[Hogwarts Between] Auld Lang Sine

[Patrick McCartney]

[OOC:  Global Event:  This goes across all threads as they stand at
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Laughter, tears, confusion, anxiety, fear, and excitement all crowd
together in the bustling group of students.  They hurry through the
corridors of the passenger cars.  The search is on for friends,
familiar faces, acceptable groups, proper procedures, and just a place
to sit.  Luggage, owls, hats, frogs, capes, and cats pepper the mix.

Many students are without selected compartments when the train whistle
wails announcing the imminent departure from the station.  A wave of
heads jerk up and down as the shock of the shrill signal moves through
those still in the corridors.  The sound increases the sense of urgency
to get to where they want to be, but the crowd prevents anyone from
moving any faster.

A second blast of the whistle shoots through the air.  Many students in
the corridors reach out and grab whatever they can hold on to, for they
know what to expect.  A jolt and a screech come from the floor of the
train as the first power from the steam engine reaches the wheels.  The
train shutters and begins to move away from the station.

Students pull open windows and fit their heads outside.  From the
station the side of the train looks as if petals spring from one side
and flutter in the wind.  Between the platform and the train shouts
meet shouts, tears meet tears.  Hands and heads reach out while screams
of "Good-bye" and "I’ll send you an owl" fill the station as the
passenger cars continue to move past the platform.  

To the students, the station seems to slide out from under their feet
giving a sense of slipping away on ice.  As the platform floats away
they think of all the preparations they have made, all the work they
have done, all that they will do, and all that they will miss.  At the
point when the platform evaporates from their view they know that they
finally are on their way to Hogwarts.