Milling, Ringing, Strength and Wolves

Gregory had met entirely too many people, he'd decided. He also had told too many people that they could fly to school with Autumn and himself. Not because they wouldn't fit inside the large carriage, but because he hadn't told Autumn about any of the people she had met. He didn't know how she'd react to having a bunch of first years tag along with him.

"Sorry, Autumn," he whispered as his friends climbed inside. "I forgot to tell you."

Greg waved at everyone. "Hi," he said sheepishly, looking at them. "This is my cousin, Autumn. She's a second year in Cerisier," he paused, forgetting what else he was going to say.

He looked at Autumn, trying to tell if she were angry or not.

Autumn was mildly worried that Gregory didn't meet anyone while she ran around Paris. He was shy and she'd left him alone and he was no doubt grumpy. Maybe his sulking prevented him from being the social butterfly she knew that Greg could be.

So she was surprised when three kids climbed into the carriage with them. She looked at Greg while he whispered an apology. "Gregory, don't worry about it. I don't mind at all," Autumn whispered back.

Apparently Gregory didn't hear her, because he continued to introduce her to his friends. She waved. "Yep. That's me," she answered.

"You're fine Greg," she promised. "I'm not mad. I'm glad you made friends."

Kayla was pleasantly surprised that Greg had invited Wolfgang and Cameron too. Maybe it would be a little awkward hanging out with three guys, but they were all really nice so far. It would also be a good way to bond with her adoptive brother, having mutual friends. After struggling with her luggage, hugging her parents and Caleb goodbye (she liked to think he got a little teary), she made her way to the carriage Greg said to meet him at.

At first, she was taken aback at the girl, but Kayla remembered Greg mentioning her. "Oh, you wanted to be an animagus?" she asked Autumn, who Greg had just introduced. There was a sort of awkward silence in the carriage. She extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Kayla Miller." She settled in her seat, looking out the window. It was windy and picturesque outside.

Kayla turned away from the window. "What Houses do you think you'll be in?" she asked the group.

Cameron had been surprised that he had made so many new friends and had run into one of his very best friends from the orphanage he used to live in. Things seemed to be in his favor and he was ready to start school with a great beginning. He had everything he needed for a great school year including his sometimes positive attitude. He was ready to get to know Wolfgang more and see all the things that had changed about the boy in the years they had been apart. He had been invited to join Gregory on the carriage ride to school which was nice. Caleb had said a few things about the carriage ride but hadn't admitted much, wanting his siblings to experience it for themselves.

He was pretty glad that he hadn't been the only one in the carriage with his friend because he tended to become awkward after a while. "I'm Cameron," he said softly to Gregory's cousin. His hands were very interesting at this moment and he found himself playing with them instead of looking at the crowd of people. He looked over at his sister and bit his bottom lip. He was sure that the both of them wanted to be in Montagnard since most of their family had been in the house. But would Beauxbatons allow two Millers in the same house in the same year? "I want to be in Feu," he lied, naming off some random house that he had heard some other students talking about. He didn't want to offend Kayla with his real answer.

"Cameron, you sure are lucky to know what house you want to be in. I had no idea before I was already in Cerisier," Autumn said, remembering her frustration with the concept of houses. "They're all good houses. It really doesn't matter what house you get placed in. You'll like something about it. My best friend is in Feu and he likes it very much. What house do you want to be in, Kayla?" she asked "And Gregory, too, since I haven't asked you." she added.

Autumn looked at her cousin when Kayla mentioned Animagi. She wasn't mad, just surprised that he'd even remember that detail about her. "Yes, I do. It takes a lot of practice, which is why I'm studying really hard. What classes are you all interested in?"

Feu? Back in the pub, didn't Cameron say he wanted to be in Nuage? He was being a little awkward about it. She didn't press it though, maybe he was just unsure. "I think I'll be in Montagnard. Everyone in the family is either in Montagnard or Cerisier." She didn't know why, she was sure she would be in Montagnard, but if not, oh well. Maybe she'd be a little saddened for breaking a family norm, but they'd survive. It was true that she already felt somewhat distant from them, though. 

"I don't know. They all seem cool, particularly Defense Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic. Defense would be very fun and useful. I want to learn to cast a corporeal Patronus." Truthfully, Kayla was interested in all the classes. Being an Animagus sounded cool, but it wasn't her type. She liked the way she was. The Patronus was something she'd seen in Caleb's textbook a long time ago, and it had stuck in her head as something she wanted to do. She looked out the window again at the scenery and was tempted to take out her pad to capture the moment. It wasn't just the beauty of nature, but the fact that she was on the carriage, socializing, on the way to Beauxbatons.

"It doesn't matter to me. I just want to be on a good quidditch team. I figure I'll just be sleeping in that part of the castle, other than that. My parents were in Cerisier like Autumn," he said. "If it runs in the family, I'll probably be in Cerisier."

Greg's mind briefly wandered to his biological family. He wondered if his birth family were magic and if they went to Beauxbatons or some other magic school. Would the sorting goblet recognize that he was from a different family than Autumn?

Then his mind went to Riley. Gregory knew that it was very unlikely that his biological brother would be at Beauxbatons.

Gregory tried to shake his mind of the idea, but it seemed like it was stuck.