A New Hope IC

[MykaShadow]

Luchas:

Every year it was the same. Help the new kids get on the train. Help the new kids on the train. Help the new kids get off of the train. Being a more advanced year had its advantages, but sometimes it could suck. Luchas had to be happy though. He was a prefect and he wanted to put on a big smiling face for the first years, so they'll get some more people in Ravenclaw.

He put all of his bags where they needed to be, despite his carry-on which of course held his prefect badge, not wanting to get it stolen... Again. He already knew where he was going to be sitting on the train. With all of the other prefects. He was waiting for some of the other people to get on that way he coud help any stragglers later on.

He paced around King Cross Station, holding onto the strap of his messenger bag. He ran his other hand through his somewhat short dirty-blonde hair. He took a deep breath to prepare him for the rest of the day. This year, everyone would be looking up to him. Granted, there was still the headboy and headgirl and the other prefect, but he was one of these figure heads. That still was a lot to live up to.

Meghan:

Even though this was her second year, she was still a bit nervous. She wasn't the newbie anymore, but she was still scared. Meghan ran through to the platform and stood still for a second and looked towards the Hogwarts Express. She moved out of the way, not wanting to get run over, particularly by anyone older than her.

She drove her trolley over to the train and gave it to the person that would load her luggage onto the train. She grabbed the bag she would take onto the train with her, and she walked over to the door of the train. She looked at the now forming crowd and sighed, feeling little since everyone around her was way older or taller.

She pulled herself onto the train and walked down the way to see if she could find a place to sit. When she finally found an empty cart, she opened the door and walked in. She slid the door closed and sat down, putting her bag down next to her in the seat. She took a deep breath and looked out the window, trying to pass time. She was ready to leave.

Michael:

He stood with his mother at Kings Cross Station in the middle of a huge crowd. He was nervous. This was going to be his first year at Hogwarts. It was nerve-racking to see a bunch of people walk by all from the different houses. He wanted to get into Slytherin, just like the rest of his family. Well, with the exception of his aunt.

He was also excited. He grew up in the wizarding world but finally got to see the others like him, others his age. He had already put his stuff need be and was saying his final farewells to his mom before getting onto the train.

[DuskingMorning]

Samantha Wish; Gryffindor; Third Year

Sam kissed her guardians good-bye as she pushed her trolley towards King's Cross Station.

"Be careful, Sam," Mrs. Wish warned her, knowing the Gryffindor girl had a reckless streak.

Sam laughed and waved good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Wish and called, "I'll do my best - you can expect a letter from school saying I got detention within a week or so!"

There came an irritated, yet loving groan from both of her guardians, but Sam couldn't see them as she got lost in the sea of people in King's Cross Station. There came a sudden movement from under the jacket she was wearing and Sherlock poked his head out of the top of her zipped up jacket. Sam chucled lightly and patted the small kitten on the head and said, "Don't worry, Sherlock, we're gonna have a lot of fun where we're going."

The kitten, not understanding a word she said, just purred in response to hearing Sam's voice.

The redhead looked around as she neared Platform 9 3/4. She spotted many Muggles walking around in a hurry, giving her second glances as they saw all her stuff. Sam just smiled to herself, wondering what they would do if they knew where she was going and what she was.

With that final thought, Sam took a deep breath, eyed the entrance to the platform and ran straight at it. And then she crashed into a brick wall, sending her stuff flying off her trolley and onto the ground, and giving Sherlock a minor heartattack as Sam fell onto the ground.

"Ouch. . . . Great, wrong wall," Sam muttered to herself. She had made the same mistakes three years in a row now - you'd think she'd learn, but no, she didn't.

Very slowly, Sam pulled herself to her feet and began to gather her things, stacking them neatly on the trolley once more. Sherlock was clinging to Sam's shirt for dear life as if he thought they would crash into another wall. Finally, Sam had all her stuff loaded on the trolley and she patted the kitten under her jacket lightly before looking towards the right wall.

"Alright, this time, we'll get it," she laughed to herself, ignoring the stares from Muggles that had seen her crash into the wall. And with that, she ran through the entrance to platform 9 3/4, enjoying the familiar scene of the huge scarlet train. She waded through the crowd, loaded her luggage, and, with Sherlock still in her jacket and wand in hand, she found an empty compartment to sit in and enjoy the ride.

Cameron Duke; Ravenclaw; Sixth Year

Cameron sighed as he walked into King's Cross Station. As usual, it was packed with Muggles. He sighed and looked at his barn owl, Maxine, who, after five years of this, had grown use to the sight of the hussle and bussle of King's Cross, and so se was sleeping peacefully, her head tucked under her wing. Cameron shook his head, his brown hair wavering slightly as he pushed his trolley towards the entrance to Platform 9 3/4. He walked briskly towards the wall and strode straight through it.

