Car 3; Compartment 2
Train has not left yet.


CRASH!

The loud sound came from such a small person and it was all because she tripped over her vibrant purple trunk as she came through the portal to the platform. “BOLLOCKS!” Was the loud sound that followed, but when wasn’t Astrid loud. Astrid had arrived upon the scene and you would never get the potential silence back, unless Astrid was in a mood. Sadly there was no way Astrid could be in a mood on the first day of school. She was going back for her final year. It was her year to be ‘top dog’ and it was her year to make a difference. Who was she kidding every year was her year to make a difference.  This was the year she had a new cause, the SAWS cause. Her bag of pins actually helped make part of that loud noise from earlier.  Lucky for her she was legal and used her wand to collect the mess she had made. Thank goodness her trunk had not sprung open, not that she had an over abundance of clothing but she didn’t want her knickers on display. Undergarments were not to be seen by anyone else but a significant other when you were to be intimate and even then it should not be for some time. Merlin, she was only seventeen boys were not meant to see her undergarments yet!

“I’m fine ma,” she said waving her mother off who was fussing over her. “I am fine!” She said again as she hopped up onto her feet and dusted herself off. She made sure there was not a run in her rose tights; otherwise she would have been quite crushed. Once she felt satisfied thing were not ruined she looked back to her mother and father. “I will miss you and write often.” She said giving them both kisses on the cheek and big hugs. “I miss you already.” Astrid was a big girl and therefore did not need her parents there to the very last moment. Both her parents had left very important experiments at home and she knew they were eager to get back to them. “I love you both and you have my permission to get back to work.” She gave them an amused smirk.

With a loud grunt she started to pull the trunk towards the train before she realized she could use her wand. “Smooth Astrid.” She said to herself, but more loudly than one needed to when talking to themselves, it caused a few stares. She charmed her trunk as it definitely made boarding the train much more elegant than prior years. As with Astrid’s style she managed to hit the trunk into the walls as she navigated to an open compartment, lucky she found one close to the front and loaded it her trunk into storage area above. She would have to snag her uniform from there later, but right now she was happy to be in the dress shirt, tie, and her own clothing. As she sat down her the long length of her baggy sleeves once again covered hands and she settled into a relaxed position. She had her bag next to her with a book, her sketchpad, and her pins and fliers. Things Astrid could never leave home without. Astrid was ready for her trip to Hogwarts, she even had veggies cut in her bag by her mother just in case they had nothing vegetarian friendly on the food trolley.

Outfit

Fauna gave her mother a peck on the cheek and a hug, then a long hug for her grandma, who didn’t seem to want to let go. To be honest she didn’t want to either. Her family had been especially sweet to her this past week after what had happened at the Shrieking Shack. Even her sister Moira had come home from London to check up on her.

They were her safety net. Fauna gave her mum and grandma what she hoped was a brave smile, heaved her trunk that creaked dangerously on its hinges, and boarded the train. With her rat perched on her shoulder and one of her floppy hats on her head, Fauna didn’t look any different from afar. It was when someone got close to her that they could see the freckles pop out of her pale face and dark circles underneath her eyes. That was why she’d picked a large hat- what better place to hide?

As soon as she’d stepped onto the train, she found herself in the middle of a bustling crowd of loud, demanding students, all very concerned about where they would sit.

“Look! An empty compartment!” A girl with pigtails screeched, pulling two of her friends in there with her.

“Quit shoving!” Another boy growled at a kid behind him.

“No, you!” First years were getting cheeky these days.

This was not how her seventh year was supposed to be, Fauna thought. She’d always imagined that once she became a seventh year, she’d miraculously know how to deal with crowds and younger students would kindly step out of her way. None of that happened. Kids behind her started pushing past in their rush to find the right compartments. Fauna, clenching the handle of her trunk, impulsively picked a random compartment near the front and walked in.

She shut the door and leaned against it with a heavy sigh. Then she peered at the girl already seated there. Or rather, she peered at the girl’s bright blonde dreads. Astrid O’Malley- Neutral territory. Fauna could handle that.

