Willow nodded, fiddling with her thumbs, "Yes...I'm fine..."

As long as nobody else comes in...

She looks up as a girl saunters in. Great... She had no issue with anyone inside the cramped apartment, she just wasn't used to such company... Now was the time for a short walk.

Quickly, Willow stood up almost banging her head on the railings above her, used to hold luggage. She gave a small cough before saying quietly, "I think I'm going to search for the trolley...would anyone like anything?" The more requests the better, that meant she could take as much time alone as possible without seeming suspicious or rude!!

Samantha looked at more people coming in. To be honest she didnt care but she was worried for Willow, she wasnt used to this much people. She saw Willow standing up and she was gonna go with her but decided to leave her alone. "Are you okay, Willow?" She asked her smiling at her friend. Samantha will always be there for Willow, one thing she liked about Willow is that she was sooo different from the other girls and she was a good friend. "Mmm. I dont need anything but thank you." She looked at the others smiling as out of nowhere, Samantha's cat Lillies appeared from nowhere as it went to Sam's lap and layed there. "Oooh. Wonder where you was."

Well, she honestly hadn't expected that answer from her. Defense Against the Dark Arts could be a somewhat difficult class, especially for someone like her. She resisted the urge to say that someone of her nature was much to timid to ever be good at the class. Instead, she kept quiet, giving a bored yawn while stretching her arms while Sam asked Willow what she thought of them heading to Hogwarts together. Willow answered that she was in fact happy. No doubt her and Sams company reassured her. Good, that meant she had probably earned a little trust from her.

She let the others converse among themselves for now, not really having anything else to add. The answer to Isaak's question was rather obvious. anyone with a brain could have seen that she was just shy and didn't really know that many people, and was unused to being around them. Acacia quietly hoped the poor girl wasn't completely terrified. However, when a new girl came in and sat down without so much as a warning, that really didn't sit well with her. Willow immediately stood up and said she was going to find the trolley. She wasn't particularly feeling hungry, but she could use something to drink if they had something.

"Mm...I'm feeling a bit thirsty. I'll take something to drink if you don't mind." She replied to Willow, before casting a quick, rather, cold glare at the newcomer. Oh, she hadn't done anything seriously wrong, but she didn't like people who interrupted her little...ventures. She would make sure to 'deal' with her later. However, she sighed and looked at the newcomers and Sams pet, who had crawled out from somewhere and decided now would be a good time to change topics.

"A cat eh? I don't particularly like them to be honest. I have a Horned Owl named Thatch though."

Krein said
Casimir wanted that book now considering it had some sort of warning in Latin mentioning woe to anyone who opens the book. It was a book of darkness or something along those lines, but in short it appeared to be a book about the Dark Arts. Casimir knew spells in that category of magic even though he never really used the most dangerous ones he knew about. He wondered what other things that book had in its contents.:Hm, you wouldn't happen to have anything else like that with you, would you?"

Krein said
Casimir wanted that book now considering it had some sort of warning in Latin mentioning woe to anyone who opens the book. It was a book of darkness or something along those lines, but in short it appeared to be a book about the Dark Arts. Casimir knew spells in that category of magic even though he never really used the most dangerous ones he knew about. He wondered what other things that book had in its contents.:Hm, you wouldn't happen to have anything else like that with you, would you?"

Art's gaze sharpened for a second, the lethal crimson dilating before seemingly calming down. "No, this is the only book I purchased. There's really...grungy people in Knockturn Alley, and after...hurting a few 'thieves', I decided to leave so that my innocence stayed pure." Though his mouth formed upwards into a child-like smile, as if he was merely joking, his gaze showed otherwise. Slipping the glowing tomb back into his trunk, Artemis began to ponder the Latin words.

"Woe...Dark...and evil? Is this a morality question? Or a poem, at least?" His eyebrows slightly knitted together, but he let the thought go, for now. At least, until he was in the safety of the Slytherin dungeons. "Colloportus..." He whispered, and his trunk closed tightly, locking together due to the effects of the spell. Shrinking the trunk with a pre-made spell, Artemis stowed it away once more and regained his seat.

"Casimir, excuse me for prying, but what year are you in?" It was a tad bit of curiosity, along with the need of knowing more about his peers. Knowledge wasn't only for Ravenclaws, after all.