He was greeted by the smell of smoke and the sight of the large scarlet train surrounded by parents saying tearful good-byes to their children. Cameron was grateful his parents didn't follow him to the train - granted, this was his sixth year at Hogwarts, so they were probably used to the feeling of him leaving by now.

So, he made his way easily through the see of witches, wizards, children, and non-magical folk seeing off their children to the car where he usually sat. He took Maxine's cage in one hand, allowed a man to take his luggage, and, after making sure he had his wand and a book to read, headed off to find his seat.

Inside the train, he found not many people had boarded it yet, so he had a grand selection of seats in his usual car. So, he picked the compartment he usually sat in and settled into a seat, placing Maxine's cage by his feet. He then opened his book and began reading, placing his wand across his lap. But as he did this, he realized he wasn't alone - he had picked a compartment with a flame-headed girl with a black and white kitten poking its head out of her jacket.

Startled by the sight of her, Cameron jumped slightly and stammered, "O-oh! H-hello! Sorry, I didn't realize anyone was in here."

Ronan O'Riley; Hufflepuff, Seventh Year

"Yeah, bye, Mum! I'll see ya' later!" Ronan called to his mother as he bolted through the entrance to the platform. He saw the train, smelled the smoke, and immediately felt at home - he loved Hogwarts so much.

Ronan hurried through the sea of people, his mind wandering to what his final year in Hogwarts had in store for him - maybe Hufflepuff would finally win the House Cup! And the Quidditch Cup! He smiled as this thoughts ran through his mind - what a great way to end his final year at Hogwarts - a winner. But then a feeling of sadness overcame Ronan - it was his final year at Hogwarts. After this he would no longer make the journey to his home on the wonderful train, and he would no longer play Quidditch with his fellow Hufflepuffs.

With a new found feeling of dread and foreboding, Ronan loaded his luggage into a car and found a compartment. He didn't want to sit alone, and, now feeling like he needed to really enjoy his final year at Hogwarts, he sat with complete strangers - he found a compartment with two - one was a boy with brown hair and a barn own, and the other was a redheaded girl with a small kitten sticking its head out of her jacket.

"Mind if I sit with you two?" said Ronan as he seated himself, placing Julius, his snowy owl, down by his feet.

Jackie Micheals; Slytherin; Third Year

Jack growled in frustration - she had walked into King's Cross Station and the first thing she sees? Sam on the ground after running into the wrong wall. Again. For the third bloody year in a row.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with her?" Jack muttered to herself, pushing her trolley roughly over a crack in the cement and startling Phyllis, her barn owl.

"Sorry, Phyllis," she said quickly and sincerely, looking away from Sam and to her owl. She put her fingers through the bars of the cage and Phyllis bit her finger in an affectionate manner. Jack smiled lightly at this, and looked back up, only to see that Sam was gone - she must've gone through to the platform.

Jack made her way through the wall and onto the platform - where were her fellow Slytherins? She strode boldly across the platform and loaded her things before getting on the train and stalking through the cars, looking for a compartment. As she passed one compartment, Phyllis' cage in one hand, a small bag containing things for the ride in the other, Jack spotted Sam sitting with two older boys. She glared sharply at Sam but failed to catch her enemies eye, and so she skulked through the rest of the car before heading to the front car where the Slytherins usualy sat.

She claimed a seat by a window, placing Phyllis' cage on the seat next to her and stared grumpily out the window - she hated Sam for oh so many reasons, and it seemed as if the ginger insisted on giving Sam more reasons to hate her with each passing year.

[StanCold]

A huge Siamese cat bumps into Luchas's leg, followed by Sigmund bumping into his whole body.

"Oh my," cries Sig in his most forced proper tongue, "I'm terribly sorry, ol' chap! I am such a clumsy oaf! Here, are you alright? Everything feeling fine?" Sig pats down Luchas as if to dust off his entire torso. "Nothing broken? Oh dear, dropped your bag! Here, lemme grab that for you. There you go, all spic and span." Sig's face turns into a huge grin after that whole charade is done. "How's it been, Lukey? Wizard god, feels like I haven't seen you since... well, the beginning of Summer! Any girls ya chasin'? Any boys, eh? Eh? Actually got a taste in music, maybe? Did my concert in the prefect's bathroom give you some artistic scope? I don't see why ya had to report me for that! The music was too good for a noise complaint and trust me, none of the girls were complainin' neither, eh? Eh? Wink wink, nudge nudge." Sig got bored with his own House prefects, so he turned to Ravenclaw's because they seem so much more... prefect-y. And none more so than the golden boy Luchas Yeitterly.

