☆The Lonely Compartment☆

"My name is Anne by the way. Anne Brown. Nice to meet you."

Startled by an unfamiliar voice, I tore my eyes away from the train window and blinked at her in surprise. In return, the red-haired girl gave me an awkward smile of her own. Looking closer, she seemed about my age, with sharp emerald eyes and freckles just beneath them. Her golden earrings caught the sunlight, sparkling brightly.
For a brief moment, our eyes met.

Gosh… I hope that she thinks I’m not weird!

“Uhm, sure,” I answered, glancing away awkwardly. I shifted a little to make more room on the seat across from me. “I don’t mind.”

Anne nodded before sliding the compartment door shut behind her. She carefully placed her trunk overhead before settling into the seat with a relieved sigh.

“Astraea,” I muttered. “Astraea Grey.”

Across from me, I saw a surprise flicker across her face as she looked my way.

And there goes my fear of being judge…

“That’s my name,” I added, trying to keep my cool.

For a brief moment, silence settled over the compartment. The rhythmic clatter of the Hogwarts Express echoed beneath us, while sunlight flickered through the windows, casting moving shadows across the seats. I kept my eyes fixed outside, pretending to admire the rolling hills and distant forests, though my mind was racing too fast to focus on anything. I was aware of Anne’s presence across from me, everything between us was unfamiliar.

Back home, conversations with classmates and neighbors had always come easily. But here… everything felt different. Every student on this train seemed to belong naturally to this magical world, while I felt like someone who had wandered into the wrong story by mistake. I nervously tugged at the sleeves of my robes. Even wearing them still felt strange.

I cast a glance at Anne.

At least I wasn’t alone anymore.

@Anne Brown

Reducio Mention: @Astraea Grey

Reducio WC: 212

As the girl looked at her and introduced herself Anne found her name a little peculiar. But, she could work with it.

Anne settled down and tucked away all her objects and her trunk. She sat down and there was a moment of silence between them. Astraea seemed a little unfamiliar with her clothes, so Anne had assumed she was also new, and maybe to the magical world as well. But that, she couldn't tell.

She was looking outside the window. Which Anne thought looked great. They were passing lots of beautiful sights. Anne loved everything about nature, so, she couldn't stop herself from admiring it.

Anne decided to break the silence. She didn't like tense situations. "Are you also new? To the magical world, I mean. I never knew it existed before. It still seems a little strange. I guess it takes time to get used to all of these things." She told her. Anne was a little shy. She didn't know how she would respond, but she seemed nice enough. So she just went with it. "The view outside is also great. I love it. It's beautiful if you ask me. Looking at all these places is just admirable." She added, looking at Astraea, hoping to maybe start a conversation.

A Slightly Scary New Start.

Celine Rose had never met a muggle in her entire life.

Life as a pureblood child meant you flew before you could walk; toys were sentient, snacks were animated frogs and exploding sweets. House elves scrubbed dishes with a wave of their hands, clothes folded themselves neatly into wardrobes that opened on command, Mother spoke to a quill that wrote as she sipped tea, and Father read newspapers filled with moving pictures. There was no reality in which things were done differently.

Of course, she knew what a muggle was, or at least the concept of one. Her brother Tristan delighted in scaring her with horror stories: that they washed saucers and spoons by hand with soap and water, carried “laundry baskets,” and folded clothes corner by corner. When he learned Quidditch, he told her that instead of flying on brooms, muggles kicked a ball with their feet.

What a fright! Little Celine was baffled. If wizards had magic and muggles did not, why couldn’t they simply share some so life wouldn’t be so tiresome?


Years later, the day came when Celine received her letter. Tristan was already a first-year at Hogwarts, and Mother couldn’t have been prouder. She told Celine all about her own Ravenclaw years—how she had learned about both the magical and non-magical worlds, and how she had made wonderful friends.

Then came the moment Celine had to leave home. Standing on Platform 9¾ with Mother, she felt nervous. Father, as usual, was occupied with Ministry business. She had grown up cocooned in their estate, surrounded only by purebloods and magic, and the thought of change unsettled her. Mother noticed.

“You know, little Lina, I came to Hogwarts at your age, far away from our home in Santa Cruz, Manila. Your grandfather insisted on sending me, and I was terrified too. But trust me! When things change, when they’re new, it means you’ll have fun experiences, learn new things, and everything will be wondrous and exciting.”

At the first choo of the train, Celine hugged her mother tightly, reluctant to let go.

“You must go, little Lina, or you’ll be late for the start of your new story!”

And so, she boarded.

To her dismay, the carriages were already full. Perhaps because she had lingered for far too long on the platform! She scanned her options: one booth crowded with older students laughing loudly, another with two girls who looked kind and wore black robes, and a third with a solitary boy in blue robes, glasses perched on his nose as he read. He had blue robes on...maybe a Ravenclaw like Mother? However, he didn’t look like he wanted company.

