<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/2/28/Eikichi_Characters_53-3.png)(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/bc/Eikichi_Characters_52-6.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Nathaniel Warde (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=284413.msg14002044#msg14002044) // Zacharias Warde (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=284413.msg14002048#msg14002048)<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>Nathan's Outfit (https://contestimg.wish.com/api/webimage/5810936eec16772134f9707e-4-large.jpg) // Zach's Outfit (https://gloimg.samcdn.com/S/201308/source-img/1377727281484-P-1060601.jpg)<br/><strong>Blood Status:</strong>Pureblood // Pureblood<br/><strong>Wands</strong>: Laurel, Dragon, 14 inches, Fairly Flexible (Nathaniel) // Rowan, Basilisk Skin, 11 inches, Unyielding, Family Heirloom. (Zacharias)<br/><strong>House/Year</strong>: Slytherin, 4<sup>rth</sup>year. // Unsorted 1<sup>st</sup>year.<br/><strong>Date</strong>: Friday. September 1st ,2017.<br/><strong>Time/Day:</strong>10:00am – 10:30am<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>Kings Cross Station – Platform Nine and Three-Quarters -> Hogwarts Express<br/><strong>CONTENT:</strong>The cousins bicker and eventually begin boarding.<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>OPEN | Rosalyn Lamoureux (Mentioned) // Loveday Marley (Mentioned)<br/><hr/><br/><em>"I’ll never understand why you chose this puny little owl."</em>Nathaniel couldn’t help but mutter the words as he reached forward towards caged bird. He pressed his fingers into the cage, his index finger sliding between the bars to pet along the beak of the Scops Owl. His finger dragged along the length of the owl’s beak, lightly flicking his fingertips over the curve of the beak before the owls hooked beak suddenly enclosed around his index finger. Just as the owls cross-section enclosed around the side of his finger, just underneath his fingernail, he suddenly tugged his finger away causing the owl to yelp and release his finger before it ended up hitting the cage from how quickly he yanked his hand back. The suddenly tug of his finger from the cage causing the cage to shift and rock on the trolley as Nathan winced and grasped at the tip of his finger.<em>"Fucking hell.. Did they not bother training that useless creature?"</em><br/><br/>While Nathan nursed the nick to his finger Zacharias suddenly leaned toward the side of the cart, steadying the cage as the Scops Owl inside fluttered against the inside of the cage before it returned to preening itself. Zacharias lifted the cage from the trolley and inspecting the owl, Herbert, for any harm.<em>"I’d say they trained him quite well. He’s quite good at hunting.. rats."</em>Zacharias quipped while readjusting the cage back onto his trolley as both the cousins walked along the ninth platform of the ‘Kings Cross Station.’<em>"Besides. You can’t complain, you’re the only reason we’re here.. My parents offered to send our things up beforehand so we could just take Floo network, the closest fireplace is barely five minutes from Hogwarts, or they could have just taken us to Hogwarts directly by Apparition."</em>Zacharias couldn’t help but mutter the last retort with a hint of annoyance, after all, he already knew the reason his cousin hadn’t bothered with either option. One only had to look where Nathaniel’s eyes wandered to understand that real reason for this unneeded addition of time to their trip.<br/><br/><em>"Now now, Zacharias. Some of us aren’t <strong>sooo</strong> lucky as to have their future picked out for them."</em>There was a rather pleased smile on Nathaniel’s face after that last comment, as both boys reached the gate-way to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Nathaniel didn’t even bother looking around, instead one hand tightened on the grip of his trolley as the other hand held Eliza’s, his black cat, cage as his pace quickened momentarily as he moderately jogged straight into the brick barrier and disappearing from sight. Zacharias rolled his eyes at his cousin’s taunt; both of them knowing quite well that Nathaniel would have simply found a way to get out of any marriage agreement should the Warde family actually arrange anything. But because of his cousins persistent knack for trouble that miserable responsibility had fallen to him. Not really fair, in his opinion, as he’d yet to get a chance to enjoy himself away from home and was already expected to shack up with a woman he’d yet to meet in just a couple of years.<em>"Blithering idiot."</em>Zacharias cursed under his breath, not entirely sure if it was addressed for himself and his predicament or towards his useless cousin.