Id choose the bear (open)

Pandora sat in a compartment surrounded by other students. She hasn't been able to find anything empty or with any of her friends as they were off doing prefect stuff or who knew what. She did her best to tune out the annoying people around her. She rolled her eyes and get her teeth as the sound of high pitched squeals bounced around the compartment as the girls started gossiping about stupid nonsense, "Would you shut up?" She hissed as she started to form a migraine

If there was something Thius hated more than dealing with mudbloods, it was definitely being late. He wanted to be on time to Platform 9 3/4 so he could find Bellona, Comarth, and Dahlia and enjoy the train ride with his favorite company. Instead, Thius was stuck lugging all of his luggage down numerous carriages trying to find somewhere to sit. He wanted to sit with his fellow ambitious snakes, not be stuck around some of the worse to traverse Hogwarts.

He was blocking out the sounds of chatter as usual until his ears was greeted by Carrow's horrific screeches. Cringing, Thius sighed and glanced into the nearby compartment which genuinely was full of obnoxious people. "Were you that desperate to find a compartment, Carrow?"

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora looked over at her housemates voice and breathed a small sigh of relief, "Finally. Someone actually worth speaking to. Please, if you have another option so let me know." She has grown tired of the antics of the squealing girls and got to her feet, "I will hex both of your mouths shut for the rest of the year if you do not cease the banshee squeals!" She snapped at them with fire in her eyes.

@Melanthius Burke

"I didn't realize I was considered worth speaking to. Is it because I'm not Hector?" he questioned with an eyebrow raise. Thius knew he didn't exactly fit into Slytherin the way the hat kept insisting he'd be quite successful in Ravenclaw. He simply didn't want to deal with the implications of not being in the same house as the rest of his family. Well, that was until his sister got herself sorted into Hufflepuff.

Thius situated his luggage to his side as he wasn't currently moving down the corridor.

"Your temper is as volatile as ever."

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora shrugged a bit, "Better than my current company at least." Melanthius wasn't that bad, and she got on well enough with Cecelia at times. The Burke's weren't the worst people to associate with. She smirked at his comment, "My temper is a fantastic weapon when it's not aimed at you." And that was true. Pandora was like a beast when she was angry. Ready to rip into any and everyone that ticked her off.

@Melanthius Burke

"Then why don't you leave them? I have been trying to find where 'Ona and my other friends are, but I've yet to find them," Thius said with a sigh. As much as he couldn't stand Carrow at times, he understood the strategic importance of getting along with his fellow Sacred 28 housemates. Connections were quite necessary in the magical world.

He nodded. "I do prefer not being on the receiving end of it..."

@Pandora Carrow

"What is more pathetic? Sitting with them or sitting alone?" She didn't mean it to come out as snarky as it did, it was an almost genuine question; however, she didn't expect an actual answer. "Most people prefer it that way. Remember in 2nd year, I made that girl cry so much she demanded her parents transfer her to Beauxbatons? What was her name? Eleanor or something? Stupid name, really."

@Melanthius Burke

What kind of question was that? "I'm not sure, but I'd rather be around my friends when I have the opportunity to." Thius was itching to get away from the grating conversations.

"Your standards for company would've been more convincing if you remained in the corridors," Thius said as he shook slightly in place.

"Yes, I do remember..."

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora cocked her head to the side and pondered for a moment before conceding, "Touché. Let's get the fuck out of here." She grabbed her bag and stepped into the corridor, "Honestly, I was about to rip the blondes ponytail off her head of I heard one more story that started with "So I was at the mall...' like, honestly, they're so infuriating at times. Stupid bloody incels."

@Melanthius Burke

Once he noticed Carrow had gained enough sense to escape from that compartment, Thius proceeded down the corridor. "They sound like mudbloods..." Then he cringed his face in confusion. "What's a bloody incel?"

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora wrinkled her nose at having to be in such close vicinity with mud bloods and blood traitors. She constantly complained to her parents but they told her it sucked but it was part of life. It would be over soon at least. Just a few more years. When he asked what an incel.was she let out a laugh and tried to think of how to explain it, "Basically sad pathetic virgins that have zero attraction to them."

@Melanthius Burke

"Hm, I never thought of that to describe my brother."

He wasn't fond of mudbloods, but Thius did appreciate being able to add more words to his vocabulary when the opportunity arose.

"I do hope 'Ona hasn't wound up stuck in his company. I'm not quite sure where he is on the train, but I'd hate for her to be pummeled by his judgments."

@Pandora Carrow

"I have never thought of that to describe your brother, either." She said in a saucy tone with a smirk. The elder Burke brother was in fact quite a delicious treat to eye in the halls from time to time. She rolled her eyes at the nickname he had given Bellona, it was cute in an annoying kind of sense, "She likes it when you call her that?" Pandora asked with a raise of a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

@Melanthius Burke

"..."

Whatever thoughts Pandora was having about his brother, Thius didn't want to hear them. He wasn't the audience nor did he want to be.

"She does, I presume... She doesn't mind. 'Ona doesn't threaten to encapsulate me in ice whenever I call her that..."

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora nodded in understanding, even if she didn't truly understand the charm of pet names and the sorts, "Ah yes. I sometimes forget she's an elemental. Be funny to pin her and Finnegan together. Fire vs ice." She said with a laugh in her voice. It would be amusing to see Bellona put Siobhan in her place.

@Melanthius Burke

"Although it would be quite satisfying to see 'Ona defeat Finnigan in a duel, I'm not quite sure if either would escape unscathed. I'd prefer to not see 'Ona get majorly injured."

It would distress him too much to see her in a lot of pain like that. It was miraculous that they were both fortunate to be born with magic; imagine if she had to deal with Finnigan if her blood contained mud? Oh, that was unfathomable... "I'm not fond of the idea." Thius shook his head to emphasize just how much he wouldn't want to see horrid Finnigan's flames inch towards Bellona's face.

@Pandora Carrow

Pandora rolled her eyes and shook out her hair, "Well that's rather loyal of you. Like a puppy dog." She said, before checking the quality of her manicure, "Perhaps I may form a closer bond with Bellona this year." She was certainly someone her family wouldn't mind having associations with.

@Melanthius Burke

Thius squinted and glanced at Carrow, unsure if she meant that negatively or what. Wasn't it obvious he valued loyalty? He cared deeply for Bellona although they weren't in a courtship or other formal arrangement.

"Oh, really?"

He clutched his suitcase protectively; that was the best he could do since Bellona was elsewhere on the train. "And how do you plan on achieving that? She doesn't trust just anybody and rightfully so."

@Pandora Carrow