Ahoy, mateys! || OPEN

Anya smiled as she walked into her cabin. She felt great being back in the ship and her regular cabin where she knew her friends would find her. Ever since her first year in Durmstrang, Anya had changed. She wasn't her old, secluded and quiet self. She had become loud and very opinionated. Of course, all that changed when she went to her house and had to endure her selfish parents.

"But I'm not there anymore," Anya thought gleefully as she sat down. "I'm going back home where I can be my old self and be happy."

Lora was walking around, a happy grin on her face. She was just glad to be away from her mom and her lectures and to be going back to school. I wish we never had to leave this place, she thought with a twinge of sadness. But either way, she was determined to make the best of her years here.

She looked inside the compartments to see if there was anyone she knew. She found Anya and smiled when she saw her. "Anya!" Lora shouted and ran to hug her friend. "How are you?!"

"Oh Alora!" Anya grinned at her older friend as she stood up to return her hug. "I hope holidays were rather swell for you! Are you as excited as me for school to start?"

She grinned as she sat down, motioning Alora to do the same, "You have to tell me everything! I haven't been able to talk to you much the entire summer sadly. How are you and Dylan?"

"Hey, did you hear about the exchange program?" She asked with a smile.

Rhys had managed to make it down to the cabins, only narrowly avoiding falling down the steps. That would have been more than a little embarrassing. Peeking into the various compartments, he paused outside of one, pulling his trunk up beside him.

"Did I hear 'exchange program'?" he asked with a grin. "I'm applying. My English is fine - until I speak it. Went to Azorat over Winter Hols. No vone c'ld underztand me.* A Russian accent plus a Welsh accent makes for very bad English, I suppose. It doesn't matter." The boy waved his hands dismissively.

"How was your break? Do anything fun?" Rhys asked, then frowned slightly, scratching his head. "Have either of you seen Lena, yet, by the way? I got a really... odd owl from her. I can join you girls, can't I?"



* Spoken in English

"Exchange program was indeed said!" Anya grinned and turned to greet her fellow Hrabrost member. "I did apply as well. I'm excited, to say the least. My English is comprehensible. My mom's English. But it was understandable at least and it was most definitely not that bad."

"Break was alright. I went for a couple of days to the City of Azorat as well and was dragged by my distant cousin to a club. It was as exciting as my winter got," she replied as she sat back down on her seat. "How about yours?"

"Nope, haven't seen Lena, sorry!" She answered him, "Of course you can sit with us. What kind of question is that?"

"I do apologize if Lora bites though," she joked.

"A club, huh?" Rhys echoed. "Hope you didn't get caught - my aunt would kill me. I daresay, my break was considerably less exciting."

The boy stowed his trunk away and plopped down onto a seat. "Ah, well, she'll show up eventually. I'll track her down later, if I need to." He cast a glance at Alora, scooting slightly away from her on the seat, an mischievous sparkle in his eyes and a smile teasing his lips.

"I assure you, I don't taste very good," he stated as solemnly as he could manage.

"Are you kidding me? Of course I'm excited!" Lora exclaimed with a grin. "Besides, I'd take any excuse to escape from my mom." She said, only half joking. "Eh, my holidays were okay..at least, nothing bad happened. But my mom didn't let me go see my dad." She sighed.

"Me and Dylan are going great." She replied, hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Did you find any cute guys this summer?" She asked Anya teasingly.

"Oh yeah, I heard about it. Not sure if I'm going to apply though because I will have to ask my mother. It would be pretty cool I guess to go to Hogwarts so we can see how different it is from here. But I don't think I can like any school more than Durmstrang, even though the teachers are crazy." She laughed.

"Hey Rhys!" She greeted her friend with a grin and gave him a hug. "Nope, I haven't seen Lena. I'm sure she'll show up soon because I'm sure she can't be away from her love for long." Lora told, pretending to be dramatic.
She glared playfully at Anya and said, "I don't bite okay!"

She laughed when Rhys moved away from her and went over and flopped down on the seat right next to him. "There, you try to move from here, I'll just follow you." She said with a mischievious smile. "And I'm sure you taste absolutely revolting." Lora joked.

"Boys and I... well," Anya shrugged, not really wanting to get into the topic. "Anyways, I'm glad you and Dylan are great. What did you get for Christmas?"

"I've heard Hogwarts was amazing," she grinned. "Being away from my parents is what I need. I'm more than sure they'll be willing to let me go for a year or however long the exchange program lasts."

"Pffft, you don't bite hard!" Anya laughed as she stuck her tongue at towards Lora and laughed as she saw Lora follow Rhys.

"Well, all you need is a pure blooded brat with a fake i.d. to hand over to you and you're set," Anya replied to Rhys with a frown. Her cousin was a pure-blooded brat. Not that she had anything against pure-bloods considering she was one herself but she wasn't one to get anything she wanted. Oh no, she was far from it. Her frown quickly vanished though and was replaced by a smile.

"Anyways, anybody seen Kayla or Kait?"

Selena walked along the ship, finding a room on where to settle and get out of this new things. Yes, it was he first time as a student. And it wasn't months ago when her father said everything about this majestic school to her. She wasn't quite looking forward to the crowds and all the happy faces of the students. If they are happy. But she can't let her father down when he believed in her abilities. She needed to prove herself. She had to.

