Finished Express to Excellence PV Lucian Moonveil

Just as the train was about to move, a boy with red hair hopped in at the last second, slightly out of breath. Daylight streamed through the open doors, brushing warmly against his tan skin as he ran a hand through his damp, sweaty hair. He turned back for a moment, catching sight of his friends. Cassian among them, and waved dramatically, a crooked grin tugging at his lips before the doors slid shut.

Then he faced forward, his expression shifting into something more uncertain. “Oof… a lot of people,” he muttered under his breath, exaggerating the words as his eyes darted around the crowded carriage. Every seat seemed taken.

Almost.

There- just one empty space.

It was beside a boy he didn’t recognize. Strange, unfamiliar, but calm-looking.

He hesitated for a second, then made his way over, weaving through the standing passengers. Stopping beside the seat, he glanced down, trying to read the other boy’s expression.

“Can I sit here?” he asked, a hint of nervousness slipping into his voice.

The boy looked up and smiled.

That was enough.

With a small sigh of relief, Lucian dropped into the seat, leaning back as the train finally lurched forward, carrying them both into something new.

Mentions: @ Lucian Moonveil | Location: Hogwarts Express

Word count: 259 | Date: September 1st 2025

"Can I sit here?"

Ezra looked up sharply at the boy who stood in the doorway to the compartment he was sitting in. He smiled warmly and inwardly sighed with relief. If nobody had joined him he might have died of boredom. He studied the boy as he flopped down by the window in the seat opposite him.

He was quite a bit taller than Ezra, his skin like caramel and his hair dyed an unnatural shade of red. The most striking part about his appearance were his eyes. Grey, cold and unreadable. Like a bolt of lightning on a clear but dreary afternoon sky. They constantly darted around their little compartment, on alert.

Ezra's anxiety faded away and intrigue took over. He tried to meet the boys eyes and gave him a warm smile. He outstretched his hand to shake, "My name is Ezra. First year. What's your name?" He asked the boy with uncertainty, practicing for the first time the advice his mother had given him. He glanced down at his hand and found it trembling.

Oh how wonderful. He thought sarcastically to himself. Please stop shaking. He commanded fiercely. His hand, of course, refused to listen to him. He turned his gaze back up to the boy, awaiting his reply. For the first time he noticed the mole that made its mark underneath his left eye. Now that he saw it, it was hard to miss, sort of, hypnotising. He forced himself to raise his eyes back up to the boy's own, meeting his cold gaze.

His eyes snapped back to Ezra from the blur of the passing view outside. “Ezra…” he repeated softly under his breath, as if testing the name, letting it settle on his tongue. A faint, almost hesitant smile touched his lips, his cold eyes flickering slightly at the small movement. For a moment, he just stood there, awkward and unsure, before mumbling, “Hello?” His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, and he hardly opened his mouth as he spoke, as if the words themselves felt unfamiliar.

“I’m L–Luc–cian, also first year.” he added, his tongue stumbling over the syllables, betraying his nerves. The name came out uneven, like he wasn’t used to saying it out loud. He paused, momentarily frozen, almost forgetting what to do next. his hands still tucked awkwardly into his pockets searching for something that doesn't exist in his pocket at all.

Then, suddenly, he noticed Ezra’s hand.

“Oh- oh! Hands…” he blurted, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. Quickly, he pulled his own hand out of his pocket, slightly clumsy in his haste, and reached forward. His fingers brushed against Ezra’s before he managed a proper grip, shaking his hand a bit too quickly, as if trying to make up for the delay.

Mentions: @ Lucian Moonveil | Location: Hogwarts Express

Word count: 340 | Date: September 1st 2025

Ezra smiled and awkwardly placed his hands on his lap, looking around for something to talk about. They sat together in a clumsy silence, watching the scenery pass by the window and listening to the sturdy hum of the train as it moved along. In the end Ezra decided the conversation was over. He realised his nerves had calmed down considerably and felt grateful that someone had joined him. The train seemed much less serpentine now.

He pulled his legs up onto the seat, placed his head between his knees and sighed. The country was beautiful, but he couldn't fully enjoy the view yet. He was worrying about the long journey ahead of him. He knew a basic amount of information about what he was getting into. He was magical and was going to a wizarding school to learn how to use them. He learned all about the world outside his own. Where magic dwelled freely. He had learned so much yet it felt like not enough. What if there was social queues he didn't understand and made a complete fool of himself?

The refreshingly beautiful view passed with the time as he and Lucian said nothing to each others Ezra's mind had wondered from school and he found himself speculating about the boy sitting opposite him. Maybe it wasn't in his best interest to be guessing what a person was like based on their looks but he was beyond boredom. He got struck by a sudden bolt of curiosity. Was this Lucian from a wizard or a human family?

He sat with the question for a while, forming the words in his head and letting them sit on his tongue. He finally mustered the courage to break the silence. "So... Lucian? Are you familiar with the Wizard world or...?" He inquired with a polite smile. He had articulated it perfectly. Loud enough to be heard, not too loud as to make it awkward, and the tone was polite and curious, even a little friendly. Nailed it He thought, satisfied.

Lucian stared at the floor, lost in his own thoughts. After a moment, he rubbed his forehead, a dull headache forming from the long hours of travel. With a quiet sigh, he leaned his head against the side wall and closed his eyes, if only for a second.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of Ezra’s voice.

“...Hm?” he murmured, tilting his head slightly. “ah, the wizard world… not really.” His voice faltered, worn with exhaustion. “My parents…” he paused, his voice cracking faintly, “they’re Muggle borns… so am I.”

He offered Ezra a small, tired smile. his gaze lingering as his eyes searched the warm depths of Ezra’s coffee-brown ones. He seemed like the sort of person even stone would soften for. Someone quiet, effortlessly kind.

Turning his gaze toward the window, his eyes drifted aimlessly, until suddenly, they lit up.

“A CAT!” he squealed, his voice jumping into a high-pitched burst of excitement.

The moment froze.

Lucian blinked, realization crashing in. He slowly turned his head, searching Ezra’s face for any trace of a reaction. A faint flush crept onto his face as embarrassment settled in.

Just then, the train began to slow, the soft screech of wheels against the tracks filling the air as it came to a stop.

Mentions: @ Lucian Moonveil | Location: Hogwarts Express

Word count: 283 | Date: September 1st 2025

Ezra nodded at Lucian's reply. "Me too actually..." He replied with a smile. He pulled out his book, Journal 3. A book based on one of his favourite shows growing up, Gravity Falls. Once he had finally gotten his hands on it, he couldn't let it go.

He had become obsessed and took it with him everywhere, so naturally it was there, lying patiently to be picked up in his messenger bag. He turned the same pages he had read over ten times, appreciating each drawing, each sentence and the true effort put into its production.

He flipped the pages gently to his favourite ones and read them over and over again, adorning a soft smile on his lips. His eyes drooped delicately as reading had a habit of making him sleepy. He felt himself drifting off into a soundless sleep as he was lulled by the smooth hum of the steam engine.

He jolted awake at the sound of a loud cry. It was Lucian. He was staring excitedly out the window. He had seen a cat. Ezra smiled, amused. There was clearly more to this kid than he let on, and Ezra's curiosity sprung up even more, like a weed after a fresh shower of rain.

Oh no. Ezra felt the train slow to a stop. Panicked, he was overwhelmed with a tidal wave of emotions. Excitement over thrown with anxiety then wrestled to a subdue by excitement once again, swarms of anticipation tackled with regret. His hands shook as he grasped his bad tightly and stood up, a grimly determined expression settling on his delicate features. This was it. He was here. It was real. It was all just beginning.