<br/><br/>With that bitter thought out of the way Zacharias gripped the trolley with both hands as he rushed through the brick barrier and entered Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. It didn’t take him long after stepping through the barrier to find his cousin, mostly because the fool hadn’t really moved that far. Zacharias pulled up his trolley next to Nathaniel, casting a withering glance in his cousin’s direction before following Nathaniel’s line of sight to see what exactly had his attention. Of course, he should have known the answer to that. Nathaniel’s eyes of course were drawn to the skirts of some of the girls who were already boarding the ‘Hogwarts Express.’ After they boarded the train, however, Nathaniel patted the back of his hand against Zacharias chest to confirm what Zacharias already knew.<em>"I told you so, cousin, much better than Apparating or using the Floo powder. You’ve just got to loosen up a bit."</em>Zacharias couldn’t help but scoff at the statement from his cousin, keeping himself from rolling his eyes this time as instead he made a rather general observation about the fact that Nathaniel seemed to be looking at anyone, even the first years.<em>"Much better. I get to watch you drool over muggles and half-bloods. How splendid, Nathaniel."</em><br/><br/><em>"Oh shut it. It’s just a bit of fun, it’s not anything serious. Besides.. It’s all there really good for you know."</em>Nathaniel couldn’t help but let out a light scoff of laughter under his breath. The statement was even enough for Zacharias to crack a light smile before turning his attention back to the Express. He lifted his right hand, putting it on Nathan’s shoulder and shaking Nathaniel to get his attention back to the present as he muttered under his breath.<em>"Come on, we need to find a carriage before everyone else. Lest you want to put off that talk about your business till after I’m sorted."</em>Nathaniel rolled his eyes at Zacharias statement, wrapping his arm around his cousin’s shoulder and then pushing his trolley towards the express with his cousin in toe.<em>"Almost every Warde gets put into Slytherin. Your sister was the first in generations not to be in Slytherin. You’ll be just fine. After all.. <strong>you’re the prodigal heir</strong>."</em><br/><br/>The two cousins each grabbed a pair of luggage each, leaving the rest on the trolley for the moment as they hopped onto the train and began walking down the compartments to find an unused and empty carriage for the two of them. While they were in the middle of making their way down the compartments did Nathaniel let out a light curse under his breath as the group of students the car in front of them suddenly scattered into various carriages.<em>"Not that way!"</em>Nathaniel grabbed Zacharias by the collar of his coat, tugging them both and their luggage into the carriage they were previously walking past. Once they entered Nathaniel gave a not so friendly smile to the three second year students who were abruptly interrupted by their sudden entrance as Zacharias let out his own little barrage of curses just as the open robed menace walked past their car.<em>"The hell was that for, could have broken my neck with how abruptly you yanked me. What’s that about then, eh?"</em>Nathaniel of course just snorted as he stuck his head out of the carriage and caught sight of Loveday strolling her way down the corridor, past them, before pulling his luggage out of the carriage they’d just entered.<em> "Shut it. If you’d blocked her way it would  have ended much worse. Now get moving."</em>Nathaniel was already walking back down the corridor, as if what had just happened was completely normal. Which was just about enough to make Zacharias curse him out in frustration before he decided his cousin was right, he could force the answer out of the dolt later.<br/><br/>It took the pair of them about half an hour to pack their things up into the carriage they chose for themselves. The luggage packed up into the racks above them while the cousins sat opposite of one another. Nathaniel had Eliza in his lap, grooming and petting the black cat as it curled up, while Zacharias had pulled Herbert out of its cage. It fluttered around in the carriage for a short bit, alternating between being perched up on the luggage rack and his shoulder. But it was mostly preoccupied with preening itself with both its beak and claws. Zacharias paid little attention to the creature; after all he wasn’t attached to the animal as Nathaniel was to his. Most of the Warde family had a penchant toward felines when it came to their companions. But Zacharias hadn’t really felt up to seeing another black cat scrounging up his clothing, he’d had plenty of that at home. Though, currently, Herbert wasn’t exactly behaving any better. Neither of the two had bothered to change into their robes, quite yet. Instead they were idly waiting in the carriage for the express to be off. They could bother changing later when they were closer to Hogwarts. Zacharias finally broke the silence and turned his attention back towards his elder cousin.<em>"So this is what you meant by better, being bored in a carriage?"</em>Zacharias brow arched at Nathaniel.