“Uh… mind if I sit here?” She asked just to be sure, hesitating before placing her trunk on the large racks above their heads.

Fauna smiled slightly at her. “I like your tights,” she told her honestly, smoothing out the short orange dress that her sister had given to her as a gift and sitting down. Two rows of three large buttons adorned the front. She liked it a lot, thought it was a little shorter than she was used to wearing.

Her rat began a slow crawl down her arm and she looked at it, which led her to glance at Astrid’s belongings resting on the seat next to her. There was the ever familiar sketchbook, which Fauna had always been a little curious about, and pins with lettering on it- her latest cause, probably. Fauna squinted at the letters and the fliers, her back stiffening when she read them.

Without thinking to ask, she picked one of the pins up and looked at it more closely. SAWS: Students Against Werewolf Segregation.

Fauna let out her breath in a rush. “What is this?” She half-whispered urgently, looking up at Astrid. “Is this real? I mean, did you just start this?”

Holding her breath, she continued to stare at Astrid intently, as if her answer meant everything.

Eyes wide as the compartment door opened, solitude could not be expected with so many students. As the face registered in her mental memory bank her body relaxed, she wouldn’t have to put up a front with this one. Fauna Blake was sweet enough and someone that didn’t appear to be the type to pick on someone, from what she had seen anyway. Plus a person with a rat for a pet really couldn’t be all bad. “Nah I don mind.” She spoke in her Irish drawl, and flashed the girl a smile. She almost jumped up to help her with precarious task of hoisting her trunk up to the storage spot above. “Silly ain’t it. The storage being up there.” Astrid attempted casual conversation, not something she was spectacular at but she didn’t want to scare the girl away with her “crazy ramblings” of her latest cause…just yet anyway.

“Thank! Love your dress.” Now it was a tad too form fitting to work in her wardrobe and Astrid didn’t wear dresses because she enjoyed suspenders and various types of shirts too much to give them up for a dress. Of course Astrid had dresses, one needed them to dress up fancy. Her eyes darted down to her boots as she got settled in her seat. Now was the time to get comfortable as there was a long train ride ahead of them.

It appeared Astrid wasn’t going to have to bring the subject of her latest cause to the attention of Fauna; she had done it on her own. “That was easy,” she said to herself as she watched Fauna look at the flier. “It is a cause silly.” She thought that would be obvious. She flicked her dreads over her shoulder to expose the pin on her cardigan. “See!” She was wearing one of the changing pins, it said SAWS and then would flash through each word, it would continue on this loop.

“Want a pin!” She said eagerly as she pulled a baggy out of her bag more. Most of her contents was spilling out of her bag anyway. “Here have one.” She said handing it out to her.

“I believe people treat werewolves wrong and I am trying to correct and first with the student body.” Astrid was heading towards her cause rant mode of conversation. “I think the Ministry isn’t doing enough at the moment. Plus we need to make our voices heard as we are a portion of the population but nobody listens to us. It all has to start somewhere. Why not change the views of the next generation so then maybe it wont be so bad for the werewolves once we get into positions of power.” Astrid nodded her head in a commanding way.

“It shocks me that so many cannot get jobs because employers don’t want to be liable.” She gave an annoyed look and disgusted huff. “If a werewolf follows the regulations set there is nothing to worry about!”

Astrid enthusiastically handed her another pin and Fauna smiled shyly, putting one on the front of her dress and another on the strap of her book-bag. No one could accuse her of lacking ‘flare’!

Listening to Astrid’s speech, she didn’t look away or daydream like she normally did when the Ravenclaw got stuck on a topic. This time, she nodded at her and found that she agreed with every word.

“Uh… can I join?” Fauna questioned hesitantly, unsure what Astrid thought of her, though she certainly seemed friendly. “I think.. I think I could help,” she added, referring to her internship with Covadonga Gertrudis during the summer. She’d learned a lot about helping werewolves, and also that it wasn’t easy to get people to change their minds.

