Eden packed up the final bits of her life at Ilvermorny into her Thunderbird extension charmed duffle bag; her hair brush, a favorite Queen t-shirt, and a pack of spearmint gum. The dark hues of red and yellow began to look faded with the six years of wear since she'd bought it during her first year. Her Ilvermorny dorm room looked exceptionally bare now that she finally had a chance to look around, other than the stack of summer clothes she'd be leaving behind since the Scottish Highlands had no use for flip flops or jean shorts, when her best friend Gina burst through the door. "Okay. Dude. I know we said we wouldn't get mushy, but what am I supposed to do here without you? While you are off galavanting with Lord knows who across the Scottish countryside, I could die of loneliness." A wry smile spread across Eden's face as she looked down at her best friend now gracelessly draping herself over Eden's luggage with a forlorn look on her face and her arm draped across her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you will do just fine carrying on without me; just find someone else to complain to about Professor Phillips." Gina shot up. "You don't know that!" Gina began an exaggerated stage whisper, "These ladies aren't exactly our biggest fans," looking around at the empty beds that were inhabited by their dorm mates, Theresa, Kalli, and Maliah.
Eden rolled her eyes, "You should have thought about that before you decided to drink too much giggly water last year and tell every girl in our house what they could fix about themselves." Gina let out a long exaggerated guffaw, "Yeah. Well not my best moment, but literally that was all true. No regrets." Eden couldn't help but love Gina more as a sister than a dorm mate or friend. Their first year they were sorted into the same house, Thunderbird, and became fast friends when they both realized that adventure was in their blood while many of the other young eleven year old girls were too afraid. Gina's Brooklyn attitude and Eden's Boston stubbornness made them a force to be reckoned with and her classmates knew it. Gina had stuck by her side all throughout their years at Ilvermorny willing to go to war for each other on the school front as well as the home front. The past three summers, Eden had basically lived in Brooklyn with Gina and her mom in a seven story walk up and nothing felt closer to home before.
Eden's eyes began to get misty as the memories with her best friend rushed through her and she began to realize that she would be missing out on so much when she left for Hogwarts and the Triwizard Tournament. Life wouldn't stop here at Ilvermorny just because she was gone. Strangely enough, the world would keep turning even when her and Justin left Greylock Mountain. This realization came plummeting through her like an ice water bath and she turned to look at her best friend. Gina stared back and noticed the misting in Eden's eyes. All bravado gone, she lowered her arms and walked over to Eden and wrapped her in a warm hug hoping that it would sustain her through the twirling portkeys across the Atlantic. Speaking in a hushed tone into her hair, "I will miss you like crazy, sis. I hope you know that. I'll write you as often as humanly possible." The genuine love in Gina's words pulled at Eden's heart strings which made her hold on tighter.
Seemingly too soon, Eden broke the hug and wiped her eyes hastily on her Nirvana t-shirt. Two years before, Gina's mom, Beth, had taken her and Gina to a Nirvana concert in Seattle over winter break because Beth believed that being a witch was sacred and important but sometimes you had to "rock with the muggle bands". The night was full of laughter and singing off key to the songs that Gina had grown up with. That is when Eden realized that by sharing this experience with her, she had found a family with this mother-daughter household. That t-shirt was one of her most prized possessions. Gina reached down for her sweater and tugged it up, showing that she was also wearing her Nirvana t-shirt. "Always, baby, always." Giving her a heart stopping smile, she picked up Eden's duffle bag and slung an arm around her shoulder. "Grab your pillow and let's get downstairs. Justin is going to come unhinged if you are late." Together they walked out of their shared dorm room.
"My God, woman, did you end up sewing all new clothes while you were up there?" Justin's anger was always mellowed by his use of analogies that always made Eden and Gina laugh at him. harshly. and usually in his face. His dark skin seemed taut with nerves as his equally dark eyes glanced over the two girls as they strolled into the main hall with his the sound of his foot tapping relentlessly on the stone floors. Gina released her hand from Eden's shoulder and gave him an annoyed huff, "You are honestly too much. Has anyone ever told you that before?"
"You. You have told me that before. And yet, you still hang around me." Justin gave her a smirk that began to ease away his anxiety. "Well it looks like I won't be hanging around anyone this year because I'll be all alone." Eden could tell Gina was amping up for another dramatic display of despair but this time on Justin's trunk. Before she could lay across it, Justin levitated the trunk above his head. "Let's get going Ede before Miss Priss decides to have a meltdown." Even though he had just insulted Gina, Justin walked up to her and enveloped her in a hug that only Justin could give and kissed her temple. Gina turned and kissed his cheek while she moved towards Eden again for one last quick hug. Pulling her arms back and taking a step back, Gina smiled at them both, "Good luck, my intrepid adventurers. Send me letters or assume I'll light your beds on fire." With this last sentiment, she turned around and walked back up the stairs from the main hall. Justin and Eden turned towards each other and smiled broadly. "Let's go."
