A/N: Hey everyone! I have a question for all of you… This story is about the next generation of wizards; however the characters tie in very well with the past characters in both Harry's era and the Marauders era. So personally which characters should it tag in this story? It's a question I keep asking myself. :/
The four only got a couple feet before they, along with the other first year Ravenclaw, got swept up by much older students. A boy and girl with matching badges met up with them, grouping them together. Both had the same sparkling smile, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Handsome and beautiful they looked over the new students.
"Alright, now my name is Andrew and this is Marina. We're Ravenclaw Prefects. It's about time to show you to Ravenclaw tower! Your luggage should be there already. If you brought an owl, it's in the Owlery. Any other animals were left in the hall, and you should probably get it while we pass. " lectured the boy.
"I think it be best if you watch where we're going so you don't get lost in the first few days. Tomorrow will be your day off to familiar yourself with Hogwarts. We will take you on a tour in the morning, and then let you go from there. Classes will start Wednesday and their always posted on the bulletin in the tower," Informed the girl.
The two were on a role. It's like they practiced it. They glanced at all the students quickly, looking for questions.
"Any questions?" she asked, eyebrows rising? Utter silence.
"Well then please follow us as we escort you to homeroom. Keep your eyes open, and watch where you're going," Ended the boy clapping for the children to follow.
Soon all the houses were evacuating the great hall with their appetites satisfied, and a new year to look forward. The group of first years huddled close together, in hopes to not get lost. Entering the entrance hall, they turned to see three stair cases. Two sloped downward and the larger grand one upward. Everything was ancient marble, historic and beautiful. Lori squished closer to Nona as they moved to where the stairs were. Lori's mouth dangled. "How are we supposed to learn the castle when there are so many rooms and stairs?" asked Lori worriedly.
"Hey Nona," greeted a girl from behind. She was much older possibly a seventh or eighth year, with short platinum blonde hair. Her robes endorsed the Ravenclaw symbol and colors. Lori and Nona turned, and Nona instantly lit up.
"Hey sis!" she smiled.
"Glad to see you made it kiddo," she sniggered happily.
"Lori, this is my sister, Annette. I have another one around here somewhere," introduced Nona quickly.
"Nice to meet you…" began Lori but she was interrupted, "You too, and as for learning Hogwarts it gets easy after the first few weeks… of getting lost." Nona gave her sister a shove as Lori's mouth dropped in fear.
"No really it's not too bad," Annette said finally, as they walked up the stairs. She pointed to the right, "That's the Infirmary."
"Everyone, to the right is the infirmary, if you ever feel sick you should probably go see Madam Patil," pointed Marina.
"Andrew!" barked a loud masculine voice from behind. The whole group turned to see a much older student followed by his own first years. He flew up the side quickly and yelled, "Great day to be in Gryffindor!" The first years followed him up quickly, a fear of getting lost evident. "Ha Ha Bradley," mocked Marina playfully. The group disappeared around the corner. The two prefects looked back to the kids with quirky smiles. "He's crazy," she smiled to them, clapping her hands together.
"GRYFINDOR!" screamed a boy running past the group that Albus and Lori recognized as Ronnie.
"DOMINATES!" hollered another one running in front of the group. He stopped and made a face, unarguably it was Louis Weasley. Turning he dashed after his friend.
"And takes the Quiditch Cup AGAIN!" burst another running up the right side punching the air. It was definitely James' voice. From the left came Blaze to finish by patting Andrew's shoulder, "Always next year mate!" Then those two dashed off after their friends.
"We'll see!" hollered Andrew turning back to the first years. He was obviously amused and yet slightly irritated. His eyes fell on Albus, "I'm going to kill your brother one of these days."
Albus half-smiled apologetically.
"All right, I'm tired, to the common room," He said bored.
The rest of the trip was quiet, and no one wished to break the silence. They walked themselves all the way to the 4th floor, passing the library which awed Lori to no end. They followed the narrow corridor to the Ravenclaw tower which remained in the west side of the school. Up the spiraling staircase 2 floors they came to a statue of a regal and large eagle. Andrew and Marina turned to the group eyeing them.
"Now listen, this is important! To get in you must answer the question the eagle gives. If you can't answer then you wait until someone can. This insures that you learn something every day, even if you may mess around in class. Watch!" rambled Andrew in a bored tone. He stroked the eagles head with his hand lightly. The gray eyes glowed red.
A few seconds passed, and then a masculine rocky voice growled, "What Wizard from Ravenclaw donated their fortune to Hogwarts 50 years ago?"
"Could it be Darwin Rantsaff?" asked Andrew with goofy face.
"Wrong," the voice growled.
"Embarrassing," he corrected.
"Hera Right?" asked Marina confidently.
"Correct, you may enter," it sounded as its eyes returned to normal and started turning, revealing a secret room.
The two led the first years and a few other students that had followed into the Ravenclaw common room. A large fireplace that could have fit five of the first years lit the room. Large blue and bronze couches lounged around the room. The shelves bordering the walls were covered with old books. There were large rugs all around the common room, light blue with fancy bronze marking and trim. On the other side of the common room, roared another identical fireplace, and multiple tables. Four small round tables where what looked like a chess game remained on top, and three long tables that could hold at least eight students all sat on that side. The Common room was huge, beautifully decorated, and fancy. At the far side were two polished oak stairways, one that lead up and one sloping down.
Lori and Nona headed upstairs with the other girls of their year. Obviously the seniority rule was in play because they got the very top of the tower. It had a great view, but that was more flights of stairs to go up and down. Each level was split between two grades. One room was for the first years and the other the second years. They were identical; they both had a window, twelve beds, twelve night tables, and a bathroom with three showers.
