* Harry Potter; Mauraders' Era; lunch (next muggle studies);

[LooneyLunaLovegood]

"I suppose I could. I'm a terrible people-person, though."

Alice nodded, "Oh. Alright." It wasn't a huge loss, she didn't care too much about Astronomy anyway. She turned to look at the Slytherin boy who was staring out the window with coal black eyes. "Is it even possible to have black eyes?" She thought. "Maybe they just look that way from far away..." She blinked and turned her head away from him, realizing she had been staring.

"And what about you, Severus? Any certain subject you're keen on for this year?"

Alice turned back to him, awaiting his answer.  

[un de plus pamplemousse]

"And what about you, Severus? Any certain subject you're keen on for this year?"

Severus turned towards the girls as heard his name. Subjects that he was keen on this year? There weren't many, besides Potions, perhaps Defence. "I suppose I'm looking forward to Potions; I want to know what we'll be making this year; I must admit, I read the book over the summer and made a few notes. And Defence Against the Dark Arts; it's rather interesting. I wonder what we'll be learning about..." he fell quiet as he realised he had begun to prattle on.

He looked from one girl to the other, noticing they had both been paying quite close attention to what he had been saying. Why? He wondered. That's very odd, almost nerve-wracking... He was unused to attention being paid to him, so the fact that he seemed to almost have an audience was making him feel very uncomfortable, indeed; however, he tried not to show it, as showing your emotions was very un-Slytherinlike.  

[Le Papillon Pleurant]

Hestia looked back to Alice and smiled gently. "I mean, if you'd like my help, I'd be happy to give it. You'd just have to be patient, though--I'm not an assertive person," she said sheepishly.

"I wonder what we'll be learning about..."

The Ravenclaw looked back to Severus and tilted her head with a small shrug. "I do hope we learn more about dark creatures. I find magical beasts rather fascinating," she said, looking out the window of the compartment anxiously. She was almost too eager to get to school and away from home.  

[LooneyLunaLovegood]

I mean, if you'd like my help, I'd be happy to give it. You'd just have to be patient, though--I'm not an assertive person,"

Alice took a breath, "Can I be honest with you?" Without waiting for a reply she said, "I wouldn't care if I never looked at a Star Chart again for the rest of my life!" She blushed, realizing her volume had raised considerably and slouched deep into her chair.

I'm looking forward to Potions; I want to know what we'll be making this year; I must admit, I read the book over the summer and made a few notes. And Defence Against the Dark Arts; it's rather interesting. I wonder what we'll be learning about..."

She nodded, she felt the same but didn't want to draw attention to herself once again so she remained silent.  

[Mistril]

Venatici had gone from reading, to staring at the book and thinking back on his notes. He had just remembered something that he read about Nargles that he couldn't for the life of him remember where he had saw it and if it was in his notes. He was just about to grab his notes when he heard his compartment door slide open.

"'Lo," Lucy greeted, taking the seat across from him.

"How was your summer, Venatici?"

Remembering his manners, he marked his spot in his book and set it aside. "My summer was wonderful, went traveling with the family to Switzerland." 'Hmm,' he thought, 'I wonder if that's where dad got those Nargles from...'
"And how was yours, Lucy?"  

[Freak Show Excess]

"I see we're all having quite a little party here. So! I guess we all know about Sirius' fabulous summer, then. Let's drop that subject for the moment, then. Has the trolley already been by?"

Sirius gave James an appreciative smile, knowing that James deliberately came to his rescue. "Er... yeah, mate, sorry. You should have stayed in your compartment if you had wanted to stuff your face so badly. Actually, what time is it? Shouldn't we all be changing into our robes? We'll be at Hogwarts soon, it seems." He cast about for his trunk, but then realised it was still in the other compartment. "Looks like you'll be getting your food soon enough, mates; our trunks are still down in the other compartment." He grinned impishly, feeling more himself than he had in days. He stood up and slid open the compartment door. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to go get changed. I don't want Filch barking at me as soon as we reach the castle."  

[Maze]

Crabbe and Goyle had, under Malfoy's watchful eye, divided the loot. They had then engaged in idle chit-chat about Bertie Botts newest flavours afterwards. Sensing that Lucius was not interested in small talk, the pair had refrained from attempting to draw him into the conversation after the first two half-hearted attempts.

He was grateful for that, at least, as he watched the scenery flit past the window as the Hogwarts Express made its way through the landscape. Well.. no.. not really grateful.. It just meant he didn't have to expend any energy in telling them off.

And so Lucius spent the rest of the trip lounging and staring out the window. So lost in thought was he, that it took him a moment to realise the train had slowed and was approaching Hogsmeade Station.

No doubt, the carriages that would take the second-years and upwards were already awaiting their arrival. The first-years would take the small skiffs across the lake. As was tradition. Hmpf.. Tradition..

It was only meant to impress upon the first years that This Place Was Pretty And Impressive so that their minds would be too preoccupied with taking in all the sights and whatnot so that they couldn't get into mischief before their year had even properly begun..

