"Robes?"
"Check."
"Extra socks?"
"Check."
"Permission slips for Hogsmede?"
"Check."
"I think they're ready," Bill announced and smiled as he put an arm around his crying wife as she blew her nose into a handkerchief.
"I know you 'ave gone to school before but eet feels so new again!" Fleur sobbed and the girls gave her hugs.
"Don't be sad Mamà, it'll be Christmas before you know it!" Victoire comforted her mother but it had the opposite affect.
Fleur wailed loudly, gaining the attention of other families at Kings Cross Station. "Zat ees so long!"
"Papà, are you sure I can't go?" Louis, the youngest and only boy sibling of the family pouted.
"No you cannot, you must stay 'ere with me!" Fleur sniffled and squeezed him tightly to her chest. Louis mouthed 'Help me' when his mother was not looking and Victoire laughed along with her father and sister.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask Teddy, alright?" Bill informed the girls. "Even if you are not sorted into the same house."
The whistle on the Hogwarts Express rang at that moment, prompting the Weasley family to give their final goodbyes. After many hugs and kisses, Victoire and Dominique eventually made their way unto the train, trunks in hand.
Making their way down the aisle of the train was an odd experience. The girls traveled to their old school, Beauxbatons in blue and gold carriages that were flown by giant, silver winged horses. Each family had their own private carriage and they met up with their friends when they arrived at the school. However, the entire student body of Hogwarts took the train and finding a empty compartment proved to be a challenge. The girls they passed raised their eyebrows and gave the sisters the 'once over' glare. Victoire, overwhelmed by the amount of people and lack of privacy, randomly selected a compartment door and opened it forcefully.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here," she muttered, feeling her cheeks go pink as she stared at the group of boys lounging in the compartment. It seemed as if they had been talking before, but at her arrival they all went silent, their eyes slowly dilating. They all looked as if they were seventh years from their carefree posture and muscular builds. One even had a full beard. "I'll be going now."
"It's okay, you can stay if you want. But only if you can pay the price," said the bearded one with raised eyebrows and a suggestive smile. Victoire rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut as his friends chortled loudly.
"Who were they?" Dominique asked behind her curiously.
"Idiots," she replied with a sigh. This summer, her "Veela genes" had finally kicked in, as her mother had put it. Before she was 'cute' Victoire, but now…well, it was easy to tell by the constant stares and harassing comments she got from men that she was no longer 'cute'.
I mean sure, her legs were leaner, her white blonde hair was longer, and she had finally developed a decent bum. But was she really that different looking? Whenever she glanced in a mirror she saw the same face she always had. But this new one tended to make most of the male specimen turn into complete dogs.
After what seemed like forever, the two girls finally found an empty compartment that they had all to themselves all the way in the back of the train. After a few minutes, Domnique dosed off while Victoire sat wide-awake, staring at the rolling hills as they quickly sped past them. She wasn't concerned with what house she would be sorted into, the possibility that she wouldn't friends, or the fact that she would be certainly lost for the whole year. The only thing on her mind: Teddy.
She hadn't seen him since she had moved. How much had he changed? Did he still have the same spiky, turquoise hair he insisted on keeping throughout his childhood? It was strange to her that they had been best friends since she could remember and she hadn't spoken to him for six years.
Growing up, she even had a tiny crush on him. There was something about his adventurous attitude and stubbornness that appealed to her. She did everything to hide it of course, ergo the countless times she pushed him out of the big oak tree in his backyard.
And punched him in the arm.
And tripped him down the stairs.
But Victoire was sure he had forgotten all about that.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Well, it's about time. I've been waiting for the first of all the next generation Weasleys to once again walk the hallowed halls of Hogwarts for years," the Sorting Hat whispered into her ear as soon as it was placed on her head. Victoire jumped in surprise, causing the hat to snicker quietly. "A little late though, aren't we Victoire?"
How does it know my name? She thought, not aware that the Hat could hear it as well.
