SLAM

Nyx smashed her most of her wardrobe in a petite suitcase, she buckled the latch and lifted it off of the bed, into the hallway, partially full with things like kittens, owls, spare parchment and notebooks, cases and carts. A tiny black kitten with a white under-belly rubbed against Nyx's leg.

"Aww" Nyx cooed, bending down and picking up the clawless, green-eyed thing. Nyx unzipped her black sports jacket, put in the kitten, and zipped it half-way. "Poor, Toby" sounding very motherish-like. Something was special about this kitten named Toby; it was doomed to be a kitten forever. Some idiot wizard spilled a several pint fulls of "Witch Holly Ever-Lasting Anti Aging Potion" on this creature. Being irresponsible, the moron dropped it on the street and left it to fend for himself. "Toby" (as Nyx now called him) somehow found a way to Vera Square, case closed, Nyx fell in love with the kitten.

They were going to NYC today, specific instructions from "Magonagall", to go to Grand Central Station and board at platform 7 7/3. Besides, they needed to get some things from the penthouse.

It was pretty early as they left, getting into a half-full grey-hound. Nyx locked the front door, and shoved her case into the over-head and sat down next to Skye with Toby in her lap. Skye didn't have her owl with her; "Magonagall" requested that all owl of this residence were to be flown to Hogwarts. Skye let her owl out this morning, hoping to find her again once they reached the school. Nyx took off her Newsboy cap and dumped Toby into it, since it was pretty uncomfortable sitting down with Toby in her lap.

"Did you study any course material?" Nyx asked, being a smart aleck.

"I only got through the first 7 chapters of Transfiguration and the other half of Self Protection" Skye replied. "I hope the teacher is as interesting as Ms. Templeton" Ms. Templeton was the best teacher at Norton William Performing Arts Academy; she made the classes alive with enthusiasm and charisma. Part of this reason was because she once was a Broadway Director, a Renaissance Volunteer, and an excellent vocalist.

"Ugh, I finished Standard Spells and half of Magical Theory-I was too tired to finish the rest" Nyx said, almost in a whisper. Toby switched over sides as she stroked him.

Nyx looked over at Audrey, Riley, and Lelani. It looked like they were having a dense conversation in Tagalog (language of the Philippines). Skye snapped a picture of Toby and looked out the window, it was beginning to drizzle. It was going to be a long time until they reached LAX.

*

"Los Angeles International Airport" the monotonous voice of the driver hummed on the speakers, waking up both Toby and Nyx. Skye woke up as well, but she was already standing, stretching. She put Toby in her jacket pocket, dusted off her hat, gently placed it on her head and began to unload her case. She looked one more time at Riley, Lelani, and Audrey. They were still deeply involved in foreign conversation, even while they were getting their cases from the overhead. Nyx walked out, trying to ignore the smell of dirty streets, which somehow weaseled into your nose whenever it rained in the city, it always smelled better in Malibu, not as much pollution up there. It was now a steady rain which gave her hat a good bath. Riley got off next, then Skye, followed Audrey and Lelani. They walked to the Domestic flight area, then to the Manhattan, New York boarding vicinity. They walked to the clerk's desk.

"Reserved tickets under Aislinn" Nyx said confidently. The clerk took her seriously and issued the tickets.

Lelani laughed. Everyone within hearing distance turned and looked at her. One eye was half-shut, and she was turning red with laughter-trying to shut herself up.

"Ell shut up" Riley whispered, nudging her. Lelani returned to her normal color, and took her ticket.

*

"Converse-" Skye said aloud as she jotted it down on her notepad.

"Oh can you put my arm warmers and socks while you're at it?" Nyx joked.

"You butt"

The metal-detector line moved. Nyx put down her bag with a loud-thump, and emptied out her pockets, except for the one that Toby was in.

"Ma'am your other pocket" The large African American woman said.

"Uh-sorry I-umm-forgot" Nyx hesitated, she slowly moved around in her pocket, moving the tiny bulge around. She nervously pulled her hand out of her pocket, revealing-thin air.

