Harry Potter and the Children of Slytherin ((Open!!!!))

Andrew frowned slightly as he read through the Daily Prophet as he searched the train for an empty seat, a Supersensory Charm cast on himself to prevent him from colliding with other passerby, of course. Minister Potter had once again passed another law making it difficult for former Slytherins to rise in the Ministry. Bastard. In his opinion, Potter was more likely to be the next Dark Lord than a Hogwarts graduate, but he kept it to himself. No need to be arrested before he graduated.

He looked up to see that he had found the compartment where Nikola sat with her parents and, it appeared to be, a second year. He liked Nikola. She shared Professor Lovegood-Longbottom's worldview and could stand his moodiness. It was a pity she wasn't in Slytherin. It would be nice to have more Slytherins not part of Ken's little cult.

"Hello, Nikola. Who's this?" he asked, taking a seat across from her.

Quinton

Perfect, a conversation starter. At least in the Muggle World, when one had their face in a book, others generally took it as a sign that they did not want to be disturbed. "My holidy was fine, though it was somewhat challenging to revert to muggle life after a year at Hogwarts. How was yours," he answered. He may not have necesarrily wanted to talk, but ignoring another person so obviously would have been rude and not a very good representation of himself. Before his temporary companion could answer, though, a girl opened the door, looking for a seat.

Quint couldn't really say he knew who she was, but over the past six years he could remember some faces, and hers was familiar as well. Seemed as though getting a seat anywhere on this train was a hassle for those who weren't first to board. "I have no issue with you joining us," he replied.

Neville Longbottom

Neville sat quietly, though relaxed, next to his wife and daughter, though their compartment seemed to be filling up fast. He had been concerned years past, Nikola was so much like her mother, and she didn't seem to make too many friends. But to his relief, she had indeed made some, despite being the daughter of two professors as well.

Another year teaching at Hogwarts filled him with enthusiasm, Herbology was his passion after all, and passing it on to a new generation of witches and wizards was something he was proud to be able to do.

"Oh that is awesome. We are in the same house," Riddley said smiling. She was glad that she did recall Nikola. She was good with school, but faces weren't always her strong point if she didn't have to study it.

Riddley looked over at the boy who just entered and smiled nervously at him. "I'm Riddley. Riddley Walker."

"Hello, Andrew, how are you?" She asked. She had never been one to care about what house somebody was in, so it never bothered her that Andrew was in Slytherin. He understood the views that she shared with her parents and he also didn't seem to care much about the house, he cared more about common interests.

"How was your summer holiday?" she asked

----------

"Thank you." Alchemy said gratefully, taking a seat in the compartment.
"The train really fills up quickly, I should have gotten a seat earlier." She laughed to herself awkwardly.

"I am Andrew Higgins," he told the girl, giving her a rare smile to put her more at ease. She hadn't given him reason to be annoyed yet and he wasn't one to scare the younger kids. He looked up at Nikola's greeting.

"It was pleasant enough. We visited America, how about you?" the fifth-year asked curiously.

(Wow. Had this guy at 11. :O Thanks for pointing that out, Magus.)

Riddley smiled more surely back at Andrew. He didn't seem so bad. She wanted to ask more questions, but for now she listen silently. She could learn a lot by just paying attention as she could if she asked questions.
-------
Rachel eyes glazed over the rest of her compartment before she looked out the window again. She moved a little, her hand glazing Ken's leg by accident. She tried to ignore it but a faint blush still occured. Still she was smiling as she looked out the window.

"It was quite nice, I got to visit with some family and we traveled a bit, I'm glad to be going back to school, though." She told him, slightly distracted by the green landscapes rolling by. She always seemed to have her head in the clouds. She took after her mother that way.

{Man, I meant ta reply hours ago but totally got distracted. Xp}

Felicia

"Oh. Uh, yes, thank you." she replied to Ken, who seemed very nice, although there was something a little weird about what he had said. "Thanks." she nodded politely to a boy in Ken's appartment who had wished her luck, but momentarily froze when she noticed the boy that had stiches holding together the skin of where his left eye should be.

The first year snapped out of her trance that had only lasted for an instant, and immediately spun when a girl with glasses that looked to be her age addressed her and offered her a place to sit. "Thank you," Felicia replied smiling. "My name's Felicia Wilts."

--- --- ---

Hayden

"Oh. Uh, well it's..." Hayden paused for a bit, thinking of how to answer the curious first year. He wasn't exactly sure how to explain what Hogwarts was like. He remembered in his first year that the wizarding school was seemed like a place so incredibly unimaginable that some author that writes fantasy novels had made the entire thing up and brought it to life somehow. When he came back the next year after being away on summer vacation for so long, the whole thing felt like some sort of surreal dream. That is, until during his first wand duel he got nailed in the stomach with an Everte Statum that knocked the wind out of him did he truly realize that he was back.

