Spell Casting In Progress

So today was the day that she'd be boarding the train to Hogwarts, starting her journey in the magical world. Not that her journey hadn't already began. Since the age of nine her Grandparents had taught her tit bits of magical theory, information about different types of charms and jinxes, basic herbs and plants, potions. Her Mother had bought Cynthia her very own beginners potions kit at the age of nine. Of course she'd never actually brewed anything more advanced than a cure for boils but the kit had taught her basic techniques and a bit about different ingredients. It was fair to say Cynthia would be going into Hogwarts with a little more knowledge than perhaps her fellow first years but there was still a lot to learn. Cynthia had never actually produced magic, owing to the fact she only recently acquired a wand and hadn't yet tried a simple spell. How she already hated the underage magic law.

Her Mother was a healer at St Mungo's, a highly recognised healer who often traveled to different countries sharing her healing techniques with other wizards and witches, meaning that she rarely got time off. Today was one of those days. Alexandria Steel was currently in Germany meaning it was up to her aunties and Grandparents to see her off onto the Hogwarts Express. Her aunties, too, were healers - in fact everyone in her family had been a healer - but none had excelled as far as her Mother had. None had pushed the boundaries of healing. Cynthia loved each and every one of them but to her, compared to her Mother, they were ordinary. Not worth mentioning in the professional world.

Upon boarding the train Cynthia decided to leave her trunk in the holding carriage and wandered down peering into the compartments as she went. There were people reading The Quibbler (how lame), people gossiping about new hair cuts (how lame), people playing wizards chess (not so lame) and... Cynthia stopped. A pair of students not much older were performing magic, they had their wands out.

Cynthia watched for a few minutes as they crashed their books into each other, amused only momentarily before deeming their game immature and silly. Although it had given her an idea. If she could find a compartment alone it would give her time to practice spells before any of the other first years.

Returning to her trunk in the holding carriage Cynthia rummaged around for a book, Standard Book Of Spells: Grade 1, found an empty compartment, closed the drapes and pulled her wand from the Hogwarts robes that she was already wearing. Turning the page she began to re-read the introduction she'd read about a week ago: just to refresh herself.

((I have another train thread, but it took place before we got on the train, so I will just make sure to end that one before I get on so I can come and join the first year thread ^^))

Kit was glad she had made at least one friend already at the station. Tiffany was very nice and if she got sorted into Ravenclaw like she hoped she would, she would have a friend in her own house. She hoped her interactions with the other new students would be just as good and that the other new students would be just as nice.

After Kit had gotten her trunk feather light and ready to take on the train, she made sure to have a few books out for some last-minute reading before school started. Maybe she would even feel confident enough to try another spell or two ahead of time. She was tempted to pull them out and start reading as she walked, but she didn't want to lose control of her trunk or have it turn heavy and drop on top of someone, so she resisted.

Finally Kit found a compartment she thought was empty. She didn't want to impose on anyone or embarrass herself if she failed at any spells she tried. To her surprise though, after she opened it, there was a younger blonde girl inside. Kit almost decided to turn around and find somewhere else, but she was reading too!

"Do you mind if I join you?" Kit asked shyly, and held up the books she was holding. "I was hoping to do some more reading too."

The tall, thin form of Zada Forbes D'Eath boarded the train. She hadn't counted on going back to Hogwarts again, but it was appeared it was necessary. They needed a potions professor, and, with a bit of calculated discussion with Lorcan, she had accepted. She wasn't entirely ungrateful to be undisturbed by the predawn cries of her first born son, born in the early summer. Lorcan would have, for the first time, to step up as a father and actually be one because Zada wasn't exactly born with maternal genetics.

Despite the frustration of what she thought was incompetence in those who were entrusted to handle her trunks and get them aboard, she was, as ever, poised and smooth outwardly. It had made her a tad later in getting on the train that she would have preferred, though. She was sure of herself, at least where potions were concerned. She wasn't sure how she was going to do as Head of House for Hufflepuff, though. Slytherins? Now that might have been a different thing. During her time in serving for Gellert Grindelwald, she had seen rather mousy looking Huffles. Mousy wasn't ever a word someone used to describe Zada. Self assured, professional, intellectual, perhaps even icy--not maternal, not mousy. This would indeed be interesting.

Reach for it. Those had been Lorcan's words not meant as encouragement, but meant as instructions. He wanted her to reach somewhere within herself to find a way to make this work. She had merely looked at him, stonefaced. She wasn't sure she even had it within. That would be the interesting part, it seemed.

She walked down the passage way and saw the compartments that were being filled with students. She slid open the door of one of the compartments. "Might I join you?" she asked. First years. Well, if she were to "reach for it," she might as well start straight away.

The voice of a young girl who couldn't be any older than Cynthia pulled Cynthia's attention from the textbook on her lap and to the new arrival of her compartment. She had shut the curtains by the door, hadn't that been a sign she didn't really want to be disturbed? Especially owing to the fact she wanted to try out some magic to get ahead of the other first years. Clearly that wouldn't be happening any time soon.

Cynthia's blue-grey eyes examined the arrival, her eyes drawn to the books in her hand. Cynthia, too, owned them. In fact it was only a few weeks ago when she purchased them herself meaning this girl had to be a first year. Instead of politely allowing the girl to sit, or introducing herself to a fellow first year Cynthia decided to tackle the situation head on, find out exactly how far behind or ahead she was in relation to her classmates.

'Have you done any reading already?' She asked, placing her own book besides her so that the girl would be forced to not sit directly next to her.

A tall, thin figure appeared behind the girl. Great. That's all she wanted, more people invading her privacy. However, unlike the fellow first year Cynthia would have a harder time asking her to leave. The woman was a lady, most likely some member of staff up at the school who'd come to monitor the students whilst boarding the Hogwarts Express.

A smile spread across Cynthia's face. This situation couldn't have been more perfect. The girl wanted to become the best, be extraordinary and have people envy her incredibility. Having a teacher on her side before she even arrived would definitely help with that.

'Of course, Miss.' Cynthia responded politely with an inviting tone to her voice. 'Are you a Professor?' She added, a lot more eager to talk to the lady than the first year.

Zada entered the compartment and slid the door shut.

"I am," she said with a smile. "Professor D'Eath. I will be teaching potions." She took a seat. "I've not been on the Hogwarts train before but at this late date, it seemed the quickest way to travel. Is this the first time on the Hogwart's Express for you two as well?"

The trolley lady came down the corridor and opened the compartment door. "Anything from the trolley?" she asked. Then she looked at Zada. "Professor Forbes! How good to see you again!"

"Professor D'Eath now," Zada said.

"Oh, congratulations! I had heard about that. It will be good to have you back with us again. Can I get you anything from the trolley?"

"Not unless you have tea," Zada said.

"I do have some," the lady nodded. She found it on a lower shelf. The tea was in a tall glass mug that was slipped into a filigreed metal holder. The lady poured the tea properly and added milk for her. "Sugar?" she asked.

"One, please," Zada said. The lady added the sugar and then handed the tea to her. "Anything with that?"

"No thank you," Zada said, paying her for it.

"And for you?" The trolley lady asked the two students in the compartment.