Copyright Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or settings you may recognize from another piece of work. Only my OCs and ideas belong to me.
Despite Jack believing that Elsa and Eli had left the Great Hall to cuddle in their new quarters, they had actually been organizing the Prefects and such so that leading students to their common rooms would be simple. "Eli," Elsa called, "that staircase over there is the one with the disappearing steps, right?"
"Yup," Eli confirmed. "I'm sure the Prefect will re-route themselves as needed. While they go to their common rooms, we need to make sure there are no stragglers."
"Shall we set off then?" Elsa held his hand and laced their fingers. "Let's make our way toward our dorm rather than start there."
The two set off in silence at first, merely enjoying the other's presence. They shared amused glances when they heard the rambunctious younger students being led to their dorms and the upperclassmen grumbling about the troubles of adjusting to new kids each year. They found the occasional lost First Year here and there, but they were quickly sent on their way and the number of students in the hall dwindled. Eventually, there were only Elijah and Elsa left. Elsa was still absorbed in her dilemma earlier in the day. As Head Girl, she needed to be dependable and fair: she couldn't let personal problems interfere with the way she carried out her duties.
"Elsa, are you okay?"
Had it been anyone else, Elsa most likely would not have spilled her thoughts. However, it wasn't just anyone. It was Elijah Wood; someone whom she trusted completely. "I'm okay, but something that happened earlier just won't stop bothering me."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Nick Allen, that Slytherin Fifth Year whose cousin is a Gryffindor: before dinner, he was taunting Aaron. They were idiotic insults, but I couldn't help but be reminded of Anna. This summer was horrible with her at home." Eli gave her silent support, and she continued. "How could I not be reminded of the girl that claims I ruined her life last year?"
"She still blames you for what happened with Luc?"
"Yes," Elsa admitted, with some distress. "She was only fourteen; I couldn't let her hang out with Luc. I knew that he was going to coax her into something that she'd regret."
Eli considered her words. "Does she know that Luc was bad news?"
"I've tried the best I can to convince her that I was only doing it out of love." For the first time, Elsa was truly saddened to say that her sister loathed her.
While saying the password to their dorm, Eli rubbed a small circle on her hand with his thumb. "In your heart you did the right thing. I'm sure that somewhere in hers, she'll realize that."
Elsa quietly thanked him, knowing that it would suffice. Stepping through the portrait, she gasped softly. "I love it."
The main room of the dorm was brick, like the rest of the school dorms, but the decor was instantaneously appealing to the two Heads who had a lot of House pride. Though the room's furniture was more contemporary and not as brightly colored as it was in the common rooms, the inviting space offered small tributes to the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. The white tiles were flecked with metallic red and blue and there were House banners on opposite walls. The dorm rooms were just as boastful in the display of blue-and-bronze and red-and-gold.
"This dorm is great," Eli grinned. He shrugged off his robe and Elsa did the same. "Patrol doesn't start until tomorrow night, so we should get our ten hours of complete rest while we can," he said jokingly. "Let's not forget we have orchestra tomorrow right after breakfast."
"Of course. Bonne nuit," Elsa smiled. With a small wave, she disappeared into her room. Collapsing onto the deep blue sheets, she sighed contentedly. "It's great to be back."
She prepared for bed with lingering signs of happiness etched on her features, and that was how she fell asleep.
The next morning, Jack woke up in his dorm surrounded by his bustling roommates. "Wake up, troll face," Kevin called.
Jack managed a grin and retorted, "Hope you brushed your teeth, ogre breath."
"You two are so childish," Claude sighed. He threw Jack's school clothes at the groggy teen and left the room with another sigh, book bag slung over his shoulder.
Jack removed his Slytherin tie from his head and looked at Kevin questioningly. "What's wrong with Claude?"
"He just realized this morning that he has to plan our Quidditch celebration that's happening in a few weeks."
"Claude did a great job the last time he planned a party," Jack said. "It was insanely fun."
Kevin grabbed his canvas backpack and shrugged, "I guess he just wants more help this time around. I'll see you at breakfast, Jack."
"I'll be there in ten minutes. See you then," Jack waved. Pushing back his covers and walking into the bathroom, he slipped into his Hogwarts uniform. Quickly gelling his hair and brushing his teeth, Jack grabbed his wand and left the room with his knapsack hanging on one shoulder.
As he walked through the hall connecting the dungeons to the rest of the school, he found Liza walking slowly ahead of him.
"Liza, wait up!"
Liza turned around and stopped walking to give Jack a chance to catch up with her. "Hey." Jack noticed that she had used a glamour charm on her hair to give it dark blue ends.
"Mornin'," Jack grinned. "Nice hair."
"Thanks."
"Where's Emma?"
"Emma's already at breakfast, waiting with the rest of them."
The two walked in silence until they got to the Great Hall a minute or so later. He opened the door with a cheeky smile. "You first, m'lady."
Liza took a seat next to Emma and Claude and Jack took his normal seat by Kevin. Claude was currently complaining about all of the responsibilities that came with being the resident Slytherin party planner. "I have to buy supplies with our low budget, create a playlist that none of the Fourth through Seventh Years will complain about, try to convince the house elves to give us a tasty menu, and decorate the bloody Astronomy Tower!"
Liza raised an eyebrow. "You know, you've never had to do any of that on your own."
"But Leeza, anyone else would mess it up."
"It's pronounced Lie-za," she grumbled. "No one needs to help you anyway."
Emma frowned at Claude. "Don't underestimate our skills. Liza's right. You can suffer while decorating all alone."
