Ride back to Hogwarts.

Having said good bye to my parents, and that brat that was my sister, I made my way to the train with a second glance back, This was a new year and I was decided to make the best of it. There had to be some cool people on Hogwarts, wouldn't it?

Thesorting hat had placed me in Gryffindor, and I seriously hoped that there were other boys in my house, I couldn't stand it if there were only girls, girls always meant trouble and not the good kind.

Sitting down on the bench next to the window, I crossed my legs and looked out the window, waiting for someone to join me in the compartment.

Sami waved goodbye to her father as she entered the Hogwarts Express, secretly happy to be away from her father and aunt for a few months. Don't get her wrong, she loved her father, but sometimes he was a bit of a drag. She watched as he blew her a kiss, before stepping into the train that has taken her to Hogwarts for the first time, only a year ago. She sighed, remeniscing both the good and bad times at the castle. Oh how she missed sleeping in her comfortable bed, and the wonderful (for the most part) people.

She quietly walked into the closest compartment and sat down, not noticing the boy sitting in front of. She took out one of her textbooks and began to read.

Hearing the compartment door open, I turned to watch a girl enter, she didn't even noticed I was there and just sat across from where I was sitting. I had to repress a laugh, what if she had seated on top of me?, that would hae been awkward for her and hilarious for me.

I watched her attentively as she took a textbook out, wondering if she would ever notice I was there, so I just stared at her quietly while she read her book for a few seconds and then kept on looking out the window.

Sami frowned and re-read the sentence over again. The prospect of one turning themselves, willingly, into an animal was foreign to her. It also revulsed her, a bit. Who would want to become an animal? She simply could not see the appeal in that. Perhaps it was just because of her father's curse...

She sighed and turned her head to the window, before noticing a boy- a first year, perhaps- sitting across from her looking out the window to the platform. "Oh, hello there," she said politely, as her auntie had raised her. She was suddenly glad that she hadn't sat on him in her moment of reading. It would've been terribly awkward for both of them.

Sighing again, frustrated at the Animagus', the Ravenclaw slammed her book closed and took out a paper from her pocket. Perhaps the Beatles could distract her from the infuriating wizards...

I was startled to say the least, when the girl across me greeted me with what seemed to be a polite tone, but I only heard it as dismissive. I didn't like that, I was here first, what right did she think she has to put a dismissive tone like that?.

Still, I knew better than to start a stupid fight onmy first day back to Hogwarts, so I politely answered back "Hello" and turned to look out the window, obviously the girl didn't want to talk.

I couldn't help the small jump when she slammed her book closed, and looked at her with a questioning look "what ever did that poor book did to you?", that came out of my mouth without even thinking about it.

Sami nodded noncommitedly as the boy gave an equally polite "hello" back to her. She noticed the tie on his school robes was scarlet and gold, and raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised at the manners the Gryffindor showed. About time that happened, too, she thought to herself.

"What ever did that poor book did to you?"

She shook her head at his attempt at seeming smooth and his lack of grammar, but decided to dignify his question with an answer. She didn't really wanting to make an enemy out of someone she would be spending the next few hours with. Or anyone, really. She already had one Gryffindor hate her and wished not to add another to the list. "Nothing, personally. The contents just frustrate me," the witch answered, pushing her fringe to the sides, a bad habit of hers. "Tell me, have ye ever 'eard of an Animagus?"

I mentally facepalmed when I realized what I had said right away, usually liking to talk properly and not use most of the 'slang' that people my age seemed to enjoy, it was embarrassing what I just said. Still I acted as if nothing had happened, maybe she didn't notice that.

"hmmm I know what you mean, it happens to me with people all the time" I muttered while nodding; just when I noticed what I had said, I lifted up my face in slight alarm, I didn't want to be seemed as a sociopath but I really thought that way; I just didn't want to make that girl hate me, I had enough with my sister.

"animagus?" I asked confused, "no, not really, what is that?"

Sami sighed, hoping the boy (of whom's name was still a mystery to her,) knew what it was. "An animagus, according to this book is 'a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into a specific animal at will'. I honestly think of it as someone who willingly takes up their time and effort to become a monster or an animal," she told him, speaking from her heart. Animagus', to her, were the wizards form of mocking werewolves. Werewolves had no choice on what or when they transformed, having it forced upon them whether they liked it or not. It was simply cruel, she thought, to have witches and wizards transforming at their own will without having to fear losing their minds and doing something unforgivable.

"I don't believe I caught your name," she realized, feeling very un-Ravenclaw and stupid. She was quick to introduce herself, though. "I'm Sami. Second year, Ravenclaw." The witch hoped he didn't think she was rude, unlike the impression she had given Montogomery (who, she thought, frankly deserved it.)

Andy walked onto the train, happy to be going back to school. He really didn't think that he'd miss it as much as it did, but being home for the entire summer was a major bore. He was thankful for his friendship with James as the two of them kept each other entertained with backyard Quidditch practice and frequent trips to Diagon Alley.

Andy pulled back a compartment door and saw two others in there already. One he recognised, Sami, and the other, a boy, he didn't.

"Hey. Mind if I join?" he asked by the door.

Sami blushed as she saw her fellow Ravenclaw enter their compartment, practically radiating with happiness. "Er, 'ello Antho- Andy. How are ye?" she feebly attempted to say.

"Hey. Mind if I join?" her friend asked, waiting by the door.

