Broken door. (Anyone)

[Danny McKay G5]

Danny stood on the train platform in a pretty empty stop, he hated crowds. Something about being in a crowd full of people just annoyed him to an almost indescribable level. Danny sighed then toke one last deep breath as he stared off to the castle he called home for most his life. “We'll be back soon.” Danny said to himself then slowly looked down to the owl cage on top of his luggage. “Yeah, it will be no time till we get back here.” Danny said with an almost depressed tone of voice as his owl just looked up at him and tilted it's head. “ Don't look at me like that.” Danny said with a smirk and a slightly happier tone in his voice. After a few seconds more of just staring back at the castle Danny finally decided to get into the train and get ready for his journey back home, with out magic sadly.

Danny cursed the fact he couldn't to anything for himself magic wise till he was older, just like every other kid it seemed. Danny couldn't wait till he was old enough to not be bound by that law anymore, it limited the fun Danny could have when he was home by some unimaginable number. Danny pushed and shoved his way though groups of people who decided that the best place for them and their stuff was right in the way of everyone else. Danny laughed a little as he made his way to the back of the train, he laughed because he remembered how he was when it was his first year. Danny tried to be as polite as possible and that just didn't get anything, no one moved or even tried to. This resulted in the first magically outburst Danny ever had, normally he was cool and relaxed about things but the crowds of people and luggage had gotten to him. Danny remembered just pulling out his wand yelling out a spell and watching all the luggage and a few of the people getting pushed into the rooms they seemed so happy to stand in front of.

Danny laughed a little more as he kept going looking from room to room to find an empty one or at lest as empty as possible. He could even remember the faces of the people he pushed into rooms, they were so mad and that just made Danny burst into laughter and race to the back as fast as possible. He had gotten a big talking to from a lot of people after he got off the train but Danny knew it was totally worth it. Danny made his way even farther back and found an empty room which seemed to appear just in time, He was getting sick of dragging his luggage around. Danny opened the door shoved his luggage into one of the corners then shut the door behind him, slowly a smirk came a crossed Danny's face as he went back to his bags and pulled out a large piece of parchment and put it against the door. The paper stuck to the door perfectly just as Danny planned and he sat back down.

The paper had four big red words on it which Danny hoped would get it's point a crossed, “door out of order” was all the paper said. It wasn't that Danny hated company when he was on the train, it was just his lucky that he always got the wrong company when sitting in his compartment. Always seemed to be some angry Slytherin or snobby seventh years who were leaving Hogwarts, not all seventh years were like that but some of them were and those were the ones he wanted to avoid. Danny sat back down and enjoyed the view as soon he would be leaving the place he loved the most.

[Ally Ross H5]

A headache had found its way into the front of Ally’s mind and remained there, painfully twitching whenever she decided to speak or frown, think or smile. She wondered whether or not there was a quick charm she could cast to rid herself of the throbbing ache but if there was, she didn’t know it. It probably wasn’t worth asking a nearby Ravenclaw either; from experience Ally knew they were normally snappy at the end of the year, wanting to get home or into the best compartments without being pestered by a clueless Hufflepuff. She supposed that was what she was to them all. A clueless Hufflepuff. “Ah well Mincey,” She muttered to the over-sized bundle of fur clutched in her freckled arms. “We don’t need them do we...”
Slipping past other students, Ally eyed them absently as she travelled down the length of the train she now knew so well. Everyone was embracing the journey differently; some were wistful, craning their necks through windows to catch last glimpses of the beautiful castle. Some were evidently bored by the journey they took so often and were dozing in compartments already, oblivious to the rush of the train. First years scuttled and weaved in and out of their elders giggling and clutching books; Slytherins hovered in shadows or stuck out their legs to trip lowers in what they evidently thought to be convincing pranks; and Ally could swear she saw two boys, one Ravenclaw one Gryffindor, embracing rather forcefully behind a barely closed compartment door. She coughed once at this unorthadox sight and continued on, burying her face but for her eyes in her fat cat’s striped fur.

It was always hard to find the right compartment, but Ally knew now where to sit- right at the back. Not at the ‘back’ where the seventh years and Slytherins all sat, but directly behind it – yes, there was a back to the back. It was the first compartment and was snugly tucked right into the last space, the one that Ally tried to get a place at before anyone else. As she approached she realised she was being beaten to the punch; a boy she faintly recognised had just entered. As he disappeared behind the door she reached it with raised brows, reading the sign he placed there with a small, twitching smile. She threw a careful glance around before entering – it wouldn’t do to have anyone else come into the compartment after her. Seeing no watchful eyes she pushed the ‘broken’ door open with one toe and slipped inside sheepishly.

“Sorry to intrude.” Her words were careful and quiet, but didn’t much carry any feeling of being sorry. She attempted a smile but failed, instead turning the expression into a twist of the mouth as she glanced over the boy on the chairs. She recognised him as being in her year and even recalled his name and house, but apart from that couldn’t say she knew all that much about him. Kicking her bags beneath the seats opposite Danny she shrugged off Mince, who fell heavily onto the seats in a manner that was not at all cat-like. Once there, Mince waited for Ally to sit before padding back onto her lap and curling up with a lazy stretch of her paws. A moment of awkward silence followed, in which Ally eyed the compartment before suddenly seizing one of her smallest bags and tugging a piece of paper from it. Upon the paper in clear red letters read the words ‘Compartment infested with bubotubers – no entry!’ Ally brandished the poster Danny’s way with a sheepish smile before tucking it back into her back, pleased for a moment someone else shared her dislike for sharing a compartment. Then, unsure as to whether or not to introduce herself, Ally leant back in her seat and scratched Mince’s bitten ear absent-mindedly.