Casimir mentally cursed as Artemis put the tome away. He really wanted, felt he needed, to know more about its contents and what it had to teach. It was a mystery why he wasn't placed into Ravenclaw when he first arrived at Hogwarts, because knowledge was one of the main things Casimir frequently sought to set himself apart from others. Perhaps, once they all had arrived at Hogwarts, he could try a variety of methods to get the book from Art... asking politely was one option, but after hearing the implication of the trouble he had gone through to get his hands on such a tome, Cas figured the guy wouldn't be so willing to just give it up.

"Seventh year. You are in, what, your third or fourth year?" Casimir asked Artemis. The boy seemed to be a wary and cautious individual, so speaking in a more relaxed and even casual tone should be the best option when interacting with him.

Krein said
Casimir mentally cursed as Artemis put the tome away. He really wanted, felt he needed, to know more about its contents and what it had to teach. It was a mystery why he wasn't placed into Ravenclaw when he first arrived at Hogwarts, because knowledge was one of the main things Casimir frequently sought to set himself apart from others. Perhaps, once they all had arrived at Hogwarts, he could try a variety of methods to get the book from Art... asking politely was one option, but after hearing the implication of the trouble he had gone through to get his hands on such a tome, Cas figured the guy wouldn't be so willing to just give it up."Seventh year. You are in, what, your third or fourth year?" Casimir asked Artemis. The boy seemed to be a wary and cautious individual, so speaking in a more relaxed and even casual tone should be the best option when interacting with him.

Artemis nodded in affirmative, resting his hands inside of his sleeves, methodically tapping his finger against the cold black wood of his wand at random moments. "Yes, fourth year. Due to a...fight, I was held back a year. Surprised I wasn't suspended." The white-haired male rested his head against the cushioned seat and flexed his wrist, causing his wand to spring out of his right sleeve and into his hand. He then flexed it once more, causing it to slide back into position.

The seventh year Slytherin laughed a bit. He certainly knew a great deal about almost getting expelled. The first time he had been threatened with that punishment was the first time he publicly made another student go into fits of madness, raving about the large spiders and serpents crawling and slithering in and out of his body even though there was clearly nothing there. The work of a Fearful Hex, a cruel spell Casimir took the time to master to fully exploit the fears of those he targeted. It was a wondrous moment to see that upstuck and audacious Gryffindor scream like a girlz but eventually the moment ended when he was put to sleep and healed by a teacher.
What had been his punishment in the end though? Casimir didn't remember.

"My 'almost suspensions' or expulsions often result from me putting some insufferable fool in their place. I'm honestly more surprised I haven't been expelled yet, considering hexing and jinxing others is something I do nearly every year to a few students from each house. Even our own. Can't ever be too lenient to others when respect is involved."

Krein said
The seventh year Slytherin laughed a bit. He certainly knew a great deal about almost getting expelled. The first time he had been threatened with that punishment was the first time he publicly made another student go into fits of madness, raving about the large spiders and serpents crawling and slithering in and out of his body even though there was clearly nothing there. The work of a Fearful Hex, a cruel spell Casimir took the time to master to fully exploit the fears of those he targeted. It was a wondrous moment to see that upstuck and audacious Gryffindor scream like a girlz but eventually the moment ended when he was put to sleep and healed by a teacher. What had been his punishment in the end though? Casimir didn't remember."My 'almost suspensions' or expulsions often result from me putting some insufferable fool in their place. I'm honestly more surprised I haven't been expelled yet, considering hexing and jinxing others is something I do nearly every year to a few students from each house. Even our own. Can't ever be too lenient to others when respect is involved."

Artemis allowed his usual snake-like smirk to take over his lips. He usually didn't care much about respect, seeing as he mostly ignored the fools who bothered him, but maybe this year...it was time for a change? He wasn't going to be all dramatic and rowdy, but...next person who tugs on his hair will be getting a Reducto to the face. "Maybe the teachers think of it as a lesson to disrespectful prats?" Art surmised, before shaking his head. "Eh...most-likely not." He perked up at the sound of heavy footsteps coming close to their compartment door, and almost on instinct his wand was out, twirling smoothly between agile fingers. After a second, the footsteps receded, and Artemis relaxed slightly.