Selena sighed as for the hundredth time there were no other places left. She carried her guitar case on one shoulder and her luggage on one hand. Ignoring the fact that she was not entirely amused by the joyous and harmonic laughter of the students. Which seemed to be getting on her nerves and annoying. She might as well not take the ride when everything here would be just some joke.

"Oh, I do," Rhys said solemnly. "All gingers do - it's to discourage predators." He gave a crooked grin.

"Haven't seen them," the boy replied. His attention was caught by someone making their way along the corridor. "Hey - there's room in here, if you're looking for a seat."

Selena sighed with relief and joined the group, ignoring the faces and greeted them with a short wave. She gave a wry smile and settled her things,

"Thanks." she murmured. She nodded to the girl she met from the forest as she noticed her inside the room. She seemed nice.

"For Christmas? Well, my mom got me a couple of boooks and a few music CD's," Lora replied with a grin. "At least she's awesome at giving gifts. So, what did you guys get?" She asked her friends.

"Yeah, I'm going to sign up as well! It'd be great to meet new people and visit a school that isn't Durmstrang. But I can never love anywhere else more than I love it here." She smiled fondly.

Lora raised her eyebrow at Anya's comment and gave her a look that said, 'You're going to talk to me about it.'

"Nope, haven't seen them. But I'm sure they'll show up soon." She chuckled.

She smiled as the girl entered the cabin and took a seat. "Hey, nice to see you again." Lora told and gave her a hug. "That's Anya and that's Rhys." She introduced her friends with a grin.

"Nothing, after all, I am their favorite blood traitor," Anya replied bitterly but she quickly herself to change her demeanor. "But I’m excited you got things. What are, uhm, CD's?" She then asked sheepishly. She assumed it was a muggle related artifact but she could never be too sure.

"Talk about what?" She then asked dumbly.

She then noticed another girl walk in and Lora introduced them, "Hi, I'm Anya, like she said."

Rhys put one hand at the side of his mouth, using the other to point at Alora. "That one bites!" he told the newcomer in a stage whisper. Grinning impishly, he stretched.

"Rhys'd be me," the redhead confirmed cheerfully. "First year, yeah? I saw you around last term, but not before that."

Kayla walked onto the ship smiling as usual. She was excited to go back to Durmstrang, even though she enjoyed her summer. School was her second home, sometimes her first when her family was too much for her to handle.

She entered a compartment, and smiled even wider when she noticed her friends. "Hello, lovelies!" She yelled, waving. "Did you guys miss me?" She asked, hugging her two friends.

She then noticed a familiar redhead, and a girl she'd never met. "Rhys!" She exclaimed, hugging him.

"Hello! I'm Kayla," she grinned, waving to the girl, , and then plopping herself next to Anya. "So, what were you talking about before you were graced with my presence?" She asked, looking around.

Anya grinned when Kayla came into the cabin and stood up to hug her friend, "Of course I didn't miss you! The winter holidays were most enjoyable without you!"

"We were talking about how terrible Canada is and how mean the people are," She said jokingly. "Just kidding, we were talking about winter holidays and the exchange program. How were your days off?"

Selena did not expect a hug, but went with it instead. At least she felt somehow special and welcomed. Not the usual atmosphere she would encounter. But why not be sort of happy now? Just now.

The girl smiled shyly and waved at the others, "Hi. Nice to meet you all. I'm Selena."

She wondered what the other guy was talking about seeing her during last term. Rather strange actually. She was just starting with the new term.

"Oh. Me? I haven't noticed."

"Oh, CD's are like these round shaped things and you can put in songs and movies into them." Lora told and laughed. "Gosh, that explanation was terrible...but hope you got the idea." She grinned.

She punched Rhys' arm playfully and protested, "Hey! I don't bite okay? I'm very nice." She told with a sweet smile and giggled.

"Kayla!" Lora shouted and hugged her friend. "How could I not miss you? But if you didn't miss me, I didn't miss you either." She told jokingly and grinned. "Now, we just need Kait. She's probably off spending time with Frodo." She stated with a knowing smile.

"So, how were your holidays, you two?" She asked Selena and Kayla.

Selena slumped lower into her seat and thought at the back of her mind about an opinion on a muggle object called a CD. She knew them quite well since her father was fond of those sort of people even though the family's a pure blood. It's hard to tell whether she liked them or not. Or maybe just fascinated by their works. Those things still have a benefit for her though. When it comes to music, everything is in place for Selena. And she thanked the muggles for that.

The girl gave a short frown once she was asked about her holiday. Well, it was not that really good. Still no sign of a visit from her brother. What she anticipated to for almost an eternity. That wish did not come true. Material things have no cost for her. They are useless piece of junk when what she ever wanted in her life would not come. Still, she had bonding time with her father taking a whole break from work and not spending the time alone in the manor, watching snow out from the window with her guitar by her side. Part of the holidays can still be considered as a fine one.

"It was just right. Spent some time outside of the country." Selena said with a low murmur and thought to herself, As always.

Kayla frowned at Anya, "Well I certainly didn't miss you either, then." She stuck her tongue out at her, "I only miss people who are miss-able, which you aren't," She joked.

"See?! At least someone missed me! I missed you too, Lora! You're on the list of miss-able people as of now." She said, pretending to check off her name.

She didn't really have to think when they asked her about her holiday. She really enjoyed them, minus the crazy relatives/brothers. "My holidays were wonderful! So much snow, it was beautiful! How were yours?" She asked, looking at Lor, Anya, and Rhys.

"I feel like twirling around the compartment, just don't be alarmed if I do," She said, grinning.