location ; the hogwarts express.
date ; september 1st, midmorning.
mentions ; estella's family.
interactions ; open.
wc ; 543
outfit ; white button down, basic robes, red mary janes, black trousers.

ℭomprehension reached her slowly, like the embers finally igniting itself into an inferno. Roaming the deafening platform, she looked back to her parents' gleaming faces. They tried their best at hiding their expectations, but estella was not usually a pawn to façades. Her ambered eyes saw best through pretense. "Come back in one piece, alright?" Her mother's dry tone reached her, though she knew that the toughness was just armour. Smiling softly, she reached for her hand, adoring the callousness of it for she knew she wouldn't be swatted away whenever she messed with her potions or be held tightly whenever the absurdity overflowed for a long, long time. Chuckling slightly, she muttered "no promises." Velaria shook her head, sighing and muttering about something like insufferable children. Estella turned to her father, Silas Marcellus Cain, who was watching the exchange with a soft melancholic smile playing at his lips. "No goodbyes for me?" He mused out loud, tilting his head slightly. Rolling her eyes and giving into a hug, she mumbled some incomprehensible words that were probably meant to be goodbyes. Stepping back rather reluctantly, she looked back at the faces of people who she carried such excessive fondness, that it was almost beautifully overwhelming. Estella could feel her eyes watering ever so slightly, and ever the deflecting witch, she stilled the waves threatening to come by humour. As if lightened up by a wand, she sank to a curtsy. The gesture might have been graceful, had she not wearing trousers.“Until fate draws our paths together again, Lady Velaria Cain, Lord Silas Cain, I bow to your wisdom and endure in silence.” She declared with the most poise she could muster and resisted fiercely against the urge to die of laughter. Her progenitors barely blinked at the dramatic declaration, used to her theatrics, though Silas's left eye twitched fractionally. Sparing a quick glance to the noticeable stares, Velaria hissed yet fighting back a smile."Stop that nonsense, do you forget that we're in public?" "Precisely so, mother." Estella shot back, staying in the position a bit more just to spite her. Returning to her posture, sighing, she bid the last word.

"Farewell".

The word slipped her tongue painfully, tugging some heartstrings along the way. She couldn't deny that it may have brought a tear or two into her eyes. They inclined their heads fondly, and after a few more moments of comfortable yet rather painful silence, they departed.

Finding a solitary compartment was rather easy, considering she arrived at the platform so early. Resting her head against the fogged window, she watched the last minute teary goodbyes and longings for the destination and their homes. Giving a tiny wave to her parents' as the train rattled forward, she found her thoughts to be somewhat conflicted. This was it, the journey she awaited for what seemed like forever. The excitement was probably playing with her nerves, she thought. Having a wish that you had ardently for so long, and later becoming real felt rather unreal. She slumped to the plush red velvet, the knots in her shoulders releasing gradually. She watched as the scenery changed from teary-eyed parents' to green meadows and the crisp air of autumn. This was going to be a long journey.

I am a wizard...?

Receiving the Hogwarts Acceptance Letter one day didn’t change his life all at once. It also didn’t suddenly make him feel powerful or special. What it did was a subtle change in the way he saw himself and the world around him. Before the letter, He was just a normal boy from a farm. His days were simple and predictable, beyond what he usually does at home, he doesn't think much beyond that. It was easy to imagine his future, which would probably look a lot like his present, and he was okay with that. He measured his worth by how useful he was and how well he performed his responsibilities.

But when the letter arrived, his first reaction was not excitement, it was disbelief. He reread it several times because he thought there had been a mistake or that someone was playing a big joke on him. Wizards or magic in general were people from books and stories, not him who smelled of hay and chicken feed in the morning. The idea that he was one of them feels unreal, let alone ridiculous.

Acceptance came slowly after that. What helped him accept was not the idea of magic, but his parents’ reactions. His mum treated the letter like an opportunity, not something to be afraid of, and that was huge, especially coming from someone who didn't know magic all her life, too. If not for his father confirming everything for him and sharing about his real identity, which, by the way, he kept from them his entire life. He was a wizard and came from a pureblood family that disowned him for falling in love with a muggle.

