Journey One: Cabin Seven [P]

First Journey
Teachers Cabin.
Seats Four.

Alliss, as a Professor and Ministry Auror Official had ensured she was up bright and early and on Platform 9 and ¾’s to ensure the safe passage of the students between London and Hogsmeade. The Minister may be keeping the fact Voldemort was back quiet due to his lack of activity, but this did not mean anywhere was safe. She was determined to make sure the students got to Hogwarts in one piece, once there, they would be alright.

As everyone filed on, she was one of the last to climb aboard and instantly began searching the cabins for Riley, her fiancée. Deciding it was too busy to look, with all the bustling about, she settled herself instead in the first Professor’s cabin she found. It was empty, so at least Riley would be able to spot her easily.

Izabella had woken up that morning on her ship as always but this time early, yawning as she looked at the time "Oh shit-" quickly getting up and dressed as she rushed through her home. It was a quick apparation to the train depot thank heavens... And rode it all the way with the conductor, talking to him and swapping stories.

At Platform 9 3/4 she was woken up from her nap by the train screeching to a halt. Getting up she said goodbye to the conductor just as the students began to pile into the cars. Walking through till she reached the teachers section.... until she found the curly black haired witch she was looking for "Alliss! there you are... I was thinking I would have to cast a seeking charm to find you. Oh one moment" disappearing back into the hall for a few moments before returning with a bag full of treats. Izabella grinning at Aliss "the students always buy the best ones before I can get them" Moving to sit down.

"Izzy!" Alliss looked up in delight and grinned at one of the best friends she had made since starting teaching at Hogwarts. She couldn't help but giggled when she saw her return with the sweets. "Good plan!" She nodded enthusiastically, she had always had a sweet tooth personally, it had been emphasised also by her second date with Riley to Honeydukes. Sweets just brought back pleasant memories now. "Happen to have any for me there?" She looked over towards Izzy who had sat opposite her. "Or have you left your so called best friend with the dregs?" Alliss winked, she was teasing her like usual. She loved their banter.

Izabella gasped with feigned hurt "My dear woman how could you... to besmirch my good name!" laughing gently before shaking her head as she opened the bag handing over some chocolate frogs and pumpkin cakes "Here, you low down swindler" smiling before she opened a box of berty boots every flavour beans which were her favourite, even the bad ones which was strange enough. but she also ate more then one at a time so the flavours mix.

Taking a small handful of five, bitting into them "Butter, cherry, cheese, mushroom.... and I think the last one is tree bark"

Alliss laughed at Izabella with the Berty Botts every flavour beans, that was the thing about them both, they were deadly serious when they needed to be, but at times like this, they could act just like children. "You have a good name?" Alliss pretended to act shocked and giggled as she opened a chocolate frog. The frog used up its first good jump straight away, and Alliss caught it in her fist immediately, a good catch for a once Gryffindor Seeker. "I'm just too good," Alliss joked as she winked playfully at Izzy. She pulled out the card from her box, it was Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister. "Oh! Looky here, I pulled a hotty!" Alliss chuckled, as she showed Izzy the card, no-one would ever know her past with Rufus, that was for sure. Not her lightest moments.

"OH hush you!" Izzy rolled her eyes and playfully tossed a bean at her friend before turning to the card Aliss called 'hotty' the poor girl choked on her candies nearly falling over "agh! Aliss! your horrible! you could have killed me with that!" but still she laughed shaking her head. Putting the sack she brought with her on her lap an opening it to reveal a large pile of books. However eccentric Izzy was she was still a Ravenclaw at heart "Where is your fiancee? We still need to finish our debate on whether or not the golbin war of the middle ages started in 1562 april 3rd or 1562 july 10th"

"Hush me?" Alliss chuckled and dodged the bean neatly with a smirk before laughing along with Izzy at her comments on the Minister. "I hear he looked finer in his younger days, I'm sure you wouldn't say no!" Alliss giggled before ruthlessly biting into her chocolate frog. "Oh yes, I forgot just how much fun you two are," Alliss rolled her eyes playfully, she was partly joking at least, but she definately was not into facts and figures, not that she wasn't intelligent, she was. She just simply wasn't interested. "I'm not sure where he is," Alliss frowned and glanced towards the cabin door. "Maybe I should accio him here," Alliss laughed.

"Oh yes... because im sure he'd like that, infact im sure thats how you got him in the first place" continuing to tease her friend as she opened a book then took out a quill letting it scribble in the margins by itself while she began to sort out the beans by colour "And the Minister always gives me the shivers, I don't know how you ever worked for that guy. He's like... he's like a snake but a man just... eww"

"That may be how you get men Izzy, but I have more class and style," Alliss teased and laughed, flicking her hair aside in a mocking fashion. "He's not all that bad, he gives me the creeps more now than he used to.." She sighed, the Minister had always been an interesting subject with her and no-one was really certain of the truth of what their work relationship had entailed, but it was clear to Alliss' close friends that she avoided his daughter carefully. She was with Riley now though and she was happy for once, she really did love him and his little matching socks.

