disclaimer: if i owned harry potter i wouldn't be a design student trying to get views on this story :D
Clarisse Attwood marched down the stairs, wand in hand, determined to figure out what exactly was the ruckus downstairs, the ruckus that woke her up well before she needed to be up.
She paused at the foot of the stairs as her father ran past her, darting out with Harry Potter.
"Dad?" She called, but he had already gone, the door slamming being her only response.
"—can't thank you enough Eliz, I've to go now—oh! Clarisse, you're up, I'm sorry, it must have been us making all these noise, I'm sorry, your mum will explain to you I have to go now!" And just like the two men before, Ginny Potter, speaking at a mile a minute as she emerged from the living room, rushed out of the front door.
Clarisse merely blinked, still not awake enough to process what had happened, or was she still sleeping, and merely dreaming about the adults behaving weirdly?
She walked in to the room Ginny had just zoomed out of, to find Lily, Albus and James seated in her living room. "James?" She asked incredously, "What are you doing here at—" She checked the clock by the fireplace, squinting to read the numbers in the dark. "4am in the morning?" As if saying the time made her realize what a horrible timing it was, Lily promptly yawned and leaned against Albus, closing her eyes.
"I'm not really sure myself," James said as he stood up and walked towards her, even at such a time in the morning he still had a certain swagger in his walk. "All I know is Mum yanked us out of bed, telling us not to question anything as she brought us here."
"Do you think it's another raid?" Clarisse asked, suddenly feeling very awake. Their fathers worked in the same Auror department, and because they lived a short distance away from each other, the two families were quite close, whenever something work related crops up, the wives would gather their kids and spend time together, but never in this fashion. This was urgent, dangerous, and Clarisse could see from James's eyes he thought the same, despite him trying to cover it up.
"Don't worry," He said with a slight squeeze to her shoulder, "I'm sure everything will be okay. It's our dads, they'll be alright." At that statement, Clarisse relaxed a bit, nodding. James is right, it's our dads, they'll be alright.
"Oh, honey, did we wake you with the noise?" Clarisse turned around at the sound of her mother's voice. Elizabeth Attwood was carrying 4 cups of hot chocolate and several biscuits on a tray, which she quickly set down and gestured for the Potter kids to help themselves.
"Yes, but it's fine." Clarisse said dismissively, tucking her unruly brown hair behind her ear. "Mum, what happened? The Potters never had to have you look after their kids before, it's something serious, isn't it."
"Don't worry, honey." Elizabeth said as she took her daughter's hands in hers and patted them. "It's just a more .. serious situation, Ginny didn't want the kids to wake up and feel confused as to why their parents weren't home, so she brought them here."
"Is it a raid?" Clarisse asked, "Or a auror mission, a—"
"Clary," Her mum sighed, "You know we can't talk about it." She patted her on the cheek lovingly, before turning to the three children that she watched grow up. "Would you three want to go catch some sleep?"
Albus gave Lily a side eye look, shifting uncomfortably, "Anything, as long as she stops use me as a pillow." He said with slight malice, making James narrow his eyes at his younger brother.
"She can use the guestroom." Elizabeth said as James scooped his younger sister up and nodded his thanks at her.
Clarisse followed the two Potters up to the second level, heading to her room and grabbing her Gryffindor hoodie and pulling it over her tight tank top and pajama bottoms. There was no way she can go back to sleep now, she was worried, over yet another top secret mission from the stupid auror department.
She sighed, nearly choking on the toothpaste in her mouth as she quickly gurgled it out. She tied her hair and splashed cold water on her face. Staring at her reflection, a sixteen year old girl stared back at her, with a splash of freckles decorating her nose and top of her cheeks. She was slightly tanned, due to her father's Croatian background, which resulted in her slightly foreign features, such as her down turned nose. Her green eyes looked tired, due to her current lack of sleep, and her brown curls were tied in a haphazard bun of mess.
"He'll be okay. Dad will be okay."
It was eight am when Benneth Attwood rose, preparing for his morning jog, and was only slightly surprised to see his mate snoring slightly on his living room sofa.
