New Beginnings (open!)

[Dexter Cox Jr.]

Walking through the barrier onto Platform 9 3/4, Dexter felt as nervous going into his fourth year as he had going into his first. Eleven years old, naturally shy, not knowing anyone, and about to leave his family for several months, and the only thing that had changed was his age. Well, one could say now that he knew people, or more accurately, he knew of people, because he wouldn't be so bold to say that he knew anyone on a really personal level. Not enough to run and greet others with a hug when seeing a familiar face on the platform, like some of his classmates. Instead, he just kept his eyes firmly fixated on his feet, occasionally giving a nod of acknowledgement if someone he 'knew' passed by. That was pretty rare. Most eyes passed right over him, or did a double take on his father, but Dex preferred it that way.

Dex spent as much time as possible with his family before finally having to board the train. It never got any easier to part with them, but he at least got to take his little sister with him for the second year now. So after saying goodbye and parting with their parents, Dex helped haul his and Alexis's trunks onto the train and made sure she had everything she needed before parting with her, as well. Despite their late arrival, he'd spotted a compartment that remained empty and wanted to take it. It was better than hanging out with the second-years or awkwardly trying to ask someone if he could join them. It wasn't too hard to kill the few hours of train ride on your own - he had some experience with that. So he dragged his trunk into the fist empty one he saw and sat in the seat furthest from the door, looking out the window as the last people piled on and the horn sounded warning that the train was about to depart.

[Deleted]

Ferret was used to getting on the train by now.  Seven years she had done it, and before that she watched in envy as her brothers went without her.  When she did come to Hogwarts for the first time, and after the brothers had pushed her off so they could be with their friends, she had found places to sit.  Come second year, after making friends, she wasn't alone anymore.  But come fifth year, when her best friend had become a prefect she was mostly alone again.  This hadn't changed up to their seventh year but the woman learned to deal.

Walking along the corridor, she noticed a mostly empty compartment.  Tapping on the glass lightly, she peaked inside to see one boy.  He looked familiar.  She had heard whispers on the train about some famous kid's dad but she didn't pay too much attention.  It was none of her business, and she found that if she didn't pry into anyone's business, they didn't pry into hers.


"Hey," she called, poking her head around the door.

He looks a bit out of it, she thought, but then just smiled a simple smiled.

"Mind if I join you?"

count : 197    tags : Dex
noted EXCITED!

credited : KBIRD of caution 2.0

[Dexter Cox Jr.]

When you stopped and thought about it, it was strange, how all of this felt like old hat. Walking through the barrier, boarding the train by eleven, loading up your luggage and finding a compartment. When, in reality, it was only the fourth time in Dex's life that he'd done it (unless you count coming back from Hogwarts as well), but it felt like he'd had loads more experience. Not that he felt tired of it - no, he actually relished the routine. It was starting a journey to a place he could call 'home' for nine months out of the year, which wasn't something he got to do often. It was comforting to know that he would do it again three more times after this, unfortunately interrupted by visits home in the winter and spring to some place he probably hasn't seen before and never will again. If it weren't for his family, he would stay at school for break, but he liked being around company of people he felt comfortable with.

After the train got in motion and began the commute to the school, Dex figured he would probably pull out a book to kill the time. That's usually how he did it, and he packed a lot - enough to last him until his next trip home, supplemented by the Hogwarts library, of course. Just as these thoughts were entering his mind, just as the train was pulling away from the station, just as he was confident that he had managed to snag a lonesome compartment, he heard a tapping on the glass. The unfortunate thing about getting your own compartment is that you stood out, and probably to the wrong people, who had gone a whole summer without victimizing their favorite Ravenclaw. Reluctantly Dex looked over to see - not whom he expected. Someone vaguely familiar: old enough that she'd been in the halls as long as he had, that he'd passed her now and again and recognized her face.

Not enough for a name, though, but that was usually the case. Dex's memory was sharp enough to remember faces, and he would remember names if he'd ever gotten them, but he rarely approached anyone and seldom sought introductions. On the bright side, he did not recognize her from his frequent victimizations by bullying, and her voice sounded friendly enough. Honestly, he did mind if she joined him, but he was too kind to say such a thing, and instead he just shook his head. Should he have said something? Or was the silent beckon enough? After a brief pause following his head shake, he said quietly, "No, that's fine."

[Deleted]

Ferret gave him a small smile.  She had already stored her trunk and things in a different compartment, just so certain pranksters or those who wished her ill, couldn't mess with her things.  She wasn't dressed in her robes yet.  She actually detested the school uniform.  So she stayed in her normal clothes as long as possible.  But that was beside the point.  She just enjoyed the fact she could wear pants in uniform sometimes.

