September 2nd, 1993. Thursday.
Selena woke up when it got too bright. She rubbed her bleary eyes, and sat upright. For a moment, she frowned confusedly at the black robes wrapped around her. Then she remembered falling asleep before changing into pajamas after the feast.
"Hello," someone said. Startled, Selena gasped and jerked her head around. It turned out to be a brown-eyed girl, smiling at her.
Selena gave her a once-over. The girl's hair - light brown in color, with red flecks - was piled on her head in a loose bun. She had a delicate face, heart-shaped face, dusted with a few freckles. Her robes looked slightly too big on the her, a gray vest stretching over bone.
"Hi..." Selena said, steadily stepping off her bed and onto the wooden floor. She tilted her head, recalling the stranger from the Sorting ceremony the night before. "You're Tess, right?"
The girl nodded. "Tess Underwood." She blinked short, black lashes, resembling a bird.
"I'm Selena Malast," Selena said, trying to shake off her grogginess.
"Nice to meet you," Tess said, her smallish mouth curving into a smile. "I met your cat this morning. She's a sweetie."
"Thank you," Selena grinned, noticing Crescent perched on the windowsill. "It's a he actually. Crescent."
A sudden hoot made them both jump. Over on another trunk, a pygmy owl perched in its cage peered at them curiously. Selena glanced at the bed behind it, spread with a Falmouth Falcons Quidditch blanket. Posters were tacked up on the walls for other teams, plus one featuring special-edition Gobstones.
"It's another girl's owl. Her name's Renee, if I can remember correctly," Tess informed her, gazing about the room too, sunlight bathing it.
People had already settled into the dorm room. Another bed had a stack of books on the nightstand, another with more Quidditch posters. Tess motioned sheepishly to her own bed, one with a Tootsie-Roll pillow propped on it. Her pictures were framed neatly, just a few of them, Tess in each one with various people. Selena's eyebrows rose when the photographs didn't move.
"My family are Muggles," Tess said simply, shrugging.
Selena offered a smile. Her witch mother was a half-blood, and her wizard father had been an orphan whose blood history wasn't known as far as she could recall. "That's real neat! The whole lot of them?"
Tess nodded, her bun bobbing. She glanced at a watch on her wrist. "It's breakfast, by the way. I thought I'd wake you up before I left. You wouldn't want to be late for class, I suggest you get ready. I'll be heading down now. It was nice to meet you, Selena."
"You as well," Selena replied, beaming. Tess skipped out of the room. "Bye. Wait... Get ready?" Selena whispered to herself, glancing at her robes. Her trunks were at the foot of her bed, Crescent leaping lithely to them. "Look out..." Selena said. Crescent mewed, jumping daintily from the top trunk to the floor.
Selena opened the trunk and gasped. Her normal black robes now had scarlet trim on the inside, as well in the hood. They had red-and-orange crests on them, a lion mid-road. Her vests had a scarlet trim as well. Her ties now had diagonal stripes in the same hues.
She smiled and slipped into her new clothes. She put on her white uniform shirt and slipped the vest over it. Then her grey skirt, grey knee high socks, and inky ballet flats - as well a new robe. She grabbed her wand (cherrywood, dragon heartstring) and packed schoolbag, walking out into the Common Room. Leaving out the passage and painting, she saw a boy drop his papers and books. They slid on the floor, scattering, as the boy sighed. He looked older, but she walked over and helped him collect his papers.
"Thanks," the boy said, standing up. Selena did the same and handed him the rest of his papers. His robes denoted him as a Gryffindor as well.
"No problem. I'm Selena," she said, looking up at his hazel eyes.
"I'm Daniel, but you can call me Danny," the Gryffindor replied amicably. His voice was tinged with an Irish accent.
Selena nodded and glanced at the stone stairways. "Well... I should get going. Um, bye."
"Selena." Danny laughed a bit, running a hand through his brown hair. "Uh. We sit at the same table." He gave a kind of it's-funny-you-didn't-realize-that smile.
"Oh," Selena said, suddenly feeling silly. She moved some dark locks out of her eyes, nodding. "Well... Then I guess I'll see you there... then."
Danny nodded. "Alright." He waved, walking down the stairs before turning onto another corridor. Selena made her way down to the Great Hall as well as she could remember, finally finding it.
She saw the Gryffindor table immediately, spotting Tess laughing with another girl about something. The Hall smelled like a decadent breakfast: sizzled bacon, buttered toast, eggs, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, and more.
Selena walked over to them amidst the morning chatter, sliding into the seat across from Tess and the other girl.
"Hi, Selena," Tess said, eating some baked beans.
"Hi," Selena replied, beginning to put food on her golden plate.
"Oh! Selena, I would like you to meet another roommate of ours. This is Elizabeth Hearts," Tess said happily, motioning to the person beside her.
Selena shifted her eyes to the other girl. Elizabeth tucked a piece of bleach-blond hair behind her ear self-consciously, glasses shining in front of stormy eyes. She smiled.
"Hi. I take it your name is Selena."
Selena nodded, keeping her tone friendly. "Yeah... hi." Selena turned her head as Danny slid in the seat beside her.
"Hello, again." he said. "See, I told you! Same table."
"Um. Tess, Elizabeth, Danny. Danny, Tess, Elizabeth," Selena said, motioning to everyone as she announced their name. Everyone said their hellos and then another blond - Selena recognized her as Wendy - sat down beside Danny.