"Oi, Potter." James turned from the chess match he was having with Clarisse at that point of time, and Clarisse looked up as well. Benneth smacked Albus with his towel, making him jerk awake and scowl at his fellow Slytherin. Bennett merely chuckled as Albus sat up and punched him in return. "I get that you miss me, no need for the morning surprise." He joked. His eyes scanned the room, finally noticing their older siblings watching them as he waved at them cheerily.
"'M not here for you, you twat." Albus yawned, still deep in sleep. "Dads have a raid or some shit."
"Oh," Bennett said, processing that information for a minute before shrugging. "I'm going for a jog, you coming?" Albus nodded, long used to his lack of reaction towards anything as he asked for a set of jogging gear.
Clarisse watched Bennett and Albus go, the two of them could easily pass off as brothers, especially with the bed head Bennett has this morning. Bennett looked more like Elizabeth, fairer skin and piercing blue eyes, only resembling their father in physique. That was probably the reason why he was one of the most sought after blokes in Hogwarts, something Clarisse doesn't know whether to be proud or disgusted by.
"Checkmate." James declared, bringing Clarisse out of her thoughts, She sighed when she saw James had indeed conquered the chessboard, and frowned.
"I'm sorry, I must be extremely boring to play against today." Clarisse said, stretching her stiff legs.
"Stop making excuses for losing against my brilliant chess skills." James joked, and Clarisse gave him a feeble smile. She turned, once again looking out of the window to see if her Dad was coming home yet. "So, what classes are you taking this year?" James asked, hoping to distract her.
They pair of them were starting their sixth year of Hogwarts, and although their families were close and brothers even closer, they never really sought each other's company except for such moments, when their families gathered, and never had the chance to talk about which classes they would take for their last two years at Hogwarts.
"I chose potions, ancient runes, muggle studies, transfiguration, defence against the dark arts and charms."
"Sounds like the classes needed to be an auror." James pointed out as Clarisse shrugged uncomfortably.
"I got mainly Os and Es so I was eligible for almost everything, I just wrote down everything, keeping my options open, who knows if I'll get in to Transfiguration and Potions, I'm horrid at those." Clarisse had been complimented several times on her studies, and often suggested she followed in the footsteps of her father and be an auror, but she hated this feeling of worry, and wouldn't want any of her loved ones to go through this if she ever became and auror.
"I chose about the same classes as you, cept that I have care of magical studies instead of muggle studies. I'm just glad we don't have to take History of Magic anymore," At this Clarisse chuckled, nodding along. "Binns is horrible."
"Morning," Fletcher Attwood, otherwise known as Fleet greeted, running a hand through his wavy black hair, before blinking at the presence of James Potter chatting and playing chess with his sister at eight am in the morning. "What are you doing here?"
"Why's Lily Potter snoring away in our guest room?" Devon asked, appearing next to his twin in the doorway, raising his eyebrows at James.
"Auror business?" The boys asked in unison, piecing two and two together as Clarisse nodded.
Devon whistled, "Must be pretty serious if the Potters have to come over."
"It'll be okay, though, don't worry." James said, more for Clarisse as he watched the worry show on her face as she bit her lip nervously.
"I'm gonna go make some breakfast!" Fleet said excitedly, turning to his sister. "Care to help, sister dear?"
"Just let me do it, we certainly do not want a reenactment of last time you cooked." Fleet merely smiled cheekily.
"It wasn't my fault the eggs expired!" Fleet yelled in his defense as Clarisse laughed, shaking her head as she left for the kitchen.
"So, how did that cooking disaster end?" James asked, making Clarisse jump; she did not know he had followed her.
"A lot, a lot, of vomiting." Clarisse shuddered at the memory, "My mum went to visit her sister for the day, and Dad couldn't remember the spell to cure us, so for one entire day the house, and us, smelled horrible!"
James chuckled, helping Clarisse take the pancake mix she was tiptoeing for.
"Thanks, can you help me get the pan over at that drawer?" James walked over to where Clarisse was pointing, and took out a pan. He turned around and saw Clarisse hunched near the doorway, pressing her ear against the wall.
"Clarisse, what—?" She hissed at James to be quiet, beckoning him over as he hurried over, wondering what the emergency was.
