Gaudeamus igitur
The days seemed to fly by. Not always, of course. In the mornings, when the rooms were invisible to them for a while, Ene and Lil felt lost and lonesome. But finally, they needed only mere seconds to see everything again. Luckily, something like this didn't happen during the days; they saw school just like all the students did – and sometimes were as unnerved by the lessons as the others were.
After two days classes with Professor Binns Ene said if she had to hear the word 'goblin revolt' one more time she'd have a screaming paroxism. And cleaning the broomsticks after every flying lesson given by Madam Hooch fed her up to the teeth. But to watch how the first-years were hanging on ther broomsticks like minced meat seemed so funny to her that she had to start laughing by the mere thought of it.
Lil had a lot of fun with the classes of Profesoor Flitwick even if she had to duck constantly because of flying-around objects. However, the two days with Professor Trelawney did her no good; the strange, heavy odour in Trelawneys tower room set Lil half asleep and this lasted until long after the lessons. Lil was happy Trelawney didn't know anything about cars or computer mice for the teacher constantly looked at her piercingly and foretold things like: "You should buy a new broomstick; I can see you going enormously fast but much too close to the ground" and "You will suffer a nervous disease in your right forefinger one day, my inner eye sees your finger twitching constantly".
At dinner on Friday Lil told about it and Harry said: "Be happy, she always foretold my death. Can't recommend it."
"Yeah, Potter, what a pity this foretelling is still waiting to be fulfilled!" a sneering voice came up behind him.
Ene and Lil looked up and saw a blonde young man flanked by two guys out of whom you might easily have made four people; they immediately realized that this team and wagon were made of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
Harry didn't even look up and said: "Shuddup, Malfoy!"
Malfoy put on a malicious expression and said: "Now, does Dumbledore's darling fear an early death? Don't care, Potter, because then you will at least be released from the consequences of this false decision for this... er... ," he looked disparagingly down on Hermione, "would-be magician."
Ron clenched his fists, but Hermione put her hand on his arm and indicated him to keep cool.
Harry put down his glass, looked up to the ceiling and said quietly: "The release from Malfoy would be my greatest fortune."
Malfoy's expression got dark: "Careful, Potter! Most of the time you realise you chose the wrong side when it's too late. And now you're also wasting your time on people from unknown schools...," and he looked derogatorily down on Ene and Lil while Crabbe and Goyle smiled arrogantly but foolishly.
"Oh, close your fly, Malfoy!" Lil remarked casually, and when Malfoy looked down his body in alarm she added in Harry's direction: "My, this one's so humourless! Is he as easily fooled by 'your shoelace is loose'?"
Malfoy hissed: "As guests you shouldn't try to make a big one, here! You just don't know who you're messing with."
Ene grinned: "Yes, we do, with the master of Brutus and Nero who are always at his heels," and she pointed at Crabbe and Goyle: "And, haven't you been given command to sit, Guys?"
"You, see, you, we are...," Goyle gasped for breath, Crabbe didn't seem to be thinking of anything at all.
Just Malfoy squeezed a single sentence through his teeth: "You will laugh on the other side of your face."
With this he turned around and left the hall with his companions.
Hermione finally let Ron's arm go, and promptly Ron seemed to explode: "I'm gonna shut him up one day even if it's the last thing I'll ever do!"
Neville changed the topic and asked Ene and Lil: "We're allowed to leave for Hogsmeade tomorrow to do some shopping before the feast. Will you come along?"
"I think, we have to talk it over with Professor McGonagall but if we're allowed to go, surely we'll come along!" Lil said.
Ene leaned over to her and whispered: "Have you left your brain in the cupboard? Our finances look bad or do you have lots of magicians' money?"
Hermione had heard her nonetheless and said: "Well, if you are a little short of money we might stand you a butterbeer."
"Or a juice," Harry added as he noticed Lil's wry face.
McGonagall permitted their excursion to Hogsmeade after she obliged Hermione to look after the trainees during their stay there; they should never stray through unknown districts on their own.
