The Steam Train Experience pv Gilbert Harrington, Nicole Morales Closed

Nicole couldn’t resist to laugh at Allegra’s comment about calling him Bertie Bott’s. She was glad that she at least remembered, what that was and appreciated the brief explanation from her in case Nicole had forgotten. The boy called Gilbert was quite horrified about being called anything other than his actual name.

“Alright… Gil…” She muttered to herself. The name Gilbert felt too long for her to pronounce due to pure laziness. But she was still proud that she finally received his name. It took enough pushing with Allegra’s help.

The squeal she let out made Nicole wince as an apology slipped out of her lips once more. But it appeared to fine, as Allegra passed the writhing frog back to Nicole. She struggled to put it back in its box. Her appetite for sweets now gone.

As she picked her sweet of choice, Gilbert decided a perfect opportunity to leave for a bathroom break. Ultimately leaving Nicole alone with the other girl. The conversation had slipped into silence from the moment the sliding door had shut behind Gilbert.

Nicole was fine with silences, as long as she was comfortable. But with a girl she had, up to this point, not gotten along with until just recently.

“I… I didn’t mean for that to happen.” She uttered to fill it. What should she say to her? Bringing up music so far felt like it would suffocate Nicole with Allegra’s knowledge and passion for the subject. Something had made it clear to her though about this other girl - she was trying to fit in. Like how Nicole was doing, and perhaps Gilbert. Just in a different way.

“I am still learning about the wizard world I guess… Mum kinda failed to mention a lot… she wanted to make me finding things out more adventurous.” Her hand reached the back of her neck, rubbing it. Would talking work? Or would she rather just sit in silence? It was hard to get a read on her. However, maybe this could give them an actual chance to get to know each other.

“I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot here. Would you be up to starting over? Or is that a pass?” She would never find out otherwise if she didn’t speak her thoughts. Nicole just hoped that this time it would be less chaotic.

“Or we could use the time to perhaps get changed while Bertie- Gil is away…?” Offering out an olive branch deemed the best idea right now.

[font=Book Antiqua]That Allegra's talk of music was not taken up on served as a stark disappointment. At her musical summer camp, music was the core of all conversation. Aboard the Hogwarts Express, on her way to a school of magic, the people didn't seem to give two hoots. They chatted about...ordinary things, she supposed, though what was ordinary, Allegra didn't know; she hadn't had much time to engage in it, always wrapped up in her piano studies even while doing other things, her thoughts far away in a world of beautiful melodies. Yet these people seemed able to function quite easily without it. It was the first time that Allegra contemplated that people had lives outside of the world of music. That there were other things to engage in, such as what a chocolate frog was, or that Ross on Wye was actually on the English side of the border.

After the chocolate frog incident, the two girls were left alone once again. It was the second time Gilbert had left, and his absence left a stark hole where conversation had once been. What could she possibly say to Nicole now, after they'd had such a rocky beginning? She fought for words, but even with the desire to speak heavy in her chest, no sounds left her lips. The seconds dragged on. The train rumbled beneath her. She looked between Nicole and the floor. Then at Nicole again. Vague niceties crossed her mind, but she couldn't imagine continuing with "How's the weather?" What an embarrassing cliche of a silence filler. Please come back soon, Gilbert, she thought desperately. He would know what to say. She hoped. She prayed.

Nicole took it upon herself to break the silence.[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]“I… I didn’t mean for that to happen.”[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]Allegra blinked.[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]“I am still learning about the wizard world I guess… Mum kinda failed to mention a lot… she wanted to make me finding things out more adventurous.”[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]For perhaps the first time in the entire train journey, warmth spread through Allegra's chest. "...I can help if you want," she offered. Saying it surprised her. Nicole, a girl she originally felt so cold towards, suddenly didn't seem so bad. A little lost and confused. A small glimpse of what was beneath the witty remarks.[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]“I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot here. Would you be up to starting over? Or is that a pass?”[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]"Let us backtrack. All the stuff about me being annoyed, didn't happen. Okay? Gone, erased, non-existent." Allegra's cheeks turned red. Would it be that simple, or would their differences flare again? But for now at least, a truce was formed. No more anger, no more acting as if Nicole was the worst person in the world.[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]“Or we could use the time to perhaps get changed while Bertie- Gil is away…?”[/font]

[font=Book Antiqua]Allegra leapt up from her seat. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "One sec-" She left the cabin briefly, and then returned with her muggle wheelie bag in tow. Bright red, modern, four wheels at the bottom and a handle to tow it. She figured Nicole probably wouldn't notice how distinctly "muggle" it was. Though if Gilbert walked back in, she might get questioned on the item, it being so non-traditional for a wizarding family.

