Homeward Bound
After finally hugging everyone and settling down to relax, Haeli happily answered the flurry of questions from the girls. "My holiday was good! Lots of outside time. Mostly farm work though, which I don't mind! I love it, to be totally honest."
Admitting it out loud made her blush, a warm glow creeping into her cheeks. Wearing pink certainly didn't help. She had always noticed that wearing pink or red clothes aggressively amplified her natural flush. Sometimes it was a blessing, but usually, it felt like a curse; she absolutely hated looking like she was constantly embarrassed.
Taking a quiet breath, she looked around the room to simply soak her friends in. Seeing their bright smiles and hearing their familiar laughter filled her with pure happiness—their group was finally whole again. Her eyes drifted to their outfits. Damaris with her very stylish dark brown leather jacket over a cute brown top and some jeans. Hex with her very adorable blue top and washed out jeans. And Rikkali, looking healthy as ever, with her goth-ish purple flame outfit.
Haeli loved all of her friends, and their outfits. But with them all dressed up, she couldn't help but feel a little underdressed. Her baggy baby pink sweater and black leggings could not stand against their awesome outfits. Still, she knew her clothes perfectly described her as a person: laid-back, but also somewhat stylish and trendy.
"Yeah, I brought some pretty cute outfits, none that could stand up to yours, I'm afraid," Haeli said with a bright smile and a short laugh. "I wish there wasn't a dress code, but at least on days off its optional, right? You've always gotta find the bright side," she finished, tying it up with a very wide, bright, genuine smile.
Prove them wrong. Twice.
∾ Haeli Randall
Homeward Bound
“You live on a farm? That’s so cool! Are there farm animals and stuff?” Hex’s eyes lit up at the mention of Haeli’s life. She had grown up in a rather busy city so the concept of a farm sounded much more appealing to her. She could envision being out in nature for as long as she wanted.
With her cat purring in her bag, Hex took a seat in the cabin, hoping the other girls would do the same. “Well we should probably make use of our free time before we get there then! I reckon the Headmaster is going to be doing one of his famous long speeches” she laughed to herself, remembering how her first year had been filled with speeches and lectures. She was eager to get back to Hogwarts after having spent the summer with her family. She couldn’t quite explain it but these girls felt like home to her, she was keen to know what they’d been up to, what they’d been reading, and most importantly, what mischief were going to get up to in the coming year. Second year was going to be tough in terms of workload, but easy as long as she had her friends.
Don’t Wait Up
Hex Ambrose | Gryffindor
Homeward Bound
"Yeah, I thought you knew?" Haeli said, looking over at Hex across the cozy, upholstered seats of their Hogwarts Express train compartment.
The realization hit her a second later. She had never actually talked about the farm before. It felt strange to realize she had kept it to herself, especially since before her Hogwarts letter arrived, that farm was the only remotely interesting thing in her entire life.
"Yeah, we have tons of animals," Haeli continued, leaning back against the carriage wall as the countryside began to blur outside the window. "It's honestly more of a ranch if you ask me. Typically, proper farms grow crops, but we don't do any of that. We just raise animals. We have four spitfire llamas, six horses, a whole pasture full of grazing cattle, and a whole army of roaming chickens. There are also eight pigs, a grumpy barn cat named Misty, and an old dog named Harold."
She paused, a sudden, bright grin breaking across her face.
"Oh wait, I absolutely cannot forget our one and only donkey! Her name is Fool."
Haeli laughed out loud, the ridiculous memory flashing through her mind. The donkey had earned her name by constantly running around the pens, bucking and kicking her back legs up into the air. She looked completely ridiculous doing it. Everyone on the ranch used to yell, "Stop that, you fool! You're scaring the other animals!" Eventually, the name just stuck. Despite her silliness, Fool had quickly become one of Haeli's absolute favorites.
Her ultimate favorites, however, were the horses. Haeli loved the pure, intoxicating feeling of freedom she got every time she rode them. They shared a bond that ran deeper than anything else on the property, especially when it came to a paint horse named Canvas. From the very moment Canvas arrived at the farm, he and Haeli were entirely inseparable. He was her quiet sanctuary; once, after an exhausting, grueling day of ranch work, she had actually fallen asleep right there in Canvas's stall, curled up safely beside him.
