The Returning Ride
Last edited by Danielle Kim Angeles on 28 Jul 2026, 13:55, edited 2 times in total.
The Returning Ride
[quote]
[quote]Elizabeth turned around at the sound of a new voice, her brows shooting up in interest. When she first saw the girl in front of her, she was kinda nervous, she wanted to leave a good impression. She learned from muggle schools that “first day impressions” were more important than the rest of the semester.
At her words, she gave a quick nod to Danielle and a friendly smile, she wasn’t the type to judge others because of their appearance, so Danielle’s words put her at a relaxed state. Her mind soon shouted at her, Say something. She shook her head, snapping out of her daze.
“I’m Elizabeth, Elizabeth Witherspoon. First year, as you can see.” At Danielle’s offer, she glanced briefly to the door before focusing on her face again.
“I mean…Of course! We can sit together, I’d love that.” She quickly smoothed the crinkles from her top, a nervous habit, and stepped inside the compartment.
She quickly took the seat near the window, like she didn’t want to take too much place. But Danielle’s words eased her panic, she appreciated it, deeply. Even if she was tongue-tied at first. She looked at Danielle after a short silence, taking the chance to have some friends, or mahbe a mentor by her side.
“How is it like? I mean…Hogwarts.” She turned towards the girl, listening intently. “My father graduated from there! So he tells me stories and his own memories. But I think it’s different to actually experience it yourself…How have you been managing it?”
Reducio
First day, new adventures.
[quote]Elizabeth turned around at the sound of a new voice, her brows shooting up in interest. When she first saw the girl in front of her, she was kinda nervous, she wanted to leave a good impression. She learned from muggle schools that “first day impressions” were more important than the rest of the semester.
At her words, she gave a quick nod to Danielle and a friendly smile, she wasn’t the type to judge others because of their appearance, so Danielle’s words put her at a relaxed state. Her mind soon shouted at her, Say something. She shook her head, snapping out of her daze.
“I’m Elizabeth, Elizabeth Witherspoon. First year, as you can see.” At Danielle’s offer, she glanced briefly to the door before focusing on her face again.
“I mean…Of course! We can sit together, I’d love that.” She quickly smoothed the crinkles from her top, a nervous habit, and stepped inside the compartment.
She quickly took the seat near the window, like she didn’t want to take too much place. But Danielle’s words eased her panic, she appreciated it, deeply. Even if she was tongue-tied at first. She looked at Danielle after a short silence, taking the chance to have some friends, or mahbe a mentor by her side.
“How is it like? I mean…Hogwarts.” She turned towards the girl, listening intently. “My father graduated from there! So he tells me stories and his own memories. But I think it’s different to actually experience it yourself…How have you been managing it?”
The Returning Ride
"It's kind of been like that for me," she said quietly with a smile of her own. "I keep asking myself whether I'm going to get lost before I ever reach my dormitory."
Danielle sat down across from Elizabeth, placing her luggage down on the floor as the landscape passed by outside the compartment window.
"Hogwarts can be... overwhelming at first. Moving staircases, hidden passageways, portraits that talk, and you'll find a new passage every week. But after a while, you start to get used to it and feel more at home here."
With a nod in response to Elizabeth mentioning her father, Danielle's smile widened.
"Oh? Then I guess he's already explained the Sorting Ceremony to you then?" she said happily. "That's one of my favorite memories."
For a fleeting moment, Danielle looked out of the window as the train passed through the landscape, before shifting her attention back to Elizabeth.
"If I could give just one piece of advice," she said reflectively, "it wouldn't be to stress about doing everything perfectly from the very beginning. Everyone was new once, and most older students are a lot nicer than they appear."
She chuckled softly.
"Also, don't let the moving staircases trick you into thinking that they are less stubborn than any professors you have come across yet."