Trip To Hogwarts Open

"I can't wait until I get to got to Hogwarts in two years! I'm gonna impress all of my professors! I bet I'm even gonna—" Atalya drowned out the uncouth babbling of her sister, Wintera Shoran, as she and her small family neared the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Her thoughts were on the new book she had purchased on dueling techniques. Already knowing how to enter the platform from her parents, Atalya strode quickly towards the wall and passed through. Her sensitive ears were immediately bombarded with the sounds of screaming children, crying parents, and the ruckus of caged animals, as well as a cacophony of other noises she did not recognize. Wishing to avoid the event of the station becoming even more packed than it already was, Atalya nodded curtly at her parents and boarded the train with her belongings.

Atalya quickly located a compartment with only one other girl sitting inside. She had straight blonde hair and deep brown eyes. A first year, maybe? Atalya slid the compartment door open and addressed the girl, who was reading a book, in a rich Icelandic accent, "I of all people know how exasperating it is to be interrupted while reading, but would you mind if I sit?"

Immersed in tremendous amounts of information about Hogwarts castle and its history, Sylvia found her longing for arriving at her new school growing at an unbelievable speed. Simply thinking of all the secrets and knowledge that the ancient school holds made her feel an unprecedented excitement, much stronger than the craving of a long-desired book.

Minutes later, Sylvia noticed some movement at the corner of her eye, accompanied by the sound of her compartment’s door opening. “I of all people know how exasperating it is to be interrupted while reading, but would you mind if I sit?” As Sylvia looked up, she saw another possible first year with blond hair and blue eyes entering the small room.

Despite feeling slightly irritated with being interrupted, as the other girl has just mentioned, she kept her composure and replied: “Sure, I suppose that there won’t be enough compartments for each person to take one anyway.” Sylvia hasn’t really meant to sound rude, especially to someone who she has just met. But since she was still partly in a different world, she hasn’t even properly considered her reply before she spoke. As long as she doesn’t take my remark as being offensive, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem. She thought to herself.

Interacting with @Atalya Shoran

Atalya merely laughed softly, unfazed by the other girl's potentially rude tone of voice. She stepped further into the compartment, sliding the door shut behind her, and settled into the seat across from the brown eyed girl. She reached into her bag and extracted her new book, Tips and Techniques for Modern Dueling. Relishing the scent of the new book, she opened it to the first page.

It had taken Atalya quite a while to find this specific book, as it was not stocked by Flourish and Blott's. That, and the fact that she had been forced to find an opportunity to separate from her family in order to enter Knockturn Alley on her own. The book was fascinating, packed full of useful knowledge, advice, and history on the art of dueling.

After about half an hour, her attention was suddenly caught by a faint scratching and mewing from the carrier of her cat, Melinoë. Atalya felt the urge to sigh annoyedly, but stopped herself at the last moment. You are not alone at home in the library, she reminded herself. She lifted her eyes from the pages of her book and made eye contact with the other girl in the compartment. "Would you mind If I let my cat out?" She smoothly asked the brown eyed first year.

Relieved to see that the other girl didn’t seem to be offended by her previous comment, Sylvia relaxed and turned her attention back to the book in her hands. If the girl opposite her has actually decided to start a conversation, things might have got much more awkward than now, since she never knew what to say to someone who she has just met.

Scanning through her book, Sylvia noticed how the corners of the book are beginning to fade into yellow instead of its original pure white color, which reminded her again of the long history that this book carries. Unlike most of the other books in her mansion, this one isn’t brought by her parents or inherited down from her family. In fact, it used to belong to one of her parents’ teachers, and was given to her mother as a reward for being the top student of her year. Now, looking at this book again, Sylvia silently made an oath to become one of the best among her peers, and make her name known by all her teachers, just like her parents.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the mewing of a cat. As she looked up, she saw that it came from a carrier that the other girl brought. “Would you mind If I let my cat out?” The girl asked her politely. “Of course not, it’s your cat, after all. And I believe it will be much quieter if you let her out, so you’re actually doing me a favor by releasing your cat.” She replied, slightly amused at her own words.

Interacting with @Atalya Shoran

Atalya smirked slightly at the other girl's words. I think we may be able to get along, she thought to herself. "Thank you, my cat very much dislikes containment, " she said to the girl, nodding her head curtly but politely in thanks. Atalya reached down and unlatched the crate door, freeing her trapped animal.

A few more minutes passed by in silence, Atalya pretending to still be reading, but truly pondering how to begin a conversation with the brown-eyed girl across from her. There was the formal approach, as she had gone with so far, but though she would be needing several formal contacts in the future, she would also be needing a friend. This girl interested her, and Atalya wanted to know more about her. Having decided to just introduce herself, she addressed the girl."I'm Atalya by the way. Atalya Shoran." Atalya supposed that a simple introduction would be best if she intended to get to know the girl. However, her hopes were not high, as most pureblood families had heard of the Shorans, as one of very few neutral pureblood families. Atalya was used to being forced into association with others her age due to her status as Heiress Shoran. Atalya had only ever had one true friend, Jass White, who she had left behind in Iceland. All that she could hope was that this girl would want to be real friends, not politically.