She sat down across from the boy.  His face was familiar, but she couldn't place if she had actually spoken to him.  Probably not, he looked younger than her, and if she didn't know his name he was in a different house.  She made a point of at least knowing names of the majority of her house members.

Smiling still, she held out a hand to him.

"I'm Ferret," she said, smiling kindly.   "What is your name?"

count : 152    tags : Dex
noted Nice Ferret.  Be kind to the shy boy...goood~

credited : KBIRD of caution 2.0

[Dexter Cox Jr.]

As a rule, Dex didn't know how to act in any situation that involved another human being. He never really knew what to expect, and when something he hadn't expected happened, he didn't really know how to react. And this time he had expected (and admittedly, hoped) that his initial reluctance to speak would mean that no more conversation would follow. So after he told the girl that she could join him, he turned his head back to the window and watched the scenes outside zip by in blurs. But it didn't last long, because he heard her voice again just moments later. Just as friendly as before, and introducing herself. Ferret? Was that really her name? It couldn't be... Part of him wanted to ask, but his words were choked up in his throat. He did, though, manage to smile in return as he glanced at her extended hand.

He shook her hand firmly but quickly pulled away, not letting the handshake last any longer than necessary. At all the gatherings and fancy to-dos that his dad dragged him to, he met a lot of people, and there was a lot of handshaking going on. Compared to other things, he wasn't so bad with introductions, because that he had a lot of experience with. Just shake their hand and say nice to meet you, although at these get-togethers he was referring to, most people already knew who he was, so he didn't have to say his name. After all, he would have been standing next to his dad - whom they all knew - and they had the same name. So usually it was just the one phrase and back to being silent. Was he supposed to say his full name, or what? She had just given a nickname - unless that really was her name, so he decided to do the same. "I'm Dex," he said right as he let hold of her hand. "Nice to meet you... Ferret," he added, not really sure if he should address her as such, but it was the only name he was given, so he didn't really have a choice.

[Deleted]

May 30, 2014 16:09:30 GMT @talls said:

"Nice to meet you Dex," she said, smiling  still.  She noticed how he seemed eager to let go of her hand.  So she leaned back in her seat, looking out the window.  She found herself  focusing on the trees.  They were nothing special, it was just something to do.  They sat in a long silence with only the sound of the train and students in the other compartments.

She yawned.

"So," she said slowly. "Looking forward to the new year?" Ferret didn't like long silences.  They made her feel uneasy.  But she could see the boy across from her did.  She thought some small talk until she knew Lily would be done with the other Prefects and whoever the new Head Boy was.  She had a feeling it would be Remus Lupin, but you could never be sure about those things.  But for now, she would see if she could make a new friend.  Or mess up and embarrass herself, whatever came first.

count : 163    tags : Dex
noted Nice Ferret.  Be kind to the shy boy...goood~

credited : KBIRD of caution 2.0

[Dexter Cox Jr.]

A silence fell over their compartment that Dex thought would be comfortable, but it really wasn't. Usually he preferred silence, but because there was someone sitting right across from him, and they were both just sitting, staring out the window, made it feel like the silence should be filled with conversation. He thought about saying something, but he couldn't think of what. So he didn't. He debated getting out a book like he had planned before, but he didn't want to appear rude, so he didn't do that either. Instead he wondered why Ferret had chosen to sit with him. She seemed friendly enough, and pretty, so why wasn't she with her friends? Why sit with the solitary, quiet, younger boy that she didn't know? At least, he assumed she was older than him; she looked to be, although to be fair, he did look younger than most 14-year-olds. So she had to be. He could hear the rattling of the train wheels on the tracks, and a muted chatter through the walls from the compartments beside this one. 

After an unknown amount of time sitting in mutual silence, she spoke again. Dex was not sure whether to be glad or not about this, but as long as she was friendly, and she was, he really couldn't complain. "Absolutely," he answered, with a little more enthusiasm than nervousness, as his previous answers had been. "It shouldn't be too different from last year, but that's cool with me." Third year was when you got to pick electives and go to Hogsmeade every once in a while. Fourth year brought few changes. Of course, he did plan on joining the Quidditch team this year, so... that would probably be different, assuming he made it. As far as classes went, though, they would be the same, just a step up in difficulty, which Dex welcomed. "What about you?" he asked in return. Maybe he could get a clue as to which year Ferret was. It had to be one of her last, considering he was just about halfway through.