Another Day, Another Adventure

It had taken Charlie exactly 37 minutes to pack up everything she owned from Layabout Lane and transfer it to her old, beaten-up Hogwarts trunk. She had taken a loan from Jack to buy her books and school supplies from Diagon Ally, all of which had been placed at the left side of the trunk in neat rows. The redhead had never been a lover of literature but the textbooks were the newest thing she owned and that was enough to make them prized. Most of the coursebooks she had purchased secondhand with high discounts due to spills, tears, and obscenities written between the lines. The only thing she had splurged on was a brand new copy of her advanced Herbology textbook. If she hadn't been caught staring at it's shiny cover, packing might have taken her even shorter.

Max was at work and Sunny was at daycare so it was only Jack who accompanied her and Tody to the platform. Once though the barrier Charlie turned to her cousin and held out her hand to shake. "Thanks. You know, for, um, everything." She released Jack's hand and half nodded to herself, knowing she had said what she needed to say but also knowing that it was not nearly enough. "I'll.. see you?" she asked awkwardly, only now realizing that the pair had never discussed when they would be seeing eachother again. She had the opportunity to come home for Christmas but the thought of spending the holidays in some forced family tradition with relatives she didn't even know was enough to sicken her.

"I'll write." she corrected herself, with some decisiveness. And then added slightly more timidly, "Bye, Jack." before turning away and disappearing into the crowd of families, all hugging (some crying) in a way that was completely foreign to the young girl.

Charlie lifted her trunk in through the train door and then followed by pulled herself up. The hallway was alive with students chattering and running up and down the length of the train, either looking for their friends or (for those who didn't have friends) an empty seat. Charlie began to move against the current, forcing her way towards the back of the train where she always met her clan for the ride. She didn't make it far without hearing her name being called, either with offers of a seat or with greetings after a summer apart. A Slytherin girl with long black hair rammed into her shoulder when passing, the accuracy and force of the hit too hard to be an accident. Charlie flipped her off without looking back but hoped to God she had seen it.

Just when Charlie though she might have missed them, she came to an open carriage door and saw the faces of the people that she considered the best in the world. Sonia was sitting on one of the middle seats legs up on the seat across from her, feet just reaching their rest. Grace sat by the window and seemed to be in the middle of saying something when Charlie entered the room. Sonia's feet dropped to the floor and she sprung up to wrap Charlie in a bear hug. The two hadn't seen each other the entire summer, corresponding only by owl as Charlie ran. For both girls there was an undeniable silent relief in seeing the other in one piece.

"We need to talk later, okay?" Sonia whispered in Charlie's ear before pulling away and giving her a wide smile. Yes, they did need to talk. There was no question.

Her smile wide, Charlie left her luggage in the doorway and crossed the small carriage to where Grace sat. She gave her a light kiss on the cheek and greeted her with "You look good, Alph. How have you been?" 'Alpha' had been the nickname Charlie had jokingly given Gracie after her transformation in second year ('Beta' being Nathan's). Over time she had shortened it to Alph out of sheer laziness and then stopped using it altogether because of Grace's distaste for it. Now it had become almost a form of endearment, to be used only when Charlie truly missed her best friend.

Between Sonia and Grace, as well as the rest of the group, they were the closest thing she had to family now. No, Charlie would spend Christmas at Hogwarts. She wouldn't want it any other way.

Hogwarts was a relief and a half. Jasmine didn’t bother going to King’s Cross with either Llewellyn girls. She let her husband deal with them and he dropped them off without so much as a goodbye though, to give him credit, he did wish them a ‘good year’ but that hardly substituted a hug or a kiss to the forehead. No, instead just a half-arsed comment and the squeal of tires - that was what they were allotted. Grace found that she no longer really minded. Lily always seemed a little more hurt than her elder sister, though, but was content enough when they got onto the platform and went in search of her friends.

Lifting her duffle onto her shoulder, Grace made her way through the crowd on the platform. Much to her relief, she quickly found Sonia Ivanov - Charlie’s best friend in the whole entire world. Of course, Grace was still a touch bitter about that but it happened, didn’t it? Best friends and all that. But after that, they were joined by Baldric Wood who had given Baird McLaggen the sleep much to the obvious dismay of Sonia. Still, they let Baird do his thing and made their way onto the train, finding an empty compartment much quicker than they would’ve hoped at first.

