22 Feb 2026, 06:38
The Day Everything Changes
September 1st.
Today marks the day that everything changes for Cirrus Mooney. She wouldn't be going to her normal school with her brother; she would be staying the entire year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Cirrus got nervous all the time. She never handled change or stepping out of her comfort zone very well. She was always caught up on the 'what if's, preferring to stay in her little zone of familiarity where she knew it was safe. As such, her twin brother, who was the complete contrast to herself, had titled her a worry wart and teased her immensely for her insecurities. Even the youngest, who could barely string together coherent sentences at his age, was more outgoing than she was.
Her twin was usually the one to give her that little push, that bout of courage that allowed her to seek opportunities that she would never have gone after herself, such as joining her school's music excellence program. But he wasn't here for her this time, her being the only one of the two to get an acceptance letter from Hogwarts. Her parents had work arrangements, being muggles as well, and simply dropped her off at King's Cross Station with their best wishes. Her mother spoke of how excited she was, told Cirrus to stay safe and to write home often. Her father was uncharacteristically eager to just get to work. Her brothers had bid her farewell in the morning before they went to school and daycare, parting with a spine crushing hug and a few tears. She now wanders the train station on her own, with nothing but her trolley of supplies and static in her mind. Where the heck was Platform 9 and 3/4?
Cirrus got nervous all the time. But never like this. The numbing ache of nerves dispersing from her chest was almost crippling, she could barely walk straight. She had felt so nauseous, she couldn't even eat her breakfast this morning. She was entirely overwhelmed by the bustle of King's Cross Station and the situation itself. She'd been here a few times before with her mother when they'd go to see an orchestra, but at least she could hold the hand of her protector like an anchor to reality. Not now. Her hands grip her trolley handle too hard it almost hurt, poorly simulating that same comfort, as she searched for something that seemingly didn't exist.
What if she couldn't find the platform? What if she missed the train? What if she'd just been dreaming the whole thing and 'Hogwarts' didn't really exist and she was having an episode of some kind?
She didn't dare ask anyone for directions for fear they'd think she was mad. She just made an educated guess and drifted around platforms 9 and 10, having found nothing but she kept a watchful eye out for anything that could give her a hint as to what to do. She stood there for a few moments, her nerves only snowballing with each passing second that she remained idle. Just as she was about to bolt and forget the whole thing, she spotted someone with a similar trolley as hers which definitely stood out from all of the muggles with their suitcases and backpacks (and yet, it was not something anyone questioned, nor even glanced at). Cirrus looked utterly bewildered as she watched the person run into the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and disappear into the solid brick. Even after all the strange things she's accidentally made happen over the years with her own magic, she is still astonished to see another person entirely phase through a wall. The only magical being she'd ever met was herself.
Cirrus sees another person do the exact same thing and she figures that that must be how one was to get onto the platform (and also wondering how none of the muggles were seeing people literally disappearing into a wall, although she figured that everyone's pretty busy with their own lives and responsibilities that they don't care much for others). Despite her nerves, she knows she has to try. She thinks of her mother and brothers in this moment, how excited they were for her to be going to 'magic school', as the little one put it. She thinks about what they would want her to do and steels herself. She lines up with the suddenly daunting wall and vanquishes her doubts as she just rushes forward.
Instead of colliding with hard, solid brick like she'd imagined, Cirrus felt a strange and airy sensation as she, like the others, simply phased through the wall. Having emerged on the other side, she is greeted with the sight of a completely different platform that's littered with other children around her age, some a bit older, as well as the vibrant red locomotive labeled 'Hogwarts Express'. She doesn't know whether to be relieved knowing she's not insane and having an episode, or twice as rattled as before knowing she's not insane and having an episode. At least, she thinks she's not.
Today is the day that everything changes for Cirrus Mooney.
Once she boards the train and puts her luggage away, she takes a novel with her in finding a carriage and makes an effort to avoid people. She's small enough to weave through the other kids that seem to have zero spatial awareness, narrowly missing getting clipped by flailing elbows, and finds an empty compartment in one of the carriages. She lets out a tiny sigh as she shuts the door and sits down.
