Time Well Spent open closed

Edward walked around the train to find a seat in a compartment. It was already very full and most of the compartments were filled with students of all ages, loudly chattering everywhere. This time, it wasn't important to him that the compartment was empty. He opened the door to a compartment where only one boy was sitting at a window seat.

The boy wore jeans and t-shirt. He does not seem accustomed to the wizarding world yet. Edward thought. He remembered his first ride. It had helped that his father was a wizard and could tell him about the magical world but until his tenth birthday Edward also didn't have a clue about all that. It must be hard to know nothing at all.

Edward entered the room. Hi, do you mind if I sit here? He waved at a free seat at the door side. He smiled at the other boy and awaited an answer. He didn't want to make it even harder for the other boy if he just came along and took the seat. Maybe, he wanted to be on his own. Edward could perfectly understand that. Maybe, he was waiting for someone else and thus, the seat was already taken.

"Speaking"
(Thinking)

Raleigh was too lost in thought to realize that another student had asked him a basic question. When he did realize that there was someone was there, he finally responded. "Oh! Yea-Yeah! Take a seat if you want." Raleigh didn't know what to say nor think, and he just sat there as the older student sat down in the compartment. (I should probably ask who he is).

"Umm. Hi, my name is Raleigh, I'm new to magic. What's your name?" Raleigh said as he sat up and straightened his posture. (He looks older than me. I wonder why he's sitting here and not with kids his age?) "I don't want to sound mean by saying this, but your an upperclassman right. Why aren't you with the other older kids?" Raleigh questioned, fiddling with his fingers. Raleigh didn't want to sound mean but it was curious that a student in the next couple years than him was in his compartment.

"Sorry for all of these questions up front, I'm just super curious!" Raleigh leaned in with childish glee, it almost looked like he had stars in his eyes. "Oh! We're leaving!" Raleigh exclaimed as he jumped up to look out the window as the train spooled up and began to leave the station.

@Edward Foxe

Aislinn couldn't get the face of her crying sister out of her head, and she was almost beginning to wonder if coming to this school was even a good idea. She loved the idea of escaping her dull life on the farm, but condemning poor little Rory to an even worse loneliness than she had experienced growing up just felt wrong.

She dragged her trunk as best as she could through the corridors of the train. As heavy as the container was, it was quickly becoming apparent just how much her dad had coddled her on the farm. Older students who walked by towered over her, and she was lost in a sea of strangers. Actually, it was worse than that! They weren't just strangers. They were magical strangers. Somehow that made the situation even more intimidating.

She still hadn't found a place to settle in when she felt the train lurch to life under her feet. In desperation, she barged into the nearest compartment, pulling her trunk with her.

"Uh, hello," she said to the two boys.

"Sorry to bother. I'm Aislinn. Got room for one more?" she asked, fiddling with her overalls and tabbing her foot against her trunk.

Edward sat down as soon as Raleigh had confirmed he could sit there.
"Hi Raleigh, nice to meet you. I'm Edward, Edward Foxe, but you can also call me Ed." he introduced himself. Then when Raleigh called him 'upperclassman' he grinned to himself. Did he already look that old and .. noble? He shook his head. "Well, I am just about to start second year, so I am just a year ahead of you. That gap is not that much, is it?" After a small break he added "Also I am quite happy to have found a seat at all. It is full!" He didn't need to mention that in fact, he didn't have so many friends. Sure, he had met a few friendly people but it didn't work out for long-term so far. He hoped that this would change this year.

Edward grinned at Raleigh as he apologized for all his questions. He remembered himself having so many of them on his first ride to Hogwarts. "Oh, don't worry. Curiosity is a good thing, one of the traits of Ravenclaw, my house. Do you already know about the houses?" he asked just when another girl entered the compartment and asked to sit here.

"Oh, I don't mind. What about you, Raleigh?"

"Speaking"
(Thinking)

"Oh, I don't mind at all, take a seat. Oh and my names Raleigh. And your accent, you're from Ireland aren't you?" Raleigh said without thinking. "Oh, sorry for all the questions, I'm new to magic and my parents aren't here so I'm just really giddy." Raleigh then turned to Ed and asked a question. "Ed, I've done some research on the houses at Hogwarts, I'm hoping I make it into Ravenclaw myself. How is the house?"

Raleigh was so excited that he didn't realize that the train had finally left the train station. When he finally did he just fell silent and looked out of the window in amazement. (This is just amazing, I can't wait to go to Hogwarts) Raleigh was lost in thought by now, and just looking on in awe. "This is great" Raleigh told himself under his breathe "I wish that my parents could see this" He said a little louder, but still quiet enough to not be heard by anyone outside the compartment.

(Oh, I should get a book to read or I should get my pictures) Raleigh thought to himself, and he proceeded to stand up and rummage through his trunk. Finally pulling out his copy of 'Book of Spells' he began to skim it while waiting for a response from the other to people in his compartment

@Edward Foxe @Aislinn Ahearn

"Hello, Raleigh," Aislinn nodded politely, amused by the excitement in his voice. "I am Irish, and you're Scottish?"

She smiled in thanks to the older boy too and then lugged her trunk further into the compartment as Raleigh expressed his desire to make it into the Ravenclaw house.

"How do you actually make it into a house? Is there some sort of entrance test?" Aislinn asked curiously.

She'd bought a book called Hogwarts, A History that she was sure would answer the question, but she hadn't wanted to spoil herself before even arriving at Hogwarts. Not to mention the subject matter was related to magic, so she had decided to wait until school started to begin the reading. At her muggle school, the worst case was that she would have trouble understanding what she was reading. At this school, she could find herself turning into a toad or something.

She put her trunk aside and took the offered seat. She drummed on her thighs as Raleigh began to flip through a book.

"Isn't this all so strange?" she asked the group after a few seconds' pause. "Magic being real, that is. I've fantasized about it since I was a small girl, but to go to a magical school? It almost feels like a dream."

She watched the other two in the compartment and paid special attention to the difference in demeanor between Raleigh and the older boy. One was older and more experienced, and the other was young and filled with questions. Would she feel more confident in a years' time?

Another boy with black hair shoved into the compartment, asking for his own place in their compartment. He seemed far more scared than she thought was possible.

"Hi there," Aislinn smiled. She gestured to a seat in the compartment. "I'm Aislinn, it's nice to meet you."

Edward smiled at Raleigh. "Oh, so I really like Ravenclaw. It's the house I am in, too. Most people there are studious and we have a lot of books there. It is great."

Another boy entered, seemingly another first year student because he was looking quite scared. Edward smiled at him, too. "Hi there, please come in, thre is another spot left. Just make yourself comfortable." he said. This time he didn't wait for the others to approve.

The girl introduced herself as Aislinn and already greeted the newcomer, Harry, so it seems to Edward it was alright that he was offering Harry the seat. "I'm Edward" he introduced himself to the newcomers and then addressed Aislinns questions.

"Don't worry about the house allocation. There is no test, no requirements. You don't need to know anything or perform magic. You can just relax. The first entry to the castle is just awesome, you will see." He didn't want to spoil the surprise of the talking hat for them but he hoped that he had taken away their fear.

"And I can relate to your amazement. I though similar when I found out that I am a wizard. I had read books about magic as a child but it was so amazing to find out it was real. You will soon find out that you are probably all doing great and that your classmates start at zero, too. Even those from wizarding families are often not much ahead, some are even worse because they might think they know everything but they don't. If you read about it and practice then you will be learning much quicker, I am sure about it."

He smiled at them all. This year, he intended to sign up for being a mentor to younger students. Now, he could already practice a bit.