Baldric was kind enough to Grace and his help was something she was grateful for. He made sure all of the trunks were on the baskets above them securely and once that was sorted, he flopped down next to Grace and tossed an arm over her shoulder, mussing her hair with his fingers as he pressed an affectionate kiss to her temple.

“How was your summer then, Son?” He asked conversationally as Grace rummaged through her duffle in search of something to read for the trip before she grew board and opted for a sleep - there was definitely a reason why she let Baldric sit next to her. His shoulder was the most comfortable thing in the world - no doubt about it.

Just as Grace was about to chime in with her own inquiry, the door opened and in waltzed Charlie, as casual as you like. Needless to say, Grace was pleased to see her fellow Hufflepuff. It had been ages and though Grace was bursting to tell Charlie what’d happened with everything - Romeo, her parents, this, that and the other.... she knew she shouldn’t, couldn’t and, inevitably, wouldn’t.

“You too,” she returned with an easy smile on her lips. “Yeah, I’ve been great. Summer’s been a bit boring, though.”

What was that sound? Surely it wasn't time to get up already? He'd only just fallen asleep, the excitement of returning to Hogwarts had kept him awake all night. No. He was merely waking up in the early hours of the morning, would roll over and go back to sleep. Wait. No. What was that?

'Come on Sweetie wake up.' So it was morning. Opening his eyelids Jackson Parker's blue eyes were greeted with the blue of his Mothers - that was before she marched over to the windows and opening them wide open.

Now Jackson couldn't go back to sleep, not with the blazing sunlight burning his eyes. Groaning, stretching and fumbling around for the tartan slippers by his bed Jackson clambered from his comfy single bed with patchwork quilt and examined his room.

Most of his belongings had been packed away into a large, brown trunk by the door. Atop was a wrought iron cage home to a screech owl named Avery. Avery was sleeping, which Jackson didn't find fair at all. However, deciding to leave his bird to sleep he closed the window, shut the curtains, grasped his dressing gown and headed downstairs.

The scent of sixteen sizzling sausages on the stove blew him away. It really was like being back at Hogwarts already. Jackson was in the house of Hufflepuff, whose common room was besides the kitchens. Every morning the sixteen year old would get up and head to the Great Hall, passing the still life portrait of a fruit bowl that guarded the kitchens.

At the wooden table sat a postman named Richard - his dad. A muggle. Besides him were his three younger cousins Alex, April and Christina. They were all muggles too, the blood nephew and nieces of Mr Parker. They lived with Jackson in their four bedroom home. Not that the family could afford to live in such a home, they'd inherited the house after the cousins Mother had been admitted to a mental asylum after a drug overdose. That had been the worst day of Jackson's life.

He had been eleven years old at the time, had received his letter for Hogwarts and had gone to visit his cousins before collecting his belongings from Diagon Alley. However the happy, cheerful, merriful auntie that she had once been did not open the door. It was April, crying her eyes out. Alex, the youngest of the three was sat on the floor by a body: their Mother's body. The darkness that washed over Jackson had been completely indescribable. How someone with so much life in them could resort to attempted suicide was beyond him yet, he understood why she'd done it.

Her husband had died in a car crash not long before and she had never truly been the same since that very day. The guilt had literally ate her alive until she was mentally incapacitated. As a result Mr & Mrs Parker, with Jackson in tow, sold their property in rural Greater Manchester to move down to London to live in the home that Alex, April and Christina had grew up.

They were aware of Jackson's 'abnormality', along with his Mother's yet they had seen enough crazy happen in their life time that they thought nothing of it. They understood that there was a magic world but they preferred the muggle world. Texting trumped owl post. Lightbulbs trumped candles. Cars trumped broomsticks. Of course the three were sworn to secrecy to never mention the magical world and to this day they had held the secret. Like Jackson they were loyal.

'Big day today.' Mr Parker said, grinning proudly at his son. It was such a big day that Mr Parker had taken the day off work, which is something the family couldn't really afford to because of how expensive it was to live in a four bedroom house with six occupants. Not that they were poor, just not rich enough.

Every time Jackson went to Hogwarts you could always count on Mr Parker to say the words: 'big day today.' He said them to the cousins on their first day back at school. Jackson never knew way but it was fairly obvious why: it was a big day. Jackson would be moving away from home, wouldn't see his family until Christmas. It was a huge deal for the closely knit family.

