Chapter 2: Off to school; To school we go.
Kaleb hung out of the compartment window and waved at his Guardian as did Teran.
"Bye Geri," Kaleb yelled as the train left the station.
"Be good!" She yelled back.
The boys sat back down as houses began to fly past the windows and Cye entered and sat down opposite them, beside his brother; Ciro, Jenna, and Akio debated how long it would be until the lunch trolley arrived.
"I just don't understand why she has to be so cold to everyone." Teran said continuing their earlier conversation.
"Me neither but hey she isn't my sister." Kaleb replied.
"The way she treated Dad last week was horrendous. She yelled in his face and slammed a door on Akio's fingers. All because he told her that me and Jenna are not conspiring against Ravenclaw-"
"Ter, it was an accident she didn't mean to trap my fingers." Akio injected timidly.
"Not the point she wasn't so elitist and cold it wouldn't have happened. Mine and Jen's relationship isn't her concern." Teran replied.
"Ter, let's just leave that alone. She's your sister. I don't care if she doesn't like me, that is her problem not mine." Jenna said with a note of finality.
"Fine, anything you want Dear. Who's turn is it to get the beans anyway?" Teran asked.
"It's Kaleb's turn, I did it last year, you did it in second year." Cye answered.
"Alright I'll get them but let's hope and pray that we don't have another slug incident."
The six students all became slightly stiff before they burst out laughing and Ciro even fell off his seat and off underneath the table.
"Your face Kal!" Teran, red in the face managed to blurt out between his chuckling.
"It was definitely something to see." Cye added.
"His eyes were watering!" Akio chimed in.
"Lets not forget that the remnants of the slug bean ended up in Teran's hair." Jenna said slyly with a laugh.
"How many times, it was a bit of fluff." Teran defended going redder still.
"Then how did it end up in my dinner at the welcoming feast that year?" Cye added.
"I blame Jenna!" Ciro exclaimed.
"What? Don't be silly Ciro." Jenna said with a forced grin.
"I saw-"
"Hey the trolley's here!" Akio saved Jenna.
"Go on Kal" Teran coached. "Get the beans!"
"Anything from the trolley dears?" The witch asked.
"Yes please, a dozen chocolate frogs, a box of Bertie Botts and six pumpkin pasties." Kaleb said as he sorted the gold and handed it over knowing the cost of the order from previous years.
"Here you go, anything for anyone else?"
"A licorice wand please." Cye said sorting his own gold.
"Thank you." The witch responded and began to push the trolley again.
"Here Ci, as promised." Cye told his little brother.
"Thanks Bro!"
"Right everyone grab a couple Chocolate Frogs and a Pasty." Kaleb said as he threw Akio a Frog.
"Who's going first with the beans?" Kaleb asked before adding; "Not it!"
"Not it!" Teran and Jenna yelled together.
"Not me!" Ciro said.
"Akio will go first." Cye said smirking.
"But I went first last year!" Akio complained.
"Then show us how it's done." Ciro jeered.
"Ugh. Fine." Akio said rolling his eyes as Kaleb ripped open a Frog, caught it and began to eat.
"Caramel." Akio said munching on his bean.
"Ter, you're up." Jenna said smiling.
Teran took the box from his younger brother and after a grimace he withdrew a dark brown bean, sniffed it and then bit it in half.
"UGHH Dog Food. Kal, your turn." Teran said handing over the box.
"Mmm, Lime!" Kaleb said smirking at his best friend.
"My turn, I guess." Jenna said taking the box from Kaleb.
"Coconut." Jenna said. "I hate Coconut. Ciro, take it."
"Why do we do this every year?" Ciro asked.
"Bean first, ask questions later." Kaleb said gesturing to the box.
"Fine…. Ohh butter." Ciro said. "Why do we do this?"
"Because it's fun, stop being a spoilsport." Teran said off handedly.
"You heard him Ci, pass the box." Cye instructed. "Wish me luck."
"I'd love you to get Crab again." Teran laughed.
"Don't. Even. Mention. That." Cye growled retracting a bean that was a semi-transparent white from the box.
"ARRGHHHHH EEWWWW PLASTIC." Cye yelled.
Just as Akio went to choose again hesitantly a girl with brunette hair and striking deep blue eyes appeared in the doorway.
"I thought I heard you lot." Cali said by way of greeting.
"Hey Cali." Jenna said smiling.
"Hey. Teran, guess what?"
"What?" Teran said with a quizzical shake of his head.
"Cade made Gryffindor Keeper!" Cali exclaimed.
"But the year hasn't begun…" Cye commented.
"He was picked last year after Emile Holland left, she chose him to replace her."
"Psh." Kaleb muttered.
"And what was that Nation?" Cade said as he swaggered into the compartment and perched on the table.
"Nothing James. Cali how come you haven't tried out for chaser?" Kaleb asked trying to pull the attention back to Cali so she'd be forced to speak in that curious and wondrous voice of hers.
"Quidditch is fun when it's just a game but when we're playing in the championship it's too much. Plus all of us are in different houses and I wouldn't want to play against a friend."
"Fair comment." Jenna said.
"Better be off." Cali said tugging Cades arm as she sensed another argument between Kaleb and Cade brewing.
"See you." Cade said.
"Bye" The group answered with Teran and Kaleb showing more enthusiasm for Cades departure than the rest.
The group carried on chatting merrily and eating Bertie Botts every flavor beans with Teran getting raspberry, dog food and beef Jerky, Kaleb getting Apple, Garlic and another lime bean, Jenna getting iron -much to Ciro's enjoyment-, Custard and Fish [Cod], Akio got Sugar and blu-tac, Cye had Coffee and lettuce and Ciro had Grass and Strawberry Jelly.
"Hey Akio what chocolate frog cards you got?" Teran asked his little brother.
"Lily Potter, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Merlin, Sirius Black and Dumbledore."
"Cool, I'll swap you Remus Lupin for Lily Potter, I have two Remus Lupin's."
"Sure, what cards have you got Kal?" Akio answered.
"Harry Potter, Dobby and Fred Weasley." Kaleb replied.
"I'll trade you Snape for Dobby."
"I have Snape already, I'll trade Dobby for Dumbledore though!"
"Sure."
"When did you get Snape?" Kaleb asked knowing that Severus Snape was a relatively new card.
"Few months back then I got another Snape last week."
"Oh cool."
The rest of the journey went smoothly with the children chatting before changing into robes and then some playing exploding snap quite loudly earning them a visit from a prefect who asked them abruptly to quiet down.
They pulled into Hogsmeade station after dark and disembarked onto the cold platform as sheets of icy rain smacked their faces.
"Firs' years' this way!" Boomed the gamekeeper Hagrid as they passed, Hagrid looked the same as ever only older, with more grey in his beard and mane of dark black hair than the year before, his smile reached his small beetle eyes and he still ferried the first years across the lake to the castle.