Hogwarts Horror Stories. (Malin & Darkangel76)

King Cross station was as populated as ever. It was amazing the amount of muggles that seemed to endlessly flow around Simon Mycroft. He let out a small yawn as he walked through the hustle and bustle of the station finding that one pillar that was the barrier between this place and another world. The chill of september was just starting to sink in, it was a wet day as well adding to the chill inside the large station. Shivering he pulled his long coat more over himself. His short blond hair was slicked down along his face thanks to the rain, and his tall frame was dripping water. Adjusting a long Silver and green scarf around his neck. He was a taller man, with bright green eyes, and a kind face.

Even with his trunk on a trolly My croft always felt a little odd about it, his owl Anduin pecked heavily at the cage, and all in all he just felt kind of silly. Anyone around him could tell that something was off, but then again today was the loading day, and there were many others like him. It always made him wonder about the muggles who did end up seeing one of the people pass through the gate. Taking his opportunity he charged on through the barrier and walked out to the other side of platform 9 3/4. A long time ago he had asked his mother about this place, why use a train when it was so much easier to use a port key? The only answer she could give back was that this was a tradition, and even now he had to admit that the red and gold steam engine had grown on him.

What hadn't grown on him however was the rain, london was famous for it, and that was one of the reasons that he tended to stay away from the big city. Getting his stuff sorted out, and checking his larger baggage, the only thing that was left was finding his own room. Drifting down the halls, he could hear the rain pounding against the tin roof of the train. Most of the rooms were already full up on people, and he always felt awkward going into a room full of strangers, so he did his best to find one where no one else had taken up refuge. Putting his bag on the chair he sat down at the window, and left the door open. If someone else wanted to join him that was fine.

The smell of sooty smog was thick in the air and the humidity clung to the skin as the sky darkened with clouds. Rumbles of thunder were drawing ever closer to the secret entrance way to Platform 9 and ¾ at Kings Cross Station in London. Before long, drops started to fall. Felicity Steele scowled as she glanced upward at the ominous clouds overhead, her gray eyes blinking as the drops began to come down more heavily with each passing second.

"Hang it all," Felicity mumbled to herself as she pushed her trolley filled with her belongings. As it was, she was having a time of it trying to get her things to the station, but the added rain certainly wasn't helping matters. Setting her jaw, she leaned all her weight against the trolley and moved it along at a brisk walking pace.

When Felicity finally reached the entrance that separated the muggle world from the magical, she took one last pause. The rain was coming down harder and she raked a hand through her dark hair. She laughed silently to herself as she thought on her parents. She'd already said her goodbyes to them, not wanting to draw it out any longer than possible. No doubt they'd have something to say if they saw her lingering in the rain. But, in the wizarding world, she was free. She could be herself. Idiosyncrasies didn't seem to matter in the same way that they did in the world her parents came from—a fascinating notion indeed—and she thus didn't have to fear in the same way.

It was... refreshing.

Smiling, and trying not to fret too much that her belongings were becoming water logged, Felicity made her way through the barrier and onto the platform. Once beyond the magical barrier that blinded the muggles from seeing that which was right there before them, she made her way to the train that would take her to Hogwarts. She left her trolley with the conductor who saw to it that her things were tended to and humming, she all but skipped onto the train.

Felicity's clothes were soaked; the material was clinging to her body in parts while in others it hung on her in a most unsightly and disheveled manner. Still, she tried not to pay it much mind. She could change soon enough, but for now she longed to sit down and rest. The ride to Hogwarts would be a while and a few minutes reprieve at least seemed wonderful. As she walked along the corridors of the train, she peered inside each car to see if there was anywhere she could sit. But as she made her way through, it seemed as if she was at a loss.

"Damn," Felicity murmured feeling a bit stupid for having arrived so late. If only she'd gotten to the station earlier. She could've avoided getting wet plus managed to have gotten a seat!

Letting out a sigh, Felicity was about to give up when she finally saw a car that was nearly empty. She tilted her head, her dark, dripping wet hair falling over a slender shoulder as she peered in and saw a face she recognized. It belonged to Simon Mycroft. She'd heard about the Slytherin, but she didn't know him. Not really. She bit down on her lower lip and contemplated on whether or not she should dare disturb his car. The door was ajar, but...

Just as Felicity was about to pass by the door, she tripped, a person behind her bumping into her causing her to stumble into the very car Simon was in. She looked over at the Slytherin, her soaked clothes in disarray as she pushed at her wet hair. Giggling nervous, she gave him a sheepish grin and blushed.

"Hello," Felicity said. "Mind if I join you?" She cleared her throat and sat down in the empty seat across from Simon. "It's raining pretty hard out there," she added with a soft laugh. "Would figure, right? The day we go back to school."

Simon had been watching out of the window for a few minutes now. He could hardly see anything through rain, and the fogged up windows, and in truth since the train wasn't moving yet there really wasn't anything to watch. Rather he was just minding the room, and when someone stumbled inside he blinked startled slightly as he twisted and looked over at the newcomer. She was cute, and he smiled waving her in as he continued to lean up against the seat. He partly recognized her, and was pretty sure that at some point the two of them had a class together, the houses were often mixed together, so everyone knew everyone at least a little, but in truth he more was recognizing her face then name.

Watching her stumble and almost fall to the ground he smiled lightly towards her seeing the blush on her face. It was kind of cute he had to admit that much. Giving a small yawn he stretched and made sure to take up the rest of his bench so that she couldn't sit next to him, but waved her into sitting across from him. Just because he wanted to rest his legs didn't mean he was going to turn away someone who was just trying to find a seat of their own.

"Not at all, there's plenty of space. I'm Simon, I'm sorry, but I don't think I actually know your name." He said waving her to take a seat. She looked completely drenched, then again he wasn't that much better, and worse yet since the train wasn't in motion it's heaters hadn't kicked in yet so the chill from outside was still very much apparent. Sighing he shook his head lightly as she mentioned the weather.

"Hopefully the school is a little more dry, and warm. I hate dealing with the great hall on days that it rains." He spoke with a slight shiver to his tone, he was looking forward to the returning feast, but at the same time the great halls roof was always a little creepy to him. The way it showed the outdoor weather he always felt like he was about to be drenched even if it was just an illusion.

There was a slight shudder and Simon had to grab onto the edge of the window for fear of being thrown to the ground by the sudden lurching jolt. Which then became a light thudding noise as the train started to roll across the tracks and then finally faded into the background becoming a comfortable smooth ride of a passenger train. Soon they would be out of the muggle city, and into the English countryside, and then finally hogwarts. He rubbed his head having accidentally bumped it against the side of the wall and blushed lightly. ~Way to make an ass of yourself Mycroft.~ He thought a little darkly.

"I have a towel in my backpack if you want it, I can also go outside if you need to change into something a little more dry." He offered both of these things, but made no real attempt to move now that he was comfortable, but still wanted to act the part of a gentleman with the offer.

Felicity wrung out her hair, water dripping onto the floor of the car as she sat there awkwardly across from Simon. Another nervous giggle escaped her as the water spilled onto the floor in a tiny puddle. With reddened cheeks, she watched the Slytherin casually lean back as if relaxed. How guys like him managed to play it so cool, she'd never know. Then again, she supposed it was one of the greatest mysteries in life and probably always would be. Social grace wasn't one of her strong points, but with all the studying she had to do, she never had the time to truly perfect such things. No matter. He seemed nice enough and more than fine with sharing the space of his car with her.

Goose bumps began to form on Felicity's pale skin as she sat there and nodded, slender fingers combing through long tresses as they tangled about her slim shoulders. "I'm sure it will be," she said trying not to sound too forced in the way of conversation.

Felicity was never really good at this sort of thing; though she wished she was. At least she always tried, which was more than she could say for a lot of those she knew in her year. Most of her fellow Ravenclaw found it beneath themselves to even bother socializing, especially now that they were entering their 5th year. Graduation was around the corner and that meant everyone needed to take things a bit more seriously if they wanted to be ready to face the world once they finished their time away at school.