[Matthew Dorm R3]

Matthew stood there on the train platform, ignorant to the moving students barging by him as he stood there staring up at the castle. It was hard to believe how quick Hogwarts had became his home, how comfortable he felt there, how settled he had become. And now he was to return home for about 7 weeks, not as if he didn't want to, but, things were guaranteed to be less magical there. Matthew knew for certain two things that were awaiting him back home. The first, would be his mother, Alice, who, after writing to Matthew on a few occasion, admittedly was pleased for him, but, regardless of this, sounded terrified, and that was just by judging the language she used on a piece of paper. Who knew what fears she had, or, what conclusions her imagination had brought her to, Matthew thought glumly. As well as a nervous Mother, Matthew's holidays were almost certainly going to be rather dull. Being muggle-born, news of the magical word would be hard to get hold of, and, along with the unfortunate law of under seventeens not being allowed to use magic outside school, things, were, looking very glum indeed.

He silently pondered on how to practice Quidditch back home, and, as he boarded the Hogwarts express, his thoughts traveled back home, searching for a spot that was ideally well surrounded by trees.

Every compartment he passed seemed to be packed. Roger, Matthew's cat, plodded pleasantly on ahead, occasionally peering hopefully through a compartment door left ajar, only to look disappointedly away, and resume carrying his tiny legs further and further toward the back of the train.

They were almost near the very back, and, just as Matthew was planning on taking refuge outside in the hallway, Roger stopped at an apparently empty compartment. With a slight meow, followed by a flurry of tiny paws scratching at the door, Matthew stepped forward. There was a piece of paper stuck to the door, with four words written clearly in red writing across it - "Door out of order". Matthew looked closer at the door, as if to check for any sign of damage or breakage, and, Roger, obviously both wanting and trying to help, but not knowing how too, begun to lick the door.

After arriving at the conclusion that the door wasn't out of order, and maybe it was simply an old notice, Matthew nervously pulled handle, and slid it open. What he found inside wasn't a mass amount of breakage, or the results of a bloody feud, but simply a girl he hadn't met before and a boy called Danny in a few years above Matthew that he had met in the library, where he had miraculously discovered Matthew's hiding spot. Quickly embarrassed on obviously stepping into someone's compartment that didn't want to get disturbed, Matthew quickly launched into speech.
"Danny!, oh, hey, erm, sorry for disturbing you, but, i think everywhere else is full, would you mind if i joined you?" and then, deciding to say something else, to distract Danny if he was currently contemplating on kicking him in the teeth, "Nice handiwork with the sign by the way." Roger, already making up his mind, threw a cautious glance at the lump of fur that was presumably the girl's cat, and briskly climbed up onto a seat opposite Danny, and lay down, his tiny legs up in the air above him, gladly basking in the sun shining through the window.

Matthew decided it might be safe to take a seat. After sitting, and looking cautiously around the compartment, he looked at the girl, and, upon noticing that she seemed to be in mild pain, hoped that it wasn't at Matthew's sudden unwanted arrival.

[Danny McKay G5]

The view from the window was quite nice Danny had to admit, you could see the castle quite well and even the Gryffindor tower. The view was actually starting to depress Danny, he was going to miss this place so much. The magic, the friends and even the people he didn't like so much, they all made this place so great and his home had none of these. Well his house had some magic but nothing he could do it was all already enchanted or his parents did the magic. Watching them freely using magic really depressed him the most about summer, it was like they were rubbing the fact in his face. Danny just sighed and looked out the window some more, still the castle full of everything he would miss. “O well, just a couple months and I'll be back and ready.” Danny said quietly to himself with a smirk. “You better be ready too.” Danny added with his same smirk.

As Danny finished talking to himself he heard the door open which made him jerk his head to find a girl working her way into Danny's compartment. After looking at her for a few seconds Danny came to a few conclusions. First Danny was going to need to work on his sign more, second he had seen her before but couldn't seem to remember her name at the moment and third and maybe the most important, at lest to Danny, she seemed quite cute so her breaking into his room would be allowed. Like Danny would have done anything about it if he didn't want her in the room, annoyed and depressed with leaving Hogwarts still didn't override his kind and friendly demeanor especially to cute girls. Danny just smiled as she walked in and seemed to apologize for joining him but Danny didn't seem to think she was sorry at all but then again there was no reason to be sorry.

“There's no reason to be sorry, I put in the fine print on the bottom that the door still works for beautiful girls.” Danny said with a smirk watching her sit down and her cat jump back on her lap and start to go to sleep. Danny turned to his owl which had seemed to be staring down the cat for a few seconds, after Rodney determined that the cat meant no harm he closed his eyes too. Danny spent a second wondering what the battle would be like her cat verse his owl. Danny's attention was drawn back to the girl as he held out a sign which made Danny laugh a little. “Well put it up, it might help keep more people away from...” Danny paused as he turned back to the door as he heard it open again, Danny sat there hoping it wasn't one of the few people he didn't want it to be.

What was on the other side of the door was actually Wrathis, or at lest that was his nickname which Danny had decided to use too. Danny listened as he explained why he entered the room and said everywhere else seemed full at the moment. Danny thought about it, seeing as how it was almost time to go it probably was all full. He just laughed as Wrathis told him nice work on the sign then smiled. “Well I guess there goes our little love compartment.” Danny said with a smirk looking at the girl then back to Wrathis then realized he might have gone to far with that joke. “I'm kidding, kidding.” Danny added quickly, looking at the both of them. “Well you already know me, so no point introducing myself to you again.” Danny said teasing Wrathis a little then turning back to the girl. “I'm Danny McKay and it's a pleasure to share my compartment but I fear there's a charge for people who aren't beautiful girls.” Danny said smiling slowly turning to Wrathis. “You seem to owe me 10 galleons, will you be paying now or in monthly installments.” Danny said laughing a little as Wrathis stood there.

