1st September 2025

Arin wasn't one to be scared or nervous, but something about leaving the luxury of his home made him feel, deep inside, something he couldn't name. He knew he was happy to leave his house, but going to a new place, is it something better? He watched his parents standing on the platform; his father looked as if he had been forced to come, the irritation obvious on his face. His mother was the only one with a soft smile on her face, looking at her son through the windows as he made his way to an empty compartment.

Soon, the train left the platform. Arin stood up, going to the hallway near the window, giving a small wave to his mother. Watching her silhouette fade as the train moved. He sat down in his empty compartment. Pulling out a book to consume the silence. A sigh leaves his mouth as he stares out the window. Finally, the day he had waited for so long arrived, and he was going to Hogwarts. Away from his father's shadow, hoping to make his own name, without anyone referring to his father.

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick opened in his lap, but his mind was far away from it. He expected Hogwarts to be chaotic, but he hoped to find at least some type of structure there. And more than that, he wanted peace there.

Mentions: @Arin Varen

The Hogwarts Express seemed to be similar to other trains but somehow different. Chaewon felt confident as she already knew what to expect. Chaewon’s brother often told her the adventures he had been having in Hogwarts. Those seemed interesting to Chaewon, and she thought maybe she could as well make her journey to be different?
Chaewon hugged her dad, and without any goodbye she went through the train and found a cabin where she could sit and enjoy the very first magical moment. Chaewon Lee looked at the boy sitting next to her. He had dark and curly hair and brown eyes. The boy was reading a book, and Chaewon finally asked him a few questions.
”Why are you reading a book? You don’t want to enjoy the experience in the Hogwarts Express?”
Chaewon didn’t wait for the answer and pulled out a chocolate frog from her pocket. She offered him a frog. Her dad always said to be kind. Chaewon didn’t want to give him the sweets, but she knew that being kind is always good.
“Do you like sweets?” She asked, waiting for the boy to take the chocolate frog.
Chaewon looked out the window and tried to imagine how Hogwarts would look.

mention: @Chaewon Lee

Arin wasn't expecting anyone to join him in the compartment, but the sudden intrusion of a girl made him break his train of thought. But since the girl wasn't being an annoyance to him, he didn't mind. Until she opened her mouth. If he wasn't good at hiding his annoyance from his father, his face could have told the girl that he was in no mood for a conversation.

"It is just a train," he replied in a monotone voice. He noticed the girl offering him a chocolate frog, but he wasn't in the mood to eat anything. The silent nervousness was making his stomach feel uneasy. And a thing he wants to hide from others was muggle transportations never suited him. How can anyone sit in a moving vehicle without feeling uneasy? He wonders why they can't just apparite their. Arin was only hoping Hogwarts wouldn't turn out to be a messy, chaotic place.

He wanted to ignore the girl, but his mother's word echoes in his head, "be nice to others." He replied in a quiet voice, "No, I am not a big fan of them." He continued reading his book, hoping the girl would shut up.

Mentions: @Arin Varen

Chaewon grew up in family where talking nonsense was a common thing and no one ever said that they don’t like it. But the boy she was sitting next to was different. His face seemed strange to Chaewon. Maybe he didn’t like talking? But the girl didn’t care. She just couldn’t stop and there was so many things she needed to say to the boy.
“Well yes, it is a train but you’re traveling to Hogwarts! Aren’t you excited? There are no muggles here, that’s why it’s so fantastic! I haven’t traveled with a normal train but I can imagine the muggles.” Chaewon started talking. Hopefully the boy didn’t leave because of Chaewon. That would be a shame but the girl just couldn’t stop talking.”Did you already told me your name? Sorry, I forget so many things!” She smiled. Smiled… with a true smile.
”I’m Chaewon. Can you try to say my name? It could be hard because I’m from South Korea and our names are different. What is your opinion about Asia? Have you ever visited my country? Chaewon went from topic to topic. Talking was so fun!
”You really don’t like sweets? I’ve never seen a kid like you… But then there are more chocolate frogs for me!” Chaewon couldn’t believe that the boy didn’t like chocolate.

@Chaewon Lee

"It's just another school." Arin is never going to say out loud how nervous he is to go to Hogwarts. And as much as he hated people talking too much, he was glad the girl changed the subject. "Arin Varen," he replied, not even looking at her as he turned his pages.