Jack and Kevin snickered. When Jack looked up from his chocolate covered pancakes, he saw Rose and Scorpius coming into the Great Hall with Albus, who looked very left out. The two Slytherin boys made their way to sit near Jack and Rose walked dazedly to the Ravenclaw table with a smile on her face.
"Well, Scorp, it must've been a good morning for you," Kevin remarked.
"Too good," muttered Albus. "He was an early riser today and woke our roommate Devan up too."
"It's not my fault." Scorpius sighed dreamily, "Rose wanted to meet up with me."
Jack smiled, knowing that Albus was put off by how Scorpius was paying more attention to Rose than before. When Jack looked at the Ravenclaw table, Rose was seemingly gushing to Elsa. The blonde seemed to listen intently, a large smile painted on her face.
Jack redirected his attention to his own breakfast and vaguely heard Claude ask him a question. "What was that, mate?"
"I just wanted to know if we're having our annual get-together today."
"After classes end," Jack replied. Every year, the big group of interconnected friends met during the first week of school to catch up and talk about their lives for a few hours. "James planned it this year. It's going to be in the eastern courtyard."
"Gotcha." The conversation in the group slowly dwindled until someone spoke.
"Hey, Lily!" Scorpius called to the youngest Potter sibling. She turned from her group of friends and walked toward the Slytherin table.
"Good morning, Scorpius," Lily smiled. "Hey, Al," she said, ruffling her brother's hair.
"Hey there, Little Lil." Albus grimaced as he rearranged the loose strands of his hair. "Tell your friends that the get-together is today."
"We knew anyway, Al. Hi, Jack." Lily looked at Jack with pleading eyes, somehow communicating to him that she didn't want to hear whatever Scorpius was preparing to say.
Jack stared back, dumbfounded. What is she on about? he thought.
"Hey, Lil," Scorpius said, "thanks for the help with Rose's gift last week. She loved it."
Under her breath Lily muttered, "I know." Jack was the only one who heard and understood what she had been mouthing earlier.
Albus sensed the awkward atmosphere and turned to Kevin, hoping for a change of topic. Receiving the hint, Kevin said loudly, "So, Lily - I hear you have a new boyfriend?"
"What?" Both Lily and Albus cried out in response to the bogus statement.
Scorpius merely looked intrigued. "You do?" he asked. "I thought I was your best friend," he half-whined. "Why didn't I know?"
"Because," Albus said heavily as he gave Kevin a small kick under the table, "Lily wouldn't date anyone I don't approve of. I don't approve of many boys here."
Lily fidgeted. "I'm not really interested in any boys that are in my league."
"What about Pollux Creevey?" Kevin suggested.
Jack gave a mental groan. "Pollux isn't Lily's type, Kev."
"And quite frankly," Albus added, "not even worthy of her. As far as I'm concerned, she's single." Normally Lily would've flamed at this statement, but in truth, she only had a romantic lens for Scorpius.
Kevin shrugged and Jack sighed, hearing Emma say under her breath, "Kevin's such an idiot." He looked over at the Ravenclaw table and caught Elsa's eyes, who gave a small wave - she had been watching the Slytherin students talk to Lily with an amused smile. Jack quickly returned the gesture and moved his gaze along to the Gryffindors, where James was looking at his two younger siblings with a confused look.
"What's going on?" James mouthed.
"I'll tell you later," Jack mouthed back. He finished the last chocolaty piece of food on his place and stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to go to Transfiguration early today. Professor Zane went bonkers whenever I was late last year."
"That's because you were late every day," Claude reminded. "I'll see you there in a bit."
"Bye guys!" Lily followed him, on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Dennis Creevey. "Hi Lily."
"Hullo, Jack. How's it going?"
"Great, since classes are going to fly by today. The introductory lessons given on the first day of class are the easiest."
"I know, Jack," Lily said. "I've been through it a few times myself."
"Right," Jack said sheepishly. "I forget that you're getting so old."
"You're only three years older than I am, you know." The pair neared the end of the hallway, where they would have to part in order to go to their respective classrooms. "Bye, Jackie," Lily waved, walking away before Jack could say anything about her use of the (in his opinion) embarrassing nickname.
"Bye, Lily." Even though she was gone, Jack found that she had a presence that didn't fade. He wondered why his cousin had never noticed her. "Well, he's been besotted with Rose for all of these years." As much as Jack liked Rose, he personally would rather spend time with her younger cousin.
He was still contemplating the factors of the love triangle when Claude found him staring absentmindedly at a wall, in the same place that Lily had left him.
"Jack?"
"Oh, hi. When'd you get here?"
"Only a second ago," Claude said, gesturing in the direction of the Great Hall. "Breakfast just ended. We still have a few minutes until class starts."
"We should go then."
"I'll follow you," Claude said. "Liza, Em and Kevin are already in class."
"They saw me in the hall?" Jack asked, bewildered.
Claude snorted, "Of course. They called your name a few times too. All they got was that blank look of yours."
"Blank look? I'll have you know that that expression is my signature 'deep in thought' look!"
"Whatever."
Jack glanced at him skeptically, his friend's nonchalant tone finally settling in his mind. "You've been acting an awful lot like Liza today, Claude."
"Liza?" Claude suddenly looked alert. "What makes you think that?"
"The sarcasm," Jack shrugged. "I don't know. You just have that distinct air around you that Liza does. Maybe I'm imagining things."
Claude was quick to agree. "Maybe."
Jack thought nothing of the behavior and walked into class. He greeted Professor Zane and took his usual seat.
I can't wait until classes are over.
Author's Note: Sorry, this is a total filler chapter. It'll be much more interesting the next time! Reviews are much appreciated. See you soon.
Bonne nuit: good night
