I think I might have rewrote 90% of this chapter. I considered abandoning this but had to come back.
Leftius D. Spencer was late. It was the first night of the first term of school, the feast was over, and they had merely minutes until twenty first years entered the dormitory for the first time.
She had to hurry, ducking under a tall Gryffindor's arm, sliding down the bannister of the staircase, making a left, soon passing the kitchens, and approached a stack of barrels. 'Hel-ga Huff-le-puff' she tapped into the center one. A door popped out, opening with a creak as Lefty quickly stepped inside, just as the first years and Prefects rounded the corner of the long and lonely hall.
She let out a relieved sigh, and stepped into the common room.
At once, two different hands planted themselves on her shoulders.
"Well, hello, dearest cousin. Where have you been?" A voice full of mirth asked.
"Oh, you know, invading the Slytherin's dungeon," she replied nonchalantly.
"Really, now?" Another voice chimed in.
She rolled her eyes, "just a rebel like that." Lefty paused to listen. "Okay, they're coming, get ready!" She dragged the boys onto the table.
As the unsuspecting coterie clambered out of the tunnel, Miles let out a frat-boy scream and the three cousins began to chant this:
Welcome, welcome, all who see
The Hufflepuffs in unity
And now all you here, stand!
Join us now, ready? How!
Lefty fell silent as the boys began.
One of us, one of us!
One of us, one of us!
They finished, choking on laughter.
Danny raised an eyebrow as the first years dissolved into giggles. Natalia clapped as they took over exaggerated bows and hopped off the table. Danny raised his hands to get the little ones' attention. "As they've said, welcome to Hufflepuff house. There are some rules you must follow here, otherwise it won't be very pleasant…" Not really listening, as little kids often do, they gaped at the grass lining the walls and the Shire-like setting, punctuated by two round doors with knobs smack the middle, which led to the dormitories. Madam Hufflepuff must've been a time-traveler. That, or Mr. Tolkien was a wizard. Lefty thought.
Her train of thought derailed as the gaggle of eleven-year-olds passed the trio and crawled into the dorm halls.
"How many this year, Natty?" Ash asked.
"Sixteen, give or take." Natalia sighed, plopping onto one of the sagging couches.
Miles raised an eyebrow. "Only sixteen?"
"Only sixteen." Natalia answered. Danny folded his arms and leaned against the wall, upset as well. "Our numbers are dropping…"
Lefty nodded in sympathy. Hufflepuff's population was beginning to shrink once more.
Danny cleared his throat, "If you don't mind, Natalia and I would like to have our meeting."
You mean 'date'. Lefty thought.
Awkwardly, they nodded and retreated to the boy's hall. Merry voices echoed throughout, and they came to a door with many names carved into its wood. Alexandra Patterson. Harper Tallin. Morgana Asyris. Roseanne Anders. After a mixup one year, a first year named Harley Davis somehow ended up in the boy's side and refused to leave because she bunked with her brothers. Since then, every once in a while, a girl is allowed to stay with her family. Lefty was the most recent one.
They opened the door to a warmly lit room with two bunk beds with a double-sized bed on the bottom. There was a shag carpet in the center of the dorm, and a woodstove between the bunks. The door to the bathroom was in the far left corner.
"Now then, who wants which bed this year?" Miles queried.
"I'll take the bottom one on the left," Lefty tossed her cloak onto it. If someone wanted to take a shower, or it was cold enough to use the woodstove, she was provided with extra heat.
"I'll be on the bottom of the other," Ash grinned shyly, pushing his oval glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.
"I prefer to be on top." Miles announced, far too loud.
They stared, eyebrows raised. Apparently that remark had sailed right over his head.
"Do I want to know?" A tenor voice sounded from the hall. At once, the cousins' heads whipped towards the door.
"Oh Merlin, Lewis!" Lefty shrieked. "Hey!" She tackled her best friend in a hug, knocking him over.
"Left? Can't..breathe.." he gasped.
"Aw, shut it and hug your girlfriend, Wood." Ash smirked.
"Sh-she's not my girlfriend!" He flushed, the small girl still clinging to him.
"Right, Lewis. Sure..." Miles teased.
"Shut up!" Lefty launched herself at her older cousin, leaving Lewis suffering from pain by being used as a launchpad.
Gooodnight, everybody! Rate and review!