Thalia's Innocence

one

1st September 1971

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ The half-blood could barely hold her excitement when she heard the coos of the train coming closer to the station. The whistle sound made the owls chirp up and communicate with one another, and she couldn't help but roll back and forth on the balls of her feet, her palms slightly sweaty as she held the sleeves of her sweater.

    When the train came to a defiant stop, she quickly turned to bid farewell to her parents, whom have seemingly disappeared in the bustling crowd and teary-eyed newcomers. One wouldn't necessarily label the situation as awkward or upsetting, as she was rather used to her parents rushing off in order to do something regarding their jobs, and she didn't have the heart to use it against them when they were paying for all her necessities.

     She re-positioned her cat, Atticus, onto her shoulder as she picked up her case full of comfort items and spare clothing. Atticus, unbeknownst that the case was already too heavy for the poor girl, began to adjust on her shoulder. His claws dug into her slightly, making the poor girl squirm as the unwarned pricks on her shoulder nearly made her miss the step while boarding the train.

    "Atticus, if you must move, do so when I'm not," She whispered exasperatedly as she glanced around while she walking down the train's hall.

    She prayed silently for an empty compartment to have to herself before immersing herself into classes filled with strangers. Pushing past the people in the crowd was stressful for her enough, and now Atticus becoming impatient and attempting to climb to her other shoulder was only bringing sweat to the back of her neck due the constant fur rubbing and her turtleneck trapping the heat--and it only caused her nose to scrunch in disgust at the feeling.

     She also didn't want to have to put her luggage onto a higher shelf, in case she didn't have the strength to haul the case up and would much rather have it across or beside her for easy access (though she'd never admit that this was the main reason she wanted to be seated alone).

     Atticus had in the end practically wrapped himself around the neck of the tired witch, purring softly with the background rumbles the train made as the engine made its announcement. Simultaneously, as the train thrust itself forward on the track, she had finally found herself sloppily walking into an empty compartment. 

     She sighed in relief, letting her case fall on top of the stationary benches before facing the smiling parents waving at their children in the next compartments over. She soon felt unnerved at the scene and moved the curtains to cover the window, leaving her main source of light to be the lightbulb above her. Besides, she huffed, she'd much rather enjoy her company with a sleeping cat anyway.