As her laughter faded into the steady click-clack of the train tracks, a sudden wave of homesickness washed over her. All this talk about the barnyards, her beloved paint horse, and the wide-open fields was making her deeply miss home. She hadn't even realized that was possible, considering she had been away from the property for less than an hour.
Prove them wrong. Twice.
∾ Haeli Randall
Homeward Bound
Nicole moved down the Hogwarts Express corridor with her usual quiet curiosity, her fingers brushing the spines of books sticking out of half-open trunks. The steady rumble of the train beneath her feet was comforting—rhythmic, predictable—something she could think against. She wasn't searching for anyone in particular, just a place she could sit and maybe read before the train reached Hogwarts.
But from an open compartment came familiar voices, arresting her attention. She slowed and looked in long enough to see Haeli, Hex, Damaris and Rikkali clustered together, laughter spilling into the hallway. Haeli’s bright pink sweater immediately caught the eye, her cheeks flushed in a way that Nicole recognized as natural warmth, not embarrassment.
Hex was animated, her hands moving as she talked, her cat's ears poking out of her bag. Damaris looked effortlessly stylish, and Rikkali's purple flame outfit was impossible to miss. Nicole didn't step inside—she wasn't part of their conversation—but the train was loud enough that certain pieces reached her clearly.
She heard Haeli mention living on a ranch, followed by Hex's excited reaction. Then Haeli listed animals: llamas, horses, cattle, chickens, pigs, and even a donkey named Fool. Nicole's lips twitched at that last one; she didn't know Haeli well, but the name suited the kind of chaotic farm stories she'd overheard before.
Her Ravenclaw mind couldn't help cataloging the details—the number of animals, the way Haeli's voice softened when she talked about Canvas, her paint horse, and the subtle shift in her expression that signaled a wave of homesickness. Nicole noticed the way Haeli's fingers curled slightly toward her chest when she mentioned the ranch, a small gesture of longing. Nicole didn't interrupt. She didn't interrupt herself.
She looked from the doorway at the scene, the girls' bright smiles, and the cozy clutter of bags and snacks in the compartment, like a tiny world of its own. She liked how well they got along, a social cohesion she often witnessed from the sidelines rather than participated in. After a moment, she adjusted her satchel—heavier than most, filled with books she'd already started reading—and continued down the corridor. She wasn't part of their conversation, and she didn't intend to be. But she carried the impression with her: Haeli's warmth, Hex's excitement, Damaris's style, and Rikkali's boldness—a group that felt tightly knit and genuinely happy to be together again. The train rattled on toward Hogwarts, and Nicole didn't forget what she'd seen. She rarely forgot anything.
But from an open compartment came familiar voices, arresting her attention. She slowed and looked in long enough to see Haeli, Hex, Damaris and Rikkali clustered together, laughter spilling into the hallway. Haeli’s bright pink sweater immediately caught the eye, her cheeks flushed in a way that Nicole recognized as natural warmth, not embarrassment.
Hex was animated, her hands moving as she talked, her cat's ears poking out of her bag. Damaris looked effortlessly stylish, and Rikkali's purple flame outfit was impossible to miss. Nicole didn't step inside—she wasn't part of their conversation—but the train was loud enough that certain pieces reached her clearly.
She heard Haeli mention living on a ranch, followed by Hex's excited reaction. Then Haeli listed animals: llamas, horses, cattle, chickens, pigs, and even a donkey named Fool. Nicole's lips twitched at that last one; she didn't know Haeli well, but the name suited the kind of chaotic farm stories she'd overheard before.
Her Ravenclaw mind couldn't help cataloging the details—the number of animals, the way Haeli's voice softened when she talked about Canvas, her paint horse, and the subtle shift in her expression that signaled a wave of homesickness. Nicole noticed the way Haeli's fingers curled slightly toward her chest when she mentioned the ranch, a small gesture of longing. Nicole didn't interrupt. She didn't interrupt herself.