If he really was a wizard, then that means things were going to change for him. According to his dad, he would be studying at Hogwarts and leaving his home and the people who were important to him. Most of all, he was worried that he wouldn't be good enough, and he would embarrass himself and fall behind kids who grew up knowing about magic. He didn’t share those fears with his dad, but they were there in his chest, hidden. If they believed he could handle it, then maybe he could.

When he first got his wand, the idea of being a wizard was not that scary for him anymore. It was like a rite of passage. They said the wand chooses the wizard and since he got himself a wand, that must be accountable for something, right? That he belongs in the wizarding world. This new experience also gave him a space for more, more learning, more places to explore and more people to meet.

The night before he left, his mum cooked her special shepherd’s pie which happened to be one of his favorite food too. They all sit together at the table like the usual. His dad helped him pack later that night and told him he would do just fine. That night, his parents hugged him goodnight and he held onto them as long as he could, savoring the moment. And that was as far as he could share and now, he was inside the train that would bring him to Hogwarts school. He already met two students, had an interesting conversation with them, and already considering them as friends. They may not be close yet but they're nice people who eased his worries as a newbie.

He changed into his uniform robes as early possible, both in excitement, as well as anxiousness. On his way back to the last compartment he joined, he passed by another compartment with a lone girl inside. He couldn't see her eyes to know if she's crying but her side profile made him aware she was sad. Something in him feel for her, isn't that what he was feeling just a while ago after hugging and leaving his parents at the train station? Without really thinking what he was doing, he knocked on the glass door and bravely said, "Knock, knock!"

location ; the hogwarts express.
date ; september 1st, midmorning.
mentions ; @Zephyr Deakin
wc ; 361
outfit ; white button down, basic robes, red mary janes, black trousers.
ooc notes ; sorryyy

𝕬nticipation made her unbearable. It was unusual enough for the young troublemaker to confine herself to the solitary compartment, but she rather preferred no one saw her in this state. She did want to engage herself, to cross paths with strangers and drink in the vitality it gave her. But she was not so courteous when she was agitated. With a sigh, she let her gaze drift to the window, a moving painting beyond the glass. There was something about the wind that could soothe you even in the worst of moods. She didn't wonder too much about which house she would spend the entirety of her school life in, or her dormmates whom she would be living with for the next seven years. Nor about the friends she would make, or the school curriculum. Though she was intrigued by the numerous secrets the ancient castle seemed to hold. Expectations were placed on her, though none more higher than she could climb. Then, why was she at unease? Estella didn't know exactly why either, one of her premonitions. She hoped it wasn't related to the academic year, knowing that her wishful thinking wouldn't get her anywhere. And at that moment, her solitary moments came to a halt. A knock was heard, and she glanced at the boy tapping against the glass. A quick glance told her he was probably in the same year as her, and she could just see a peek of messy, honeyed hair. The tone was warm, compassionate even. Estella was quite baffled why someone would speak that warm to a stranger. She was used to the pretended sweetness masking motives in most people's tongues. But this sounded genuine, and she was undeniably curious. Tilting her head slightly, she called out. "Come in" And drop the tedious joke while you're at it, she wanted to say but restrained, not wanting to scare him off too soon. She tried to dismiss her brash thoughts, blaming her turbulent state of mind. Perhaps an interaction could tug her out of it. An involuntary disarming smile curved up, out of old habits. She was curious to see how this would turn out.

A few seconds after he knocked, Zephyr’s hand froze awkwardly in the air, wondering if that was a stupid thing to do. He almost wished he could take it back, he’s not the kind of guy who would just walk up to strangers, especially not when they looked like they wanted to be left alone. Is it really okay? Despite his doubts, he didn’t walk away and just waited.

Ever since he learned that there was another world aside from the world he’s been living in, he realized something important about himself. A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have done this at all, he would just tell himself it’s not his place to meddle in others’ businesses, that he should just focus on his own worries. But… being told he was a wizard and being pushed into this world now, something in him changed gradually.

He’s still scared and confused, but he was also learning that courage doesn’t always mean doing something monumental. Sometimes it was just choosing to act and choose to stay. More than that, he was not going to throw away this chance to be more than what he had already decided his life would be just because of his own insecurities. The thought relaxed him; if the girl told him to go away, at least he knew he had tried. None of that happened as he heard her voice inviting him to come inside. His smile appeared instantly, so he slid the door open.

