Zoey's POV
Tulsa Oklahoma the day before Hogwarts start of term, 11:30pm.
"Come on Zoey! We're going to miss the jet!" Stark hollered from the basement where he was waiting. I finished packing my last suitcase and ran out the curtain and up the ladder, with Aphrodite and Darius right behind me. Once we got into the basement, into the Hummer, and to the House of Night, everyone else had already boarded the plane, so we just grabbed a seat in the back by Damien, Jack, Stevie Rae, Rephiam and the Twins. As soon as we sat down, the door closed and the plane started down the runway.
"Merry meet fledglings and professors." Announced Lenobia's voice over the intercom. "Now, I'm sure Neferet has told you where we're going, but if she hasn't, we are going to England. We will be staying there for one school year, which is September to May. You will be staying at a school called Hogwarts. The plane will land in London in about nine hours, so go ahead and sleep. Neferet will be out about a half an hour before we land to explain some… facts about the school where you'll be staying." As she cut off, I could hear whispering and outright questions.
"Why England?" Stark asked. That's what I want to know.
After everything quieted down, most of the fledglings went to sleep. Some of the professors did, too, and I decided I might as well. I looked over to see Stark passed out and I knew he would be until either we landed or dusk hit. I sighed and leaned into his shoulder, drifting off.
Several hours later, I awoke to hear Neferet coming out of the pilots cabin to speak with us. After she had gently woken everyone up, she turned to all of us.
"Merry meet fledglings. I'd like to tell you what kind of school we'll be going to," She paused, "It's a school...for magic."
There was a lot of whispering and a couple of shouts of "impossible" before Neferet quieted everyone down again.
"Now wasn't it said not ten years ago that vampyres were impossible? Why is magic any different? Listen, you will be participating in all of their school activities, and while the red fledglings and professors will be excused, and be required to take and hold classes at night. We will offer the same classes that were offered at home and you will take the courses they hold. You will consider those classes as mandatory extra credit. Girls, when we land you are to report to Professor Lenobia to receive your replacement suitcase full of your supplies and acceptance letters. Boys you will do the same with Professor Night."
"Replacement suitcase?" Shaunee called out.
"Yes. At Hogwarts they're a bit behind the times, so for us to show up carrying cell phones, laptops and Gucci they would be a bit shocked. In an effort to prevent this, the Headmaster of Hogwarts and I have decided that electronics will be allowed on campus, but only in the dorms. And we will replace all other common place things...such as our suitcases with things that Hogwarts students would use, like trunks. Any questions?"
"Will we have to cover our Marks?"
"No. The school will be informed of our status and species. We will still perform our rituals every month. Only now we may have a few wizards or witches joining us."
We all stared at her silently and she smiled. She then turned and walked back into the pilots cabin just as Lenobia's voice came back on over the intercom.
"Merry meet fledglings and professors. If you'll all please fasten your seatbelts and look out the windows you'll see we have arrived in London England. Now as we all know none of us are very comfortable in sunlight. I'm afraid we will have to make do however as the train we will be taking leaves in roughly an hour and a half. The red vampyres and fledglings will be driving to the train station in a darkened car driven by Darius. They will also ride to the school in a train car with blacked out windows. Please stay in your seats until we land and keep your cell phones off." The intercom gave off a bit of static as she cut off.
I looked at the chair where Stark was sitting and saw that he, of course, was still fast asleep. I rolled my eyes and looked around at my friends. Darius and Aphrodite were curled up on top of one another, hands intertwined. Stevie Rae was speaking with Rephiam, explaining modern life to him, the Twins and Jack were discussing what kind of shopping there was in England and which shops would be close to where we went to school...Wherever that was. Damien was listening in, giving suggestions and ideas here and there. There was a bit of turbulence and I bounced in my seat. Right then Stark woke up and looked over at me.
"Morning sunshine." I said smiling. Stark grinned at me sleepily and then stretched in his seat, putting his arm around my shoulders when it came down. When we landed I stayed behind with him, Shaylin, Stevie Rae and the red fledglings until Darius pulled the car around. When we got out, we slid through a black tunnel-like thing that protected us from the sun until we got into the car. We drove to the train station, called Kings Cross and then after much debate on how we were going to get inside we ran inside, with Darius and I holding a tarp over the reds. When we got inside I tucked the tarp into my bag and we all ran to catch up to the rest of our school, pushing carts that we had put our "trunks" on. We stopped in front of the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. We all looked at Darius who looked just as confused as the rest of us, then we heard Neferets voice explaining what we were supposed to do.
"Kimberly, what I want you to do is run straight at the wall, pushing your cart. On three. One. Two. Three!" A girl with curly red hair ran straight at the wall pushing her trunk and vanished! She disappeared right as she hit the wall! Wow. Do we all have to do that? My question was answered when Neferet slowly had everyone step through the wall. Alternating between student and professor sometimes. Soon the only ones left were me and the reds. Neferet turned to me and smiled her fake smile.
"Zoey, you're next. Just run straight at the wall. Your friends are on the other side." I glanced back at Stark and Stevie Rae. Stark winked, and Stevie Rae just smiled.
"Go on girl. I'll meet you at the back of the train to compare sweets and cereal." She said her Oklahoma twang. I smiled back and nodded, running through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and onto platform 9 ¾. I looked around and saw a giant, crimson steam engine and families that looked like they were from all over. There was one family I saw that had orange-top hair and freckles and I swear there were six of them! I moved out of the way just in time for Stevie Rae and Stark to come through one after the other. After everyone had come through we maneuvered our carts over to the guy putting the trunks in the train and then got on, trying to find the darkened cars so the reds could relax. When we found them I pulled Stark into the one at the very back, hoping to let him sleep, and get rid of my forming headache. We sat down and I leaned against him, I felt his breathing deepen and knew he had gone to sleep. I decided to change into something that I wouldn't mind people seeing me wearing. I got up, got into my shoulder bag where I had thrown a change of clothes. I changed into a pair of black jeans and a white lace tank top. I slipped my black boots back on and sat back down. Just as I did, the train lurched and a trio of people opened the door and gaped at mine and Stark's tattoos.
Ah hell...