It is here that Cirrus revels in the luxury that is silence. Her nervous adrenaline has dissipated by now and she finds herself to be anchored to the cushioned seat in the aftermath. The compartment has a tranquillising effect, and her mind has shut up for once, she'll worry about what everyone back home is doing later. She peers out the window as the train gets moving, finding solace in the scenery and solitude, the pictures of nature setting a sort of ease upon her. A faint relaxed smile graces her features as she crosses a leg over the other and flicks her book open to the first page, beginning to read.
back from holiday, taking a moment to get back into the hio flow
Today marks the day that everything changes for Cirrus Mooney. She wouldn't be going to her normal school with her brother; she would be staying the entire year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Cirrus got nervous all the time. She never handled change or stepping out of her comfort zone very well. She was always caught up on the 'what if's, preferring to stay in her little zone of familiarity where she knew it was safe. As such, her twin brother, who was the complete contrast to herself, had titled her a worry wart and teased her immensely for her insecurities. Even the youngest, who could barely string together coherent sentences at his age, was more outgoing than she was.
Her twin was usually the one to give her that little push, that bout of courage that allowed her to seek opportunities that she would never have gone after herself, such as joining her school's music excellence program. But he wasn't here for her this time, her being the only one of the two to get an acceptance letter from Hogwarts. Her parents had work arrangements, being muggles as well, and simply dropped her off at King's Cross Station with their best wishes. Her mother spoke of how excited she was, told Cirrus to stay safe and to write home often. Her father was uncharacteristically eager to just get to work. Her brothers had bid her farewell in the morning before they went to school and daycare, parting with a spine crushing hug and a few tears. She now wanders the train station on her own, with nothing but her trolley of supplies and static in her mind. Where the heck was Platform 9 and 3/4?
Cirrus got nervous all the time. But never like this. The numbing ache of nerves dispersing from her chest was almost crippling, she could barely walk straight. She had felt so nauseous, she couldn't even eat her breakfast this morning. She was entirely overwhelmed by the bustle of King's Cross Station and the situation itself. She'd been here a few times before with her mother when they'd go to see an orchestra, but at least she could hold the hand of her protector like an anchor to reality. Not now. Her hands grip her trolley handle too hard it almost hurt, poorly simulating that same comfort, as she searched for something that seemingly didn't exist.
What if she couldn't find the platform? What if she missed the train? What if she'd just been dreaming the whole thing and 'Hogwarts' didn't really exist and she was having an episode of some kind?
She didn't dare ask anyone for directions for fear they'd think she was mad. She just made an educated guess and drifted around platforms 9 and 10, having found nothing but she kept a watchful eye out for anything that could give her a hint as to what to do. She stood there for a few moments, her nerves only snowballing with each passing second that she remained idle. Just as she was about to bolt and forget the whole thing, she spotted someone with a similar trolley as hers which definitely stood out from all of the muggles with their suitcases and backpacks (and yet, it was not something anyone questioned, nor even glanced at). Cirrus looked utterly bewildered as she watched the person run into the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and disappear into the solid brick. Even after all the strange things she's accidentally made happen over the years with her own magic, she is still astonished to see another person entirely phase through a wall. The only magical being she'd ever met was herself.
Cirrus sees another person do the exact same thing and she figures that that must be how one was to get onto the platform (and also wondering how none of the muggles were seeing people literally disappearing into a wall, although she figured that everyone's pretty busy with their own lives and responsibilities that they don't care much for others). Despite her nerves, she knows she has to try. She thinks of her mother and brothers in this moment, how excited they were for her to be going to 'magic school', as the little one put it. She thinks about what they would want her to do and steels herself. She lines up with the suddenly daunting wall and vanquishes her doubts as she just rushes forward.
Instead of colliding with hard, solid brick like she'd imagined, Cirrus felt a strange and airy sensation as she, like the others, simply phased through the wall. Having emerged on the other side, she is greeted with the sight of a completely different platform that's littered with other children around her age, some a bit older, as well as the vibrant red locomotive labeled 'Hogwarts Express'. She doesn't know whether to be relieved knowing she's not insane and having an episode, or twice as rattled as before knowing she's not insane and having an episode. At least, she thinks she's not.
Today is the day that everything changes for Cirrus Mooney.
Once she boards the train and puts her luggage away, she takes a novel with her in finding a carriage and makes an effort to avoid people. She's small enough to weave through the other kids that seem to have zero spatial awareness, narrowly missing getting clipped by flailing elbows, and finds an empty compartment in one of the carriages. She lets out a tiny sigh as she shuts the door and sits down.