“Hello there… Sorry…” he told her even though she invited him in. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He went inside and shut the door behind him. For a while, he stood there feeling unsure where to put himself. He noticed her smile, she didn’t seem nervous either, so that’s probably be good? Maybe a bit worried? But that’s to be expected for newbies like them. “I’m Zephyr.” Offering an awkward smile of his own and a handshake. “I’m a first year. I was just walking through the train and… well.. I noticed you all alone here, and I just want to…” What if she wanted to be alone and he was ruining her moment for her?

“If you’d like me to go, and you want to be alone, then I’ll go…” He meant it, he was not here to force company on her. It’s just that there’s something about her, how she stared out the window as if she was bracing herself for something, seemed familiar to him. It was the same for him, that feeling when everything is about to change in your life. He glanced at the window, “This whole thing still feels strange to me.” They’re passing by the countryside now. He was still a farm boy, and he missed home. Being new to this life, half the time, he didn’t know what he was actually doing but… he was also a wizard now.

location ; the hogwarts express.
date ; september 1st, midmorning.
mentions ; @Zephyr Deakin
wc ; 663
outfit ; white button down, basic robes, red mary janes, black trousers.

𝕴t felt like she was caught in a whirlwind of rambles. She could see he was slightly flustered. Her previous smile stretched into an amused grin. The unexpected guest had a warm demeanour around him. It reminded her of summer fields and spring flowers. Blame her unreliable intuition, for she trusted him too suddenly. Estella wasn't known for her bleeding heart, she was stubbornly selective about who she placed herself with. Yet, all that talk was merely superficial. It all depended on the whims and notions of her fickle heart. Nevertheless, she decided he wasn't too hindering to share the compartment- if she wasn't too exasperated by the sheer amount of cheerfulness radiating off him- But what was she thinking? No sane person would stay that long putting up with her shenanigans. It wasn't that she was intolerable, obviously. She had the habit of driving people into a state of absolute vexation. It wasn't her fault that people couldn't handle a bit of havoc. And she loved seeing their eyes glaze over to consternation.

She refocused her attention to the guest at hand, his words floating over her head. The grin was still plastered, turning more sly by the second. His movements were hesitant, awkward even. She suspected it was probably due to the antsy jitters of the first day. She looked at the outstretched hand and shook it with a steadiness that she never possessed. And then her words spilled, like honey meant to charm. “ Nice to meet you, Zephyr. I'm Estella, and no, you didn't interrupt me. Quite the opposite. ” The words echoed around the partially empty compartment, a slight impish timbre floating around her voice. She held up a hand, as if to dismiss his thoughts. With a chuckle, she said “ Leaving already? Don't tell me I'm that boring ” Suddenly deciding that it came out too strong, she quickly added “ Not forcing or anything, of course. Please do as you may. ” She should really think before deciding to spout nonsense. She followed his gaze, looking intently at the window. They were drifting past countryside, with its picturesque cottages and golden fields. She guessed he had some sentimental value towards them.

“ This whole thing still feels strange to me. ”
It yanked her back from whatever pit she had fallen to. She raised an eyebrow in intrigue, apparently he lived in a muggle household. She felt the sudden urge to ask him about his earlier life, before stifling it down. She wasn't noisy, and she didnt want to appear nosy. But it was a fact well known that she was very much curious about muggle culture. She recalled the days she wished to sneak out, to spend a day in muggle london and ofcourse, the many times she got caught before even leaving the house. Over the years, she became more stealthy and a lot better at hiding traces. It was short-lived pleasure, though one she cherished. She loved each one of their inventions, those little glowing squares -phones, they were called- they always seemed to hold and rockets. She loved rockets. Her great grandfather often used to say that muggles would never reach the moon, but it seemed muggles had the last laugh. She smiled, slightly homesick, and glanced at him, who also appeared to have a similar expression. She had a feeling she should say something meaningful, but her mind had come up blank. Sighing mentally, she replied “ Everything feels strange at first, just give it time. I'm sure it will be different once we reach hogwarts, it has a reputation of being home to many.” She hoped it came out as reassuring and not intruding. But based on her great skills to comfort, she didn't have much hope. But for once, she was sincere. She dreamt of hogwarts too many times to count, but that didn't erase the question whether hogwarts would prove to be a home or not.