Riley had spent ten minutes standing out on Platform 9 3/4 trying to shuffle children around and make sure everyone got their luggage and themselves onto the train. However, he couldn't manage to speak higher than a murmur and ended up getting ignored by everyone shoving themselves about anyway.

After a few more moments of pointless attempts to actually guide the students, Riley simply snuck through the crowd and scurried onto the professor's section of the train. He had to duck his head into a few different compartments before he found his fiance and Izabella already crashed out on seats, swapping candy and stories.

He smiled, still standing halfway in the compartment and halfway in the hallway. "Alliss, Izabella, hey. Do you--" he gestured to the open seat next to Alliss, "--you don't mind, do you?" Even after a year and an engagement, he was still getting used to this whole relationship thing. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt or anything."

"Oh please like I could get a man... my idea of a date is thestral riding, if the guys doesn't pee his pants or scream for his mommy he usually turns out to be some wierdo with a hand in a jar and not a cool one like a vampire hand" continuing her organizing... funny thing about Izzy XD sometimes you wondered just what the hell she did in her spare time.

Looking up when Riley entered the cabin "Riley! there we are... we were just talking about you... something about small feet being what was the muggle phrase?" teasing both of her 'friends' with that as she put all the beans back downing a bunch. After a few seconds of chewing she nearly turned green and quickly swallowed that batch down "ugh... I think there was boogie in that one or a sock"

When Riley entered the cabin, Alliss had to hold back from giving and public displays of affection, it did generally make most feel uncomfortable. Instead, she satisfied herself with clinging onto his hand and pulling him softly into the seat next to her.
"Riley, we were just wondering where you were!" Alliss smiled before she was interrupted by Izzy's amazing comments, she rolled her eyes and threw the bean she had thrown at her earlier back at her with a smirk. "Ha!" She laughed. "Actually, Izzy was talking about your debate about Goblin Wars... really, really, quite thrilling." Alliss' voice was heavy with playful sarcasm, she couldn't take her eyes really off Riley, she still felt like she had a teenage crush on him, butterflies and all.

"The Goblin Wars?" Riley perked up at a familiar subject, sliding easily into the seat next to Alliss. His tightened around hers and a shy smile darted across his face before his attention was back on Izabella. She hadn't been satisfied with their discussion earlier and was convinced the war had started in early April.

"I know there were uprisings and rebellions in the spring, but the official declaration of war wasn't until July 10th, Izabella." He scratched the back of his head, not used to arguments--and that's what they were with Izabella. Despite what she said, every "discussion" with her nearly turned into an all-out brawl if you disagreed with her. The last time they'd "debated" this one, it had ended up with Riley curled up behind Alliss for protection. He'd refused to leave the castle for a week after that, convinced Izabella would send some sort of painful creature after him to hunt him down.

Okay, maybe he was more than a little paranoid, but there were legitimate concerns when it came to Izabella Hawthorne.

"A declaration of war doesn't make it a war.... the russian wizards had a war with one another but there was no signed piece of paper saying it. Just because its paperwork doesnt make it official.... and for the hundreth time when are you going to stop calling me Izabella? its Iza unless for some reason I got demoted to non-friend status. I swear to merlin's underpants I do not know how those pixie's got in your room, it was a student" she huffed gently "And I wouldn't call, torching fields and hoarding the wizard coins hostage as 'just an uprising' it nearly crippled the wizarding economy"

Riley scrunched up his face at the mention of the pixies. They'd wrecked havoc on his room and destroyed at least a half dozen old books that he still hadn't managed to repair or replace. Still, he found himself grinning. "Yes, but if we marked every uprising and revolt as a 'war' then we'd have to double our history text books. Just because a small group of people got angry doesn't make it a war, Iza," he stressed, the name still sounding weird on his tongue. He'd never had much time to get used to calling people by nicknames. Most of his classmates he'd only ever referred to by surname when he was in school. "And the Veela torched fields, completely bankrupted the entire southern section of France in the 1200s, AND killed a half dozen Muggles in the process. That has never been referred to as a war."

He just had to mention the Veela. If there was any subject that was almost as touchy with her as memory spells it was the Veela... Her book snapped shut and she turned glaring at him "No because it was almost a massacre, Veela can be very cruel and dangerous creature when they want to be. Same goes for their offspring right? heaven forbid a half breed ever forget her nasty heritage" just huffing before going back to her book pulling one out and tossing it to him roughly "HERE. I brought this, I found it on a journey to Mumbai... I know it was one of the ones you lost"

The sudden sharp tone to Izabella's voice caught Riley off guard. Why was she--? Oh. Oops.