"Hopefully we leave soon. There must be a way to solve this book's riddle..." And once more his prodigal brain was working overtime to discern his tome's secrets.

"I'm of the opinion that there just isn't reasonable grounds for expulsion. The damage I cause them isn't life threatening or crippling," Casimir explained. Artemis might have had a point though, because every now and then he could see it in the eyes of some teachers that they'd love to turn some rowdy, disrespectful student into a frog.... or maybe a salamander.

"But yes... leaving soon would be great."

Casimir's suddenly became more attentive as Artemis mentioned the book again. Here was a nice opening to having more time with the book, and he didn't even have to do anything beyond just offering his help.

"I wouldn't mind assisting you in that venture," Casimir said. "You obviously have something of great interest, so it would be a shame if its contents remained unknown to us. The only condition I have is that I fully be able to access the book any time I desire, and study any part of it that I wish."

Krein said
"I'm of the opinion that there just isn't reasonable grounds for expulsion. The damage I cause them isn't life threatening or crippling," Casimir explained. Artemis might have had a point though, because every now and then he could see it in the eyes of some teachers that they'd love to turn some rowdy, disrespectful student into a frog.... or maybe a salamander. "But yes... leaving soon would be great."Casimir's suddenly became more attentive as Artemis mentioned the book again. Here was a nice opening to having more time with the book, and he didn't even have to do anything beyond just offering his help."I wouldn't mind assisting you in that venture," Casimir said. "You obviously have something of great interest, so it would be a shame if its contents remained unknown to us. The only condition I have is that I fully be able to access the book any time I desire, and study any part of it that I wish."

Artemis gave Casimir a searching look, before turning away and lightly gripping his wand in thought. The extra help would be nice. Artemis was skilled - immensely skilled for a thirteen year old wizard - but he knew that he would need allies. He knew it since first year, as magic was dangerous, no matter how you looked at it. You needed friends when dealing with potentially dangerous magic, and in a magical world, where there existed undead corpses, soul-sucking demons, and werewolves...well, having a few friends would be nice.

"Agreed...but I have a condition as well. If you find anything out that unlocks more knowledge in the tomb, you must notify me of it as soon as you can, as I am interested in the contents as well."

As if in agreement to the truce, the tome suddenly appeared on the table in a flurry of ethereal green and crimson flames. It seemed...different, however. For one, the gray, rusty cloth was gone, replaced with suave, royal-like black leather. On the front of the book, the title was more pronounced.

"Introduction to the Dark Arts..." He muttered, crimson eyes glinting with interest as he stared at the obviously magical and sentient tome.

Inform Artemis of any new findings regarding the book? That could be done, and Casimir saw no reason to withhold any informatjon from the young teenager. He agreed by shaking his head, then also mentioned he would expect Art to do the same.
As soon as both the Slytherins agreed on their terms, the book reacted. Glowing an eerie green and changing before their eyes, the title now read "Introduction to the Dark Arts". See, now this was starting to speak Casimir's language. He had a handful of spells at his disposal that were called "dark" every now and then, but never anything on this scale.

"Oooh...."

Casimir felt the cover of the book with his fingers. A most intriguing book indeed. It occurred to him that letting others see it would be risky, especially those like Grace from the Hufflepuff house, or even the shy girl Willow. That girl came from a family of aurors, and Casimir honestly didn't feel like dealing with "warriors of light" when he was this close to secret knowledge. Using his wand, he made sure the door to their compartment was closed, and cast a small spell on it that would alert him and Artemis whenever someone touched the door with the intent to open it.

"We're going to have to keep this under wraps, so make sure you keep this in a safe place."

Krein said
Inform Artemis of any new findings regarding the book? That could be done, and Casimir saw no reason to withhold any informatjon from the young teenager. He agreed by shaking his head, then also mentioned he would expect Art to do the same. As soon as both the Slytherins agreed on their terms, the book reacted. Glowing an eerie green and changing before their eyes, the title now read "Introduction to the Dark Arts". See, now this was starting to speak Casimir's language. He had a handful of spells at his disposal that were called "dark" every now and then, but never anything on this scale."Oooh...."Casimir felt the cover of the book with his fingers. A most intriguing book indeed. It occurred to him that letting others see it would be risky, especially those like Grace from the Hufflepuff house, or even the shy girl Willow. That girl came from a family of aurors, and Casimir honestly didn't feel like dealing with "warriors of light" when he was this close to secret knowledge. Using his wand, he made sure the door to their compartment was closed, and cast a small spell on it that would alert him and Artemis whenever someone touched the door with the intent to open it."We're going to have to keep this under wraps, so make sure you keep this in a safe place."

