Back To School, Already? ((People Kori Knows))

[koriwilliams]

"Dad! I'm going to be late!" Kori breathed through her father's arms. They were tight around her, and she was suffocating from the crushing pressure he was putting on her. She heard a soft chuckle deep inside his chest, and a soft kiss on her forehead before he pulled away. His brown eyes gleamed with love and adoration, and there was a bit of a mischevious glint in them as well. Kori raised her eyebrow slightly at this, but let it pass. The train whistle blew and she stood on her tip toes, kissed her father on the cheek, and then ran onto the nearest car. She moved down the compartments, and saw she was in the middle car. She found an empty compartment and sat down after she put her trunk away.

Kori rested on the chairs that aligned the walls, she closed her eyes and let the lull of the noise around her- encase her and make her almost fall asleep. It was hard to believe, school was back in session. It felt like yesterday when she had taken the train home. She sighed and opened her eyes to see a piece of paper sticking out of her bag that she had everything in. Kori narrowed her eyebrows and pulled it out slowly. It was her mother's handwriting. Kori opened it, breathlessly, and read it. The comforting words and simple love jumped off the page. Her father must've put it in there when he was hugging her. She bit her lip and placed the letter in her pocket book for safe keeping, she didn't want to lose it.

The train lurched forward slightly, but stopped. "Physce..." Kori whispered to herself. She hated when it did that, it made her think they were on their way home or to school- and she was completely ready for it, and then it stopped. It was so rude. Kori looked out the window at all the parents waving at their kids, she sighed as she realised the only parent that would be waving would be her father. Of course, he was more than enough, but she never once got to see her mother wave like he was. Which happened to be very energetically and with so much force he almost knocked into some old lady. Kori giggled and waved back, and she was certain he saw her. She settled back in her seat and put her feet up on the seat in front of her. She heard the compartment door open and she turned to see who it was; "Oh, hey, have a seat, the company is much wanted." Kori greeted with a slight wave.

[will]

((Ah, well, I had to bring Will into this. I hope it's okay.))

"Are you ready?" the shout rang through the small classroom although it was only directed at Will. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, loving the tortured face on his teachers' face. It was what he lived for. Finally, he nodded and turned away from her. She didn't even call back to him. He was going home and no one was going to stop him. All he needed was a ride. First, however, he had to go say farewell to his dearest friend. The doors the Orphanage seemed to open before he even touched them. A few teachers stuck their heads out of their small cubicles or classrooms curiously but they said nothing to stop his progress. He was happy with that and as he strode across the lush grass, he was at ease for a moment. But then the thought of saying good-bye was even harder then he had anticipated. He knew it would be terribly hard. After all, Will and Luce had just made a slim bond, something that could easily be crashing to the grass crunching under his feet. The forest welcomed him warmly, a slight humid breeze ruffling his dark hair. He picked up the pace, not wanting to stay in too long. It would be bad for him to be late for his train ride home. He sighed and looked up expectantly for Lucifer. The horses were all munching on the oats in the barrels that someone filled three times a day. Their water tanks were refilling and that was where Will found his horse. He walked over but didn't enter the pasture, for fear he wouldn't have the strength to leave it. Luce peered at him over the fence before walking gracefully toward him, showing off all his splendor. Will laughed and reached out to pat Luce on the forehead. The horse nodded his head and closed his eyes, only opening them when Will's hand left. Smiling, shook his head. How was he supposed to tell him and expect him to understand?

"Listen, Luce. I'm going to be gone for a while now so...don't worry about little old me. Not that you would anyway." Will chuckled but it was sad and short. "I won't be back for a long time. Don't' get anymore wild then you already are, Friend. Surely, that's not impossible though. Just, don't' wait for me anymore. Don't expect me hustling up the fence just to see you. Once I get back, I will. I promise, no I swear, that I'll get off that train and run straight to this forest and pat you on the neck. Maybe ride on a trail. But - for now - I just came to say a final fare-well. Don't get into any more trouble. I won't be here to protect you. I'm so sorry, boy. I really am." he gazed at the black twelve year old stallion for a long time before wrenching himself away and walking away. He tried to remain calm but instead had to run. He wanted to look back but if he did, he wouldn't be able to bear it. Instead he ran away from his only friend at this place. The only one he could count on every day to be there, waiting. The only one he could have fun with. Will closed his eyes and let the image wash over his mind before opening them once more. He wouldn't dwell on the horse anymore. After all, it wasn't like he was leaving forever. Will sighed and blinked as he found the the Orphanage was in view. The huge mansion looked cold and bare. The only sign of life was the person waiting for him outside the doors. It was the Headmistress, dressed casually. He smirked at her but said nothing. His trunk was already on the ground. It was waiting expectantly for him, just as the Headmistress was. She didn't give any sign to him. It was always this way every year. She would be the one to drive him to the Station and pick him up later. He picked up his few bags and the trunk, which was rather heavy, and walked foreword to the huge van awaiting them in the parking lot.