[Ally Ross H5]

At Danny’s flirtatious words Ally cringed both outwardly and inwardly, her eyes darkening protectively. She wished now she had chosen a compartment with someone she knew and just had attempted to put up with whomever else was in there – she knew Sita or Sadie would not have objected if she had requested to sit with them. But… she was here now. She couldn’t really get up and leave, especially with the knowledge that the train was about to set off. Building a brick wall in her mind against Danny’s comments would just have to do. To Ally there was just something so fake and pretentious about such loose compliments. Not only did she know herself to be far from beautiful, but by having someone say that she was so casually to her made her feel like… well, like a compliment charity case. As if her unattractiveness needed hiding with clumsy compliments and flirty words, just for male amusement. With this thought Ally frowned, her brows arching inwards as she tried to fight the urge to get up and run. She knew she wasn’t beautiful. People like Zein were beautiful; that wild, feisty beauty that made heads turn whenever Zei walked anywhere. Yes, her sister was certainly the attractive daughter. She had received the sharp, handsome structure and dark features of their father, while Ally just caught the freckled carrot-top genes from her mother. And Maxi… well. Who knew what he would have inherited?

At the thought of her brother Ally scowled and scolded herself mentally; it had been too obvious where that thought train was going, she could have prevented it. The scowl caused her headache to twitch and flutter angrily beneath her forehead with even more force. It was Danny’s next words that made her remember where she was, and she focused on them apprehensively. If she were one to smile often she might have attempted a smile now, but she didn’t see much point in the expression, so refrained. “Bit late.” She muttered gently as the door pushed open, and an unfamiliar figure entered the small compartment. Ally took the small boy in while rubbing her temples unconsciously, realising he was in a much lower year than herself and Danny. While age difference didn’t bother Ally all that much she disliked ignorance and knew it to be common amongst the youngsters at Hogwarts; especially on the train, when they were so often focused on escaping- either to their homes or the other way around to Hogwarts.

The two boys seemed to know each other already which pleased Ally; perhaps they would talk together, without attempting to get into her mind too. She shuffled up the seat a little more to make room for the younger boy’s cat and smiled when the creature relaxed into the seat to soak in the sun. Not for the first time Ally wished her own cat wasn’t so darn fat- if Mince attempted to roll over as the newcomer’s cat just had the stupid cat would probably never get up again. With this thought Ally smirked a little at the bundle in her arms, a bundle so big her slender lap could barely contain it; Mince was dangerously close to falling onto the floor.

Danny’s next words, again inappropriate and irritating, brought Ally back into the room. She scowled openly this time, unsure what to say to such words; she rarely conversed with boys in her year really, unless to discuss homework, or Quidditch for the team. Most of the males around her age were too testosterone-crazy to be of any use conversationally anyway. Clearly Danny was no different.

She took his introduction with a small nod, looking for the first time into his eyes as she responded. “Ally Ross... Hufflepuff.” She risked a little smile, the expression barely visible. Danny continued on to the newcomer with another joke, which made Ally wonder if he could even talk without joking, or if everything he said was in an attempt to amuse. Resisting the urge to laugh out of mere pity and politeness, Ally leant forwards and tugged the smallest bag back towards her. From it she drew out a small slip of plastic. She popped from the plastic three small white pills, which she threw into her mouth one by one, washing them down with water from a bottle in her bag. Tucking both items back into her bag, Ally thanked the muggles for their ingenious painkillers.

[Matthew Dorm R3]

Matthew settled himself into his seat, cautiously glancing at the two other students, not sure whether the girl would throw her cat into Danny's face and kick him in the shins, or simply laugh off his flirtatious actions. The second option seemed to be tempting her, as she shrugged off his first wave of compliments with a cringe followed by a darkening of her eyes and a furrow of the brows. Matthew, ready for a full out duel before his eyes, lifted his legs from the floor and burrowed them nervously into his chin, and glanced at Roger to see if he also sensed danger, who was naturally fast asleep in the suns warm rays.

Matthew was quickly worried as Danny made the statement of him owing him money; he quickly laughed it off, hoping that he was joking. If he wasn't, Matthew was quite sure that he didn't actually own the carriage, and couldn't therefore rent it out, but, still nervous just incase, he hugged his legs even tighter.
"Are yearly installments an option?, without interest, preferably." Matthew joked, with a hopeful smile.

He guessed that Danny did have a point, she was quite pretty, but, deciding to try to lighten the mood, he folded out a newspaper he had finished reading, and, after asking the other two, Danny and the girl whose name he still didn't know, if they wanted a read, he proceeded to make an army of newspaper airplanes, carefully stacking them on the seat next to them, whilst keeping a wary eye on Roger, whose eyes had flickered open from there lazy doze in the afternoon's warm sun to suspiciously inspect the new arrivals to the compartment. Matthew's ears picked up another compliment directed to the girl, and, in a muttered response, he caught her name, Ally.

Deciding to chat to Danny, seeing as he didn't seem to actually mind Matthew, he tried to talk a little, only with nothing interesting coming to mind.
"So, uhh, how are you two going to practice Quidditch at home?, i mean, I'm muggle-born, so I'm not sure if that'll work out..." he spoke confidently, trying to abolish his shyness, and, after hearing a loud tearing noise, he glanced at Roger to find him playfully tearing apart most of his seat.
"Oh honestly," he sighed, and, whilst muttering under his breath, he withdrew his suitcase from underneath his seat and begun to hurriedly root around in it, looking for Roger's ball which would at least distract him from the large chunks of foam now whirling around him in a comedic haze of tiny claws and large pieces of seat. Discovering the small blue ball, he jamp in amongst Roger and the seat, trying to distract him with his favorite ball.