Late that evening Lil and Ene found small purses with coins on the tables in their rooms, and a slip of paper on which Dumbledore had written "Have fun in Hogsmeade, and keep something for the feast next Saturday" with silvergrey ink.
It turned out to be a marvellous Saturday! Presumably, Ron wanted to show Ene and Lil every magic joke in Zonko's shop and explain what improvements his brothers had already invented. Lil and Ene, now that they had money, wanted to spend their money on sweets but Harry and Hermione warned them against every second candy Ron recommended. Derwish and Banges was crowded with students who were looking for an outfit for the great feast.
Hermione declined: "I can conjure up better shreds than everything in here."
Finally, all together entered the Three Broomsticks. Ene had her first butterbeer and Lil really got her juice.
Madam Rosmerta stood besides the table for a moment and asked: "So, will you be here next Saturday for the big party?"
"By all means!" Ron said beaming from ear to ear.
"Who do you have for the music?" Hermione asked.
Rosmerta seemed very proud: "We have band from Scotland called The Charming Bagpipes, and then there is one of these newfangled, how do you call this, eh, Deesey..."
"DJ maybe?" Hermione marked up.
"Yes, exactly, such a DJ from London who wants to use the rest periods of the band to make some Muggle music popular here. Maybe the young ones like it."
"Will he take listerners' requests?" Ene asked.
Rosmerta examined her in astonishment before she answered: "If you know some, surely. This DJ was expensive enough and his references say that he is able to present more than 7000 compositions. However, he doesn't play them himself, he has some kind of singing side table which is keeping the music in mind, so to speak, and then is bringing it back to the listeners' ears. I'm very excited about it." Then she went back to the counter.
All the way back to the castle the great feast was the only talked about topic. Hermione, Lil, and Ene arranged to meet in the library on Sunday to look up the best spells for producing excellent evening gowns. Ene and Lil disappeared into their rooms and Hermione, Ron, and Harry went up to the Gryffindor tower.
At Sunday's breakfast there was another clash with Malfoy. He had spread the rumour, Ene and Lil had behaved so badly at their school that they were expelled from school, and to bridge some time they chose the trainee program at Hogwarts. While the Slytherins were already giggling, Dean Thomas, who dated a girl from Slytherin, pulled himself together and told Ene and Lil about the story. The two just looked at each other and went straight over to Malfoy's table. All heads turned towards them. Crabbe and Goyle stood up threateningly but Ene and Lil hugged the two boorish guys and cuddled them; the boys were just flabbergasted. Malfoy dropped his bagel and the jam spread all over his trouser leg.
"But, Malfoy," Ene breathed, "there was no need for finding such an absurd excuse for us." She snuggled her head on Goyle's shoulder. Goyle's mouth stood wide open so Hedwig might have built a nest in there.
Lil let her fingers run through Crabbe's sparse hair and said: "Exactly, Malfoy, everyone is permitted to know we're here for our sweethearts. Oh, sorry, I forgot, you wanted to prevent letting all your classmates know you're the only one still single!" And in playful gestures she let her fingers run up and down Crabbe's arms, while Crabbe smiled idiotically and obviously had switched off his thinking.
Ene placed herself at Goyle's side so that his arm laid around her shoulders and added: "Heavens, yes, poor Malfoy! Still no girlfriend and the hand looks so swollen already..."
And in a jiffy, Ene and Lil separated from the boys and went back to the Gryffindor table. After a few seconds of absolute silence, ringing laughter filled the hall, whereupon Malfoy and his two sidekicks hurried out.
After breakfast Hermione, Ene, and Lil went up to the library. Here they brooded over a heap of books for hours and tried to make out what the dress of their dreams should look like. Hermione had offered to produce dresses for Ene and Lil also because they were not allowed to work magic here. Ene wanted a long black robe of simple elegance, a little lace, and a low décolleté. Lil wished for a tight, short dress in dark green for it would match her grey-green eyes. Hermione couldn't make up her mind, that's why she underwent an intensive guidance about style and colour. Finally, Hermione brought herself to choose a knee-long dress of various layers of lilac-coloured chiffon. At last she said, now she had found the best spells for dresses, and then it was about time for dinner.