No Place Like Home (open)

[EVAN FINLEY WEST]

Evan's trunk had been taken away, but he kept his school bag hung firmly over his shoulder as he stepped on to the Hogwarts Express. It held everything he could possibly need for the journey, including a few precious books, to escape reality, and his trusty drawing pad and charcoal, which he pretty much took everywhere with him anyway. He wasn't sure where he was heading, but he kept poking his head into compartments anyway, barely even noticing the curious looks he received from the kids sitting inside. Ten minutes later, his hand pulled open the door to an empty one, and he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Evan wasn't anti-social by any means, but bloody hell it was nice to have a bit of peace from all the noise out on the platform. Savouring the moment before it was stolen from him, he sat down beside the window, setting his bag on the floor next to his feet. He was already wearing his school robes, since changing on the train just seemed like the biggest pain in the arse ever. He had learned his lesson after his first year, and had always come prepared since then. Less hassle, more freedom. Just how he liked it.

Resting his head back against his seat, he allowed his eyes to close for a minute. Christmas break had been great. He had spent it at home with just his parents and brother, but it was tradition, and Evan liked the routine of it each year. Though it wasn't his favourite time of year, he still enjoyed the festivities and was more than a little irked to have to leave home again so soon. It felt like the past few weeks had whizzed by in half a day. And now here he was, waiting to be carted off to Hogwarts again. He did love the castle, but to Evan, there really was no place like home. He sucked in a deep, calming breath, blue eyes darting to the door as it began to slide open.

[MEDUSA LILLITH BLOODKISS]

For those that knew Medusa they would have noticed many very obvious changes in the tradition of returning to school. For a start there was no maid or butler waiting with the two sisters, instead both mother and father were stood slightly behind their daughters, ignoring each other and blatantly ignoring everyone else around them. Never before had the Bloodkiss' been seen at the station and many a curious gaze was drawn to Medusa who usually so full of life was standing with her head bowed, her dark hair falling over her face to hide it from those who were looking and on her shoulder her father's hand was gripping tightly down. The second most obvious thing was that she was already in her school uniform. Meddy was never much of a rule breaker but she hated having to be stuck in those robes longer than needed and often was one of those frantically tripping over themselves before leaving the train.

No. Today there was something infinitely odd about the entire thing.

The moment it was time to get onto the train both girls lifted their faces for a peck on the cheek from their mother -which anyone could tell lacked any sort of love and warmth from a mile away- before leaving to each do their own thing. Whilst Trixie left to find her friends Meddy was left to make her way onto the train, avoiding everyone who might have pulled her aside, including Cole for right now she couldn't bare to be seen by him. Not like this. Keeping her head down she wandered past full compartments until finally coming across one that she assumed was empty.

Sliding the door open however she looked up only to have Evan staring at her. Under normal circumstances she would have been happy to see him, hell they got along great! Apart from the slight OCD problem they both shared...Many a time had it been said that these two should never be allowed in a room on their own together! It wasn't that they meant to argue like they did of course but it was really hard not to when he insisted on doing everything one way which in turn made her argue that it was a totally different way that was correct. This was not so much the problem right now because thanks to looking up her face was now revealed.

Her father had been incredibly angry after the New Year party. So angry that he had struck out at her and as a result she now sported a nearly faded black eye and a still fresh cut lip. Having forbidden her to use magic to heal it -since she liked muggles so much she might as well live like one- she had been stuck with leaving it to heal naturally. Unfortunately this meant she had to come back to school with obvious signs of abuse on her person and although she did not wish anyone to see her like this she was still glad it hadn't been Cole. It would break his heart to know something bad had happened to her over the holidays and she had to keep him safe! She just had to. Everything she had done this last year had been for him and for the life she wanted to live once she left school. If this was the punishment she got for it then so be it but she couldn't drag him into this.

It was bad enough her friend was seeing it now.

[EVAN FINLEY WEST]

A familiar mane of dark hair came into sight first, head lifting to reveal the tired face of Evan's friend, Medusa Bloodkiss. His first reaction was slight dread. Of all the people to stumble across his compartment, she wasn't someone he would have openly wished for. He liked her a lot, and they were great friends under ordinary circumstances, but Meddy shared his little OCD trait, which made things like being sat in a small compartment together for hours, a bit traumatic. Bickering would be inevitable, but if she had nowhere else to sit, then he wouldn't turn her away for the sake of a more peaceful journey.

The second thing that registered in his mind was that her lip was cut, and one eye looked lightly bruised. Evan frowned. "Hey, Meddy," he greeted casually, tucking his bag further out of the way so she had enough room to sit wherever she liked. "Pull up a seat," he told her, beckoning her further in to the small compartment as his eyes scanned her face with poorly hidden concern. Evan wasn't usually one to pry into other people's business, but he couldn't help the worry in his eyes as he watched her. "What happened to you? Did you get beat up fighting for a seat on here or something?"