It was quiet, once again, on the way there. She sent a few stern glances Will's way but other then that, no even a sign of recognition crossed her face. Will, meanwhile, leaned back and stretched luxuriously, making the best of it. She didn't seem to like that either. She glared at him through the rear-view mirror. He smirked and remained quiet. They arrived soon enough, which Will thanked gratefully, and without saying a word, walked away from the Headmistress, dragging his trunk along side him. It skidded loudly on the walkway. A few of the muggles glared at him but they didn't stop him. After checking for muggles watching, Will walked through the barrier and looked up at the purple steam-engine. It was tootling its response to his eyes. Will hurried foreword, putting his trunk in the luggage carriage and walked into the train, only a few bags with him. His cat, Oliver, which was his life-long companion, meowed in his cage with contempt. Will smiled and began to look in the compartments for any spare room. He didn't come across anyone he would particularly like to sit with until Kori Williams came into sight. He walked into the compartment just as she greeted him.

"I was expecting a warm welcome. After all, I'm your life long stalker." Will replied with a wink. He crossed the room and sat down across from her. He smiled and let out Oliver quickly, knowing he didn't like small places. He stretched and walked away to curl up in the seat next to Kori. He was a nice, ginger cat with those brilliant green eyes that seemed to out-shine any others. He turned back to Kori quickly and grinned. "Ready for another busy year at Hogwarts?"

[koriwilliams]

Kori rolled her eyes; "Stalker or not, you're still welcomed in here." She sighed and watched as a cat jumped up next to her. Kori smiled and pet the cat lovingly, she adored animals, though she did not have one to call her own. Her father had a tabby cat by the name of Oscar, but nothing much more than that. She had begged Michael for one when she was really little, but her wish never came true. Kori always shrugged it off and would try again another year later. She stopped doing that when she turned 11, and realised she couldn't exactly get the monkey she wanted.

Kori was broken from her trance as Will spoke. She shrugged and breathed in slowly; "It keeps me busy, so I suppose I won't get too bored. How about you? Looking forward to torturing the staff of Hogwarts some more?" She smirked and crossed her legs before she felt the train actually start moving. Everyone must've been on board- though Kori doubted everyone was sitting. It would be shocking if everyone had found a compartment to sit in without at least some conflict. That was one thing Kori despised about Hogwarts, it was very parted. As in there were many groups. Within each house there were at least two. And Slytherin had the worst people.

She swung her gaze to Will and tilted her head; "You're quiet..." She wasn't sure if he was really quiet, or if she just wasn't paying attention and he was in fact rambling no other, but right about then Kori didn't care. She didn't hear him speak- so she assumed he wasn't speaking. Kori shrugged and slid further down in her seat as her eyes glittered and turned toward the window again- which was showing scenery already.

((*points to own face* See? Does this look like a face that minds? ))

[will]

"Well, that's a relief," he said before grinning. He stretched in the seat. He wasn't sure how early he had awoke that morning but it must have been earlier then usual. He ran a hand through his mop of brown before turning and looking at Kori. She was petting Oliver with a look of adoration on her face. He smiled with glee. It looked like she really liked animals. He sighed, unhappy that she had never gotten to meet Luce, the majestic horse. Will struggled to keep his thoughts off him as Kori continued to pet. "His name's Oliver. He's been mine for five years now. He's quite old." Will said conversationally. She seemed quite taken with Oliver. Will smirked and put his hands behind his head. Really, if they were on this for a while, might as well get comfortable. He pulled his bag up to his chest and began to search its' contents for something amusing to do. Kori spoke and Will listened with half an ear. He pulled out a book on the Dark Arts and their consequences as he thought over Kori's question.

"Yeah. I've been writing down spare things to say to the Staff when I run into them in the hall. Especially Snape. Did you know he's my idol?" Will replied with an arched sarcastic eye-brow. He shook his head before opening the book. As his thoughts turned to Snape he looked at the pictures and realized this would have been a book for him. The gruesome pictures were not something for young adolescence like himself. Well, really he was almost of age. He flipped through the pages, eyes wide. Some of them were even unbearable to look at. The people seemed in so much pain. Will sighed and threw the book back into the bag. It held no amusement what-so-ever. He had no intentions of reading it. He had just picked it up for some light influence on what he should be prepared for during these troubling times but it didn't seem like much help anymore. In fact, all it would do was make him terrified. He smirked and glanced at Kori as she said he was quiet. It was true, the compartment had been quiet between the two of them.

