The past summer had been a hard one for Lochlan. They seemed to get more and more difficult to endure ever since his father was killed. His mother, bless her soul, tried to be strong, and the neighbors around their little place in the woods were of great help to them. Lochlan himself helped out with things- the yard work, and contributing to the food supply by hunting and fishing, two things he enjoyed in general. But the emptiness that was once occupied by his father had become clearer and clearer, and it was difficult to be home without the man who was not just his father, but his mentor and friend.

Lochlan would miss his mother of course. He also missed her when he was at school, and wrote her often. But the trip to Hogwarts would be a welcomed one again. He did find it strange that aside from the return home after the upcoming Christmas holidays in a few months, this would be the last time he made this trip. His final year... it came so fast. He pondered over that as he boarded the Hogwarts Express, trying to cloud it with happy thoughts like seeing his mates again. He missed those in his House, as well as his mates from other Houses. And of course he missed the Pitch as well.

Lochlan found an empty compartment and sat down. He turned to see his mother waving to him. He smiled and waved back, then gave he gave her an assuring nod that everything would be alright. The train then began to move and Lochlan laid his head back against the wall, again lost in thought. His thoughts were interrupted by the trolley lady, who asked if he wanted a treat for the trip. Lochlan wasn't that hungry after a big farewell breakfast, but decided to get a Cauldron Cake for later.

For the first time in six years, Ainsley was absolutely ecstatic to be at King's Cross Station on her way to Hogwarts. She was happy to be away from home where tension of an unknown sort has slowly been building since the new broke out over the disappearance of Liam Ollivander. In the household, her cheerful, if not flippant, father had become somber and even agitated by the news that she wondered if he had known the wand-maker personally despite all insistence that he didn't. There was something he wasn't telling her and every time she tried to broach the subject her father would only tell her 'it wasn't for her ears'. It was a well-known phrase that was only used when something very serious was going on. Since then, the only morsel of 'information' Ainsley had been able to glean had happened a week ago. I should've sent you to Beauxbatons after all, her father had muttered it so quietly that she had to strain to catch the words. Before she could ask what he meant, he waved her off to return to his work. She found it strange that he would say that now when he had always felt it was right to send her to Hogwarts...

Ainsley shook her head before glancing around the station to see students and family members gathering along the platform. Since their trip down to London, her father had been rather clingy, gripping her hand tightly as if she was still ten and likely to wander off. Scowling at him, she readjusted her grip on her trunk while her familiar, Nimue, settled between her feet. Sighing, "I'll be fine, Papa. Stop looking so nervous and get to work. I've made this tr-" A sharp look and a stern 'tsk' from her father cut her words off before she could finish. Narrowing her eyes, she tried once more to speak as they neared the transport but was unceremoniously shoved onto the scarlet train as her father furtively looked around. "Stop it, Papa!" Ainsley hissed as she caught her yowling cat. "You're looking out of sorts and people will question it... I'm only going to Hogwarts. I'll be fine."

It seemed the emphasizing the word 'fine' only worried him more as he gruffly told her to be good and to send news straight away if something bad happen. Brushing off his concerns, Ainsley merely nodded as the doors shut and the train pulled away. Putting the cat down, she waved her want to light and make the trunk float behind as she looked for a compartment. She stopped every so often when she spotted a familiar face, so it was slow going before she found a compartment that only had one other student in it. Knocking on the door and popping her head in, "Hello, do you mind if I sit here with you?"

Lochlan watched as the station and his mother moved further away. He would not only miss her, but he would worry about her. When she married a Muggle man, she was despised by some members of her own family, and a few of them cut her off completely. He wasn't concerned about them. They could live with their prejudices and die with them for all he cared. It was those like his Uncle, Fit Riley, that made him worry for his mother. Fit had killed his father. He was now in Azkaban, but not all those who helped him perform the deed were. Lochlan knew they had good neighbors, reliable people who helped his mother when Lochlan was gone, but they couldn't be around every hour of every day.

Lochlan's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock, followed by the voice of a girl speaking to him. He looked over and saw a lovely girl outside his compartment. While there was a side of Lochlan that was vengeful toward those like his uncle, to most everyone else he was very friendly and caring. To any female he encountered, he was ever the gentleman, treating ladies, whether they be Muggle or Witch, with dignity and respect.

He rose and smiled at the girl before motioning to the seat across from him.

"Yes, by all means," he said. "Do you need any help with your luggage?" He then saw the trunk floating by itself. He chuckled a little. "I suppose you don't." But just in case, she needed the trunk placed above her or anything like that, he remained standing until he knew she was comfortable. "I know how it can be once the train gets crowded." He then realized that as much of a gentleman as he was trying to be, he hadn't even introduced himself. "Oh... I'm Lochlan, by the way."

AINSLEY MARIE SELWYN

When she had first knocked and looked in, she had only opened the door just enough to stick her head to ask. Perhaps she was just seeing things, but as soon as she had asked, she wondered if she had invaded his space somehow. A small voice told her to not be silly and that for him to take up the whole compartment when it could easily fit another few was ridiculous. It wasn't like Ainsley was harming anyone by asking (and the trolley lady up ahead was moving so slow that if she had to keep searching, it's likely she'd be on her feet for the first half of the trip). Seeing him rise to greet her, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you!" Her cat took that as her cue to dart in and quickly make herself at home on the windowsill.