"—they left for a raid, yes, yes I know, I know—" There was some crying, and James felt Clarisse stiffen up next to him because it was Elizabeth Attwood talking, and crying. Clarisse tiptoed out, moving nearer to where her mum was as at. She was hunched over the fireplace, floo calling someone.
"Oh, Elizi, I can come over right now, do you want me to?" It was her Aunt, Alicia Spinnet, or rather, Alicia Jordan.
"No, no I'm okay, just, worried, it's something serious, something bigger than all those previous times, more dangerous—" Clarisse squeezed past James, disappearing in to the kitchen. James hesitated for a moment before following Clarisse.
She was hunched over the kitchen counter, fingers gripping it so hard they were turning white. Her head was bowed down, but because her hair was up, James could see the tears dripping down, splattering on the counter.
Normally, James would've turned the other direction if he sees someone crying, but he grew up with Clarisse, there was no way he could ignore the sight of her so miserable, and not do a thing.
He pried her fingers away from the counter slowly, touching her shoulder and squeezing it gently, like he'd seen his dad do many times to his mum.
"They're going to be okay." He said, as she shook her head,
"You don't know that," She whispered, hugging herself and backing away from him. "They always go, always leave, in the middle of the night, halfway through a vacation. He always goes and we have no idea of knowing what is going on until it's over. He has brushed death so many times, I.." She paused, taking a deep breath as she leaned against the cupboards and sank down.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm just—"
"Worried." James sat opposite Clarisse, against the kitchen counter with his legs crossed. "I know your dad does more field work, my dad mostly sits behind a desk, and I'm sorry he has to go out all the time."
"It's for the 'greater good'" Clarisse makes air quotes with her fingers, wiping away her tears hastily.
"I'm just more worried this time, because Mum rarely cries, it's.. frightening, to see her so worked up.. but thanks James." She added after several moments of silence.
"Anytime, Clary." James grinned. It was such a genuine smile Clarisse couldn't help but smile back. "What do you say we get started on the pancakes we promised?"
"Sure." Clarisse accepted the hand James offered, and the two started on the pancakes. They worked silently, Clarisse taking over the flipping off the pancakes when James proved to be awful at it.
"No! No, let me try, I can do it this time, trust me." Clarisse rolled her eyes exasperatedly, handing him the spatula as James grinned excitedly. "Watch, and learn." He said smugly as he scooped a pancake up and flipped it over, squealing excitedly when it landed perfectly. Clarisse couldn't contain her laughter as he made a victory dance with the spatula, looking absolutely ridiculous with his messy hair and pajamas.
"And the Masterchef tittle goes to James Sirius Potter! Woooooo, thank you, thank you." He placed the spatula in front of his mouth, pretending it was a microphone as Clarisse leaned against the counter, elbows on as she propped her head up with her hands. "I would like to thank my lovely assistant, Clarisse Attwood, for being a superb pancake mix pourer, thank you very much."
"I see you kids are having fun." Andrich Attwood said from the doorway, looking tired and muddy, but with a smile on his face.
"Dad!" Clarisse ran to her father, hugging him tightly as her younger brothers ran out to meet him.
"Oh, Andrich you're back!" Clarisse stepped away as her dad ran to meet her mother, hugging her tightly by the foot of the staircase. Clarisse smiled happily at their reunion, placing a hand on each shoulder of the twins.
James grinned at the sight of the Attwood family, before his smile grew bigger when his parents walked in to the kitchen. His dad had a cut on his forehead, but other than that, he was fine.
"Dad, you okay?" James asked, hugging him lightly as Harry clapped him on the back, nodding. "Gonna share what happened?" James asked this question every time Harry left for an auror mission, but will always be met with the same answer.
"Nope." Harry said as he placed an arm around Ginny, smirking at his son who scowled.
"We can get breakfast as soon as Albus and Bennett are back, and we just have to wake Lily and—"
"Oh crap the pancakes!" James howled as him and Clarisse scrambled back in to the kitchen, saving the pancakes that were still lying on the pan.
"Clary!" A long leggy blonde squealed, throwing her arms around Clarisse as she chuckled, nearly getting knocked over by the sudden weight named Macey Whithers.
