"What's Hogsmeade," I asked my companions.
"It's the town where the Hogwarts Express pulls into, you probably didn't take too much of a look at it tonight though," Lisa answered.
"Third years and older are given the privilege to go to Hogsmeade on certain weekends, if their parents give permission of course," Morgan continued, "And there's tons of little shops where the students can shop and spend their free time."
"Oh that sounds like such a great time," I cried, "When's the first excursion?"
"October usually," Amy replied, climbing into her four poster.
"You should catch some sleep," Lisa warned, "We wake up early and steal all the first years' socks and terrorize them." With a grin she turned over and went to sleep as well. I found it difficult to sleep in this strange new place, so after extinguishing my candle I climbed off of my bed and sat by my window. Windsor hooted at me from his cage, hinting that he would enjoy to be let out. I pulled the door away on his cage and watched him fly out of the window I pushed open. The crisp fall air was refreshing across my face and I inhaled.
"I figured you wouldn't be able to sleep." I jumped back from my ledge and with more shock than I ever experienced in my entire life, looked out to see James sitting on a broomstick.
"Are you trying to kill me," I whisper shout.
"It wasn't my first idea, but I did plan to shock," with this comeback he zoomed to the other side, "So are you going to come or not?" I threw my hesitation aside and grabbed my broom from under my bed. I draped my leg over my Nimbus 2020 and quietly descended out of my window.
"This tour has only been reserved for my brother, so consider yourself slightly special."
We ascended high above the school's majestic towers and hovered in the light mist and fog which hung upon the grounds.
"Aren't you a prefect, won't you get in trouble?"
"I was told that I had to make our guest feel like she is at home, and this is certainly something normal I do," James called as he dove towards the ground. I hesitantly followed and we navigated our way towards the lake. The stars were magnified and glistened in the dark lapping waves; I could just make out various creatures swimming about just under the surface.
"Are you brave enough for a swim?"
"Certainly not at this hour," I stammered, trying my absolute hardest to keep my feet dry.
"You seem so hesitant about drastic changes," James observed, "When it comes to just your feet here, to leaving your dormitory, and especially as I can see with me." I pulled up my broom and came to a halt, quavering above the water's surface.
"Am I really that easy to read?"
"I'm not as slow as most guys my age who are all useless dolts," he answered with a soft smile.
"I've never had one ask me about my I'm so sheltered, it's actually quite shocking," I confessed.
"I guess it comes from the last time I had my heart ripped out, which was only a few months ago."
"I haven't really had the best experience with your kind either," James retort, "Heartbreak is sometimes a two way street." His openness and vulnerability to tell a girl so much about him in such a short time struck me as an attractive quality. We flew along at a leisurely pace and I took the chance in pouring my heart out to my new friend. I told him about my James back home, the one who made lying and deceiving an Olympic sport, desiring only the medal, which was my broken heart and his on again off again ex-girlfriend. James in exchange told me about his ex-girlfriend, that after dating for quite some time spread his secrets around the school and ultimately cheated on him. Hufflepuffs, well there's one thing they're sure good at he mumbled during his tale. After our heartfelt conversation we watched a mass of owls take flight to the Owlery, each carrying packages and letters.
"Do you have an owl," I asked.
"A great snowy one, named Hedwig," James replied, "After my father's trusty owl."
"I've got Aeschylus, my faithful barn owl." I glanced briefly at my watch and discovered it was just past three in the morning.
"It's quite late, don't you think it'd be a good idea to head back," I inquired.
"Why so eager?"
"Need to wake up to harass the first years."
"You heartless Ravenclaws, selfish, despotic," James ranted. I scrunched my face in dismay, ashamed I told this house secret to another Prefect.
"Only kidding," he smoothly returned, "We're already stolen all the robes from the Gryffindors." I smirked and followed James up to Ravenclaw tower.
"Thank you for the tour, it really was lovely," I told him as we approached my still open window at the very top.
"Remember, don't let my charming disposition distract you from the fact we have our duel coming up next week." I had completely forgotten about this Quidditch shootout he had challenged me with earlier yesterday.
"So sure that I'd even let your disposition even effect me," I scoffed.
"I happen to be an animal on the field," he called back as he flew down a ways and out of sight. It was pleasant to have someone very keen on being quite good friends straight from the beginning. His motives however, were almost too bold. Anyone could notice immediately that he had his sights fixed on me, but I wouldn't let him penetrate my emotional force field quite yet. I would set up the chase and see just how much of an effort he puts in.
"Sneaking away for a nighttime flight with someone of a different gender and different house, I should take away points for that," someone jeered as I climbed through my window. The tone was sharp and I assumed it had been a teacher, until Lisa hit me with a pillow.
"And my friend too boot," she cried, "Worth the flirting he's been laying on ever since he met you?" She laughed at me and sat down on her bed.
"It's actually quite funny to see him desperately chasing someone," she confided, "As long as it's not me, like it was third year, yuck."
"He's an incredibly nice gentleman, with a heart somewhere in there," I told her, "We had a really good chat about heartbreak and whatnot."
"Oh he's really putting on the moves for you, but you are right he is a great friend."
"All I ask," she began before pausing, "Is that you don't do to him what Elenore did to him." I put a name to the girl who had betrayed James two years ago.
"Has she graduated?"
"Last year, bless Merlin's beard," Lisa sighed, "None of us liked her and we all told him it was a terrible idea."
"Men don't tend to listen when their minds go into one track mode," I replied.
"Well you couldn't be truer there." I took off my shoes and pulled the exceedingly warm navy comforter onto me.
Before I knew it Lisa had us up at the first light and we crept downstairs towards the first years' rooms.
Muffliato Lisa whispered as she opened the door and stepped inside. Six little girls were sound asleep in their oversized four posters and we each claimed a trunk. In front of me slept a peaceful looking redhead with a bunch of freckles and chubby cheeks. Instinct told me this was a dumb prank, but I opened the trunk and was thankful her socks weren't hidden, causing me to snoop further. I grabbed the four pairs and made my way out of the room. Soon after my companions followed me and we stashed the socks in an empty flower pot in the common room.
"Now what," I asked.
"We revel in the fact that it's finally our Seventh year and we got to do that," Morgan shouted. Lisa glared daggers and quietly removed the silencing charm she set on the group.
"No screaming now," she scolded. We went back upstairs and all settled in for an extra hour or so of sleep before the start of term breakfast.
Pulling on my new uniform was both exciting and rather annoying. There were too many pieces to it and I could easily see myself stepping on my robes at some point. My roommates each gave me a different way to wear my skirt, ranging from most comfortable to most attractive. For my first day I settled for a middle ground between the two. The tie truly made the uniform, and it was my favorite part. After getting a quick tutorial from Kelly, Amy quietly showed me how to tie my tie with the use of magic. Once spiffy and ready to impress, we made our way through the common room and down to the great hall. It was very difficult not to snicker hearing I couldn't find a single pair of socks this morning in other crowds' small talk, and even more amusing to myself were the sharp pitched voices of young Gryffindor boys shouting All my robes are missing!
A/N: I hope I've discovered a good balance between details and action. If you think Christine is falling too fast for James, don't worry, the two are in for a wild ride, who knows what will become of them! Cheers! :)