As the other girl slowly let her cat out from the create that she brought, she politely expressed her thanks to Sylvia. “Thank you, my cat very much dislikes containment.” Seeing the girl’s cat wandering around freely, Sylvia can’t help but wonder what it would be like to own a pet.

For all this time, she has always thought that a pet would only bring insurmountable troubles. Just as what her father used to say, “Why would anyone spend money on something that only claws at your furniture, ruins things, causes problems and wastes more money? It makes no sense.” Until now, she has never doubted his words, yet after noticing how many students chose to bring a pet to Hogwarts, her belief started to waver slightly. Could having a pet actually bring you joy despite its inconveniences?

“I'm Atalya by the way. Atalya Shoran.” Brought back to reality by Atalya, Sylvia was rather surprised that she would choose to start a conversation after such a long silence. Guess she’s not that introverted after all. She thought to herself, renewing her understanding of the girl in front of her. As the girl was speaking, she felt that Atalya seemed somewhat thoughtful, as if she wasn’t sure how Sylvia would react. That’s weird, what could possibly go wrong in saying one’s name? Hiding her puzzlement, she replied: “My name’s Sylvia, Sylvia Nightingale. Nice to meet you, Atalya.”

Interacting with @Atalya Shoran

Leaving drop off to Roderick was a severe miscalculation of ability, Astra thinks as she's dragged by her brother across the crowded platform. It's funny, most parents would try to see their kids off, but Morella and Hyperion had been called away on important business, so the kids were left to themselves on the platform after a hurried goodbye. While Roderick, being the male he was, had barely anything in his trunk, Astra, the bookish introverted overthinker, had stuffed her trunk to full capacity and still felt as if she forgot something.
"Roddy, let go of my hand," Astra complains, struggling to carry her heavy trunk with one hand. Maybe I did bring too many books... Ha! That's ridiculous. There's no such thing.
"Keep up then, and stop calling me Roddy," her older brother hisses, crushing her hand before letting go and running to his friends. As if running through a wall wasn't bad enough, she drops her trunk and nurses her hand.
"My revenge will come when you least expect it," she mutters before resuming her quest for a good seat, alone.

When Astra gets on the train, she's horrified to find that most if not all the window seats are taken. Most compartments she comes across either have older kids or far too many kids to be comfortable, so her search continues to another car. Astra's arm is beginning to hurt, as she is rather short, and her mum explicitly forbade any trunk dragging.
She comes to a compartment with two girls who are very quiet. There is also a cat, who she thinks looks very mischievous, but Aunt Seren knows more about animals than Astra. She knocks on the frame of the compartment tentatively before asking, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

While she and Atalya were introducing themselves to each other, Sylvia heard a quiet knock on the compartment’s door. Turning her head to see who’s there, she found another girl standing next to the door. Taking a careful look at this newcomer, Sylvia saw that she has reddish-brown hair and a pair of blue eyes, which is glancing hopefully in their direction. Another first year, I presume? In her belief, second year or older students usually chooses to sit in the same compartment as their friends, instead of a few strangers.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” The girl inquiring politely. Although she doesn’t like other people to interject on one on one conversations, there isn’t any reason for her to refuse either. “You could take a seat if you want.” She replied, meanwhile hoping that the girl wouldn’t choose to sit on her side.

She never preferred others to sit immediately beside her, which usually makes her feel rather uncomfortable, especially when she’s reading. However, since Atalya has a cat by her side, sitting beside her would be a less logical approach. Sylvia lowered her head to focus on the book in her hands again, but still carefully watched every move of this new girl out of the corner of her eyes.

Interacting with @Atalya Shoran & @Astra Norrick

Astra could feel the blonde girl's light-colored eyes on her. She understands the suspicion, it's the same reaction Astra would have. "Thank you," she replies politely. She heaves her trunk into the overhead compartment and sits, wedging herself into the corner like she always does at home. She takes out a book, the second in a rather long series. Astra has only just gotten permission to read it. The pages are crisp, but almost frail feeling. It's been sitting on a shelf in the Norrick's library for far too long. Astra runs a hand over the leather cover. It's a high-quality book, and the story thus far has also been expertly crafted.

Astra notices that the blonde-haired girl has one by the same author. I don't think I have that one. Something to look into, I suppose. She's content in the silence, but her dad always taught her it was rude to not introduce herself. "I'm, I'm Astra," she says, breaking the awkward silence. "In case you were wondering. Hah." Mentally, she facepalms. Merlin's beard why am I so bad at people? With a blush on her face, she returns to the book, furiously scanning the words so as to look busy.

Interacting with @Sylvia Nightingale and @Atalya Shoran