After wolfing down the sausages and toast Jackson bounded up the stairs, showered and changed into a pair of denim jeans and a green wool jumper. Although it was still Summer the weather lately hadn't been the best so the Hufflepuff had decided to dress for Autumn - that way if it was warm on the train he could take it off and just wear the t shirt underneath.

Goodbye lasted forever. His Father and cousins couldn't come onto platform nine and three quarters, which mean't his Muggleborn Mother had to do so. Embracing his Father and three cousins in a strong hug Jackson bid farewell at last (after an hour of talking, telling him to write, telling him to do well, telling him to make even more friends, telling him to not each too much, telling him to stay safe) and got into his Mother's car.

The car, unlike most cars wizards drove, hadn't been magically modified. Meaning that the trunk had been tightly cramped into the boot and Avery the owl was balancing on the seat behind Jackson. It took fourty two minutes to reach Kings Cross Station as the digital clock on the dashboard flashed ten to eleven.

Oh dear. Jackson was going to miss the train. His Mother hadn't parked up yet and it would take them a good five minutes to reach the concealed platform between platforms nine and ten. 'Lovey, I will have to drop you off here sorry.' His Mother said as she pulled into a taxi rank. Unlocking the boot she tugged at the trunk and with the help of Jackson the pair managed to load it onto a metal trolley.

'Love you.' They said each other before quickly hugging and saying goodbye until Christmas.

Two minutes until the train departed. Jackson's heart was hammering. Was he going to make it? Would he even reach the platform in time! Avery was screeching uncomfortably as the owl cage rocked backwards against the trolley handle, causing a clatter. That was all Jackson need: muggle attention! A few of the Muggles began pointing at him as he pelted along platform nine. 'ANIMAL CRUELTY!' A balding man shouted although Jackson didn't hear. He'd slammed into the wall between platforms nine and ten.

Steam billowed around his ankles, parents were waving goodbye to children who were hanging outside windows. 'No!' Jackson cried as he hurried to the train that was beginning to move. 'PLEASE WAIT!' Although nobody could hear him over the noise of he engine.

'Here!' A middle aged wizard, who most of been a parent, said. Pointing his wand at a door that was soon to be in their direction he unlocked it. 'Jump on, I'll send the trunk and owl behind you. 'JUMP!'

It was a close one. The door swung madly as it traveled towards Jackson, but none the less he'd made it threw along with Avery and his trunk which landed heavily on his leg. Ouch. The pain was blinding, but what hurt more was the fact Jackson had never gotten to say thank you to the gentleman.

Forcing himself up he clasped his trunk and limped into the nearest compartment, not caring if he didn't know the occupants. Jackson simply needed to sit down and see to his leg. However after collapsing into the seat, looking up he was pleasantly surprised to be accompanied by two family faces. Two familiar faces indeed. They were the faces of Charlotte Dyllan and Gracelyn Llewellyn. Two Hufflepuff's in the same year as him.

(OOC: Sorry if that's a bit long I just kind of got lost typing. If you don't want to read it that's fine)

Jack was more than happy to help her cousin off to another year at Hogwarts. Jack had avoided the place the best she could because... you know... people. But Charlie had needed her, and Jack definitely did not want her cousin to have the same King's Cross experiences she had always suffered through - being dropped off a mile from the station, walking in the rain, filing in on her own lugging heavy luggage and trying not to attract the attention of her peers, peers cruel and never-forgetful of a girl struggling with a trunk on her own because even her family thought she was strange. No, Charlie would be having a good trip to Hogwarts, thank you very much, or her name wasn't Jack Dyllan.

Jack helped her to the train and smiled at her. "Well... Christmas is going to be an interesting day this year. I've never had one with... anyone in the house. If you're into explosions and tears, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, and we have the room." Jack didn't like pushing her young guests, but she did hope to see Charlie soon. Jack liked having her family around, and as this would be a hard Christmas for her (the anniversary of leaving Nemo behind) she would need a large system of loved ones around her.

Charlie left so quickly, Jack almost felt as though she had dreamed bringing the younger girl along. She stared around at tearful and heartfelt good-byes and she crossed her arms, scuffing her feet on the ground and letting out a little breath. With a small, sad expression, she left the station.