Artemis nodded in agreement, flicking his wand back into his sleeve and retrieving his shrunken bone-like chest, making it into it's original size. He sat it on the floor close to his chair, underneath the seat so that it wouldn't impede any movement. The padlock clasp, which was the imagery of a bone basilisk head with glowing crimson eyes, twisted once the white-haired body tapped it's head with his wand. Then, with the slight squeak that suggested that the chest was actually made of bones, the lid was opened and Artemis carefully stored the newly-born book into the chest, locking it immediately with a mutter incantation.

"Ast..." He hissed quietly, and in response the bone head of the Basilisk gained a crimson aura, with steam escaping the mouth of the great beast. Nodding in satisfaction, Artemis shrunk and pocketed the chest, before turning his gaze to the window. Most people were boarding the train, and the influx of students were beginning to shimmer down.

((Completely forgot to wait for others to reply before replying to your post. I'm gonna head out now, hopefully you guys don't leave me in your digital dust while I'm gone.))

Isaak gave a nod in response to Willow's answer, and then at that moment Verlin Mackenzie entered the compartment. He remembered her from last year, they were both second years, and at first glance one would have mistaken her for a muggleborn because of how she moddified her school uniform to her tastes in fashion that were not the traditional wizard and witch attire. but he knew that she was a halfblood and being in the same year as him meant that there could be some advantages getting to know her more since Slytherin already had a possible dark witch in it, and that could be dangerous to them.

"Hello Verlin, my name is Isaak Boyars, we are both second years and I remember you from last year" he said to the girl with a friendly smile. he noticed the cold glare that Acacia gave Verlin, and Isaak hoped that the fourth year wouldn't try to seek any type of violent retribution. he also hoped that Verlin had a good enough memory to remember that Acacia was potentially dangerous and that provoking her as a second year student was not a wise choice of action. when he saw both her and Samantha's cats, he wished that he had taken Perun out of his cage and brought him to the compartment, maybe there was still enough time before the Hogwarts express departed that he could go back to the storage compartment and get his ferret.

The looks Acacia gave Verlin were not lost on her one bit. She met that cold stare evenly as if to say 'I know your game, and you don't scare me.' Verlin would not make trouble for the girl unless she openly tried something, but she would not stand for being cowed either. Ester jumped into Isaak's lap, and purred, and turned to Acacia and hissed. Verlin gave a playful laugh, and said "Cat's don't care for you much either," and then added keeping up with the nice girl charade for niceties sake "I wanted an owl, but Ester here just kept meowing whenever I went by. Sometimes our pets just choose us."

She turned her attention back to Isaak, and said "Aye! yes! I do remember you. Your the boy with the ferret those are pretty rare to have at Hogwarts." That back part of her brain pipped up 'You should remember him, because he isn't bad looking.' Her wolf tail gave one little thump, and then stopped before it could reveal any of what she was thinking. Ester started purring, and nuzzling Isaak looking her straight in the eye as if to say 'I know what your thinking.' "How was your summers?" Verlin asked the whole compartment..

“May I sit in here? I swear I don’t have a disease.”

Gus snapped his head back up at the voice, turning to the source. Standing in the doorway was a girl -- a year or two younger than him, he reckoned. And if his memory served him correctly, the redhead was a Ravenclaw. He'd only seen her in school a few times and they didn't know each other too well, if at all. But, if there was one thing Gus was good at, it was meeting new people. Snapping the book he had been reading shut, his lips formed themselves into an endearingly lopsided grin. The Complete Encyclopedia Of Toadstools wasn't exactly the most exciting reading material, and now he actually had a reason to put it off.

"Yeah, go right ahead." Gus replied, motioning at the cushioned bench opposite of him. It was only then he spotted Charlie unceremoniously sprawled all over said bench as if it was her territory and hers alone. An exasperated sigh escaped from Gus as he grabbed ahold of the cat, translocating her onto a spot beside him instead. Despite the cat's initial protests, she ended up deeming her new location as good as the previous one and settled down, curling up into a multicoloured ball of fluff. "Sorry about that. Charlie here thinks she owns the entire world."