"Hey, Danny! Oh, hi Selena. Danny, did you finish the summer project? I was worried that I might have done mine wrong..." The two older kids began talking about something over the holiday. The woman in green passed by, her critical shamrock eyes sweeping across the students. Wendy mentioned her name being Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor. She passed out schedules to each student, creamy scrolls rolled up.
"What class do you have first, Liz?" Tess asked Elizabeth.
"Uhh... Charms with Professor Flitwick," Elizabeth answered, pushing her blue glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"Ah... I have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin," Tess answered sadly.
Selena unrolled her own schedule and glanced at the first class. "Potions with Professor Snape," she said half-heartedly. She scooped some tomatoes into her mouth and swallowed some tea afterwards.
"Well, have fun. I hope that you make out alive," Wendy told her.
"What do you mean?" Selena asked.
"Snape is really mean and unfair," Danny answered simply, and Wendy nodded. "Especially to Gryffindors."
"Great..." Selena murmured.
20 Minutes Later
Selena had managed to find the Potions class - which took place in the Dungeons - with directions from Danny. She stepped down the wet stone stairs and scooted around a rat. She continued walking through the green-lit, murky corridors, her footsteps echoing in the dank space.
Shivering, she walked through the open classroom door, only to have her name called. She glanced around the dark area, her eyes adjusting, until she found who was calling her: Hazel. Hazel and Rolf were sitting at a table together, Karrot hiding in Rolf's hood.
"Hey," Selena said, walking over to them with a smile.
"Hi," Hazel said tapping her quill on her notebook, grinning. Selena noticed their robes had the signature Hufflepuff yellow-and-black coloring, the House crest showcasing a black-and-white badger.
"How's Gryffindor?" Rolf asked.
"Fine. I met four new people already. Two are dormmates, and then the other two are older kids. One is definitely a third year, but I'm not sure about the other." Selena straightened herself up as she sat on the stool at the desk behind them.
"Hmm... Well... I only know one roommate. I went in the dorm and the other three were off doing their own things. Like, one was hanging a Chudley Cannons poster, one was petting her owl, and then another was already asleep. Only one came up and talked to me. Her name is Lillian. She's really sweet. Maybe you could meet her," Hazel said cheerily. She looked at Rolf. "What about you?"
"Oh," Rolf looked up from the textbook (Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger) he was reading. "I actually don't really know anyone yet."
Selena felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. Facing her was another girl, blinking brown eyes. The gloomy Dungeon made her already tan skin even darker, an athletic form standing out. She seemed to be half Asian, half Caucasian.
"Is this seat taken?" The girl asked, motioning to the other seat.
"No," Selena said happily. "You can sit."
The girl nodded, long, nearly black hair spilling over her shoulders. "I'm Bronwen, by the way."
"I'm Selena."
Just as she said that, a teacher in flowing black robes strode in the room. He flicked his wand and the door slammed shut with a bang! The students all jumped a bit, some of the glass potion bottles rattling. The man had a pointed nose and straight black hair that curled a bit under as it hit his shoulders. "Hello, class," he said coldly, looking around the classroom with beady eyes.
Selena scrunched her hands together, shaking off her nervousness.
"I am Professor Snape," the teacher said. "This is Potions. You will do as I say and will not pick up anything without my explicit permission. Any questions?" He pressed his mouth together, staring.
A fair-skinned Gryffindor girl raised her hand. Her ponytail bounced as she waved her arm, light brown hair swishing over her back. Her wrist jingled with a golden bracelet, Spade-shaped earrings tossing beside her head.
"What is your name?" Professor Snape asked her.
"Renee Pierce," The girl said, lowering her hand, honey eyes shining bright from across the classroom.
Selena perked up. This was the Renee from her Dorm Room!
"What is your question?" Professor Snape asked, even colder.
"I was just wondering what shampoo you used... your hair is rather greasy..."
6 Hours Later
Selena was relieved as she made it back to the Common Room. She tossed her textbooks to the side, aiming for the plush couch. However, they bounced off, tumbling over the back. One hit a girl, knocking her to the ground.
Selena gasped, crossing over to her quickly.
The student was rubbing her head, waist-length black hair splayed around her head. Selena's three heavy textbooks lay near her, all four of them sprawled on the ground.
"I am so sorry! Are you alright?" Selena asked. She helped the girl up, moving her textbooks.
"I'm fine. Thanks," the girl said, nodding. She smoothed her hair, the ends curling. "I'm Sasha Ramirez."
"I'm Selena."
The girl smiled, the humor touching her long-lashed, emerald eyes. "Well, no harm done. I'm okay." She nodded, glancing at a grandfather clock at the side of the Gryffindor Common Room. "Well, nice to meet you. I have to get to the Quidditch pitch or Wood will kill me... Bye!" The girl smiled even wider and walked out of the Common Room, her scarlet-and-black robes fluttering around her ankles.
Selena grabbed her textbooks from the floor and, without a word, plopped down on the soft couch, thinking over her day.
Did everyone like it? Huh? Did you?
Okay, well... I have covered about... the first 8 people or so. Only one has not had her name said. That person belongs to Phoenix so I apologize to them. If your person has NOT been mentioned yet, they will most likely be mentioned in the next 3 chapters. And, remember, some people did submit their people in, like, the first week. So, keep that in mind.
Also, the joke that Renee said, I did not come up with. It belongs to (along with Renee's character,) Kurayami Angel
So, thanks to everyone and I will post the next chapter tomorrow!
Review and thank you again!
Sorry for the length of the chapter, but I had to put a lot into it...
Bye!