Fauna wondered if the news about Ollie had spread so quickly, or if Astrid just had perfect timing. Ollie had told Fauna to tell people, but after so many years of keeping her secret, it felt uncomfortable and almost traitorous to mention. However, she knew her friend was hurt and ready to let other students know that she wasn’t allowed back at school because the new Headmistress had thought it would be too dangerous. It didn’t make any sense. Ollie had been a werewolf since she was young, and in that respect, she was very responsible.

So, Fauna took the cautious route, shifting on her seat to face Astrid.

“Is there… a reason, like a… special reason you want to do this? Do you… know someone..?” Fauna trailed off, studying her face. Most people who actively supported werewolves saw the difficulties a loved one with lycanthropy had to go through first-hand. However, she wouldn’t be surprised if Astrid had suddenly decided that werewolves needed saving, without reason or provocation. She was the type of person who was passionate about so many causes, that Fauna could barely understand it.

She fidgeted with the hem of her dress, thinking about the times in school when Astrid had tried to get students involved in something and they’d just walked on by, Fauna included. Standing up for herself was so difficult that the idea of standing up for a whole group of people had always seemed impossible. She was realizing now that things had to change. SAWS seemed like a good place to start!

Astrid would have piled Fauna with pins, but she had more control than that believe it or not. She watched as Fauna donned two of her pins. Someone else was supporting her cause and not giving her that confused stare. Most people didn’t understand why Astrid had so many causes but it was because people wouldn’t stand up for the underdog or for those that could not stand up for themselves, like toads for examples. Toads didn’t ask to be in potions! Newts didn’t either! Werewolves did not ask to be werewolves and without jobs. They did not wish to be someone’s nightmare.

“OF COURSE YOU CAN JOIN!” Astrid yelled out in excitement. Someone to join her cause that was not just doing it as a friend, this was huge at least to Astrid. Why would she turn anyone away who wanted to join? “Anyone would be help we need voices out there.” Astrid was not aware that Fauna had been involved in work for werewolves over the summer and had she then she probably would have been talking Fauna’s ear off before now.

Fauna’s question was not one that surprised her, she had many questions like this directed at her but normally they had an air of distaste and this one did not. “My only reason is that these people need to be stood up for!” Astrid didn’t think there needed to be any other reason than that. “I don’t know a werewolf like first hand but indirectly I have noticed them. My father’s friend is one and they were discussing how he was having difficulty keeping a job due to the employer not wanting liability.” That was what had sparked the start of this campaign and the more she researched the more aware of the wrongs werewolves suffered.

“Here take a pile of fliers.” She said handing over a good sized pile but it still left Astrid with a large stack. “Hand them out when you can.” She nodded her head and then looked at her pins. “I will get you your own bag of pins as well.” Astrid was so excited about the fact that she had another body in this fight against injustice.

“Now we will have meetings about what we want to do for the cause and how we want to show support so think up ideas.” Astrid spoke quickly and eagerly. “I know it is only us at the moment but I am hoping soon.” She nodded her head, “Also we need like a real life way to get the point across the student body so you think about that, it has me a tad stumped.”

“OF COURSE YOU CAN JOIN!”

Fauna jumped and had to adjust the hat on her head. She smiled at Astrid hesitantly, relieved by her reaction but wondering what she was getting herself into at the same time!

When Astrid explained that she simply thought werewolves should have rights just like any witch or wizard, Fauna had to admit that her attitude was admirable. If more people thought like Astrid did, the world would be a much more tolerant place. That, and the frog and newt population would be growing out of their ears!

She mentioned one of her father’s friends who had a hard time holding down a job and Fauna nodded sadly. It was one of the reasons why Ollie didn’t apply herself as much as she could have in school. She wasn’t lazy, just well aware of the lack of job prospects for werewolves like her. Now, Ollie may not even get a chance to finish her education properly at Hogwarts. Few things made Fauna truly angry but this took the cake.

“Yeah,” she piped up in a small voice. “While I was… interning for Covadonga Gertrudis this summer, I met some werewolves who were… going through the same thing as your Dad’s friend. It’s awful. They’re not even given.. you know, a chance."