It is here that Cirrus revels in the luxury that is silence. Her nervous adrenaline has dissipated by now and she finds herself to be anchored to the cushioned seat in the aftermath. The compartment has a tranquillising effect, and her mind has shut up for once, she'll worry about what everyone back home is doing later. She peers out the window as the train gets moving, finding solace in the scenery and solitude, the pictures of nature setting a sort of ease upon her. A faint relaxed smile graces her features as she crosses a leg over the other and flicks her book open to the first page, beginning to read.
back from holiday, taking a moment to get back into the hio flow
Niamh O’Hara
22 Feb 2026, 22:34
The Day Everything Changes
It took Niamh O'Hara all of ten minutes to get ready for the train to Hogwarts. She had packed her bag a few nights before and had her robes laid out for her. After running a comb through her hair and shoveling down her breakfast, she was practically tugging on her parents sleeves so they were there on time. The whole family had a habit of sleeping late. Her mother side apperated her to an alcove in King's Cross Station, to stay out of sight from muggles. As they weaved their way through the crowds to platform nine, her mother and father couldn't hide the slight discust to be around so many muggles. Niamh wasn't a fan of the crowd either, but more because she wasn't used to this many people. Growing up isolated on the coast of Ireland wasn't great for Niamh's people skills. All the same, she was extremely excited to make new friends. Her only friend when she was little was her sister, but her sister was always away due to school, or more recently, work.
The group made their way over to the wall between platforms nine and ten, and Niamh walked through, slightly hesitant. It was her first time on platform nine and three quarters as her sister had attended Ilvermorny, a wizarding school in North America. Niamh closed her eyes as she passed through the wall and only opened them again when she almost tripped over someone. She looked around frantically, trying to understand what had happened. A kind looking woman smiled down at her and chuckled as Niamh apologized. She told Niamh not to worry and her face lit up as she saw Niamh's parents come in behind her.
Niamh hauled her trunk aboard the train, no thanks to her parents, who were much too busy chatting to the woman Niamh had bumped into. She pushed her glasses further up her face and patted the pockets of her robes checking she has everything. Her fingers find the cool, smooth glass of the remembrall in her pocket and she pulls it out. Niamh's mother had bought it for her before school started so that she wouldn't fall behind on schoolwork. She rolled the ball in her hands and watched frustratedly as the glass billowed with a dark red smoke. What had she forgotten? Suddenly she heard a purr from behind her and she turned around to see her older sister holding Niamh's new kitten. She had got him as a birthday present from her sister Bridget. He was a tubby, playful little thing, with midnight black fur and a tiny pink nose. She had named him Socks, as he had a habit of chewing on Niamh's poor socks.
She took Socks into her arms and gave Bridget a one-armed hug. After some quick goodbyes to her parents and a reminder not to lose her wand or the cat, Niamh jumped on the train as it began to move. Smoke billowed from the funnel on the roof as the train screeched and the wheels began to rotate. Niamh clumsily walked through the corridor, trying not to bump into people. She started to look for an empty compartment, but had no such look. She, however, find a compartment with only one person in it. They were sitting against the window reading a book.
Niamh braced herself, taking a deep breath and sliding the compartment door open.
'Can I sit here?' she says nervously.
The group made their way over to the wall between platforms nine and ten, and Niamh walked through, slightly hesitant. It was her first time on platform nine and three quarters as her sister had attended Ilvermorny, a wizarding school in North America. Niamh closed her eyes as she passed through the wall and only opened them again when she almost tripped over someone. She looked around frantically, trying to understand what had happened. A kind looking woman smiled down at her and chuckled as Niamh apologized. She told Niamh not to worry and her face lit up as she saw Niamh's parents come in behind her.
Niamh hauled her trunk aboard the train, no thanks to her parents, who were much too busy chatting to the woman Niamh had bumped into. She pushed her glasses further up her face and patted the pockets of her robes checking she has everything. Her fingers find the cool, smooth glass of the remembrall in her pocket and she pulls it out. Niamh's mother had bought it for her before school started so that she wouldn't fall behind on schoolwork. She rolled the ball in her hands and watched frustratedly as the glass billowed with a dark red smoke. What had she forgotten? Suddenly she heard a purr from behind her and she turned around to see her older sister holding Niamh's new kitten. She had got him as a birthday present from her sister Bridget. He was a tubby, playful little thing, with midnight black fur and a tiny pink nose. She had named him Socks, as he had a habit of chewing on Niamh's poor socks.
She took Socks into her arms and gave Bridget a one-armed hug. After some quick goodbyes to her parents and a reminder not to lose her wand or the cat, Niamh jumped on the train as it began to move. Smoke billowed from the funnel on the roof as the train screeched and the wheels began to rotate. Niamh clumsily walked through the corridor, trying not to bump into people. She started to look for an empty compartment, but had no such look. She, however, find a compartment with only one person in it. They were sitting against the window reading a book.
Niamh braced herself, taking a deep breath and sliding the compartment door open.
'Can I sit here?' she says nervously.