[MykaShadow]

Luchas:

He felt like a wall had just bumped into him. When he saw who bumped into him, he couldn't help but give out a tiny laugh. He shook his head. "For the last time, it wasn't the music. I kicked you out and reported you because you weren't supposed to be in there." He took his bag from Sigmund.

He had to give it to Sigmund. He was a good musician, but it just wasn't his type. Besides, he had other things to worry about besides music. He had to keep his grades up and his good natured being if he wasnted to be Head Boy by his seventh year.

He began walking towards the train. "Well, come on now. You don't want to be left on the platform, do you? Like to see how you explain that to Professor Bekkins… 'See, I was bugging Luchas and…'" he laughed.

Michael:

He got onto the train in one peice. He immediately tried to find somewhere to sit down. He remembered his father telling him where the other Slytherins sat. He was told to try and get to know some. He was shy in that way, where making friends was hard for him, but he was told by his mother that he had the harshness of a Slytherin if he put forth the effort.

He went up to where his father told him the others may be. He reached the front cart before even finding a cart that wasn't full. There was only one person in there. It was an older girl, maybe a third or fourth year. She had messy black hair and had an owl with her.

He slowly opened the door. "Um… er- Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full. Well, everywhere else that I saw or care to sit…" he said sort of nervously.

Meghan:

She sat by herself and kind of preferred it that way. No one really cared for Hufflepuffs. They were really underestimated as well. She remembered from last year that her House was the one that produced the least amount of Dark wizards.

She couldn't wait until she was in her common room again, taking care of the plants that were hanging from the ceiling. Herbology was what she loved the most, even if she didn't have much of a green thumb. She could take care of plants, but she couldn't plant one and keep it alive. She was not looking forward to Potions, though. The teacher hated her because she couldn't create whatever potion she wanted her to make on the first few days. So. Much. Fun.

[StanCold]

"It may be a poor excuse, but at least it's a consistent one! Wait up!" Sigmund ran to catch up, and when he finally did, he stated, "Luchas, I've been thinking. Gryffindor and the life of rock 'n' roll isn't working for me anymore. I've decided to be resorted into Ravenclaw, study hard, and become head boy like me dear ma and pa always dreamed of! By the way, I'm sitting with you and the other fascists. Not many others, though, Tim here takes up a seat on his own. Seriously, I've seen grown cocker spanials smaller than this cat."

Tim looked up and gave a most indignant look.

[DuskingMorning]

Samantha Wish;Gryffindor;Third Year

Sam looked up briefly from whatever she had been doing to preoccupy herself. Not one, but two boys had joined her in the compartment she had chosen to sit in. Sam, though she didn't mind company, felt suddenly aware of just how small the compartment was. She stood up so suddenly that Sherlock nearly fell out of her jacket. Sam looked at the two boys and said, "I've suddenly remembered - I left my - well - um. . . . Honestly, I just don't want to sit with you."

She was so blunt that Sam even took herself by surprise, and she gathered her things and left the compartment - she needed to find somewhere else to sit. She didn't know exactly where she was going to sit, but she needed to be somewhere by herself. So, she decided to venture down to where the prefects usually sat. Besides, Sam would need to be able to annoy someone while she was on the train.

Sam found an empty compartment near where the prefects sat - she knew the best ones to annoy would be the Ravenclaw prefects.

"The swots are always the best to pick on," she laughed to herself. She patted her charmed purse lightly - it was enchanted so Sam could fit anything she needed in there. She had her uniform and robes, books, money, bottled water, and, Sam's personal favorite, Dr. Filibuster No Heat, Wet Start Fireworks. The fireworks would caught a great deal of havoc.

Sam situated herself in the empty compartment and placed Sherlock on the empty seat beside her. She then raised her wand to the purse and muttered, "Accio Firework," and smiled as a large amount of fireworks rose to the top of the bag. She pulled out a few firecrackers and tucked them under her seat before closing her purse and settling into the cushioned seat.

Cameron Duke; Sixth Year; Ravenclaw

Cameron was struck silent as the Gryffindor girl left after telling them quite plainly that she didn't wish to sit with them. In his oppinion, she was a little bit too rude. Either way, he sighed and looked at the other boy who had joined him in the compartment. Cameron remembered him; the boy was the captain of the Hufflepuff team - Ravenclaw had beated Hufflepuff last year before going on to face Slytherin, which was a match they lost.