Astrid shoved a pile of fliers at her and told her she’d get her a bag of pins as soon as possible. Her rat Bernie, oblivious to their schemes, started nibbling on the corner of a flier- a clear sign that it was time for dinner. Fauna began thinking about how she could make the fliers stand out more. They needed a logo, perhaps, or at least a good sketch.

Astrid then mentioned meetings and recruiting more people to support their cause. Fauna knew just who to turn to. “Well, I’m sure… I mean I should be able to.. get some Hufflepuffs to join,” she said, thinking specifically of Mysti, Darcy, and Miles. “They’ll have good reason-“ she stopped abruptly, unwilling to finish that  sentence. “Um, and maybe even some friends.. from the art club.”

Fauna paused, glancing at the door as if she was afraid someone might listen in.

“Um Astrid…” She lowered her voice and looked down at the fliers in her lap. “I do have an example… I mean, I think I do but… we should be careful. I just… the thing is,” she finally looked her in the eyes, though it was clear she was nervous and worried. “My best friend is a werewolf. Ollie- Olivia Foley, do you know her?”

Fauna waited for a response and then went on. “She’s had lycanthropy since she was really little. When Headmaster Greyfriar was here, well, he let her stay, no problem. He and Professor Gunnar even helped out the one time she couldn’t go home during the full moon. But the new Headmistress…” Her voice became strained. “She won’t… she won’t let her go to school anymore. It’s too dangerous, she says.”

Swallowing hard, Fauna looked out the window, unable to say anything else at the moment.

Vienna hated to say this, but the quality of entertainment aboard the Slytherin section of the Hogwarts Express was definitely lacking this year. The Upper Years were mopey, the Lower Years were overly chatty, and just when she found herself in need of some decent company, Ava and Jasper were no where to be found. How convenient. Vienna surveyed her surroundings miserably and stood up. Casting a cool look at her current company (a group of 7th Year Slytherins who were far too trashy for her taste), she excused herself and stalked into the corridor.

It occured to her then that this would be her final year at Hogwarts and a great surge of pride flooded over her.  Granted, she was not the Head Girl or even a lousy Prefect, but a 7th Year nonetheless with the power to boss over the lower years as she pleased. Besides, Jasper was the Head Boy and by association, she was exempt from the consequences of her actions. He would never alienate his friends and housemates by punishing them even if they were in the wrong (not that they would abuse the privilege by being overtly insufferable anyways), she was sure of it. Of course, Vienna was by no means a sadist, and nor did she delight in tormenting others, but right now, she was bored, and a bored Vienna Pascal usually meant someone else was going to be put in a very very nasty situation.

She made her way down the train corridor and soon spotted a good game in the form of her favourite Hufflepuff and a lesser-known Ravenclaw. Vienna stood outside and eavesdropped on their conversation. The doors and walls of the Hogwarts Express were as thin as paper and neither Fauna Blake nor Astrid O’Whatever were very discreet when it came to conversing.

“OF COURSE YOU CAN JOIN!”

Vienna cringed silently and felt very sorry for the sleeping Second Year in the next compartment. As usual, girls like them with very few redeeming features other than their goodness of heart and pretty smiles were dreaming of the age -old rubbish of equality and social justice for all. A lovely dream, but an impossible one. Vienna found their optimism sickening. She was about to walk away in disgust when Fauna began airing some very dirty laundry about a certain Olivia Foley. Vienna raised an eyebrow and listened on.

A werewolf in Hogwarts? Her parents would have a fit. But, it wouldn’t make a difference in her life. She neither condemned nor supported their cause, she simply enjoyed arguing for argument’s sake. Completely oblivious to the forced strain of Fauna’s voice and the gravity of the situation, Vienna pushed opened the door and scoffed, “Well, she’s not wrong, is she?”

