Herding the Firsties
(A/N) Hello Everyone. I know I said I wasn't going to post for a while but I already had a short chapter written down before so I decided to post it:). It's a bit of a filler but I hope you'll bear with me.
Anyway, before moving on. If anyone has a Pottermore account, feel free to add me at GalleonHazel24184
The long, tiring journey of the Hogwarts Express rolled to a non-too-gentle stop in the familiar town of Hogsmeade after sunset. The scarlet steam engine sputtered an exhausted smoke and fell quiet as the dead. Then, as if coordinated, the prefects, including Novi, got off the train, opening the door for the first year students to flood out.
The familiar sight that graced the town on the first of September painted before one's eyes. Chatters filled the air as the excited first years were lead off for the magical boat ride across the Black Lake. The returning students, still catching up from the long summer break, broke into their individual groups and took the familiar hike where the Thestrals would pull their carriage up to the castle.
Novi and Percy did a quick check of the now still steam engine, looking for any stray students before they themselves took the familiar hike, and rode the last carriage that awaited them toward Hogwarts. The pair was still able to make it before the Sorting Ceremony started, and the two made their way, seating themselves across from Oliver and Mona, closest to where the new first years would be seated.
"So, guess who I saw Ron sitting with on the train," Novi whispered to her best friends. "Harry Potter."
"No way!" Mona gasped. "How do you know? Did you see his scar?"
"Be quiet!" Percy hissed before any of them could utter another word. He was looking towards the grand double doors of the Great Hall. The doors opened magically, and before them walked in Professor McGonagall with the group of First Year students trailing behind her. The new students looked up at the ceiling in amazement as they neared the front, gasping at the brilliant enchantment that made it appear as the sky outside.
"The look on Ron's face is just priceless right now," a voice chuckled from beside Novi. She jumped, turning her head so fast, she almost gave herself a whiplash. It was one of the Weasley twins. "Fred told him that he has to battle a troll for the Sorting."
The Sorting Hat had begun to sing but Novi didn't bother to listen as she tried her hardest to suppress her laughter. The idea of throwing the unsuspecting first years to battle a troll to the brink of death was hilarious! She could only imagine the internal battle of worry that must have taken place inside of Ron the entire train ride. To say that she was glad when the Hat had finished so she could snort and laugh without being disruptive was an understatement.
Then, the long process of Sorting began. One by one, the first years were divided into four houses, being welcomed to their new families with applause. There were only a few students left when the most familiar name in the Wizarding World was called.
"Potter, Harry!"
It didn't take more than few seconds for the whole Great Hall to start whispering. Oliver and Mona, who didn't believe Novi at first, looked at her with their jaws slacken, before they all turned to take a good look at the famous Harry Potter.
The boy that Novi had seen on the train walked forward unsurely. Novi observed him and decided that he was a tiny boy. He was a little toward the shorter side, and skinny too – almost as if he had been malnourished. His brilliant green eyes swept across the Great Hall before it landed on Novi's and she gave him an encouraging thumb up before he put on the hat.
Agonizingly quiet minutes went by. Everyone in the Great Hall seemed to gasp and hold their breath when they saw the brim of the Hat twitch. Then it finally screamed "Gryffindor!"
Everyone seated at the Gryffindor table seemed to spring up from their seats naturally as they started to holler and cheer for their new addition. The Weasley twins were shouting "We got Potter," on top of their lungs, Mona and Novi were hollering along with everyone, and even Percy seemed to give a genuine smile.
"Well done, Harry," Novi said as the boy sat himself next to Percy, two seats away from her.
"Thanks, Novi," Harry replied with a big smile.
Soon, the delightful and magical feast had finished, followed by Dumbledore's short speech and the horrific school song, after that Percy and Novi stood. It was the responsibility of the new Fifth year prefects to deliver the first years to their new dormitories. They waved Oliver and Mona goodbye, who smirked at Novi, before they went on their way, leaving the two new Prefects to face the First Years.