She looked from the doorway at the scene, the girls' bright smiles, and the cozy clutter of bags and snacks in the compartment, like a tiny world of its own. She liked how well they got along, a social cohesion she often witnessed from the sidelines rather than participated in. After a moment, she adjusted her satchel—heavier than most, filled with books she'd already started reading—and continued down the corridor. She wasn't part of their conversation, and she didn't intend to be. But she carried the impression with her: Haeli's warmth, Hex's excitement, Damaris's style, and Rikkali's boldness—a group that felt tightly knit and genuinely happy to be together again. The train rattled on toward Hogwarts, and Nicole didn't forget what she'd seen. She rarely forgot anything.
Homeward Bound
Rikkali sat back, listening to Hex and Haeli. She glanced out the window a few times,
seeing the green grass atop the rolling hills. She tuned back as Haeli mentions living on a farm, listing the animals. Then laughed at the story about the donkey named Fool. She loved animals herself, especially horses. She went horseback riding once, when she had been younger. She absolutely enjoyed it. But her foster parents decided they were risking her safety and decided to not allow her to go again. Most times, her home felt more like a prison rather than a loving home.Rikkali loved all animals, most of which she had only seen in books for Muggles. Since
coming to Hogwarts, seeing all of the magical creatures around the school, she was more into any magical creatures now. She loved the dragons, the phoenix, hippocampus, hippogriff, grindylows, and the merpeople. But mostly, she loved the Nifflers. They were so cute. She sat back listening but imagining what it would be like to have a Niffler to herself. It would be perfect for when she sets u her traps for her pranks. The Niffler could create a diversion that would bring not only one, but many to the trap. More than one would be caught in that trap. Rikkali nearly laughed aloud with that thought. Just then she noticed a gal peeping through the window of the compartment doors.Rikkali gave the other gals a nudge with her elbow to get their attention. "Think we
have a peeping Mary." she said laughing at her own statement. She gave a slight nod of her head toward the door where the gal had decided to move on past the doors and down the corridor.
Homeward Bound
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Damaris felt truly at ease talking with her friends, feeling right at home even though she had just left her own house and family behind. She sat comfortably, chatting and laughing while snacking on sweets bought from the trolley witch; she also petted the cat that had been peeking out of Hex’s bag—and was now strolling casually across the compartment seats, happily accepting the girls' affection as if he had known them forever, something that seemed to delight them all. "Lighthouse is beautiful, Hex—seriously" Damaris said, scratching behind the cat's ears as she ate a piece of candy. She listened intently to Haeli’s stories about the farm, picturing it all in her mind: the pigs, the donkey named Fool, and the horses. The mention of horses held her rapt attention; she had always loved them but had never actually ridden one. Hearing that Haeli had them at home gave her an idea, and she spoke up with a smile and complete confidence: "So, I guess we know where we’re spending summer break, girls" she said, beaming at Haeli with an excited look and batting her eyelashes a few times in a playful attempt to persuade her to agree, something that made the other girls laugh. The journey had been quite pleasant, with the girls filling the compartment with laughter as they shared stories. Damaris spoke up, describing her summer at her father's house. "My summer wasn't exactly action-packed; I stayed with my dad most of the time, and my grandparents were there to look after me, too. Oh, you’re going to love my grandmother—she’s so sweet, though she can be firm when she needs to be" Damaris said, hoping her friends would meet her family someday. "We traveled to the Caribbean for the beaches... they were beautiful, and the water was perfect" she recounted with a smile, remembering the good times—though she grimaced slightly at the memory of what had bothered her: her father had been seeing a woman since the previous year. He had never told Damaris, and she had found out through her grandparents—something that upset her and created tension in her relationship with her father.
Damaris reflected for a moment on the source of the tension between them; she felt hurt because her father had kept that relationship a secret. It didn't bother her that he was dating—quite the opposite, she was happy about it, knowing he needed to move on after her mother's death. What did bother her was that he had hidden it for a year and, to top it off, that she hadn't found out from him, but rather from her grandparents and by seeing the woman herself on the first day of vacation after her freshman year. She pushed those thoughts aside, and just as she was about to ask her friends, she heard Hex mention a Peeping Mary which made her turn toward the door to see who had been in the hallway. "Who was out there?" she asked curiously—not with annoyance, but with genuine curiosity about who had been in the corridor.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻, 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓪 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓷𝓪𝓹
Homeward Bound
Telling stories about the farm made Haeli happy. Better yet, the other girls seemed to enjoy them just as much as she loved living them. Hearing Damaris talk about spending the next summer holiday there brought a rush of pure joy. Haeli could already picture it: everyone would have their own room but choose to sleep together anyway, because that is what sleepovers are for. They would wake up early to tackle chores together, turning hard work into shared fun. She would saddle up the horses and teach them to ride out in the pasture. They could play with the pigs, pet the donkey, and moo back at the cows—a strange habit Haeli loved. Her grandmother wouldn't mind; she never cared what they did, so long as the chores got done.