"You underestimate my ability?" it said again with a conceited tone. "Luckily for you, I won't make the same mistake."
"You've got brains on you, I'll give you that. And plenty of ambition; you are your parent's child. Your heart of gold shall help many people during your lifetime. But there is something else about you, something different, something most females your age lack. You've got spunk Victoire Weasley, and that's why you most definitely belong in…"
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted aloud in the Headmaster's office. McGonagall and her sister Dominique clapped respectively, though Victoire saw distress cross her sister's face- she had been sorted into Ravenclaw moments earlier. They were going to be separated on their very first night.
"Very good, girls. Is there anything else you have questions about?" McGonagall asked as she lifted the hat off of Victoire's head and placed it back on the stool she had sat upon.
"No Professor," she responded for the both of them, for Dominique looked like she would cry if she spoke. Victoire put a reassuring arm around her.
"Well, I suppose we should head down to the feast. The students are probably horribly hungry and we better get the first years sorted before they faint from anticipation. And yes, it has happened before," McGonagall admitted with a small eye roll as she strode out of her office, signaling the sisters to follow her. They retreated down the stone steps and out the entrance before making several turns down several corridors, finally reaching a small oak door.
"This is where I must leave you. You may sit down at your respective tables and wait patiently until the official sorting is over," she informed them. Victoire, incredibly intimidated by the stern Headmistress nodded fiercely, although she felt as if she had been Confunded. McGonagall must have noticed her expression, for she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Remember that help will be given to all who ask, always. Good luck girls."
She smiled briskly and whisked away again, leaving the two girls alone. Dominique began to cry as soon as she was out of sight.
"Oh, don't cry Dom, it'll be all right," Victoire sighed as she pulled her younger sister into a hug.
"I-I'm just scared, that's all," her sister mumbled into her shoulder. "What if nobody likes us?"
"What's not to like, eh?" Victoire joked, but several answers to her rhetorical question popped into her own mind immediately, making her regret her decision for opening her mouth. "Everything will be all right!"
"Easy for you to say, you're in the same house as Teddy," Dominique sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her plain, black robe.
"We haven't spoken for six years, I think I would prefer not to have the awkward 'How have you been for the last half a decade?' conversation," Victoire admitted and Dom cracked a smile. "Now come on, I'm starving and being anti-social can only get us so far here."
Dom dried her eyes one last time and nodded bravely. "All right. Let's go."
Both sisters turned and faced the door, waiting for the other to make the first move to open it. After a few minutes of silently praying the other would do it, Victoire exhaled a 'Bloody hell' and stepped forward, grasping the handle.
"And that's why you're the Gryffindor," Dominique smiled in approval and Victoire rolled her eyes. She yanked her arm back and the door opened with surprise ease.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Victoire had never felt as full as she did after the Welcome Feast. She, Albus, Roxanne, and Fred (who had been sorted into Gryffindor as well) had spent the last hour catching up and eating everything they could get their hands on. They now leaned against each other, moaning from the uncomfortably occupied stomachs.
"Students," McGonagall called from her chair in front and immediately the hall went quiet. "You may now be excused. Goodnight and get a good night's sleep for classes tomorrow!"
Noise returned to the hall as everyone began to get up and leave. Victoire suddenly realized she had no idea where the common room was.
"Where do we go?" she asked hastily to Albus as the rushing crowd forced them from the table.
"I don't know, this is my first year to!" he replied in a panic. Suddenly, a voice caught both of their attentions and what it said made it sound almost angelic.
"First years, follow me! This way to the common room!" Cried a girl who was standing on top of the Gryffindor table. She had shoulder length brown hair and a slightly upturned nose, but regardless was still very pretty. The cousins grabbed each other's hands and followed the girl who had a shiny, new Prefect badge on her robes. Once they had made their way out of the crowded Entrance Hall, the girl stopped and turned around to see who had followed her out. Her eyes landed on Victoire and her eyebrows rose in confusion. Victoire felt herself go pink in the face.
