Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry discussion

Carriage 1: Compartment A

The first compartment of Carriage 2. It can seat eight, but for comfort's sake, usually seats no more than six.

[Enter Nathan St. John from Platform 9 3/4, message 17.]

As they made their way onto the train, Jason stopped at a compartment that had a couple of his Gryffindor friends and separated from his brother. Nodding in acquiesce, Nathan let his little brother go, allowing him to enjoy his freedom before strict school regulations put a halt to that for the next few months. Finding an empty compartment, Nathan pushed open the door and let himself in. He scooted down to a window seat and placed Icarus's cage down on the table in front of him.

[Enter Jude Lazar from Carriage 2 Corridor, Message 2.]

After saying goodbye to his sister, who had gone off to join the other prefects, Jude simply entered the first compartment he saw. There was another boy there, Nathan, he thought the name was. Jude sat down and smiled at him. "Good morning." He said cheerfully. He was holding his miniature cat carrier and when he sat down, he placed it beside him.

Glancing up as the compartment door opened again, Nathan replied, "Jude. Good morning to you too." He, of course, recognized the Gryffindor Keeper, being one himself for Slytherin. Although the two never actually spoke on the battlefield, in Nathan's mind, they both held the most important positions of the game. When Jude placed his cage down on the table, Icarus's bright ice blue eyes widened slightly as the owl saw what can only be described as "food" for the avian. Noticing this, Nathan cleared his throat and said, "You might want to move your... er, kitten? Further down the bench. My bird is an avid hunter," he told the other boy with a small smile.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea then, wouldn't want anything to happen to Boo. I just got her a couple of months ago, wouldn't want anything to happen." Jude grimaced and moved the cat out of the owl's line of sight. "So, how was your summer?" He asked. Despite their being on different teams, Jude was friendly to everyone when they weren't on the pitch. It was always good to make conversation, too. In his mind, nothing was worse than sitting on a train completely ignoring the people around him.

Nathan raised a brow and repeated, "Boo? Summer was alright," he replied concomitantly. Nothing too over the top, and yourself?" he asked in kind.

Icarus was still staring at the kitten and had even taken a step or two to the side of his perch, blinking his large eyes once. With his mouth tightening into a thin, straight line, Nathan took off his jacket and threw it over his pet's cage, cutting off his line of sight.

"Lori named her." Jude stated, as if that explained everything about why his cat was named Boo. "And same with me, it was pretty bland. I ended up just practicing Quidditch a lot and helping my sister with her theatre stuff. Thanks." He said, nodding to the owl cage. He repositioned Boo, who was now cowering at the back of the cat carrier, on to his lap.

Nathan nodded slightly at this explanation. But in all honesty, who would allow their sister to name their pet? Even if she was a Slytherin.... "Glad to hear you've been practicing," he told Jude with an approving voice. One should always be ready for battle at a moment's notice. "Do you have high hopes for your team then this year?" Nathan asked with a small smile. He knew that as Captain, he himself had a lot of work cut out for him.

"I always have high hopes." Jude pointed out. "You're captain for Slytherin, aren't you?" He smiled, thinking about the upcoming season. He wanted to make it count, as it was his last year at Hogwarts. He didn't really like the way Nathan talked always, as it was his place to approve or disapprove what others did, but he ignored his irritation for the time being.

"I am," Nathan replied simply, wondering how on earth a Quidditch player did not know that information. He knew every player of every team by name and face even if he had never spoken to them. And that's why I'm Captain, he thought happily to himself. "You have a good Captain at your helm," he continued as he tugged gently on the knot of his tie, subconsciously loosening it. "I've always enjoyed watching Casey work the Gryffindors during your practice sessions," he remarked with a small smile, crossing his legs at the ankles.

"Yeah, Casey's good." He shrugged. "I can't say I always enjoy her methods, but nobody can love everything." He said, it was a fact that he stood by. It was almost like the concept of not being perfect. He stretched out his legs a little, but he was cautious to not kick Nathan by accident. He couldn't say that the train seats were height-friendly.

Nathan chuckled at that observation. "I believe her fault lies in the fact that she's too emotional. But, that might simply be a 'woman thing,'" the Slytherin shrugged, daring to remark on the fairer sex in a sexist way. He'd seen it happen all too often with his own mother, albeit his sense of women, he knew, was not as flawless as it should be, having grown up in a household of men as the majority. "But she has heart," he added to be fair to the Gryffindor.

"Well, as Lori would say," Jude smiled, his sister had said this one thing to him too many times over the summer, "In emotion lies life." He shrugged. "Who knows, maybe they're getting something right." He wasn't sexist, with his mother having been a strong feminist and his family having an equal balance of two girls and two boys. "So are you looking forward to the school year, as a whole?"

"I am," Nathan replied simply again, folding his hands together and placing them on his lap. "The last year," he remarked, knowing it was the case for both of them. "I admit I'll be sad when it's over. I haven't really thought about what I'll do after," he admitted. "Yourself?" he queried.