"Quite unreal, isn't it?" Will said with another raise of the eyebrow. He chuckled before tossing his book to Kori. "Have a look at that. It'll explain why I became speechless." he gazed at it with narrowed eyes. He had just found it on the street in Diagon Alley. Thinking it could be interesting, he had picked it up and brought it with him. Now, he knew the true origins of the book: Knockturn Alley. He shook his head at his stupidity before waiting for Kori to open it, if she even did.

[koriwilliams]

Kori picked up the book Will had tossed to her, and slid her thumb between the cover and the pages. Before she completely opened it, however, she arched an eyebrow and looked at him: "Is this going to make me sick?" She wasn't going to open it if she were going to heave her breakfast up. She didn't really fancy making a mess in the compartment, in front of Will no less.

Without waiting for his response, Kori flipped open the cover of the book at looked at the page it opened it to. Her eyebrows rose slightly, "What is a nice boy like you, doing with a horrid book like this?" She asked sarcastically as she flipped through it...grimacing slightly at the images that were so grotesque it made her throat dry up. He was right, it made her speechless- no wonder he was silent. Kori closed the book and bit her lip.

"Toss it out the window, Will." She whispered as she handed it back to him, "No good can come from that sort of book." Her father owned many books with things like that in it, but he had kept them locked away from her for the longest time and Kori had never dreamt of reading them. She only knew they were there because she had heard her father talking about them. Michael wasn't one to get mixed up in the Dark Arts, but he had a few books around in case he ever needed them for protection. Kori often found herself wondering, how those could protect them...but she never asked.

[will]

Will watched carefully as Kori picked up the book. She seemed on the verge of opening it when she asked something that Will had no answer to. He just shrugged but Kori hadn't waited for an answer. She was already flipping through it, pausing to look at a few pictures here and there. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to look too interested. He was just waiting to see what her facial expression would turn into. Will shrugged again, deciding to ignore her sarcasm.

"I found it on the street in Diagon Alley one day. I just picked it up, looked at the cover and then tossed it into my bag. I thought it could be an interesting read. Perhaps I could learn about what the stuff does to someone. This thing, however, would only make someone terrified to venture outside." he smirked and shook his head sadly. How horribly, incredibly stupid he was to just pick up random books on the street. Anyone could have dropped it for any purpose. Still, he was rather confused when Kori handed it back to him, telling him to throw it out the window. He frowned and looked down at the book, it's thick black cover looked bare.

"What's the matter? Scared?" Will asked her quietly although he had no desire to keep the book in his bag any longer. The way she was acting scared him but he kept his face blank as he opened the window latch and chucked the book out. The train, moving as fast as it was, refused to let him see the book hit the ground. Will sighed as if a heavy burden had been lifted and turned back to Kori. "Happy? That book could have been worth something. I don't know why I threw it out there." he chastised himself lightly before pressing his hands to his head. It hurt slightly from looking at those pictures. He could still see them as they swam in front of his eyes. He gave a tight smile before reaching over and petting Oliver for comfort. He was asleep, his green eyes closed, oblivious to everything. Will shook his head and leaned back, looking at Kori and back to the landscape.

"I've never actually seen a book like that before. I should have given it to Snape for a birthday present." Will said with a satisfied smirk. It was actually a good idea; Snape might have not failed him in their next class. Potions was not his strength but not his weakness either. He did alright but Snape didn't agree. He always got a C at least. Will leaned back farther in his chair, watching the scenery go past quickly.

[koriwilliams]

Kori looked up at Will; "Yes. Scared. That's it. I'm shaking in my shoes. Do you know what that book can do Will?! Gah!" Kori crossed her arms and sank further down in her seat still. Maybe she was over reacting, but still. Why someone would pick up a book like that and actually keep it- was beyond her. Kori loved books, just not those that teach others how to inflict pain upon innocent people. Her eyes watched as Will threw the book out the window, and she let a small smile cross her lips.

"Yes, very happy. And, sure, it could be worth something- something like, oh I dunno, your life?" Kori found herself rolling her eyes again, but caught herself in mid-roll. She often did something too much, and she knew it. She hated it, too, but she found there wasn't much she could do about it. It was so very annoying. Will was talking again and Kori looked at him. She laughed at his thought of giving it to Snape.