"And I'm Felicity," Felicity added. "Felicity Steele." Her gray eyes shifted to her lap for a brief moment before she reached out her hand, still a bit damp from the rain, to shake Simon's hand if he would take it. She smiled warmly despite the chill in the air. "We've had a class or two together before, I believe," she stated plainly, letting him know that she recognized him. Letting out a soft sigh, she sat back and rubbed at her arms. She would definitely need to change soon or, at the very least, get her robes.

As Felicity pondered getting her robes, the train suddenly lurched into motion. She giggled as her body jolted, causing her to jump with a start. Her one hand pressed against the window for balance while the other gripped the edge of her seat. Once the train began to move, she settled into her seat a bit more, her hands resuming their earlier action of rubbing at her arms. The wet fabric of her shirt rubbed against her flesh causing her body to shiver.

"Hrm," Felicity groaned. "No need. I think I'll just retrieve my robes. That should be enough for now." She paused and smiled at Simon. "I hope." She hummed softly as rummaged through one small bag she'd carried onto the train with her. The bag was deceptive in its size, looking rather small. She opened it up and reached inside, her entire arm disappearing as she pulled out her Ravenclaw robe and pulled it tightly about her petite frame. Snuggling into it, she smiled. "Ah, see? Much better," she said, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink. "So," she continued. "Simon Mycroft, right?" She arched an eyebrow as she looked over at the Slytherin, her lips quirking up as she suddenly looked lost in thought. "Yes, I do believe we've had a few classes together."

Felicity definitely knew that she and the Slytherin had had classes together in the past. Though the two had never formally spoken, she'd made it a point to at least be aware of the other students around her, especially those with whom she'd shared a class. It was something of a habit to make sure to learn everyone's names. She saw it as a common courtesy of sorts, though she never expected anyone to return the favor.

"So, Mr. Mycroft," Felicity started, a smile on her lips. "Why is it you have this grand car all to yourself? Just enjoying some quiet before the year starts or were you perhaps a bit late in arriving to the station much like myself?" she asked while tugging on her robes a bit more tightly, her head tilting as she waited for the Slytherin to answer.

When Felicity offered her hand towards him, Simon took it in greeting. Happily shaking her hand and slowly becoming familiar with the fact that she wasn't exactly the best public speaker. Her house name didn't ring any bells in his head and that usually meant that either her parents were out caste or she was muggle born. However that wasn't any of his business neither here or there and in truth for now he was just happy for the company even if she did seem to stutter a little and step over herself. It didn't make talking any easier for her, but he found it a little cute that she was socially impaired. "I think I remember you now actually."

When she said that she was just going to grab her robes he nodded, and got up from his seat long enough to retrieve a tattered old backpack. Unlike her's which was enchanted to have extra room, his was just normal. His parents didn't like him having magic while still technically underage by ministry law. So they kept most of the cool stuff out of his hands. Opening it up, he traded his long jacket for the much thinner robes of his house. The green and silver crest of Slytherin on display at his chest as he turned to her, and sat back down. It was odd to actually speak with a person who wasn't a member of ones house. It happened sure, but things were always a little odd considering Hogwarts did it's best to seemingly put other houses in competition with one another.

"Please." He said as soon as she started with the 'Mr Mycroft'. He raised his hand waving it off. "Mr Mycroft is my father please just call me Simon. Were not in business were in school Felicity there is no need for any formalities like that." He said with a small chuckling laugh. If she was addressing his father then that would have been different but the fact was that it was only him there was simply no need for that level of formality between them. It was however kind of cute the way her cheeks were constantly turning crimson and she was being embarrassed. He didn't understand why she would be, but it was really cute none the less.

"I just got here late that's all, everything else was taken so i ducked inside here, and that's where you found me." He said with a small shrug. It wasn't because he wanted to be isolated he just didn't like stepping into another groups conversation he always felt like a third wheel. In a way he wasn't much better then her when it came to talking with other people. He had confidence yes, but he always lost track of names, and people. It was hard to keep track of people in his mind especially in a very large class.

Taking off his scarf he placed it on the chair next to him. The heaters on the train were starting to kick in now that they were in motion and that meant that soon they would be nice and warm, and hopefully dry. He rubbed his hands together and breathed lightly on them. Warming himself up. Trying to get the damp chill out of his body.

"I wonder who will be house prefect this year. It's a tradition to select a fifth year to take on the responsibility. I just hope Slytherin's has a sense of humor this year unlike the last three years." Simon said lightly. He had gained a rather bad reputation among the slytherin house for being a bit of a prankster, though personally he couldn't see what the problem was with turning all of the beds in the Slytherin male dorm into frogs.

There were a lot of questions going into the new year; prefects were to be chosen, not to mention he had been hearing rumors of a new proffessor attending school. For Simon however it didn't really matter all that much he had already chosen his career now graduating was more or less just a formality. It was all about keeping his grade averages up, which meant he had only taken easy courses. For his two electives he had grabbed care of magical creatures, and study of ancient runes. Both were easy if you just listened to the professor. Simon was in this to have a little bit of fun, and for however clever most of the snakes were a lot of them were members of prominent families, and sticks in the mud. If he didn't teach them how to adjust to the real world no one would.

"Are you taking any interesting classes this year?" He asked curious about her course outline.

Simon's hand was warm to the touch, a nice contrast to the chill that hung heavy in the air thanks to the dampness and rain. As Felicity listened to the Slytherin speak, she couldn't help but smile. It was nice to know he wanted to drop the formalities as they sat there in the car together. It was always difficult to tell who was all right with what. She'd had a time or two in the past when someone would give her a glare if she'd addressed them too informally. So, she now made it a rule to err on the side of caution—go with the formal and let them dictate whether or not it was too much. Giggling softly, she adjusted her robes, enjoying the soft feel of the material as it brushed against her skin. It was warm and dry, soaking up the damp of her clothes little by little. It wouldn't be long before she was dry and much more comfortable. As it was, she could hear the heaters clanking and sputtering, mustering up what they could as the train began to make its way along the tracks that would eventually take those on board to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Well, Simon," Felicity said, her cheeks pink as she clutched onto her Ravenclaw robes. "I suppose you and I have something in common at least." Her smile broadened as she hinted about how the two of them were tardy for their arrival for the train. "Let's just hope we can both fix that when classes start." A tiny laugh erupted from her lips and she reached up a hand to cover her mouth. "Though, my lateness was entirely out of my control. Muggle cars are very unreliable and I ended up having to walk several blocks on my own." She sighed softly. "Fortunately, the rain held off for most of my walk."

Felicity bit down on her lip and tilted her head. Her trip to Kings Cross had definitely been eventful. Her parents—both muggles—were supposed to have dropped her off only a block from the station so that she could easily walk to the barrier with her belongings without much trouble. She could then say her goodbyes and board and have had plenty of time to get settled on the train. Unfortunately, on the drive, the vehicle ended up getting a flat and her parents did not have a spare. Being only sixteen, she was not allowed to use magic outside of school. Plus, there was the added fact that she was in an area surrounded by muggle onlookers. Since her parents had accidentally forgotten their cell phones, she'd had no means of getting anywhere easily, her only option... walking.

"As for Prefect? I really do not know whom to expect, to be perfectly honest. I'd heard whispers last year that Winifred Weatherwax might be in the running for Ravenclaw. But these are merely rumors," Felicity stated, her lips still quirked upward in a smile. She ran her fingers through her dark tresses trying to get out some of the tangles caused by the wind and the rain. "Course wise, well, I plan on taking a fairly interesting load."

Felicity paused and sat back. A chill ran down her spine suddenly, which caused her to giggle and blush. Tugging at her robes, she adjusted herself and curled up in her seat across from Simon.

