Imperturbatus

A. PLATFORM 9¾ ✩ open to all;
Cecil had never seen anything like it.

A powerful howling beast of hot iron and glossy bright color, bellowing great white clouds of steam as it pulled into the station, the machine rivaled the majesty and overwhelming presence of even the flagship of the Red Wings to her. That was no easy feat, to be sure. The airships at home had always made her heart swell with pride and excitement when they would near Castle Baron upon returning home from a long voyage across the Blue Planet. The fleet was a symbol of Baron's might and authority, in addition to being the world's greatest achievement in engineering.

This thing they called a locomotive though and everything she saw outside of this particular enchanted platform of the station did not fill her with wonder so much as fear, however. It made her feel small and even more out of place than she already knew she was, boarding for passage to this Hogwarts everyone kept talking about, reminding her of her vulnerability and powerlessness. The young knight couldn't understand the joy and anticipation that was thick in the air coming off the other students practically in visible waves, and the ceiling over their heads as they all streamed into the long wood and metal tube seemed uncomfortably cramped to her. She had never seen a train before, or automobiles, cars, or tall and cold towers made of glass and steel. This was not her world and that much was clear right away. Diagon Alley had actually been a place of solace with its familiar village atmosphere and she was sad to leave it behind.

At the very back of the train, Cecil holes away into one of the few empty passenger compartments and took the opportunity for a breather, sighing deeply and leaning her head back against the cushioned seat. She closes her eyes and tries to wonder why on earth anyone would send a newly pledged dark knight to a school for mages.

B. HUFFLEPUFF BASEMENT ✩ open to all hufflepuff;
As much as Cecil knew she didn't belong in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, settling in finally was at least much easier than she expected it to be. The school operated out of a castle, which was of course a setting that she was very much acquainted with, and most details of daily life didn't shock or perplex her, right down to the little red envelopes that some students got from their parents, presumably, that would scream a blue streak of scolding at the poor recipient. The boat ride over to the castle and the sorting ceremony had been fascinating, albeit, and the magic of the Great Hall impressive, but Cecil found it all comforting and wondrous-- quite different from the trip over on the Hogwarts Express.

She couldn't even find a single thing about her house so far that made her feel discontent. Her fellow Hufflepuffs were warm and friendly, welcoming and protective, much like the basement they called their common room. The knight is curled up by the fire on one of the overly squashy yellow sofas, resting her chin on her hands where they are folded over the arm of the couch. In her lap snoozes the tiny black and white kitten that was foisted off on her while she was gathering school supplies in Diagon Alley, but Cecil is looking up through the rounded windows at the starry night sky and the single solitary moon hanging low, wondering what everyone in Baron is doing right now and if they've begun to wonder in turn where she is.

C. HOGWARTS CASTLE & GROUNDS, AFTER CURFEW ✩ open to all;
It isn't that Cecil doesn't like her new home away from home. All things considered, she's surprisingly happy to be there, if such an incident was truly unavoidable. This doesn't change, though, that she shouldn't be here and there are still things she has to do in Baron. Kain and Rose, no doubt, must be worried and the Queen, too, beginning to tire probably of her absence. There is training to do, and lessons to be taught in leadership and the principles of flight. She might be young still in many people's opinions, but she chose her future a long time ago and she is still adamant to walk that path she set out on as a small child.

Magic isn't her realm and it never has been. And that's why she's stalking the halls and grounds of Hogwarts far past curfew tonight, hoping to learn all she can about the place and determined to find some knowledge useful in her quest to find a way back home.