Ten minutes later, a badly scratched face Matthew was sat back in his seat, his face burrowed into a potions book, whilst Roger was playfully rolling around the floor of the carriage, trying to fit the large bright blue ball into his mouth, with considerable effort, seeing as the ball was roughly twice the size of his tiny head.

The sound of a trolley drawing nearer there carriage met Matthew's ears, and, encouraged by the loud complaining rumble of his stomach, he reached into the pockets of his robe for some money.

[Danny McKay G5]

Danny's smile slowly got a little dimmer as he watched Ally's responses to his comments about her beauty, he had seen this reaction in the past. Clearly he could tell she didn't like what he was saying but the reasons as to why were quite high as Danny thought about them in his head, just sitting there in the now silent compartment. They ranged from the most obvious reasons, that she didn't like Danny. It was totally understandable in his eyes which might have seemed a weird view to take on the matter but Danny had already learned the hard way that not everyone was going to like him. Danny just smiled at her as his mind trailed off to the next likely rest to why she seemed so put off by Danny, she might hate being complemented like the way Danny was doing right now.

Danny thought about both those reasons as he turned to listen to Wrathis ask about how he could pay him back and he just laughed a little. “Well yearly installments might be an option but I'm afraid to say that there will be interest and lots of it.” He said with a smirk as he watched Wrathis offer them both a newspaper but soon went on to make paper airplanes out of it. He just laughed a little to himself as Wrathis when on making his planes, He found it a bit odd but who was Danny to judge him for it. Danny's thoughts soon turned back to Ally as Wrathis kept making his planes, either she hated him or his comments which left two very clear options.

One he could stop complementing her so much but that would only work if it was the complements that annoyed her. If it was Danny who was the problem then there was no way to fix that, no matter what he said. Danny decide he would have to watch his words the best he could, for one it was a long trip and he would be sitting next to this girl for awhile. Second he was too nice to keep doing something that might actually be hurting another person, even if that thing was a major part of his personality. Danny was going to try and talk to her again, this time watching his words more carefully as to not offend her but Wrathis spoke first.

“Well I live far outside London, so I've got enough room at the right times of day to practice.” Danny said smiling about his home, it was nice being in an empty area. It gave him tons of space for riding his broom. “I'm not on the team yet but with people graduating there's going to be a few spots open, I'm going to try for Seeker once we get back to Hogwarts.” He said with a smirk turning to Wrathis still making planes. “ So don't think I'll go easy on you guys just for being a friend of mine, your going down buddy.” Danny added laughing a little then turned to Ally with his normal smile. “Also beau...” Danny faked coughing for a second then just smiled, Danny never normally watched what he said but from past attempts at it he already knew he was terrible at it. “ Sorry about that, where was I?” Danny said right after he coughed trying to make it seem like he didn't just cough to stop himself.

“Aren't you also on the Hufflepuff team?” Danny asked Ally as he just smiled over at her, he would probably find out soon enough if it was him or his complements that she hated either way he was going to try and watch his words the best he could. Soon Danny heard the easily recognizable sounds of the trolley and looked to the door then his attention was drawn to Wrathis as he dug around for some coins to buy something. Danny just smiled as he stood up and headed for the door then turned to the both of them. “This one's my treat, Wrathis you need to save all your money to pay me back.” Danny said smiling then turned to Ally. “As for you b.. Ally, I seem to owe you an apology for my actions.” Danny said still smiling, a little proud of himself for catching himself before he could say thing. “Just try not to buy the whole thing, I might be broke then.” Danny said with a smile, his parent always did seem to send money around the end of the year so he could spend it at Hogsmeade but he hadn't spent it all just yet so now seemed like a better time then any.

[Ally Ross H5]

As the conversation, which Ally now thought doomed, continued, the Hufflepuff noticed the younger boy making paper aeroplanes. It was a skill that he clearly had perfected, as the stack of paper planes soon grew until the seat was piled high with well-crafted little aircrafts. Ally carefully lifted one up and fingered the design for a moment before gently placing it back where it had been, a smile momentarily playing across her lips. She then listened in to the words that were being shared and wistfully smiled before joining in.

“I don’t have my own broom…” She watched their reactions cautiously, scratching her palms absently while she continued. “-yet. I’m hoping to buy one before new year begins. Even if I did have one… well, I don’t think my family would be too happy to see me flying mid-air on a piece of wood.” She smiled lightly, but inwardly cringed at the thought of so openly showing her magic to her family. What would they really do? Zein would be either so hideously jealous she would turn her feelings into hatred, thus make it impossible for Ally to enjoy the sport in her garden anyway. Her mother would merely scold her for ‘showing off’- if she even noticed her daughter was flying in the first place. And her father… Ally barely knew her father now, despite the two once being so close. She pondered for a moment longer on what his reaction might be, and was frustrated when she couldn’t think of his character enough to do so. The last time she had been home she had barely seen him and, not for the first time, Ally’s thoughts flickered to what she saw as an inevitable family separation.

She tuned back into the conversation again to hear Danny speaking about auditioning for his team, and she spoke warmly. “You should certainly try. Good luck.” She was about to open her mouth to continue and speak of her own team positions, but was cut off as Danny yet again played the flatterer, resulting in Ally’s silence and a harsh bite of her lower lip with her teeth. However it was difficult for her to scowl at his sheepish manner of coughing to cover his actions, and instead she found herself smiling lightly in response to his question. It was difficult to keep her distance now; she liked this topic of conversation a fair deal too much to refrain from joining in.

