CL It All Starts Somewhere PV Delilah Chapman

Delilah freed herself from her mother's tight embrace, before her father could pull her into another. On Platform 93/4they kissed her and filled her pockets with sweets and chocolate and crisps, her bag with sandwichs, photo albums and books she liked to read. Her luggage wasn't much but one full backpack and a mall bought suitcase.

Finally, her eldest sister patted her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek, cautioning her about all sorts of dangers she may encounter. Her other older sister, Ailyn, just smiled and hugged her, and unlike her parents painful squeezes, her hug was warm and gentle. Both her sisters are familiar with this train station, this school she was going to, these goodbyes...

Delilah never liked goodbyes, she was afraid that if she lingered on her family's kisses, hang a little too long on their shoulders she will beg them to take her home and never leave her again.

She still threw a quick glance through the window in the train's corridor. It was crowded and noisy and Delilah soon got swept away toward an empty compartment. She thanked her luck and got in. Putting her blue suitcase with lots of cat stickers on it on the seat along with her backpack of a royal blue. She straightened a fold in her dress before sitting down. With her long white muslin dress that hang on her skeleton-like body, Delilah truly looked like a ghost.

The door of the compartment suddenly opened in a creak startling the little girl. A boy probably her age peeked through it.
"Hope you don't mind if I sit here," He sat a down a heavy trunk on the seat not even waiting for her answer.
"Are you a first year as well?"
The boy had one charming smile on his face that Delilah couldn't help but smile back.
"Not at all. She said. Yes, I am a first year."
The silence lingered between them and the train started moving. Delilah risked a bashful look at the boy seated in front of her, she didn't fancy the idea of an awkward silence for the whole trip.
"I guess if we are to be companions for the whole ride, we should know each other a bit." She said.
With deep hazel eyes, she studied the boy for a second, hoping he would be friendly and fun enough to be her friend, maybe for her entire school years.
"My name is Delilah. I like cats, books, naps, food, fireplaces, the smell of wood and the colour green." She started, breaking the heavy silence in the compartment.
Delilah always had this blunt way of introducing herself. She didn't like small talk. If she was curious about someone, she would want to know everything about them immediately.

She tilted her head to the left, brushing away a blonde curl. Her lips curling into a warm smile that makes her eyes almost invisible.
"You ?" She asked.

Your turn
@Rebecca Loops

Rebecca took a moment to study the girl as the train stuttered into motion. Her scrawniness made it look as if she were drowning in her loose white dress and the white pallor of her skin bordered on sickly. He shifted a little in his seat and tried to push down a ridiculous urge to get her some hot food and a blanket. Despite looking for all intents and purposes like the ghost of a victorian orphan, the intensity of her eyes belied what he suspected to be a large store of inner strength.

As if noticing the weight of his curious gaze, she looked up and snapped into conversation. He smiled, glad for an excuse to break the silence that had stretched between them. It was hard to believe that someone who looked so waifish could talk so much. And so fast. Rebecca tilted his head and his dark eyes held an eagerness matching her own.

"Well, Delilah, my name's Rebecca. I love cats, I tolerate books, and I'm terrible at falling asleep. Smoke makes me sneeze, and I don't mind green but I think orange is prettier."

He shrugged and stuck out a hand towards her to shake. If she took it, he'd grip her hand gently, part of him still convinced she'd break given the smallest squeeze.

"I think we're bound to get along well enough," he decided, then glanced towards her backpack and suitcase. "Cute stickers. You're not a pureblood or anything, are you?"

He thought it unlikely one of those sorts of families would let their child be caught dead owning something that was so clearly muggle, but it was best to check.

"Me neither," he grinned and leaned in conspiratorially. "Between you and me, I think that sort of lot are a bit rubbish, anyways. Have you got any siblings?"

@Delilah Chapman

With his dark eyes, the boy stared at Delilah. His eyes sparkled with kindness and sincerity. There was a comforting warmth in his gaze, something Delilah wasn't sure about but it sure made her feel at ease and more open even if the boy didn't speak a word yet.

Delilah learnt afterwards that he's name was Rebecca, something she wondered at but didn't feel the necessity to ask about. He loved cats too which was enough to get on Delilah's good sides.

With a casual shrug, Rebecca extended his hand towards her, inviting her for a handshake. As her smile lazily emerged, the little girl reached for his hand, his grip was warm an gentle but hers was rather firm and strong. Most people don't expect such strength from such a slender and seemingly fragile child but Delilah was strong nonetheless, it was apparent maybe not in her demeanor but in her eyes.

