After a while they began to see students passing by on their way to the bathrooms to change into their robes. "Alright you three know the drill, get out." announced Angelina. "Why do you girls always get to change in here and we have to lug ourselves to the bathrooms?" grumbled George. Lee agreed, "Yeah don't you think it's time the three of you trudged all the way up instead of us?"
"Absolutely not." Briley replied with finality, "You boys can get over it and change quickly otherwise all of us will be late."
"You three are," George began.
"The most insufferable," Fred continued.
"Girls we have ever met." Lee finished with a scowl.
"See you in a bit!" Katie called cheerfully after them as they exited the compartment. After a quick change and the usual ride in the horseless carriages, Briley was once again in front of the ancient castle she called home for most of the year. The six of them raced up the stone steps into the cover of Hogwarts only to be welcomed by Peeves chucking water balloons and Professor McGonagal yelling at him to quit.
"Peeves do NOT make me get the Bloody Baron!" She shrieked! Briley hurried past them, she was determined to make it to dinner as dry as possible.
"Oh good," said Fred next to her, " Peeves is starting the ole job up again early."
"Don't even think about it!" Briley exclaimed.
"Oh Bri when will you learn that they rarely listen to any sense especially when it comes from you?" giggled Katie as they all found a spot on the bench of the Gryffindor table. The typical ceremonies ensued, the first of which was the sorting of the first years. However, this year she had no interest in them seeing as none of her friends had any younger siblings who weren't already students. But as the sorting came to a close her boredom turned abruptly into interest as Dumbledore stood to begin his yearly speech. He cut straight to the chase speaking of the dementors Hogwarts was being forced to play host to in light of Azkanbans recent escapee. "There's no way he's very pleased with the ministry right now." whispered George across the table. "Obviously," Briley responded quietly, "Hogwarts is the safest place as long as Dumbledores' around."
"And the dementors are actually putting students in more danger." said Katie, "I heard some things from Mara she was in the compartment beside Potter's." she muttered quickly as the five of them gave her quizzical looks, "I'll tell you after." Around them students were giving them dirty looks. Briley tuned back into Dumbledor's address as he explained the unfeeling and unforgiving nature of the creatures. Briley turned her face away from the front and stared at her reflection in the china. If a student had already been put in harm's way by a dementor what's to say it would not happen again? She was confident that Black would be unsuccessful in any attempts to enter the castle; however, the dementors were a different story. There was a spattering of applause yanking her back to the present and she looked back up as Hagrid was announced as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. She felt eyes on her and turned to find George staring at her unabashedly. "Are you alright? You've been on edge since we arrived." he asked concernedly. Briley replied without hesitation, "Yeah I'm fine, just tired. It's been a long day."
"If you say so," but he did not appear to buy her bluff. As the feast began Briley filled her plate with the exceptionally delicious food Hogwarts always supplied. "Hey Katie," Bri said her mouth halfway through chewing a bite of steak, "What were you talking about earlier? The thing about Potter?"
"You are disgusting." laughed Angelina, "Basically as bad as the boys." she turned towards Fred, George and Lee who were likewise shoveling food into their mouths like they'd been malnourished their whole lives. "Hey now, it's been a very long day and I'm a big growing boy" said Fred defensively. "Oh and that excuses you four from manners now does it?" Angelina retorted. Briley, who by this point had finished chewing and swallowed, said "Katie! Potter's compartment?"
"Oh right," Katie began, "Mara told me on the way in here that she was in the compartment beside Potter's. Obviously Potter was inside but so was Hermione and Ron," she nodded toward the twins, "and the new Defensive Against the Dark Arts teacher was in there too,"
"Professor Lupin, I think," interrupted Lee who received a scathing look from Briley. His face went bright red, "Sorry." he muttered. "Anyway," Katie continued, " When the dementors entered the train they went straight for that compartment. No one really knows why, but it started… well… sucking out his soul." this last bit was spoken in a whisper barely audible over the din of their surroundings. They waited for Katie to go on but she sat staring at them. "Well seeing as Potter is alive and well sitting by Ickle Ronniekins and Smarty Pants I think it's safe to say that there's more to that story." said George irritably. "Oh! Umm… well Potter uh, passed out and then Professor Lupin performed some sort of charm and the dementor fled. That's when he started handing out chocolate. Most of the students think he could have died if Professor Lupin hadn't been there." she finished breathlessly.
"Well that explains Malfoy's ridiculous fainting impression at the Slytherin table." said Fred contemptuously.
"He's such a prat." Briley rolled her eyes as she said this, remembering the scathing look shed received earlier on the train, and all five of them nodded in agreement. They continued to dine on the delicious food until Briley's skirt felt a size too small, the waistband now flush against her skin. She began to feel sleepy and felt irritated by the fact that she could not just apparate straight into her canopy bed, but was required to trudge through the school and all the way up the Gryffindor tower. "Alright Gryffindors follow me! This way please! Follow me I'm Head Boy!" called Percy loudly over the scraping of benches and the clamor of several conversations. George stood just in front of her as they tailed the entirety of Gryffindor to the common room. He turned and rolled his eyes virtually to the back of his skull as Percy continued his commentary about following closely and consistent reminders of his status as Head Boy. "And I thought he was bad at home" he shook his head. Fred ran up beside her and whispered, "No really, he was awful after he received the letter and badge. You'd have thought he won the Medal for Magical Merit the way he pranced around and gloated."
"And then mum encouraged him by fawning. She's absolutely miffed that one of us isn't a prefect" added George.
"Well there's no surprise there," Briley laughed, "Oh don't look so offended!" Fred was giving her the face of an injured puppy dog and George faked a few sobs. They stopped on the staircase and waited for Percy to say the password aloud, "Fortuna Major", before boys and girls started stepping through the portrait hole. Once in the common room she scanned for Angelina and Katie who she found standing by the staircase to the girls dormitories. She waved and then turned to Fred and George, "Goodnight! See you bright and early for classes tomorrow!" she said cheerfully. "Oh bugger off!" Fred exclaimed but Briley was already walking up the stone steps leading to her shared room.