Well, I refuse to let this die. So I shall post.

Airi~

I lug my trunk behind me as I walk to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. I don't stop as I approach it, and without flinching, walk through. My mother told me exactly what to do, since she couldn't be here. Even if she hadn't, I could've figured it out on my own, like I do everything else. I look down at the watch fastened firmly on my left wrist, and see it ticks in sync with the large clock above the Hogwarts Express. 10:55. I'm right on time, as usual. The conductor calls out a five minute warning. I push my way through a crowd of people, trying to make it to the train. In the hand that isn't dragging my trunk, I clutch the cage of the tawny owl mother had gotten me for my eleventh birthday, Azurelle. I finally manage to make it to the train and get my luggage to an empty compartment. As I carefully set Azurelle on the luggage rack, I hear the door slide open. I turn, my hand lowering ever so slightly near my pocket. It's a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She doesn't look much like a threat, but I don't relax all the way.

"Hi," she says. "Do you mind if I sit here?" I shake my head, and we sit down across from each other. She holds out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Alice. First year."

"Airi, first year too." We shake hands. She has a firm grip.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" she asks. I ponder my answer.

"I don't know. My mom was in Ravenclaw, and my dad was in Gryffindor. I guess I'll see when we get there."

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So, first off the bat, Clockwork Sparrow, could our charries be friends? Second, Airi's dad was killed when she was very young by a werewolf. They never found out the werewolf's identity, but all her life she's been afraid and distrustful of them. Just a bit of background… 

"GRRRRRR!!!" Ian yelled as he tryed and failed to lug his trunk into the compartment "that is not working. Geez, if i was seventeen i could just do this with magic…" "need some help?" said a girl who was also struggling with her trunk " 'cuz  i'll help you if you help me!" "alright." later, once they had hauled their trunks into the compartment another girl joined them "Hi!" she said "i'm Jacarra, can i sit her?" "sure" said Ian "fine with me. i'm Ian. What house do you guys want?" "Ravenclaw" everyone said.

YES! Finally. Thank you for taking the initiative to actually start this thing! QUILL WHAT IF MY CHARRIE KILLED YOUR DAD WHEN SHE WAS A TODDLER OR SOMETHING? Okay, that just sounds scary when I type it…. Hmmm, your Charrie's hatred/distrusfulness or were-wolves creates lots of interesting possible plots…. oooooh….

Keyla~

I carefully board onto the Hogwarts Express, and almost immediately afterwards, the train starts its swaying, bumpy ride. I stand in the hallway for a moment, getting used to the swaying gait of the train, and then set off to find a compartment. I see one that looks promising, and peer in.

"RAVENCLAW!" ARGH! I jump about two feet in the air and quickly retreat into the hallway. No, no, no, wrong compartment, no, too many people. Way too many people. There was also a grumpy-looking boy in there. No…. no grumpy people. Grumpy people are suspicious people. Suspicious people are…… not….. really not good for me. Just keep my head down, don't be noticed, do not attract suspicion of any sort, and try to find a room that I can safely transform in.

I don't want to hurt anyone else….

I shake my head, cutting off that well-traveled train of thought. Concentrate on getting a compartment, then on surviving this school year. Or at the least not getting expelled for killing someone. I carefully slink forward in the hallway, if I see an empty compartment, I will swoop in and grab it. I spot a gaggle of older kids, Fourth Years by the looks of it, coming down the hallway. No! They look just the right kind of people to bump into and get noticed…… No nonononooooo…..

I frantically look around me for an empty compartment, holding my heavy trunk in front of me like a shield. My barn owl hoots low and quiet, and then turns his head towards a compartment I had hitherto not noticed. "Thanks Hugo!" I exclaim, and immediately leap towards it. In my rush, my robes -I already put them on, which on second thoughts was a bad idea- get in the way, and-

THUMP!

I trip and sprawl into the hallway. Hugo's cage slides into the compartment I was heading for, him hooting and flapping his wings loudly, and my trunk slams into the ground. Ooow….. A few people poke their heads out of the compartments, and several laugh quietly. I quickly scramble up, grab my trunk, and leap into the compartment, my cheeks hot with embarrassment.