Vienna simpered at the occupants of the compartment and kicked the door shut with the tip of her heel, “Fauna. Astrid. Lovely to see both of you again.” Her eyes sparkled cruelly in mirth, “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, as dull and naive as it is, but surely you would agree that our new Headmistress is right in implementing such a policy. It would be disatrous allowing the girl to roam the castle as she pleases, given the nature of her...conditions.”

The more Fauna talked the more in awe Astrid was becoming. What better person to join her cause than someone who had worked with the cause already this summer, along side an official. Not to mention the interaction she undoubtedly had with werewolves. “A perfect mind for the cause,” Astris said cheerfully. Her mind was already spinning with ideas of what they could do, perhaps even contacting this Ms. Gertrudis.

“Well as long as these people are willing to voice their opinions they are welcome to join, or at least help the rest in voicing their opinion.” Not every cause needed to be filled with people like herself, admittedly it probably crash and burn. What a group like this needed was a few people with the ability to raise their voice and a bunch of people to help make it be heard.

Astrid leaned forward in interest wondering what Fauna had to say and who this person was. As she spoke of her friend Ollie she nodded her head with concern. “Well if your friend wants to be an example she is more than allowed to me.” Astrid said with a nod of her. “That is completely outrageous that she cannot come…” just as she was about to finish her thought someone entered and it cause Astrid to sit up right and give a distasteful glare.

“Vienna,” she sneered as she wrinkled her nose. The shield of protection went up, she was going to be curt and argumentative. She wasn’t going to let any harsh words directed at her bother her. She was going to get through this unfortunate moment on the train ride and eventually Vienna would become bored without a reaction. Problem was that Astrid could not control Fauna’s reactions and that very well could keep Vienna here.

“She is not right for implanting a policy like that,” Astrid angrily spoke up. “She has been receiving her education for four years without a problem. Nobody has known she was a werewolf, no problems ever happened.” Astrid defend Olivia with ease and she wasn’t even playing hard ball yet. “People deserve the same treatment as we get and the same education. They deserve to find employment and to learn magic just like everyone else.” Astrid was fuming inside already she was ready for anything Vienna would throw at her. She was boiling with anger at Vienna’s closed mindedness.

The heaviness in Fauna’s chest eased a bit at Astrid’s words. The girl certainly practiced what she preached, making Fauna more and more comfortable around her. The key thing was when she said if Ollie wanted to be an example, she could. She didn’t immediately assume that they were using Ollie for their cause and that was that. Astrid’s reaction made a world of difference to Fauna.

“I’ll ask-” she said, but was cut off by the door suddenly opening. When she looked up at the newcomer, her face paled and she clenched the pile of fliers on her lap. Bernie, sensing her distress, scurried up her arm and snuggled in the crook of her elbow.

All these fears overwhelmed her at once. First, the irrational thought that Ollie would be upset if people like Vienna found out, someone who clearly didn’t understand and might even try to undermine their group. Next, the possibility that Vienna would go straight to the Headmistress and tell her what they were doing, or even rally the Slytherins to oppose them. And finally, the general sick feeling Fauna got in her stomach when Vienna appeared, making her feel small and stupid. The humiliation of their duel, if it could be called that, popped up fresh in her mind. Shoulders hunched, she looked down at the fliers, her heart beating rapidly.

Luckily, Astrid took charge and argued right back at her. Fauna glanced at her, marveling at the way she explained her points without an ounce of hesitancy.

“She’s right,” Fauna told Vienna in a quiet voice. “Ollie… she’s not a danger to anyone. She’s careful. If… if the new Headmistress would just talk to people like Greyfriar and Gunnar, she’d… know that letting Ollie attend school is… doable. It can be done safely,” Fauna mumbled the last bit, already preparing for Vienna to laugh and tell her she was wrong.

Ahh… Finally the summer was drawing to a close. It hadn’t necessarily been a good summer, though it wasn’t really bad either. Like any elongated period of time, it had its ups and downs. Woodcroft day was amazing, and he had had fun with the throw-a-gnome competition, even if Astrid did come in and try and ruin everything. It was just another one of her silly causes. Normally Charlie liked, even admired, her crazy haywire clubs, but not when they were turned against him, her best friend. That was just wrong.