The girl kept talking and talking, sharing things he did not even want to know. "I don't care, and yes," he had been to Asia, his mother travels a lot because of work, and sometimes Arin just likes to tag along. His mother did name him after travelling to one of those countries. But he isn't going to tell all of that to a random girl he just met on a train. And about her name, with all his efforts to speak English without letting his French accent slip, would be hard. Even if he did try, the name might sound like "Shay-won", and he isn't letting the girl know that.

Even with all his one-word answers, the girl kept talking; he was starting to get really annoying. Finally, he shut his book. "I don't have any preferences in food, now would you let me read?" He picked up his book, a finger still in the part where he left off, as he showed her the animated cover with the title, 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret' by Brian Selznick, hoping she would get the hint.

”Well, yes, but it’s magical! Aren’t you even a little nervous or excited?” Chaewon asked him, and if the answer is going to be no, then the boy isn’t a human. Chaewon wasn’t completely a human if you count special races. She was a metamorphmagi but she hid her talent and was afraid of changing her body shape.

”Cool name!” Chaewon complimented Arin. He was only looking at the book, and that was a bit annoying. "How can you act like you don’t care? I mean, how is it even possible? I had tried acting like it didn't matter to me, but it never worked!” The girl said. She talked too much, and then the boy looked really annoyed at her. He was really pleasing her to shut up even though he didn’t say it out loud. Interesting…

“Okay, okay, just calm down!” Chaewon replied to Arin. Maybe he really wanted to read a book and miss the first time traveling with Hogwarts Express. Chaewon thought he was wasting his time reading books, but if she said another word, he would probably say goodbye to Chaewon and leave her alone in the cabin. No, he wouldn’t say goodbye. He wouldn't say any word.

@Arin Varen

Arin was really glad that the girl finally shut up. As the train was reaching, his anxiety was rising. But he didn't want to look weak in front of someone new. As much as he doesn't care what others think of him, he does care whether he is showing weakness. He needed to distract himself, and the book wasn't much help.

The brunnette closed his book silently. He took a deep breath. He turned towards the girl, who was now sitting quietly. He stared at her, trying to think of how to start a conversation. There was never a situation where the French boy had to start a conversation; thus, he never knew how to do so. He looked at the girl, trying to come up with something to say, but couldn't. After a long while of not coming up with anything and just blatantly staring at her, he gave up. He sighs lightly as he now stares out the window.

The sound of the trolley lady came to his ears, and his stomach grumbled silently. From all the nervousness, he couldn't have breakfast, and now it was killing him. He made a mental note to get something when the trolley witch reaches his cabin door.

It seemed like the boy was really happy that Chaewon was being quiet. He didn't show that, but you could simply understand it. Chaewon quickly looked out the window, and she understood that there wasn't that much time left until they reached Hogwarts. She was really excited but also a little nervous. What if she isn't going to be sorted into Slytherin? That would be a shame. Chaewon felt a little bit uncomfortable when Arin stared at her. She had never experienced when someone was looking at her for so long, as everyone minded their own business and almost no one cared about the girl. But now she wanted him to be like others.
"Have you ever tried playing an instrument?" She asked and calmed down when the boy started to look out the window. The book Arin was reading was now unnecessary, and Chaewon thought that the boy wanted to talk. So she started by asking him a random question and hoped that this time he wouldn't be so dramatic.
Chaewon was full of the chocolate frogs, but she still could eat more of them. Arin's stomach made a sound, and because of the awkward silence, Chaewon could hear it.
"I offered you a chocolate frog." Chaewon said if the boy would start to blame her.

@Arin Varen

OOC note: I'm so sorry I took so long!

The question made the young brunette look at the asian girl. "Yes," if there is something that can hook Arin other than his solitude or achievements, it was his violin. It gave him a sense of control that he lacks in his life.

"I play Violin," he replied, when his stomach betrayed him and made a sound. He rolled his eyes when the girl accused him, as if he was going to blame her for it. Luckily, the trolley lady came at the right time, saving him from a red face of embarrassment.

"I will have three liquorice wands," he stopped and looked at the girl, wondering if she was going to get some. Regardless, he told the trolley witch, "Give me a dozen chocolate frogs, please." He closed the door, saying a short thank you, and gently tossed the chocolate frogs towards her.

It was a casual gesture towards Chaewon; he wanted to thank her and, at the same time, acknowledge her presence, and gift-giving was the only way for him to show. Since the girl was going on and on about chocolate frogs, that was an easy choice to choose.

He sat down, popping the end of the wand in his mouth while opening his book, "Do you play any instrument?" He asked her while flipping his pages. Wondering how long will it take for the train to reach.