"Gryffindors, gather round," Novi said. Her powerful voice carried over the excited chatters of the first years and they looked up at her immediately. She smiled, looking at Percy before she started. "First, I want to congratulate each and every one of you for making into Gryffindor."
"Now, my name is Percy, and this is Novela. We are the Fifth year prefects of the Gryffindor house. You can come to any one of us if you are lost, or having difficulties in the school."
"Speak for yourself, I still get lost in the corridors," Novi said quietly, but earned a few giggles from the first years who heard her. Percy looked pointedly at her with a slightly amused but mostly annoyed glare at this, but Novi raised her hands as if in defeat. "Alright there, grouch. I won't joke around anymore," she said, earning another few rounds of giggles within the crowd. "Anyway, before this wanker bites off my head, let's not beat around the bushes and get straight to it, yeah? Now we're going to show you the easiest and the fastest way from here to the dormitories."
"Thank you for that, Novela," Percy glared. "Alright, first years, follow me."
Then, the first years began to drag their feet, following the two Prefects. Novi and Percy lead them through hidden sliding panels and hanging tapestries and up multiple flights of stairs before Harry whispered to Ron.
"How did someone like her become a Prefect?" he asked. "I mean, I thought all Prefects would be like… Percy."
"I'm not entirely sure, but I know Novi's really smart. Maybe that's why," Ron whispered back.
Novi and Percy who heard the conversation broke into a little smile when they came face to face with Peeves, the school poltergeist.
"Maybe this will answer your question," Percy said to his brother and Harry. "Peeves!"
Then, with a pop the famous little poltergeist appeared before them. "Ooooooh! Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped.
"Not so fast, dear Peeves," Novi spoke up. She raised her trusty Gingko and Abraxan feather wand and chanted "Cantis!" Peeves suddenly broke into an uncontrollable singing. When he noticed that he couldn't stop, he began to sing in a series of colourful profanities while making rude gestures at Novi before flying away. The first years were laughing now, and Novi turned around made a very dramatic bow.
"Alright, alright," Percy rolled his eyes. "Anyway, you want to watch out for Peeves. The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects."
"Yeah, so learn your jinxes fast, so you can get rid of that little bugger," Novi winked back at them. "It also comes in handy when dealing with bigheaded Slytherins too."
"Novela!"
"Alright, alright," Novi laughed. "Well, here we are."
At the end of the hall, the portrait of the Fat Lady looked pointedly at the two returning students. Then, she looked over their shoulders to the first years before she raised an eyebrow. "Password?"
"Caput Draconis," Percy said, and the portrait swung forward.
Novi and Percy walked into the familiar Gryffindor common room. The cozy, round room, full of squashy armchairs, adorned with the Gryffindor colours made Novi smile before she turned back to the first years who were staring the room with awe. Percy directed the boys through one door to their dormitory and Novi pointed the girls to their beds before she returned to the common room.
"Alright there, Miss Prefect?" she heard a familiar voice say from behind her. She whirled around on the ball of her feet, breaking into a smile to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain and her best friend, Oliver.
"I'm alright, not going to bed yet?" Novi asked.
"Nah, I'm going to stay up and go through some Quidditch tactics," Oliver replied. "Come and join me, I know you want to," he added, sitting down on their favorite couch and patting the empty space beside him.
Novi smiled, seating herself in the empty seat beside the beautiful Scot. His arm instinctively went around hers as it always had for the past four years. And after a few seconds of silence, Oliver sighed.
"So, everything is going to be different for you now, I guess. What with Potter here," Oliver commented.
"Yeah… I guess it will," Novi said before her eyes drooped, begging for a long awaited slumber.
(A/N) Hey, just a reminder don't forget to follow, favorite, and review this story. Also check out 'Through Ella's Eyes' (Draco/OC) if you haven't already!
xx Bingum