Summoning her courage, Celine knocked softly on the window of the second booth before sliding the door open. If they turn out to be strange, I’m Celine Rose Salvatierra and I can handle any social situation, no matter how new or frightening!

“Hello there,” she said in a gentle, polite voice. “Are you first-years too? The other booths nearby are taken, and I was wondering if I could join you?”

"Are you also new? To the magical world, I mean. I never knew it existed before. It still seems a little strange. I guess it takes time to get used to all of these things."

The moment the silence was broken, I blinked in astonishment at her sudden question. Once again, I wrenched my gaze away from the view outside.

“That's right,” I admitted, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “My letter came a few weeks ago…”

How considerate. A shy smile crept through my lips. Somehow, I could tell Anne was trying to ease the tension inside our cabin.

“Honestly, I thought I was in a fever dream throughout my journey. As you said, we need time to absorb the unfamiliarity.” I intertwined my fingers tightly, silently hoping to ease the awkward tension swirling within me.

"The view outside is also great. I love it. It's beautiful if you ask me. Looking at all these places is just admirable. " Anne added.

“Ah, yes,” I replied smoothly. “It’s beautiful.”

For a moment, we watched the changing scenery race past the train. Everything was calm and peaceful—until a sudden knock on our cabin window jolted us to attention. As the sliding door glided open, a girl with light brown eyes stepped in and introduced herself.

“Hello there,” she said in a gentle, polite voice. “Are you first-years too? The other booths nearby are taken, and I was wondering if I could join you?” Her wavy dark brown hair swayed behind her back.

She doesn't look like a Muggle...

As if sensing my hesitation, she turned to me, patiently waiting for one of us to respond.

My heart skipped a beat.

Why is she looking at me? Surely Anne would be better at this. Right…? She seemed far more comfortable talking to people than I was.

I couldn’t help but cast a nervous glance at Anne’s eyes.

The girl remained standing in the doorway, a hopeful smile on her face as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Behind her, students squeezed through the crowded corridor. Realizing I had already waited a second too long, I quickly offered her an answer.

“O-Oh, yes,” I stammered. “You can sit here.”

Relief surged through me as the brunette entered, a mirthful smile firmly etched across her face.

At least she doesn’t seem creeped out.
Right…?

Reducio Mention: @Astraea Grey @Celine Rose Salvatierra

Reducio WC: 265

Anne was happy she wasn’t the only person who was new to the magical world. Apparently, Astraea also got her letter a few weeks ago. “Well, I thought that my brother had sent the letter. As a joke, I mean. I naturally just shoved it away until some guy came to explain it all. It was a huge shock. Being so oblivious about a whole other society is just so… weird.” Anne told her, while, she was actually happy to at least have started a little conversation. Just to ease up the mood.

They were starign out the window looking at how they raced past multiple views. The scenery was changing, new things were appearing. Out of nowhere, something caught Anne’s eye. The compartment door had slid open and a a girl came in, asking if she could sit with them. The girl had tanned skin, wavy dark brown hair and light brown eyes. She was probably also her same age and a first year student.

Anne, not wanting to make things awkward she let Astraea answer for her. She waited a few seconds, in which she noticed how Astraea looked a bit nervous. Anne couldn’t help but feel sympathy, she was feeling nervous herself. Finally, Astraea told her that she could sit with them.

As the girl came into the compartment and settled in, Anne tried to start a little conversation. She didn’t want the whole ride to Hogwarts be boring, Anne had been told that she still had a long way to go. “Hey, my name is Anne. Anne Brown. And you are?”

Wisteria walked the length of the train until she found a compartment with three girls sitting in it. They looked like they were in the middle of a conversation, so she didn't want to interrupt. But all the other compartments were full.
What should I do?
She decided to wait patiently for the girls to finish their conversation.
I bet I look so awkward just standing here... she thought. Wisteria opened a book and started reading it, growing more nervous by the second. She decided to rehearse what she'd say to the girls in her mind.
Can I sit here? No. That was too boring. The girls might think she's unfriendly.
Hi! My name is Wisteria! I'd love to be friends with all of you! May I sit here? Wisteria physically cringed. That was way too friendly for people she didn't even know.
Wisteria's social anxiety was horrible. Since moving to Scotland from Germany, she'd never been able to make friends, and slowly developed an immense fear of talking to anyone, even people she knew. But she'd have to talk to these girls, or she wouldn't be able to find a seat.
How about... Hello! May I sit here? Yes. That's good.
Now that she knew what to say, all she had to do was say it. But that was the hard part.
Wisteria took a deep breath.
"Hello! May I sit here?" she said softly, with a slight stutter.
Great. I stuttered. All I can hope for is that they say yes.