"Macey! How's your summer been?" Clarisse asked after the pair detangled themselves from each other, and Macey opened her mouth to answer when a tall Ravenclaw came and swept her away, pulling her by the waist.
"Urgh, Summers!" She whined, dodging Charles Summers whom was currently peppering her face and neck with kisses.
"You better go, kids, go get a compartment." Clarisse's father said, accepting the hug she offered.
"Be careful at work." She murmured as she buried her face in to his neck, squeezing him tightly. Clarisse wasn't as much of a daddy's girl as she used to be, but she'd always have a soft spot for her father's hugs.
"You be careful at school." He said in return, chuckling as he smoothened her hair.
"Bye sweetheart, take care alright, be careful in Quidditch, and balance your prefect and school studies well!" Her mother said, hugging her tightly and kissing her on the forehead.
Clarisse waved good bye to her parents as they fawned over Bennett, who simply waved them away as he saunters over to his Slytherin friends.
"Come on, Macey, let's go get a compartment." Clarisse said as she dragged her friend away from Charles.
"Phew, thanks for saving me." Macey said, giving her friend an one armed hug.
"Saving you? He's your boyfriend!" Clarisse exclaimed, "You're not suppose to want saving from your boyfriend."
"Clarisse, for the hundredth time, Charlie Summers isn't my boyfriend. We're not exclu—"
"Are we talking about Macey's Not-boyfriend-because-they-are-not-exclusive?" Tabitha Acardi asked, suddenly popping up inbetween the two.
"Tabby!" Clarisse hugged her fellow gryffie roommate as the Italian girl grinned, hugging her two friends in return.
"Look at you! Getting a wicked tan after going to Italy, boys are going to go head over heels that."
"Macey, not all of us need a boy like you." Clarisse pointed out as Tabitha laughed.
"Not all of us need boys like you, Mace." Tabitha corrected, making Macey scowl as the two girls started bickering, making Clarisse laugh at their childishness. Amongst the five Gryffindor girls that share a room, Tabitha and Macey are often the ones who buttheads the most often, their squabbles keeping their friends entertained.
"Hey Clarisse." Callum Falone said, grinning at Clarisse as she turned away from the two bickering girls. "How was your summer?"
"Oh! Hi Callum," She grinned at the seventh year, "Same old same old, just at home the entire time and — oh! You're Head Boy!" She yelped excitedly, noticing the shiny new badge pinned on his chest. Callum looked down and blushed, grinning sheepishly.
"I'm not showing off, I swear, Robbie pinned it on my chest just now to make fun of it." He said sheepishly, rubbing his neck awkwardly. Robbie Falone, upon hearing his name, walked next to his cousin and slung an arm around Callum's shoulders.
"Heya ladies." He called, capturing the attention of the two bickering gryffindors as everyone turned to the only Ravenclaw. "Holding up the line, I see." Robbie pointed out, gesturing to several younger students queuing to enter the train behind them.
The girls scrambled for their trunks, heaving it up the train as the two lads acted as gentleman and helped them carry it.
"Thanks, but go help Macey, I'm ok." Tabitha said when Robbie offered a hand, and he shrugged, heeding her advice.
The five of them walked past several occupied compartments before Clarisse spotted a familiar head of strawberry blonde hair. She slid open the compartment door as the two other girls chorused her name excitedly. "LYDIA!"
The girl named Lydia Darling jumped in the midst of pushing her trunk up the baggage rack, a difficult feat for a girl of 150 centermetres, and lost her hold of it. She would have been crushed flat by it had Robbie not squeeze through the girls and grabbed her round the waist, pulling her to safety.
The petite girl stared at Robbie, who was looking at her worriedly, anxious that the trunk might have hit her after all for she looked like she was in a daze.
"Lydia? Are you okay?" He asked, causing her to open and close her mouth several times. Lydia was not trying to imitate a fish, but the knowledge that his big warm hands were touching her tiny waist was causing her to flush and the lack of distance between the two caused her to be at a loss for words.
"Thanks." She squeaked, pushing away from Robbie who continued to stare at her worriedly.
"Did you hit your head?" He asked as Clarisse put an arm round the girl, worried.