“Yes, I’m on the team. I only just joined though, I haven’t even been in a real game yet! I’m quite… nervous about it.” She glanced up at the two boys, wondering if they thought her ridiculous. All the Quidditch players she knew were never ‘nervous’ about games- at least, not in the manner Ally was. They would only ever worry about winning, or about doing the best for their team. Sure Ally was anxious about such things, but more than anything she was terrified of making a complete and utter idiot of herself; of showing too much of her delight in flying and ending up on her backside - quite literally. Realising she had stopped talking for a moment without explanation, Ally continued on. “I’m a Chaser but I quite enjoy playing as Seeker too. Or rather, I would if so much attention was not always on the Seeker.” She shrugged and bit a nail self-consciously. “I’m looking forward to getting started though. What broom have you got?” She directed the question at Danny as wasn’t sure if the younger boy had a broom yet, not yet being a third year, but glanced at him anyway just in case he had an answer. “I’m not quite sure what to get.”

Both boys seemed to visibly react to the sound of the food trolley, which made Ally smile inwardly a little. She made no move to bring out her own money and was startled when Danny offered to purchase her something. His reason made her grin for a moment, an expression which she blushed for the moment she realised it had appeared. His words also, for the first time, alerted Ally to the name of the younger boy; Wrathis. Although she had been aware of not knowing his name earlier, she hadn't wanted to ask and was now pleased the name had been spoken- it saved her having to enquire after the name later.

“I’ve never had anything from the trolley before…” She gently placed Mince upon the space beside her and rose, steadying herself against the train movement with the luggage rail above. “I couldn’t possibly though, it’s your money…” Ally continued for a second to appear to refuse Danny’s offer; but she was already standing and eyeing the trolley curiously. With a small, sheepish expression, she gave in. “Well, um, may I have a sugar quill? Just one… if you don’t really mind.”

[Matthew Dorm R3]

Matthew felt the atmosphere around the carriage lighten a little. Danny's compliments, although funny, were lightening considerably, and Ally, as if detecting that he didn't mean to offend her, opened herself up to the conversation a little. Matthew's conversation starter of Quidditch turned out to not be such a lame idea after all, as both Ally and Danny happily started talking, obviously very keen on the subject.

Matthew, with a mischievous grin set firmly set on his face, avoided Ally's question of what type of broom he owned, by throwing a dramatic coughing fit, perhaps overdoing it just a bit, as he accidentally fell off his seat and crashed into the carriage door, resulting in the window smashing. He picked himself up from the floor, not sure whether the other two noticed, as Ally had just asked their advice on what broom model would be best to purchase. Matthew, after successfully picking himself up from the floor and dusting himself free of cracked glass, took his place back in his seat, occupying himself by resuming to proceed in the creation of his ever growing paper airplane army.

When the trolley was heard, and Matthew started furiously rooting around his pockets for money, Danny stood up, and generously offered to pay for both of them. He laughed and grinned as Danny stated that Matthew had better start saving his money. Unlike Ally, who was polite regarding the offer, Matthew was the complete opposite. Jumping from his seat, with Roger following hungrily at his heels, he approached the carriage door, peering out of the now empty window frame to check up on the trolleys progress, which was currently stalled by six hungry Slytherins a few compartments down. Looking around at Danny, hoping that his generous offer wasn't a joke, Matthew spoke.
"Erm, if its no problem, could i get two pumpkin pasties, a packet of Bertie botts every flavor beans?" and, after taking a glance at the now furiously drooling Roger situated at his feet, he added, "Oh, and a chocolate frog ... for Roger?" Grinning, he looked up at the two, and, as if just to clarify how hungry he actually was, his stomach let out a furious roar.

He sat back down in his seat, looking up as Ally as very politely asked for a sugar quill. Matthew, hearing a soft landing of a tiny body on a pile of paper, followed by a sheer delighted meow, looked beside him, to find that Roger had leaped pleasantly onto his pile of newspaper airplanes, had successfully took one hostage, and was now making his way back to the floor, airplane held securely in his tiny mouth.

Just as the sound of the trolley arrived just outside there compartment, Matthew, suddenly noticing that Ally might think that Wrathis was his real name, introduced himself.
"Ally, by the way, Wrathis is my nickname, Matthew is my real name." and then, smiling, he looked hopefully outside there compartment door, him and Rogers eyes hypnotically set on the spot where the trolley laden with marvelous food was about to appear.

[Danny McKay G5]

Danny just smiled as Ally started talking, it would seem Danny was right about his first guess, she just didn't like the way Danny was talking. Seeing as how she was finally talking, he was going to have to try more to watch what he said. Sure he could allow a slip up or two but what could he expect from himself, changing a major part of yourself wasn't something you could do over a few minutes and Danny didn't plan on making it permanent. He just had to watch his words around Ally if only for the train ride, or if he ever met up with her again. Danny felt a little bad, He has had a broomstick since he could remember and listening to someone who said they never had one seemed sad but then again she did make the Quidditch team.

He just laughed a little as she explained that she hadn't even been in a real game yet and was nervous about it. “Well I'm sure everyone is nervous about their first game, I'm sure I will be if I get on the team.” Danny said with a laugh as he watched Wrathis place another paper plane down, he turned back to Ally again when she asked about what broom they had and which one she should get. “Well I used to use a Nimbus 2000 all the time, it's a great broom but every since I got my Firebolt I haven't even touched it.” Danny said with a smirk, remembering how much fun it was when he flew it all the time at home. “ It was a gift from my Grandpa, a lot of newer broomsticks have come out since then but I still trust my...” Danny stopped talking as he turned to Wrathis who seemed to be in the middle of a coughing fit.