Joking seemed like a good way to break the ice, since she seemed a lot quieter and more awkward than usual. Usually Meddy was the life and soul of any room she was in, so seeing her looking unsure of herself, with injuries on her normally vibrant face was something Evan wasn't used to at all. He wondered what could have really happened to her. Had she been fighting with someone? Or worse, had someone actually beat her up? Evan didn't like to think the thing he had joked about would actually be true, she was the last person who deserved to be hurt like that, someone as lovely and bright as Medusa. If she made any kind of walking into a door comment, though, he would have to face up to it and delve into a more serious conversation. He wondered if Cole had seen her yet.

[MEDUSA LILLITH BLOODKISS]

Having opened the door to find her friend Medusa was now stuck with choosing on whether she could leave him be or sit down. Both options had their merits of course but at the same time if she chose to go he would worry about why she did not speak to him and even if she did sit down their OCD tendencies tended to push forward at the silliest of times....not to mention he would probably want to know what had happened to her. Biting at her lip slightly she considered her options quickly before closing the door behind her as she moved to sit down on the seat opposite him.

"Hey," Forcing a smile onto her face she almost winced as it pulled at the cut that was still very present on her lips although she refused to allow it to bother her too much. It was only a small price to pay for what she had achieved over the last few weeks and it really could have been a lot worse. Her father had held back from his wrath, albeit only enough to make sure there would be no fallback onto himself. He had far too much position to allow a mistake like his daughter to ruin his life. "Did you have a good christmas?" She asked, completely ignoring his question although it was mostly because she hadn't the first clue what she was going to tell him.

She should have thought up a good excuse when she had the chance! She knew it was only a matter of time before someone would be brave enough to ask what had happened to her face but she had been hoping it would have been no one she actually knew all that well and if she was even more honest she had been hoping to hide away until they had gotten to the school where she would have been able to get the school nurse to fix her up nicely before seeing her boyfriend. What should she say? She could hardly tell her friend that she had refused a marriage proposal to a good, pureblood family that her parents had been hoping to have joined to their own for some time and that by doing said refusing she had brought her father down upon her like waves crashing against rocks. Oh no. That simply wouldn't do!

She now gave him a sheepish look, forcing a blush to her cheeks in an effort to pretend like this was nothing. It was nothing. It was only a minor blip in the grand scale of things and besides, it wasn't like her father had ever made a habit of this behavior! It had never happened before at least...He had always liked to pretend she didn't exist. Reaching up she rubbed at a point just below her eye, grimacing slightly as her fingers pressed against still tender skin. "I thought it would be a good idea to try Quidditch....but apparently I really don't have that much skill on a broom." It was a straight up lie of course. Medusa loved Quidditch (who didn't?!) but she was not the kind of person to just decide to jump onto a broom at the drop of a hat.

[ELENA MAGGIE D'EATH]

Elena had arrived at King's Cross late, and though she could run faster than any human, thanks to her enhanced vampire abilities, she couldn't risk exposing herself, so she had trudged slowly through the crowded station, and slipped casually through the barrier between platform's nine and ten. The Hogwarts Express was practically ready to go without her, and she had rushed with her trunk through the nearest door, and slammed it shut behind her just as the train lurched to life. Her trunk weighed nothing to her, but without having it stored away like everyone else's was, it would be a burden, having to keep it with her for the whole journey.

Accepting the situation, she headed down the narrow train corridor, ears picking up on the chaotic conversations going on behind each of the closed compartment doors she passed. It wasn't a fun prospect, having to join one of them and interrupt friends by imposing on their journey. After a minute or two, she heard just a couple of soft voices coming from inside a compartment, and stopped to tug the door open, gently. Inside sat two students she didn't know too well. She knew of them, since it was difficult for any student to go unnoticed by a bored vampire who had nothing better to do with her eternal existence. Evan West and Medusa Bloodkiss, if she was correct. She offered a friendly smile, setting her trunk down next to her.

"Is there room for a little one in here?" she asked, hopefully, glancing around to make sure she hadn't missed anything that would mean she couldn't fit. There would be plenty of space to store her trunk in the overhead luggage rack, she saw, so that wouldn't be an issue, but if the two wanted some privacy, she would understand. Her green eyes did a quick survey of the two sixth years, Evan looked fine, if not a little sullen, as though he didn't want to be there, and Medusa sported a cut lip and bruised face. Elena drew her gaze away, not wanting to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

[EVAN FINLEY WEST]

Evan watched Meddy carefully as she sat herself down, her body language all off, making him worry a bit more. Well, he had given her the opportunity to talk about anything that might be wrong, so he wouldn't push it until she decided she wanted to share. If she wanted to share at all. In the meantime, he answered her question about Christmas. "Yeah, Christmas was brill," he nodded, resting his head back against the seat as she arranged herself in the seat opposite him. "I never want to come back, truth be told," he admitted, glancing out of the window and wishing he could make an escape and head back to the safety and comfort of home. "I'd be the perfect candidate for magical home schooling. If only my dad would allow it."