"Yea, are you okay Lyds?" Tabitha asked concernedly.
Oh great, I've gone and made such a fool of myself everyone thinks im bonkers.
"I'm ok, I'm ok." Lydia said meekly, "uh, don't you have prefect duties? Go, go!" And with that, she shoved Clarisse and the two boys out.
"What just happened?" Robbie asked, looking at the equally clueless faces of his cousin and fellow prefect.
"I guess she really didn't want us to be late." Clarrise said.
When the three reached the prefect's carriage, Callum left the sixth years to join his Head Girl, Faye Hart from Hufflepuff. Robbie joined his Ravenclaw partner as Clarisse squeezed through the row of new appointed Fifth year prefects, pausing to smile at her brother's friends, Savannah Day and Scorpius Malfoy.
"Hey Clarisse! What's up?" Spencer Cartwright, an American and fellow Gryffindor prefect asked, putting an arm around her chair with a grin. Clarisse swore she heard a girl sigh. With his ash brown locks and accent, Spencer was a killer with the ladies.
"Oh, nothing much, I'm sure your summer's much more entertaining, tell me about it!" Clarisse said, remember the hilarious stories Spencer would tell about America from when he went back to visit.
"Well, we did have a run in with a skunk a week ago."
"A skunk?! How did that happened?" Clarisse asked as Spencer started to chuckle at the memory. However, the Head Boy and Girl stood up, clearing their throat as Fave began taking their attendance.
"I'll tell you later, Head Girl Fave looks like she means business." Spencer said as Fave glared at them for talking.
The meeting lasted for a long thirty minutes, and it left Clarisse to mull over her thoughts. She enjoyed being a prefect, the benefits where endless! The amazing prefects bathroom, being able to take points and … okay, maybe the benefits were far from endless, but Clarisse still enjoyed being a prefect. Moreover, Spencer and her make a great team, and the others she paired up with for rounds have made it far from boring, however, this meeting, having gone through it last year and the heads being too unoriginal to come up with something new, was making Clarisse fall asleep.
"Alright! Any questions?" Callum asked enthusiastically, seeming as happy as everyone else the meeting had ended. "Just meet us after the feast to get the schedules!" He raise his voice over the noise of everyone getting up and going as Spencer grinned happily at the end of the meeting, wiggling his eyebrows and making Clarisse laugh.
"Oh your charm will not work on me, Cartwright, maybe half of the Hogwarts female population, and a selected few males, but not me." Clarisse said with a wink as they exited the carriage, making Spencer chuckle deeply. There was no attraction between the two Gryffindor prefects whatsoever, but this was the way their friendship worked, and while others often misjudged their status, the two were clear where they stood, and wasn't that all that matters?
"Aw, I never knew I caught the eye of several males, who are the lucky guys?" Spencer asked with an arm round Clarisse, both of them walking down the corridor in search of their friends.
"A little birdy told me about Jonah McLaggen's…" Clarisse trailed off as Spencer's eyes bulged out,
"Jonah McLaggen?! Aw who would've guessed… but that explains him staring throughout the meeting." They spotted the Gryffindors in the compartment Lydia shoved them out of, and slid open the door. Spencer gestured for the lady to go first.
"Ah, sad, sad unrequited love." Clarisse said with a mock shake of her head as Spencer laughed.
"What about unrequited love?" Rhett Argent asked, making space next to him and Freddie Weasley who pointed at the two of them with a raise eyebrow.
"Ah, yes, Clarisse here won't accept my love." Spencer said, pouting his lips for a kiss as Clarisse laughed and pushed him away, darting to sit next to her girls instead. Spencer did the weird bromance handshake with all three of the lads before sitting down. Samantha Brynn shrieked with laughter as the deck of exploding snap cards burst in to flames, making James and Lydia join in her laughter.
The train journey passed in a blink of an eye, treats from the trolley, exploding snap, wizards chess and a story about a skunk. The nine Gryffindors were happy to amongst each other again after a summer, and although it was a tight fit, none of them complained. Especially not Rhett when Macey fell asleep on his shoulder.
