First Year Entrance

Students left the train in a slow stream. Some were congregating around some kind of green-haired mystical emo elf with spotify green eyes and a green cloak, who was calling out for all first years. As Janet joined them, she saw a line of little boats with different bears in them bobbing on the lake shore.

In one of them sat a little furry panda bear, which brought to mind a fond memory of Darius telling her he wanted to eat a panda one day. Janet smiled to herself a little. She too one day hoped Darius could taste a panda bear on their great adventures.

“Come, come! to the ride of your life to the beginning of the rest of your life!” He announced, "Hello, everyone! I am Mr. Avery Finch. I am the Hogwarts caretaker and your eager leader for your introduction to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now, please lean back, relax, enjoy the company of your new friends, and enjoy the ride."
[/quote]

Action : Board panda bear ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ

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Joints stiff in a manner unbefitting her age, Róis exited the train with her luggage in tow. She grunted as she parked her cart off to the side among the rest, the chaos of the station burying the question of how she’d retrieve everything later. After double checking the locks, the nearby call of an older student rang out for first-years to gather. She followed it, polished hands toying with her jewelry upon the realisation that there was no turning back now. She was officially at Hogwarts. Without a word, she took the station stairs to ground level to join her classmates. Dry leaves crunched beneath her trainers.

As they descended down the trail, she noticed the eastern wing of Hogwarts Castle peeking over the hills. Nearly set, the sun graced the stone walls with dying, yet warm rays. Stars shone seemingly brighter in this darkening sky than the one she’d known back in Dromahair. Róis held her breath at the sight. It was picturesque. A small taste of the region that would become her home away from home. Her mother’s photos and firsthand accounts hadn’t done the scenery justice, try as she might’ve. Once settled, Róis knew her first task to be to write her family all about it. Her head spun with anticipation of spilling to her sister especially.

A few minutes into the hike, the students arrived to the water’s edge. Róis beelined towards the boat that was closest; the one housing the Black bear on its bow. Lifting one skinny-jean-clad leg at a time, she climbed into the boat with care and sat in the first row. The plush animal brought her pause. Had someone lost it? Her brown eyes scanned the object for any clue of belonging. There was none. In fact, the boat behind flaunted a plush bear as well, soon obscured by the rest of the seats filling to capacity.

Róis turned back around and dried her palms on her knees. She tilted her head at the first sign of something amiss; the black bear was in a different position. Curious, but the first-year wasn’t brave enough to be the first to touch it, a combination of both nerves and good sense. Instead, her stomach growled at the mention of the upcoming feast. What kind of food did Hogwarts feed its students? Would her preferences be honoured? Whatever the case, Róis would get her answer within the hour. Whether she wrote home for another food basket or not depended on it.

Once everyone boarded, the boat took sail from the dock, following the first three in a line. “Hiya,” Róis said to her neighbour after clearing her throat. Her shyness was withering away under the great excitement of arrival. It surprised even her. “I'm Róis.”

Action: Board Black Bear | Open to interactions

After the journey on the Hogwarts Express, during which he shared a cabin with a very friendly girl, Aaron just wanted to finally arrive at the place he had read so much about — the place that would be his home for the next semester. He was already used to that awful feeling the day before a new school year began, when he studied among Muggles he despised. But now, the situation was different: he was heading to a school where he truly belonged, surrounded by people he hoped to get along with, because they were just like him — wizards. He could start from scratch, since no one knew him.

As soon as the train stopped, Aaron was gently thrown forward, which made him laugh along with the girl in the cabin. With one hand, he grabbed his suitcase from the compartment, and with the other, he held the cage. As he jumped onto the platform, the cold night air rushed into his nostrils, and the shiver that ran through his body awakened a small part of him that had still been asleep — which was necessary, because that night would be quite important.

Alongside other students dressed in the same robes he had bought at Madam Malkin’s shop, Aaron spotted a teenager standing ahead of everyone — he seemed to know something, so young Aaron simply waited for instructions.

“Come, come,” the teenager said with a wide grin as the students approached. “Welcome to the ride of your life to the beginning of the rest of your life!”

