After handing off most of our luggage (I kept my Pygmy Puffskein, Buttermilk's cage close in hand), Russ led me to a compartment near the middle of the train. Inside it was a boy about the size of Russ, with platinum blond hair and a warm smile. He looked like he had just sat down.

"Blaine!" Russ exclaimed.

"Russ!" The boy said back, standing and grinning wide.

"Oh Gods, it feels like it's been forever!" My brother hugged Blaine tight, and I could feel the positive energy radiating off of them.

"I know!" Blaine's voice was warm and attention-drawing, not because it was loud, but the energy of his words just kind of drew attention. He pulled away from Russ and looked down at me, smiling still. "Oh, you must be Keith!"

I nodded a little.

"I've heard mount's about you," he offered to shake my hand, "I'm Blaine, I'm a friend of Russ's."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Blaine." I said, shaking his hand hesitantly. (Fair warning, I know I was very shy and polite back then. Or, back when this story was happening. I'll call a lot of people my age mr/mrs/ma'am/sir throughout this story!)

"Mister?" He cocked his head a little at me.

Russ nudged me. "Don't mind 'im," he said, "He's too well-mannered for his own good."

"I can tell," Blaine chuckled. "He'll get adjusted quick."

"I know," My brother agreed, flopping himself down on the chair. I slowly sat down next to him, setting Buttermilk's cage at my feet. "Where's Lucas?"

"Heck if I know," Blaine shrugged, pushing his blond hair out of his face, "I hope he didn't miss the Portkey.."

"Rude of you to assume that my time management is that bad." Interjected a third voice. I immediately recognized it as Lucas, a longer-term friend of Russ. They'd known each other before I was even told the Octobers existed.

"There you are," Russ chided.

"Hey, Keith." Lucas smiled at me, almost forcing my eyes to lock with his shockingly hazel ones.

"Hi, Lucas."

Lucas flopped down in the seat next to Blaine, his messy mop of brown hair flopping with him. He was lanky-er than the rest of us, much longer and his limbs were kind of disproportionate in length. Blaine was a bit blocky-er and Russ was just broad. Kind of a football player-type body. Lucas let his eyes roam around the compartment before landing on Buttermilk's cage. "Oh!" His eyes lit up, "Is that your Puffskein, Russ?"

"It's Keith's Pygmy, actually," Russ said.

"Her name is Buttermilk," I confirmed.

"Dude, I love Puffskeins!" Lucas grinned.

"You're allergic," Blaine reminded him. Lucas just shrugged.

"They're still flippin' cute. I love her fur, by the way. Really pretty yellow."

"Thanks." I felt my cheek burn a little bit. Lucas liked to compliment me.

I felt really comfortable here.