The book landed in his lap, bouncing hard against his thigh and Riley grimaced at the impact before taking a deep breath and swallowing. "Ah--sorry, Izabe--Iza. I didn't--I didn't mean to--" His head dropped to his lap and he stared hard at the book, trying to distract himself. He'd forgotten she was half-Veela. Forgotten that was a taboo subject around her. Merlin's beard! Why did he think the 1247 Veela massacre was a good thing to bring up?

His fingers brushed over the cover of the new book, and he found himself smiling despite the new tension in the compartment. It was a beautiful royal blue. Even prettier than the copy he'd owned. The pages were worn, but the spine had been rebound and over all it was in much better condition than the one Izabella's pixies had destroyed. "Thank you," he murmured, slowly opening the book and skimming through the text.

"It doesn't matter... not like I can remember it right?" still a bit disgruntled at Riley she just opened up a new book and began her process again. Letting loose the beans beside her, organizing them while the quill rote. Blinking when he said thank you just brushing some hair out of her face ".... your welcome, look just dont bother apologizing I shouldn't be so sensitive over it, its been over 4 years"

Alliss had just held Riley's hand and begun to daydream once they starting discussing the goblin wars, it was only when she argument got more intense that she frowned and brought her attention back to the conversation just in time to hear 'Veela'. Oh Riley and his derpy-ness, she couldn't help but smile at him, he always just seemed to land himself in it. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, Izzy would forget it soon enough.

"Pumpkin Pie, Riley?" Alliss interupted the conversation whilst they had made peace over a book, Ravenclaws, she rolled her eyes fondly. She extended her free hand towards him, offering him one of the delicious little cakes before turning to Izzy. "Got any idea what your doing with your first years Izzy? I'm really undecided whether to just throw them in at the deep end with some good ol' practical," Alliss smiled, she liked discussing lesson plans with Izabella, not that Alliss usually planned her lessons particularly, it was just she liked coming up with new practicals, since both their lessons were more hands-on.

Riley accepted the cake with a small smile, head still ducked down. Izabella hadn't ripped his ear off yet which was always a good sign, but he still felt like he was in dangerous waters. Better to keep quiet and in the corner for a while. He perked up when Allissa mentioned classes.

The previous year he'd planned out what lesson to go over every class period every day for the entire year before he'd even set foot on Hogwarts ground. His schedule had lasted a whole of ten minutes before Slytherins were running rampant in his room. This year he was trying to take the opposite approach and lightly plan lessons, but leave it up to last minute decisions for the most part.

He was already a ball of nerves. Maybe he should have planned out his lessons more, even if they would eventually be ruined.

"Oh! That reminds me Izzy, Riley and I have something to tell you.. Don't we hunny?" Alliss turned towards Riley for support. "And something to ask you," She grinned and shuffled a little closer to her fiancee. "We were wondering, ... well, I was wondering," She left a moment of tension to wind her best friend up a little before continuing. "If you would mind being my maid of honour at our wedding?" She blurted out in excitement, since Riley had made the proposal in the late summer holidays, they had decided to announce it to people when they returned to Hogwarts. She had wanted Izzy to be the first to know, she flashed her ruby engagement ring on her hand on the table, turning it in the light from the window. It really was beautiful, she adored Riley and was truly very excited.

"oh please Aliss you know I dont get them till they are third years and still Dumbledore makes me treat them like babies. But I got a surprise this year... I should be able to make it happen with you of course to help me?" blinking when the two of the look at one another and the Esme said it.

Izabella's girly squeal/scream nearly shattered glass as she grinned and immediatly huggled her bestfriend "YOUR GETTING MARRIED!!! OF COURSE ILL BE YOUR MAID OF HONOR!!!! BY MERLIN BEARD!!! Wait.... oh my god if you two have children does that make me the god morhter? oh dear god im not good with kids BUT YOUR GETTING MARRIED!!!"

Riley had thought he was prepared for Izabella's inevitable outburst. He wasn't.

As she leaped, he flinched at the sudden movement, but soon he was smiling as her voice filled the cabin. And the next three cabins down. Blimey was she loud when she got excited.

"Kids?" Riley nearly jumped a second time at the suggestion. "Isn't it...isn't it a bit early to be talking about kids?" he murmured. He was still getting used to the idea of being in a relationship, much less engaged. The wedding was already daunting and now Izabella was talking about kids. Slow down, slow down, slow down!

Alliss smiled at Izzy's reaction, she was glad to see her friend approved. At Riley's panicked face when she mentioned children, Alliss laughed aloud. "Don't look so worried Riley!" Alliss squeezed his hand with a grin. "She's just messing." Alliss couldn't help but giggle at the whole scenario, she really was very happy. She turned to Izzy. "Don't scare him like that," She scorned with a smile, teasing once more. "You might scare him off," She nudged Riley playfully in the side.