"Are you a first year?" The girl asked blatantly.
"No, I'm a fifth year," Victoire responded timidly. She suddenly noticed how much she stuck out in the group, being at least a head taller than everyone else and with more matured features.
The girl looked as if she were about to tell Victoire off, but then her face drastically changed as if she had realized something important. "Are you the transfer from Beauxbatons?"
"Victoire Weasley." She stuck out her hand with a smile to introduce herself. The girl smiled back and shook her hand.
"Rebecca, but you can call be Bex. The Head Boy told us at the meeting there were to be two transfer students, but we didn't know whose house you'd be in. Welcome to Gryffindor, I'm a fifth year too." Suddenly, Bex realized that the first years were still waiting for instructions on how to get to the common room. "Right, you lot, follow me."
Bex began to walk again and everyone followed, but with more leisure for the corridors were empty.
"So Victoire, I'm going to take it upon myself to be your guide, is that all right?" Bex asked as she and Victoire walked in front. She was clearly a very straightforward person.
"Brilliant, I wouldn't be able to find my way around here if I tried," Victoire laughed nervously. "It's absolutely massive."
Bex smirked as if she were reminiscing on her own first thoughts of the castle. "It won't once you get used to it, believe me. But you'll definitely make this place more interesting. You'll be the talk of the school for the next week and I'll be your first friend!"
Victoire couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. She had made a friend!
After climbing what seemed like the hundredth staircase, they finally reached a portrait of a Fat Lady.
"Watch and learn, First Years- oh, and you too Victoire," Bex announced and turned to the painting. "Tentacle turmoil."
"Welcome back," the painting nodded and swung back to reveal the common room. Although she had never been inside, the common room felt like a second home. With it's blazing fire, cushy armchairs, and wood furniture, it was very inviting and extremely comfortable.
"Bex!" yelled a voice from one of those armchairs by the fireplaces. It was a friendly looking girl, waving frantically with a huge smile on her face. Bex held up a finger to indicate she would be a minute before turning to the wide-eyed first years, and Victoire.
"All right you lot, disperse. Boy's dormitories are on the right, girls on the left. Any questions, ask the other prefect. Welcome to Hogwarts!" Bex smiled and waved them away. They scuttled towards the staircases in a huddle. Victoire began to follow them before Bex grabbed her arm. "And you're coming with me. I'll introduce you to our roommate!"
Victoire smiled and followed Bex over to the girl by the fire. She got as they approached and stuck out her hand for Victoire to shake.
"I'm Leah, you must be the transfer student!" she cheered animatedly.
"Victoire, and yes."
"Leah and I are the only female fifth years in Gryffindor, a new record for Hogwarts," Bex told her as she hung an arm around Leah's neck.
"It's a good thing we don't hate each other or things could have been very awkward," Leah pointed out with a laugh.
"Oi, aren't you going to introduce us, Bex?" said a male voice behind them. The girls turned around to see two boys in their own armchairs. The one who had spoken got up and stuck out his own hand with a smirk on his face. "Guess I'll have to do it myself then. I'm Collin and this is Ned."
"I'm-"
"I already heard. Victoire. Beautiful name. It's French, isn't it?" Collin said as he continued to shake her hand with the same sly grin on his face. With his short auburn hair and piercing blue eyes, he was very attractive, and apparently knew it. When she nodded shyly, he winked at her. "Enchantè."
"Leave her alone Collin," Ned said as he stood up himself. "Don't mind him, he's a bit of a prat. I'm Ned, the normal one."
"We're both sixth years, so if you need any help with homework, just ask," Collin interjected with the same smile.
"Where's the third member of your brigade?" Leah asked them, changing the subject.
"Teddy's upstairs getting his Wizard's chess set, any of you want to stay and watch me beat him?" Collin raised an eyebrow.
"Teddy Lupin?" Victoire spoke aloud, finally able to get a word in. They all stared at her with wide eyes, clearly in surprise.
