Meeting in Motion
@Olivia Williams
It was my first time going back for a school year, without my parents saying goodbye. I walked stiffly past all the crying first years with their parents, and boarded the train. I was one of the first onboard, so I quickly found an empty cabin.
I heaved my trunk onto the overhead rack. I sat down. I gave her a cat treat, before opening my bag, and taking out a book - a large novel, about dragons. It had been an early birthday present from Alana, who had given it to me before I left for the summer camp.
I started reading, before hearing a crash. I peered out of the door, seeing that a young student had accidentally let their owl loose in the corridor. A group of cats were going wild. I sighed, then sat down again, with my book.
I looked out of the window, where I had a good view of the station clock - it was due to leave any minute now, and I was still alone. Good.
I opened a packet of sweets (also a present), and ate one, before hearing the door slide open.
I put my book down. I waited to see if they would say anything.
Meeting in Motion
Olivia Williams, 1st of September, @Mirada Johnson
After going back and forth with her uncle, Olivia had finally decided she didn’t want him accompanying her to the platform. It was actually nice arriving on her own, though, as it meant she could find an empty compartment faster.
What she hadn’t counted on, however, was the sheer number of people at King’s Cross; it took a while just to reach the passageway between platforms, and when she emerged onto the hidden platform, the crowd of people and parents was so dense that making her way to the train was a struggle.
She managed to board the train with only ten minutes to spare. As she walked down the corridor, she saw compartment after compartment filled with passengers. She vaguely recognized a few faces but saw no sign of Mikey, Colin, or any other close friends.
Finally, after walking through almost the entire train—with only minutes left until departure—she found a compartment that looked empty at first glance. Olivia slid the door open, only to see someone sitting inside—someone she vaguely recognized as a classmate from Potions... or was it Transfiguration?
The girl, who had a book in her lap, looked up. She had blue eyes, and her brown hair framed her face perfectly. For a split second, Olivia forgot how to speak, until she cleared her throat and quickly said, "Can I sit here? It’s chaos everywhere else."
| Olivia Williams - Gryffindor | Whether you're a werewolf or human, love is still love. Betrayal is still betrayal. |
Meeting in Motion
"Oh. Yeah. I'm fine with you sitting here.".
I recognised the girl, but wasn't quite sure where from. Maybe Herbology. Or Charms. Either way, she was probably in my year, so I ought’ve known her name.
I picked up my book again, and kept reading. I finished my chapter, before putting a bookmark in, and placing the book into my bag.
I looked at the bag of sweets
"Do you want one?" I offered the bag over. "They're vegetarian, too. Muggle sweets though."
I looked at the girl more closely, hoping I would remember her name. She was quite pretty, tall, with curly hair.
I still didn't remember her name, which was awkward.
Finally, I realised I would have to ask her name - I couldn’t be in a compartment for hours, and just refer her as "the girl."
"Are you a third year? I feel like I recogrise you from lessons." I took one of the sweets, and ate it, before continuing to speak.
"I'm Mira, in Ravenclaw. What's your name, sorry?"
Isis started meowing extremely loudly. I sighed, then gave her another cat treat. She was immediately silent.
"Sorry about her. She’s such a loud cat - my family’s cat is almost silent compared to Isis."
I wondered for a few seconds about Socks. Did she like parent's decision? But, instead of thinking about that for any longer, I looked at the girl and smiled.
@Olivia Williams
Meeting in Motion
Olivia Williams, 1st of September, @Mirada Johnson
Olivia felt relieved when the girl said she could sit down, so that was exactly what Olivia did. She settled into the seat opposite her and looked out at the platform as the train slowly began to pull out of the station.
When the girl picked up her book, Olivia took the opportunity to study her. She was definitely in the same year, but Olivia couldn't recall her name. That wasn't really surprising, though, since they had never actually had a conversation before.
Eventually, the girl placed a bookmark in her book and set it aside before offering Olivia a sweet from a bag.
"I don't mind Muggle sweets; it's almost a relief knowing you won't be hit by a spell the moment you take a bite," Olivia said lightly, taking a sweet. It was tasty, though not quite as good as chocolate.
"Are you a third year? I feel like I recognise you from lessons."
Olivia looked up at her as she asked the question. "Yep," she replied with a nod. "I think we have one or a few classes together, though for the life of me, I can't remember which ones."
When the girl took another sweet, Olivia did the same; they really were delicious.
When the girl opposite her introduced herself as Mira, it all clicked into place. Olivia had heard her name several times before—Mirada Johnson; it was a beautiful name. Then Mira asked for Olivia's name.
She hesitated; apart from Colin, no one usually called her by a nickname, but Mira had introduced herself using one. Still, giving her own name didn't come naturally. "Olivia Williams, Gryffindor. Nice to meet you."
Olivia jumped when a cat suddenly started meowing loudly and looked around the compartment. It wasn’t until Mira fed it that her gaze fell upon the cat. It was quite cute; according to Mira, its name was Isis, and she was rather noisy.
"That’s fine," Olivia replied automatically, waving her hand. "I like animals, and from what I can see, she just seems naturally adorable—and there’s nothing wrong with that." Olivia let out a soft laugh and smiled.
| Olivia Williams - Gryffindor | Whether you're a werewolf or human, love is still love. Betrayal is still betrayal. |
Meeting in Motion
@Olivia Williams
Olivia. Gryffindor. Yes, I did actually recognise the name slightly, but still couldn't work out where from.
Olivia said she liked animals, and that Isis was adorable, when she laughed, I laughed slightly too.
"You wouldn't say that if you were there when she nearly made me fall off a ladder in my dorm." I paused for a few seconds - maybe the Gryffindor dorms didn't have the high bookshelves that Bonelli's did. In fact, they almost certainly didn't. Ravenclaws were the only ones who were really certain to always be reading. "I mean, in my dorm we've got bookshelves, and there's a ladder to reach the top shelves, where the best books are, of course."
I looked out of the window. We were going quite fast already, despite only just setting off.
"What new subjects are you starting? I'm hopefully doing all of them. Even muggle studies, although I don't need it. Care of Magical Creatures sounds like it's going to be really fun, maybe a bit dangerous. But, I need to get better with danger, now I'm a broom racer."
I started stroking Isis, who had decided to calm down, and just sit next to me now.
"Do you have a pet?"