Drystan

I don't like cats. Nor did I like Zayne's cat specifically rubbing up all over me once the train started moving. I hadn't even started the school year and I already had calico cat hair all over my robes. And it's name was Bubbles, who names their cat Bubbles?

"-And then there's the wand ceremony," Orion continued, "Where you get your wand. They're all like, laid out on a table and you can choose one and wave it around-"

"Hold on," I interjected, "You're just gonna leave the sorting ceremony like that?"

"Well, yeah," he shrugged.

"Are you kidding me? Reacting statues, that's so cool!"

"Weren't you raised magical?" Nat raised an eyebrow at me.

"I was," I tilted my head up as Bubbles nuzzled my chest again, "But my parents weren't incredibly worried about us knowing stuff about Ilvermorny. They were more concerned with magic laws and interactions with No-Maj."

"I feel bad for No-Maj," Zayne remarked, "I can't imagine living without magic. It's so convenient."

"And powerful," Orion added, "Some people just aren't meant to have it. It's a responsibility, ya'know."

"I know, but, still. Makes you think, right? Like, how do these people live without self-cleaning pots or self-knitting knitting needles?"

"They do all those things themselves," Orion sat up straighter in his seat, as if acting defensive, "They're not less-than because they don't have magic."

"I didn't say that," Zayne raised his hands in defense.

"Chill, 'Rion," Nat put her hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to get all defensive."

He huffed and flopped back in his seat. Zayne glanced over at my lap, where his cat had contentedly fallen asleep. "Bubbles seems to like you, little man."

"Really?" I said sarcastically, looking down at the cat, "I hadn't noticed."

╔═══*.·:·. ✧ ✦ ✧ .·:·.*═══╗

Keith

"So you just hexed her?" Russ was leaning forward in his seat, and it almost looked like there were stars in his eyes. In all honesty, I probably looked the same.

Lucas had a smug grin on his face, nodding. "Bat-boogey hex, yeah."

"Eww!" Blaine laughed a little, "Dude, you can't bat-boogey hex your sister!"

"Sure I can," Lucas said, "And I did. It was funny, too."

"That sounded awesome!" I said.

"It did," Russ leaned back, resting against his seat, "God, I can't believe I forgot to get your numbers last year."

"I know," Blaine agreed.

"Let's exchange while we're thinking about it," Lucas pulled a notepad out of his blue and cranberry colored robes, fishing for a pen in one of his many pockets.

"I can give you my home number," Russ said, "Keith and I aren't allowed to have phones until we're 13."

"Really?" Blaine wrinkled his nose, "Kinda old school."

"Not everyone's rich and northern like you, Blaine," Lucas handed him the pen and notepad.

"Iowa isn't northern," he grumbled.

"I'm peckish," Russ stood up, "I'm gonna go find the snack stay Wanna come, Keith?"

"Sure," I stood up too, putting Buttermilk on my shoulder. Russ almost skipped out of the compartment, very clearly hungry. We walked down the aisles, peeking into a few of the compartments to see if we recognized the students inside. We waved at Orion and his friends, and knocked on the one across from it.

Calli slid the door open. "Oh, hey."

"Do you know where the snacks are?" Russ asked.

A voice from behind Calli answered. "Wrong end of the car. If you go to the other side you'll find the bar with the lady."

"Thanks, Mae!" Russ took off in the other direction. I waved to Calli and Mae before following.

We returned to the compartment with our arms full of candy, dumping it all onto the seat next to Blaine. Buttermilk jumped off my shoulder and onto the pile, snaking her long, light pink tongue around a fully-wrapped Pumpkin Pasty and swallowing it. She then skittered across the compartment to Lucas, as if nothing happened.

"That was cool," he breathed.