You've got Mail
Eve'sPOV
I opened my eyes and it was like I never fell asleep. The other girls I roomed with whispered about me until I fell asleep and they seemed to still be whispering. I yawned loudly to alert them to shut the fuck up and sat up against the headboard.
I was the last to leave the dormitory and did so with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I was scared I had learned to little; that I wouldn't be able to keep up.
But I guess I had nothing else to do than to keep up.
My thoughts strayed to mom and I wondered whether I should write her. I wondered if I even could write her.
The Great Hall smelled delicious and I made for the Gryffindor table immediately. I sat down on the far end, where there was a lack of people, and immediately grabbed for the bacon and the eggs, wolfing them down hungrily.
"Hungry?" I looked up and saw James. I rolled my eyes and went back to focusing on my food. "So, McGonagall wants me to give you this schedule, since you arrived a bit later than everyone else. Also, the post came in, so your letter might be among the unclaimed ones—"
"No one's written me," I snapped at him. He fell silent and watched me as I ate. He placed a piece of parchment by my plate before standing up.
"We have first period together. I can walk you there," he offered.
"I think I can make it there on my own. I'm a big girl."
There was a moment in which I felt like he was going to say something, but thought better of it before walking away. Smart boy. I wiped my hands on a napkin and unfolded the parchment. I had Defense Against the Dark Arts first on the third floor.
And it was in five minutes.
Panicking, I got up from the table, slung my bag around my shoulders, and made for the staircases. James was walking ahead of me with a red haired kid and a blonde kid, both of whom I had recognized from the compartment. I followed behind them at a slight distance, not wanting to seem like I was following them, which I was.
"She hates me," I heard James tell the other two boys.
"How is that even possible? You're the sexiest guy in the whole, wide world," the blonde one replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. James gave him a playful punch. "I was talking to Rose about her last night, and apparently she's really strange and hates people."
"Yeah, I got that vibe from her on the train when she was like, I wish I got an empty compartment,"
"But oh Merlin, she is hot," James said, reaching his hand up to his hair to ruffle it slightly.
"Yeah but she seems to have a lot going on with her dude. I don't think you want to deal with all that baggage," the red haired one said.
"We've all got baggage," the blonde one said. They stepped off the staircase and made their way down the third floor corridor, and I fell back slightly this time. It was less crowded in this hallway and they were bound to notice me. I followed them into a door and took a seat in the back.
Professor Lupin stood with his back to the class, scribbling something on his desk. His hair was bright yellow today, which took me off guard. It was blue at the feast just last night. I heard the clock tower ring and the door closed of its own accord.
Everyone in the classroom quieted down.
Lupin turned and beamed at everyone sitting in front of him. "Hey guys," he said cordially. "I'm pretty new here, so if you could just stand up and say a tidbit about yourself, that would be superb. I'll go first—my name is Ted Lupin and I'm a metamorphagus as well as half-werewolf." There was a horrified and sharp intake of breath at the last admission to which Lupin just chuckled. "But not to worry, me being half a werewolf just means that I prefer my meat on the raw side." There was a general sigh of relief and a few chuckles. "You there," he said, pointing toward the student sitting in the seat closest to him, "introduce yourself and say something you'd like me to know."
The kid stood up hesitantly. "I'm Darren Criss, Gryffindor, and I like to sing and I play guitar," he offered.
"That's wonderful! We'd all love to hear it sometime. Your turn dear,"
"I'm Sydney Harkins, Slytherin, and I take photographs."
And so it went on until it reached James. James stood up with an air of self-importance. "I'm James Potter, and your favorite god-sibling," he said, without missing a beat. Lupin laughed and rolled his eyes.
"Actually, that would be Lily," Teddy said, to the amusement of all the Gryffindors present, "and something else please, Jay."
"I'm a beast at Quidditch," James said. He looked around at his classmates, "and you Slytherins won't know what hit your ugly serpent asses."
"James, please!" Lupin said, his handsome features forming into a face of disapproval.