"I'm taking the core classes, of course. But I plan on taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes as electives," Felicity beamed. "I was tempted to ask about the Time Turner though. Rumor has it that one of the 'infamous trio' back during the Second Wizarding War used one." She let out a dreamy sigh. "Just think of how many more things you could learn if you had one of those!" Shaking herself from her reverie, she looked over into Simon's eyes. "Still, I'm pretty happy with my schedule. I'm rather looking forward to potions quite honestly." She giggled and blushed. "It's my favorite. How about you?"

Felicity shifted in her seat and leaned forward attentively, her head propped up on her hand as she looked at Simon.

Simon nodded hearing about muggle transportation. It wasn't often he heard someone from his world talk about stuff like cars, and was actually kind of surprised though it did re affirm his belief that she was a muggle born witch. He watched her blush and curl up. Her hand had been rather more colder then his, but then again anyone who was out in that rain was bound to have some body heat problems. When she mentioned that she would be taking the ancient runes course he smiled lightly. "Looks like we will be having at least one class together then. I also signed up for ancient runes this year."

This girl was rather interesting, and kind of cute. Though she wasn't a slytherin something about having a class with her made him kind of happy. Though he shrugged off that line of thinking rather quickly having to think about the rest of his courses. "The core classes, ancient runes, and care of magical creatures." He said kind of proud of his elective choices even though they were both kind of easy.

"You would never see me trying to apply for a Time Turner, I mean yes they are given out if you want to take every course in the year, but remember the side effects it had on that girl? it doesn't matter how much time you buy with those things your extending your activity compressing every day into five, creating multiple time lines of yourself. Even the smartest of ravenclaws would have problems keeping track of where they were who they talked too and when everything happened. Not to mention the ever apparent risk of running into yourself and creating some kind of time paradox. The use of a time turner is basically committing ritual suicide to your social life." Simon said with a rather dire tone. He had seen first hand what happened to one of his friends who tried to use that thing. He had lasted three months before completely forgetting to sleep, with so many versions of himself he had ended up snapping his mind from exhaustion and spent a good amount of the year in the hospital wing.

"That said I am excited to be back there all the same. Transfiguration is easily my best grade, and this year will be no exception. I'm actually a licensed animangus, but sadly... underage means I can't use that skill outside of school. But once I'm in school I'll be able to perform all the usual stunts." He smiled lightly, "Remember last year the staff kept saying a Raccoon was breaking into the kitchen at night no matter how many locks they would put in the way? That was actually me." Simon puffed out his chest lightly. He was proud of the work he had done when it came to stealing his midnight snacks. He often shared stuff with the first years as well, and was a bit of a show off when it came to his skill, but it was always fun. Especially when the groundskeeper had started putting out traps for him. To Simon it was all one big game, and it didn't seem like any of the teachers ever realized that.

"Though my other classes well." Simon gave a small shrug. If she had ever been around him in a class that wasn't Transfiguration it wouldn't be hard to realize that he wasn't really paying attention. Though that wasn't his fault the other classes were just less interesting to him, and he didn't have much patience for things like potions, or charms easily his two worst grades. Last year he had ended up destroying just about every potion he had ever worked on. "I could probably use a good tutor." He said almost absentmindedly under his breath.

Felicity's face brightened a bit when Simon mentioned he'd be taking Ancient Runes as well. Nodding and smiling, a giddy warmth washed over her at the prospect of sharing a class with someone so seemingly amiable. She wasn't one to have many friends—close friends, especially—so, knowing someone that she got along with would be in one of her classes was definitely something to look forward to as it was a rarity. Most of the time she kept her nose to her books, at least during classes.

As Simon continued to talk about the Time Turner, she leaned back slightly and began to tug on her lip. She had to admit he had a point about the time lines and the havoc it could potentially unleash. She recalled reading about them and the perilous dangers that could ensue should you be seen. It was a nasty business. Tricky. And definitely not something to take lightly. Of course, she knew if she'd dared to attempt to use one, she'd make full certain to use it properly. Then again, why tempt fate if it wasn't necessary.

"You have a point there, Simon," Felicity chimed in softly, her expression thoughtful. She tugged on her robes, snuggling deeper into them as the heater whooshed hot air into the car, warming it up. Slowly, the tiny compartment was becoming more and more comfortable and she could feel her long, dark locks beginning to dry.

Felicity nodded as Simon told her about his love for Transfiguration and his adventures while transmogrifying into a raccoon. It seemed to rival her own passion for Potions. All too often she'd been tempted to go out after hours in the surrounding forest to find ingredients needed for the more difficult potions she'd wanted to try. After all, some things you just couldn't get in the supply rooms or in Hogsmeade. Some things you could only find growing in the wilds outside. But her fears always got the better of her. Perhaps maybe... A blush swept over her cheeks at the very idea of thinking that this Slytherin might be daring enough to help her find ingredients should she want them. He might just be the sort of person to help her muster up the gumption.

"An animagus?!" Felicity exclaimed. "Wow! I'm not overly exceptional at such things, though I still score decently well. Perhaps you can enlighten me there," she added with a soft giggle.

As Felicity bit down on her lower lip, she heard Simon mumble something about a tutor and potions being difficult for him. Immediately, she perked up, her body shifting causing her robes to fall slightly askew about her slender body. Goose bumps formed on her skin as the cooler air caressed her still slightly damp flesh, though she paid it no mind. Her steely gray eyes were fixed upon Simon across the way.

"A tutor?" Felicity spoke, more than asked. "Well, if you need help with things, especially potions..." her voice trailed and her cheeks went pink. "I could probably help you." She let her legs dangle back down over the seat's edge and the robe fell off her body completely as she leaned forward even more. "Potions is my specialty," she said with a smile as the train suddenly lurched over the tracks causing her tiny body to bounce, her hands to grip the seat's edge as she nearly stumbled onto the floor. "So, how about it then? I'll tutor you in Potions and any other subject you are having difficulties in. I honestly don't mind since it'll only help to ensure I know things that much better. And perhaps you can show me a thing or two about Transfiguration. I don't really know any licensed animaguses, so this is definitely something new for me."

Felicity giggled again as she looked at Simon, her body balancing on the edge of her seat while she gripped it tightly, knuckles going white. Again, the train lurched and jolted causing her to jump and let out a tiny yelp as she lost balance and began to slip onto the floor with a small, but embarrassing, thud. Giggling a bit more, she looked up at Simon with a sheepish look and wondered if he'd take her up on the offer.

Had the train always been this bumpy? Simon had to pause for a moment to think about the answer and couldn't really figgure it out. But with every twist in the tracks the train seemed to lurch almost unnaturally, and nearly send him falling off his seat as well as causing all of Felicity's problems with sliding. It was awkward, and he did his best to laugh it off, what he wasn't going to laugh off however was the fact that he had some how wound up with a tutor for all of his other classes. So much for a year of being tardy and not paying attention he thought with a light roll of his eyes.

"Okay sounds good." He said with a smile. He was actually looking forward to working with this Ravenclaw. She seemed rather awkward but her heart and mind were both in a good place, and he could probably use the help if his grades from the last year were an indication of how well he would do this year. In many ways Felicity was actually an interesting person to be around, and if nothing else her constant clumsy movements and blushing was making him laugh a little. She was pleasant and he couldn't say that about many people.

"I'll try my best to teach you about transfiguration magic though I will admit teaching will be rather new to me, and you can help me in my other classes. I guess I will be rather dependent on you." He said giving her a slight bow of appreciation. He was giving her quite the task in truth, and there was the small worry that she was getting in over head by getting involved with someone like Simon, but maybe that wouldn't be the case? In truth Simon was more just hoping he could actually teach what he knew, his notes and organization skills weren't the best and he had never tried to take an apprentice before.

As the car lurched again and skipped a track Simon was practically thrown to the ground. One moment he had been laying flat on his bench and the next he was face down on the floor between the two seats. Slowly getting back up the slytherin could only blush heavily as he sighed embarassed by the moment. "The rain must be making the train ride worse I don't remember it getting this bad last year." He wanted to add or any year prior, but Mycroft didn't even know if he actually remembered all that far back.