Right as he was finished apologising for his cat, Gus noticed that the newcomer had a cat as well. Truth be told, it wasn't all that surprising since cats were one of the more popular choices of pets here at Hogwarts. Don't get him wrong, toads and owls were great and all, but they lacked the cuddliness that most people looked for in a furry companion. Not to mention that toads lacked the furry part entirely. And cats were a personal favourite of Gus. Back at home, in spite of his parents' objections, he routinely made the rounds of the neighbourhood with an extra large plastic bag filled with tinned cat food for the strays. So it was to his utter delight that this girl from Ravenclaw had an ocicat cradled in her arm.

"Oh, you have a cat too!" Gus blurted out before he could stop himself. "What's his name?

A moment later, Gus realised that he hadn't even introduced himself yet. "...Oh god, sorry. Where are my manners? Augustus Stoker, very nice to meet you." He stuck a hand a for the redheaded girl to shake. "And you are?"

After a while Elina wakes up again. She picks the book and the envelope from the ground and places them next to her. She mutters to herself ''I need a walk''. When she enters the hallway a student almost runs her over and doesn't even look back. Elina walks towards the storage wagon to get out her pet. She walks past a girl from gryffindor ,Willow matthews if I remember correctly a girl known from her rich family. She arrives at the storage wagon and searches were she putted the cage again. After a while she finds it ,somebody placed the cage high up on all the other cages. Even with jumping she couldn't reach and tries to find somebody to help her. She sees a rather tall looking guy with a gryffindor uniform. Elina taps him on his back ''Sir can you help me.''

Willow smiled at everyone politely, "I'll make sure to get everyone something. I-I'll be right back..."

Once she closed the door to the compartment, she leaned against the wall and let out a big breath. Finally some fresh air. The hallway was mostly empty now, with a few students here and there, since the train was getting ready to leave.

Under her breath, Willow muttered, "Wronski feint...Parkin's Pincer..."

When she regained her composure, she began to walk, peering into the compartment beside her's to see if it was possibly empty. She saw two boys sitting close together, didn't seem like they were up to anything good... Not wanting to get dragged into anything suspicious, she quickly walked in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, all the other compartments were full.

She sat beside the wall, deciding to wait for the trolley to come to her rather than chase it around the train. She opened her Potions textbook, deciding to do some more studying. That didn't last long, however, before she got bored and her legs began to get the urge to walk. Maybe she could do some exploring.

After a few minutes of walking she came to a compartment containing a red-haired girl and a brunette boy. That didn't really pickle her interest though, something more important caught her eye. The Moontrimmer lying in the overhead compartment. That broomstick was known to fly higher than the others. She's never seen one so close! She bit her lip, trying to decide whether she should stay or admire it, but decided she'd just look like a weirdo. And she really didn't want anymore new rumors cropping up about her.

She noticed a girl struggling with a cage in the storage wagon. Going against her instinct to stay away from people, Willow found herself going closer with the intent to help.

Phloem said
Gus snapped his head back up at the voice, turning to the source. Standing in the doorway was a girl -- a year or two younger than him, he reckoned. And if his memory served him correctly, the redhead was a Ravenclaw. He'd only seen her in school a few times and they didn't know each other too well, if at all. But, if there was one thing Gus was good at, it was meeting new people. Snapping the book he had been reading shut, his lips formed themselves into an endearingly lopsided grin. The Complete Encyclopedia Of Toadstools wasn't exactly the most exciting reading material, and now he actually had a reason to put it off. "Yeah, go right ahead." Gus replied, motioning at the cushioned bench opposite of him. It was only then he spotted Charlie unceremoniously sprawled all over said bench as if it was her territory and hers alone. An exasperated sigh escaped from Gus as he grabbed ahold of the cat, translocating her onto a spot beside him instead. Despite the cat's initial protests, she ended up deeming her new location as good as the previous one and settled down, curling up into a multicoloured ball of fluff. "Sorry about that. Charlie here thinks she owns the entire world."Right as he was finished apologising for his cat, Gus noticed that the newcomer had a cat as well. Truth be told, it wasn't all that surprising since cats were one of the more popular choices of pets here at Hogwarts. Don't get him wrong, toads and owls were great and all, but they lacked the cuddliness that most people looked for in a furry companion. Not to mention that toads lacked the furry part entirely. And cats were a personal favourite of Gus. Back at home, in spite of his parents' objections, he routinely made the rounds of the neighbourhood with an extra large plastic bag filled with tinned cat food for the strays. So it was to his utter delight that this girl from Ravenclaw had an ocicat cradled in her arm."Oh, you have a cat too!" Gus blurted out before he could stop himself. "What's his name? A moment later, Gus realised that he hadn't even introduced himself yet. "...Oh god, sorry. Where are my manners? Augustus Stoker, very nice to meet you." He stuck a hand a for the redheaded girl to shake. "And you are?"