"Sorry Teddy," James said, grinning and sitting back down.
"Professor," Lupin half-growled at him. It was a scary growl too, probably because of the half werewolf thing. "Fred, you next." The red haired kid who was talking to James on the way over stood.
"Name's Fred Weasley, Gryffindor, and I'm the mastermind behind all the pranks that are pulled here, but you knew that already."
"And so I did," Teddy said, smiling and looking next at the blonde haired boy.
"I'm Riley White, Gryffindor, and I draw," he said this quietly and sat back down. Teddy frowned at him for a moment before his eyes landed on me. Damnit, I dreaded things like this.
I stood up, and felt a flush creeping up my neck because everyone had turned to watch me. Apparently, I was the most interesting person in the room. I was suddenly very aware of my hands and how misplaced they were. I folded them in front of me.
"Eve Martin," I managed to choke out. "Um, Gryffindor, and I, I—" There was nothing I did well. I had no idea what to say. "There's really nothing special about me," I said quietly. "But I'll work hard in your class." I sat back down, staring at the book that was sitting on my desk. I was scared to look up and see the pitying faces of everyone and so I decided not to.
"Alright, Miss Martin, I trust that you will," I heard Lupin say. "Next."
-
RoseWeasley'sPOV
"Rose!" I turned to find Scorpius hissing at me from behind a particularly ugly looking gargoyle near the castle entrance. I looked around me nervously before hurrying over to stand next to him.
"What?" I asked.
"I rigged the round-partners so that you'd be mine," he said proudly.
I gave him a look. "Don't worry, there the late night rounds that I signed us up for. So at two in the morning on Wednesdays and Fridays, it'll be just you and me baby. No sneaking around," he said, giving me a playful seductive smirk, to which I responded with a shove.
"This is the difference between Weasels and Malfoys. Weasleys are brash and violent, while Malfoys are graceful and—"
"Death eaters?" I offered. He glared at me.
"You are so irritating, Weasley."
"Thanks. Look I have to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Teddy's teaching!"
"Ugh," Scorpius said, leaning against the gargoyle.
"What?"
"That Lupin bloke has all the goddamn Slytherin girls fawning and it makes me sick."
"He's quite handsome," I mused. I've always had a thing for Teddy Lupin, but a very private thing, mind.
"Oh Merlin, not you too," Scorpius groaned.
"Look, I really have to go, Scorp. I'll see you at rounds tonight," I said, before speeding off to the third floor.
I reached the door to Teddy's new classroom just as the last class was leaving. James grinned at me, Fred ruffled my hair, and Riley gave me a shy smile. He dropped his bag in the doorway and all the contents tumbled out.
James and Fred doubled back, but Riley waved them off. I leaned down and began helping him pick things up.
"Thanks Rose," he mumbled. "Oh, and thanks for covering me last night."
"No problem. Didn't want you to get cold,"
He stood up and repaired his bag with his wand. He gave me a shy smile and walked away, leaving me feeling slightly strange.
"Rose!" I turned to see Teddy grinning at me from inside the classroom. I walked in and made a beeline for him. "I would give you a hug, but I'm not sure if that's all together appropriate," he said, grinning.
"Probably not," I mused. "How was your first class?"
"James was being insolent and Fred kept trying to jinx a poor Slytherin girl from under the table," Teddy said, leaning against his desk. People had started filing into the classroom.
"Yes, well that sounds normal."
"Do you know an Evelyn Martin in Gryffindor?"
"Yes," I said with a sigh. "She's a bit strange. Doesn't like people,"
"You sure she just hasn't found any friendly enough to like?" Teddy asked.
"I mean, I tried, and I'm friendly enough," I said, glowering at Teddy when he made a unconvinced face.
"Well, maybe she's a bit troubled, don't you think?"
"Probably, but she won't really let anyone close enough to help her."
"Maybe she's just not used to help," Teddy said, "and maybe she's not used to friends either. I mean she's in a completely different country and there are probably a million reasons why."
"You know, you could find out. You're a professor anyway. And then we could do something to help her."