But Charlie didn’t know how to keep a grudge, even if Astrid did. Though Charlie sorely hoped that she would be over it by now. Then there was the fiasco with Ollivander and his pompous inability to share his secrets when everyone knew that Ollivander’s couldn’t possibly stay open forever. None of that mattered now though. Today was a new day; a new chapter of life was blossoming before Charlie. His last year at Hogwarts waited.

”Hey! Move it!”

”Get out of the way!”

Screams and pushing filled the cramped corridors of the train. This would be Charlie’s thirteenth ride on the Hogwarts Express, and yet the scene never changed. The air was always filled with excitement, friends buzzing together to find what’s new. Even on the rides back to London people were excited to get home to their families. It never became routine, even after six completed years.

It wasn’t hard to hear the strained voices coming from the compartment, even above the loud noises in the hall. It looked like Pascal was starting trouble again, but with whom? He couldn’t see into the compartment, but he needed a place to sit and anyone that didn’t like Vienna was a friend of Charlie. “Excuse me,” he said rather stiffly, shoving past the Slytherin only to come face to face with two of Charlie’s favorite people at Hogwarts. The situation was obviously strained, and Charlie didn’t really want to add to it, but he had to stick up for his friends. “So, what seems to be the problem?” he asked, smiling at Astrid and Fauna, but turning it into a smirk as his eyes passed over Vienna.

Vienna was thoroughly disappointed by Astrid’s reaction. Some jaw-dropping outrage would’ve been nice, maybe a little arm-flailing here and there, combined with a perfectly-timed “how dare you!” would’ve really made her day, but all she got was a wishy-washy response about doing what’s right and all that jazz. Vienna looked down at the Ravenclaw blonde and sneered in disdain. To think she once thought self-righteousness was a Gryffindor trait. She would never understand people like Sebastian and Astrid and Fauna. In her world, self-interest reigned supreme and the rest were of little consequence. Not a bad way to live, by any standards.

“Oh please,” Vienna laughed and waved a dismissive hand, “Spare me the sentimental appeal.” She sat down and made herself comfortable despite knowing perfectly that she was not welcomed here. Looking at Astrid, she added, “Do you listen to the words that come out of your mouth? You assure me that she’s not dangerous, yet in the same sentence, you tell me that nobody knows of her condition, which poses an obvious risk to the rest of us. I, for one, think we have a right to such knowledge so we could act accordingly around her. You forget, not everyone wants to befriend, much less, associate with a werewolf.” Vienna smiled coldly, “Knowing what I do now, I must admit, her presence would make me very queasy.”

Vienna thought about Trent, and how Jasper had once told her something about him hounding Olivia’s doorstep. The poor boy, if he knew what she was, he would no doubt move on to more suitable pursuits in the blink of an eye. No self-respecting Slytherin would voluntarily choose to socialize with someone the likes of her.

She turned to look at Fauna as the Hufflepuff echoed Astrid’s sentiments in her usual mousy way. How she struck Devlin’s fancy Vienna would never know. Unpredictable as he was, Vienna never figured he would be the type interested in wallflowers. It must all be a joke.

She laughed a little at Fauna’s words and wondered how anyone could be so naive. “Well,” Vienna retorted sarcastically, “If you say she is, she must be. Why don’t we all go gallivanting on full moons? I can’t imagine a safer place to be. There is a werewolf roaming in the castle and no one knows about it, but that’s okay, she’s careful.”

Vienna crossed her legs and leaned back. A smug smile spread across her red lips, “They don’t deserve any more than what they have already been given. In fact, they should be thankful that they haven’t been ostracized from society. It would be ungrateful to ask for more.”

Oh, how she lived to provoke.

Just then, a fourth party burst into the compartment and rudely pushed past her. Vienna scowled. Charlie freakin’ Robards, just what this conversation needed, one more hoity-toity Hufflepuff. What she wouldn’t give to wipe that unholy smirk off his face. She glared at him in response. It was three against one and Vienna did not like her odds. But when facing Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, retreat, no matter how tactical, was not an option. After all, she had a reputation to maintain. Vienna sneered, “Are you always in the habit of interrupting people’s conversations? A little rude, but then again, I don’t expect much from a Hufflepuff such as yourself.”

