A special post for Australia Day- well I probably would've posted it anyway but Australia Day is awesome. :D

Hope you all enjoy, as always feed back is deeply appreciated. Particuarly if you like/dislike my characterizations.

Chapter Three

Lily and Hugo trotted along with the other Gryffindor first years as a fifth year prefect led them through the crowds of students. They eventually arrived in front of a large portrait of the famous Fat Lady. Lily and Hugo exchanged grins, and clambered in after the others.

"Girls' dormitories are up here," the prefect said, opening a door to show a spiriling staircase. The girls traipsed past him and he closed the door firmly. "Boys, we go up here."

The five first year boys crammed onto the small landing in front of their dormitory door. Stuffed with food and exhausted from the excitement all Hugo wanted to do was sleep. He did not want to be lectured by Vincent Marks, the prefect who was warning them of the dangers of attempting to get into the girls' dorm. Why would they want to get in there? Hugo noticed that his bleary-eyed dorm mates looked as bored and tired as he felt. Finally Marks opened the door and left the boys, with dire warnings of starvation, if they missed breakfast in the morning. Hugo all but fell onto his bed and was asleep in less than a minute.

He woke before the other boys, and sat for a few moments, surprised. He rarely woke up before his mother made him. It took him a few moments to realise that Briar Rose, Lily's kitten had leaped up onto his bed and was watching him expectantly. He scratched her head affectionately and murmured, "What have you got for me?" She rubbed against his arm and let him remove the roll of parchment tucked neatly in her collar. It had been last year Lily had realised Briar Rose was smart enough to find Hugo when she told her to.

The little kitten hadn't even needed to be trained, Lily would just ask her to do something and she'd pad off and do it.

Hugo unrolled the tiny scroll, Good morning sleepy head. Come downstairs already.

He groaned and scribbled back a response, Sleepy. Go without me.

He'd almost gotten back to sleep when Briar leapt back onto his bed with another message, Fine, but don't expect me to save you any breakfast if you sleep late.

Torn between food and sleep Hugo momentarily hesitated, then he rolled over and drifted off, hoping he'd wake in time for breakfast.

Lily went downstairs with the other girls in her dorm. She'd learned all their names the night before and was hopeful that they could all be friends. There was Natalie Boot, who was very tall with short brown hair and intelligent blue eyes. Both her parents had fought in The War and knew her dad. Isabelle Smith was muggle-born, with curly blonde ringlets and baby blue eyes. Faith Gellar was a red head like Lily, though it was more carroty, had green-tinged grey eyes and a thick Irish accent that had the other girls in raptures.

They were among the first to arrive at the Great Hall, and sat down together at the Gryffindor table. Lily carefully buttered a piece of perfectly browned toast. "Magic is amazing!" Isabelle said admiring her own slice, "it's always nearly black at my house."

"Well house elves are very skilful."

Somehow they managed to spend a full ten minutes of conversation on the subject of toast as the room gradually filled.

"Why are you talking about toast?" Hugo asked, confused as he squeezed in next to Lily.

"Because it's so perfect,"Isabelle replied.

"And tasty," Lily added

"And brown," Faith put in

"Yet golden," Natalie finished as the four girls burst into giggles. "Girls…" Hugo rolled his eyes at Nate, the muggle-born boy from the night before, who had just sat down beside him.

The owls flooding the hall saved Hugo from Lily's sharp elbows, as she had a letter from her mother asking how her first day was going, to which she immediately began to reply. Hugo had several from his dad telling him not to harass the house elves, which he promptly ignored.

"So, when do we find out what classes we have?" Nate asked.

"Well, I think the professor brings timetables around during breakfast." Hugo looked around and saw Neville…that is Professor Longbottom making his way down the table handing out slips of paper.

"How did you find Gryffindor Tower?" Neville asked when he reached the group of first years.

"Awesome!"

"It's just like the stories…"

"But so much better."

"It's so red."

Neville laughed, "Here are your timetables, don't forget to come see me if you ever have any problems or just need to chat."

"We won't," they chorused as he moved on to a group of fourth years.

"Okay, so it's Monday. We have double Charms first."

"What's Charms?" Nate asked.

"Merlin you don't know anything do you?" another first year boy said.

"Shut up Rob. He's Muggle-born he'll learn quick enough."

The fourth Gryffindor boy who spoke was someone Lily and Hugo knew slightly, Jacob Thomas.

"Yeah, Charms is just learning to do charms."

"err."

"Like charming something to do something, for example you can learn to charm an object to fly," Natalie explained.

"Awesome, can I charm myself to fly?"

He was met with many blank looks.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"That's what brooms are for."

"It would be very advanced magic I think."

"Okay okay, forget I asked," Nate said, holding his hands up in surrender.