When the train pulled to a stop at Hogsmeade station, more than one Gryffindor groaned as they looked outside the window, for it was pouring rain. They grabbed their own trunks, Macey hiring the services of two drooling fourth years, and tried to get in line for a carriage. Clarisse pulled the hood of her robe up, trying desperately to stay dry, for her hair always puffed up ridiculously when it dries naturally.
"Clarisse!" She turned around at the sound of her name, and saw the Head Boy waving. Callum was jogging towards her, and nearly slipped on a puddle as he reached her.
"Oh! Be careful!" She warned, grabbing his arms to pull him up. He steadied himself, blushing slightly.
"Thanks," Callum grinned, pushing his wet fringe out of his face as he inched closer. "Er, do you want to follow me? I can get us a carriage and out of this horrendous rain."
"What?" Clarisse asked, confused, before turning to look at her friends, wondering if they had any clue why Callum was suddenly being so nice. It's not that the two were not friendly, but he had never gone out of his way to seek her out like this before. "Um, my friends… we're waiting for a carriage—" Clarisse was cut off as four pairs of hands shoved her forwards, making her fall in to Callum as she squealed.
She quickly stood up, making some distance between herself and the Head Boy as she turned around to glare at her friends, who were giggling, smirking or wiggling their eyebrows.
"Come on, then!" Callum said, chuckling. He took off his robe and placed it over her before taking her hand and pulling her towards the front of the line. Clarisse turned around to send an SOS look to her friends, and was met with disgruntled and confused looks from the boys.
"Shaun! Got space for 2 more?" Callum asks as Shaun Thomas grinned upon seeing Clarisse's hand held by his room mate's.
"Attaboy." Shaun said, clapping him on the back as he leaned forward to open the carriage for them.
"Thanks." Clarisse said as Callum turned to help her up after he climbed in.
"Hey Clarisse." Rae Talbot greeted as she cuddled with Shaun, looking at her as though she expected her to do the same with Callum.
"Hello." Clarisse said, before sneezing. "Some rain, huh." She said to fill in the awkward silence, and Callum smiled at her. The rest of the seventh years in the carriage talked amongst themselves, and it was only then Clarisse realized her hand was still being held by Callum's. She quickly withdrew it, pretending to use it to tuck her hair behind her ears.
Clarisse has always enjoyed Callum's company, but she did not know how to deal with the new found attention. Maybe she was reading too much in to it, maybe he was just being friendly.
"Hey Clarisse, trying out for chaser again this year?" Bethanie Wood, a fellow chaser of the Quidditch Team asked.
"I guess so!" Clarisse replied, happy to be able to converse with someone and not sit in awkward silence with Callum. "Do you have any idea who the Quidditch Captain this year is?" Bethanie smiled happily at her lap as Rae leaned across Bethanie to interrupt.
"Oh, do we. It's all this woman here will talk about." Rae said, rolling her eyes as Bethanie laughed and smacked her friend's arm. Clarisse pieced two and two together and gasped, clapping her hands happily.
"You're Quidditch Captain!" She gave the seventh year a hug, genuinely happy for her. It's not easy to grow up in the shadow of a successful Quidditch player, much less two equally successful brothers. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you Clarisse! I'm so excited," The two Quidditch girls chatted excitedly as they left the carriage, Callum trailing behind and slightly put out over the fact Clarisse was more occupied by Bethanie and not himself.
When the Gryffindor sixth years entered the hall, they were surprised to see Clarisse sitting next to Bethanie, and Callum Falone at the other side of the table yet no where near their friend.
The eight of them approached her with confused looks, the girls wanting her to "spill the beans" but Clarisse cut them off immediately.
"Guess who's Quidditch Captain!" She said excitedly, bouncing up and down her seat as Freddie raised his eyebrows, clapping the captain on her back.
"I knew it was you! Well, I was betting between myself and you, but I'm glad you got it." James punched her lightly on the arm.
"Good job, Wood!" He said grinning, "Save a spot for me as Beater, alright?"
"You know I have to hold tryouts, just to be fair, but I'll probably let everyone on the team last year back again, since we work so well." Freddie did a little celebratory dance with the utensils in front of him, making everyone chuckle.
