what we didn't have before (tagged)

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Comarth and Tontas were seen off from platform nine and three-quarters by their Father: both his Mother and older brother, Leythan, were absent this year. It didn't mean very much to Comarth who was watching him board a train, but as he glanced across the platform and his peers, he thought he should be feeling some kind of emotion. People were hugging, kissing, crying.

He felt nothing but the warmth of a good breakfast inside of him, which was plenty enough to keep him happy for a few hours.

Tontas had already buggered off to find his own friends, so Comarth made a start on finding his. That's right: this year he had actual comrades, so he already knew things were going to be slightly different.

Craning his neck high above the crowd, he only spotted Hector Burke. Was a Melanthius Burke there too, with the rest of his family?

@Melanthius Burke @Dahlia Travers @Bellona Lestrange

"Oooooh, Hectyyyyy, now you know how I was feeling when you and Thius got on da train after I graduatey!!!" Minnie exclaimed with a giggle as she tried to poke Hector's cheek with one of her carrot wands.

She looked at him as her arm leaned on Thius' two bottomless suitcases. "Where is Cece?! I wanna lookey at her hair!"

@Hector Burke

Brushing away a novelty wand of hers that prodded to the hollow of his cheek, he crossed his arms.

"I was merely stating how strange it feels to have done the same journey every year for the last seven, then suddenly I'm not!" Was it really so emotional, so gushing to be slightly nostalgic? Merlin. Perhaps he was slightly disappointed about not seeing the changes Professor Riddle would bring as well.

He checked his watch frustratedly, wishing Sakura and her brother would be arriving soon.

@Minnie Bulstrode

Millicent had stepped aside from her family to go through the other side of the barrier to see if the Tokugawas had gotten lost trying to find Platform 9 3/4; she probably should've invited them to take the portkey with them to the station rather than leave them instructions. Whoopsie.

"They'll likely be forced to, I expect."

It was strange to imagine a child made from Comarth Selwyn and Dahlia Travers. They would either be pulling legs off from spiders or rebellious to their parent's collective lack of compassion: becoming caring, generous, oversensitive. Now she was imagining a Selwyn-looking child singing to a flock of birds, and snorted.

Bellona smiled and waved up ahead, to Minnie.

When they drew closer she greeted her: "Hello Minnie, is that a new carrot wand?" She smiled brightly, as Nightstar hissed at Hector from within her basket. "Awwh shh, shh Nightstar. You have a new boy to sharpen your claws on when we get to the compartment~"

@Minnie Bulstrode

"Cousin Melanthius!!! Bellonah!!!! Hiya!!!!" Minnie greeted excitedly as she ran to give Thius his suitcases and gifts for both of them for starting a new term.

"It is, Bellonah, I'm happy you noticed! Lookey at it, it has a jewel!"

She swung it around, giggling.

As Thius swiftly loaded his suitcases on the trolley, Minnie interrupted him by putting a very hippie-looking orange flowery hat that appeared to be made of some sort of felt. "Melanthius, I got you a hat!!! And Bellonah-"

Minnie dug through her purse, ignoring Nightstar's hissing at Hector, and pulled out a bar of soap that smelled strongly like incense. "This purdy soap I found while on lookout for a crimmy!!! I paid this time, Hecty!!!!"

That still didn't stop her from looking around to see if there was anything on the platform she could add to her collection.

@Bellona Lestrange

"Thank you, Minnie..."

The hat certainly wasn't his style, but he wasn't going to admonish her for it when he could simply get rid of it once they were on the train.

He held onto the trolley tightly after loading his suitcases. Then his eyes began to wander down his girlfriend's body...

Thius bit his lip hoping his family wouldn't hold them up for much longer.

Dahlia rolled her eyes at his question. "No, I'm just happy to get away from them and ridiculous smooching and ogling each other." She said with a sigh. Was she really that vicious that he would automatically think such a thing about her? Good. It was definitely something she might have done if she weren't going to be forced to spend the entire train ride in a compartment with her. But alas, she didn't want to deal with the whimpering and whining it could have caused. She was sure Bellona and Melanthius in general would be annoying enough.

