Year Two
Chapter 11: Welcome Back
It was the first week of term back at Hogwarts for Madeline Jacobson and Violet Hayden. The sorting this year had been pretty interesting as more Potters and Weasleys began their magical education. There were only two, but they had both been a bit surprising with what houses they were sorted into. Rose Weasley, daughter to the famous Hermione and Ron Weasley had been sorted into Ravenclaw (a fact that Violet had been quite proud of). Albus Potter (Harry and Ginny Potter's second son) was sorted into Hufflepuff (a bit of a surprise). However probably the most surprising had been the sorting of Draco and Astoria Malfoy's son, Scorpius. The platinum blond boy had surprised everyone when the sorting hat had shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" There had been silence in the Great Hall as he sat down at the yellow and black clad table, but (as to be expected) the Hufflepuffs were the first to break the silence by cheering for him and welcoming him with open arms.
It was the first Saturday after term had started when the Hufflepuffs invited everyone to a party to be held in a large room near the kitchens. Violet informed Madeline that it was also near their common room, but due to the school's security it couldn't actually be held in the Hufflepuff Common Room. Everyone had been invited, on the condition they check their wand at the door. The best part about a Hufflepuff party (as Vi and Maddy were to find out) was the music and the food. In a bid to accommodate as many people as possible they had a large variety of food (all brought in from the kitchens just down the corridor) and music (supplied by both muggleborns and purebloods).
When Maddy and Vi finally arrived (fashionably late as Maddy called it) the party was already going strong. Someone had managed to sneak in a ton of butterbeer, and Maddy was pretty sure the pumpkin juice had been spiked with fire whiskey. However everyone was having fun. The theme for the party was simply Welcome Back!. Most of the students in attendance were older, but there were a few other second and third years that Maddy and Vi saw. The two girls grabbed a butterbeer each and joined a group of second years dancing in the middle of the crowd.
It was getting on towards two in the morning and the party was still going strong when a drunk Gryffindor pushed an equally drunk Slytherin. From there it escalated quickly, but since everyone had to check their wand at the door, it was all physical. Maddy and Vi, who had been taking a break from dancing, quickly tried to get out of the way. It got to the point where punches were being thrown in an all out inter-house brawl when several older Hufflepuffs all shouted at once "IMMOBULUS!"
Everyone in the room was frozen, even those who had only been trying to flee the fight. A voice near the door called out to everyone. "Okay, party's over people! We're gonna unfreeze you by house and you will go back to your dorms!"
Maddy and Violet happened to be facing toward the door and they could see that the person speaking was the Head Boy (a Gryffindor). Next to him stood the Head Girl (a Hufflepuff). They were both giving everyone disappointed looks. The Slytherins were unfrozen first and Madeline left the party room to wait outside in the hall. Ravenclaws were next and Violet joined her friend a few minutes later. It was well past curfew, but the two friends didn't really care. The next day was Sunday, so they didn't have class. They wound up back at the Slytherin Common Room though because it was closest. Vi was a little nervous about entering, but Maddy assured her it would be fine. As it turned out, there were a few others who had brought friends from other houses in so they wouldn't have to try getting back to their own dorm and risk getting caught. The girls even thought they spotted a Gryffindor or two in the Slytherin Common Room, which just went to prove that the inter-house fighting was only between a few individuals.
While some people were wide awake and chatting, others were headed off to bed. This included Vi and Maddy. The two girls realized just how exhausted they were all of a sudden, and quickly made their way down to the second year dorms where Violet transfigured a pillow into an air mattress and blanket. Both were out like a light in minutes.
The next morning, they woke late and Violet insisted on going back to Ravenclaw tower to change and shower before breakfast. However afterwards they went to brunch in the Great Hall with a few other second years. They all sat at the Ravenclaw table and tucked into the scrambled eggs and sausages. About halfway through breakfast though Headmistress Merrick stood from her place at the center of the staff table and looked out expectantly at her students. "Just a quick announcement this morning!" she said cheerfully. "I would just like to remind students that while inter-house comradery is encouraged, it should not be taking place at two o'clock in the morning. Also, alcohol is not permitted on school grounds." With that she sat back down and started up a conversation with Professor Hagrid. The second years at the Ravenclaw table looked at each other before chuckling. Apparently the Headmistress had a sense of humor.