“You going to make it buddy?” Danny said with a laugh but soon stopped as Wrathis landed on the floor and hit the door, which seemed to cause one of the glass windows to crack. He just watched as Wrathis picked himself back up and sat down, going off to make more planes. Danny couldn't help but laugh a little at what happened, he seemed fine if not just a bit odd. “Let me take care of that for you.” Danny said with his normal smile and pulled out his wand, pointing it at the cracked window. “ Reparo.” Danny muttered doing the proper wand movements, he watched as the crack started shrinking as it closed together and finished off with a slight ping sound. “I'm sure going to miss all this for the next few month.” Danny said speaking out loud but mostly to himself as he put his wand way.

Danny looked back at Ally again realizing he had stopped in mid-sentence and smiled. “Anyway I recommend a Firebolt, from my own experience but then again there could be better ones.” Danny said with a laugh. “Either way, if you don't get a broom for whatever reason, just owl me or something. I'll bring my Nimbus in and you can use that.” Danny said with a laugh as he thought about the Nimbus 2000 now too, it was a great broom but not as great as the Firebolt in Danny's eyes. “You just can't play on the brooms the school gives you, those things are held together by glue and magical tape.” Danny said laughing knowing that it was true, those brooms were so old and destroyed they would never hold up in a real Quidditch game. "We don't need someone as..." Danny stopped for a second, he had done it again. "As nice as you to get hurt out there because of terrible school brooms." Danny finished with a ackward smile. "Nice save, idoit." He thought to himself with a laugh.

Danny just smiled as they both accepted his offer to get them something from the trolley, Some more then others in the case of Wrathis while Ally just wanted a sugar quill Wrathis had a nice long list. Not that Danny was annoyed by it at all, he was a friend now and Danny did offer so if it was anyone's mistake it was his own for offering. “Okay well I'll take Wrathis nice list and go get them.” Danny said with a smirk teasing Wrathis a little has he opened the door. From the sounds of the trolley he expected it to be right out the door but it was actually a few compartments back. Danny gave it a few seconds and sure enough it was right outside their door. Danny trailed off the list of stuff he wanted with a few extra things for himself, he finally finished up and dug some money out of his pockets then closed the door with a hand full of sweets.

“Okay, Wrathis wanted the mountain of stuff.” Danny said still teasing him passing him the things he wanted then moved on to Ally. “Ally wanted the two sugar quills and a chocolate frog.” He said smiling and passed them to her, then moved to his seat and sat down. “And I get wants left.” Danny said to himself pretty much as he looked down to his few chocolate frogs and some jelly beans. The frogs were for him but for some odd reason his owl, Rodney, loved certain kinds of the jelly beans and Danny just found it funny to watch him eat them. “It seems you have a man down, Wrathis.” Danny said with a slight smirk as he watch the cat attack one of Wrathis planes.

[Ally Ross H5]

The Hufflepuff listened to Danny’s words with interest. She got the impression that Danny’s family was rather wealthy, or at least not in need. A slightly wistful – and perhaps even a little jealous – expression flashed across her face as Danny spoke of his two broomsticks; with a casual air that made Ally wonder if everyone had a Nimbus and a Firebolt. Ally was not exactly poor, neither was she even ‘in need’. But she was never given that little bit extra, that bonus or that treat from her parents. She wasn’t sure whether or not it was because they thought she didn’t deserve it or because they genuinely were unaware they should give such things to their daughters. Perhaps they had given Zei extra money in the past and she had just spent it on what Zein liked best; alcohol, drugs, and parties. Maybe Ally’s parents were thus scared to give Ally the bonuses, just in case she ended up wasting them on such rubbish. Not for the first time, Ally wished her sister was a little milder.

A harsh sound snapped Ally’s concentration back into the compartment, and she was instantly aware of Wrathis’ odd coughing scene. Ally eyed Matthew warily as he seemed to be suddenly possessed by the fit. She was about to ask him if he needed anything – an asthma pump perhaps? She already knew he too was a muggle-born so it could well be possible. Before she had a chance to offer her help, he fell, broke the glass in the door, and then quite calmly continued with the paper aircrafts. Ally raised one red brow curiously but said nothing, merely taking the fit for one of those many mysterious and unexplainable occurrences in life.

This brow was lifted even further when she listened to Danny’s offer of borrowing his Nimbus. She blushed slightly at his generosity, something she was unaccustomed to, and spoke gratefully. “Thank you for the offer…” He joked about the school brooms and Ally blushed further, shaking her head hastily as she responded. “-but I actually use my friend’s old Nimbus already. He just got the new Dragoneye.” Ally’s eyes widened a little at the mention of the new broom. She wanted it. Not many people had it yet, but it was the newest, coolest thing in on the Quidditch pitch and at practises; Ally could only imagine how fast the brooms were however, as she had not yet seen her friend Oscar on his broom. She was thankful that he had leant her his old Nimbus but knew he desired its return as he wanted to sell it on, and so was eager to buy her own broom as soon as possible. “I’d love to get one… but I bet they cost a billion.” Ally smiled pensively, but the expression soon dropped as Danny seemed to slip back into his habit of complimenting her inappropriately. Thankfully the Gryffindor caught his words before he continued and although the sentence that came out was a little awkward now, Ally let out a half-smile in silent thanks nevertheless, unsure of how to respond.

It was difficult not to laugh when, moments later, Wrathis asked for his big haul of food from the trolley. Ally even giggled when his stomach rumbled. The noise alerted her to her own unexpected hunger however and she instantly was glad that Danny was kind enough to offer to buy some food; although she had requested a sugar quill just to nibble on, perhaps it was more necessary. Before long Danny stepped over the compartment threshold once more, brandishing his purchases. He passed Ally more than she asked for and she opened her mouth to object – but realised that he really would not have bought them if he didn’t mind spending the coins. Silently she blushed again, scowling at how easy the redness came across her already freckled face, and accepted the snacks with murmured thanks, not impolite. Slowly she unwrapped one quill after tucking the other and the frog inside her pockets, and sucked upon the white sugar cane, smiling as the sweet taste filled her mouth.

