Guardian of Hogwarts

3.2 Train Horror!

The Longbottom mansion long behind them, they flew over many houses. Harry's shoulders swung around to the beat of his wings, the two students stayed inside the pouch to stay warm. They had to admit though, this was cooler than watching a Quidditch match!

Harry's avada kedavra eyes looked down, the station was in sight. It was a normal building, pastel coloured bricks stacked on top of each other with some glass windows and a huge glass dome serving as part of the roof. Folding his wings together they went for a short dive, like strands through water the wind passed through the eagle feathers. Both Hermione and Neville screamed a bit, now they might prefer watching Quidditch rather!

His back to the sky, Harry broke they fall and elegantly glided through an open window at the glass dome. He flew down the staircase making a few people jolt from the quick bird passing over their heads. His head looked left, then it looked right. He searched the Plattform signs while the two students were peaking out from the bag, now this was better!

Finding the Plattform they saw some kids with a cart, they charged through the wall disappearing from sight. Just as one was finished passing through, Harry flew through before the next kid could follow.

Honking, steam and the talking of people greeted their ears as an familiar scene was before them. 'We're here, now hold on I'm going to land near a bench. I want you to hop out, the moment you'll do I'm going to immediately change you back to your original size', while slightly disappointed that it's over now, the two agreed and readied themselves and their luggage to get out of the bag.

Lowering and perching on a bench - with some onlookers - the sharp claws curled around the ledge of the wooden bench. Shortly after, two small things came out of the bag before - in the blink of an eye - two kids seemed to have appeared out of no where. Their luggage hit the floor as the kids stood up dusting themselves off any dust, their heads turned when they heard others can their names.

"Hermione there you are!",
"Longbottom you made it, great".

Harry leaned forward a bit, 'Have a good ride students, see you later' he took off flying towards the exit of the train station where the express would start its journey to Hogwarts. "Bye Councelor/professor! Thank you!" they boarded the train with Luna and the Weasleys. While the Plattform became filled with adults, the train got more and more heavy with every new student and year on board. Throwing steam into the air with a recognisable noise, the train left the station.

_
From the front to the back of the train the houses and years were divided into 2 parts.
The one most to the front was for the first and second years - houses didn't matter much to them yet and they could talk about new things.. with some exceptions of course, like the sorting hat.
Sharing the two middle parts were the years 3 to 6, conflicts were a norm for the parts around them.
Last but not least were the years from 7 to 8 who were at the end part of the train. It was the quietest space from the chucking of the train engine and the lower years would be so quick to disturb them as they studied for their much more important OWLS and NEWTS.

This time, various topics filled the train among each of the age groups. The newcomers asked about the structure of Hogwarts, as well as the common rooms and the teachers, especially the fabled Councelor filled the students with curiosity. The other years - to a certain Slytherin's amusement - discussed about the escaped convict, Sirius Black, who's supposed to be a death eater of his. 'Severus would faint yet again if that were to be true. ...Though, it would be highly amusing seeing that animagus dog annoy him' he grinned making some poor girl melt in her seat.

Other topics were obviously Quidditch (like every year), the ministry, pranks and holidays, the weather, spells and potions and the not-to-be-missed parents. Tom grabbed a chocolate toad listening gleefully at what some kids like to say about their parents.
The older years were only exams, exams, exams, death, exams, books, teachers, jobs and such. Not anything particularly enjoyable.