"Um, I'd like you to but- um, it depends. It's, er, his apa'- I mean, compartment." She tripped and stumbled over words as she tried to reply to Andy. He had become much more fit over the summer, she noticed. Not that he wasn't already extremly good-looking before. The Ravenclaw blushed even more at her thoughts, embarrased at how fangirl-like she was being at the mere presence of a boy. A very cute, intelligent boy.

Andy glanced at the boy Sami was referring to. He didn't seem to fazed about him being there, so Andy took that as a 'I-don't-mind-take-a-seat' kind of response.

"I'm sure it'll be okay. I'll leave if he has a problem with it." Andy took a seat next to Sami and turned to the fellow Ravenclaw.

"How were your holidays?" He wondered if hers were more exciting than his were. Wouldn't be a hard accomplishment. Andy spend the entire holidays bored out of his mind.

Fiona got onto the train with some time to spare. She hadn't exactly known how to get onto Platform 9 3/4, and had had to resort to asking for help (something she never did!). Even then, though, she had gotten no help from the man at King's Cross or some of the people she had asked out of pure desperation. She supposed that was the worst part of being raised with Muggles. Not knowing a thing about the magical world until you experience it yourself. She had come early, trying to get a good seat, but it took nearly her whole time to figure out how to even get to the train.

Fiona had finally gotten help from a man who told her to run straight at a wall. He'd had his own children going to Hogwarts as well, so she followed his instruction and made it onto Platform 9 3/4, and then onto the train with less than three minutes to spare. Fiona was thankful she had not missed the train. She felt Kira's claws on her shoulder loosen up a bit as she walked down the halls, looking for a compartment that would be even moderately comfortable. She finally came to one that seemed the least crowded: only two boys and a girl. Fiona hesitated before sliding the compartment door open.

Fiona stepped in and her luggage bag was in one hand and a journal in the other. She glanced at the three before finally speaking up. "Do you mind if I join you three?" she asked, not liking the fact that she had to ask their permission. That's why she had come to King's Cross early. She had been hoping to get her own compartment and people would have to ask her permission instead, or even that they wouldn't talk to her at all and just take a seat.

She hoped these people weren't too talkative.

Sami smiled shyly at the first year who had just appeared at their compartment door. "Sure, c'me on in." She made a motion with her hand then put it down, hoping the girl didn't think she was rushing her. As she had stated before, she hated making a bad impression. In Broadway, a bad first impression is not a way to get yourself a job.

She turned to Anthony, "My holiday was alright, thanks. Nothing too interesting, though, I did audition for something," she blushed, still slightly squeamish. "And how was yours, Andy? Get into any good arguements about sour professors?" She smirked, referencing their first ever meeting in the Ravenclaw common room.

Andy looked up as he heard a new voice. He didn't recognise the new comer, but smiled politely at her in any case.

Hearing Sami start to speak, he turned his attention back to her. He raised an eyebrow as he reflected on what she said, "An audition? What for?"

He grinned at the argument reference. "No. I didn't have anyone good to argue with, but I'm sure we'll get to our disagreements soon enough." He smiled as well.

The only thought that crossed my mind while she read the definition, was why would someone want to turn into an animal by choice? there were other 'abilities' that were way better than that, I wondered also why was she interested on that?, i shrugged it off, knowing that she would tell me if she wanted to.

I hadn't realized that we hadn't been properly introduced, so I was pretty embarrassed when she introduced herself, "I'm Benjamin, pleasure to meet you" I said this while extending my hand to shake hers hoping I wasn't too straightforward "I'm a first year Gryffindor".

Just as we were done with the introductions a boy came by the compartment and asked if he could join us, I didn't mind, and it wasn't like I would tell him otherwise if I didn't, confronting people in the moment wasn't my style; and the boy seemed cool, so I just nodded, while noticing amused how Sami stumbled over her words at the mere sight of him, I didn't understand that, he was just another boy, girls were definitely something weird, "I don't have a problem, and I don't own the compartment" I answered to his words, and re-introduced myself "I'm Benjamin by the way".

Now, the next person that came to the compartment, that I minded, it was the girl who thought that she was better than the rest of us back in the park, with the raccoon. I wasn't going to speak to her so I didn't answer and just sat there watching the other two interact.

Fiona nodded to the girl and slid the compartment door shut as she stepped further into the compartment itself. "Right, thanks," she said, inclining her head just slightly towards the girl in acknowledgment. She proceeded to take her seat with Kira still on her shoulder. Setting her bags down and under the seat, she felt rather out of place. The two older students were in a conversation of their own, and the other boy? Well, he probably didn't want her to even be there. She recognized him from the park as the one who had called her an 'animal whisperer', or something along those lines. She wished that day had never even happened. It had been an awful way to start her life as a witch, and she wished that day had never happened.

Fiona looked at the boy for a brief moment before turning back to her journal. It was obvious he did not want anything to do with her, so she resigned herself to taking out a pen from her bag and starting to write a new letter to her parents. One letter among many that would fill the pages of the journal and never get sent. She concentrated on writing about her experiences so far, including that day in Centenary Park.

Sami looked around at her fellow students. noticing how tense it was in there. She suddenly found herself wishing Terry and Addy were there to make the train ride much more bearable. Clearing her throat, she brushed the imaginary dirt off her skirt and stood up. She reached up to grab her bag, and turned towards the rest of the compartment.

"I, um, have some friends that I promised I'd meet. I'll, um. See you guys later." The witch was stunned at how one ickle first year could make the whole area go as silent as a mouse. Sami slowly made her way out of the compartment, praying that the rest of the Gaang had already saved her a seat in their compartment. Looking back only once, she hurried down the train.