Cameron smiled at the boy and said, "Hello there - hopefully you'll be more friendly than she was. I'm Cameron Duke, by the way. Sixth year Ravenclaw."

He hoped the boy would recognize Cameron from the Quidditch match - it would give them something to talk about on the way to Hogwarts, even though Cameron just wanted the ruddy trip to be done and over with, as he was excited to be heading back to Hogwarts after all this time. Even though the holidays were never that long, it always filled Cameron with anxiety when it came time to venture back towards the wonderful school where he always felt right at home. Being surrounded by wizards, witches, and other magical creatures always gave him the comfort of knowing he wasn't the only one in the world with rather strange powers.

Ronan O'Riley; Hufflepuff; Seventh Year

Ronan eyed the flame-headed girl as she walked out, and he was rather shocked by her sudden rudeness. He had been under the impression that she would've been friendly, but obviously he was quite mistaken. His attention was diverted the Ravenclaw boy, whom he recognized from a Quidditch match last year, which Hufflepuff had lost.

"Nice to meet you, Cameron," Ronan said in his thick Irish accent. "I'm Ronan O'Riley, seventh year Hufflepuff. I don't suppose you remember me from last year, do you?"

Ronan was hoping they would leave the station soon - he couldn't wait to see what was in store for him this year at Hogwarts, though in a way, he didn't want the train to ever leave the station, seeing as how this would be one of the last times he would be able to venture on this train and arrive at the wonderful school filled with his friends and many pretty girls. This would also be his last year playing Quidditch at the school, and it may be his last year ever playing Quidditch unless a professional team picked him up, which he could only dream of. Seeing as how Ronan was the team captain for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, he was a considerably good player.

Jackie Micheals; Slytherin; Third Year

Jack glanced up as a young boy stepped in - she didn't recognize him at all, and he most definitely wasn't a Slytherin - she knew all the Slytherins by face and name. He appeared to be a first year, and so she smiled lightly at him, not wanting to be harsh on someone younger - there was no point in frightening him before the school year even started.

"Feel free to sit here," she told him, seeing as how she was the only one sitting in that compartment. Phyllis let out a loud squawk in protest to the young boy sitting with them, but Jack just lightly tapped his cage and waved her finger at the barn owl, who immediately fell silent.

"Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" she asked the young boy, now forgetting the anger she felt toward Sam moments before.

[MykaShadow]

Luchas:

He rolled his eyes at Sigmund. “Ha ha ha… very funny… If you were a prefect, then your house would be in ruins. I would say no offense, but you know it.” Luchas got on the train and started walking towards the prefect’s part of the train.

“You’d sit with me and the other ‘fascists’ even if I said no, so there’s no point in saying no,” he laughed. “We fascists have names by the way, and I’d prefer you use them when you’re sitting with us, unlike last time…”

Luchas never really like sitting in the designated spot for the prefects, but he usually sat close. He found the compartment he usually sat in to already have somebody in it. It was a girl with extremely bright red hair. She was obviously a Gryffindor and younger than he. “Do you mind if we join you?” He asked her politely. If she said no, they could always find somewhere else to sit.

Michael:

He sat down across from her and nodded. “Yeah, I am a first year. What year are you?” He noticed she was in Slytherin. “I hope I am put into Slytherin… both my parents were Slytherin, well, most of my family was, actually.”

He twiddled with his thumbs kind of nervously, and then stuck out his hand. “I’m Michael. Michael Braxston and you are?” He wanted to get to know his hopefully fellow Slytherins, so it would be less awkward throughout the year.

[StanCold]

"I don't know about Gryffindor prefect," Sig said as he pulled a Ravenclaw prefect badge out of his pocket, "but I'm I'm making a mighty fine Ravenclaw. Luchas, you should never trust a person who bumps into you at the train station and is then polite about it." He then heard Luchas's request to sit with the girl. "The key to leadership is assertiveness, Lukey. Miss, we're sitting here. You're sitting here as well. If you try to leave, my enormous cat will devour you." Tim, the enormous cat in question, jumped on to the seat with the small kitten. He proceeded to lay himself around the kitten, so that the small animal was surrounded by the crescent formed by the beast. "See, they're getting along just fine. Gryffindor, is it? Seem familiar. What's your name again?"

