel like a princess with the way he spoke -- and even though, by technicality, Elenore was just that, very few people had ever made her truly feel like one as Alexei did.

"I'd already gotten mine before the debacle happened at the Palace." Elenore explained with a small, but tight, smile. "Though, I must say most of them were collected by our staff, I simply went for a wander around the shops for the more personal items I might need in the situation." The French witch explained more thoroughly a moment later.

"I have a feeling this year is going to be a good one!" Elenore added though, reflecting on this being Alexei's final year. Somehow, though, Elenore was quite sure that they were not going to have just this year. "So, have you decided what we'll be doing first? I think we should try the horses in September, before the nights start to draw in, so that you can get a good go at that!" Elenore insisted, more than a little bit excited to teach Alexei how to ride.

"Or, Quidditch, I suppose -- though that we're going to have to be a little bit more careful with..." The witch added, thinking it through for a moment.

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At her agreement to his offer, Alexei easily flicked his wand at the door putting up a silencing ward and also thoroughly locking the door so that no-one would be able to disturb them though he did leave the blinds up, not even questioning as to why.

The flush on Elenore's cheeks made Alexei preen at getting that reaction from the witch. He was feeling awfully proud of the fact that he got the prideful Hufflepuff to blush even if it had been just from him admitting that seeing her had made his day better. It wasn't like it was a lie either, he had eagerly awaited the 1st of September so that he could spend some time with the young witch.

"That's good then," Alexei replied smoothly, easily sliding past the tense subject. "I got myself some personal items as well, I'm not poor so I splurged a little though I'm sure that my brother won't even notice that the money's gone." With them having taken two-thirds of the Corvanelo money, they were easily able to live off of the amount without even working but seeing as his brother did work as a Potioneer, the money Marcus earned would be enough to cover the costs of Alexei's splurging.

"Oh, I hope it will be." He wasn't so eager for the year to end though even though he was eager for the start of it, he doubted he'd be just as eager when the end of it would come. He had no doubt that he would be dreading it. "I think the horses first," Alexei replied. "We can always do Quidditch later on at nights if you wish."

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Zoeys journey to Platform 9/34 had been a lonely one. She had decided to make the venture on her own as to not cause any stress to her parents busy work schedule. When she arrived she grabbed her luggage and put it on a trolley along side Artemis. She reached into the cage and gave the bird a gentle stroke before pushing the Trolley forward.

The station was busy and full of muggles as it was every year. When she made it onto the platform she smiled at the sounds of young witches and wizards and boarded onto the scarlett steam engine.

As she walked down the narrow hall way of the train she had lucked out and managed to find an empty compartment. She knew it would not stay empty for long, but she sat down anyway. She was excited for the new year to begin and she could not wait to get back to school

When Alexei stated how he'd bought some extra bits for school -- whilst spending a good amount doing so, if his explanation were to be trusted -- Elenore couldn't help but begin to giggle at the boy before her. "You know, I'm not most girls, Alexei?" She asked, trying to control the giggles that wished to be expressed in that moment. "Money is but a game for the lower classes of society. Money... doesn't mean anything."

It would, more than likely, be difficult for Alexei to understand the world from her point of view. When money was deemed to be trivial at best, a tool for the ordinary people of the world to purchase things, in a manner that didn't really exist. The banks had 'millions', it was said, but Elenore knew the truth. Money was simply a toy that the masses played with, lived by, and collected because they believed it to be a necessity.

"The horses it is." Elenore replied. "Tomorrow is a Saturday, so we won't have classes, perhaps you might like to make an early start of it? Though, I don't know what the Slytherins get up to after the feast, I know the Hufflepuffs acquire more food from the kitchen and continue to party, but I doubt I will be taking part, truthfully. I need to talk to my roommate." Elenore explained, thinking of Sasha in that moment.

"Might I ask you something?" Elenore asked, only to receive a cryptic answer back from Alexei that said he might not answer her, but that she could ask. Just about managing to contain the eye roll that she wished to use -- it was unladylike, but sometimes there was a need -- Elenore paused for a moment before speaking once more.

"I have a friend, who's... gotten involved with a man much older than herself. I... kind of knew about it before it got bigger, but didn't think it was as bad as it is. I'm talking in excess of ten years, by the way. Do you think I should say something to her about it? Or... stay out of the situation?" Elenore asked, before remembering. "She's my age, and he's a public figure."

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» Heading Back to School -- The Hogwarts Express
» Here We Go Again (Hogwarts Students & Staff Train to Hogwarts -- Sep 2024)
» Another, or Perhaps New, Beginning (Start of Term Feast - open to students and professors alike)
» The Hogwarts Express (Open)
» Citrus-y (open to all Hogwarts students)