AN: I'm all moved in, and Uni doesn't start for a couple days, so it's update time :) I really hope you enjoy this chapter guys x

Sunday 31st August 2014

Dear Diary,

This is my last entry in this book… I have a few pages to fill, so if I don't manage it with tonight's entry, I'll draw a few nice pictures. Can't leave it unfinished now, can I?

So anyway. Virginia is back. Various things prove this…

Number 1: The room is now far from the silent little room I have become used to… It's just… loud now. Funny how Virginia can make enough noise for five people. Even when she's asleep she's noisy (she's snoring now… It quite distracting)

Number 2: I can no longer see the floor. Virginia's stuff is everywhere, and Ellen will probably have a fit when she gets back from the library (I hope she comes back soon, it's nearly curfew).

Number 3: I don't think the smell of sweets will leave our room for at least the next week… She brought this HUGE bag full of chocolate and biscuits and all other kinds of candy with her, and I think she'd already eaten a third of it… Ellen made a good point last year. How DOES she stay so skinny?

It's nice to have her back, though. It makes the place feel more… alive? I don't know if that's the right word, but it's as close as I think I can get.

Ever since I came back to Iris, everything's been so quiet… Lessons had about five people in them (on a good day) and the halls were always empty. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. People everywhere. Perhaps it will help take my mind off my parents…

I ended up crying today in front of Virginia. I knew today would be… hard. I mean, this time last year I was one of the new freshmen, saying goodbye to my parents…

It's still so difficult to think that I'll never see them again. Now I'm crying again… Goddamnit. Seeing everyone outside my window, hugging their parents… Hearing Virginia talk about hers… It's like knives are being driven into my heart… I almost wish I could forget… But that's stupid. If I forgot, then all those years would mean nothing. I should be happy that at least they are okay. They are safe and alive. I'm no orphan. But… that's kind of just as hard. Because some part of me is hoping… wishing… that perhaps they'll remember me one day. They'll look at my old room, and see me sat on my bed reading… or at my computer playing some stupid online game and suddenly they'll remember me… And come to find me…

But that won't happen… will it?

She fell asleep with her diary hugged to her chest, and tears spilling from her eyes.

When she woke up, her pain was forgotten. Mainly because all she could hear was Ellen's alarm clock… They had worked together last year to enchant it to only sound to them, since Virginia wasn't the type to wake up early. However, when Arianna sat up in bed, Virginia was already pulling her robes over her head. She frowned.

"Virginia? You're up early…"

"It's the first day. We have an assembly…" her roommate grumbled. "I thought it would be better to get up earlier rather than later, just for today."

"Oh yeah!" Ellen exclaimed, suddenly tumbling out of bed, much to the amusement of her friends. She huffed, pushing herself up and glaring at them both in turn. "Shut up!" she cried, blushing in anger as she stomped into her closet-room to find her robes. Arianna giggled lightly as she entered her own giant closet, returning just seconds later with her robes, while Virginia stared at the entrance to Ellen's closet, trying not to laugh as curse-words and crashes drifted to her ears.

"Ellen? Are you okay in there?"

"NO! I CAN'T FIND MY ROBES!" came Ellen's exasperated wails. Virginia snickered as she clasped her cape around her shoulders. "WHY DOESN'T ACCIO EXIST IN REAL LIFE!?"

"There's probably an equivalent, we just haven't learnt it yet." Arianna said with a shrug.

"Accio?"

"It's from Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter? That's a really… dumb name."

"WHAT!?" came a roar from the closet, and Ellen stormed over to Virginia, drawing herself up in order to actually match her friend's height, and staring her down angrily. "Did you just insult my favourite book series?" she whispered dangerously. Arianna laughed, watching as Virginia stumbled back onto her bed.

"No, no! Wait, it's a book? No wonder I don't know what it is!"

"Haha, it's a huge hit with the non-magic community. Seven books, eight films. All about a magic school in England, and this evil sorcerer called Voldemort."

"But everyone hates Umbridge more."

"Umbridge?" Virginia frowned.

"Yeah, she takes over the school in the fifth book."

"She's like FEMALE GRABBY!" Ellen exclaimed, causing a frown to etch itself into Arianna's features.

"Hey, Hieronymous is nothing like Umbridge!"

"No, he's worse." Virginia chimed in, though she didn't really know what she was implying, which only made Arianna laugh.

"If we had Umbridge, you'd be begging for Hieronymous to come back." She said, before turning her gaze back to Ellen, who was clearly about to make another comment about her husband. "Come on, Ellen. You'd better find your robes quick, or we'll be late." She interceded quickly.

"I know, I know!" Ellen cried, rushing back into her closet. After another ten minutes of comical noises and cries of annoyance, she finally emerged, grinning, with her hair sticking out all over the place. "Found them!" Virginia supressed another chuckle. "What?"

"Um…" Arianna bit her lip. "Your hair is looking very… Hermione-esque?" Ellen frowned and turned to the mirror, before squealing in panic and snatching her hair-brush from her desk, tugging it furiously through her unruly locks in an attempt to tame them.

"Ugh, my hair doesn't normally misbehave like this!" Ellen exclaimed as she raked the brush through a particularly tough knot, wincing slightly as it pulled at her scalp.

"Maybe your hair is finally realising how like Hermione you are."

"Hey, I'm not a know-it-all… I just like reading…"

"Haha! I like reading, too. But you get study-obsessed!" Arianna pointed out. Ellen's mouth curled up in a smirk.

"That must make you Harry, then. He always gets himself into trouble."