[DuskingMorning]

Samantha Wish; Gryffindor; Third Year

Sam was rather pleased when the prefect offered to sit somewhere else, and she was just about to take him up on that offer when a Gryffindor boy tagging along with the prefect (who looked a bit familiar) told her that if she even tried to leave, his enormous cat would devour her. Sam took one look at his cat and she realized that the cat surely was enormous, but she wasn't convinced that it would devour her. However, she didn't feel like starting that arguement with anyone so she sighed and shrugged before saying, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter if I want you to sit here or not." Despite her slight annoyance, Sam was grinning softly.

As the two boys joined her, the enormous cat jumped on to the seat that Sherlock was laying on and it curled itself around the tiny kitten. It appeared to be doing no harm to Sherlock, but her kitten looked to Sam with pleading eyes. Sam laughed lightly, a hint of awkwardness in her laughter, and patted the kitten on the head as she said, "Don't worry, Sherlock, I'm sure it won't hurt you." Then her attention was turned to the Gryffindor boy who owned the enormous cat who asked about her name.

"My name is Samantha Wish, but most people just call me Sam. I'm a third year," she said with a shrug. Then the realization that she was sitting with a prefect set it and Sam situated her legs in a way that kept the fireworks tucked away under her seat hidden from sight. She then said to the Gryffindor boy and prefect and said, "You two seem familiar - I'm sure I've seen you two around Hogwarts somewhere. What are your names?"

She glanced out the window and was pleased to see most of the students were off the platform and on the train, leaving behind their teary-eyed parents who were waving sadly at their children. Sam looked back at the two boys with a grin and said, "Well, it looks like we'll be leaving soon, huh? There's barely anyone left on the platform."

Cameron Dukes; Ravenclaw; Sixth Year

"I do remember you from last year! You're a Beater, right?" Cameron said with a large smile. It seemed like him and Ronan would be able to actually conversate while on the train, which would add some entertainment to the ride. As Cameron situated himself more comfortably in his seat, he glanced out the window and saw that there were barely and students left on the platform, which meant that they would probably be leaving soon. Cameron was especially excited about this year for two things - Quidditch and classes. But unlike most Ravenclaws, he was more focused on Quidditch rather than classes.

Ronan O'Riley; Hufflepuff; Seventh Year

Ronan was happy when he heard Cameron remembered him and his position. "That's right - I'm both a Beater and the captain. What about you? I believe you're the Keeper, correct?" Ronan could only hope he was right while guessing Cameron's position on the Quidditch team. He would have felt terrible if he didn't remember it considering that Cameron had remembered his. Ronan glanced out the window and saw that there was barely anyone aside from parents out on the platform, which meant they'd be leaving soon. Ronan sighed heavily thinking that this would be his last time departing from King's Cross Station on September 1st ever again.

Jackie Micheals; Slytherin; Third Year

"I'm a third year," said Jack with a smile. "And it's only natural you want to be a Slytherin - all the best wizards and witches are in that House. It's much better than Gryffindor, if you ask me."

When the boy introduced himself as Michael Braxston, Jack shook his hand and said, "My name is Jackie Micheals, but everyone calls me Jack."

A somewhat awkward silence fell over them and Jack said, "So, both your parents were in Slytherin, eh? Are you a pureblood?"

As she awaited his answer, Jack looked out the window at the platform and saw that there were barely any students left, and those that were still on it were hurrying onto the train. Parents stood, teray-eyed and waving, on the platform, gazing longingly after their children who would be leaving until next summer. Jack half-heartedly wished to see her parents on the platform, but she knew that her parents believed that Jack was too old to be seen off by her parents, and Slytherins shouldn't be bothered by such acts of emotion, and blah, blah, blah - Jack's parents were a bit emotionally detached.

[StanCold]

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter if I want you to sit here or not."

"That's the spirit! There's no better company than non-consensual company." Sig mulled over his words. "That could've been said better. And it's not really true at all. But we're here and you're better for it. The prefect's an excellent straight man to my flamboyant character, so the ride should be nothing but laughs."

"My name is Samantha Wish, but most people just call me Sam. I'm a third year," she said with a shrug. "You two seem familiar - I'm sure I've seen you two around Hogwarts somewhere. What are your names?"

"Samantha Wi..." Sig trailed off before he clapped his hands. "DETENTION! I think we had detention together last year, didn't we? If there's two types of people I know at Hogwarts, it's trouble-makers and those who catch us." He gave Luchas a soft punch on the arm. "I'm the esteemed Sigmund Bombadil. If not from detention, you may know me from the sweet music that flows from my ukelele. I'd bring a guitar, but that's much too bulky. This rabble-rousing degenerate next to me is Luchas... Yitterly, ain't it? I'm awful with last names. Wouldn't remember me own if me dear ma didn't stitch it in me pants."