Had he said he had missed these children, just a day earlier?
Good god.
What had he been thinking.
Thomas stood leaning towards the front of the train. Strained eyes watched in widened silent regret as these immensely noisy children stampeded around the place. Some cheered at him as they boarded, others gave a polite greeting, and some attempted to howl at him but suddenly found themselves incapable of speaking for the next twenty minutes or so. Thank god for that tongue tie jinx...
This was the last station now before reaching the school itself and Thomas couldn't be more glad honestly. The sooner they were at the school the sooner these kids weren't entirely his problem alone. A nod from the train driver indicated it was time to leave, so Thomas boarded the train himself, taking up a seat in the teachers cabin at the very front of the train.
Bobby had gotten onboard one or to stops ago now. And while it had been a initially pleasant relief to have another teacher to help handle the adolescent masses, Dodd had quickly fallen sound asleep. Thomas couldn't blame him though honestly. He'd be tired too if he had two infant already shapeshifting toddlers to look after back at home. Thom didn't have the heart to wake his friend, but his patience was truly tested when almost as soon as he sat down, a roaring onslaught of music erupted from a few cabins down.
Thomas sighed, pressed his head against the wal, and then got up and began practically storming down the aisle to the offending cabin. Nori and Mat were leaping and dancing around their cabin as if they were feverish monkeys or something. They didn't even hear Thom when he hauled the door to the cabin open. He gave them a glare that only a weather worn hardened teacher knew how to do,
"TURN THAT MUSIC DOWN THIS INSTANCE LUCA!"
The two teens came to a sudden stop on their joyful merriment. They looked at Thom with wide startled eyes as the music continued to stream from the stereo. Mr. Carlisle, and a dozen or so now gathered curious students started right back at them from the aisle. Nori and Mat shot each other a despairing, yet cautious glance. Mat was, of course, the one to take the risk,
"B-But sir, we got this song to play fo-"
'DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE LUCA?"
The stereo was promptly switched off. Thoms glare softened, and he allowed his shoulders to drop slightly. The children plopped down into their seats accordingly, heads bowed in knowing misconduct. Thomas held back the interior grin when he spoke,
"Don't let me hear that stereo again. And besides, Meg Duffy is a much better singer,"
And the Cabin door was closed before they could even react.
May as well do the rounds while he was here he supposed.
On this particular trip down the train, Thom confiscated one tongue tying twizzler, scolded two shapeshifters for trying to persuede their friend there was a ghost onboard, and handed out a total of twelve detentions.
Thomas neared the rear of the train and noticed Tanner Larson, Amalia Leviscant, Yoshi Yasuhiro, Ferit whats his name, and a werewolf girl he couldn't quite place, all lurking in cabins on their own. Thomas sighed. Often, he couldn't quite believe he himself had once been a teenager too. Had his parents really had to put up with all this angst and moping? Well he knew one thing for sure, he certainly wasn't going to let it fly.
Mr. Carlisle opened the doors to all the above mentioned students cabins with a simply gesture, before placing his hands on his hips rather authoritatively. The man merely mentioned down towards the other end of the train.
"Right, I'm not having you lot lurking and moping back here on your ownsomes. Go and join Green and Luca in the cabin by the front, should be room down there."
He looked at them all, tiredly.
"And try and make some conversation while you're there too for goodness sakes. You've not all come to school to just to brood and sulk now have you? "
As Evangeline had previously predicted the day prior, the school was once again in the full swing of things. Students had swarmed the castle in the space of a single morning, with more still arriving each and every minute. Friends hugged and squealed in the joy of reunion, the new first years weaved among the crowds nervously, brand spanking new uniforms making them about as obvious as possible.
And Madame Rainford stood proudly at the front doors to the school, welcoming students with cheery smiles and greetings all around. She was just about to help a new first year with her bags when a rather loud whoosh of wind stopped her in her tracks. The surge sent cloaks and skirts flying all around and seemed to take everyone by surprise.
Evangeline squinted through the settling air, wand secretly readied behind her back just in case...
Oh. It was just Cassi.
Of course it was.
Cassiopeia Leda stood casually a few steps away from the door. Sunglasses on (even though it was the start of September), Ciggy in her mouth and a map held loosely in her hands. She looked around herself cooly, spotted Evangeline and sent a jaunty wave in the Headmistresses direction.
"Alright Gel,"
Good lord.
It was going to be a long year.
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