Chapter 6: The Morning Bell

         

          A short chapter, but I have to go to work soon.  I wrote this just for Karly because she reviewed my story and because my fic doesn't suck.

Callie woke with a yawn and stretched hers arms up over her head.  The room was pleasantly chilly and all the girls were wrapped snuggly in their scarlet blankets.  As her mind cleared, she grinned remembering last nights pillow charade.  She looked at the chair next to her bed, only to see her new uniform piled neatly atop it.  Her skirt, shirt, tie, scarf and even gloves were all there, and her robes (with the new Gryffindor emblem sewn on) were hanging from a nail in the wall.  She silently got out of bed and inspected the new belongings.  Suddenly, a bell went off down in the common room.  It was quite loud and started Callie so much that she fell back onto her bed.  Groans came from each bed and the girls unhappily woke up.

            "Ugh.. does Percy have to ring that bloody bell so loud?" Angelina moaned.  With a few curses and murmurs, the remaining girls got out of bed and began to get dressed. 

            When Callie was fully dressed she approached the single mirror hanging on the wall.  She thought for a second, then pulled her long, blonde hair into a high ponytail.  Satisfied with her work she returned to her bed to organize her books.

            "You don't wear make-up then?" asked Alicia as she was fastening her robes.

            "Nah," Callie began.  "Only for dressy stuff."

            "Yeah, neither do we," Angelina answered.  "Usually we sleep to late to do it anyway.  It's the third and fourth years who wear the most, they think they need to impress somebody."  After Alicia and Angelina had braided their hair (apparently it was something they did every first day of school) the three girls made their way down the stairs into the common room.  The boys were already their sitting on the couches, along with some first years that were extremely eager to get going. 

            "Once they realize the work they have to do," Alicia whispered, motioning to the younger students, "they'll be singing a different tune."

            When the boys saw the Callie, Angelina and Alicia walk in, they motioned for them to come over.

            "Morning ladies," George began with a yawn.  Percy walked over to the group a stood above them with his arms crossed.

            "Honestly Percy, did you have to ring that bell so loud?" Fred asked.

            "How else would have gotten you up?" he said with a smirk, and then directed his attention to the rest of the room.  "Okay!  Breakfast starts in 10 minutes.  I trust everyone can make it to the dining hall with any problems?"  As Percy spoke these last words he looked straight at Fred and George.

            "Lets just go!" Lee said with a sigh. 

            Out of the corner of her eye, Callie could see Oliver curled up in an armchair fast asleep.  She poked Angelina and pointed.  The other girl laughed silently and winked.  Callie grabbed a pillow and tip toed over the sleeping figure.  By this time almost everyone had directed his or her attention to the upcoming attack.  Callie stopped right next to the chair, raised the pillow over her head and WHAP!  The pillow came down on Oliver's head with a puff of feathers.  This, of course, woke him with a start and he yelped as he slid of the chair onto the carpeted floor.  He looked up with a challenging smile and shook his head.

            "I couldn't resist," Callie admitted with a laugh.  She offered Oliver her hand and he took it.  When he was again standing up, he ran his hand over his hair to remove the fluffy feathers. 

            "Now you realize this is war," Oliver began.  "I'm going to get you when you least expect it…"

            "Oh sure Oliver, I'll believe it when I see it," Callie answered.  The two hurried through the portrait hall to catch up with the rest of the Gryffindor house.