I slide the door closed after me, and turn around only to face two girls about my age. One has shoulder-length curly blonde hair with a pleasant complexion, and the other has a posture that says defiance and independance, also a great deal of hostility by the look on her face. The blonde girl holds up Hugo's cage with one hand, and asks, "Uh, is this your owl?" I nod and carefully place my trunk under the bench, and then quickly take Hugo's cage out of her hands. I swipe my hair out of my face and turn to address the defiant-looking girl. "Thanks, sorry. Um, can I sit here?" I motion over to the seat farthest away from both of the girls. She nods slightly, and I gratefully sit down, cradling Hugo's cage in my arms. There is an awkward pause while we all stare out at the scenery flashing past. The blonde girl clears her throat, and I tense up slightly. "Hey, my name's Alice! What's yours?" I relax slightly and eye her warily. "Keyla." I say shortly. The blonde girl flashes a glance at the other girl, and she quickly replies, "Mine's Airima, Airi for short if you wish." I nod slightly, and settle into my seat. They both are looking at me slightly expectantly. Why oh why did my parents not let me have contact with other people? Oh yeah because once every month I tunr into a savage blood-chilling monster. I wait for another moment and then blurt out, "My owl's name is Hugo."

They look at me oddly for a moment and then introduce their pets. Airi holds up a silky-looking tawny owl,"Mine is Azurell.", she says, stroking it. It hoots softly at Hugo. His reply is to blink slowly at her and click his beack slightly. I turn to Alice, she blinks and shrugs. I shrug back, and then she grins slightly and shrugs again. We alternate shrugging until I crack a smile, and then she looks satisfied and leans back in her seat. Oookaaaay…..

I sit back and observe Airi. Other people seem to find my staring unnerving, but after so long cooped up at home, I find other people fascinating. I was bitten when I was four, and after that…. we found out what I was when we where visiting a friend….. there was a party, I only remember it dimly, it ran late-until…. until…. I was set in a baby chair at the window to doze while the adults talked…. a cloud slowly slid off the moon… and…. well….. all I remember is a whirl of colours and smells, and…. mostly just the smell of blood. Afterwards, I didn't go out much. I'm happy that (Is he alive in this world?) Dumbledore accepted me in. He said that somehow we would figure something out about my…. little problem. The moon was only a few weeks before this, and I still feel exhausted. My eyes slide closed, and lulled by the swaying of the carraige, I fall asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

Yes! So glad we're finally starting this!  

Oh, I'm sorry I haven't been on for so long! I was on a trip to another country, so I didn't have much time to come on the CB. Quill, sure! 

—-

Alice~ 

Before I knew it, I was talking to two other girls, Airi and Keyla. It's a good thing I was already making friends, as I didn't know anyone else who was going to Hogwarts. We talked and laughed on our way to the school. It seemed like just a few minutes, but a voice echoes throughout the train.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Keyla, Airi and I peered out the window at Hogwarts, looming in the distance.

"Wow.. It's magnificent…" breathed Keyla.

"I know! I can't believe we're here so soon!" I agreed, leaning back into my seat. 

The train came to a stop. We nervously exited, and then joined a group of other first years, who appeared to be equally as nervous. 

A figure holding a lantern waved and exclaimed, "First years this way! If you're in first year, please come over here!"

When I saw the lake, I stopped short. Oh no. I couldn't let anyone know I was afraid of water. I smiled faintly, hoping it was convincing enough. I boarded a boat with Airi, Keyla, and a girl with curly black hair.

"Hi. I'm Leia." She said, turning to look at us.

"I'm Airi, this is Keyla, and this is Alice." Airi responded.

I smiled, and Keyla stared.

Not seeming to notice, Leia continued speaking. "What house are you hoping to get into?"

Airi~

As Professor McGonagall calls my name, I walk towards the wooden stool where I'll sit as the hat decides my family for the next seven years. Who came up with the idea that a scrap of fabric should sort us into our houses? The hat is placed on my head, and it slides down over my eyes. I hear a voice in my ear.

Well, we've got bravery, that's for sure, but what'll you do with your courage? Intelligence, but put to what use? I see pain in your head, pain and hostility. The only place for you is…

"Slytherin!" 

I walk to the cheering Slytherin table and sit down, thinking about what the sorting hat had said. Pain and hostility? Am I really that bad? My mood lifted as Keyla and Alice were sorted into Slytherin as well. We were somewhat disappointed when Leia was sorted into Gryffindor, but I guess we couldn't all be in the same house. At least we can still be friends. Dumbledore(?) stands up and says a few words about welcoming new students and not going into the Forbidden Forest, then the tables fill with food. I load my plate, then talk happily with my friends until we're dismissed to go to our dormitories. It's easier to relax now that the stress of sorting is out of the way. The prefects lead the first years through the dungeons to a stratch of blank wall. They tell us the passoword, 'sanguinis pura', then I crash before having a chance to change out of my robes.

Alice~

Our dormitory is quite nice, even if it is underneath the school lake. Airi and Kayla had already had gone to sleep. I looked around. Even though I was content and happy, a nagging thought formed.

What if they're not really my friends? 

Shaking it off, I pulled the covers up and went to sleep.