Each bed was oak with a sky blue canopy and silky blue sheets. The floor was a recently polished. At the end of each bed was the trunk the girl had brought. Lori found hers quickly right next to the window. She opened the window and looked out at the storm that had now disappeared. All that was left was a soft wind that blew Lori's hair and chilled her skin.
"Lori wake up!"
"Wakey wakey!"
"Merlin, you're a heavy sleeper!"
"WAKE UP"
Lori opened her eyes wearily. Her vision was blurry but she could feel hands on her face squeezing her cheeks together. She had the most peaceful night of sleep she had ever had. She registered the blonde hair and mumbled, "Nona, what are you doing?"
"Waking you up, it's 6:30." She stated with a smug smirk.
"No," huffed Lori turning on her side, digging her face further into the pillow.
"Come on! Breakfast is in a half hour Lori, than we have to meet with Andrew and Marina." Encouraged Nona, giving Lori a push.
Lori snored in response.
"Lori! I'm not walking to breakfast alone! Get your bum out of bed!" pushed Nona once more this time harder.
Nothing.
Nona grabbed the pillow out from under her head, and began beating it on her playfully.
"OK!" droned Lori sleepily.
Nona sat uniformed and clean on her bed, watching Lori lay there obviously giving herself a pep-talk on getting up. She stretched her legs and arms out. Lied there. Crinkled her toes. Lied there some more. Raked a hand through her hair. Lied some more. Minutes passed.
"Lori!"
Her body pulsated for a second, "Oh right." With that she hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom with new found energy, leaving her friend speechless.
Lori and Nona entered the great hall to see that at least half the room was filled. Students sat eating their morning breakfast. "That smells really good," squealed Nona excitedly.
"It does!" agreed Lori with a hop.
The two girls sped off to the Ravenclaw table, taking the same seats they had last night. A few of the other classmates surrounded the end of the table. Lori glanced across the hall to the Slythrin table to see Severus was not there yet, only a few girls. 'Why did it have to happen like that? Severus has been my friend forever' she thought darkly as she tore her toast into little pieces.
"Lori, you're supposed to eat the toast," commented Nona with a chuckle.
Lori looked down to her plate. Sheepishly she smiled.
"Eh, what a mess." She said with a pout.
"Hey ladies!" squealed a fake girly voice. The two turned to see the boy from last night along with Albus and another boy named Galen.
"You're too good at that, just so you know," stated Nona with a laugh.
Lori and Nona laughed together while the boys took a seat.
"By the way, Dorian your hat somehow managed to put itself in the girls' bathrooms!" scoffed Nona.
"How did it get down there? One of you girls must have taken it!" huffed Dorian his features twisting in fake anger.
"That's funny! We all thought you had snuck down." Laughed Nona bitterly.
"Well I didn't did I Al?" asked Dorian smirking.
"No, he just wish he had!" laughed Albus.
"So none of you know how it got down there?" asked Nona seizing them up.
"Honestly!" swore Galen.
"What's your name again?" asked Lori noting an unfamiliar face.
"Galen Thompson, I'm Dorian's friend for a day," stated Galen with a serious face.
Lori laughed, "I'm Lori, and this is Nona!"
"Sweet," he stated.
"No hitting on my girlfriend," barked Dorian swaggering his eyebrows at Lori.
"No, I don't think so," stated Lori with a smirk.
"Rats!" he blurted as he hit the table, "sorry I don't take rejection well."
The group laughed at their friends' scene. He was definitely hilarious in a crazy kind of way. Lori turned her head back at the Slythrin table, and he was there. Severus sat with the group of guys, but he looked left out, and not particularly happy.
"Lori you alright?" asked Dorian mockingly.
"I'm fine!" stated Lori airily.
"You don't look fine, you look like your eyeing some sexy piece of meat!" laughed Galen.
"Sexy meat?" she questioned with a lifted brow.
Galen continued to laugh at his joke.
"Mate, it's in your best interest if I do the jokes from here on out," said Dorian shaking his head. A gargling sound erupted from his stomach, and his expression changed into one of fear. His eyes grew big. His mouth dropped.
"Are you okay?" asked Albus growing worried. All of them looked around at what caused his sudden distress. Glancing back at him, he was shoving food down into his mouth in a beastly fashion.
"Dorian!" squealed Lori and Nona both disgusted and flustered.
"Mate you have some serious problems," snorted Galen starting to eat himself.
"I was actually worried for a minute," sighed Albus with relief.
"Me too," laughed Lori.
"Eat up!" chomped Dorian.
"Close your mouth Dorian," commented Nona dryly.
Half way through breakfast and suddenly the room was packed with owls carrying packages and mail. The First years stared off in wonder at the sight. Even though some of them expected it, what they saw wasn't comprehensible until they saw it firsthand. Owls of different color, size, and species flew ahead by the hundreds.
Lori watched as a large barn owl hovered above Albus, delicately dropping a letter. Albus' face lit as he opened the seal and pulled out a message from his parents. Soon Nona had her own letter, and Galen. Lori sighed; having muggle parents that didn't necessarily know how to send mail was a downer. She would love to hear from them, she would have to write them later. That's when a small piece of paper dropped to her plate, looking up she saw Dasmute turning around to leave. It only said a few words:
Meet me in the courtyard later- Severus
Lori looked behind her back to the Slythrin table, there he was. His eyes reached hers, and she nodded with a smile in response. He noted it, but looked away quickly.
It was her first night in the castle, and things were amazing. The whole school was beautiful and welcoming. She had made new friends in her class in a little over a day's time, and yet Severus seemed so distant. Perhaps, things could get worse after the first day. It all worried her. But lifting her head she saw Dorian trying to touch his nose with his tongue, Albus laughing, and Nona nudging her to look. With each laugh, her fear slid away.
Mischief Managed,
Darla Lady London