Evan was sure his mum would find a way to make it work for him, but his dad thought it would be normal and healthy to have him go to school and mix with other kids. If only the school would have been around the corner from his house, and if only it wasn't a boarding school. Alas, he had no say in the matter, and he'd lasted almost six years now, so it was a bit late to start complaining and wanting a change. At least he had friends to keep him occupied. And his brother. Jack teased him on occasion about being a home bird, but he was always supportive and there for Evan if he was missing home. He couldn't imagine being an only child. Or worse, the youngest, left at the castle by himself, like Jack would be next year. His lip curled at the thought.

Meddy's explanation about her face came eventually, along with a deep blush in her cheeks, and Evan had not been expecting her answer. Quidditch? She had never played Quidditch, why did she want to start now? And then it hit him. She was trying to learn to impress Cole. It was obvious, really, new boyfriend who was on the team.... She wanted to show her support and knowledge of the game by trying it out herself. Evan admired her dedication. "Wow. Well you should be more careful in future. If you need anyone to help you, I'm pretty good on a broom." He smiled at her with a nod, head turning to the door as it opened again to reveal a pretty seventh year girl he was sure was named Elena. She asked if there was room for her in their compartment, and Evan was immediately on his feet, taking her trunk and gallantly pulling it in to the little room for her.

"Of course, there's always room," he smiled politely and hoisted the trunk on to his shoulder. "Let me put this up here for you," he grunted, hauling the heavy thing on to the overhead compartment and fussing with it to make it fit just right. He couldn't stand leaving any part of it sticking out, and shoved and fiddled with it until he was satisfied. "There." He brushed his hands off and sat back down, gesturing to the empty seats around himself and Meddy. "Sit down," he told Elena. "I'm Evan, you're Elena, I think?" He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to confirm his guess. He wasn't sure if Meddy knew the newcomer or not, so he didn't introduce her, too, since that would sound awfully silly if they were friends already or something.

[MEDUSA LILLITH BLOODKISS]

She was glad he had had a good christmas although she could not help but be a little jealous about it. She wished more than anything that she could have had a normal family holiday with a tree and presents but the closest she had gotten to either of those things was a tree at someone else's home and an engagement ring she had never wanted -and promptly given back of course! For the Bloodkiss family the entire holiday had been a complete disaster. Apart from the fact her parents had been around for the first time in years on the day itself she had shamed the entire family by turning down William's proposal and then to top it off her father had lashed out against her, leaving her visibly marked for all to see despite the fact she was now starting to heal up nicely.

So yeah....She was jealous that everyone else could have an enjoyable time aay from the school without the worries of being married off or having a family that was ashamed of you. Even her sister wouldn't look her in the eye! Why did she have to be different? She was proud of who she was of course but sometimes she had to wonder if her rebellious nature was really worth it in the long run. The thought of Cole stopped those particular dark thoughts in their tracks. Of course it was worth it. She would do anything to be with Cole, even if it meant angering her father a thousand times over and she would do even more to be allowed a future she could imagine with her boyfriend.

She was just thankful that Evan believed her story about the Quidditch! If she could convince one of her friends that the wounds were caused by her own clumsiness then she would have an easier time of convincing the school at large although she hoped to get herself sorted before she really had to worry about that sort of thing. If she could get to one of the healers before she saw Cole then all for the better. "Yeah," She gave a small grin at him, "I really don't fly well....I think I'll stick with watching and leading the cheer section instead of trying to get on a broom again." She stuck her tongue out slightly as she giggled, happy that it sounded completely natural despite knowing it was very much a forced laugh.

She was going to hell for this. She really was.

Thankfully anything else that might have been thought was stopped when the carriage door opened to reveal a Gryffindor from the year above them and Meddy gave the older girl a smile as she stepped inside before watching Evan heave the trunk up onto the overhead racking with a small frown on her face. He was doing it all wrong! Why put it that way when it would be so much easier to move if it were the other way? And where was the label? The label should be facing outwards to they could see who it belonged to! She managed to keep it in however, not wanting to scare the new girl with the kind of petty arguments Evan and herself got into when it came to things like this...It wasn't like they could help it since it was an illness but that didn't stop her from giving the boy a dirty look (in a purely nice, non hating kind of way!) that told him she really didn't agree with his methods of putting things away.

"Hey," She introduced herself, trying to remember if she had ever met the other girl properly. "I'm Medusa," A brief pause, "But call me Meddy."