Eden and Justin had been traveling all day to arrive at Hogwarts and be unceremoniously stuffed in a classroom upon their arrival. "You both will be taking the sixth year's classes while you are an ambassador here. I assume the expectations will be just as high or higher than Ilvermorny while you attend." Eden could tell the severe looking woman was closing in on the end of her speech. They had been sitting there for two hours as she had droned on about their daily lives as well as their tasks and responsibilities as ambassadors. "Now that I believe you are sufficiently briefed on your stay at Hogwarts there will be one last thing. You will need to be sorted into different houses."
"Wait, Professor, Justin and I are the only two students from Ilvermorny. We thought we would be able to stay together."
"I'm sorry Miss Chambers, that is not the case. Yourself and Mr Stewart will have to be sorted. See it as an additional task as an ambassador to fully immerse yourselves into Hogwarts daily life." With this Professor McGonagall turned towards the door to lead the new students out of the room, and Eden looked at Justin and rolled her eyes. Following her through corridor after corridor, Justin turned to Eden, "Dude, I don't want to be split up. What if something bad happens? Or I don't know, everyone here hates us."
"Justin, you are one of the only people in the world I care about. Pretty sure they will love you no matter what house you are in. Plus I'll see you during classes and free period and I assume we will get to sit together for meals and stuff. Just no dorm time. It'll be okay." Eden gave him a brief smile, while on the inside her stomach did somersaults. She never worried about Justin, but she would have to up her game in the friendliness department if she wanted to have anyone to talk to during her time without him. "If you follow me through here we can sort you, introduce you to the students and staff, and then begin the feast. The first task is next week so many students are fluttered with nerves. Finding your tables will allow you some time to meet your housemates as well as collect some information for your ambassador tasks." McGonagall gave them both a tight smile and led them to a side room off of what Eden assumed was the cafeteria. She could hear students filing in loudly. The familiar chaotic sounds of their own cafeteria made her feel a little more at ease. These kids couldn't be too different than what she was used to, could they?
After sitting down on the stool, Professor McGonagall plopped an old wizard's hat on Eden's head as it barked out, "Slytherin!" Next Justin filed toward the hat and it calmly stated, "He is a Gryffindor through and through, Professor." While watching Justin, Eden tried to remember the meanings of the different houses at Hogwarts. After taking her ambassador's exam she tried to read up on Hogwarts before she quickly became bored by the monotonous history. Now Ilvermorny: A History that was a page turner. Back at school, Justin and Eden were both Thunderbirds. They bled red, gold, and white and now it seemed like Justin wouldn't have to change his school colors. "Although you are wearing your muggle clothes, we will take you into the Great Hall for introductions. It is getting late and we wouldn't want to wait any longer." Justin looked down at his graphic t shirt and jeans with well placed scuffs and holes along the knees and then glanced over at Eden, "Damn, we are going to make quite the American impression in our "muggle" clothes won't we?" A smile overtook Justin's face as glee filled his eyes and Eden began to laugh. The "muggle" or nomaj clothes professor McGonagall assumed they were wearing, were often the clothes they found themselves in on any weekend at Ilvermorny. Yes robes were often worn for school but the minute that bell rang, students throughout the school ran to their dorms to change into their real clothes. The laughing felt like it wouldn't stop as she saw the "grunge" vibe both of them gave off. This is exactly how Gina would want them to look, but Headmaster Thompson might not agree with their chosen first impression. Professor McGonagall led them into the Great Hall while they both tried to stifle their giggles until they found themselves on the stage in front of 400 students staring quietly back at them. Their laughs died in their throats as heat began to rush up both of their necks and cheeks.
"Students, we have been given the opportunity to host two ambassadors from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft during the Triwizard Tournament. They will be participating in the sixth year's classes as well as writing journalism pieces on the tournament as well as life here at Hogwarts. I encourage you to make them both feel welcome as they become familiarized with life here. With that in mind, they have both been sorted into their appropriate Hogwarts houses. Justin Stewart will be joining Gryffindor while Eden Chambers will be sorted into Slytherin." With this statement, both Justin and Eden felt a slight tug towards their appropriate table and began to shuffle away from each other as they took quick glances back and forth.