Simon slowly sat back down in his chair feeling embarrassed but not broken. The door of their room slid back open and the food trolly rolled into view pushed by an older witch. Looking into the room he smiled towards the two students, "Would you two like anything off of the cart?"

Simon paused a moment going through his bags for his wallet. He knew he had some cash around here somewhere if he could just find the thing. "You want to get anything Felicity or are you gonna save your appetite for the opening feast?" The cart really only sold treats and sweets the likes of which were very bad for you. Still they were a great way to tide the travel, and Simon just kept up his hopes that he was gonna find his wallet before time ran out on the option. It took half a day for them to reach Hogwarts, and for Mycroft half a day without any kind of food was a nightmare in it's self.

"Yes, the train seems especially bumpy this year," Felicity stated as she rubbed at her backside and sat herself back down. She reached for her robes and situated them back around her slim shoulders, letting out a whimpering sigh as she did so. "Mm, much better," she whispered mostly to herself.

The train seemed to lurch a few more times as it sped along the tracks, rain pelting hard against the window as the sky remained dark and ominous overhead. Felicity peered outside for a moment, wondering if it was merely the rain that was giving the train issue or if perhaps the track was just finally needing some repair. Either way, she had no doubt the Ministry would be receiving word and any problems would be dealt with in short order. Things in the magical world usually were. It was something that still astounded her despite things, but then she wondered if perhaps part of that was due to growing up in a world full of muggles, knowing she somehow didn't belong. It wasn't until that fateful day when she'd received that letter that she had confirmation that all her speculations had been true. She was different, far more different than she'd even dared herself to imagine!

"I've no doubt you'll be fine," Felicity said reassuringly. She wasn't sure how well Simon would be able to teach her about the more advanced bits of Transfiguration. But she was a quick study and found herself hopeful that some one on one time with an actual licensed animagus might actually make a difference. It was worth a try at least. She smiled at his further comments, but waved them off. "Oh, don't worry. I honestly don't mind," she added. "It'll be a good review for me. After all, we have our O.W.L.s at the end of the year. So, anything that'll help toward achieving Os in that is something I'll take on." She laughed a little and reached up a hand to cover her mouth.

Felicity tried to think on which classes she and Simon had shared together in the past, but it was hard to say exactly. She definitely recalled his face and was certain that Potions was not one of the classes they'd shared—since she recalled everyone she's shared a Potions class with—but still, she knew they'd had at least one or so. But, no matter. They were talking now and had Ancient Runes to look forward to, no doubt she'd be helping him with that as well. Perhaps they'd even become partners should projects be given their way. But for now, she'd assist as needed.

Just then, the door to their compartment slid open. Felicity turned her head to see the trolley full of sweets displayed before them and smiled. She looked over at Simon who seemed to be rummaging for something, no doubt his money. She smiled inwardly as he desperately searched. Without further hesitation, she reached for her enchanted bag and reached inside easily finding her stash of galleons, sickles and knuts, which she'd had converted prior to arriving at the station and before her parents' car had gotten its flat.

"I'll definitely want something," Felicity stated with a shy smile. Just then her tummy rumbled. Her cheeks reddened and she patted her tummy gently as she took a small handful of galleons and handed them to the witch at the trolley. She gave her a smile. "I'd love some licorice whips, please. Oh and some chocolate frogs." She turned to look at Simon and blushed. "I... I collect the cards," she admitted sheepishly. Looking back at the witch and the trolley, she tapped at her chin contemplatively. "And anything he wants too," she added as she handed her money over for the sweets.

Felicity looked over at Simon, unsure if he'd found what he was looking for or not—though she was fairly sure it was his wallet. She smiled sweetly and gestured he choose something from the trolley before the witch moved on to the next compartment.

Simon's face paled at the mention of the O.W.L.s in a second his easy year had just gone strait to hell. Those tests were supposed to be the killer of the magical world, and he had completely forgotten about them till now. However this also played to his advantage because while he might have to deal with the O.W.L.s this year he also had a rather cute member of Ravenclaw, the smartest of the houses to help him out. He scratched his head, averting his for a moment. "I completely forgot about those tests. Didn't even really study this past summer." He said truthfully.

Simon was about ready to just dump the contents of his bag all over the floor to find his coin. About to give up and give a frustrated sigh and just give up, Felicity seemed to offer to pick up the bill to give him a little extra time. He gave a very thankful nod towards her as he put down his bag temporarily giving up the search which he would be going back to as soon as he made his selection. "I'd like a pack Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Thank you, I promise I will pay you back and I won't forget this." He said very thankful towards Felicity.

Sitting down a moment later with his bag still in his hands as he got the package of beans. Even after the trolly had moved on, he gave a frustrated growl. He knew he had his wallet and he just needed to figgure out where he had packed it. Simon frustrated as ever finally decided to put an end to his search, and pulled out his wand. The 10" long black fir wand was slender with no curves or notches, it's handle was twisted around making a smooth round edge. It's core was dragon heart-string and he was pointing it down at his bag. They weren't technically at Hogwarts yet so magic was still technically illegal, however this situation was starting too seem more then dire enough to allow it.

Holding his wand tight there were some rules one didn't break, and this was a particularly big one. Lowering his wand he shook his head. "I'll get my wallet once we arrive, and pay you back." He said lightly. Putting his wand back where it came from. Sighing he sat back into his chair annoyed he kicked his bag. The summoning charm could wait till they were at Hog warts, that and he was having the sinking suspicion that he had packed his wallet into his larger trunk without thinking either way he would pay her back for the beans.

Sitting down and becoming more calm he smiled towards Felicity. "I used to collect some of the cards as well... Who did you get?" He asked wondering if she got a rare she needed for her collection. Opening the package of beans. He had long accepted the fact that it was impossible to know if what you were getting was a good or bad flavor, rather for him that was just part of the fun. Taking out one he popped it into his mouth. Biting down he quickly swallowed it down caughting. "Spicy." Figures the first one he would get would be a jalapeno pepper flavored bean. His face turned red, and his eyes watered slightly. Reaching forward he offered Felicity one of the many beans while he recovered. "It's great *Caugh* Try some."

Felicity gathered up her sweets and began to sort them out on her seat. Her stormy eyes swept over the array of chocolate frogs that laid out before her while Simon picked out his own treats from the trolley. She smiled a bit as he made his choices, glad she was able to help him out. Seeing as the two would be working together over the course of the semester, she found it nice that she could help him out in this situation—even if it was a simple one. She glanced over after he'd picked out what he wanted and giggled softly as he coughed and sputtered, eating a spicy every-flavor-bean.

"Mm, let's see, shall we?" Felicity said excitedly as she reached for one of the chocolate frogs.

Grabbing one of the boxes, Felicity began to carefully open it up. She sucked in a sharp breath and then pushed back a stray raven-colored lock as it cascaded over her shoulder. Her robes were slipping off her body as she hunched over her little pile of sorted sweets. Finally, she opened the lid and...

Croak!

The chocolate frog leaped out of the box and into Felicity's lap causing her to squeal with delight. Her cheeks went pink as she watched the chocolate treat hop and croak until the enchantment wore off and it went still, merely the candy treat it was.

Felicity turned to look over at Simon, her cheeks flushed as her eyes found his. "I always find that part a bit fun," she mused. "It never gets old for me." Giggling, she peered inside her box and pulled out the card. "Hrm, looks like I got Merwyn the Malicious." Her lips went into a frown. "I don't have any of him, but what a morbid card."

Just then the train lurched causing Felicity to drop her card. She bit down on her lower lip and reached down to retrieve it, her robe slipping off her body. Outside the compartment, she could hear others talking and walking about, no doubt getting a bit restless as their journey to Hogwarts wore on. It was a long trip from Kings Cross and not unusual for students to meander about.

Looking over at Simon, Felicity tilted her head a little. She popped the chocolate frog into her mouth and gave him a smile. After she finished her chocolate she nodded. "Sure, I'll try a bean. Would you like a frog?" she asked while reaching to take a bean. She placed it in her mouth and scrunched her face. "Ooof," she said. "I think I got one that tastes like dirt." She giggled a little as she quickly went to swallow it down. "At least it wasn't vomit." Her cheeks reddened and she gestured toward her own stash for Simon to peruse if he felt so incline. She then took a licorice whip and began to unwind it and put an end into her mouth to nibble.