"Hm? Oh no, thanks for offering. I'll just need you to watch your head though," she explained before floating the trunk inside. The trunk wobbled some when a random student bumped her from behind but for the most part her spell held as it found its way into the top shelf. "Please, sit down, I don't want you to stand on your feet when it's not needed. Thank you though..." As the train moved farther and farther away from the platform, she couldn't help but look back even though she knew her father would now be long gone. The way he was acting was unnerving and it just didn't feel right.

Shaking those thoughts away, she turned to the boy who had graciously agreed to share his compartment. "I'm Ainsley," she said before putting her hand out for a shake. She was glad to have run into someone nice and not, unpleasant, as it could happen. He didn't seem familiar to her, and given how old he looked, he couldn't be one of the younger students. Perhaps someone from another house then as she knew most of the Ravenclaws. "It does, doesn't it? It feels like the train could be bursting at the seams at any moment."

@lochlan (i keep forgetting these tags XD)

Lochlan smiled as the girl thanked her, then chuckled a bit as the cat ran in and hopped up on the windowsill. Yes Lochlan was a hunter, but he had a love and respect for animals. He didn't have any pets of his own besides an owl that sent messages for he and his mother, but was thinking of getting a dog and cat whenever he found a place of his own after graduation. He thought about reaching out to pet the cat, but knew how the creatures could be fickle and waited to see how relaxed the cat was around him.

"You have a beautiful cat," he said to the girl. "It seems to be happy about finding a place too."

Lochlan quickly listened as she suggested he watch his head and she should probably sit down. He blushed and chuckled a little before sitting down.

"Good suggestion," he said. "Hmm, perhaps I should do that with my luggage some time."

He then smiled as she introduced herself. She wanted to tell her that she had a pretty name, but felt that going into the compliments when they had just met might make her feel uneasy. After all, he noticed she already seemed on edge about something. Instead he shook her hand and simply said, "Ainsley, nice to meet you."

Lochlan nodded about the train bursting at the seams.

"I'm going to miss it though," he said. "I find it so strange that this will be the last time I ride a train to Hogwarts, well if you don't count returning after the Christmas Holidays." He then found he had nothing to say for the moment. He looked at her, the cat, and back at her. When he finally looked down at his Cauldron Cake, he spoke again.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "I bought a Cauldron Cake, but my mum made me quite the breakfast and I don't think I'll need it."

AINSLEY MARIE SELWYN

Ainsley was glad to see that Lochlan seemed to like her cat. It wasn't often that she met anyone who was a cat-person (or maybe he just liked all animals in general). Most students who started Hogwarts tended to veer toward owls as a Hogwarts' pet. However, as the school had an owlery with messengers in abundance, her father thought it was better for her to have a cat. Something that was likely to follow her around and watch out for her when he couldn't. It was silly somethings that her father would think that way but she supposed it was a 'parent thing' and left it at that.

Whistling softly to Nimue, the cat lazily turned around to glance at her before gracefully hopping off the windowsill and settling herself into Ainsley's lap. "You can pet her if you like. Most others usually try to make a grab at her or something less pleasant to be funny... But I'm sure Nimue appreciates that you didn't," she said smiling before seeing the cat stretch out. The Ravenclaw briefly wondered if the Hufflepuff was a dog-person instead as she waited to see what he would do.

"A seventh year, are you? It must be exciting for you to know that you might be leaving soon? Or would that be sad?" She wasn't quite sure how she would feel about leaving the school behind just yet. Smiling, "Thank you. I'll swap my sandwich for it if you'd like? My father made me a roast beef sandwich and I'm not sure I'd like to eat it." Taking out the little lunch pack, she knew that her father also packed her some treacle tarts but nothing would be a good ole cauldron cake.

@lochlan

Lochlan smiled at the invitation to pet the cat. He understood what she meant about how some treated cats. He didn't think it was right to abuse an animal. His father taught him better than that. All animals were to be respected. If they were animals like dogs and cats, who were pets and companions, they were to be as loved as they showed their masters and mistresses. If they were the animals he hunted, they were to be killed humanely and appreciated for what they gave him. An animal was never to be tortured or forced to endure some slow and painful death.

"Nimue, that's a pretty name," he said. He then reached over and gently pet the cat's head. "Hello, my friend. It's an honor to travel with you today." After a few more strokes of the fur he sat back again.

He then looked at Ainsley as she asked how it felt to be a Seventh Year and knowing he would be gone from Hogwarts after this term.

"A mixture of both I suppose," he said. "I'm excited because I plan to be an Auror after I graduate, and I've already been informed that I can begin my training right away. But at the same time I'll miss all my mates and be able to spend as much time at home with my mum in the summer and winter holidays."

When Ainsley asked if she wanted to trade her sandwich with him for the Cauldron Cake, he shrugged and nodded.

"Sure, why not?" he said as he extended the hand with the cake to make the trade. "I fancy roast beef a bit and might be nice to have something before we get off the train. Some times the Profs can be long-winded in their speeches before the feast begins."

Lochlan meant that good-naturedly. He had a world of respect for the staff at Hogwarts.

AINSLEY MARIE SELWYN