Oliver and Bailey managed to store her luggage, birdcage and all, and settled into an empty compartment near the back of the train., the entire time carrying on about muggle movies, adding books and music to the list.

"What's your favorite Beatles album?"

Oliver laughed at the earnestness with which she asked the question and thought for a moment. "Um… I'd probably have to say the White Album."

Bailey sat back with relief. "Good. I was afraid you were going to say some fluff, like Yellow Submarine."

"What's yours?"

"Abbey Road." No hesitation. "Mostly side two on vinyl, but the whole thing's great."

He nodded agreement, and a comfortable lull entered into the conversation. Oliver was the first to break it.

"So why did you transfer to Hogwarts? That's quite a move, considering it's your last year."

She grinned mischievously. "Well, your last year. In America we go 'til we're 18. This way I get to graduate early."

"Surely you didn't move all the way across the Atlantic just to graduate early."

At this her grin faltered a little. "Well, when I got an owl from your ministry, offering me enrollment, I just decided there wouldn't be much I'd miss from Nalani, and I thought, what the hell?"

From the still-questioning look on Oliver's face, Bailey knew that she didn't have him convinced, and cursed herself for being such a horrible liar.

It's not a lie, it just isn't the whole truth. (Oh, but that's one of the best kind of lies.) Then why isn't it working now? (Because you suck at lying.) Oh, shut up, the last thing I need right now is an internal critic.

In spite of his curiosity, Oliver dropped the subject. He smiled brightly to try and relieve the sudden tension. "So what kind of bird cage do you have? It's nothing like the owl cages sold around here."

Bailey tuned out her inner commentary and any sign of distress was wiped from her face. "Oh, it isn't an owl cage."

"What do you keep your owl in, then?"

"Well, I don't exactly have an owl." She paused for him to say more, and when he didn't, she answered the question he silently asked. "It's a chicken."

Puzzlement then shock, then realization hit his face. "A chicken as in a barnyard chicken?!"

"Yeah…"

Oliver began laughing at this, and a couple seconds later Alicia, Fred, Katie, George and a third girl burst into the compartment. They glanced at Oliver with amused interest and turned to Bailey for an explanation. She smiled and looked toward the ground.

"He's laughing at my pet."

Before any of them could even get out a scolding "Oliver!" his laughter subsided enough for him to speak. "She has a chicken!"

At this George (Bailey knew it was him only from the large "G" knitted into his sweater) chortled quite loudly, but stopped when Katie elbowed him in the side. He winced and muttered an apology as he tried to hide a grin, but Bailey only smiled at him.

"It's fine, you can laugh, I'm used to it." The rest of the crowded compartment allowed their suppressed amusement to show on their faces. The one Bailey didn't recognize squeezed past the others and extended her hand.

"Since no one here wishes to introduce me, I'll have to do it myself. I'm Angelina Johnson." She took Bailey's hand. "I know who you are, the whole train is buzzing about the American onboard."

Bailey was genuinely surprised. "Really? Haven't you had an exchange student before?"

As Oliver was the oldest, all eyes turned to him for an answer. He shrugged and shook his head. "There haven't been any in the seven years I've gone here. I s'pose we could ask McGonagall when the train stops."

"She teaches transfiguration, doesn't she?"

Fred nodded. "And she's the head of Gryffindor, that's what house we're all in." He got a sudden look as he realized something. "Hey, you don't know what house you're gonna be in, do you?"

Bailey shook her head ruefully. "I wish. When I first met with Dumbledore I tried to get him to assign me one then, rather than wait for the Sorting. I've heard it's terribly embarrassing."

Katie put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's not that bad. After they make you recite the school rules and sing a duet with the sorting hat, the last half-hour's a snap."

All the group laughed at Bailey's horrified expression, all except Oliver. He rolled his eyes at the rest of them.

"It's not bad at all, it takes all of about two seconds. Katie's just being a prat."

Katie grinned and stuck her tongue out at Oliver. "If that's how you feel about me then, I guess I'll just be leaving!" With a dramatic flair she tossed her hair over her shoulder and stormed out of the compartment. A couple seconds later she squealed "Ooo! The sweets trolley!" and those standing scurried after her, Fred and George in the lead. Oliver just shook his head and chuckled at them.

"There goes the most unruly quidditch team Gryffindor's seen in a long time."

Bailey's eyes widened. "All of them are on the quidditch team?" He nodded grimly, and Bailey laughed with him. "Wow, if all the teams are like that, I'm starting to wish I'd requested a try-out."

Oliver's eyes lit up, and instantly an aura of excitement formed around him. "You play quidditch?"

She smiled modestly and shrugged. "I played a little on a team outside of school, since there wasn't a school team to play for."

"What position?"

"Chaser."

"How long have you played?"

"Seven years."

"What kind of broom do you ride?"

"Well, I've got a few, but my parents just bought me a Firebolt."

Her last answer in the barrage of questions threw him back in his seat.

"You have a Firebolt? And you didn't want to try out for a team?!"

"Well, I didn't know if I'd have time, what with adjusting to a new school, different teachers, studying for N.E.W.T.s—"

"Owning a Firebolt and not playing quidditch should be a crime!" By this time Oliver had run his hand through his hair several times, and the dark blonde strands stood in all different directions atop his head. He looked as though he'd just woken up.

Or just had sex…

Bailey did a mental double take at her last thought. Where the hell did that come from? I've known this guy for a couple of hours. It is way too soon for carnal thoughts to be entering into things.

(Yeah, you should at least wait 'til the train ride's over.)

As Oliver went on about the injustice of a Firebolt being stored in a trunk for the season, Bailey smiled slightly and took a closer look at his features. Thick lashes, full lips, clean-shaven, athletic build, well dressed. He was muscular without being a meatball; the sleeves of his blue button-down shirt were pushed up, and she could see the strength in his forearms, tense from his enthusiasm. His accent, which she had by now identified as Scottish, was strong but more than understandable and added a rough edge to his voice. Bailey's smile grew wider and, after reviewing the facts, she decided that maybe it wasn't too soon for carnal thoughts.

"What are you smiling like that for?"

She was shaken from her less-than-pure thoughts and realized that Oliver had ended his lecture. His head was cocked a bit to the side as he studied her with friendly curiosity. She felt a jolt run through her body when their eyes met and part of her briefly wondered if the compartment door locked. Thoughts of what they would do behind a locked door caused her to blush for at least the fourth time that day and she quickly lowered her eyes. After a few seconds of silence, when Bailey was brave enough to wander back up to his face, she saw that his curiosity had been replaced by an intensity that caused his eyes to darken and her breathing to become shallow. They sat staring at each other in the high voltage space, waiting for the other to speak until the tension became nearly unbearable. Bailey involuntarily wet her lips, and she saw Oliver's eyes dart toward them immediately. Her stomach fluttered when he moved his hands to push out of his seat and was nearly in a standing position when—

"Anything from the trolley, dears?"

The door had swung open and there stood a plump little witch pushing a cart full of goodies. Oliver had plopped back down when he heard the doorknob turn, and the anticipation that had filled the compartment only a moment before had dissipated into the ether. He smiled at Bailey (almost apologetically) before smiling politely at the witch, who had no idea what she nearly walked in on.

Get off it, Bailey, you have no idea what she almost walked in on. For all you know he was about to wipe away an eyelash. (Eyelash, right. Oldest trick in the book.) Well, it's one I've used…

"Do you want anything, Bailey?" Oliver was handing over his money while the witch looked at Bailey expectantly.

Do I ever…