"How do you know Teddy?" Bex asked with furrowed brows.
"He's my uncle's godson. We grew up together until I moved away," Victoire admitted, unable to help the smile forming from her lips. "I haven't seen him since."
"Hey, so while I was looking for the set, I came across the playbook I made for the team this year. I was thinking we could take a look at it," said a voice behind them. They already knew who it was without having to turn around, however.
"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear," Leah muttered with a snicker as they saw Teddy coming down the stairs, staring at the book in his hand.
He looked the same as he did six years ago, but very different all the same. It was as he had been stretched out and puffed up to become the tall, muscular man he was at the moment. But he still had the same messy, turquoise hair. Even the childish hair color could not stop how bloody handsome he had become.
Teddy looked up at that moment, and the first thing he saw was Victoire. The recognition in his face was obvious; he stopped walking and stared. She couldn't tell if the look in his bright, amber eyes was good or bad.
"Hello, Teddy," she said softly.
It took him a while before he responded, not changing his expression and continuing to stare. "Hello," he said as he took a few steps closer. "Been sorted into Gryffindor then?"
"Yeah," she nodded and decided to make the reuniting less awkward with a joke. "Did you miss me?"
He was silent for a while before shrugging. "Not really."
Victoire laughed nervously, surprised at his response. "Er, okay. How have you been?"
"Without you to constantly torment me? Brilliant." He widened his eyes and enunciated the T, adding a very sardonic tone to his voice.
Victoire's smile was gone now. "What's the matter with you?"
"What? Did you expect me to be rapturous at your return after you ruined my life as a kid?" Teddy snapped, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. She heard the boys behind her whisper to themselves.
"Well, there wasn't much of a life to ruin considering I was your only friend," Victoire admitted cheekily, causing Bex and Leah to laugh behind her.
"It looks like you've made some new friends on your own, so you clearly don't need me showing you around," Teddy said with malice in his eyes as he glared at them. "I'd say welcome back, but I'm not exactly ecstatic of your return."
Victoire squinted her eyes at him menacingly, attempting to hide the hurt she was feeling in the pit of her stomach. "When did you become such an arse?"
"Since the day he started here," Bex said as she put a hand on Victoire's shoulder protectively. "Get over yourself, Lupin."
She and Leah gave him one last glare before leading Victoire away from the boys and up to their dormitories. As soon they reached the room, Victoire collapsed on the bed next to her trunk and groaned into her pillow.
"That did not go as expected," she muttered to herself, but not as quietly as she thought she had said it.
"I'm not surprised, personally," Bex admitted as she began sifting through her luggage. "You may have known Teddy for your entire childhood, but ever since I have known him he's always been an ass to whoever he feels has messed with him."
"But I haven't messed with him!" she declared and sat up. "I mean sure, I teased him a bit when we were kids but-"
"Considering how he was acting, it was probably a lot worse than a little teasing," Leah pointed out with a smile. "But don't you dare lose sleep over him. Like he said, you've made some new friends. Who needs the old ones, right?"
"Right," Bex nodded with a grin. Victoire felt a little better as she looked at her new roommates, reassured that the year wouldn't be a complete disaster.
"Right. Who needs the old ones?" she repeated and laughed with them.
No matter how many times she would repeat that to herself when trying to fall asleep later that night however, it would not make her feel any better about the fact that Teddy absolutely despised her. They were in for a very eventful year.
First off, thank you SO much for all the positive feedback I got. The constant review/subscription emails I got made me smile the whole weekend. I'm so glad you like the story and hope you liked the chapter!
This was really long but I couldn't cut anymore of it out, I felt all of it was necessary. The following chapter won't be as long and descriptive as this one, PROMISE!
Up next: After an argument, Victoire decides to try out for the Qudditch team, much to Teddy's dismay. But will it end up being a good thing for the two enemies?
QOTC: If you could design a pair of socks what would they look like?
Please review/subscribe! Everyone who does wins a telepathic trophy from me :D