“Do you think you’ll get a Dragoneye at all?” She asked the boys casually as she leant back into her chair, sucking the cane still.

[Matthew Dorm R3]

The arrival of the food perhaps over excited Roger, just a little. As Danny generously passed Matthew his stuff, Roger sat on the compartment floor, completely frozen. His small, hungry eyes staring at the food in awe, following every bit of Matthew's movement as he dug into a large pumpkin pastie, chewing furiously. Matthew, glancing at Roger, and noticing his hungry eyes looking up at him, grabbed a chocolate frog, and threw it down to him.

Hyperly meowing at the sudden appearance of a live, and, even better, entirely edible frog in his presence, he proceeded to sprint around the compartment, jumping up in seats, appearing as nothing more than a whizzing black blur emitting a series of happy giggles. Half groaning, half laughing, Matthew proceeded to attempt to calm the little blighter. "Roger, Roger !, 'ay, calm down!" Seemingly having no effect but making him run around the compartment at an even faster speed, obviously getting even more hyper at Matthew's voice telling him to stop. Sighing, he tried again "Okay, maybe this'll work, Roger ... turtles!" He hoped this would work, as, commonly, at the mention of a turtle, Roger would drop all his current affairs, and listen intently to whom was speaking, it was, evidently, some sort of obsession that he had. It had the effect that Matthew had hoped for, as, upon hearing the magic word, Roger fell from the above luggage rack and landed with a soft thump and a tired but still, excited meow.

He looked up at Matthew, who pointed to the chocolate frog, and begun to sniff his meal, emitting another surprised squeal as the frog leapt from his grasp and begun to hop around the compartment, closely followed in pursuit by a yet again furiously hyper Roger.

Matthew laughed again, and, admitting defeat, he sat cross legged in his chair, taking out his Potions book, half reading it, half participating in the conversation. "Thanks again, for the food, Danny, as you can tell, Roger is perhaps the most thankful of all of us"

He listened to the talk going on between Danny and Ally regarding brooms. He could sense the yearning in Ally's voice at the mention of Danny possessing a Firebolt, but was surprised to hear her polite refusal of his Nimbus. Matthew, silently hoping that Danny wouldn't laugh in his face, decided to ask, "Erm, Danny?, if Ally, didn't want to borrow your Nimbus, would i be able to?, only, the one I'm using just now, could be better, it's rather bad." He looked up at Danny, fingers crossed behind his back. Roger even, sensing the silent drum roll happening inside Matthew, looked up from his half eaten, freshly captured chocolate frog to see Danny's response.

[Danny McKay G5]

“Dragoneye..” Danny said out loud as Ally rejected his offer to borrow his old broom and spoke about another one. He had heard of it before, some of the other students couldn't stop talking about it while some of the snobbier other students talked about how that already had one. Danny read all he could about it and had to admit it sounded quite amazing but he could never replace his Firebolt, he has had it since he got his letter from Hogwarts. He flew it everyday he could when he got it from his grandfather, it was full of all those happy memories. Danny didn't plan to replace it anytime soon, or at lest till his Firebolt was beyond flyable and even then he would probably mount it on a wall or something. His broom was more then a simple broom now, it was a major part of his past and present.

“I've heard a lot of good things about it.” Danny said with a smile, as he looked out the window for second. “Kind of makes me jealous of your friend.” Danny added laughing a little as he looked back to the both of them. Wrathis's cat was still attacking his planes and Ally was just sitting still. Later as Danny pasted out the food, he watched as Wrathis's cat stared at the food he just handed Wrathis and Danny just laughed. He was glad that Ally accepted the extra stuff he had gotten her, if not he was going to have to keep all for himself which wasn't really a bad thing in Danny's eyes. As Danny was about to open a chocolate frog he could feel someone staring at him. He looked to Wrathis and Ally but they were busy eating or in Wrathis case, messing with his cat.

As Danny looked around he found where the feeling was coming from, it was his owl. “Okay, Okay.” Danny muttered to himself as he dropped the whole bag right into Rodney's cage, He always picked out the peanut butter flavored beans and left the rest alone. He just smiled as he looked to the both of them, he knew it seemed odd. “He's obsessed with the peanut butter ones, he can just pick them out easily then leaves the rest for me. He's a weird owl.” Danny finished talking with a smile and looked back to Rodney, who was now staring back up at him. “But I love him.” Danny said with a smirk, and with that his owl was back to sifting through the beans to find his favorite. His attention was soon brought back to the cat on the floor, which seemed to be going crazy. He just smiled as Wrathis thanked him for buying the food and told him his cat really enjoyed it, He just waved it off and nodded. “Don't worry about it, it's my pleasure and I can tell your cat enjoys it.” He said laughing then went back to watching Rodney eat.

Danny's attention was soon brought back to Wrathis as he ask him if he could borrow his Nimbus if Ally wasn't going to use it, which made Danny just smiled. “Sure it's just been gathering dust in my room ever since I got my Firebolt.” Danny said laughing a little as he knew it was completely true. “I'll bring it in when we come back from summer break, it will be happy to get some use again. Just try not to break it, I don't use it but that doesn't mean I don't care about it.” Danny said with a smirk as Rodney made a noise which caused him to look back at the cage. It seemed Rodney had, had quite enough with the bag the beans came in a ripped it away to get to the rest of them. Danny just laughed as he looked up to Ally as she asked him about the Dragoneye and if they might be getting one.

