Cynthia got out of the van at King's Cross. She stood in front of the bus, and crossed her arms. The bus behind her had plenty of seats for all of the kids' stuff and the kids themselves. She had rented it from a muggle bus rental in order to bring all the children home to Oulton Broad. The trip had taken 3 hours to get there, so Cynthia was feeling a little run down.

"Alright, Cait. We're here." Cynthia said, knocking on the passenger's window. Cynthia glanced at her watch. The Hogwarts Express would arrive soon. Cynthia reached into her pocket, taking out the list of students.

Alice Hunter
John Windell
Dessa Share
Lexi McGee
Emile Lawson
Annette Lotusorder
Rose Holloway
Mason Hawkins
Rohan Graham
Chloe Harris
Shade O'Connor
Sky O'Connor

She folded the paper back up, and put it into her pocket, waiting for the students to arrive.

Caitlyn reluctantly shut the book she was reading, leaving it on her seat as she got out of the bus. This wasn't really the place she wanted to be; not only did it bring back way too many bad memories, but she'd have to face what she had been afraid of for so long. Talking to her daughter. Seeing her daughter. Facing the facts that Alexandra's life, and her own, were so very different now.

And she still didn't know how to cope with that fact.

"Long drive," Cait remarked as she got out, noticing how run down Cynthia looked. "How many kids are we rounding up?" She asked, knowing it had been a lot, but she wanted to be able to keep a headcount on them at all times, even if that got to be a bit difficult. There were other parents milling about, a lot of them ecstatic to see their kids; some of them worried about how their kids had done in school so far.

"We're taking 12 home. We've got first years, fourth years, and a couple of sixth years. I figured we'd stick the first years in the second row behind us, 4th year in the next row, and the sixth years behind that. What do you think?" Cynthia replied, recalling the number from her mind. "It makes this easier for the parents. Everyone is super busy back at home, and it's like the one thing I love to do each year."

Cynthia glanced at her watch. "They should get here any time soon."

"That's a lot of kids," Cait remarked. "Best to keep an eye on the first years; still just little kids."

Cait smiled at Cynthia, "I'm glad you found something to love like this. It's perfect for you, it really is. You are just, a perfect mother, not just for your kids but everyone." She said, thinking about their childhood. "I guess I probably gave you some practice after Hogwarts when I stayed over the summer. Never realized how much of a pain it is to have a little Puffle running about."

"I hope they all sat together, maybe they'll stick together when they get off so we can find them all in one spot." She said, "But, I never sat with anyone of the train, and we're bound to get a shy personality somewhere on your list." Cait could hear the sound of the train as they reached the platform, "Here they come."

Annette popped off the train as quickly as she could, she had to get home as soon as possible. Her dad had sent her an owl telling her she's be going home with the Mrs. Hunter and Mrs. McGee. She was terribly excited and couldn't wait for Christmas. She wasn't too thrilled with going back to her father's rules though, and wearing the tight, stiff dresses instead of her robes and her loose fitting button down shirts and her yellow and black skirt that she loved to wear. She'd have to hang up her Hufflepuff tie and put on her Lotusorder pearls.

Anni husseled to the baggage car, dodging hundreds of students unboarding, and found her trunk, she found a trolley and with the help of some older students, got it onto the trolley and began pushing it across the station, people clearing as she passed. She saw the parking lot and picked up the pace. She didn't want to get lost just before going home. Annette "parked" her trolley and leaned up against the railing.

"Hello Mrs. Hunter!" She said, waving. Cynthia Hunter was the mother she had always wanted. A woman who cared about everyone and cooked and was just so.. different than her mother, who spent her days painting landscapes in her shed while it rained.

"Annette! Come give me a hug!" Cynthia went to her, wrapping her arms around the young Hufflepuff. She kissed her on the top of the head, before letting go of the girl. "So. How was your first semester?" She asked excitedly, taking the girl's trunk, and casting a quick shrinking spell, so she could stick it easily into one of the seat pockets. "Was the room okay? The classes? How was Alice? Was the food good? Did you learn new things? Did anyone bother you? How was professor Storm?" She smiled. "Needless to say, I want to know everything about the semester."