Astrid’s frustration with Vienna’s selfish views were making her shake. How could someone be so stupid and so inconsiderate? She may comment on Astrid’s about how she may contradict herself but just listen to the words coming from Vienna’s mouth, she has no idea what she is speaking of and it is completely obvious. “Of course people know of her condition,” Astrid screamed at Vienna. “How can you be so stupid as to not know the regulations of the Ministry? They are in place for a reason.” Astrid yelled loudly at the girl her fist balling wanting nothing more than to resort to muggle tactics and give a good punch to bruise the face she so obviously cared more about than anyone else.

“Are you absolutely so stupid as to think Olivia would not inform the staff of Hogwarts?” Astrid sneered, “Or to go unregistered!” Astrid laughed at Vienna’s expense quite cruelly, almost enough to warrant her colours to be green and silver. “You really are stupid, no wonder you are sorted into Slytherin. Where else could you go with a lack of heart and lack of brains. Why not be with the vain who will result to be nothing more than a waste of space and a terrible mark on wizarding society. What good do ANY of you do?” Astrids sneered with distaste, not even thinking about how her friend Zoey was among those disgusting Slytherins. Yet Zoey tried to be something more than the stereotype it was so obvious Vienna could not get past.

“She isn’t dangerous! She was at the school for four years and YOU never knew. How much bloody danger could you have been in!” Astrid snapped at her. “Obviously the head of the school knew because why else would our current Headmistress know if not for the fact Olivia wants the authority to know her condition and explain just how she careful she is.”

“How can you be so insufferable and blind to the world around you!” Astrid sneered as she watched Vienne take a seat in the compartment so obviously did not want her around. This was not the way she envisioned her first day back at school. She thought of a calming ride back to the castle with Charlie and whoever was in their compartment. No Vienna had to arrive and get her blood boiling.

If Charlie had not arrived when he had the balled fisted would have risen and made a move for that plastic face. “He is not interrupting anything you banshee!” Astrid looked to Charlie pleased he had arrived when he had, she didn’t want to get physical with Vienna it wasn’t worth it. “You are the one interrupting and enjoyable experience. So please run off and find those you actually want to associate with. You know the others that are so fake. I am sure they would appreciate discussing their newest plastic body parts. Or even the plastic state of your ugly mug.” Astrid forced a smile and sat looking out the window.

Vienna certainly knew how to make people angry. The tension grew so thick in the room that Fauna sucked in a few breaths, trying not to panic. Astrid fumed beside her, clenching her fists while her voice got louder and louder. Fauna sunk in her seat, watching her with alarm. She put a hand on her arm to let her know she was there for her, but also to discourage any hex-slinging that was clearly reflected in her eyes.

“They don’t deserve any more than what they have already been given. In fact, they should be thankful that they haven’t been ostracized from society. It would ungrateful to ask for more.”

Fauna visibly cringed.  She didn’t know how to deal with attitudes like this. Vienna was intelligent and an excellent debater, so if she truly felt this way, it was almost impossible to argue with her. Even though Fauna felt she was wrong, so wrong. It was because of those kinds of attitudes that Ollie and other werewolves had to tiptoe around their condition, hide it from others, beg for the right to go to school and get a job. Ollie, with her so-called dangerous condition, was not the problem. Other people were the problem. Their intolerance and ignorance caused werewolves to seek out less reputable jobs, to do anything to survive, Fauna believed. It made her sick. She looked desperately out the window, wanting to rush over, open it, and stick her head out.

When Charlie walked in she nodded at him, grateful to see him. He could calm Astrid down, if necessary, and she was always happy to have another ally against Vienna.

Astrid continued ranting, insulting Slytherins in general, Vienna’s intelligence, her vanity, and close-mindedness. Fauna agreed with some of what she said, but the yelling made her extremely uncomfortable. She glanced at the door. Yet why should she have to leave? Fauna wasn’t antagonizing anyone. She didn’t want to have to find another compartment just because she didn’t like what was happening in here.