Simon laughed for a moment seeing how she reacted with the chocolate frog. When he was offered the candy however he waved his hand turning it down. He had enough with just his beans as much as chocolate probably would have helped him quell the fire that had been inside his mouth he still didn't really want to cost Felicity anymore then he already had. If he did too much then he was going to feel like a mooch and then he would never be able to forgive himself. Still he smiled seeing the joy she got out of the frog. "No thanks, ever since one of them jumped onto my face as a child I've never really liked those things. That and I can't have dairy, so no chocolate for me."

Simon laughed a little bit more as she got a dirt flavored bean. Chuckling under his breath as he shook his head. "The odd's of getting vomit flavored beans are very rare. Only one in every twelve or thirteen packages has it." He said quoting some statistic he remembered. Reaching into the box he pulled out another bean and bit down on it, testing it for a moment before enjoying it. Swallowing it back he smiled "That one was lemon." He said more then happy to have one of his favorite flavors. Leaning back into his chair he smiled laughing at the card she managed to pull. Morbid yes, but it was also rather amusing. "I bet 5 Galleons the back of that card mentions he is a slytherin." for some reason almost all of the evil wizards came out of his house, it wasn't a fair bet, and if he won it there was no way he would force Felicity to actually pay him. It was just a way he could try to pay her back a little more... but only if he was wrong.

He paused hearing other voices coming closer to their door, and shrugged it off not thinking they were gonna come in, but that expectation was dashed rather quickly when the door to their compartment was swung open, and a brown hared boy stuck his face in. His blue eyes checked the car for a moment and he opened the door completely passing into the room.

"Well what do we have here!" The boy said. He wore the crest of ravenclaw on his robes, and recognized Felicity with a sharp glance. His name was Kyle Stein. He gave a small yawn as he walked inside the room looking between Felicity and the slytherin male that he didn't really recognize. It was an odd sight to see anyone trying to talk to Felicity. she was awkward and weird, not to mention a mudblood. So seeing her with a member of slytherin was both shocking and odd. "Mind if we crash your little party?" He said gesturing to the person he was leading behind him.

Simon blinked for a moment looking between Felicity and the other boy they were both Ravenclaws so there was probably some kind of history between them. "Friend of yours Felicity?" He said lightly wondering as he grabbed another bean and then immediately tossed it in the box again, to search for another one. You only need to see that pink body with green and purple spots once too remember the flavor for the rest of your life. Shivering slightly as he searched for another more kinder flavor pulling out another bean and popped it into his mouth, and his smile failed him as he got a very strong matalic flavor in his mouth. "Blood flavor? I didn't even know they made that." He shook his head still better then the pink one.

Felicity looked over at Simon with an arched brow and tilted head. Her dark hair had mostly dried thanks to the heater's hot whooshing air blowing into their tiny compartment. Tendrils fell over her shoulders and a few stray strands had managed to fall over her face, concealing it from view ever so slightly. Her robes had slipped off her slim body, pooled in a rumpled heap about her as she began to turn her card about in her small hands. She bit down on her lip as she read over the card to herself:

'Merwyn the Malicious was an outspoken wizard of his time and known for his performance of unpleasant spells and nasty hexes.'

"Hrm, well," Felicity half mumbled as her gray eyes inspected the card through the dark locks that covered her eyes. She was reluctant to read more, to look and see just what origin this Merwyn the Malicious might've had. Just as her eyes found the Slytherin crest, her heart beating fast beneath her breast as she saw the tiny silvery serpent, her face went hot and her breath caught in her throat.

Just then, before Felicity could answer, the door to their compartment swung open. Immediately, she sat upright, her train of thought interrupted entirely as she stared straight into the eyes of Kyle. The Ravenclaw definitely had a reputation among those of her house. Her spine rigid, she tucked her card away and gathered up her sweets.

"Hello, Kyle," Felicity said softly giving him a nod, though her eyes didn't quite meet his. She scooted over to the corner, her robes bunching up into a ball behind her as she moved, unsure if Kyle and his friend were going to make themselves more comfortable or not. Not wanting to make any assumptions, she figured it best to just make the room just in case.

Felicity's eyes never left the floor. "Simon, this is Kyle Stein. He's in my house," she said softly, gesturing toward her housemate. "Kyle, Simon Mycroft of Slytherin house."

Without further hesitation, Felicity nibbled even more furiously on the licorice whip she'd begun to chew on only moments ago, her cheeks burning as the tension in the small space seemed to grow. She allowed her eyes to drift slightly and she managed a glimpse of Kyle's shoes. Meanwhile, outside in the corridor beyond the compartment, she could just barely tell that more students were bustling by, no doubt seeking out friends to catch up with before they arrived back at school. Though she could distinctly hear a few voices shouting insults, while another few seemed to be laughing.

Typical.

Felicity then looked over at Simon as he chewed and swallowed down his blood-flavored bean. She didn't know why, but for some reason, the timing of such a flavor seemed oddly appropriate. Unable to help herself, she smiled a little, her hands rubbing at her arms. "They do make every flavor," she said almost musically, though her voice was still quite soft. Averting her eyes once more though her smile remained, her cheeks turned bright pink.

Felicity didn't seem to need to raise her voice in order for Simon to know that he was right. In fact he could practically read it on her face and so he waved it away showing he didn't really care about the money at all. Though every time she was embarrassed he had more then a little fun. He didn't mean for it to be directly at her expense but damn it if her face didn't light up in one of the cutest ways he had ever witnessed. He enjoyed her company perhaps more then most other slytherin, she was cute, smart, and unique. Simon shook his head for a moment her face was payment enough. "Your cute embarrassment is payment enough for a life time, no bet, and also never play cards with anyone." With her face it seemed like it would be impossible for her to win at such a game.

When she introduced Simon to Kyle however he blinked curiously. There was an odd tension in the air around the two of them. For a moment he was about to mistake it for some sort of former lovers quarrel with one another, but the way Felicity hadn't answered his question about him being a friend told him wonders about the two. He didn't know what reputation she had among other members of ravenclaw but Simon was the same with most slytherin holding his own foul reputation. He knew disapproval when he saw it someones eyes.

Simon also let out a soft laugh when she made her joke about every flavor. That was most certainly true, and so he took another bean, and popped it into his mouth trying to figure out how best to remove Kyle from this situation. At the same time however he didn't want to start a fight, and he currently didn't have any magic with which to use. He had a single weapon, the pink and green bean he still held onto.

Kyle on the other hand smiled glowing for a moment that he had found a pure blood Slytherin. Smiling for a moment he looked between them, but then blinked slowly as he heard the last name. "Mycroft?" He said linguistically for a moment. The name was familiar though not one of the wealthy families. He was almost certain though that Simons mother had held some sort of position. Though with the wizarding community everything was so closely knit together that it was actually hard to keep track of everyone's name.

"You know Simon you really shouldn't fraternize with..." Kyle gestured towards Felicity trying to figure out how best to put his comment. He looked between the two of them, Simon's face was getting harder and harder to read for a moment, while Felicity seemed her usual awkward self. "Well it looks bad when a family such as yours goes around with mudbloods."

Felicity could feel the weight of Kyle's gaze as he stood there, the way he judged her and now Simon. Sitting silently against the corner, her back up against her bunched up robes, she gritted her teeth and hoped the moment would pass by quickly. Unfortunately, her housemate seemed determined to linger about with his friend. His intentions? Oh, she wasn't sure. Though she was certain part of it was to now ensure that she was having a bad time on her trip back to school. Any time she crossed paths with him that seemed to be the way of things. After all, he did have a reputation to uphold. It was amazing that he had any friends at all. But he did. The boy with him was proof enough.