Frankie was more than relieved at the news; the other compartments were either a bit too crowded or a bit too daunting. She had no problems with Slytherins, but when two Slytherins are in a room together alone, you begin to dread what they could be cooking up. The only daughter of the Blackwood family snapped the compartment door shut behind her before sitting in the spot where the boy’s cat had just been. The cat in her arms, which had once been struggling but since fallen limp, was let go and he promptly began scouting the train room.

“Sorry about that. Charlie here thinks she owns the entire world.” The Hufflepuff chuckled and Frankie shrugged her shoulders. She would have said something, but the boy quickly changed the subject with an exclaimed, “Oh, you have a cat too! What’s his name?”

“Oh, this little devil? His name’s Jabber because he never shuts up.” Jabber seemed to mewl in protest at the insult. Jabber had begun to sniff at the boy’s luggage once he had finally made it up to the top railings where it was stowed. Shaking her head, the redhead diverted her attention back to the guy at hand.

“…Oh god, sorry. Where are my manners? Augustus Stoker, very nice to meet you. And you are?” Frankie took the proffered hand, shaking it twice before letting go.

“You talk a lot.” Frankie chuckled, not in an annoyed manner but just as if it was a fact. Then again, it might just be because she’s new. “I’m Frankie Blackwood, Ravenclaw fifth year. You play on Quidditch, don’t you? I remember seeing you. I’m not much of a fan of the sport myself – I’m afraid of heights – but, to my knowledge, you’re pretty good.”

The redhead hoped the train would be leaving soon, because she was itching to go back to school and learn more. Of course, she wasn’t looking forward to the homework, but she dearly missed the vastness of the school library. She had been stuck with muggle books the whole summer since her parents had no way of receiving any wizarding ones. Frankie is pretty sure she memorized all of Shakespeare’s works, she’s read them so much.

As Verlin's cat hissed at her, she resisted the urge to swat it on its head or use a curse on it. She and felines had never gotten along. Always with the hissing and growling. Her grandmother had a cat, and even from a young age the feline was always trying to mess with her. Until she got Thatch from Diagon Alley. Now Thatch, was a mean little Owl. Oh sure, he was sweet and innocent for the most part, until you decided to mess with either him or her. That cat of her grandmothers? Yeah, it was now missing an eye. When it happened, Acacia could hardly hold back her laughter. She managed to though, and she helped her grandmother heal the poor thing. After that though, her grandmother said that Thatch had to either stay in her room, or be kept outside. Didn't make him happy, but it was worth it she thought.

"Eh, boring." she said in response to Verlin's question about how their summers went. "Not to be mean to my grandmother, but she's not exactly a barrel of laughs. She spent most of the summer with her friends. And my brother hates me, so he doesn't come home that often unless its to see our grandmother. I had our whole house to myself, more or less. It was fun for the first few days, but it got boring really quick." She sighed. That part was true for the most part, what wasn't true was the fact that it wasn't fun. She took the time to....study, some more, 'advanced' spells and potions.

Elina gets a bit nervous and dashes away hoped he didn't notice that she called him ,She walks towards the cages again and tries to find a crate or something like that to stand on ,looking around she sees a girl that looks at her. isn't that the girl from before ,what is she doing here. ''Hi, you are willow right? can you help me I can't reach the cage were my pet is in. It must have been done on purpose.'' She looks down at her feet trying to hide her depressed face in front of the girl.