Charms was very enjoyable. Lily though it was the perfect class to start off the first years on. Although all they did was listen to the teacher, a young witch called Professor Zellar, outline the course for the year, she did it in a very interesting and fun manner. There were a few exciting displays of what they would be able to do by the end of their time at Hogwarts and they were regaled with amusing stories of mistakes students could make, often with demonstrations that had the class in tears of laughter.

"There is no way our next class can be as fun as that was!" Faith commented to Lily as they made their way down the stairs.

Not only was she was right but there next class was also rather painful. When they arrived in the dungeon the ancient Professor Slughorn accosted Lily in the doorway. The Ravenclaws were already seated but half the Gryffindors were suddenly stuck in the corridor.

"Lily Potter, what an exciting class this will be. I'm sure you're a natural just like your grandmother and of course your father. I've been waiting to have you in my class for many, many years now."

"Okay," she said and manoeuvred skilfully around him, dragging Faith with her.

"And which cousin is this?" Slughorn asked, taking in Faith's flaming red hair quickly.

"She's not my cousin. Just my friend."

"Oh…Name?"

"Faith Gellar.

"Relation to Liam Gellah from the National Irish team?" he asked hopefully. Faith glanced at Lily and sighed, "he's my brother."

"I never saw him at Hogwarts, which school did he go to?"
"Err well it was a special Quidditch school, in Ireland. I don't remember the name."

"Ah well, I see. Miss Gellah, I do hope you enjoy potions. But this young man must be a Weasley."

"That's Hugo," Liy said protectively.

"Ah yes! Knew both your parents…Smartest witch in her year. Your sister looks set to follow her footsteps, I hope you -"

"Yeah, yeah I know."

Lily and Hugo sat down dejectedly. They had been warned of course, Slughorn was infamous amongst their family, but it didn't lessen the ordeal. Lily smiled at Faith who was behind them and mouthed, "you okay?" Faith rolled her eyes towards Slughorn and shrugged, smiling. .They turned their attention to the board where Slughorn was writing up the potion they were going to make; it was a very simple potion to get them used to the work process.

Matt was sitting in front of Lily and Hugo and when there was a moment Lily stopped by his table to say hello. He smiled up shyly and, in answer to her questions, told her Ravenclaw was okay, his dormmates were okay and his first class had been okay.

"Want to come to the kitchens with Hugo and I to check on the House Elves?" he agreed readily, "when?"

"after classes finish. What's your last class?"

"Charms."

"ooh, the professor is really nice. Ours is Transfiguration. We'll meet you in the Entrance Hall."

"Okay."

"Ah Miss Evans…I mean Potter. I just knew you'd be a natural." Slughorn poured down praise on her, reminiscing mistily about the perfections her grandmother had created.

"Err actually sir. This is Matt's potion."

"Modest, just like your father, and his mother before him. She was always eager to attribute others with her success."
"No really, I worked with Hugo. Our potion is over there."

"Oh, oh I see, and you are?"

"Matthew O'Connell, Sir."

"Hmm O'Connell, hmm. Good job." He condescended. "Well, Miss Potter let's see how you did."

He said it was fabulous, but everyone knew Matt's had been better, in fact several others had been. Lily was furious. She apologised to Matt several times on their way to their next classes and then again as they headed down to the kitchens.

"Honestly Lily, it doesn't matter. I don't care".

"But it's not fair. Yours was so much better and he completely ignored it just 'cause I happen to have a Grandmother who was his favourite student ever and happened to be really good at potions and you don't."

"My gran's not to bad at potions." Matt commented, "She was a Healer before she retired."

"Really, that's cool."

"Guys we're here."

While Hugo was busy interrogating the House Elves, Lily and Matt enjoyed the finest snacks Hogwarts kitchen could offer.

"Aren't there all sorts of laws to protect House Elves now?" Matt asked, biting into an éclair.

"Oh yeah, Aunt Hermione, Hugo's mum, was a very big part of it. Hugo needs to make sure what she worked for is still being upheld and that the House Elves are happy."

"They look happy to me. That one almost fainted from excitement when you came through the door." He nodded toward a tiny elf, who was bobbing up and down a little way away. The elf seemed to think this was a signal because an instant later it was at his elbow. "Is there anything I can get young master? Perhaps the Miss Potter would like some more icecream?"

"No thank you, I don't want to be too full for dinner." Lily smiled at the elf, "what is your name?"

"I is Tweaks miss."

"Thank you for the food Tweaks."

"Mmh yeah, it was really good!"

"Is that all you two've been doing? Eating cake? The House Elves are suffering and all you do is eat cake?"

"I don't think they're suffering Hugo."

"Well they might've been," Hugo said stubbornly, "We have to do weekly checks to make sure they're still happy."

"Fortnightly, we don't want to harass them," Lily interrupted firmly, handing him an éclair.

"Okay fine. Let's go to dinner," he said mouth already full, "I'm starving."

I had a craving for éclairs when I wrote this :P

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