"We have a 3 hour drive, but I don't think we'll have any trouble with boredom."

YAY home! he could see it in his window. Jack began to get really jittery and just couldn't wait. As soon as the doors opened he literally jumped out of seat and ran to grab his stuff. Seeing as most of his other friends were doing the same it wasn't really odd  when all the first years were at the van around the same time.

Jack found Annette and the gang and soon after jumped straight into the car, "The sooner we get home the more fun we can have." He quickly put on his seat belt and sat there painfully waiting for the older kids to come.

Emile made sure to grab his suitcase from the baggage car before he stepped off onto platform 9 and 3/4.  He had been informed by a few of his fellow Oulton Broad residents that Alice and Lexi's mothers would be chauffeuring all of the students of Oulton Broad to their hometown, as well as any other students who wanted to tag along.

  He made for the parking lot, not entirely enthusiastic for the drive.  At least several other first years were taking the trip.  He suppressed a moan when he saw a lone vehicle that was to cart some dozen students three hours. 

One miss Alexandra McGee was not feeling particularly ecstatic in the slightest. As the train ride had gone on and on, her mood had gotten worse. Not necessarily to others around her, she'd been quite chatty with Alice on the ride; but on the inside she was torn up. Alice's mom was driving them home, and her Mom was tagging along.

Once they arived at the platform, Lexi reluctantly dragged her feet to the baggage cart. She retrieved her suitcase, and Jethro had been with her on the train ride, so all was well so far. She saw others bounce towards the bus, Annette and Jack included; at least Emile didn't look enthusiastic. Lexi would have thrown herself from the bus if everyone was as bouncy and happy as Annette.

"Hey Aunty Cyn!" She called, forcing a smile, but dropping it as she walked by her. "Mom." Lexi's mom made an attempt for a hug but Lexi shrugged her off, getting on the bus and sitting down near the front, Jethro cooing in the cage on her lap.

Cynthia smiled as each first year joined the group. She rustled Jack's hair with a kind smile. "Nice to see you Jack! I hope it was a good semester!" Jack got into the van, and then she saw Emile come up to the van.

She heard him moan in distaste at the ride, and shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry. It'll be fun, Emile. We'll chat the whole time. You won't even realize how quick it'll go." She also rustled his hair, with a kind smile, before ushering him towards the van.

And then Lexi approached. Cynthia was worried about this interaction. Cynthia knew that the relationship had been stressed as of late, but Cynthia figured everything would be fine. Lexi declined a hug from her mother, and Cynthia shot Cait an "It's Okay" hand gesture, assuring her that this bump in the relationship was only temporary.

Alice jogged her way towards the van, before dropping her stuff, and launching herself into her mother. Cynthia caught her, and hugged her close, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Hello my little mouse." Cynthia said, as she put Alice down. Alice then ran to the van, and piled in with her friends. "Okay!" Cynthia shouted. "Any first years missing?"

Cait set her jaw as Alexandra ran past her, forcing herself to not have an emotional breakdown, but silently congratulating herself on not making a scene out here in public. The hug would have been for show, just for her sister and everyone watching. Had it gone Cait's way, she would not be here, picking up her werewolf daughter.

"Whatever," she said in response to Cyn's stupid hand gesture. It's not like she needed the reassurance that everything was okay. She didn't. She knew full well that everything going on was under the category of 'not okay.'

But Cait couldn't help but feel like she'd been punched in the gut as Alice dropped her stuff, launching herself into her mother's arms. Cait secretly craved that kind of interaction with her daughter. Somewhere deep down, below the hate, there was a teeny bit of light that loved Lexi for what she was, but she had shoved those feelings down there, and that's where they were staying.

"I think that's all of them, but you've got the list, sis. You should know if we're missing any little ones. And if we're not," she said with a smile, "I'm perfectly happy not chasing them down. I don't think I could be any good at that sort of chase."

"Just need the older years to show up, but as you get older; you have more friends, and more goodbyes." She sighed, "It could be a while before they show up."