"Chances are, he already owns it. He's cooking up ways to harm students in the back of his mind without Dumbledore knowing it. He's kind of off isn't he? I mean, I have nothing against him- I do fine in his class, but he's mean to everyone. Do you do well in his class?" Kori looked at him with a slight raise of her eyebrow, potions wasn't exactly her worst, or best, class. She did okay in it, not too shabby and she always tried her best- but sometimes for Professor Snape, that wasn't enough.

[will]

"I noticed." he smirked but let the subject dwindle off. He wasn't afraid of a....book. It was just many pieces of paper although it had given him a rattle when Ginny Weasley had been attacked in his first year. Of course, their were so many versions that no one knew what was true and false. Gossip has a way of manipulating the true story into what people want to hear. Will knew this well already. He had learned from experience at the Orphanage that was almost comparable in size with Hogwarts. Although it was definitely not as warm or welcoming. There, the roll of entertaining the class was welcomed harshly and with cold backs. Students who were envious of humor and ignorance passed hisses behind others backs making rumors fly like the birds in the sky. Will had been the one who had taken that roll and he had endured endless torture. He shook himself out of his flashback when he realized the Kori was speaking. His eyebrow raised but that was all he gave as a reply. He wasn't sure what to think of her thoughts but didn't say anything at all. After all, what was there to say with a comment like that? He blinked a few times but other then that let nothing slip by his features. He smiled a small smile when Kori asked about how well he did in Potions class.

"I do fine and dandy but in Snape's eyes, that's a failure. He is off the hook, I do believe. Mostly with how he is against all the non-pure people who do just as well or better then the purest of pure. Isn't it strange that he fails to notice this?" Will sighed, aware that their was nothing he could possibly do to change the Professors' prejudice. He had always been proud of his seemingly unlimited intelegence and patience but in Potions, none of that mattered. It all mattered with what House you belonged in and what blood type you were. Which was frankly ridiculas. "Do you have many conversations with Slytherins?" he asked, quite interested in Kori's view of the cruel and nasty tongue-lashers.

[koriwilliams]

Kori smirked at Will's comment about Snape and lowered her head to look at her fingers which were picking the fingernail polish off the nails quite nicely. He then asked her a question and Kori looked up sharply. Of course she had conversations with Slytherins! Her father was after all, a respectable Pure-blooded wizard, but the Slytherins and those families who seem to think being pureblooded means being cruel to muggle borns and half bloods, were the ones who taunted and teased her and her father. Kori had learnt to handle that, but her father seemed to be hurt by it sometime. Especially, since one of his best-friends went from being a caring man to a deadly wizard. She nodded, "Yeah, but since my dad is this person who believes everyone is equal, most Slytherin's taunt and tease us. I handle it fine, but my dad is torn at the pieces of it sometimes. It's hard to watch."

She shrugged, "I guess, the way I see it, it they don't have anything better to do than to waste their times making a fool of themselves by teasing or picking on lower bloods- they need to go to St. Mungos. They need to grow up, the lot of them. Even their parents are that way, and that's pathetic. You would think by now, the parents were grown up and adult enough to realise that it doesn't matter who you are or what type of blood you are- it matters what kind of person you can be. Apparently, they can't be people at all can they? They're this small," She held up her thumb and forefinger abotu a centimeter apart, "in my eyes."

[will]

Will nodded as Kori replied to his question with a sharp look up with her eyes. It sounded like she did converse with the horrible Slytherins but she seemed to be able to take care of herself quite nicely. Will smiled and shook his head. "In my eyes, they're rather big. After all, they rule the roost in Hogwarts pretty much. No one cares to correct them and their to ignorant to listen when it is told to them. They're blind to the truth even if you wave it in front of their face. You're right. I think they should be pitied rather then feared. The parents are far worse though. Their children would have been different had they grown up in a difficult environment. Odd how that works out." he added with a smirk. It was very true though; people were molded by their parents and their beliefs. If they had been muggles, perhaps, or like Kori's father, the children would have probably been anyway but Slytherin. He blinked their sneering faces away, biting on his lip in the process.

"It's also strange how their all from some of the richest families in the United Kingdom. It doesn't go well on their resume`." a twisted smile took form on his lips. He had learned that being an orphan meant that you were ultimately unwanted, even by the Orphanage itself. He glared at the ground quietly, his eyes glazing over with memories of his horrid life at the Orphanage. He had truly longed for a family but without one, it was impossible to see the future ahead of you. Will looked up at Kori before leaning back considerably in the seat. "I wonder how much longer we'll be waiting...." he said more to himself then anyone as he glanced out the window. The scenery was moving by quickly and it was steadily becoming darker. He sighed and shook his head to get his bangs out of his eyes.