She smiled again at his complementing her stickers but chuckled loudly after he asked her if she was a pure blood. She thought it was absurd, nothing about her looked like a pure blood.
"Of course I'm not a pure blood. Can you imagine a pure blood family going to the mall with their cloaks on to buy for their child a suitcase with cute cat stickers on it ?"

Delilah wasn't very sure what a pure blood family looked like anyway, but she believed they would look more like the characters in a period movie, wearing cloaks everywhere and looking like nobles from the victorian era.

"Between you and me, I think that sort of lot are a bit rubbish, anyways. Have you got any siblings?"

Delilah let out a giggle.
"I have two elder sisters, Judith and Ailyn. They're very old so they can be very annoying about their adult stuff."

The door compartment creaked open an the tray lady peeked through.
Delilah stared at the piled up candy and chocolate and remembered the sweat treats in her own pockets. Her hands dived in her pockets, her brows furrowing as she rummaged through them.

She shook her head at the tray lady meaning she didn't want anything from there.
"What about you ?" Delilah said. "Do you have any siblings ?"

Her eyes widen with excitement, and a spark of joy lights up her face as she finds what she had been searching for. A small bag filled with chocolate bars, gummy candies, Jelly beans, Marshmallows. And diving a hand in her bag, she got out a family size bag of crisps. Delilah held up the lot with an exaggerated sense of triumph offering it to Rebecca.

Want some candy? @Rebecca Loops

Rebecca's reply was interrupted by the slide of the door, and a cheery-looking witch poked her head into the compartment. Rebecca looked longingly at the trolly full of sweets before politely shaking his head and sending the woman on her way. His family didn't have enough extra wealth to send their son off with any pocket change.

He noticed that Delilah hadn't bought anything either, but instead was rooting around in her pockets with an intent look on her face.

"What about you?" she asked with an off-handed manner, still distracted by her search. "Do you have any siblings?"

Rebecca puffed out a fond sigh. "Yeah. Same as you, I think. Two older sisters, much older."

He watched as Delilah's face lit up in delight as she apparently found whatever she had been looking for and pulled out a ziploc bag that had been stuffed to the brim with Muggle sweets. With another grab, she brought out a huge bag of crisps. She held both up with immense satisfaction in her eyes, reminding Rebecca of how a Roman gladiator might show off the head of a vanquished beast. To his utter shock, she seemed to be offering some of her snacks to him.

Rebecca's eyes widened, and his gaze flickered back and forth from the food to Delilah's encouraging smile. "What-- for me? Are you sure?"

At her lack of rebuffal, he cautiously snagged a chocolate Starbar, then began scarfing it down in open delight.

"Mmph," he hummed appreciatively as he chewed. The last time he'd tasted proper candy had been his eleventh birthday, and that was practically ages ago. Getting a snack like this was a rare delight, unless he happened to be out shopping with his father, who was a bit easier to cajole into favours than either his mother or his sisters.

Swallowing with obvious relish, he grinned. "Cheers mate, thanks!" He paused for a brief moment, considering. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure what Hogwarts is going to have available in terms of food... you might want to save some of that stuff."

Personally, he thought there really was such a thing as too much kindness. Sharing a treat with a potential friend was well and good, but what if someone else took advantage? Then again, he was probably just overthinking the whole thing a little. Food was only a superficial favour after all, when it came to more important matters she'd probably be less free about giving herself away to any old person who came along. Unless she turned out to be a Hufflepuff? His oldest sister was a Hufflepuff and she really was too nice for her own good, sometimes.

"I can't really pay you back for this," he admitted. "Money isn't-- er, not my strong suite. Right now."

Delilah shook her head in delight as she gulped down a snickers chocolate bar, her favourite.

"Oh, you don't have to pay me back !"Delilah grinned "Consider it a welcome gift to Hogwarts," she replied, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity.

Delilah let out a small giggle of satisfaction as she swallowed a gummy worm. Seeing someone genuinely appreciate the small gesture made her glad she had decided to share. She didn't mind the thought of saving some for later; after all, she had plenty to spare but she would rather just focus on what she's digesting right now.

"You're right, it's always good to be prepared. But, right now, I just want to enjoy these delicious chocolate bars." As she finished the sentence, she devoured a twix chocolate bar.

She paused for a moment, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So, tell me, Rebecca, what's your favorite Muggle sweet? I might have some more surprises in my bag if you're interested." Delilah's genuine interest in getting to know Rebecca and her willingness to share made it clear that she was extending her friendship beyond just a simple snack exchange.