Shade had sat in the same car as Sky all the way from Hogsmeade station to King's Cross and he couldn't be happier for the trip to be over.  He'd gone over it a million times in his head, the reason for not going home this, his last year at Hogwarts.  Sky'd convinced him that they needed to spend it with friends instead of family and he watched as her eyes teared up and her lips went all pouty, and he caved.  He loved his sister, but sometimes... no, there was no doubt about it, Shade O'Connor would do anything for his sister.

He stepped off the train, his luggage already shrunk and in his pocket, forever grateful that he was seventeen and allowed to magic whenever he pleased.  He walked around the station for a moment to see if he could see his sister before heading out of the station, but he couldn't, she was probably talking with someone and hadn't realized the train had stopped yet.  He stepped through the barrier and glanced around at all the parents.  Then he saw the van.

He walked over to it and as polite and charming as ever, "Hello ladies, is this the ride to Oulton Broad?" he said and ended it with his heartbreaking smile.  Of course, he'd scoff at you if you told him so.

Sky just wasn't herself.  She'd not spoken hardly on the train ride to King's Cross, she sat in her seat, her arms folded across her chest and her mind in a fog.  The letter was burning a hole in her pocket and she knew she had to tell her brother that she still had it, but she couldn't screw up the courage.  Such was the entire reason for convincing him to spend the holiday with other students.  This way, he might be busy enough to not notice her sullen mood.

As the train stopped, she sat there, waiting for the train to clear out.  She needed to put on her happy face and act like nothing was wrong.  Her positively chipper mood was well known at Hogwarts and if she faltered one bit, Sky knew that there had to be one person in the group that would notice and either a) try to help her through it, or b) tell her brother.  Sky wanted neither to happen.

She schooled her face, thought happy thoughts and stepped off the train and quickly through the barrier, spotting her brother over by a large vehicle she popped up behind him, "Hello, I'm Sky." and hoped that it was suffiecient enough to fool her ever aware twin brother.

Cynthia watched as a few other students boarded the bus, though not yet accounting for their sixth years. She didn't mind, however. They would be taking their time. They were big kids. They could handle themselves just fine. The most important thing was that no first year got lost on the way to the van. Almost all the first years were bubbly and excited. All except Lexi. Cynthia knew that she was having a rough patch with her mother, but it would all smooth over soon.

Just then, she saw two blonde teenagers walking towards them. She took them as the O'Connor twins. Chloe had told Cynthia in a letter that Shade was a handsome boy who had blonde hair and a charming smile. And this boy fit the profile. Cynthia pulled him into a hug. "Hi there Shade. Chloe's told me all about you." Cynthia's hugs were always loving and motherly. She released the teen boy, before smiling nicely at this twin.

"Hello, Sky!" She said happily. This girl was hiding something. Cynthia could always tell when a kid was hiding something. It was what made her a good mother. She then let go of the blonde before continuing. "I'm Cynthia. You can call me Cynthia, and I am so excited to know that you two will be staying with us this break! Sadly, it is a three hour drive there, and we do have to go by car, since it's a muggle town. However, you guys can do magic inside the house and in the yard, no problem."

"Why don't you guys go get in the van, and we'll join you soon! Chloe, Mason, and Rohan have yet to show. We should really leave soon," She glanced at her watch. They wouldn't arrive home before eight with this timing. "So, go ahead, and I'm so happy you'll be joining us." She said with a smile, keeping an eye out for Mason, Chloe, and Rohan.

Rose stood up when she thought the train had stopped, and immediately made her way to get her suitcase, uttering a string of pardons as she went.  She mostly kept to herself throughout the ride, being too shy to strike a conversation.  With her bag in her hand, she stepped onto platform nine and three quarters, only to find that an older boy had dropped his bags, sending clothing, personal items, and an excessive number of scarves flying everywhere.  She frowned, kneeling down to assist the young wizard.  When he said thank-you, Rose nodded and stood, surveying the area for the van. 

When she saw Mrs. Hunter, she frowned and said, "I'm so sorry!  I must be an hour late by now..."