"It's great. Hogwarts..." Hayden replied, the best he managed to come up with after suddenly snapping out of his memories. That was lame, he winced. "Actually, it's sort of hard to describe. Well, I've never been to good explaining things like this. I'm sure you'll have loads of fun though." Hayden smiled sincerely, examples from his personal experiences flashing before him. "Just ask the professor." he nodded towards the DADA instructor.

Edward

"My summer was fine, thank you." Edward said to Quinton, and turned to Alchemey. "You look familiar, but I don't think we've met. I'm Edward Weasley. And you said you were...Alchemey, yes?"

Dahlia

"Well then, Felicia, come with me." Dahlia replied with a bright smile, as she grabbed on to Felicia's hand and walked out of the compartment with her. She cast one last glance at Ken and the Hufflepuff next to him, before leaving with the other girl and heading toward the compartment Dahlia had claimed.

"So, this your first year at Hogwarts?" she asked pleasantly. "It's mine, myself."

Sally-Anne Perks

"I'm sure you'll love your first year at Hogwarts," Sally-Anne said to Monica, as they sat in their shared compartment.

Ken bid Felicia a polite farewell as she left with the other student and then made his way back to his seat. "I swear," he said, his voice low, but light, "they're making students younger and younger every year. I don't remember being that small and, well, young my first year."

It was small talk, yes, but it wouldn't do to rush into what he wanted to know.

---

Kami gave Kingsley another glance at his touch, but he was talking to Alchemy, and so she resumed her position of staring at floor. But at Alissa's question, she focused more on what was being said. The question was one that she had been wondering about ever since learning of Hogwart's existence, but the answer given didn't soothe her nerves at all.

What she had called fun in the past wouldn't be acceptable here, nor did she think that it was much fun anymore. Nothing was fun, not now that...

"I'm Kami," she said abruptly, as she straightened up enough for her eyes to meet the wall between Hayden and Alissa.

Monica barely glanced at the woman sitting across from her; curled up in the seat with her knees tucked under her chin, the young Greek girl folded her bronze-feathered wings around her defensively, trying to shut out the world and everyone on the train. She would have rather been alone in the compartment, even if the woman was close to Kingsley...

"Áfisé me ísihi," she muttered, turning her gaze away towards the door. England was nothing like her home; her old home. She missed the sweet smell of grapes after a light rain and the pungent aroma of fermenting wine. She also longed for the warm and bright cliff-side view overlooking the vast azure sea...and already she missed her mother, the only person in her life that understood her and loved her unconditionally.

And the only person she could never unintentionally harm...

"Yeah, my name's Alchemy. What are your names?" she asked them. Again, they seemed familiar, but that happened at Hogwarts. Sometimes you could remember people just by their faces and never be able to put a name with that face.

"I'm sure you were adorable though," Rachel said, turning to face Ken. She smiled brightly at him, her cheeks still tinted pink. She hoped he either didn't notice or if he did, did not say anything.

"Yes, not what he looks like now," Lucas added, smirking just a little. "But I agree. They are so small."

Alissa, Kingsley

Alissa nodded eagerly at Hayden, before looking over at Kami in surprise. Her confused expression soon disappeared, though, as a bright grin replaced it. Alissa offered a hand to Kami.

"Hi, Kami! I'm Alissa. It's nice to meet you!"

Kingsley looked down at Kami, caught off guard by her sudden introduction. Still, he gave the young girl another encouraging smile. Good. At least she was finally speaking to the other students. That was a positive step forward. Merlin willing, Kami might act at least friendly toward her fellow First Year. She would definitely have a better first time at Hogwarts if she made a friend or two, though Kingsley knew it'd be hard for the poor thing.

Matthew

Matthew gave a little smile at Ken's comment. "True, but that's what everyone says when they aren't First Years anymore. I suppose it shows how far we've come, in our growing and maturity. Or something like that, at least."

Edward

"I'm Edward Weasley, Ravenclaw Sixth Year." Edward answered pleasantly.

Sally-Anne

Sally-Anne appeared rather unsure for a moment, wishing for the moment she had taken up Kingsley's offer to learn a bit of Greek. That was a mistake she'd have to rectify soon. But the Hogwarts Professor put on another smile on her face, as she went on. Secretly, Sally-Anne hoped that Monica hadn't uttered some sort of profanity.

"You'll love it here," she continued. "I don't pretend to know what the Greek school of magic might be, or even if they have one, but Hogwarts is unlike any other school you'll come across. I'm sure you're going to love it here, Monica!"

"I'm sure that you were quite adorable as well," Ken said with a smile to Rachel. "Lucas, on the other hand..." He gave a sad shake of his head. "What a sad, sad case you are. No wonder you're jealous." He laughed and then turned back to Matthew.

"Does that mean you've matured more than the rest of us?" he asked, gesturing at his companion's mutilated body. "The ladies are sure to be all over you, surviving such an attack. You must have been very brave."