And Aaron, just like the rest of the students, obeyed and followed the group along a trail that particularly intrigued him. As a devoted reader of adventure books, Aaron was already familiar with scenes like that, and finally experiencing one beyond the yellowed pages he used to read was a feeling he would certainly never forget. Upon reaching the end, he tried to hide his disappointed expression, as he wished he could walk that trail forever. However, that bad mood was quickly replaced by another pleasant surprise — he was standing before a magnificent lake, at the far end of which stood Hogwarts atop a large hill, glowing brightly from the intense light shining through its windows. He was in awe. He had read about the castle and its peculiarities in Hogwarts: A History, but witnessing the story firsthand was something entirely different from anything he had ever imagined — and how could it not be?

Aaron had no idea what the year would be like. As a boy who grew up among Muggles, it was impossible to imagine anything. But one thing he knew for sure: he was ready to embark and head toward the Great Hall to discover which house the Sorting Hat would place him in.

Action : Board Polar Bear| Open to interactions

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date	place	tags	wc	speech	outfits
01/09/25	Great Lake near Hogsmeade Station		315/200	#36563c	xxx

The Hogwarts Express gradually slowed down, the train emitting a grinding noise against the tracks. Everyone on the train could hear the whistle blowing. It meant that they had finally arrived at Hogsmeade after the long and tiring journey. Her stomach was full of the treats she had eaten on the train, but she was still looking forward to the feast at Hogwarts. As she imagined the delicious food awaiting her, she struggled to pick up her luggage. She waited until the crowds in the corridor dispersed, then went outside and got off the train. Students were everywhere in the station, with their pets making lots of noise around them—whether cats, owls, rats, toads, or rabbits. The atmosphere was lively; you could almost hear everyone laughing, chatting, and exchanging their thoughts on the new semester.

A young boy called the first years together. She clutched her luggage tightly, trying to push through the crowd to hear the boy more clearly. He introduced himself and explained about the boats that awaited them. It looked like they would need to cross the lake to reach Hogwarts. She gazed across the lake, where the castle’s outline seemed faintly visible. It would be her second home for the next seven years. The thought felt almost unreal.

Rosaline looked at the boats; they all had a plush bear tied to them. The bears seemed soft to the touch, and they were all different from each other. There was a bear that looked brighter and lighter than the others, which reminded her of a sunny day. She chose the boat with that bear. Carefully, she stepped from the dock onto the boat. She found a seat and sat down. The boat drifted with the gentle motion of the water, a feeling quite unlike being on solid ground. She was excited to face the new adventure and new friends at Hogwarts.

Action: Board Sun Bear

Reducio ooc notes

Reducio stats stamina: 6 | evasion: 5 | strength: 5 wisdom: 8 | arcane Power: 7 |accuracy: 4 Lovely Creature

As the Hogwarts Express steadily approached the station, sparks flew as the train decreased in speed. The young boy pressed his face against the window, attempting to get a good visual of Hogsmeade village. He hadn't been able to sleep much the night prior to his long and monotonous; albeit beautiful journey to the Scottish Highlands. Yet, he was full of energy. His stomach growled as the train finally stopped moving. He was desperately hungry, and his journey wasn't over yet. However, he would soon forget the hunger pangs that had become increasingly more prominent. Harold couldn't help but feel the magic in the air, like a young boy on Christmas Eve.

He saw a boy who was older than he beckoning him and the other first years over with a wide welcoming grin. Consistent chatter, laughing, and jubilant voices filled the air. The boy spoke above the noise, explaining that this was the start of magnificent journey. Harold couldn't help but feel his anticipation grow. He pointed in the direction of the lake, and together they made their way towards it.

He felt a pit in his stomach as he was told that he would be crossing the lake on rickety old boats. Harold had never been a huge fan of decently sized bodies of water. He exchanged a nervous glance with some of the other first years, although, their nerves were due to excitement.

Each of the boats had a bear plushy on the bow. It was a cute addition that eased some of Harold's tension. The man who was leading their trip, who introduced himself as Avery Finch instructed the eager prospective students to choose a boat, and get in.

Harold found himself towards the back of the pack, and decided to sit in the last boat, adorned with a polar bear, who wore spectacles that were way too large for its tiny eyes. He sat down and look on the water. It was a calm autumn night, and the journey across the lake seemed like it would be a tranquil one. As the boat set off, Harold couldn't help but imagine all of the wonderful experiences that his education would provide him.