She smirked at him. "We don't need Burke to get us a compartment, Selwyn. She said as she boarded the train and went towards the front compartments. Of course, they were all taken so she stopped at one of the lesser occupied compartments, one that only had a couple of younger students. She walked right in as if she owned the place while stating loudly over her shoulder. "Yes, I've been working on a new poison that I found in one of my father's books. It spreads through the air. I just hope the bottle I put it in won't shatter on the train so that the whole compartment is affected." She said as if she and Selwyn had been talking about such things the whole time. Then she took a seat just to let them know she wasn't going anywhere, glowering at their compartment mates who quickly grabbed their things and scurried off. A smirk came to her lips. "See, you just have to be smart."

@Comarth Selwyn

Surprised, he gazed at her in wonder as she confidently entered a compartment with students already inside. He followed suit, wondering which curses they were going to use, until he realised that she wasn't intending to lift a finger. She spoke back to him, and for once he was following along with what she was getting at.

"A fate worse than death, indeed," he replied sadly, shaking his head as he ensured to sit uncomfortably close to a third-year boy.

They scarped shortly after. Comarth grinned at Dahlia. "You're just as smart as you are deadly," he commented fondly. It was almost a nice moment until he swung his rucksack over onto the seat opposite, and it partly hit her leg.

Comarth hadn't noticed, as he was now standing to position their trunks into the luggage racks. That meant he hadn't noticed his rucksack had been open, and had spilled one of its contents onto Dahlia's lap. A squishy, fuzzy stuffed dragon toy was now staring up at her.

@Dahlia Travers

Momentarily distracted by the ghastly thing Minnie placed on her boyfriend's head, she had enough time to look utterly repulsed before something was given to her. The scent of it was very strong - almost overbearing - but if it was used lightly in baths then it may be muted. She smiled brightly at Minnie.

"Thank you, Minnie!" she said, feeling rather touched. It probably didn't cost a lot of money, but going by Minnie's record of taking things without paying, this was saying something. Bellona gave her a swift kiss on the cheek.

"Where are your parents, Thius?" she asked, wondering if it would take long for them to return in order for a farewell. Nightstar needed to be released from her cage!

@Minnie Bulstrode @Melanthius Burke

"I'm actually not sure, 'Ona," he responded as he scratched around his temples. This hat really didn't feel pleasant on his head. "I know mother came here with us. I think father's on a business trip?"

Now that he thought about it, it seemed like his father was always somewhere other than home. Thius pushed that thought aside for now.

"Brother, do you know where our mother went?"

@Bellona Lestrange @Hector Burke

"You're welcome, Bellonah!!!"

She grinned widely at her cousin-nephew and his girlfriend before kneeling down to wave at the kitty.

"Hiya!!! I'm Minnie!!! What's the kitty's name, Bellonah?"

@Bellona Lestrange

Cernunnos hurried down the aisle to his brain internally playing "Cry For You" by September. This was the worst day of his life being phoneless.

He noticed that one of the Selwyns was in a compartment and he glared at him angrily. "Your brother took my phone!"

@Comarth Selwyn

Dahlia smirked at the backs of the younger students as they hurried out of the compartment. She had known it would work. She had at least hoped that it would have. Who needed to lift a finger when your reputation proceeds you and what you're saying is entirely believable? She turned her attention to Comarth once more. "It's a gift, Selwyn." She said, her smirk still very self-assured. That is until he smacked her leg with his bag and the smirk turned into more of a glower. "Hey, watch what you're doing, you oaf." She said, temper flaring again where there had once been mischief.

