<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d7/Penny_Hogwarts.jpg)</div><strong>NAME:</strong>Penny Burton (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=284413.msg14002493#msg14002493)<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>Slytherin Attire (https://i.pinimg.com/474x/9b/cd/3f/9bcd3f9225f2b333ce98182782e92a99--sophie-turner-google-search.jpg)<br/><strong>Blood Status:</strong>Pureblood<br/><strong>Wand</strong>: 10 inch | Elm | White River Monster | Slightly springy<br/><strong>House/Year</strong>: Slytherin | First<br/><strong>Date</strong>: Friday, 1 September 2017<br/><strong>Time/Day:</strong>Morning (prior to 11)<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>Platform 9¾ | Hogwarts Express<br/><strong>CONTENT:</strong>Goodbye's and Hello's<br/><strong>MOOD MUSIC:</strong>Bullet Train - Stephen Swartz (Feat. Joni Fatora) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkime9M4z34)<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Open<br/><hr/><br/>“Now, I don’t expect to be receiving any letters hearing about you making trouble while you’re there, Missy.”<br/><br/>“And if we do, you can expect to receive a Howler so loud, it’ll break the goblet you’re drinking out of at breakfast time with your friends.”<br/><br/>The inconspicuous warnings from her parents were par for the course, she supposed, during the trip to the Hogwarts Express. After all, Penny was an only child in a pureblood family. There were, as usual, a certain number of standards and expectations placed upon her. For instance, she had better get sorted into Slytherin, and she had better not embarrass anyone in the family.<br/><br/>“Penny won’t get into any trouble! Right, Penny?” Her bright eyed little cousin Jamie was peering up expectantly from the trolley he had offered to push for her, which carried an enormous trunk of her belongings. Penny tilted her head down at her younger cousin, who had been similar to a little brother for most of her life. Reaching out, she ruffled his curly, ginger locks and smiled sweetly. “I’ll certainly<em>try</em>not to.” She responded wisely; under her breath.<br/><br/>Despite not having older siblings to rely on, Penny had heard a great deal of stories at family functions, after certain relatives had sipped a bit too much wine. Finally, though, it was her turn to start making those memories. She would be the one recounting these stories to any who would listen, eventually. It was her time to shine - and she planned on doing so, brilliantly.<br/><br/>“You had best strive to write to us every Sunday.” Penny’s father lectured her. Her mother nodded in agreement to her husband’s words. “Unless you need to study for exams or something. You must study hard, Penny. Mustn’t neglect your schoolwork.” Penny’s mother droned on. That was what she had come to expect of them, though; whenever her father spoke his demands, her mother tacked on another, still.<br/><br/>It was highly doubtful that either of them had ever considered what lengths Penny would have gone just to get away from them, especially after an entire summer filled with ‘I expect’s’ and ‘you had best’s.’ The fact that she happened to be leaving for Hogwarts was merely an added perk, really. Except for that one rather horrid person who would be right there beside her for the entire year. And potentially afterward, if she couldn’t figure out a way to stop it before it was too late.<br/><br/>Penny did her best to remove those thoughts from her mind, not wishing to think on them for another minute, as she turned to face the enormous train awaiting departure. Jamie tugged on her robes a moment later, too preoccupied with staring at the train to bother with eye contact. “I can’t believe you get to ride this to Hogwarts! Penny, you’re so lucky!”<br/><br/>He finally managed to peel his bright blue eyes from the magical locomotive and regarded Penny. “You’ll tell me all about it when you’re back for Christmas, right?”<br/><br/>She tilted her head to look down at him, smirking just slightly. “I certainly will.” She bent down and held up her pinky, looking at him sternly. “It’s a promise.” Jamie locked pinkies with her and beamed as if he had just been promised ice cream for the rest of his life. Penny released a small sigh, then tugged him closer and pulled him into a hug. “I’ll miss you.” Jamie nodded his head against her sleeve. “Ditto,” he sadly remarked.<br/><br/>Penny pulled back and ruffled his hair once more, only to be met with a disgruntled look from her baby cousin. Once rising to full height again, she turned to face her aunt, who was already holding her arms out expectantly. After hugging each of her parents with what some would call a side hug - at best - Penny was finally ready to take the trolley from Jamie, stepping up to the edge of the platform, near one of the doors.<br/><br/>When she was about to board, Penny turned over a shoulder and waved at her family. There were no tears to be shed, save for possibly Jamie, who would probably miss her the most. Then again, Penny hadn’t expected any different. Stepping onto the train, Penny quickly stepped into the first empty compartment and pressed her hand against the window, smiling a sad smile at Jamie on the opposite side of the glass, on the other end of the platform.<br/><br/>She was the lucky one - born with magic inside of her, through no work or will of her own, without ever even asking for it, or all of the expectations that came along with it. Yet, he… the boy who wanted nothing more than to be magical, would never get the chance to stand in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts Express.<br/><br/>She pointed at him with her free hand, a fingertip pressed against the window, as if to say that she was doing this for him. Jamie wiped his nose on his sleeve, the tears streaming down his face freely, even as his mother awkwardly hugged him. Penny was the lucky one - or so Jamie declared. He, on the other hand, had not been born so lucky.<br/><br/>Releasing a long sigh, Penny’s head lowered, her lashes sealing shut. “Lucky…” she muttered to herself, her hands sliding from the glass as she turned to lean against the window, her back turned on her family.<em>‘If he only knew…’</em>She thought despondently to herself, folding arms over chest. Her resolve was to endure it all for Jamie. Allowing him to live vicariously through her. It was the most that she could do for him, though it was not nearly good enough.