---

Kami instantly regretted her words, as she suddenly found those in the compartment paying attention to her again. Her body froze up, and she found herself quite unsure of what to say or do. But then Alissa's hand came towards her, and she instantly jerked away, her bare feet landing on top of the seat and her body arching back into the compartment wall. Her eyes were wide with alarm, and her breath was coming fast.

Quinton

"I am Quinton Silvius, Ravenclaw Sixth Year as well," Quinton said after Edward. Odd, they were in the same house and year, and yet he had only the vaguest idea who Edward was. This spoke volumes about how much he paid attention to others, something he might want to work on this year.

Felicia

"O--kay!" Felicia replied surprised as the slightly-shorter-than-her Dahlia suddenly grabbed her free hand and started dragging her along rather easily. "Bye" she mouthed smiling at the older students before Dahlia and her reached a large, empty compartment.

"Yes, it is." Felicia answered. She was glad that she was starting to make friends so early.

--- --- ---

Hayden

Hayden jumped slightly when Kami suddenly said something. Her timing was pretty far off, but he smiled slightly by her bravery for trying to connect with others. However, brave wasn't the exact word he'd used to describe the way she reacted towards Alissa's re-introduction. He wasn't exactly sure what made her like this, but he knew that people had their own personal demons that they had to overcome.

Hayden was trying to think of something he could say to make this situation better, when a loud voice broke the awkward silence:

"Annnnny thing from the trolley!?"

The food trolley lady was just making her way past their compartment, whose door was still open from Alchemy's visit. "Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked the four passengers, peering inside.

{I think I can do this. Any problems, and I'll immediately edit it into something.}

"5th year, Gryffindor." Alchemy told them. She had always thought that if she hadn't made it into Gryffindor, she would have been in Ravenclaw. She heard the trolley woman up the hall and got up to rummage through her suitcase on the luggage rack where she had placed it, looking for a few sickles to buy something.

Kingsley, Alissa

"No, thank you. I'm good." Kingsley replied, thankful for the end to the tense silence. Alissa had looked rather...well, shocked and worried by Kami's reaction, but thankfully her attention shifted to the trolley lady as she bought a few chocolate frogs. While she was busy doing that, Kingsley gently pulled Kami back into a sitting position. He leaned in, and whispered into her ear, casting a silencing charm so the other two students would not hear.

"It's alright, Kami. Everything is fine. Miss Potter was simply trying to shake your hand. It's a common human gesture. I told you about those, remember? Alissa was only trying to be friendly. She wasn't going to hurt you." he said in a soothing tone, rather hoping the young girl would be calmed by his words.

Matthew

Matthew flinched a little, once more, but he decided to go along with the joke. It would be best to treat the...matter as humorous, anyway. It might help him recover better, too.

"Please, I was hardly brave." Matthew replied in a somewhat bitter tone. "I'm sure Minister Potter or some other survivor of the Second Wizarding War would have handled the situation much better than I."

Dahlia

"Glad to hear it, then!" Dahlia replied with an energetic smile. "What House do you want to be in? I'm hoping Slytherin or Ravenclaw, myself."

((Mind if I skip to Hogwarts, soon, guys?))

A handshake. Yes. Kami remembered it now. But how did Kingsley know that was what Alissa had been trying to do? What if she knew? What if it was a threat? Her heart still thudded painfully in her chest, but she gave a nod at her guardian.

Kingsley had said it was okay, and so it would just have to be.

---

Ken studied Matthew for a moment, and then his smile disappeared. "I'm sorry," he murmured to his companion. "I guess I just don't know how to react, and jokes come easiest. It must have been rough."

((I don't mind.))

{I don't mind too much personally, but I'd mind for a few other people. As long as we let MSTM, Warboss, and Toko finish up, then I don't mind.}

Felicia

"What House?" the dark-haired girl pondered glancing down with uncertainty. "I'm not exactly sure...My mom was in Slytherin, but she never described what it was like, actually. I know that she had loads of fun in Hogwarts though. I guess I'd like to be in Slytherin too. It'd be great if we could both be in it!" Felicia beamed.

--- --- ---

Hayden

Wow, that was great timing. These sorts of situations always make me hungry. Hayden thought, his usual sweet tooth returning. He ordered a couple of cakes, and three containers of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. While paying the Trolley lady, he noticed that Kingsley stayed behind to talk to Kami. He couldn't hear what he said, despite only being a few feet away, but whatever he said had seemed like it calmed her down a bit.

It's too bad Professor Kingsley won't always be around to calm her down. I hope that she'll be okay. Hayden thought, before popping open one of his containers, grabbing a bean, tossing it in the air and catching it with his mouth.

"...Pizza?"

(I don't mind either)

Lucas scowled at Ken's comment and kept it as he glanced over at the boy next to him. He didn't want to say anything, so he was half-relieved that someone else did.

Rachel blushed harder and then frowned for a second. Then a smile on her face appeared again.

( I don't mind, but I haven't posted my characters yet because I was so busy this week.)

((Go ahead, it's fine with me, but I suppose roman_tic should have a chance to do something with his/her characters.))