Tavi stepped off the train carefully, holding her trunk with one gloved hand and her cloak with the other. The steam from the Hogwarts Express curled around her ankles, as if the train itself were saying goodbye. All around her, students ran, shouted, bumped into each other with excitement. She walked slowly, as if the ground might change texture at any moment.

“FIRST YEARS THIS WAY!” voices called from up ahead.

Tavi approached the dock, where a pale boy with a mongoose perched on his shoulders waved his arms like he was conducting an invisible symphony. The mongoose stared directly at her. Tavi returned the gaze with quiet respect. Never underestimate an animal that chooses stillness, she thought.

The lake stretched out before her like a dark mirror. Boats waited in neat rows along the dock, each one with an enchanted teddy bear resting on its bow. They weren’t ordinary toys. They seemed to shift when you weren’t looking—just slightly, just enough to make you wonder.

Tavi stopped in front of the last boat. Its bear wore round glasses and had a slightly confused expression. It didn’t glow. It didn’t sing. It simply sat there, as if waiting for someone who would understand it. She leaned forward and touched it. The bear instantly duplicated, and the new one nestled into her lap like it knew she didn’t want noisy company—just quiet presence.

Without a word, she climbed into the boat and sat opposite the original bear. She watched it for a moment, then turned her gaze to the water.

Mr. Avery Finch, Hogwarts’ caretaker, appeared on the dock with his mongoose and a grin far too large for his face. His voice rang out, theatrical and clear:

"Come along, come along! Welcome to the journey of your life—the beginning of the rest of your life!”

The boats began to glide across the lake, smooth as a sigh.

Tavi didn’t pay much attention to the words. She was watching the castle’s reflection ripple across the water, the bear with glasses tucked in her arms, feeling—for the first time in a long time—that no one was touching her without permission, no one was evaluating her, and no one was correcting her.

And without fully realizing it, she had already begun to write her own story.

Action: boarding the Spectacled Bear.
Open to interactions.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

| Date: 01/09/25 | Word count: 329 |
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Frederick stepped off the train with his heart beating faster than he could ever remember. The journey had been better than he expected: the compartment had been full, but full of laughter and stories rather than awkward silence. He had chatted with four classmates he had only just met, and together they ate Chocolate Frogs and discusssed on who knew more trivia about Hogwarts. The hours had flown by, and now he was here, truly here, only moments away from the castle he had dreamt about so many times.

He gathered his belongings in a hurry, nearly tripping over his own satchel, and jumped down onto the platform. Noise surrounded him instantly: cats mewing in crates, owls flapping their restless wings, students jostling in every direction. For a moment, the chaos pressed down on him, and a nervous knot tightened in his stomach. Where should he go? What if he got lost in the very first minute?

The answer came loud and clear, cutting through the clamour: “FIRST YEARS THIS WAY!” Relief rushed through Fred, and he pushed past his classmates, slipping between legs and luggage. When he finally caught sight of the speaker, he saw an older student with a broad, almost theatrical grin. He didn’t seem as grown-up as the professors Fred had imagined meeting, yet he still inspired a sense of confidence.

The boats were there, rocking gently on the dark water of the lake. Fred paused for a moment, eyes darting from one to the next, until he spotted Rosaline, the girl he had shared a compartment with, already stepping onto one. Without a second thought, he hurried over and climbed aboard as well, eager not to be left behind.

It was only then that he noticed something curious: a plush bear sitting neatly at the prow, soft and inviting. Fred raised his eyebrows in surprise and turned to his companion with a broad grin. “Hello again! What’s this little bear doing on the boat?”

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| Interacting with: @Rosaline Everhart |

| Action: Boarding Sun Bear Boat |

Maisie followed Fred and Rosaline out of their apartment, lugging her trunk behind, with her bag strapped on her back. As she stepped out onto the Hogsmead platform for the first time, she could feel something that she couldn't quite place. She was happy and excited, for sure, as any first year would be. And nerves. Definitely. She needed to prove herself, have fun, yet also not bring harm to her family. But how was that to be accomplished?

She pushed her trunks and luggage by a pile of luggage in piles, while whistle blows and excited shouts rang through the air. She could see the students, now an entire sea of black, stray in two directions. She followed the black robed students similar in size, towards an overly enthusiastic teenage boy, shouting for the first years attention.