'Hello Grace, Charlotte good summer?' He asked smiling before he rolled up the leg of his jeans to examine his calf. There was a huge bruise from where his trunk had landed on it, hopefully it wouldn't be broken. Perhaps he would head straight to the hospital wing if it still hurt upon their arrival at the castle.

Jackson, however, was suddenly distracted as the compartment door slid open to reveal a girl only a year older than himself with short dark hair. He recognised her from the common room, granted he hadn't really spoken to her but he recognised her none the less.

'Hi!' He greeted cheerfully through the soreness radiating from his leg. 'Sure, take a seat!' He invited, waving a hand opposite him for the fellow Hufflepuff to join them. That's what Jackson loved about his Hogwarts house: they were all friendly, all got along and all open to new friendships. 

'I'm Jackson by the way! I feel like I recognise you from the common room? Is it Darcy?' He asked, taking a lucky guess. Even if it wasn't then it wasn't much of a big deal as they hadn't spoken but Jackson was pretty sure that he'd named her correctly. 

This was the fifth time that Trisha would be embarking on the Hogwarts Express. After four years, any nerves she may have felt about her traveling to Hogwarts without any parents at her side were essentially gone. Sure, she had no idea with whom she would be riding, and saying goodbye to her parents was always hard. But at least she knew what to expect, and was actually looking forward to the trip as much as the school year.

"Goodbye, you lot." She grinned at her family as they stood around her on the Muggle side of the platform. Loud trains sounded, causing everyone to speak up in their words to be heard.

Each of her siblings, as well as her parents, said some form of "Goodbye, Tris." As her brothers and sisters were out of their Muggle schooling, and off to University, they had yet to head off for their own adventure. Sometimes Tris wondered if her parents felt entirely alone during the school year. She made sure to hug both of them extra tightly, in case they needed it.

"Be careful." Her father said quietly as he held onto her. "I know you can handle yourself, but that doesn't mean I don't worry."

"Oh, c'mon, dad. You've seen me on investigations. I'll be alright." Trisha laughed in reply, sure to keep her eyes dry. There was no need for him to know how difficult school was for someone like her.

Passing through the threshold onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was vastly easier than saying goodbye, even though it was only until Holiday. Every step after that became continually less difficult. Until she boarded, that is. She had absolutely no idea with whom she would be sharing a compartment.

Passing by a compartment housing one of her fellow Ravenclaws - Adrienne, the girl who had been knocked out in the Shrieking Shack over the summer - Tris looked into each doorway in search of people she knew.

Finally, she came across one housing a girl she was sure was Grace. Looking more closely, a smile broke out over her face as she recognized nearly everyone who had been at Nathan's house for the Quidditch Match not too very long ago.

Hoping there was actually room for her to join them, she pushed the door open and stuck her head in. "Morning, you lot!" She grinned, "Room for one more?"

Her openness surprised even herself, but she hoped her friends wouldn't comment or notice her change in attitude over the summer. Something about being out and about more had made her realize that she had less reason to fear others, and more reason to worry that she was pushing them away.

BAIRD

“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM, BOY?! I AM A MEMBER OF THE WIZENGAMOT! I COULD HAVE YOU THROWN IN AZKABAN FOR YOUR IMPUDENCE!”

Naturally, it was another nonsensical day for Baird McLaggen, filled with mischief and amusement and, of course, the idiotic people that made up the bulk of the Wizarding World. Insert: Armando Yaxley. He inherited his space on the Wizengamot from his father and proceeded from then on to be a pain in the arse every time the court wanted to prosecute a Death Eater. Of course, he also developed a penchant for arrogance and had a head that was decidedly incapable of fitting through a normal doorframe. Baird blamed it entirely on his superiority complex as well as the Italian shoes he insisted upon wearing.

Also, of course, there was the addition of all the women that flocked to such people due to the promise of power and money that they’d get for looking pretty and bending over backwards, forwards, sideways, upways, downways - wherever - for them. Armando Yaxley was, frightfully, considered to be one of those men and enjoyed all of the perks. Baird’s folly was noticing it in his swagger, noticing the way his wife jittered and looked around furtively, keeping her hands on their youngest sprog because it was through her that she garnered all of her happiness - not through the company of her husband.

Baird smiled tightly, “I only asked how many affairs you have had since gaining your position on the Wizengamot. I would wager at least thirty but I wouldn’t like to be so unkind to your wife by softening the number. I would rather like to believe it was somewhere within the region of thirty-five to fifty but I can’t be entirely positive so I am going to go for forty-two and a half - you haven’t quite closed the deal with your new secretary.”

For that, Baird got a clip round the ear and in rebuttal; he encouraged the onlookers to contact the Ministry’s police force who arrived just in time for Baird to get on the train. He gave them his statement, gathered up his satchel and tilted his head in acknowledgement of their services before jumping onto the lingering locomotive that was just beginning to huff and puff true bouts of white vapour. The engine was beginning to warm up and the machine as a whole was readying itself for, at the expense of being crude, take-off.

Baird brushed through the corridor that was overwhelmingly hopping with First Years and he only managed to keep the disdain from his face as he weaved through. Thankfully, it wasn’t long at all until he reached the compartment where Baldric had deserted him to, the smell of the Gryffindor’s cologne still hanging in the air, and where he could also sense Sonia was - again, another scent that was mingling, albeit covered by the pungent smell of Baldric’s manliness.

Opening the door, Baird gave Trish a playful push of his hand against her shoulder.

“Move it, Blondie.” He told her with a smile. “Some of us have to tend to our other halves.”

Baird threw his bag down by the window and hurried over to Sonia. He took her head in his hands and directed it left, right, up and down before planting a kiss on the very tip of her nose.

“Congratulations!” He exclaimed. “I have impregnated your nose! Expect children in around three to four days. Exfoliation may be the best way of getting out of becoming a mother to the teenage scourge of spots.”

He flopped down next to Sonia then and dragged his eyes around the compartment before frowning.

“Where’s our other puppy, then?” He asked, referring to Olivia who was no-where to be seen. “Not to mention that Hufflepuff of yours, Charlie. Where is Mr Finch-Fletchley?”


GRACE

Grace looked up at the entrance of Jackson, another Hufflepuff, and she wiggled out from under Baldric’s arm to sit next to him, her smile light on her lips. She tucked her legs up, crossing them beneath her, and nodded brightly at Jackson before reaching down to pick up her bag. She drew her book out from inside and laid it in her lap before thinking up the appropriate way to summarise her summer. Awful? Expensive? Shudderingly reflective of what her future will be like: destitute and full of unrewarding hard work? No, that wouldn’t go down well at all.

“My summer was fantastic, thank you, Jack.” She told him. “I got to go and see Quidditch again. Felt amazing. How was yours?”

Grace then turned and waved a little to the other Hufflepuff girl who had joined them. Darcy, she remembered. She liked to sail - or, well, was a sailor.

“How are you, Darcy?” She inquired gently.


BALDRIC

Baldric looked at Baird testily, wondering exactly what the Ravenclaw had been up to before deciding against worrying about it. He got up from his seat and reached down, taking Jackson’s trunk off of the floor. Baldric lifted it up and put up in the overhead basket before smiling at Trisha who had joined them, bolstering up the Ravenclaw side of the compartment. Baldric had long grown used to being lone in terms of his Gryffindor-ishness. It was that fact that put him at recognisable ease. He could be the pseudo-leader when things went awry and he could look after everyone. He liked that role for himself; suited it, even.

Baldric took Darcy’s trunk for her, too. Being the gentleman he was. He knew she could have probably done it herself - just as they all could’ve - but he felt the need to. Plus, it would make her feel a little bit settled. She was immediately enveloped into their social group but, being new, and being around all of the nutcases that made up the Spectacular Seven - which was, as ever, evolving into innumerable amounts of friends for the ostracised, the unloved and the ones that just needed friends and wanted acceptance. It was the best sort of group - one that was comprised of people genuinely wanting to help, love and be loved.

After stowing her trunk up in the basket, Baldric lifted his gaze and his face brightened at the sight of the Ravenclaw he’d taken on a date earlier in the summer.

“Good Morning, Trish!” He greeted her before leaning down to take the trunk from her hands. That too went up with Jackson’s and everyone else’s and after that he grabbed up Baird’s which had been abandoned in the doorway as he’d hurried inside. Again, that joined the others and after that, Baldric sat down back beside Grace, half-hoping Nathan would exercise his Werewolf-strength when he and Liv finally arrived. Some people just didn’t know anything about feather-light charms.

Trisha rolled her eyes at Baird's entrance, but didn't really mean it - as evidenced by the half smile on her face. Instead, she made no move to block him as he went to greet Sonia. His comments had been nothing but a joke, if she had read him correctly. So why did they sort of sting? Deciding she was being ridiculous, Tris looked around at the others in the compartment.

Her trunk was removed from her hands even as she was deciding where to put it. Bringing her gaze down from the trunk racks, she found Baldric had taken it and was lifting it up for her before greeting her.

"Oh, thanks." She replied, glancing up at the trunk once more for lack of something to do.

Seating herself in the first available spot, she fiddled with her necklace, which had two birds hanging from it. It was an easy form of distraction when she had so quickly realized she was sitting rather closer to Baldric that perhaps was good for her. After the match, she'd convinced herself that while he didn't seem to like her in return, she most certainly had some sort of feelings for him. Now, she was stuck in a compartment with him not but a few feet away, with nothing to say.

Darcy did not expect to be so pleasantly bombarded by the friendly, strange faces from within the compartment. A few seemed familiar, which she assumed meant they were in her house or year, though she could never be certain. It was a pain when everyone assumed she knew them as easily as they knew her. There was only one of her, but she came into contact with them only a few months every year, and then had two or three other schools she was supposed to be familiar with. Still, Darcy was not one to complain, so she supposed she would be able to find a friend or two here.

She smiled first at the boy Jackson, taking the seat where he indicated. "Yeah, I'm Darcy. I'm Hufflepuff, if that helps. I'm not often in school. Though I may be in it for the long haul this year." She gave a lopsided, indifferent grin and shrugged. Another girl pushed in and she glanced up at her, smiling. She seemed to have chosen the worst sort of compartment - a compartment full of best friends. Darcy enjoyed watching interactions, though, so she had no problem with maybe taking the quieter route, even if it was the more unfamiliar one. 

Grace greeted her - for whatever reason, that girl's name had stuck. Probably because Darcy had always thought Grace looked just a girl ought to. Darcy seemed to appreciate Grace's beauty - she looked like the sort of girl that would have her shipmates pining for her for months, which Darcy thought was pretty badass. "Meh, I'm alright. I'd rather be heading off to the Indian Ocean, but apparently NEWT year is pretty f*cking important." She rolled her eyes. It was always strange to others how casually curse words came out of Darcy's mouth - with no real feeling or malice behind him. The girl had been raised around sailors, her only adjectives were curse words.

A lot seemed to suddenly happen in such a short space of time. Jackson had been so preoccupied upon his injured leg that he hadn't even realised that Baldric, Sonia and Baird were also in the compartment. Like Jackson they were sixth years and this would be the first of their two NEWT years.

Before Darcy could reply however a girl with blonde hair had arrived, arriving much cheerpier than her usual self. Trisha, also known as spirit girl by some people. Jackson knew Trish from Potters Army and the two got along fairly well. 'Hi Trish! There is but it'll be a squeeze.' He said, before watching Baird's response and bursting into a chuckle. Baird's personality was upbeat and, well, fun! You couldn't be around Baird without smiling.

Then there was Grace. Same house. Same year. Lovelably kind and nurturing. Of course she was the first to reply to his inquiry about their summers. Naturally she'd been to a Quidditch game. Jackson wasn't big on Quidditch, he supported the house teams and whenever there was a world cup but besides that it wasn't his forte. In addition he wasn't a fan of magical creatures either but charms. Charms was enjoyable.

'Yeah, but after NEWT's you have all the time in the world to travel!' Jackson replied to Darcy, in hope to put a positive spin on things. Truth be told Jackson was looking forward to NEWT's. He was a huge fan of education, enjoyed learning and was often compared to a Ravenclaw. The things that seperated him from a Ravenclaw though was his uncommon kindness, loyalty, honesty and hardworking. Those traits shined above his intelligence - which wasn't as natural as a Ravenclaw's he had to work hard to get good grades. Really hard.

Thinking of exams almost everyone in the compartment was a sixth year, which mean't they'd all be choosing certain subjects to continue. 'Hey, so what are you all doing at NEWT's?' He asked universally.