21 Aug 2019, 19:25
Deformed Jellyfish
Padma Pikoulas embraced her sister for the last time for a long time. It felt good, making the sadness of going off to a new school lessen, but of course she pretended to be annoyed by all of the hugs and kisses. Her two brothers were still finishing their years while her sister had already graduated from Hogwarts. Padma was the baby of the family and they treated her first year like she'd won the Olympics.
She finally took a step back and grinned solemnly at her family, or those who hadn't gotten distracted or left by now. That consisted of her parents and her Aunt Innes, a hairstylist who'd done her hair and was now gushing over it, trying to show off to anyone who'd listen.
"Okay," she began, clearing her throat. She opened her mouth to conjure up some sort of speech when the blast of a horn filled the air, announcing that the train would be leaving soon.
Padma probably had a few seconds to speak but she felt suddenly rushed. She hugged her parent again, then lunged for the Hogwarts Express, hopping onto it and disappearing into it's depths.
Padma quickly found an empty compartment and peeped out window, watching her family scan the windows for her. She had tugged her hat over her head enough to hide the crimson hairs but they betrayed her spot. She grinned as she watched her mother run after the train, waving at her youngest child.
About an hour later Padma awoke against the wall of the compartment. She looked outside and saw the feilds and forests fly past. She rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn, and reached for her for her leather satchel. She pulled out a pink marker and proceeded to draw on the glass. She was doodling a deformed bloom of jellyfish. They looked like they floating in the sky and for a minute she just stared at them, becoming oblivious to anything else for a moment.
She finally took a step back and grinned solemnly at her family, or those who hadn't gotten distracted or left by now. That consisted of her parents and her Aunt Innes, a hairstylist who'd done her hair and was now gushing over it, trying to show off to anyone who'd listen.
"Okay," she began, clearing her throat. She opened her mouth to conjure up some sort of speech when the blast of a horn filled the air, announcing that the train would be leaving soon.
Padma probably had a few seconds to speak but she felt suddenly rushed. She hugged her parent again, then lunged for the Hogwarts Express, hopping onto it and disappearing into it's depths.
Padma quickly found an empty compartment and peeped out window, watching her family scan the windows for her. She had tugged her hat over her head enough to hide the crimson hairs but they betrayed her spot. She grinned as she watched her mother run after the train, waving at her youngest child.
About an hour later Padma awoke against the wall of the compartment. She looked outside and saw the feilds and forests fly past. She rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn, and reached for her for her leather satchel. She pulled out a pink marker and proceeded to draw on the glass. She was doodling a deformed bloom of jellyfish. They looked like they floating in the sky and for a minute she just stared at them, becoming oblivious to anything else for a moment.
Inhale courage, exhale fear.
21 Aug 2019, 22:03
Deformed Jellyfish
After just an hour since his departure, Janus was looking for a new compartment. His former one had been taken over by a gaggle of older girls; he wasn't asocial, but the prospect of sitting awkwardly in a corner while they chatted among themselves eventually won over his usual laziness. So he made an excuse, saying he wanted a seat in the other side of the train because of the sight, and managed to get out (though he had to reassure the girls that no, it wasn't because of them).
And now here he was wandering the train, passing by full compartments. It was a small inconvenience, all things considered, but to him it felt like an ominously uncomfortable first step in his new journey.
His father had tried to give him a last-minute sense of security during their trip through Diagon Alley and later at the platform, but dumping a couple of wizarding notions on him after years of ignoring the topic didn't really help Janus. Dad was overjoyed when he hugged him goodbye, and Janus wished he'd felt as carefree as him. That morning he'd been positively buzzing, that's true, but as he hugged his mother (who was too nervous around magic to accompany him to London) he'd began too feel a bit of queasiness, too. He wished he could have seen Diane before leaving, but his sister was abroad and she'd bid him goodbye the week before.
He remembered he had to focus on finding a compartment, and right then he noticed one that was miraculously empty. Well, almost empty. There was a witch hunched against the windowpane. Janus couldn't see her face but she had fiery hair poking out of her hat and she looked small enough to be a First Year like him. He briefly thought about his own hat, left in his trunk because he still wasn't used to wearing it, then took a breath and quietly opened the door.
The girl didn't seem to have noticed him; her attention was absorbed by several pink blots on the window. Janus, still standing at the door, briefly tried to understand what they were but in the end he could only determine that she had drawn the things, since she was holding a pink sharpie.
He needed to act before the situation became embarassing. He decided to go with a classic.
"Hello?"
Ugh, it came out a bit high-pitched. But at least now he had her attention.
And now here he was wandering the train, passing by full compartments. It was a small inconvenience, all things considered, but to him it felt like an ominously uncomfortable first step in his new journey.
His father had tried to give him a last-minute sense of security during their trip through Diagon Alley and later at the platform, but dumping a couple of wizarding notions on him after years of ignoring the topic didn't really help Janus. Dad was overjoyed when he hugged him goodbye, and Janus wished he'd felt as carefree as him. That morning he'd been positively buzzing, that's true, but as he hugged his mother (who was too nervous around magic to accompany him to London) he'd began too feel a bit of queasiness, too. He wished he could have seen Diane before leaving, but his sister was abroad and she'd bid him goodbye the week before.
He remembered he had to focus on finding a compartment, and right then he noticed one that was miraculously empty. Well, almost empty. There was a witch hunched against the windowpane. Janus couldn't see her face but she had fiery hair poking out of her hat and she looked small enough to be a First Year like him. He briefly thought about his own hat, left in his trunk because he still wasn't used to wearing it, then took a breath and quietly opened the door.
The girl didn't seem to have noticed him; her attention was absorbed by several pink blots on the window. Janus, still standing at the door, briefly tried to understand what they were but in the end he could only determine that she had drawn the things, since she was holding a pink sharpie.
He needed to act before the situation became embarassing. He decided to go with a classic.
"Hello?"
Ugh, it came out a bit high-pitched. But at least now he had her attention.
Sta 4 | Eva 6 | Str 3 | Wis 7 | ArP 4 | Acc 6
-----------------Seer-------------------
•In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni•