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Madalyne smiled a bit at Zelda. "So how was your summer?" She decided to ask, looking at her friend and then over towards Talbot. "Also if you want to grab a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks later or something as a thank you on me just let me know." Madalyne said, though she was pretty sure that Talbot would decline the offer. She always did like to hangout at Hogsmeade whenever she could in between classes with her friends, and visiting the shops there as well was a lot of fun in her opinion. "I'm sure your parents are fine." She said, when Madalyne heard Lyra's voice going throughout the entire train, and then Penny running out to check up on her sister. "I'll be right back." Madalyne said running after Penny.

She could understand wanting to check up on her sister after just having to deal with a Death Eater on the train Madalyne stepped into Compartment Fifteen. Seeing those that were in the room, seeing her friend Fae, and Elizabeth, Paige and Barnaby as well, though she didn't like him to much, she was willing to get to know him though since he wasn't hanging out with Merula anymore, and then she spotted the white haired girl and the younger blonde she assumed was Beatrice. "Hi, i'm Madalyne Penny's friend, i'm glad that you two are alright." She said smiling at the two of them, and turned to Paige. "Long time no see Paige how have yo been?" Madalyne asked and gave her a quick hug.

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On hearing the announcement, Eliza let her patronus go, putting her wand away, and breathing a sigh of relief. What the Death Eaters were on the train for, she had no idea, but it couldn't be good. Domestic terrorism wasn't below Death Eater's by any means but what were they going to do? Systematically kill every muggleborn on the train, but then, how would they know who to kill? They couldn't just blow everyone up, their precious pureblood lineage would be put in jeopardy if that happened. Something didn't click, but far be it from her capacity to figure out what was going on. None of it sat well with her though, that was for sure.

Then, Penny came in, and Eliza flinched for a moment. She wasn;t expecting anybody to show up, short of maybe Aurors to check in on them. She didn't take somebody like Haywood, being a prefect and all, be much for explicitly breaking rules. But if she had a sister, Elize supposed she'd be worried as well, and the Aurors telling her to stay put wouldn't do much to keep her in place. As Flame was kissed, she too found herself blushing, and she mumbled out "If that's all it takes to get a kiss from ya' I'd love to show ye' what else I can do." She smiled cutely at Penny, but she knew that that wasn;t her best, and was unlikely to woo the most popular girl in the school.

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Georgina watched as Mary was able to pull the memory out and hand it off. She gave credit to Mary, doing that was dangerous and a simple slip-up could be bad. Apollo and Artemis seemed better, but they could all do with some rest, but even she had to admit she would be having trouble sleeping tonight. She had never seen someone die in front of her before and she wasn't going to pretend (to herself anyway) that it didn't impact her. Especially as it was an Auror.

And speaking of, Callum came in quickly. She, assumed, to check on them. She wasn't about to admit she snuck out to help and already knew about the death and the capture. Before she could speak, she heard a sound coming from Mary's bag. She had mentioned it before, she was sure. The sneakoscope in her belongings was still going off. If the Death Eater was taken care of, then surely it would stop making noise.

There had to be another Death Eater on board. Who was it? She didn't want to lump Callum in with the suspects, but she couldn't be 100% sure. "Thanks Uncle Callum. We're fine. You may want to go check on your companions." Callum winced and nodded, rubbing his temple as he exited the compartment. Once she felt he was safely gone, she turned to the others. "There's another Death Eater on board. There has to be. The question is, do they know?"

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“Thanks.” Artie said as he took the memory carefully and he slipped it into his robe’s pocket. No one was touching that without someone he knew they could trust being present. Otherwise, it was his and his alone. Artie was… tempted to lose it so no one else had to see what was still in his head but he knew that was probably a bad idea. Instead, he turned his attention to his still sleeping brother, carefully picking up Apollo and adjusting him so he was stretched out along one bench with his head in Artie’s lap. Artie made sure he kept a firm grip on his wand as he guarded his brother. He’d let the mental connection fall away after he first put him under so he could focus on everything around them.

“Apollo didn’t… trust your Uncle.” Artie revealed hesitantly. “But they got the death eater, right? If your Uncle was in on it, or any of the Aurors for that matter, why would they expose the other one? Wouldn’t they just cover it up or something?” They were in over their heads with this and he wasn’t sure he liked how fixated his best friend was on this still. He was half a second away from casting the Hardening Charm on the trolley door to keep anyone from leaving… or getting in for that matter. He didn’t want Georgina running off. He wouldn’t abandon Apollo like that and he didn’t like that left her without him to back her up. Not that Mary wouldn’t probably follow her in a heartbeat but… she was always there for him. He should always be there for her.

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Fae's eyes flitted about as a voice filled the compartment, one she didn't recognize. As it spoke, a grin slowly spread across her face. She twisted her head around, looking down to Chiara and Beatrice. "Looks like the good guys won. Always have, always will," she asserted, confident in her statement. She herself visibly relaxed, her battle-ready stance altering to a more leisurely one. She was about to sit back down, when a familiar face appeared in the compartment door's window, causing her to straighten back up, eyes wide. It was Penny Haywood. She gulped, her hands instinctively reaching down to her leather jacket, straightening it out to seem more presentable. It was then, when her hand made contact with some slimy substance on her coat, that she remembered the rat guts that had sprayed all over them. There was momentary panic as she turned around, bringing the neck of her shirt up to her face, wiping the grime away with such dedication that she didn't even stop to get mad when Paige asked Barnaby to move the block instead of her, even though she was clearly stronger.

By the time she managed to get her face relatively clean (it wasn't perfect, as there were still some streaks of blood here and there) the cinderblock had been moved, and she looked up to see the compartment door sliding open. When the blonde head of Penny popped in, all the bullish confidence she usually held drained out of her, leaving her instead with a wide, dorky grin of pure giddiness. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back, out of the way of her face. She stepped to the side, allowing room for Penny to hug the kids. When the blonde began her show of gratitude to the girls, Fae's eyes lit up with excitement. She was the last of the three girls, and while, if given the chance, she may have gotten a little upset at Elizabeth's flirting, Penny leaned in with a kiss that extinguished any chance of that happening. When Penny pulled away, a red splotch in the shape of lips lingered there, reminiscent of lipstick, only instead made of the rat blood she'd picked up from the other two. Fae didn't much care about the mark, instead practically glowing at what just happened.

"Oh, really, it was our pleasure, Penny. She's a good kid. They both are," she replied, her cheeks painted a light pink to compliment the kiss mark of blood. When Fae saw Madalyne in the doorway of the compartment, her smile widened. She glanced over at Penny, waiting until her attention was elsewhere, before subtly gesturing to her, silently mouthing to Maddie, 'I just got a kiss from Penny Haywood,' too excited to make a 'get a room' joke as her fellow beater hugged Paige.

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Divination

As Apollo lay there, his eye twitched and winced while he slept. A soft groan could be barely heard by Artie as Callum entered the room, and then a sigh of relief once he had left. His index finger twitched every once in a while and his body threatened to turn over. The nightmare still poured into his mind, the river, the wolves, the dark, the grimm. All looping and allowing for his sense of the divine to gather clues on what was needed to learn the truth about his dreams. The dream now came in pieces, choppy, first the River. It replayed and cut and replayed in his mind as he struggled to gain its meaning. It wasn't until it finally allowed him on shore that he sighed a breathe of relief. The feeling now overwhelming him and the shortness of breathe told him two things. The first was that it represented danger, it was a warning to a threat that coincided with his readings earlier that day. The second was the emotional turmoil this danger would bring with it. He worried now more than ever for Georgina as he still believed these readings and visions to be of her.

He sat there on the shore for a while, catching his breath in the dark as he heard the wolves off into the distance. Apollo slowly stood up, the gravely shored grinding beneath the heels of his shoes as he slowly made his way towards the spot in which he could see. Leaning against a rock he watched, senses dulled as his emotional state stayed in shock and didnt allow for any real feelings to emerge. The pack of wolves flashed for a moment in his mind, they were more than wolves, more than animals, they were friends...comrades, working together towards a singular goal in a fight for life. Their enemy, the grimm, was a well known omen of death. Could this death be literal? Metaphorical? Did it represent the escaped Death Eaters of Azkaban? Or was it both. Regardless of what it meant, this year wasnt about to be an easy one.

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Ordinarily, the Hogwarts Express rarely made stops. It was only under extraordinary circumstances that the scarlet steam engine would come to a halt. Yet among those few instances, numbering less than a dozen, never before had the train been stopped entirely, its passengers forced to disembark and find an alternate means to travel to Hogwarts. There were too many students present for the professors to apparate them to and fro. Portkeys needed to be arranged in advance and even then, the large number of travelers was simply too much. Flying carpets were banned, only some of the students had broomsticks...

With a loud BANG, a triple decker bus appeared alongside the train. Painted entirely a rather vivid and harsh shade of purple, the Knight Bus was just about the only alternative transport Hogwarts was able to use for its students. Those who had been on the Knight Bus before would know that its seating options consisted of leather armchairs and beds - and that they provided free hot chocolate.

Lyra Burke's voice filled the air again. "Please gather your belongings and depart the train in a calm and orderly fashion. Headmaster Dumbledore has rented the services of the Knight Bus. It will take you to Hogsmeade Station and the hot chocolate is complimentary."

Outside the fogged windows of the train, the students would be able to see the chaperone that had gone along with the bus. He was a gigantic brute in appearance, easily the size of three or four men, with a beard so massive it could cover up a first year student. He was holding a small little black puppy that looked as big as a gerbil in comparison to its owner, as he waved at the train.

Compartment 13 -

Talbott let the silence hang in the compartment, shifting uncomfortably. He didn't talk about it much, but those in Ravenclaw House knew that he had been orphaned. His parents, both of them aurors, had been murdered by Death Eaters. His sneakoscope was still singing.

Andre was doing his best to look upbeat and not terrified, poking his head out of the compartment when he noticed a well cut gentleman with tasteful stubble coming down the corridor. "Wotcher, Zelda - is that your pops?" he asked her, looking back. A moment later, they got the update from the aurors - they needed to get off the train and load up onto the Knight Bus. Talbott's things were up at the front of the train and Andre's were across the corridor, so both of them would need to make a quick stop.

Hestia meowed up at Zelda, as if saying why hasn't Paige come back yet?

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Paige's cheeks were still red as Madalyne hugged her, but not from teenage hormones. Elizabeth's stunt with the exploding rat had gotten her covered in the guts and now, they were all over Madalyne too. "As well as can be expected. Elizabeth conjured up a new perfume - it's pretty grody," she said, gesturing at the rat bits. Barnaby was delicately picking them off of himself and placing them on his seat cushion in a neat little pile. He was awfully sensitive and fond of creatures, probably intending to give the poor little rat a funeral once its remains were gathered.

Chiara was a little more shy, but she smiled slightly at Madalyne's greeting. Beatrice, however, was more outspoken. "Nice to meet you!" Her sister was in the compartment, Chiara was safe and calm, everything was pretty much right in Beatrice's world. The green light and the train being stopped was scary, but she felt protected.

"Oh, thank you but, erm, I'm interested in someone else," Penny answered Elizabeth honestly. She tried her best to let people down easily - usually guys. The boys were always chasing after her, asking if she would accompany them on a Hogsmeade weekend. She didn't really fancy them, preferring to spend time brewing her potions rather than hanging with boys. The announcement from Lyra carried through the air. "My stuff is with Bea and Chiara's near the back. We left it with Bill Weasley and his little brother," Penny explained. "Erm, Fae, would you mind helping us carry some of it? I can probably levitate a few trunks, just worried I might need someone strong."

Barnaby looked a bit confused. "I thought I was the strong one..." he said, before he effortlessly picked up his trunk and such like they weighed as much as a feather.

"Don't play daft, I know you just like people complimenting your muscles, Barnaby," Paige said, rolling her eyes. She did like looking at Barnaby's muscles. "I'll see you lot on the Knight Bus? Avoid the hot chocolate. It'll just spill and you'll get burns," she advised, before she headed out of compartment 15 and moved to compartment 13, making it inside right before Frederick Flynn.

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Mary looked at Arty surprised when he said that Apollo didn't trust Callum. She didn't either and was surprised to hear Artie say it so forthright in front of Georgina. She stood up and straightened her clothing. Then said, "Oh please you've played wizard chess you know that sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn." Mary said coldly. Her face pale. She hated saying it, especially in front of Georgina. But something was fishy about the whole situation.

After the announcement, Mary grabbed her backpack. "My luggage is in compartment one. I'll get it. Get him to the Knight Bus. I'll meet you on the middle deck in the back. It's going to be crowded so we'll talk later." Mary left the compartment and stepped into the first compartment.

Her stomach dropped upon seeing the two bodies there, it took her a moment to keep composure. "Sorry to interrupt. I just, I'm going to get all the luggage out of here." She told the Auror. Quickly, she cast Wingardium Leviosa and brought all the luggage out of the compartment and into the hall. She let the spell gently drop the luggage that wasn't hers and then made her way to the Knight Bus.

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"Eh, it's whatever, not much I can do about it," she responded simply to what Penny was saying, before watching as the Hufflepuff took off to go check on her sister. Of course, she couldn't blame her for that, after all, the train had just been under attack after all. She was trying not to be bothered at all regarding everything, preferring to not actually admit that she was a little freaked out by the entire thing, she didn't even really pay attention to what Andre said about seeing her dad in the hallway when she saw Paige enter the room, covered in guts of some sort.

"What did you get yourself into Paige?" Zelda asked her friend with a bit of an eye roll, before she turned her wand towards her friend. "Scourgify! she said, waving her wand as all of the guts from the rat disappeared, and actually Paige looked a bit cleaner then she had when she came onto the train. "Now that's better," she said, before noticing her father enter the compartment.

"Hey there Zelda, just wanting to check to see how you're doing," he said towards her as he leaned against the frame to the compartment door.

"It's whatever, considering the fact that you're here mum's okay?"

"Yup, she is, the whole situation is under control now, so you all don't have anything to worry about."

"That's good to hear..."

"You all should grab your stuff and head on out to the bus that's waiting for you," Flynn said with a slight wave, "See you later, okay?" he added, before with those last words and a few waves towards the others, he left the compartment.

"Let's get going if we want to get to the bus... Though your guys' stuff is in different compartments I suppose," she said towards Andre and Talbot as she grabbed her things and started heading out of the compartment. Goose followed along closely behind her, trotting along by her feet.

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Madalyne looked down at her clothes and groaned a little bit, she was going to change into her school robes soon anyway. "Eww, who decided to play squish the rat?" Madalyne asked, while looking over at Fae and smiled a little bit and shook her head a little bit she knew that Fae was hella gay anyway. She saw Penny more often anyway while on Prefect duty in the evenings at school whenever she was asked to do it she smiled at Beatrice was adorable. "It's really nice to meet the two of you Penny mentioned about you guys earlier." She said looking at Elizabeth when Penny shot her down, she still wasn't sure what to think of her still after what happened earlier on the train ride. She then heard a loud bang and Lyra's voice speaking out. Madalyne hadn't ridden on the Knight Bus before really but heard from other students have it was a pretty interesting ride.

"I'm going to go grab my stuff then, if anyone wants to sit with me, i'll be in the middle back seats, and if you guys need me to help just ask." Madalyne said, she was a little bit jealous that Penny asked Fae to help out with some of her things, she gave her friends a nod and watched Barnaby for a moment touching the rat guts and putting them down neatly was a little bit weird for her to see. Before making her way back towards compartment one. Seeing her things were in the hallway she was glad that they weren't destroyed or anything as Madalyne grabbed them Felix trotting behind her and climbing onto one of her suitcases purring contently. Madalyne made her way onto the bus seeing Hagrid there and waved at him before making her way inside.

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Eliza gave a disappointed look as Penny turned her down. The girl was cute, but no meant no, she'd just have to wait for the person she had feelings for to have a tragic accident in the Forbidden forest. Clearing her throat for a moment, she decided that going all the way back to her compartment would be too much trouble, and instead drew her wand and started to say, "A-ahh cio." Coughing in the middle of the incantation, and stopping the spell from firing. Shaking her head, "Accio Luggage! Accio Fae's Luggage." She exclaimed, swishing her wand through the air twice. As their stuff barreled through the air, Eliza considered that perhaps making her luggage fly through the crowded compartment was kind of a dick move, but quickly her actions were well worth it, as she heard Merula shout,

"Rotten mudblood can't even aim proper!"

Cackling to herself, Eliza called back, "My aim seems perfect to me love, thanks for your input though." As their luggage piled itself neatly in their compartment, Eliza gave a smile to Fae, and said. "To the knight bus then? I'll be in the top back if any of you want to join me, or play with Shadow." Before kneeling down to a cat carrier in her pile, and quietly saying, "Sorry about that darling, you know I love you." Looking her cat right in the eyes as she did, and sticking a finger through the cage to pat her on the head. Straightening herself out, she pushed her luggage out of the compartment, and onto the knight bus, taking up a spot in the top back.

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“And that’s why it’s bloody awful! They’re so cute! why does everyone sacrifice them?” Artie complained. He quite disliked chess of any type. Muggle chess was just plain boring and once the thrill of the wizarding gimmick wore off, it was just as dull. “I like Exploding Snaps better. No choosing sacrifices, no bloody death eaters, no awful brothers who can’t. Keep. His. Head. To. Himself. Just plain fun with an exciting pop you’re never quite ready for!” Arty stated definitively, poking his sibling in the cheek with his finger with every punctuation. He watched as the Knight bus popped up and frowned at it. He hadn’t been prepared for this and he really didn’t want to lug Apollo’s body around. Because there wasn’t anyway that couldn’t be seen horribly. He was about to work the counter charm when he realized his brother was stirring out of his catatonic state.

“Well, there he is! Rise and shine, it’s a beautiful day!” Arty said in a sing song, pushing his brother up into a sitting position. “I’m going to get our luggage onto our newer, radder, totally not you-know-who infested ride! Stay right here for now please.” He patted Apollo on the head like a child with a laugh, an outlet for the relief bubbling up and threatening to overwhelm him at his brother moving around again, and whipped his wand around with an outrageous flourish, just calming his motions as he cast. Apollo’s luggage lifted obediently and he gave them a little pat too and marched them around where Mary mentioned. He repeated the process with his own luggage and returned to get his brother.

“Come on Georgina! We got a rad spot right in the back, the view is great!” Artie beamed at her. “I’ve never been on the Knight Bus though. I’m so excited!” If Artie wasn’t insisting on fussing over Apollo, it was practically guaranteed he’d be bouncing in place and then zipping all over it and pestering the driver with questions.

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NPC Locations -

• Talbott Winger was seated in the top front, alone.
• Andre Egwu was looking for a place to sit on the top deck.
• Penny and Beatrice Haywood, Chiara Lobasca, Bill and Charlie Weasley, and Nymphadora Tonks were all still on the Hogwarts Express, trying to get their luggage off and onto the Knight Bus.
• Barnaby Lee was sitting with Hagrid in the front of the bottom deck, having an enthusiastic conversation about Hagrid's new puppy.
• Merula Snyde, Ismelda Murk, and the rest of Merula's gang were seated in the center of the middle deck, glancing over at the back and snickering.
• The Head Boy and Head Girl were outside of the Knight Bus, helping startled first years get their belongings off of the train.

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"Honestly, Zelds, this isn't even the weirdest stuff you've seen me covered in," Paige pointed out with a shrug. She blinked a few times after Zelda used the Scouring Charm on her, now smelling faintly of lavender soap. Her ginger hair gleamed in the light and her clothes didn't have a speck of dirt on them. If anything, Paige felt a bit too clean. She was a messy person by nature, always willing to get down into the muck, and that tended to mean she never was entirely spotless.

Zelda's father must not have seen her covered in rat guts - that or he didn't say a word. Paige didn't really care. Once when she had been at Zelda's house, she came back inside covered in mud and gravel. Only Zelda's sister seemed to really mind. "We're sitting on the top, right?" Paige confirmed with Zelda.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Paige cast, her wand aimed at her luggage. She picked up Hestia and held her securely with one hand, her wand with the other. It was a bit of a nightmare getting off of the train - Andre and Talbott had slipped out to get their own things - what with everyone either lugging their belongings or sending them flying through the air. Paige beamed as she saw Hagrid. She rather liked him, even if he was incredibly dim witted.

"Oh my gosh, Hagrid has a new puppy!" she squealed to Zelda, as they got onto the Knight Bus. Paige hurried up the spiral staircase of sorts until they reached the top deck and she moved towards the back, as everyone knew the raddest kids sat back there. She stopped abruptly in the center however, seeing that Elizabeth was in the back. "So... What do you reckon Death Eaters were doing on the train?" she added, her tone changing to a more serious one. Her sneakoscope had ceased making noise ever since they got onto the Knight Bus. She gently lowered her luggage to the ground by her seat - it was more of an armchair than an ordinary bus seat.