Then something landed in her lap. She looked down to see a fluffy stuffed dragon and just like that the smirk was back on her lips. "Awww, did you bring your wittle fwiend with you?" She said, holding up the dragon with both hands, one beneath each of the toy's armpits as she shook it a bit to draw his attention to it. She was set to tease him mercilessly when that ridiculous boy walked into their compartment and she just glared at him.

@Comarth Selwyn

"What?" he asked, dumbfounded by her ironic cutesy-talk.

He turned around and stared, wide-eyed, at the toy bouncing around in Dahlia's hands. He flushed scarlet.

"That's not mine," he stated quickly, wondering how it got in there, for he certainly didn't put it there! Had it fallen into his bag by accident, or had someone purposefully planted it to spite him? Just when he formulated a conclusion himself, he noticed a little note had fallen out from his bag and snatched it.

You'll probably need it this year.

Leythan's handwriting.

Comarth scrunched the paper into his fist. What was he playing at?! Just as he opened his mouth to defend himself to Dahlia, however, there was a voice from outside. What's-his-name. Who was he talking to? About whose brother? His? Hers? Apparently, Comarth didn't care, as he slowly closed the compartment door shut with that on the other side. Then locked it. Then lowered the blind, slowly and sinisterly, until they were spared from the sight of him.

He turned to Dahlia. "Okay - it is mine. But I hadn't packed it. It would appear to be some kind of practical joke of Leythan's. I haven't touched that thing since I was a toddler," he admitted, still slightly pink.

@Dahlia Travers @Cernunnos Largo

Then the door to the compartment was locked and closed on him. Cernunnos began to knock on it and yelled, "Selwyn, your brother took my phone! Did you hear me?!"

@Comarth Selwyn

"It fell from your bag." She pointed out, very matter-of-factly as she inspected the fluffy little toy. It was cute if you were into that sort of thing. She wasn't. Then he was distracted by some little piece of paper before crumpling it into his hand. She raised a brow in questioning. What was that all about? Not that she had time to ask because she was being assaulted by the whining of what's his name just on the other side of the door. Who's brother had done whatever to him? Surely not hers. Selwyn hadn't mentioned his brother being here though since hadn't he graduated last year?

It didn't matter as she used the dragon's little arm to wave at Cernu as Comarth shut him outside, effectively locking him on the other side of the door. The smirk was still on her lips. "Hmmm, haven't touched it since you were a toddler yet here it is? Sounds believable." Not, she left unsaid. Obviously, she didn't believe him, though. "It's okay, Selwyn. Nothing wrong with needing a little comfort from home." Though, the smirk on her lips said otherwise. He would never live this down.

@Comarth Selwyn @Cernunnos Largo

Soon enough, Sakura entered Platform 9 and 3/4 through the magical barrier with her kitsune trailing after her before returning to be right at her side. Her robes were a glorious sunshine yellow that lit her up among the sea of people. Some of them moved aside so she could go through, presumably due to the presence of her kitsune.

Finding Hector and his brother, Sakura smiled and bowed to them as she approached. "Hello. I apologize for the delay. I was trying to find the platform," she said apologetically looking between them. "Hello, Hector. Hello, Thius. Hello, Bel. Hello, Minnie."

@Hector Burke @Bellona Lestrange

Ignoring the knocking and shouting outside, he showed Dahlia the crumpled note.

"You seem quite attached to it. You can keep it."

He smirked at her, pointing his finger at the stuffed dragon.

"Boys definitely shouldn't have stuffed dragons past the age of five. For girls, it's different. It even smells like me. I would've thought you'd like that."

His smirk turned into a wide grin.

"Do you have one of those exploding powder potions I can give to this boy?" he asked casually, as an afterthought.

@Dahlia Travers

"Hmm. Well - we should get going..."

Seeing Minnie checking the carrier, Bellona smiled at her. "Nightstar. She's upset being in her carrier, aren't you, sweetie?" she cooed, then looked up at Sakura drifting into view. Her presence was a spectacle for everyone on the platform, it seemed, as others were glancing back in her wake.

