The Tale of the Black Knight: The Mark

An Enchanted Arrival

Granted, this was her very first train ride taken during her entire lifetime and a great most of it was spent looking out the window side while listening to others bicker about charms and nifflers. Already, Lyra could very well tell that the girl Granger was going to tail them as soon as they got off, but that first impression was either a blessing or a curse. However, there came the moment when her imagination went on about this new place in her life. Her Guardian's words played through like a new record, of it being a grand castle, soon to be an ulcer for her when classes would begin. How true would that be? Was this palace of sorts be so massive that it would make her head spin? Because that is exactly what it sounded like.

After the few hours of coasting through the endless land of lakes and creaks, the train began to trail alongside an incredibly mighty lake side. As the train kept tugging, the bigger the lake got, to the point that they were crossing over it on a bridge. Having never been so far before, Lyra, without Ron's encouragement, stayed pasted to the sill, watching the scapes go by them. There were no roads or small towns anymore. The train just continued to worm its way along the hillsides and wild orchards.

After the endless readings of what would lie out there, it only made her more googly eyed at the fact that there was so much more in store. Her attention wasn't stolen, even when Ron was struggling to cage his rat back into its containment.

"You minding then!?" he grunted.

Lyra only smiled with growing excitement. The butterflies in her stomach tempted her to fly.

"If my Sire is so well known, I can only imagine now~"

"It's not Christmas yet,"

"But it sure feels like it— To me!" she cheered, looking back at him for a moment. "At least I'm not on the floor, scurrying, like you!" she teased.

"Hogwarts is one of the best schools out there. Me brother's been barkin' about it for two years straight. It better be good..."

"How can you sound so bored?" she scoffed before casting her eyes to the window again. "This is something I've looked forward to. Not one photo of it, only words about. I've only heard and have not seen!"

"I know, wit' you bein' inspired an' all, a little help?" he prodded when somehow that rat decided to hide under the cabin seat cushions.

Lyra rolled her eyes and returned only to find Ron having one embarrassing moment after the other especially with passing fellow students snickering as they passed. She glowered.

"He's yours, isn't he? I should talk though. My own owl gave a quite a stir before today..."

"He just don't like his cage very much, or... he just hates me,"

"Don't say that." she furrowed, getting down on her knees with him.

"He was my brother's Percy's for awhile, so I guess he's in our shoes at this rate."

"He's already in a shoe," Lyra pointed out in her bewilderment, sighting that the rat had burrowed its face into a neglected slipper. Ron sighed as he took a whack at the critter, forcing him to try and clamber on to the other end. He got snatched by a hat though, spooking the chattering students in the next cabin. Lyra landed hard on the floor with her catch. "Got him!"

Naturally, she thanked all the times of chasing LouLou through out the house so many times. This beast so big that it wasn't much of a far cry. "First impressions should not include chasing old rats, Ron." she panted as the critter fiddled about in her grip before she helped place him back into the cage. "Now I know what to expect,"

"Oi, better now then never..." Ron blushed. "Thanks! S-say then, you dwelled with the Raven. Maybe you can help me in potions."

"Raven. Haven't heard that one before," Lyra hung under her breath for a moment, but truthfully... he wasn't far off with that description. "...yet, he's my raven." she sneered before sitting back down again. "If you want a cheat, you're asking the wrong person—"