The wheelie bag was packed neatly, the robes deliberately at the surface for easy access. One of the three plain black work robes and one pointed hat, the bare necessities of what she was required to wear, were taken out and put aside. Then, she closed the wheelie bag and pushed it out of the way.

"Only one way to do this. Boarding school tricks. I learned them at music summer camp." There was a way to change easily and discreetly. She started by laying out the robe in front of her, then wriggled her arms through her jumper and then her shirt. Still partly-covered, she put them through the sleeves of the robe, and hoisted the robe over her head while simultaneously tossing aside the jumper and shirt. Once she was sufficiently covered, she removed the jeans, and then changed her shoes and placed the black hat upon her head.

"Done!" she declared.[/font]

She had not expected Allegra to jump and offer her help on managing coping with the Wizard world. To which Nicole actually was grateful for the assist.

“I would like that, if that’s okay.” She nodded bashful about the whole situation. But an agreement had been made, which had started the two of them somewhat afresh. Nicole quietly agreed with Allegra’s deal, and smiled at the other girl. They were finally getting along. It was a start at least, but perhaps they can find a way of understanding each other a bit more now that the sudden thought of them clashing once more would cause the train to crash or something.

Nicole’s idea of them taking advantage of Gilbert’s disappearance to the toilet, and change into their school robes was a no-brainer. As Allegra began to get herself dressed, Nicole stood onto her seat and unclasped her trunk. Once she had grabbed the correct clothes out, she locked it back up.

She took a small leap off the chair and placed her school clothes down. Nicole paid no heed to Allegra who appeared to be muttering to herself, but she took a hold of the polo shirt and put it over her own graphic T. She pulled her arms out of each hole and from underneath pulled the graphic T-shirt up to her neck. After a bit of fiddling, Nicole managed to get the T-shirt over her head without any issues.

She repeated the action with the skirt, but pulled down her jeans from underneath. From there, Nicole had to sit down to bunch up her tights and slip them over her feet to bring them. Again she began to fiddle with lifting up her black tights, but in the end had managed to do so just fine. All she needed to do now was put on her shoes, jumper and robe.

“Done!” Allegra had stated, while Nicole had begun to just tie her shoes up.

“That was quick.” She joked a bit wanting to fill the space with anything but silence. Gilbert had been gone for a good 10 maybe 15 minutes now. Where did he go to relieve himself? Outside? Her eyes kept glancing towards the door, wondering if he was going to show up soon or not.

“He’s been gone a while.” She muttered, “You don’t think someone worse has found him and is flushed his head down the toilet… do you?”

[font=Book Antiqua]Allegra snorted. "I hope he didn't flush his head anywhere because he kind of needs it for school," she giggled. But it wasn't long until Gilbert came back. He seated himself awkwardly, and took to gazing out of the window. Allegra followed his line of sight. There was no denying the scenery was incredible, full of cascading hills spread across the horizon, the sun twinkling in the sky as the afternoon closed in. She wondered if Hogwarts would be as beautiful as the scenery surrounding her now. She knew it was a grand castle, hidden away from muggles. What would it be like on the inside? Would it be similar to what was on the train, with everything traditional and old fashioned? Or - she realised with a jolt - would it be medieval to the point of impractical? Would she be robbed of luxuries that she had at home? She knew, of course, that electricity did not exist, but surely that was countered by the use of magic?

I'm such a terrible witch, she thought to herself, unable to help a squirm as she tried to brush aside her nerves. Allegra Steinway, you are a witch, and you have the luxury of already knowing about magic, unlike some. Pull yourself together! Looking at her two companions, she realised that Nicole might potentially have it even worse than her.

Gilbert had still not gotten changed. Not that it mattered - they had hours. But now he looked like the odd one out, the only one in ordinary attire, while the two witches sat in their wizarding robes looking like proper little schoolgirls. In uniform, Allegra felt more like a witch than ever. Her life in London seemed incredibly far away, like a distant memory, though she had barely been gone more than a couple of hours. Perhaps Hogwarts would begin to feel like home more quickly than she realised.

Restless, impatient, unsure what to do next, Allegra had a choice. Break the awkward silence, or do her best to actively avoid it. Her fingers tapped out a melody on her thigh, as her eyes darted around, looking for something to latch onto, something to serve as an ice breaker, to get the conversation flowing again, so that she did not have to watch Gilbert staring out of the window, avoiding looking at the two of them. Soon, an idea came to her.

"Watch this," she said, grinning. With a frown of concentration, she summoned her shapeshifting ability, and her lips blew up until they were ridiculously oversized.[/font]