Compartment 4

"Ugh, don't get me started on my sister- but I've just spent three weeks in France. My family went to the Riviera, and stayed near this wonderful beach, the Paloma Plage, and I SWEAR to you, Libby, that we saw Tom Cruise go by on a yacht. It was divine. And I adore your hair, it suits your bone structure so well.." Serenity dipped into a compartment, put her bag above her, and plopped down on the seat.
"But aside from that lovely vacation, I spent some time with the Astors over the summer. I have quite a lot of boy talk to go over with you- in fact, I've made you a little prep sheet.." She stood back up and fiddled around in her bag, before pulling out a light pink small lined sheet of paper, hand written in her curly script.

• Angel Astor got a haircut this summer
  He also grew. He's getting so tall
  Spent approximately 654 minutes in or around Angel Astor's residence this summer
  Spent approximately 342 minutes in the direct presence of Angel Astor

"You're going to need to burn that after you read it." Serenity said all of this very quickly and very matter of factly. "If anyone found that, then everyone would know that I'm interested in him, and that can't happen. Gossip spreads so quickly.." She snapped her manicured fingers together for emphasis. It was evident that Serenity didn't realize she lacked subtlety.

"Tom Cruise? Who's that?" Libby's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. She read over the neat note and, once finished, tore it up, trying not to laugh at Serenity's last comment. Did she really not realize how obvious her crush on Angel was to literally everyone in the world? Gosh. What a dingbat. "Well, I'm honored that you trust me," Libby said, somehow managing to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Libby wasn't really one for dating. Besides, the only really cute guy in her year was a total jerk to her anyway. Ugh. "How are things with Angel, anyway? You seem to have spent a lot of time with him... and near him."

"He does muggle movies, silly. And, I'm glad you understand how important this is." Serenity beamed at Libby, before pulling her own legs up on the seat.
"You know, I think this is going to be a really good year, in terms of relationships. I have a really great plan- listen, I can draw this all out for you in the common room tonight, it's some pretty complicated stuff. You know, veela magic and shit. It'll take a couple of hours. I wanna hear more about your vacation- did any German guys hit on you? Buy any new clothes? You have to tell me if you bought new clothes. Oh, and was that girl with you your little sister? She's going to be a total babe, I can tell."

"Huh, veela magic. Sounds complicated." Despite how crazy it was, there was something relaxing in hearing about Serenity's convoluted plans. It was also really entertaining. "Ugh, no, no German guys hit on me. But most of them are ugly." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I got a lot of new clothes. I grew an inch over the past school year, so none of them fit anymore! Oh, that's Holly. She could be cute when she gets older, I guess, but she's way too shy for anything to come of it..."

Serenity laughed loudly. "Shy? You haven't my stupid sister, Sévérillette." She pronounced it effortlessly, although she was sure nobody else would be able to.
"I swear, she's going to graduate with no friends. It's a disgrace to the family. Maybe my seventh year I'll try to get her a boyfriend, out of charity.." She broke out of her reverie, to focus back on Libby.
"You'll have to show me when we get to our dorm. Anyway, have you heard any gossip? I've heard that Melenie is pregnant, but I'm sure that's not true. And, I heard it from Loony Lovegood, so it isn't the most reputable of sources.."

As though on cue, the door flew open, crashing violently into the end of its track. Little Lolita Astor stood a moment glowering at Serenity as though she were a stinkbug one had been hunting for hours before drawing a rather large breath and releasing it in the most exasperated sigh her entire 31 kilograms could muster. "Whyyyyy are our books so HEAVY this year?" she groaned, practically jumping into the seat beside Libby, skirts flouncing on the way down. "I've wrung my foreceps so hard I doubt I'll ever be able to use these arms again."

"Wait, hold on. What's your sister's name, again? Sev...?" Libby trailed off, realizing she shouldn't even bother trying. Nope. No way. She was about to answer Serenity's line of questions when Melenie burst in. "Hello to you too, Mel."

"Oh, gingie!" she cried, flinging her arms around Libby's neck and planting a peck on her cheek. "It's been so long! Why don't you ever write back?" Mél's letters were primarily smudged ink and emotive doodling. "Where have you been? What have you been up to? How's Drew? -- And Holly. And the other one! How are YOU?" She hadn't yet outgrown the habit of speaking with her hands, and boy, were they flying.

Libby fell back a bit in her seat at the sudden embrace. "Oh -- Mél, jeez!" She gave her friend a squeeze, then took a beat to try and remember all of Mél's rapid-fire questions. "Uhh, in that order... I just forget most of the time, sorry about that; we went to Berlin this summer to see my cousins, and that was fun, so I've been good; uhh, Drew's... Drew. Boring. Holly's also boring, but she's been nagging me nonstop all summer asking me 'Libby what House do you think I'll be in?? Gryffindor? Am I brave? Libby, am I brave??' Like, shut up. I don't care what House you're in. No one actually cares." Libby rolled her eyes to punctuate her last comment. And she hadn't actually forgotten to reply to any of Mél's letters - most of them were just incomprehensible and lacked any sort of substance for Libby to reply to.

"Mel, relax a little! We've got all year to catch up." Serenity had started to file her nails, grinding away at every perceived chip in the polish. "And, Libby, don't be so hard on the poor girl. She has a lot to live up to. There's quite a lot of prestige involved in each house, and even if you don't acknowledge it, your place in Gryffindor is a lot to live up to."
She held up her hand to Libby. "Are these all the same length?"

"Ugh, what's so special about Gryffindors though? All the other houses think we're a bunch of pricks. Which is true, for the most part, but that's beside the point." She crossed her arms and legs, and slouched back in her seat. Ah, way more comfortable.

"Um, your fingers? No, they're not the same. I don't reckon anyone's fingers are all the same length." She lifted her own hands up to look at them. "Nope. The middle three are pretty close, but the thumb and pinkie throw everything way off..." She began to prattle on about how freaky it would be to see someone whose fingers were all the exact same length.

Serenity gaped at Libby for a moment, and pulled her hand back to file a bit more. "I meant the nails, dear. Maybe the ring is a bit longer.."
She looked up from her business to comment.
"Red and gold are always classic, maybe that's what's so special about Gryffindors. I mean-- who would want to be stuck in bumblebee yellow and black their whole Hogwarts career. I mean, imagine the photos." Serenity chuckled a little bit. "I hope my sister gets stuck in Hufflepuff. Sévérilette would look atrocious in those colors. It would be hilarious- our yearbook photos, side by side.."

"Oh! Your nails look fine." Libby shrugged. "Yeah, I'd look soooo awful in yellow and black... All of the other Houses have such nice colors. Bronze and blue. Silver and green. Ours is the best color scheme, though, obviously, but... Hufflepuff really got the short end of the stick there."

She giggled. "Heh, sorry, I'm imagining a younger version of you in Hufflepuff colors. And my sister. Oh, God, how embarrassing. Those poor girls."

"Oh, no, Sévérilette doesn't look anything like me!" Serenity exclaimed, as if the very idea insulted her.
"You know, just color-wise, I really would've preferred Ravenclaw.. Blue does so much for me. I mean, with my hair, and all. Red is nice, but..." She turned her gaze out the window.

Libby shrugged. "I think red looks fine on you. Then again, I don't really know much about color or fashion or anything. I just kind of put clothes on and roll with it."

"Trust me, Libby, I know." Serenity finally put her nail file away, and rested back on the seat. "You have to let me give you a makeover one of these days. I think you could fit into my Miu Miu skirt. You absolutely have to try it on when we get to school, I think I brought it."