“Heavens no.” Danny said with a laugh. “I love my Firebolt too much, it has too many memories attached to it. I couldn't just let it sit in the corner like I did my Nimbus did.” Danny added thinking about his broom and the Nimbus. “My parents didn't even want me to have a Firebolt, they said my old broom was fine. My grandpa had to go behind their backs and give it to me, once he did there was no why they could take it away from me.” He added laughing still but slightly saddened about the thoughts of his grandfather, it was one of the last times he saw him. “Plus my parents would never buy it for me, I'm sure your right; it probably costs a lot.” Danny looked back down to his owl as he finished talking, Rodney was still searching for more, even after it seemed they were all gone.

[Ally Ross H5]

The cat was adorable, and Wrathis seemed to adore him; that much was clear. Roger’s antics made Ally glance down at Mince with high expectations. Did Roger’s lively countenance not embarrass the fat fur ball? Apparently not, for Mince was stretched out across her seat, her oversized tummy spreading to an unnatural size. With a sigh Ally cuffed the cat over the head gently before turning back to the compartment.
With Danny’s words on being jealous for Oscar, Ally couldn’t help but return the smile. “He got it for making Gryffindor captain. I’m rather envious myself, but he earned it.” Ally admired Mr and Mrs Flynn – Oscar’s parents – quite a bit. They had splashed out on a broomstick so expensive; something that was such a treat for their only son, but without even knowing what it did. They wouldn’t see him fly upon it or win Quidditch matches on it. Perhaps in the holidays, or as a graduate, Oscar might take them to the wizarding world and show them the Dragoneye in action. But until then, for all they knew, they had spent hundreds of pounds on something that could just be a pretty stick and some twigs. And Ally admired that. Unless her parents knew precisely where the money was going, Ally rarely got a sickle – or a penny, as if she would ever want to buy anything in the muggle world anyway.

It seemed the next moments were to be donated to the pets; even Danny turned around to include his owl. The comments he gave when he turned back around to face the two others were sweet, and Ally said so, her lips curving upwards slightly. She herself did not understand owls in the slightest. They were beady, ugly, scary and far too vicious for her. Even now she avoided eye contact with Danny’s owl without making the wariness clear; it just made her nervous to see those tiny black eyes staring straight through her.
Wrathis’ request to borrow the old Nimbus from Danny surprised Ally a little. She knew if it were her broom she would have had a hard time saying no, but could certainly not say yes unless she truly knew the student asking. True, she did not know much about how well Danny and Matthew knew each other… but nevertheless she wondered a little at the forwardness of the younger boy’s request. When Danny quite happily said he could borrow the Nimbus Ally could not help but admire his trust.

Ally chewed a little more upon her Sugar Quill, sucking the sugared moisture from it intently while Danny replied to her question. She listened to his tone rather than his words when he spoke of his grandfather and Ally could not help but smile inwardly. It always touched her when boys showed a sensitive side. “He sounds lovely. He must have cared for you a great deal.” Her own tone was soft but not pitying or patronizing – she knew how irritating that could be. She had heard that tone of voice enough in her life to know it was the most irritating, teeth-grinding thing she had ever heard. Whenever Ally was talked to by old family friends it would arise in their voices while they fingered her flaming hair with ignorant admiration, or looked at her closely through their blind eyes and wondered where she was all year. Ally didn’t know what her parents had told everyone at home; obviously they can’t have said she was at a magic castle. Perhaps they had explained that Ally had emotional or mental issues and was at a school for troubled teens… that would certainly explain the odd, wary glances and lack of questions on her education. Although the thought was certainly not amusing, Ally’s lips twitched into a sour smile at the thought of such a lie.

[Danny McKay G5]

All this talk about his grandfather was starting to depress Danny yet also made him smile, it was the same odd feeling Danny got every time he talked about him or remembered anything which involved him. Danny just kept smiling to himself as he looked down at the couple of chocolate frogs he had still just sitting on his lap untouched. As the conversation went on he listened to Ally talk about how it was the Gryffindors captain that had gotten the Dragoneye, as he listened he opened one of the chocolate frogs and grabbed it as he tried to jump away. “Well if I make the team, I'll get a chance to see it in action.” Danny said as he watched the frog try to get out of Danny's grip. “I really hate eating them while they're still moving, it just feels weird.” Danny said mostly thinking out loud to himself as the frog seemed to finish off it's moving around and froze in place.

Once he felt it was safe to eat Danny toke a bite out of it then looked down to his owl which had finally given up looking for the jelly beans and closed it's eyes trying to go back to sleep. Danny started looking outside again and watched as things past by, each thing that flew by the window reminded him that he was getting that much farther from Hogwarts and magic all together. After he got of this train he would be banned from magic till he stepped back on it. He couldn't wait till he graduated from Hogwarts but he also knew it would probably be one of the saddest days of his life. He finished off his last bit for chocolate frog and looked at the card that came with the box. “Another Merlin...” He muttered to himself as he put the box and card to his side.

Danny was pulled out of his thoughts by Ally as she spoke about his grandfather and he just smiled. “Yeah he was.” Danny said as he looked down to the second chocolate frog he had and just looked at it's box. “He'd always do random nice things for me all the time. Leave me candy somewhere or leave a couple coins on the floor or something on purpose.” Danny said with a laugh as he thought about it more. “My mom never liked him much but she was stuck with him because he was the only one who could watch me when I was little and they both worked. I guess she was afraid his personality would rub off on me and I guess she was right.” Danny said with a slight smirk and he turned and looked out the window, just more trees past by. He looked down to his owl as it was now awake and looking at him. “I even named my owl after him.” He said still looking down to Rodney sitting in his cage. “Sorry I'm rambling now.” Danny said laughing slightly with an embarrassed smile. “So either of you have plans for the summer?” He added trying to change the subject so he wouldn't be rambling on so much.

(Sorry it's so short, I was waiting for Matt to post back but since it's been awhile I might as well post.)