Daring to look over at Simon, Felicity lifted her head and allowed her eyes to find those of the Slytherin's. He was still sitting there rather casually, popping another bean into his mouth as he looked over at Kyle and acknowledged him. She swallowed hard, her heart beating so hard she swore it might find a way to tear itself out of her chest. How Simon was able to seem so relaxed as he sat there, she had no idea. Perhaps it was a Slytherin thing. Most Slytherins seemed able to pull off this feat. Just as her eyes locked with his she heard that abominable word leave Kyle's mouth, rolling off his tongue with such ease she wondered how it was that he was able to sleep at night.

Mudblood.

One would think that Felicity would be used hearing such things. Only truth of the matter was that she wasn't. Use of the word had dropped rather significantly since the Second Wizarding War had been fought. It was only those wizarding families with the older ideals, those unable to truly let go and embrace the fact that You Know Wh-... that Voldemort... was truly dead and gone. Such families were few and far between and the popularity they once held didn't come close to anything special nowadays.

"I found Simon's car," Felicity offered up in case Simon wanted an out. She was bothered that Kyle was trying to insult him. It was one thing for him to insult her, but another for him to turn and try to belittle another. So far the Slytherin had been nothing but nice to her and watching her housemate try to use his suave tricks in hopes to corner Simon upset her greatly. She raked a trembling hand through her long, dark hair. "And I needed some place to sit."

Just then, the train lurched and Felicity felt her body jostle as she nearly tumbled out of her seat. Truly the tracks were in a state of disarray and the Ministry would be hearing about it. No doubt many would be complaining in short order. Again, the train lurched and she hit her head against the window behind her head causing her to wince.

"Oww," Felicity yelped, her one hand moving to grip her seat to help prevent her from falling onto the floor.

More than anything, Felicity wished she could grab her wand and hex Kyle into next week. The wizard deserved it and more. But doing so would only result in trouble and misery. There was also expulsion to worry about and the Ravenclaw just wasn't worth the effort. Embarrassed and wishing she could hide, she reached behind herself and tried to pull her robes back up and around her body. Unfortunately, they'd twisted up, so it was a struggle as she tried to get them up about her shoulders. Finally, she gave up and let them fall back down upon the seat in a crumpled heap, a small scowl playing on her lips while her skin flushed and the tension in the tiny compartment continued to rise.

Simon let out a low breath feeling the tension. Getting up to his seat he pulled out the only weapon he had, making sure to look as abscentminded as possible as he grabbed the bean out of the box. He just shook his head trying to remain as calm as possible though under his collected exterior he was fuming for many reasons. The main one being that his act though for the greater good was probably hurting the already upset Felicity, who had still done nothing wrong. For now he just gave a small sigh shaking his head. When Felicity bashed her head against the window and sat frustraited that she couldn't get her robes back on he wanted nothing more then to comfort her, but stayed with the trap he was laying. "I could have guessed, want one?"

He said offering up the bean to Kyle, who took it without hesitation. Kyle was thinking only that he had made an ally as he popped the bean into his mouth, and bit down the flavor becoming aparant as he gagged and choked on it. Every part of his body was both seezing up in disgust and at the same time trying to get it out, the result being that he bit down harder, and the disgusting tasting bean was stuck to his teeth.

Simon smiled a little more cruelty now. "Yeah that's about the flavor you deserve to chew on right now. Salazar Slytherin was a great wizard accomplishing many fantastic and impossible feats with his life, He was cunning ambitious, and cared deeply for his students, during his time as one of the founding members of hogwarts he mastered the language of snakes, tamed one of the worlds greatest killing machines, and revolutionized the way we look at defense against the dark arts, as well as created many spying charms still in use by the minestry today, but... Do you know what he is most remembered for?"

Kyle stepped back from Simon choking for a moment still trying to spit out the remnants of the flavor. Shaking his head his eyes watered for a moment. Simon was on the other hand more then happy to educate him. "Betraying his friends, lying and creating a feud that would divide the wizarding world leading up and creating a situation where Voldemort calling himself a dark lord could use our colors to try and take over the world... Get out." Simon was finished grabbing the car door he slammed it in Kyle's still pained face.

Simon shrugged off the frustration and turned towards Felicity a warm smile on his face offering her another bean from the box. "Pure bloods am I right? we can just never seem to get off our damned high horse, even when the poor thing is drowning in mud." Sitting down this time next to Felicity he let out a long sigh, and placed a hand on her shoulder kindly touching her back to try and comfort her.

Cheeks burning and head throbbing, Felicity wished she could just somehow leave the tiny compartment. But unfortunately Kyle and his friend who stood behind him barred the way. The way they sneered and smiled as she sat there, clearly uneasy and bothered—oh how she just wished she could hide the she was feeling at that very moment—was unnerving. And Simon... Simon was just able to sit there calm and collected as if unfazed. It truly had to be a Slytherin trait. Or maybe it was just a trait everyone else but her seemed to have?

Now that was something Felicity could believe.

Refusing to give into the emotions roiling beneath the surface, Felicity knew she couldn't dare look anyone in the eye. Doing so would cause her to lose all self-control and, as it was, she was barely holding on to her dignity. Sucking in a sharp breath, she counted silently to five and then slowly exhaled, the air shaky as it passed over her lips. As the tension began to grow, she focused on Simon's voice as he began to talk to Kyle, suddenly offering up one of the beans. For a fleeting moment, her steely eyes flitted over to the Slytherin as he handed the candy to her housemate. She could see the smug grin on the Ravenclaw's face, but in an instant it was gone and soon he was sputtering and choking. She then shifted her eyes back toward Simon, his calm, nonchalant demeanor slowly changing to that of cruel, almost sinister.

Felicity felt a shiver run along her spine as she listened to Simon speak, his words cold, but sincere, as he forced Kyle and his friend out of the compartment and finally slammed the door in their faces. She bit down on her lip, her cheeks hot due to what had just transpired. She looked up at Simon through dark locks that had fallen in front of her face and then pushed them away absently, a small but crooked smile just barely there as he moved to sit down next to her. His actions against Kyle had certainly been unexpected, though she was glad to know she'd found someone unafraid to stand up for what he thought, not to mention wasn't prejudice against muggle-borns.

"Thank you," Felicity said softly, leaning slightly into Simon's touch as he gently placed his hand against her back. His gesture was kind and comforting and more than helped to take her mind of the unpleasantness that Kyle had tried to create. "Kyle is definitely that," she added looking over at him, her cheeks turning pink. "But I wouldn't say that's true of all pure bloods." She gave him a smile as she let out a tiny sigh and averted her eyes, her hands suddenly moving to her lap as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. "I... I think I know one, maybe two, who are worth getting to know."

Simon laughed slightly at Felicity's comment. As she leaned in closer to his touch he didn't push her away rather brought her just a little bit closer. Placing a warm dry arm across her shoulder and he smiled. He shook his head still feeling bad that for a moment he had to lie to her in order to get Kyle to eat the bean, though the way she was smiling told him that all was forgiven. He leaned back keeping his arm on Felicity for as long as she would allow him to have it there. "Good when you find those people they are worth hanging onto, don't ever let them go, and besides you know how the old saying goes."

"Perhaps in Slytherin you'll meet your real friends." Simon cut himself off at the rest of the house old poem. Not wanting to tarnish what he meant by it, and rather just savor the fact that he actually got to use the cheesiest line he could think of, and if he didn't lie, savor the fact that he had also gotten rid of the rare vomit flavor bean. Normally it wasn't a flavor he would wish upon his worst enemy, but Kyle had deserved it in more then one way, and now with that bean gone he could happily eat away at his box of beans without fear of truly terrible flavors.

Simon let out a long sigh for a moment just feeling the movement of the train and a more peaceful silence accompanied with the sound of rain over the train. All of it helped to restore the peaceful friendly atmosphere the two had been building up since before Kyle's intervention. Slytherin wasn't the same as it had been back then, most families understood now what happened if they continued down the old ways of thinking, and Slytherin house had been opened up to muggle born, and magic born alike. It was the first and only amendment set out by the school since the days of the four creators. Slytherin was still the home of the ambitious, and the clever, Still held the name of their creator, but the staff had long agreed the house needed to be changed if peace was to be reserved, and it also helped to recognize that ambition was a trait anyone could share regardless of birth.