“Please go,” Fauna told Vienna after Astrid had ordered her out. She glanced at Vienna, pulled the hat over her head more, and crossed her arms.

Mysti was late getting to the train station.  Her mom had gotten a late start and had Mysti not woken her up, might have not made it.  Though after a long night at Mungo’s Mysti couldn’t blame her for wanting to sleep. But of course, she was so excited to return to Hogwarts.  And she was excited to see all of her friends again.  This year was going to be so much fun.  Especially since Mysti had been chosen as the Hufflepuff 5th year Prefect.

When she’d first got that letter, she been stunned at first, and then started jumping up and down and squealing.  Mysti’s mom was so confused as to why she was freaking out.  Then when Mysti told her, both Ketteridge women hugged and started jumping up and down again.  Geraldine Ketteridge then sent an owl to the rest of the family and told practically everyone at Mungos, where both women had been working this summer.  Mysti as an intern, and Geraldine as a healer.

But now, the 5th year Hufflepuff made her way through the platform and went to get on the train.  Once on, she went to make her way over to the Prefect cabin.  Mysti was so happy to be one of the elite students now, a Prefect.  She’d made sure the badge was shined to perfection before pinning it to the front of her clothes.  And of course, she made sure it was where all could see it.

As she was making her way to the Prefect cabin, Mysti heard a bit of a commotion.  Taking a detour to where the noise was coming from, she’d found a couple of her friends.  Fauna Blake and Charlie Robards, as well as Astrid O’Malley (a 7th year Ravenclaw Mysti hadn’t talked to much), and of course, Vienna Pascal. As soon as Mysti saw Vienna, she figured why the noise was being made. Vienna was probably trying to upset the others, as usual. This time it was on a conversation about Olivia Foley, who Mysti was in the same year as, until the whole event happened.  And Mysti felt the decision was a bad one, especially since Ollie was such a sweet girl.

“Causing trouble are we, Vienna?  Why don’t you go bother your fellow Slytherins instead of people who are obviously better than you?”  Mysti felt it would be most useful to fight fire with fire.  Also, what the Hufflepuff said was true.  The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw in the cabin were much better people than someone who tried to get them riled up, such as Vienna.  And Mysti made sure that her prefect badge was perfectly visible.

Vienna sure did know how to make a boy’s blood boil! Geez… Here she was, in a room full of people that didn’t like her, and she still didn’t have the nerve to retreat. Charlie had half a mind to join in with Astrid’s overly loud insults, but she was doing plenty well on her own. “Astrid! Honey! Calm down, don’t let her get to you,” He said, grabbing her arms, trying to calm her down.

“Oh, so we’re talking about Ollie? For your insanely nosy information Pascal, Ollie was one of the nicest people at Hogwarts, and even when she transformed, she was a fair bit nicer that you’ve ever been. Until you get to know someone, don’t be so quick to judge.” Charlie said his piece, edgily, but he made it without yelling.

Somewhere in the midst of all the arguing, Mysti had found her way into the compartment. My, they were a popular group today. Charlie liked Mystique, she was nice, and only two years under Charlie and the others, so the gap wasn’t so far that they couldn’t relate. Plus, she was now a prefect, so if she said Vienna had to go, then Vienna had to go. Charlie wasn’t evil, if it was their compartment or the hall then Charlie would have gladly let Vienna bunk with them, but he knew full well that the slimy Slyther-snake could go back to wherever her ‘paper or plastic’ buddies were.

“Just skedaddle along, please. We’ve done nothing to provoke you, and you’ve done nothing but provoke us, so kindly remove your batookish from our cabin and go back to the fiery pits where you belong. The trolley’s coming by soon and I would seriously like to enjoy the rest of my ride.” It was very very hard for Charlie to not stick out his tongue. He knew it was something expected of a first year, but so what? It was better than saying something that would make Charlie feel bad later.