The train had stopped. He sighed, then, and got to his feet, seemingly unaware of the hint that Crabbe and Goyle were taking of him, as they too got to their feet.

This would be his last year at Hogwarts Lucius mused as he exited the train, faintly wondering if anything.. memorable would happen..  

[un de plus pamplemousse]

Severus had never been more relieved for the lurch of the train slowing, signalling they had arrived at Hogsmeade. "I suppose you two should put your robes on," he said to the girls, as he had already put his on. He gathered all his things to himself, double-checking he wasn't leaving anything behind besides his trunk.

He slipped out into the hallway, leaving the girls to their own devices. He would be glad to be out of their company--not because they were overbearing or unpleasant, but because he was unused to keeping anyone's company but his own. He made his way down the hall, reaching a door to the outside world. Upon opening the door, he noticed that a mild breeze was building. He stepped out onto the platform, clutching his pack, and looked for the carriages that would bring them to Hogwarts.  

[Maze]

Lucius stepped out of the train, frowning mildly at the light breeze that was picking up. He pulled his robes a little tighter around him, and eyed the group of first-years being herded towards the lake.

Professor McGonagall's voice could be heard loud and clear, as she instructed a couple of stragglers to pick up the pace, if they'd please. Wouldn't want anyone to be left behind here, now did they? Oh no, that'd ruin the effect of the fog coasting in across the lake, after all.

Hmpf.

He turned away from the sight as the small boats came into view, the (half-)giant of a man on the stern causing some of the youngest children to 'ooh' and 'aah' and followed by '.. uh'.

Lucius sneered, disgusted.

Shaking his head, he turned to check on Crabbe and Goyle's progress. Ah, excellent. It seemed they had arranged for a carriage already. He watched, then, as the two of them, along with the driver, toiled on getting the trunks onto it.

Honestly, sometimes he wondered about those two..

"Do be careful with that!" He called to them. That was his trunk, after all.  

[Le Papillon Pleurant]

Hestia felt the train jolt lightly when they came to a stop. She looked up and waved her hand to Severus as he departed from the compartment and stood with a grin. "Well, this is our stop," she said to Alice with a giggle. She grabbed her trunk and went toward the back of the train to change quickly.

Bugger, these little stalls are small, she grumbled to herself as she pulled on her school uniform. With a great sigh, she exited the train afterward and glanced about the platform. "Mmm. Crowded as always. Thank you so much, Jesus Christ. You've made it ever so easy of a day for me," she grunted as she stalked off.  

[comfylove]

Feeling the train start to descend in speed, Remus groaned, knowing that the trolley would not come around with the sweets and goodies, and that he'd have to wait all the way until the Welcoming feast to satisfy his grumbling stomach. Already in his school uniform from the earlier Prefect meeting, Remus did not find any need to move to their previous compartment; Filch took the trunks from the train, but perhaps it would be nice if they gave the compartment back to the students who were here before, but he highly doubted that they were still waiting outside, for that had been in for several minutes. If it were him, he surely would not have the patience.

He figured that if his friends would go back to the compartment to change, then he'd follow, but he would make sure to keep his space from Sirius and his eyes away from his gaze. Surely he wouldn't want Sirius to think that he was avoiding him, even though he technically was, but he had a perfectly good reason, and if Sirius had any idea what that reason was, he'd probably be happy that Remus was avoiding him. "You all should probably change. We'll be there in only a couple of minutes."  

[LooneyLunaLovegood]

Alice pulled her too-large robe over her head and placed her wand in an inside pocket. Her stricter teachers always fussed at her because her sleeves were a little long, but Alice liked the loose feeling. Scooping up her tabby cat Merlin, she exited the train and stepped off a little worse for the wear.
"People are so inconsiderate." She thought after being jostled especially hard by a third-year boy. "Honestly!" She said to no one in particulary. Merlin looked up at her with understanding eyes and she gave him a little squeeze. "Thanks Merlin."  

[Mistril]

Before Lucy got a chance to reply, Venatici noticed that the train was slowing to a stop. He glanced out the window and noticed that they were pulling into the Hogsmeade Station.

"Looks like we're here. You should probably put your robes on."

He put his book and notes back into his trunk and then grabbed out his robes. "I can't believe I forgot to put these on," he mumbled to himself. He quickly slipped them over his head, smoothing out the wrinkles and fixing his tie. He picked Ara up off the bench and looked over at Lucy. "Ready?"  

[Ky Jelly]

Rita look out the window with a slightly pained expression on her face. The article was finished, had been for a while, but for the life of her she could not remember the copying charm. 'Of all the times to be absent minded,' she thought. 'I just have to duplicate the article and I'm done.' Rita stalked back and forth in her compartment, raking her mind for a sliver of a hint to the charm. 'I have to make copies . . . another word for copy is duplicate . .. duplicate in latin is . . .oh!' Rita stopped pacing as she remember her latin. How obvious the charm seemed to her now. She walked to her article on the bench, pointed her wand and said "Effingorium!" On her bench instead of one article lay two. Smiling, Rita continued to make copies, proud she had figured out the charm before it was too late.