"Thank you" the uniform-clad lady said, letting her breath again.

Nyx proceeded through the metal-slot. It didn't beep. Nyx let out a sigh of relief. She picked up her case and coins, and headed to the boarding platform. The man stamped her passport and let her through, as she walked down the dark strip she wondered what Hogwarts would be like, how they'd get all the way to Scotland-to a wizarding school no less-undetected, what class she got on the plane, and what would be for lunch.

*

It turns out that Nyx and her friends got first class, and they enjoyed watching the movie-which was "Star Wars". They were now getting off of the plane and onto a subway car to Manhattan. It was as if a firework had been lit inside Riley she couldn't stop smiling, and kept tip-toeing to see if they were at the penthouse yet, her large back bag key-chains jingling with excitement. Toby was awake now, playing punch-bag with Nyx's earrings. Nyx laughed as the car pulled to a stop, and they raced back up to the street. There in front of them was a high-rise, Victorian apartment complex. Its windows were carved in white stone, beautiful reproduced designs, bordering the clean glass windows, and white fire escapes. It was a rare and expensive jewel in polished Manhattan. Nyx and everybody ran across the street and down the block to their beloved New York home. Nyx was first to reach the door. She unlocked it and let in Toby so he wouldn't be smushed, unfortunately he only had a few seconds before everyone piled up on Nyx, and they all fell on top of each other in the middle of the white carpet. Just to be comical Toby jumped on top of the pile and meowed. They broke out in laughter. Unfortunately for this group they weren't well coordinated; everyone tried get off at the same time. There were several moans of pain before Skye shouted "STOP!!!" She directed the ones on top to get off first, which were Riley and Audrey, Lelani rolled off to the side somehow, managed not to be mashed. Skye rolled off as well, and Nyx rose up off of the floor, her skin sticking to the tiles like when you lay down on a leather couch for too long.

"Home sweet Home" Riley said running to her room, saying hello to random things "Hello pan! Hello Shag rug! Hello Flat screen! Hello curtains!" This was probably the only place she called home, because it was where she grew up causing her to love New York, everything about it, good or bad. She loved the dirty water hog dogs, the major shopping districts, and the tranquility of the sea on Staten Island.

Nyx wasn't in a hurry; the train to Scotland didn't leave until tomorrow. She walked on the white carpet, which was unusually soft. The room wasn't that normal. The couch was professionally sunk into the floor, which made it look like a wiggly pool, with Pink couches bordering it. A flat screen was on the deep-set wall, so when you watched TV it looked like you were staring into space. Underneath the couches were white shag, which increased the 70s-motif feeling. Off to the left side were some windows that had bright blue curtains that rippled like water in the fresh autumn breeze. The blue and pink was highlighted by the white walls, plus if you didn't look closely, you'd miss the one of a kind-pink, blue, and white disco ball. Off to the other side of the room was a laptop on a white table and antique chairs, next to another blue-clad window.

She stepped down into the couch area, and was just about to relax, when she remembered that she'd probably forget to pack tomorrow so she had to pack now-again. She ran past Riley's scenic room, which had a mural of a sun setting under a navy blue sea, while the dolphins and other sea creatures swam at the bottom half of the picture. It was a place of inspiration and imagination.

Nyx opened up the door to her room. It wasn't as creative as Riley's but it was nice. Nyx's room had orange walls and a hardwood floor, the bed was covered in a shiny pink quilt, which switched over to an orange. A hanging bubble chair swung in a corner, parallel to a shiny antique microphone and stand, in the last corner was a pink door, which was Nyx's bathroom, in the bathroom was another door, which was her small closet.

She plopped down on the bed and stared at the azure ceiling coated in stars. Nyx liked to think about serious matters when lying on her bed. This time it was: "What is the purpose of Human Existence?" she began to contemplate. "Ok so our function for existence is either just to be a species and build, then be wiped from the planet like every other variety. Do we have a greater purpose?" She soon got aggravated with the reflection and swore to herself that she would come back to it later.