"What did Callum Falone want with you?" James asked as he slipped in to a seat next to Clarisse. She opened her mouth to answer, but Headmistress McGonagall stood up to address everyone, and Clarisse pointed to the front, asking them to pay attention to the sorting.
"So what did Falone want from you?" James asked after the last first year was sorted, and the feast begun.
"Yea, what did that slimy dude want?" Freddie asked through a mouthful of chicken.
"Callum Falone isn't slimy!" Lydia defended, "Don't be mean."
"Alright, not slimy, but he's weird. I don't like him hanging out with you." Rhett said, making Clarisse raise an eyebrow. Rhett and Clarisse had never been close, and for him to forbid a boy from accompanying her was a little weird.
"And what is wrong with Callum, may I ask?" Clarisse asked, directing her question to the boys who seemed to have a problem with him.
"He doesn't play Quidditch!" James said, as Tabitha rolled her eyes.
"Yea, he's only a pretty boy!" Rhett nodded.
"That's a stupid reason!" Macey said, "He's well fit, even without Quidditch, have you seen his abs?"
"Ew, merlin no. Have you?" Rhett asked, as Macey laughed.
"He has not succumbed to my charm, which is another reason why you should go for it, Clarisse."
"He's Rita Skeeter's nephew!" James protested, shaking his head. "Rita Skeeter, Clary, that absolute cow that always writes articles about our Dads."
"I know who his aunt is, and yes she's horrid, but he's kind of.. nice."
"Nice? Boring, you mean." Spencer corrected.
"You're suppose to be on my side, Spence!"
"I don't mind Callum! He's alright, good prefect and such, but he is kind of boring, you gotta admit." Spencer said, "Having patrols with him after kissing Macey is a straight mood killer."
"So, what was that with Robbie, Lydia, why the sudden shyness round him?" Clarisse asked as the girls got ready for bed.
"N-Nothing." Lydia stuttered as she paused halfway through taking off her jumper. "Nothing was with that with Robbie Falone."
"Oh, don't lie, we can tell when you're lying." Tabitha said.
"What was that with Robbie?" Samantha asked curiously, leaning out the bathroom with a toothbrush in her hands.
"Lydia nearly had a panic attack while talking to him." Macey said, giggling, as Lydia blushed as hard as she did in the afternoon.
"I did not!" She said, mustering all within her to look threatening but failing terribly. "We were in really close proximity of each other, and I was just uncomfortable." Lydia said as she tugged on the ends of her skirt, trying to compose herself.
"And what were you doing in close proximity of each other?" Samantha asked, wiggling her eyebrows as Macey and Tabitha cracked up at the sight of Lydia spluttering.
"He saved me from my falling trunk! That's it! I'm going to bed now you four are horrid." Lydia said with a huge pout, making a big show of closing her curtains as Macey and Tabitha tried to coax her out whilst laughing.
"Don't think we forgot about you and the other Falone, Clarisse!" Tabitha said from Lydia's bed, pausing in the action from tickling the poor girl.
"Haven't we already been through this at dinner?" She said exasperatedly, throwing her hands up in the air.
"But the boys were there, we couldn't talk freely!" Macey said as though it was a very obvious point the other girls ought to have noticed. "So," She ran to kneel beside Clarisse who was taking her clothes out of her trunk. "What's the deal with Callum?" She used James's words as Clarisse rolled her eyes.
"Nothing." She said, but Macey stayed put, making a show of propping her head up with the palm of her hands and waiting patiently. Clarisse sighed, slouching as she fiddled with a cardigan. "He's a nice guy, but the sudden attention just made things really awkward between us. If it wasn't for Bethanie our carriage ride would have been spent in silence."
"Do you like him?" Samantha asked as she exited the bathroom, dressed in her pajamas and ready for sleep already.
"Not in that way." Clarisse muttered, shrugging.
"I think you're way better than him," Samantha looked deep in thought, "Plus, he kind of has a flat nose." She shook her head, as though trying to rid herself of thoughts about Callum Falone's nose. "I'm going to bed, good night ladies!"
The other girls bid Samantha goodnight as they started on their own nightly rituals, and that was how their first night at Hogwarts ended, amidst laughter, snoozing room mates and a budding new crush.