"Go ahead and go first. It's your day after all!" Tidus called back to Nolan from the front of the group. The eleven year old had insisted on pushing his own luggage cart. He gave a light scowl in Tidus' direction but the young man merely chuckled, "People are gonna get the impression you don't want to be here." The boy smiled at this, "Yeah, yeah whatever. Just don't know why you had to come. I didn't need a whole crowd to see me off." 

"Nonsense, son. You've faithfully come and seen everyone off. The least they can do is do the same," Thomas said. The older man's age was starting to show, particularly in his hair, but his attitude showed no hint of weakness or frailty. "I'm sure Gus would have joined us too if he was here." He ruffled his youngest son's hair and patted his back gently nudging him along. 

Nolan stepped through the barrier onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the scarlet engine taking his breath away as it had done every year past. The general sound of the train station changed instantly, with all sorts of bangs and whistles and cries of strange pets filling the air. The smile returned to his face once more, this time with a much greater feeling. He was finally going to get to go. Today was his day indeed. Roy followed in behind him, his own luggage cart holding the boys' owl, Fletch, who was clearly not enjoying this day. Judoc, Tidus, and their parents soon followed. The boys loaded their luggage onto the train, joking and making bets as to what house Nolan would end up in. Tidus in particular was ready to put down fifteen galleons on Nolan's placement in Hufflepuff like him. "It's only natural. We're the hardest workers and it would be completely appropriate for the youngest and the oldest to be in the same house."

His parents however, were more concerned with making sure he behaved at school and kept on track. "Don't give up, try hard, have fun, but not so much you get in trouble." With a few more goodbyes and last minute reminders from their parents and Tidus, the three younger Archer boys boarded the train at last. Roy immediately went off to find some girl who he'd been exchanging owls with for the past week or so, apparently unaware of the glob of red paint stuck to his sleeve. 

Nolan looked at Judoc, and the two held back their snickers long enough for Roy to be out of earshot. "I think some of my friends have brothers and sisters in first year who they can introduce you to if you want to come sit in my compartment," Judoc commented, his tone seeming to imply that it'd also be a good place to stay out of trouble. Nolan just shook his head. "I can manage. Besides I want to see more of this train. I'll see you on the boats," he said as he headed off, unaware that only the first years took the boats to the castle. He wandered up and down the corridor a bit, disappointed to find that the Hogwarts Express, despite it's magic environment, behaved like any other train.

He came across a compartment empty of all but one boy with his kitten. This seemed like as good a place as any. "Hey, you mind if I sit here? I promise not to fall asleep and snore the whole time, or get motion sickness, or unload all my family drama on you." Even as he said this, he began to shove his trunk under the seat across from the boy and tossed his backpack onto the seat.