Still with the new Slytherin came new challenges, and repairing their name was one of many. It was difficult to find a slytherin in this day and age who agreed with the old line of thinking, it was too stunting held you back in too many places, and if you wanted to succeed you couldn't be held back you had to adapt to the times if you wanted to be clever. Shaking his head Mycroft gave a small giggle. Seeing her face was still red. "You know I've actually always wondered about how the otherside lives, I took muggle studies once, but one of the kids there told me it was completely racist, almost like the teacher had no idea was he was talking about."

Felicity's cheeks reddened a bit more as she sat there next to Simon, leaning against him as he let his arm fall against her body. It was warm and the weight welcoming as he offered her comfort after everything that had happened. To think they'd only just begun to really get to know each other on this train ride. Not long ago, he'd merely been a face she recognized, someone she knew she'd shared a class with at one point or another and nothing more. But now? Now there was something deeper—an alliance, a bond and, when she thought a bit more on it, most definitely a friendship. She owed him a lot for his act of cunning valor that he'd displayed with Kyle. It had been a sight to behold and no acquaintance—not even friendly ones—had ever gone to such lengths for her in the past. Not for anything.

"Perhaps," Felicity mumbled almost inaudibly, smiling as her eyes remained fixed on her lap and her cheeks continued to burn. Simon's words touched her as he said them. Finally, she shifted a little and turned to look upon his face.

It truly had been an eventful day, everything unfolding in ways she hadn't quite expected. Her day had started out dreadfully when her parents' car had gotten the flat and she had to say her goodbyes prematurely and walk in the rain. But she hardly could think on that now. She could hear the wind howling outside the window as the rain pelted the train. The storm was definitely getting worse, but at least they were inside. And now that she was in the company of someone like Simon, she could almost forget about her earlier troubles of the day.

Felicity grabbed one of her licorice whips that was nearby and brought it up to her mouth. She began to nibble on the end of it as she peered into Simon's eyes. "Muggle studies?" she stated more than asked. "Well, I never took it since it's an elective and being muggle-born, there isn't a need..." Her voice trailed and she tapped her chin. "You know," she said, her expression turning thoughtful. "I could tell you all about muggles, if you want." She giggled a bit, her worries about Kyle nearly forgotten.

Just then, Felicity let go of her skirt hem with her free hand and touched Simon's leg, her body moving a bit closer to his. She tilted her head as she nibbled on her treat, her eyes going wide as she looked up at him in wait for an answer—preferably an approving one.

"My parents aren't anything flashy. My dad is a doctor and my mom is a librarian," Felicity spoke, her voice soft. "Maybe that's why I love to read," she added, talking mostly to herself. She giggled a little and shrugged, her hand still resting on Simon's leg. "No matter though. But I can tell you about that and what my home is like, the things we have there. I even have muggle pictures in my trunk!" She exclaimed, her voice showing enthusiasm. "I can show you those. They don't move about like magical photos, so you might find them boring. But they are interesting all the same," she said with a nod. "I can show you lots of things, well, if you want me to."

Felicity blushed, her eyes moving to her hand that was touching Simon's leg. Gasping softly, she bit down on her lip and hesitantly pulled her hand back to her lap and began to fidget with her skirt once again.

Simon smiled and nodded at the thought of learning about the muggles. They were fascinating, and without the use of magic they had created a civilization that easily eclipsed many of the accomplishments of the wizarding world. His third year professor though dubious often spoke about how the muggles had mastered storing items such as songs and music in clouds. He was snapped back to reality when he heard that her father was a doctor, and her mother was a librarian. It was fascinating and he smiled lightly. "You will have to teach me, and show me everything, though I think we will have to slow down a little, at this rate you will end up having to teach me every subject this school has to offer." He stuck out his tongue with a slightly teasing tone.

"Hey don't knock doctors. My uncle is a doctor in the memory care ward at St Mungo's hospital. Ever since he got hit with a memory charm the man thinks he is a dentist." He said with a laughing\joking tone. "In all truth though they sound like accomplished people in their own right, and you should be proud of your family, and I would love to see your pictures. I hardly think of anything like that as boring they are of your family after all." He said happily.

As her hand touched his leg he honestly didn't mind he was just happy to have her with him, and he didn't mind how close she got to him. In truth he had started it with the hand on her back and was silently waiting for her to reject him. Waiting for her to push away from him or something to that effect what happened instead was that she pulled away her hand with a rather cute sounding gasp. "It's okay, I don't bite, often." He said giving her a wide grin. He felt an odd yet strong connection to her. Felicity was cute, and oddly charming. She was also slowly but surely winning over his heart in a way, Simon knew when he was crushing, and this was pretty much the same kind of feeling. There was a connection here, and he liked that fact.

There was a moment of silence and then just as Simon was about to say something there was another hard bump in the tracks this time the entire train car shuddered and he felt his head bash against Felicity's as his body was practically thrown agianst hers. "Son of a..." He took a deep breath catching himself before he let an explicative cross his mouth. He rubbed his head lightly. "I'm sorry are you okay?"

Simon recovered wanting off the train more and more, though this time the reason for the shuddering was explained as the sound of thunder rolled over the sky. "There is no way the first years are taking the trip across the lake in this weather. Almost feel sorry for the little kids they are gonna miss out." He said remembering the first time he had ever seen the school from across the lake, the lights, and still waters all reflecting around the stars. "Would you like to know about my family?" He said after another moment.

"My father's name is Micheal Mycroft, he and his best friend own a shop in Diagon Alley called slugs and jiggers Apothecary, and my Mother works under the department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic." The work his mother did under the ministry of Magic was almost always classified there was very little in the way of her that he really understood. His father on the other hand was a complete open book an honest man who works in a shop with an old friend. "Afraid neither of them are all that spectacular." He said giving a small shrug.

Felicity couldn't help but smile at Simon, his reassuring comments only making her feel more at ease in his presence. She laughed silently to herself as she thought on how frustrated she'd been at having arrived so late at Kings Cross, nearly missing her train and getting caught in the down pour outside. For a moment, she peered out the window, glimpsing at the rain as it continued to come down in torrents. A shiver ran along her spine just then and she attempted to reach for her robes. But they were still bunched up on the seat—partially behind and partially beside her—as she sat next to Simon on the seat.

The burn on Felicity's cheeks intensified when Simon made the joke about biting, but she giggled despite herself and brought up a hand to rake it through her dark hair as it fell over her shoulders. When her fingers reached the end, she began to twist the locks idly, her head tilting as she leaned against him just a bit more, relishing both the comfort and company.

"Good to know," Felicity said softly through her giggle. "It's been noted." She turned to look at Simon just then, her eyes finding his. It was in that moment when the train lurched and Simon's head plummeted toward her own. "Ouch!" she yelped as Simon shouted out. Immediately, her hand went up to rub at the sore spot, but her eyes were fixed on the Slytherin. "I'm fine," she said sheepishly, still smiling despite the little accident. "I hope you are as well." She thought about reaching up to touch him; the urge strong to just...

But, Felicity thought better of it, not wanting to make herself out to be more awkward than she already knew she was. Her skin flushed and she twisted her fingers through her hair as she shifted slightly in her seat next to him while they made small talk.

Giving Simon a smile, she nodded excitedly when he mentioned his family. "Oh yes, I'd love to hear about your family," she said. At that, she curled up next to him, bringing her legs up onto the seat. She turned her body slightly and looked directly at him, giving him her full attention. "Well, like you told me, you should be proud of your parents," she stated, her tone resembling the same one he gave her when he'd said similarly to her moments ago. She smiled and giggled, her expression thoughtful yet coy. "I think we could learn a lot from each other just by delving into each others' histories. It's pretty exciting," she added. "You'll have to tell me what it's like living in a magical home. I've never seen or anything like that before. I've only ever been to Hogwarts," she admitted, her eyes moving to gaze upon the floor. "So, think of it as a trade. We can teach each other."