"Quidditch, I think, if I can. If not, maybe music. Or the ministry of magic. But I'm not really sure, overall." He said, clasping his hands together on the table. "It's really a weird feeling, to be leaving."

"So, you're also undecided," Nathan remarked dryly with a small smile. He ran a hand then through his thick, brown hair as he pursed his cherubic lips slightly in thought. "It really is quite the remarkable place," he mused about Hogwarts. "Magical, if I may use that redundant term," he joked, snorting ever so slightly under his breath at his own poor humor.

"Well, it's the truth. A bit obvious," Jude smirked, "But still the truth. And if you like it so much, you could always return as a professor, if you wanted." He suggested, sensing that Nathan much preferred the school to his home.

Nathan drew his dark brows over his blue eyes at Jude's suggestion. Yes, of course he could, couldn't he? Return as a professor. Like Professor Vitale--his strategic hero. He had always considered the Deputy Headmaster to be the epitome of success. Why not follow in his footsteps? He'd look into it for sure. "That's a lovely suggestion, thank you, Jude," Nathan replied sincerely. Not that he hadn't thought about it beforehand, though. He'd simply never given it any real thought. "But we still have a whole year ahead of us," he added, lightening the somewhat somber mood. "Let's not dwell too much on it ending just yet."

"Well, technically it's not a full year. It's missing two months. But I know what you mean." Jude grinned. "So, what do you want to do this year? Anything specific?" He asked, wanting to keep the conversation going. He himself had no desire to be a professor, he wanted to do something more active, but to each his own.

Nathan smirked inwardly, picking up on Jude's reply, noting the Gryffindor's competitiveness off the field when he pointed out Nathan's "mistake" about the school year, sizing him up so to speak. It intrigued Nathan, realizing that Jude might see animosity where there was none--at least on his part--but this is what men did, wasn't it? Size each other up. Always know your opponent. Processing these thoughts inwardly, he replied, "Winning the Cup would be nice, both House and Quidditch," he murmured, pretending not to be interested in Jude's reaction but watching intently from underneath his thick, long lashes.

"Well, that's what everyone wants, I think." Jude said nonchalantly, watching Nathan as well. There was consistent competitiveness at the school, especially between the Quidditch teams, and that was one of the only things Jude didn't love about Hogwarts, even more so because it affected him as well as other people.

"It's definitely what everyone should want," Nathan remarked, finding Jude's fair answer to be what he had anticipated the Gryffindor would say. "One should always strive to be the best one can be." Leaning forward then, Nathan lifted his jacket from Icarus's cage to see if the owl was asleep. His eyes were shut but it could have been one of the bird's ploys. He was a shifty bastard and a cunning one too. Glancing up at Jude then, he asked, "How is your kitten doing? Still frightened?"

"Ehh, he's a little better. That's why Lori named her Boo, scared of everything." He explained, opening up the cat carrier. "Want to see him?" He asked Nathan, holding the small kitten in his palm. He agreed with the statement of being the best possible, but he didn't agree with how some people did that. Constantly agreeing and disagreeing with everything, that was him.

"Sure," Nathan replied, leaning his long, lanky torso forward to peer at the cat. "My brother has a cat too--he's also a Gryffindor, but probably too young for you have noticed him," Nathan told Jude as he reached out a long finger to stroke the kitten's head. "And I actually thought 'Boo' was in reference to a girlfriend," he chuckled then. "I heard on the telly of African Americans referring to their significant others as such."

"Yeah, no. No girlfriend. None yet, anyways." He smiled again. "What about you? Any girl?" He asked, not wanting to intrude but still curious. "And you're right, I don't think I've noticed him. What's his name?" Jude asked, putting Boo back in the cat carrier.

"It ended in the summer," Nathan replied, not wanting to dwell on the subject. "Why no girl? Too busy practicing Quidditch?" he asked Jude with a small smile. "Jason," he added in reference to his brother. "Jason St. John. He'll be starting his fourth year. Rambunctious fellow," he added wryly.

"Haven't found one that I like enough yet." He replied simply, and then asked, about Jason, "Is he the really loud one? Who's always talking and doing something? Because let me tell you, it drives me insane half the time."

"Probably," Nathan replied with an amused laugh. "I'm sure he's solely responsible for at least half of Gryffindor's demerit points," he pointed out sarcastically although a fond smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. His little brother wasn't a bad child--he simply had issues that stemmed from his constant need for attention which neither one of his parents bothered to give to him. It was no wonder he acted out at times. "I think that Quidditch might help him out, although since your team is full, I suppose he'll have to wait another year before trying out."

"That he would. Have him study up and work on his skills over the summer then, and he'll probably make it," Jude replied, ever optimistic. "And it might be more than half- try three quarters!" He joked.

Nathan laughed and then nodding, he replied, "He practices with me--he wants to be a Chaser or a Seeker so it works perfectly with us two but I think he needs new opponents to really see what the game is about. Unfortunately most of the blokes I know and also practice with won't allow him to participate. Which only makes him act out more," he said with a regrettable sigh. "Who do you practice with?" Nathan asked then, remembering Jude saying that he had practiced all summer long.