"I think that would be abusing power. But it's a half-good idea," he said. The clock tower chimed once and we both jumped in surprise. He cleared his throat, and I scurried to my seat in the now full classroom.
Eve'sPOV
I had mail. I stared at the parchment that had just dropped in front of me. The owl who had brought it had taken a piece of my toast before flying off once more. I turned it over and saw my name clearly written on the face of the envelope. I glanced around me, but for once, no one was trying to talk to me. I pulled open the flap of the envelope.
Eve,
Neville's told me that you've made it safely. Good.
I've spoken with Tim about your mother. She is in good hands, and he would like to assure you that they're taking care of her. She's not allowed any communication for a short period of time, so I'm afraid she will not be able to write directly to you. Everything she puts in a letter will be carefully read before being sent out.
However, you can write her letters. I'm sure she would love that! I've put the mailing address below, and you can use one of the school owls, or Arianne's owl, to send a message out.
I'm sending some treats with the next post.
Do well dear,
Hannah
I couldn't help but smile, even though smiling wasn't my thing. I guess it might've been the suggestion of the treats, or the fact that Hannah had even bothered to write me after only knowing me such a brief amount of time. I glanced at the mailing address she left below and decided, that for at least Hannah's sake, I'd write mom a letter.
I folded Hannah's letter and put it back inside my envelope before going to my next class, which was potions. I was really quite good at potions, if I was allowed to say so myself. It had already been a week, and I had been keeping up well in my classes. At least Salem was on par in terms of classes. I had also worked out the maze of Hogwarts well enough to navigate to my classes without following James like some sort of stalker.
The rest of the days classes went well and it was with a lighter heart than I had ever experienced that I made my way back to the Gryffindor tower. I ran up to my room, took out a sheet of parchment and a quill before going back down to the common room to sink myself into one of those armchairs and try and figure out what to write to mom.
Mom,
I'm doing well here.
No, that would seem like I was rubbing it in her face.
Mom,
Hogwarts is horrible.
No, that would make me seem ungrateful to anyone who would read this before it got to mom.
Mom,
I'm doing okay, and last I heard, you were too. I told the people who are taking care of you what you like to do and your favorite food and things like that. As soon as I'm legally allowed to, I'll come over there and resume responsibility. I'm sorry for ditching you. It wasn't my idea.
Get better,
Evelyn
I sighed and scribbled down the address Hannah gave me on the front of the letter, before standing up and climbing out of the portrait hole. I paused, and realized that I had no idea where the Owlery was. And for once, I couldn't follow James, Riley, or Fred and find out. I stood there, chewing my lip, trying to figure out where it could possibly be, when James himself walked by.
He gave me a brief nod before saying the password. The Fat Lady batted her eyelashes at him before throwing open the portrait door. After the second day, James had given up on talking to me. He was always polite, but showed no more interest in me. Which suited me just fine.
He began to climb in when I made up my mind.
"Wait!" I said, walking forward briskly. He paused and turned to me, a quizzical look on his features. "I need… I need some help finding something," He waited expectantly, his eyes never leaving mine. "Can you tell me how to find the Owlery?"
He grinned, "I can walk you there," he said immediately, pulling himself out of the portrait hole. The Fat Lady looked irritated when she shut it again.
"No, you can just tell me, and I'll figure it out," I said quickly. He looked disappointed for only a fraction of a second.
"You sure? It's a pretty weird path," he pressed.
"I'm sure," I said, straining to be firm but polite.
"Okay," he sighed, sounding unconvinced, "go out onto the grounds, behind the astronomy tower and then again within view of the Quidditch pitches, there's this big wooden door. Open it, and it should lead to a spiraling staircase, which will lead you straight to the top of the Owlery, which is open to the skies."
"Thanks," I mumbled, before sprinting away. I could hear the Fat Lady's huff of annoyance as she swung the portal door open once more for James to climb in.
A/N: Love to Christy! I'm LOVING THE REVIEWS you guys! JKR is fantastic as always :)