A/N: Hey y'all! I'm finally back with another chapter!

I apologize for the long wait. I had some MAJOR writer's block with this chapter, and I started working on other things too. To make up for it, it's fairly longer than some of the others. I promise the next chapter will not take so long to come out.

I also apologize if some of characterization isn't the greatest. I tried my best. :)

Enough apologies, please enjoy!

The Gryffindor common room was much messier than Noah had anticipated, opposing the Ravenclaw common room in nearly every way possible, from the red and gold tapestries, rugs and furnishings to the warm fireplace. People's things were scattered every which way, and pet cats and toads were running amuck. Most of the Gryffindors present were staring him down as he entered.

"Noah! Little buddy! Glad we got you first!" Owen walked up and squeezed him half-dead before he could even put his stuff down.

"Nice to see you, Canada." Eva came up and patted him hard on the back before half-hugging him and giving him a noogie.

"Nono! You're here! Yay!" Izzy jumped down from the ceiling onto Owen's shoulders. "Of course, I followed you from the Ravenclaw hideout to here." Izzy backflipped onto the floor, her robe disheveled.

"Thanks for the welcome, guys. Now, where do I put my stuff?" Noah asked.

"Oh. Boy's dorm is up there." Owen pointed to a spiral staircase.

Noah lugged his things up the stairs to the wide expanse of the dorm room. Beds were hastily made with red and gold sheets and tasseled pillows. The bed on the end was the only one that was neatly made. It was next to one with a trunk monogrammed with 'DE' sitting at the foot of it. Clothing spilled from the trunk.

Noah plopped his stuff down on the bed and fell onto it. He was exhausted. He began to close his eyes and relax his tense body when a painfully familiar voice interrupted the peace of the empty dorm.

" Hey, skinny, what the heck are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your nerd friends in Raven house or whatever?" asked Duncan as he loomed over Noah's bed with his arms crossed. His red-and-gold Gryffindor tie was undone, his dress shirt was untucked and hanging out below his sweater vest.

Noah sat up and stared at Duncan. "I'm not in Ravenclaw, Duncan. If you payed any attention at all to anyone besides Courtney, you'd know I don't have a

House."

"Oh, right, 'cause you're too much of a 'genius' to be in Ravenclaw."

Noah rolled his eyes. "No, the Sorting Hat doesn't know where to place me yet. That's why I'm in this mess you call a dorm. Do you guys ever clean anything?"

"No."

"That's what I thought." He flicked at a dust cloud that descended upon him. "Disgusting. You should get someone with spell-casting skills to clean up this dump. Gryffindors seem to be too insane, violent, stubborn or stupid to try to ever learn anything that advanced." Noah smirked.

"You might get placed in Gryffindor, you little smartie."

"Unlikely. I have too much brains and not enough blind faith."

"Please, don't give me that. Izzy's got an IQ of 188."

"I know that, but she's mentally unstable."

"Oh, I know, but that doesn't mean she's stupid."

"Whatever. I could clean up this place in five seconds."

"Oh yeah? Prove it, Noah-it-all." Duncan crossed his arms again.

"Uh… I can't. Not now. It's too dark." Noah pulled on his shirt collar.

"There are lights all over the place, genius! Unless you want me to tell your 'friends' downstairs what you said about Gryffindors..."

"No! Don't! Please."

"Then do it."

Noah sighed. "Fine. But if I get in trouble for this, you're the one who's getting detention." Noah rummaged through his stuff to look for his wand.

While Noah searched, another first-year Gryffindor named Trent walked in. He said a quiet hi to Duncan, though there was slight venom in his voice. He flopped onto the bed opposite Noah's and let out a large sigh. He appeared to have multiple bandages in various places on his body, including one that wrapped around his left hand, which was placed over his chest. His black hair was shoulder length like Noah's.

"Geez, man, rough day in flying class. I can't believe they're cheap enough to use Shooting Stars from the Potter days when Cleansweep Nines are so much faster. I dropped off one from 10 feet as soon as Professor Emily said lift off. Smashed my wrist, a few fingers, and bruised everything else," Trent declared to his present company.

"You'll never impress Gwen that way, dude. Girls like a guy who's athletic. Or talented," Duncan responded.

"No one asked your opinion, Duncan. What do you know about girls?" Trent asked.

"Enough to know what they like."

"How can you know what they like when you look like a punk who's too young to have his hair dyed?" Noah interjected with a smirk.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to go yell at Geoff for being an idiot during Potions again." He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving Trent and Noah by themselves.

Silence.

"So, uh.. This is kind of awkward." Noah spoke first.

"Yeah."

More silence.

"You know, my best friend has a crush on Gwen."

Trent's eyes widened. He stood up and loomed over Noah's bed, though his shoulders slumped, and was less imposing than Duncan, possibly because of how injured he was.

"One of those Ravenclaws wants Gwen?"

"Yeah, so what? She's in his house."

"Which one is it?"

"Uh… I don't think I should tell you that. You seem pretty wound up."

Trent sighed, and slumped back onto his bed. "I liked Gwen the moment I saw her. I think she might like me back. If only I got that other kid out of the picture-"

"Slow down! It's only first-year. Those romances never last. If you really want to chase after Gwen, wait until you're mature enough to be sure your feelings are genuine."

Trent looked Noah in the eyes. That had happened a lot lately, like he had something in there.

Trent smiled. "That's a good idea. Let someone else chase after her for a while. I'll be waiting. We could become friends in the meantime." He then got up and patted Noah on the back. "Thanks, man. You're alright."

Noah pretended to be impartial by rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "Whatever. Just trying to prevent my friend from getting brutally murdered in his sleep before he's legally allowed to use magic outside of school."

Trent laughed.

Noah smiled. I guess I just made another non-enemy. Maybe Gryffindor wouldn't be so bad.

He put his head back on the bed, and quickly fell asleep.

Review if you have any especially strong feelings, positive or negative(but constructive)! See y'all next chapter!