"Since Lori forced me to learn half of Wicked, I had her practice Quidditch with me. Seemed like a fair trade." He shrugged and thought about Lori's summer-long musical performance.

[Enter August Xardel from Carriage 2 Corridor, message 8.]

August poked her head in through the open doorway, daring to speak to the two older boys. "Hi." In her mind she sounded so awkward! She bit her lip, her grey-blue eyes flicking from side to side and then down at the floor. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Nathan was about to remark on how siblings were like the indentured servants one never had when the compartment door opened and a raven haired girl with pale skin poked her head in. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly trying to place a name to the face that seemed... vaguely familiar but when he couldn't, he simply replied, "Be our guest." With a noble wave of his hand, Nathan pointed to the empty spot beside him where he was now lounging back in with his long, lanky legs stretched out in front of him under the table.

Jude smiled at her, "I got no problems with that." He shrugged and moved over as well, giving her the option of sitting on either side of the compartment. He moved Boo in the cat carrier from his lap to on the seat wedged between him and the window.

"Thanks," the girl responded shyly, taking a seat besides Nathan. She her owl by her feet, and he gave a soft hoot, sticking his beak out between the bars of his cage so his face was smashed up against the metal. Looking at the owl, Card, August smiled, and slipped a finger inside the confines of the cage to gently scratch the top of his head.

"Jude over there has a baby kitten," Nathan pointed out to the girl when he saw her owl by her feet. "If your pet is anything like mine, you might want to put him on top of the table," he suggested sagely, nodding to Icarus's cage, still covered with his jacket.

"Or maybe I should just leave all together." Jude sighed, then said dramatically, "Why is no one here welcoming to cat-people?"He moved Boo again, onto his lap, and put a hand over the front of the cage.

August couldn't help but to laugh, a small, tinkling sound, as her face broke into a diffident smile. "You don't need to worry about him," she said, blushing as she spoke. "He won't hurt her." Actually, Card got along famously with cats; he and Jerry, her brother's pet, were ironically the best of friends.

Having done his part to ensure that the cat was safe yet again, Nathan lifted up his jacket to peer at Icarus. The owl had shifted all the way to the side of the perch closest to Boo but his eyes were still closed. Nathan sighed. The damn bird would have to remain in the dark all the way to Hogwarts, it seemed.

Turning back to face the girl, he extended his hand and said, "I'm Nathan St. John, by the way. And that over there is Jude, er... Lazar, if I'm not mistaken."

"He's not mistaken." Jude confirmed. "It is Jude Lazar." He extended his hand to August as well. "I don't think I know your name." He added, trying to see if he could place her, without success. He couldn't even remember which house she was in.

Card was of less than no danger to the kitten. If anything, upon looking at it, he saw a potential playmate. He watched the kitten with his head cocked to the left, curious as ever, releasing a soft hoot for desire to play. The dark-haired girl haltingly shook first Nathan's hand, and then Jude's. "I'm Augustine Xardel—August, really."

"Nice to meet you, August," Nathan replied, giving the girl a firm shake of his hand before retracting it. Xardel.... He furrowed his brow slightly, drawing his dark brown eyes over his blue eyes. Xardel was.... "Are you perchance related to Bradley Xardel?" He looked over at Jude then. "Bradley who plays for Gryffindor with you?"

"That would be likely- I really should know you then, August." Jude said with a frown. Focusing on her now, he could see the resemblance between the two, Bradley and August.

"I... am not one for socializing much," August mumbled, looking down at her lap as she spoke. She bit her lip, pulling her hand into her lap to nervously twiddle her thumbs.

Noticing her discomfort, Nathan gave her a small, sympathetic smile although since she was looking down at her fingers, she hadn't seen it. He glanced over at Jude, unsure if the Gryffindor had picked up on her demeanor and he thought about how best to make her comfortable without making it seem like he was going to force her to converse if she didn't want to.

Pausing for a moment in speech, he waited to see what Jude would do before chiming in.

"Well why ever not?" Jude asked, possibly being a bit blunt. "But if you don't want to talk you could just listen to me blabber on," he laughed, "I can do that for hours on end, and make it entertaining, too." He saw that she was looking nervous, but didn't really know what to do about it.

August looked up, smiling at Jude across from her. "I've just always been the quiet one. I am a good listener though, I must say."

"Are you a Gryffindor as well?" Nathan asked curiously. She certainly wasn't a Quidditch player, that much he knew for he knew all the players by name and face. He gave her a small, encouraging smile to try and put her at ease, thinking to himself that something about her peaked his interest.

Jude tried to think, he really should have noticed her if she was a Gryffindor, he needed to be more observant. He didn't say anything, simply waited for her to answer Nathan's question, not wanting to overload her with questions.

"Oh no!" August exclaimed, shaking her head. "Not at all! I belong to Ravenclaw, actually." The more they talked, the more at ease she began to feel.