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"That'd be Flame here. Engorgement charm gone wrong," Fae answered Madalyne, jutting a thumb at the raven-haired Slytherin beside her. She was still grinning like a madwoman, but she'd managed to compose herself enough to speak in coherent sentences. When the booming voice filled the train, somehow, though it might've seemed impossible, Fae appeared to become even more excited. She looked out the window, as if to confirm the disembodied voice was telling the truth. Sure enough, outside the train sat the tall, purple bus. "No way. We get to ride the rest of the way to Hogsmeade in the Knight Bus? That is so rad!" she exclaimed. Her gaze shifted from out the window to Penny as she asked for help, and Fae responded with a nod so fast one would think it might've given her whiplash.

"Oh, yes, of course, I'd be more than happy to," Fae said with an eagerness to serve that would rival even the most enthusiastic of house elves. She quickly realized, though, that she'd need her own bags as well, which were still in the compartment Fae and Elizabeth had occupied previously. "Uh, you guys go, I'll catch up. I just need to-" as she spoke, so too did Elizabeth, lifting her wand up and reciting the summoning charm. Within seconds, all her things were in front of her, including an absolutely terrified-looking Dickhead the Owl. She knew better than to put her finger in to try and comfort him. Last time she tried that, it almost got bitten off. So instead she hoisted him and the rest of her things up with such ease that one might think she was competing with Barnaby to see who could pick up their belongings with the least trouble. She gave Elizabeth a grateful nod, before amending her statement. "Never mind, I've got everything." As she followed Penny, Beatrice, and Chiara out, she looked at Maddy and Flame. "Once I help these ladies get situated, I'll look around for you two," she said, the joy audible in her voice.

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Georgina wasn't going to pretend that the same thought hadn't crossed her own mind. After all, Callum was close to her father. It would be so simple for him to off him and make it look like someone else did. But in her gut, she knew better. What hurt most was that her close friends, those she trusted with her very life, was so quick to assume something awful about someone she cared about. And not only that, it made it seem as if they didn't trust her. Even Mary, logic-minded Mary, threw out a Wizard Chess quote that turned her stomach.

Once Artie was awake, Apollo seemed to take charge of him, going on and pretending like the past hour wasn't trauma-inducing. "Take care of your brother Apollo, I'll see you on the bus." She gathered her own belongings before she exited the train, avoiding glancing at the two bodies that laid near the conductor. She got off as quickly as she could, heading to the bus where she loaded her luggage on before stepping on board. There, she saw the big man himself, Hagrid, with what appeared to be a new dog. That lifted her spirits a bit. "New Dog Hagrid? He looks like a good boy."

Georgina sat on the bottom. She didn't feel like interacting with the other students right now.

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Madalyne started to move a little bit before finding a nice looking recliner within the Knight Bus which looked really comfortable and quickly sat down. Felix quickly climbing up onto her lap looking up at her expectantly for pets, even reaching out with his paw to bring her hand down onto his head. She smiled at the little guy as she started to pet him, as he purred happily in her arms, Madalyne watched everyone starting to fill up the floor of the bus she was seated in. Madalyne stared at Merula and her little gang as they were laughing amongst themselves. She thought about trying to listen in on their conversation, but Madalyne decided against it for the time being as Madalyne adjusted her trunk and moved it so that her legs were resting on top of it.

Madalyne then heard a familiar voice looking over towards Artemis and smiled waving towards him, glad to see that he was alright which was good. "Whats up Artie crazy train ride so far huh?" Madalyne said waving him over to get his attention, Fae said she'd come and find her at some point after helping Penny and her sister with their things. She couldn't help but wonder about the Death Eater that was on the train as well Madalyne looked down seeing Felix licking off the rat guts off of her shirt now letting out a slight groan she really needed to get changed as soon as possible.