"That would be amazing!" Haeli laughed, turning to Damaris. "Having actual people on the farm to talk to would be a great change!"
Suddenly, Rikkali whispered that there was a "Peeping Mary." Haeli smiled, familiar with Peeping Toms but never a Peeping Mary. Looking toward the compartment door, she caught the fleeting swoop of a robe disappearing.
"Did you recognize her?" Haeli asked Rikkali, assuming the nickname meant a girl.
Prove them wrong. Twice.
∾ Haeli Randall
Homeward Bound
Listening to the other girls recount their summer break, Rikkali looked out the window at
the rolling, grassy countryside. The cat 'Lighthouse' came close to Rikkali, then rubbing against her leg, causing her to look away from the window and down at the small creature. She reached down, to give the cat's soft fur a stroke. Rikkali smiled as Damaris mentioning spending their next summer breaks at Haeli's. Rikkali smiled briefly as she imagined what that would be like. The feel of being free, running around amongst animals. Riding horses. She'd absolutely love it. Then the image in her mind faded and was replaced by a horrific scene. Rikkali's expression saddened, and she quickly looked back out the window, hiding it from view. She knew that she wouldn't be allowed to do anything fun like that until it was safe. Her foster parents are not going to allow it, not until that threat that hung over her was relinquished.
She turned back from the window to look at the compartment door when Haeli asked if she had recognized the gal. Rikkali shook her head. "No, not that I can recall. Then again there are so many students in Hogwarts, I'm sure the are many that we have seen in passing yet never recall them. I mean she'd have to be a fellow student, right? After all that is all that's on this train, students and a rare professor or two." she said as she stood and went to the compartment door, opening it and looking down the corridor.
She thought she spotted the gal, peeping into yet another compartment. "Perhaps she's just trying to find a place to sit?" Rikkali guessed, as she turned back looking at their own compartment. It was small, and there was already three plus herself within. She supposed they could fit another small body.
Homeward Bound
Hex was so happy to see her friends together again. The peeping Mary seemed to have disappeared but Hex kept her eye out just in case. Lighthouse was busy making friends with the girls in turn and treating them each to a cuddle.
“So this year, what chaos do you have planned?” Hex grinned at Rikkali. The other girl was a trouble maker, albeit her last piece of trouble involved her getting stuck in the room of requirements. But Hex knew the girl well, and knew she’d have packed some pranks ready for the start of the new year.
“Also, it would be so fun to spend the summer with you guys! We definitely have to plan something” she smiled, her raspy voice catching on the end of the sentence. “I’m kind of hoping to be more relaxed next summer than this one…I didn’t reallly get much schoolwork done” she sunk into her seat.
Other students started to run past the window to their carriage and a flurry of black robes were being thrown around. “Guess it’s time to change” Hex rolled her eyes. She hated the robes but it was compulsory for the start of year ceremony. She knew she had to.
Don’t Wait Up
Hex Ambrose | Gryffindor
“So this year, what chaos do you have planned?” Hex grinned at Rikkali. The other girl was a trouble maker, albeit her last piece of trouble involved her getting stuck in the room of requirements. But Hex knew the girl well, and knew she’d have packed some pranks ready for the start of the new year.
“Also, it would be so fun to spend the summer with you guys! We definitely have to plan something” she smiled, her raspy voice catching on the end of the sentence. “I’m kind of hoping to be more relaxed next summer than this one…I didn’t reallly get much schoolwork done” she sunk into her seat.
Other students started to run past the window to their carriage and a flurry of black robes were being thrown around. “Guess it’s time to change” Hex rolled her eyes. She hated the robes but it was compulsory for the start of year ceremony. She knew she had to.
Reducio
Hey! Wondered if you guys wanted to move to great hall in a new thread?
Don’t Wait Up
Hex Ambrose | Gryffindor