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Emma came back downstairs dressed in her Ravenclaw uniform. From the Southern Tower window it looked like a cold day and she kept her cloak around her shoulders. She walked into the Great Hall, seeing a somewhat forlorn Gabriel sitting at the Gryffindor table.
"Morning." she smiled and sat down across from her. She grinned almost instantly.
"I thought maybe you weren't coming." she smiled.
"Oh no... I wouldn't do that." Emma laughed. "I just... had an interesting early morning." she smiled, remembering her and Aerienne's incident with the angry squid. "Have you met anyone called Aerienne in Gryffindor yet?" she asked.
Gabriel shook her head.
"No one of that name, I think." she said, starting on her corn flakes. "Lots of nice people though." she smiled. "Did you know we have second class together? Gryffindor and Ravenclaw." she said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Um... Care of Magical Creatures? Yes..." she nodded. "It'll be fun. See what Grubbly-Plank thinks up this year..." The windows above them opened and a swarm of owls flew over the tables. One of the Beech's prized Asio Owls landed in front Emma, dropping a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of her and then swooping off.
"Any news?" Gabriel asked as Emma opened the slightly crumpled newspaper.
"Nothing... as usual." she sighed. "Just Draco Malfoy's latest promotion. And... oh look, muggle toilets are the new hottest item for your modern wizarding home." she said, pointing at a small caption.
"Strange news. " Gabriel smiled. "Oh, the Wimbourne Wasps won against the Pride of Portree." she said, pointing at a moving picture of wasp embroidered Quidditch players cheering at the crowd.
"Aw... shit." Emma said. "Dad has stocks in the Pride." she sighed. Someone sat down next to her suddenly and she looked up, seeing Chase.
"Shouldn't you be sitting at the Ravenclaw table?" he asked. Gabriel had gone silent again.
"Rude." Emma said. "I was just helping Gabriel get settled." Chase picked up her newspaper.
"Wow. The Wasps won, great." he said, smiling. Emma shook her head, looking at her plate. "Do you like Quidditch?" he asked Gabriel. She nodded and opened her mouth.
"I used to play. In Portugal." she said, smiling before hiding herself by drinking some pumpkin juice.
"Awesome." Chase nodded. He stopped and looked at Emma smiling. She glanced at him.
"What?"
"First Hogsmeade weekend's in a few weeks." he said.
"I know."
"Got any plans?" he said, becoming hesitant.
"I have to get a new broom handle. The Cloud-Splinter didn't come with one." she shrugged.
"A Cloud-Splinter!" Chase asked, distracted from where he had been leading earlier. Emma wasn't sure if he was surprised or had just never heard of it.
"You know us Beeches. I have a family that likes to keep up with the times." she said, smiling."I'll see you, Gabriel. Bye, Chase." she said, walking back towards the exit to the hall. She went up the stairs and back to the Southern Tower. Pushing Valkyrie off her bed, she dusted cat hair off her black messenger bag and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. She picked up her bag and put 'Two-Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi''in it and went outside for Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.