"Somehow, I doubt even Harry would have managed to get himself married to a teacher…" Arianna muttered in contemplation. Virginia huffed lightly.

"I don't understand this crap you two are spouting." She grumbled.

"Virginia is definitely like Ron though."

"Oh yes. Definitely. Very Ron."

"What the hell? Who's Ron?"

"I thought this was crap." Ellen pointed out, still trying to straighten out her hair.

"But…"

"Ron is a male version of you, basically." Arianna clarified, and Virginia contemplated that for a moment.

"At least we have one of the golden trio, then." Ellen said, smiling.

"Golden what-now?"

"Never mind. Let's leave the Potter conversation alone now." Arianna said, holding up her hands.

Finally, Ellen was ready and the three friends made their way to the dining hall for breakfast.

"So, how was your summer, Virginia?" Ellen asked. Arianna rolled her eyes. Looks like I'm getting a repeat… she thought to herself. Once she had calmed down yesterday, Arianna had asked Virginia that very question, and had received a lengthy monologue about various topics, including a long list of all the pranks Donald had pulled on her in the four months they'd had off. That was a long list.

So as they walked, Arianna zoned out of the conversation, idly glancing out of the windows to watch the clouds pass by. She could have sworn one of them was shaped like her husband's hat…

Just as she thought that, they reached the hall, and as she followed her friends into the now bustling room, she spotted a familiar figure, hunched over a book in the corner of the hall, his hat on the seat next to him, and a forgotten bowl of cereal by his hand. Even in the teeming hall, he stood out like a sore thumb, despite the pushing crowds of confused and panicked freshmen, as well as the impatient but understanding upperclassmen. She smiled though, the noise a light buzz in the back of her mind as she waited in line to get her breakfast.

Virginia was just in front of her, and as she turned around with her plate of pain-au-chocolat she pursed her lips and grimaced.

"Where the heck're we gonna sit?" she muttered.

"Well, you're welcome to come and sit with Hieronymous and I. People seem to be avoiding his table." Arianna smirked.

"What? Sit and eat breakfast with Grumpy old Grabby? Hell no!" Virginia cried in exasperation. Ellen and Arianna exchanged a look, and Arianna shrugged.

"Fair enough. Have fun looking for a table." She said as she made her way over to her husband.

Virginia glanced at Ellen.

"I know you said they were on good terms, but come ooooon!" Virginia groaned, earning a laugh from Ellen.

"I told you, they eat together every day now."

"Yeah but I didn't think you were serious!" Ellen rolled her eyes.

"Well where else are we gonna sit?"

"I… I dunno…"

Arianna plopped down opposite her husband with a smile.

"Good morning." She chirped. Hieronymous marked his book and glanced up at her.

"You're awfully chipper this morning."

"Why shouldn't I be? Magic classes are finally going back to normal! No more lame lessons spent recapping Truesight." She paused, then hurriedly continued: "Not that your lessons are lame! I love your lessons! It's just when we're covering material like that I… uh…" he raised a hand as a signal for her to stop panicking.

"I understand your meaning, Arianna. Calm down." He placated her. She smiled, relaxing.

"Okay, good…"

"Can we sit with you?" came Ellen's voice from behind Arianna. Hieronymous glanced at the blonde, raising an eyebrow, before Arianna smiled pleasantly and his attention was drawn back to her.

"The rest of the hall is pretty much full, Hieronymous." She reasoned, pouting a little and making doe-eyes at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Very well. I suppose I shall have to get used to this, will I?"

"Not on the days Virginia decides to sleep in." Arianna reasoned.

"Which is always." Ellen chimed in, earning a scowl from her friend as they took their seats on the same side of the table as Arianna; neither of them were willing to sit next to Professor Grabiner.

Breakfast passed by relatively peacefully, with Ellen and Virginia engaged in the tales of Virginia's summer escapades, while Arianna and Hieronymous ate quietly, with Arianna providing the bulk of their conversation topics.

"So, are you looking forward to actually getting to teach again?" she asked kindly. He let out a quiet laugh, then smirked.

"I wouldn't use those words exactly, but it will be nice to not have to be constantly thinking of things to occupy my time." He answered truthfully, earning a nod from his young wife.

"Yeah, I always struggled with that, back when I had ordinary summer holidays." She said. A concerned look passed over her husband's features as she mentioned her past, but she continued, obliviously to his worry; "I used to sit at my computer for hours, just scrolling through facebook or something, hoping I would think of something more productive to do with my time."

"Facebook?" he raised an eyebrow, and she laughed brightly.

"It's a social media website. You make a profile, add your friends, post statuses. You know… Actually, you don't know. You can look through your friend's statuses, message them… It sounds kinda dumb when you describe it…"

"Yes, it does. And you spent all day on this… face-book?"

"Yeah… Not my proudest achievement…" she muttered before stuffing another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

Hieronymous glanced up at the clock, just as an old-fashioned bell began to chime. He sighed.

"Time for the assemblies to begin. I am expected to be present for the Freshmen assembly, and then must present the Junior and Senior combined assembly. You and your friends ought to hurry to the Sophomore gathering. I hope to see you all in Magical History frequently this coming year." He directed the last sentence at all three of them. Arianna and Ellen both nodded, while Virginia could only manage a grimace. "Hm…" he turned and stalked away, leaving the three girls a touch dazed, but they soon forgot the feeling as they scrambled from their seats to follow the crowd of Sophomores heading for the gym.

Yes, the inevitable Harry Potter references have begun... I'm hoping to keep them to a minimum, but since I watched the first movie last night and intend to watch the rest over the course of a few weeks... that may be difficult...

Please let me know what you think guys it really does help x