"Hello Sakura," she said kindly, glancing at Hector.

"Well, it won't be the end of the world if I don't get to say bye to my mother. I'm sure she'll write me early on in the term anyway..."

He frowned at the clearly antsy Nightstar. Poor kitty, confined to such a cage... "We'll let you out soon, Nightstar..."

Then Sakura finally arrived. His brother should be very happy now. "Hello, Sakura. My lady and I have to give her extremely sweet cat her freedom, but I shall ensure you and your brother get a compartment near us."

He didn't want them to be stuck around mudbloods like Estrada or MacKenna.

@Bellona Lestrange

A smirk came back to her lips as she read over the little note that he had handed her. "Awww, how sweet. Your big brother thinks you need a wittle fwiend to take to school with you." She teased him, quite mercilessly, as the boy stood on the other side of the door pounding and shouting. Dahlia paid him no mind. Her brows creased together then as Selwyn tried to pawn the toy off on her. "Oh no! What would my dorm mates think if I came in with a stuffed toy? I would lose any form of reputation I've spent all these years building up!" She said, though the dragon was still in her grasp.

"Though... It could play into our favor with helping convince our parents. Giving little gifts like this is what couples do, right?" She thought so... Not that she would generally be so enamored with such a thing. Then she placed the toy on the seat beside her as she dug through her bag. "I think I have some Erumpent Potion in here somewhere. But that might blow up the whole train. I think I have some boil inducing potion in here as well?" She dug through the bag, looking to see what other nasty potions she might have on hand.

@Comarth Selwyn

Cernunnos still waited outside of the compartment. If only he had his phone to loudly play music with!

Saburo followed his sister through the barrier, although his kitsune had jumped through there in front of him, now taking charge of its owner by navigating deftly through the immense crowd. His robes were muted lavender fading out to white: not quite as brilliant as his sister's, but still enough to make him the subject of unapologetic gaping. He hurried closer to Sakura, feeling ill-at-ease but managing to keep a brave face.

"Good morning," he greeted, bowing to them each in turn. Then, for a moment, he forgot himself. The scarlet steam engine came into his view, and he was gazing up at it in wonder. "Amazing..." he murmured, eyes as round as coins.

@Melanthius Burke

ector had seen her break through the crowd: her robes of yellow starkly contrasting against the dulls of grey and black cloaks. He thought that Bellona, with her pallid legs covered in lace stockings, looked very washed out and sickly in comparison to Sakura, whose skin was glowing as though every colour she wore was meticulously chosen, down to the exact hue, to emphasise it.

A broad smile crossed over his face and all his sulleness disappeared.

"Hello Sakura, Saburo. I apologise for your trouble finding it - I hadn't hoped to inconvenience you," he said, his eyes excitedly taking in every contour of her robe. "Yes - as my brother said, he shall see you are both well situated and comfortable. But before you go..."

He took out a box from his jacket, opened it, and showed her a glistening, white gold chain carrying a teardrop-shaped pendant of Kyanite. Smiling broadly, he explained: "This should at least make communication easier. I got you a communication crystal, which has instructions inside the box on how to use it. If you run into any difficulty with it, however, my brother and Bellona will be able to help you."

Looking at Saburo, he added: "I also bought one for you, Saburo. But yours isn't fashioned to jewllery: I thought you may have preferred it that way." Closing the necklace box, he handed another to Saburo with his crystal inside. "If you do want it made into an accessory, however, please let me know. I will instruct you on how to send it away to be changed."

@Sakura Tokugawa

"Either that or I shall throw it to the mercy of the train tracks once we've left King's Cross..." he muttered hotly.

But, seeing as he had kept it all these years (in the dingiest recesses of his closet), perhaps that was going a step too far for him. He just didn't want Dahlia thinking he could be sentimental.

Comarth was wringing his hands eagerly with all what she had suggested. "Let's go for boils, shall we?" he suggested, almost too brightly.

@Dahlia Travers