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Charms

Apollo slowly rose up, blinking his eyes a few times as he woke up from his enchanted slumber. Alot appeared to be going on. They were transferring from the Hogwarts Express onto the Knight Bus, many people seemed to be in a tizzy as they tried to get off. To him the past while felt like a bad dream, his memory of the mental intrusion erased from him leaving only the dream and the reading from earlier with a blank spot in between. He wasn't quite sure what Mary and Artie were going on about but it seemed to upset Georgina something fierce as she hurried herself out of the cabin. His brother and friends now gone, as well as his luggage, Apollo stood up slowly and looked about the train. He saw the bodies littering the floor and knew that the other students might be panicked. He made his way down the corridors and saw a band of students, possibly first years, sitting in their cabin trying to get their luggage off and away.

Apollo pulled out his wand with a smile as he said "Here let me help you lot out. Now pay attention, c'mon mates its swish and flick. Swish and flick. Wingardium Leviosa" and with a flourish of his wand the Weasley luggage was up and away. "Awright follow me the lot of ya. Try and avoid the scene up ahead just keep yer heads lookin' right and make yer way to the Knight Bus ok? Or if yer keen you can keep your eyes plastered on me and follow me out. Either way destination is the same. Sorry I can't hold all of yer luggages for ya." Apollo kept up his friendly smile, trying to offer these students a distraction and some piece of mind in these dark times

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Mary groaned when she realized who all was sitting on the middle deck. Seriously, they should all have gone to the top deck they were the type that would. Grody. She considered moving the whole group to a different spot, but that wasn't worth the effort. She sat down and put her luggage away.

She looked over her friends thankful they were there. She hugged Apollo, her best friend. She was thankful he was up and about. "Don't drink the hot cocoa, it'll spill all over the place." She warned the others. She had ridden the Knight Bus once when some of her extended family was visiting. She was not looking forward to the jerking the bus would do. Last time she had gotten motion sick.

"Explain yourself." She demanded of Apollo now that he was there and lucid. Mary did her best to keep the anger out of her voice, but there was no way he wouldn't pick up on it. She had been worried sick about him and what had happened. What else did he expect? "Wait where is Georgina?"

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"That may be the case, but honestly you really need to at least try not to get covered in what was that anyway, rat guts?" Zelda said with an eye roll towards her friend as she picked up her cat who instantly started purring again in her arms. "And of course! That's the only place to really sit, it's got the best view anyway!" she added, before she waved her wand slightly and pointed it towards her own luggage, "Wingardium Leviosa! Zelda said, casting the spell and causing her luggage to levitate. "Alright, let's get going Goosey Goose, lead the way Paige! See you guys later then probably," adding those last words directed towards Talbot and Andre.

She followed along after Paige, bringing her luggage along with her as they headed onto the Knight bus. Zelda waved slightly towards Hagrid as she climbed on board and took a seat on the upper most deck next to Paige, setting Goose down on her lap and scratching the cat behind the ears. "I prefer cats, but that puppy is so adorable," she giggled slightly, before turning her attention towards Paige's other question. "I honestly have no idea... Though it likely wasn't anything good considering what they typically get up to..."

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“No kidding, Mads.” Artie groaned as he flopped onto the hugging that was going on while adamantly ignoring the Snyde gang. There would never be a hug pile that Artie wasn’t going to be involved in in this group. “And even after the Death Eater was taken care of, the sneak-o-scope was still trilling! I’m just happy to say good riddance to the train this year. Hopefully, this was the most bad eventful this year will be.” Artie chatted, gesturing with one hand as he did. His hand pressed against the pocket where the memory was. No need to freak out over everything now. He had to get this to Doubledore, help Penny with the first years, and then maybe he could convince Georgina to hang out with him in the common room for a bit. And bring tissues. This felt like a tissue night. He suppressed an involuntary shudder. His ears perked up at the mention of Georgina.

“She probably just needs some chill time; she went through a lot just now.” Artie explained, his words a little slurred from how his cheek was squashed as he hugged. “She’ll come find us when she feels more under control. Don’t want to make her feel too overwhelmed, you know?” He left out the part where she said she’d see them on the bus. If she hadn’t come up here, she probably needed sometime. Most of the time, she’d seek them out but sometimes she just had to get through some of it by herself. So instead of hunting her down like he wanted to, he pulled out his wand and focused on that bubbly feeling he got when he first met Mr. Hopkinson.

“Expecto Patronum.” He murmured, unable to keep the smile off his face as the golden retriever spun out of his wand and pranced around excitedly. With a swish, he sent it off to Georgina, just to let her know they were there for her even if she needed some time to herself.