An Express Evaluation Solo

Sylvain closed the book. Well, it was definitely an intriguing read. IN FACT, it was so enthralling, that Sylvain had completely lost track of time. His attention transferred to today’s events and today was mostly a blur to him. Not that he couldn’t recall any of the circumstances, but that so few of the stimulating ones had much for him follow through on. Sylvain had a genuine desire to start understanding potions right away, so here he was, sitting idly aboard the Hogwarts Express with Arsenius Jigger’s Magical Drafts and Potions sitting in his lap, completed.

Unfortunately for his wandering mind, Sylvain still had an hour left before he arrived at Hogwarts.

Sylvain recalled he had particularly enjoyed the chapter on the brewing and administering of potions. Perhaps there would be a syllabus he could read when he arrived at school. Given that brewing needed to be done in a closed and safe environment, it then emerged in thought that he might spend a lot of his time indoors. Nevertheless, a part of him still also yearned to be in the countryside. Perhaps they had gardening or courtyard classes he could enroll in so that he might study and learn where the sun shone and the wind blew. Then, the rain on the windows of the express and a dark cloud looming near the school in the middle distance struck the concepts from his immediate queries. As a second thought, perhaps some indoors classes would suit him too.

After all that time the serene bookworm had spent reading, it was inevitable that his sweet tooth would finally overcome his inquiring mind. Unable to suppress his desires any longer, he searched for a nearby trolley so he might purchase candies to consume, but no matter his pathetic and quiet attempts to raise attention to himself, the cart never approached his booth. Unsatisfied, and newly bored, Sylvain’s mind set to wondering. A daydreaming process that he all too often relied on during his bouts of boredom. A mechanism that often times improved his life, but occasionally got him into trouble.

Try as he might, Sylvain could not imagine what the school might be like for him. His lack of ideas an atypical situation for the creative youth’s mind to encounter. His inner thoughts then turned to reflection. As it may be, he could not imagine what the school might be like, but instead he might determine who he would like to become. So who was Sylvain to become? What did he want from school? What kind of Wizard, was he going to be? An answer was never spoken aloud, or directly chosen. Instead, the thin and frizzy haired boy intuitively knew the answers, an attribute he had received much praise for at home and a quirk that hopefully, the other students at Hogwarts would praise instead of scold.

Sylvain would become a master of alchemy. His heart and mind were made up on the matter before he ever knew the consequences.