There was a moment when Zephyr was not sure what to make of her grin. It didn’t look like it’s mocking, but it was not that welcoming either. How would he even describe it properly? The girl looked beautiful but that grin had an edge to it, was she trying to test him out indirectly? Even then, when she took his hand and introduced herself as Estella, he accepted it gratefully and shook it gently before releasing. “Nice to meet you too, Estella.” It was easy for him to smile despite the awkwardness of the moment.

He knew saying that to her was a risk, and now he was more embarrassed than before when she teased him about leaving already. His face got all warm, and his tone shifted to a defensive one. “No…no, Merlin no, that’s not what I meant. You’re not boring. I just didn’t want to assume I was welcome.” The girl expressed that she was not forcing him to stay, and he respected that she gave him a choice. He grew up in a house where privacy was not taken for granted. “I’ll stay,” settling into the seat across from her. “If you don’t mind the company.” She looked like she needed it when he saw her a while ago, hence why he came here in the first place.

Both of them looked out the window, the gold and green colours were relaxing to the eyes. It reminded him of home and their farm. “I grew up on a farm...” He heard himself say without really thinking about what he’s doing. He blinked as he realized what he just said and glanced at her quickly to see her reaction. Swallowing, he added, “…just like this.”

From the corner of his eye, he studied her expression, trying to understand her better. She didn’t look afraid, if anything, she seemed amused by something, perhaps by him? “I was somehow expecting everyone on this train to be nervous, especially the first years, are you too?” It took him some time to fully absorb this new journey he’s currently embarking. It’s hard to wrap his head around the fact that magic does exist and they’re real. He thought magic was just stories.

But maybe he’s reading all of these the wrong way, maybe it’s new for all of them, just in different ways. He met her eyes, “What about you? Are you excited about this new school year?” Or maybe she’s just better at hiding whatever she’s feeling at the moment since he noticed the slight change in her expression when he mentioned that everything felt strange. Her raised eyebrow was not judgmental, more like curiosity. He wondered if she grew up around magic her whole life.

“I hope so… because I am not just adjusting to a new school, I’m also adjusting to a whole new world.” He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to feel about this yet and how to adjust. Not knowing what awaited him was giving him both anxiety and excitement. If you call that crazy, then maybe he’s losing his mind. Was she actually trying to reassure him? He found that surprising, but he did appreciate it. “You don’t sound worried at all.” It was more of a statement than a question. It was not to pry, just trying to understand the person sitting across from him.

location	; the hogwarts express.	date	; 01/09/25
wc	; 499	ooc notes	; so sorry for the late reply:(

—mentions

; @Zephyr Deakin

outfit

; white button down, basic robes, red mary janes, black trousers.

Zephyr was not sure how long he had been studying her expression, and was only awakened when she spoke again, telling him to relax and that she doesn’t bite. There was a moment of silence as he processed what she just said, in reality, he was blinking followed by a sheepish smile. “Right…” feeling like an idiot now, somehow he knew it was just a joke, yet he took it seriously for fear of intruding. After all, he was the one who approached her. “I figured that… I was just…” pausing once again, he sighed, “Never mind, I just wasn’t completely sure. It’s all good.” His relaxed his shoulders easing his tension. The truth was, everything still feels new to him, this whole place, the people and most of all, the magic. Being new to a place, he was constantly trying to read between lines that might not even be there, in the end he overthinks. A lot.

She said she was just teasing followed by a snort, his face warmed again, he couldn’t help it okay? “I know, I know, I got that.” though his tone gave him away completely, there’s no denying it. And let out an embarrassed laugh. “You have to forgive me, I’m still getting used to all this.” Choosing honesty over pretensions as he gestured vaguely around him. “Or maybe I just take things too seriously at first.” He was not trying to make an excuse, it was the truth and if he was being honest with himself, part of the embarrassment came from something else too… first impressions. He didn’t want to be that person, the awkward one. The one people who will remember for the wrong reasons. It was enough that he already felt out of place being new to magic. The last thing he wanted was to look like an idiot on top of that. So yeah, maybe he did react too quickly.