"Let the feast begin." Eden had found an open seat towards the very end of Slytherin table which was clearly far away from any other students of the house. The closest housemates she could see were at most 13 years old and ogled Eden when she looked their way. She rolled her eyes and began to fill her plate with chicken and vegetables because much of the other food looked like meat concealed into large dark pies. After filling her plate, she took another quick glance at Justin; already he had been adopted into a middle part of the table with other students their age and was engrossed by the questions of the students around him. "This will be just wonderful." Eden muttered to herself.
"What will be wonderful?" A boy looking to be around her age with brown hair and dark brown eyes looked back at her as he plopped down next to her. "Because if that is your boyfriend, I would start to be worried. Parvarti Patil and Lavender Brown are both looking at him like he's supper." A wry smile spread across the boy's face as Eden glanced towards Justin and saw the hungry look in the girls' eyes around him. He had that affect on people. "He's not my boyfriend. We are just friends," Eden retorted as she turned back to her dinner and began to eat, but the boy didn't seem to get the hint and leave. "I'm Theo, by the way. Theo Nott. It is nice to meet you although you don't look spectacularly pleased to meet me." At this Eden couldn't help but look up at him and remember her plan while she was here: up her friendliness game and have at least one person other than Justin to hang around and talk to. "It is nice to meet you. I'm sorry, just a little tired from all the traveling. I'm Eden Chambers." She gave Theo an award winning smile and stuck our her hand to him. Shaking it, he looked back at some of the boys near the middle of the table and smirked. Eden pulled her hand back and went back to finishing her dinner to allow her to more quickly get out of there to meet up with Justin. Already she felt lonely.
"Well, the real reason why I am here is because yes, do you see those boys and that girl staring back at us?" He pointed towards two boys, one light skinned and another with such pale skin and white hair Eden wondered if he was sick or something, and a girl with chestnut brown pixie cut hair. The girl gave a small wave when the light skinned boy stood up from the bench and yelled, "Come on down here, babe!" The girl then turned towards the boy and slapped him in the arm and gave him a stern look. Eden smiled and turned back to Theo, "Yeah, them. So they sent me to ask if you would like to come sit with us. We are your age- sixth years- so you don't have to spend your whole first meal at Hogwarts hanging with some Freddy First Years." He gave a quick glance at her table mates and looked back at her, "What do you say, Grunge? Want to join?"
Already picking up her plate she replied, "Only if you promise to never call me Grunge again. We didn't have time to change."
"Hey, I like the American Grunge scene. Also, Nirvana? Way to make an impression. That is a great muggle band." Eden looked at him while he escorted her back to his part of the table, "Well, I'm glad to hear it. I was worried this would be a wasteland for my musical taste."
"Stick close to me, Grunge, and you'll be good." Theo winked at her as he sat down and left an open spot for her. "Eden, let me make your acquaintance with my friends." Pointing first at the girl with the pixie cut, "This is Daphne Greengrass. Charms extraordinaire, if you ever need any help." The girl gave her a genuine smile and looked her up and down with bright blue eyes framed by dark black lashes. Freckles seemed sprinkled across her nose and cheeks and complemented her porcelain skin tone. "Welcome, Eden. We are glad to have you."
"Next we have Draco Malfoy and then Blaise Zabini. I would steer clear of him." Theo pointed out the two boys and Blaise looked back aghast, "Don't believe a word he says, beautiful, I'm the only snake you can trust here." The other boy, Draco, rolled his eyes while Eden got a better look at him. His skin before seem pale from sickness, but now that she was closer she could see that it was a beautiful alabaster color that almost seemed to shine in the shadows from the torches on the walls. It was mesmerizing. "I saw you really took the Come As You Are vibe to the extreme, Chambers." Draco then appraised her with his eyes. "But it works for you." He looked up at her and smirked slightly. "The Nevermind album is one of my favorites, but not the intention with my clothing. I guess when you aren't allowed time to change into robes then I guess you have to come as you are after a day of travel across the Atlantic, Malfoy." She shot him a glare after the dig at her clothing and music choice. "Bloody hell, Malfoy, she's been here for two minutes and she already refuses to take your shit. I could get used to this." Theo then threw an arm over Eden's shoulder.
Maybe being a Slytherin wouldn't be so bad, Eden thought to herself as Theo pulled away and began eating. She couldn't wait to tell Justin that she may have made some friends too. She glanced back right as he did the same and they smiled to each other and then turned back around to their new house mates.