She couldn't see where she was going. Her brother had said they would be boarding a boat, and sailing through the great lake to the castle. It was getting colder and colder, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

The people in front of her were stopping, and then moving again. As she moved forward, she could see the outings of boats, and the huge castle looming overhead. She spotted Frederick and Rosaline, boarding a boat, and hastened to follow. It would be better to be with people she knew than to be with strangers.

She stepped into the boat, and settled down, grinning at the two.

"Aren't you excited?" she grinned, staring up in awe of the castle.

The dark haired overly enthusiastic teenage boy was speaking again after a while. He introduced himself as Mr. Avery, and would be taking them across the great lake to Hogwarts.

She saw a bear at the front of the boat, a cute black bear was staring at her. She loved bears, and this was so adorable. She reached out her hand and touched it. And almost at once, it duplicated itself, and the duplicate fell in her arms.

"A bear! Why does it duplicate?" she said out loud, staring at the bear in her hands. She turned to face the other two on the boat, and as she turned around, she couldn't help but see, out of the corner of her eye, a movement. But when she turned around, the bear was stationary.

Interacting with: @ Rosaline Everhart @ Frederick Buckley

Shelowyn slowly awoke, her body sensing the train was coming to a halt. Her palms warmed her eyelids for a moment. Then she looked about the dark compartment as her mind pieced together all that had and was happening. When did she fall asleep? She didn't recall being tired. Perhaps the racing of her mind and the ups and downs of her emotions had a bigger toll than she thought. She rubbed her face again.
The train rolled to a stop, Shelowyn breathed out slowly in tune with it. Images of her father's face flashed before her. She shook her head to cast them aside but they remained, marred behind her eyelids. His tear streaked face. His shoulders slumped, hand up with an attempt of a wave. 'Ah, no, no, no.' She was up, pulling her luggage down and out the door, down the hall then out the train, without a thought of whom she had shared the ride with.

A cool breeze tickled the sweat on her neck. She breathed deeply. In through the nose and out the mouth. Her eyes had shut at some point. They stayed shut as others began stepping off the train. Fellow students brushed past her, their voices nothing more but noise in the background. Then the cold prodded at her cheeks, pulled on her ears. A shiver ran through her. Goosebumps itched her arms. Her eyes popped open.
Shelowyn recoiled back towards the train to meld into the crowd. She became hyper aware of the hubub around her. As a bee does in a swarm she followed those around her. Luggage goes here. First years go...where...? Her pace slowed as she drifted towards the back. 'Oh! Emilie! I left her on the train. Why are you like this Shelowyn? Can't you be normal anywhere? Who just forgets someone like that...get out of your head!' Shelowyn looked about but quickly gave up her search. There were too many people and too much going on. Not to mention they were both first years. Chances are they will run into each other again, probably sooner rather than later.

"First years this way!"

Shelowyn went towards the voice coming from the front of the train. Steam flowed around the engine and through the station. As she stepped through the grey, she saw the moon reflecting off a body of water. 'A lake? Wait...is this where the giant squid is...? Are those boats...?' She stopped upon noticing the older boy waving his arms. Behind him stood a dock, barely visible in the inky waters. Shelowyn watched as a horde of first years made their way over to the boats. Then she noticed the mongoose on his shoulder, the vibrant gleam of green in his eyes. Considering how enthusiastic the teen was and calm the mongoose was, Shelowyn was fairly confident that this squid would not be consuming fresh witches and wizards. At least not tonight. In anycase, where else could she go now? She looked back towards the train, then gazed over the first years. 'I hope Emilie is holding up fine.'

Shelowyn finally walked over to the boats. On the bow of each boat was a stuffed bear. As she looked about she swore the bears were moving. Yet when her gaze returned to a bear, they were clearly nothing more than stuffed toys. Were they...?
Others were already climbing aboard the boats. Shelowyn observed each student carefully but there was still no sign of Emilie. Shelowyn ended up in the boat at the back. It already had two others seated inside. One of them held a duplicate of the bear on their boat. She watched it curiously as she delicately found her seat. Then she turned to her fellow students, flashing a confident smile and yet all she managed to say was an oddly quiet, "hi..." Her face flushed instantly but she kept her smile. The smile was genuine, despite her nervousness. It pinched her eyes nearly shut. The dimple in her left cheek on full display.


Action: Board Spectacled Bear
@Harold Franklin
@Tavi Honey