At that, Felicity looked back over at Simon, her smile lighting up her face.

Simon's eyes were brought back to Felicity's smile, and for a moment he wanted to lean in a little further and do something he had never really done before. However he immediately fought the urge back. Friend or not he had just met her, and Felicity was the type to take things rather personally from what he had seen so far. He had no idea what something like a kiss would even do in his mind to their just starting friendship, and in truth he didn't want to take any kind of risks. There was a loud whistle to signify that the train was coming up to Hogwarts, and So Simon got up from his seat a little reluctantly. "Time to change, you know how it is." He said with a small bow, walking outside of the room. Hogwarts was a school with a mandatory uniform, the robes were only part of it, and so he turned smiling towards Felicity and gave a small bow, "I look forward to learning all i can from you in the coming year." He said happily before shutting the door and taking up a guard stance outside.

The rest of the night was covered by the storm. Even the trip outside of the train and onto the waggons, was a miserable muddy plight, that Simon didn't really mind. The castle was well illuminated, and when they finally got to those dry halls, they were welcomed with the ability to once again use magic. Suddenly drying off was as easy as a flick of a wand. For within the schools halls there were no restrictions placed upon them in the casting of magic. It was a home of practice and education. Simon had spent all the time he could near to or close to Felicity on that day, but upon getting into the great hall all houses were devided and the Slytherin found himself with the rest of the snakes. Though he sat facing the Ravenclaw table.

The sorting ceremony came and went with the hat's usual musical tone. Mycroft kept an ear open to any names that he would have known, but in truth his eyes hardly glanced at the first years. He was more preoccupied with the fifth year student. He felt like a stalker, and yet at the same time didn't really care, because he was a stalker with the best of intentions. after the headmaster Darwin Evert reminded and told everyone of the rules, the feast began and then shortly after Mycroft ate enough that he felt sick the night was over, with the walk down to the dungeons and into the slytherin common room. The password this year was oddly enough Merwyn the Malicious following the slytherin tradition of naming each years password after a famous wizard who graduated from their grand house. From there Simon found his bed where his belongings were and fell asleep.

Tomorrow was going to be a loong day there was no doubt about that. classes were too resume, and at some point he would have a class with Ravenclaw, and ancient runes with Felicity tomorrow. It was kind of odd that was what he was most looking forward too.

Felicity was lost in thought as she looked into Simon's eyes. Truly the train ride back to school had turned into something much more than she'd ever expected or could have hoped for. She felt a strange flutter in her tummy as she looked into his eyes, taking note of how the light reflected off the flecks of green that resided there. He looked almost angelic with his fair features staring back at her, a kind face and warm smile. She blushed yet again despite herself, her eyes flitting from his eyes down to his mouth. She licked her lips just then and began to twist furiously at her hair. Just then the whistle suddenly sounded breaking her from her reverie. Biting down on her lower lip, she let out a tiny giggle.

It wasn't long before Felicity changed into her Ravenclaw uniform, her rumpled robe slung about her shoulders in a disheveled manner. But no matter, they were hers and they were warm. "Until later," she said to Simon before finally leaving the platform as they went to return to the school, the castle looming in the distance. Fortunately, they were all able to travel under the cover of the wagons. It was a pity the storm was so terrible this year, causing changes in what had been the most beloved of traditions. She heaved a heavy sigh as she watched even the 'first years' get escorted to their own special wagons since travel over the lake was nigh impossible as the thunder roared and the lightning cracked and flashed across the dark sky.

Once inside and at the Ravenclaw table, Felicity felt that strange sense of belonging wash over her. She didn't really have many friends at school, but there was that feeling of finally being in a place where she was with others who were similar, who could understand what it was like to be her. For some reason that gave her comfort even if very few gave her the time of day. But it hardly mattered. She had her classes to look forward to and... She turned to glance over at the Slytherin table, her stormy eyes finding Simon amongst the crowd without too much effort—she'd be able to notice him anywhere now—and smiled. For a brief moment she swore that their eyes locked. Sucking in a sharp breath, she bit down on her lip and blushed, her hands going to work to fill her plate with something to eat.

Across the way, Andromeda Sheppley eyed her housemate, her fiery hair as red as the flames she felt seething against her face as she watched Felicity, that no good mudblood making eyes at one of their own.

The nerve.

Andie didn't know Simon well, but she'd had a class with him the year before. One thing she did know was that he was a pure-blood and that was enough for her to find him rather attractive.

"So, Felicity," Andie began. "Rumor has it that you were late getting to the train. Something about a flat tire?" The witch giggled as she pushed at her fiery tresses. "Honestly, traveling in such a beastly manner," she added with a disapproving huff. "It's a wonder you ever make it here year after year."

Felicity blushed a little and bit into a roll. She chewed and swallowed it down and shrugged. "I hardly notice it, Andromeda," she said flatly.

Just then a blonde girl—Melinda Evercreech—paraded down the hall and made her way to her seat at the Gryffindor table, a small entourage following her. She scowled as if annoyed, but it was clear that she was loving the attention despite her actions. "Here," the blonde said pushing up her glasses and then dropping her robes on a random 'first year'. "You can put these... somewhere."

"Yes, Melinda. Whatever you say."

And so the evening wore on. Felicity was more than grateful when she was able to finally head up toward the Astronomy Tower where the Ravenclaw dorms were—away from the hustle and bustle, away from it all. As she finally got into bed and felt her eyes slowly closing, her last thoughts were about Simon and the class they'd be sharing the next day. She also wondered if they'd get a chance to see each other at any other times between classes. Blushing... drifting... she figured only she could be so lucky.

Simon awoke early in the morning thanks in part to one of his fellow members of Slytherin. He was a slow start, stretching and giving a heavy yawn as he woke up. His back popped in several places, and looked around the dungeons where Slytherin had their dorm room. Getting out of bed, he looked around the barracks that amounted into the male dorm, and bedroom. "I hate mornings." He said with a small glare as he got to the slytherin showers and took up a hot shower to help him wake up. getting dressed Simon left for breakfast at the great hall. Choosing not to linger around the Slytherin dorm for any longer then he needed too. It was nice to be back but classes started today and the last thing he wanted and or needed was to be late for his first class of the day. He still felt rather full from the feast he had eaten yesterday, and in his back pocket he still had the box of every flavored beans tucked away encase he wanted an unhealthy snack.

Even as he stretched as he walked Simon couldn't seem to get the feeling he wanted to have right now. He wanted to be spry, and ready for duty, but he couldn't help the feeling that it was too damn early to get up. Walking into the great hall the slytherin looked up at the sky, and saw that the storm had ceased, but more importantly the sun was only starting to rise, there were still clouds in the sky but they were white and puffy. All in all today promised to be a much calmer and warmer day then yesterday's thunderstorm.

Sitting down at the Slytherin table there were only a handful of other people around, Most would either get a later start to their day or were already headed towards what ever it was they were going to do.

On the other hand high in the Gryffendor tower a young man had chosen to fall asleep not in the bedrooms or dorms, but rather the common room of the dorm. Sprawled out on one of the many bean chairs of the tower, his name was Markus Harrow A fifth year student, and a half blood wizard. Though his parents were now separated he was an estranged wizard born of both worlds. He slept soundly making no sounds of any kind either snoring or otherwise tucked away in his small little corner letting the world pass him by.

Kyle walked down the path from the male dorm into the the Ravenclaw common room. His appetite had returned to him late last night, but by then it had already been too late. Now he was hungry, and annoyed having to put up with the rest of his housemates for the rest of the day. Though at least it meant he would get too see how Felicity screwed up today. He sat down in the common room. His stomach was growling telling him that he should have gone to the great hall and try to get some breakfast, but at the same time he didn't really get the chance to speak with Andie last night since he had sat far away from Felicity.