She assured him she wanted him to stay, “Okay then, I’m glad.” His smile returning. No longer sitting like he was ready to leave at any second. Internally, he was chastising himself not to overanalyze everything people say to him and to give it more chance. “I do, I miss it a lot. It’s the first time I’ve been away from home for this long, from my family too. Isn’t that the same for you?” Being away from home for the first time was giving him mixed feelings. There’s curiosity about the new place, new people, and everything he’s about to experience, and the idea that he would be more independent was exciting too. But, the reality is, he doesn’t fully understand how things work here yet and he was worried about doing something wrong or not fitting in. “Not really knowing what’s coming next is scary, isn’t it? Everything’s new, and I don’t know if I’m actually doing it right.” Emotionally, it was a confusing feeling, he wanted to be there, but he also wished he could go home.

All this time he was acting okay on the outside, but inside he was overthinking and overanalysing everything. But… he’s always been a flexible person, he just need time to warm up to the place and to the people, make friends and settle into routines, and then, the fear and uncertainty will slowly fade away, and what once feels strange will start to feel more familiar and manageable. When she said she was sure he would adjust well, he nodded in agreement, appreciating it. “Thanks, I hope so, and you too.” Looks can be deceiving? His eyebrow rose at that, “That sounds like there’s a story behind it.” A faint smile forming out of curiousity.

location	; hogwarts express.	01/09/25	; date
wc	; 512	whatever will be, will be.	; ooc notes

; @Zephyr Deakin

outfit

; white button down, basic robes, red mary janes, black trousers.

Reducio Word Count: 699

Reducio Mention: @Estella Cain

Reducio OOC Notes: Sorry for the wait!

"Overbearing?” Zephyr was surprised that the girl would quickly blame herself. His initial reaction was not of disagreement but was of confusion. “No, I...I don’t think that’s true.” He may not know the girl very much but from the time they started talking to each other, he could tell she's far from what she said. He unconsciously shifted in his seat while trying to figure out how to say his words properly without sounding like he was contradicting her. “You were not overbearing, we're just talking here and you're reacting based on that, and that’s normal.” He scratched his nape out of habit when he was anxious or embarrassed or simply uncomfortable. "I’m the one who's bad at reading situations sometimes. I start assuming things and then I get in my own head.” She expressed her gratitude that he approached her, admitting she was lonely. Without knowing it, his expression softened upon hearing that. It's not something he expected her to say at all. "Oh..." He looked at her as if assessing her, seeing her in a different light, though that was the very reason he approached her in the first place. There was something in her expression while looking out into the window. He stood in the hallway earlier, hesitating outside her compartment. How accurate his first impression was then. "I had suspicion...That's why I'm here and I'm glad I did." If he had walked away earlier, this moment would not exist, and for some odd reason, that thought felt so wrong.

She sounded certain when she declared that he would get used to everything. His smile appeared once again, “I hope so.” although his voice didn't sound confident, he was also just being honest. Hearing the meaning of his name directly from her, his eyes widened slightly. "You know what my name means?” He couldn't hide his surprise. It was not a common name but a lot of people in this train already surprised him. They surely know their mythology. "I'm impressed, I didn’t think anyone would pick that up so quickly.” She suggested to him to take it easy and not to overthink. His exhale of breath turned into laughter. "I'm trying not to, but it's not easy when all these are new. I grew up in the muggle world without knowledge of the wizarding world." The phrase she said was familiar to him from a song and that was how he reference it to understand what she meant. He doesn't know how not to overthink things, it just happens before he even realized he was doing it. “But I’m trying, being here and talking to several students already helps with that.”

Knowing it was her first time too, his smiled appeared for no reason. “Really?” Maybe it gave him comfort to know he's not alone. He was re-evaluating that assumption he made earlier. “I thought you might have grown up around all this.” That was not judgment in his part but growing curiosity about the girl. She mentioned liking unpredictability and he asked himself that, does he prefer that too? He looked out the window for a second as he thought about it. “I can't tell if I like it yet, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.” It was indeed exciting too, but he also feels like he was missing something important. “Translucent? I don’t think I can really do that, at least not on purpose.” There was no shame in saying it. “It usually just comes out worse, people can still tell anyway. Is it better that way for you? of not showing it?” That question was more about her than himself. "You should know, people become more interesting to me the more I get to know them." It was supposed to be said in a serious tone, but it sounded like he was teasing her. Something else crossed his mind that had been circling since he saw her. “Are you a half-blood too?” Seeing some commotion and movement from the corridor, and the train starting to slow down, he took a deep breath. “Looks like we’re almost there..." His nervousness is threatening to come back, but there's also anticipation now.