As usual thanks to my amazing beta commingsummers or StillAlone!
There were 142 staircases in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, wide sweeping ones, narrow rickety ones, some that led you to a different place on a friday, some even had a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump.
Of course if that wasn't confusing enough there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, and some that weren't doors at all, just solid walls pretending to be doors for inconvenience's sake.
It was all awfully hard to remember with everything just moving around, portraits would walk into other peoples frames, just for a chat, and I' am sure that some of the suits of armour can walk.
Worse though than the confusing layout, was the caretaker Mr Filch. Chrisie and I managed to have a nasty run in with him on the first day, after trying to force our way through a door that apparently lehad to a forbidden corridor. When he caught us he was threatening to lock us in the dungeon and hang us by our ankles when we were saved by an unruly sixth year throwing around a fanged frisbee.
Filch seemed to know the secret passages better than anybody else, and had a nasty habit of appearing out of one when you least wanted him to, and even when the caretaker himself wasn't near you it was a good bet that his creepy cat, Mrs Norris would be. Both him and his cat were severely disliked by all the students, and they would often try to land a good kick on Mrs Norris when Filch wasn't around.
Magic however was a lot more complicated than waving a stick around and saying some fancy words. In fact a lot of the lessons didn't involve a wand, the most boring one being History of Magic.
It was taught by a ghost named Professor Binns, who liked to make everything as boring as he possibly could. Everything he said came out in a dullboring monotone voice, that was enough to send anyone to sleep within ten minutes (five on a hot day.)
Other than that though, I was thoroughly enjoying my time at Hogwarts. Every wednesday evening we sat on the roof with telescopes enjoying the stars and noting their patterns, in the cool Autumn air.
One thing I had noticed however, was the obvious rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor. At first I thought I was just imaging the dirty looks that were often cast at me by the red clad students.
"Why do the Gryffindors hate us so much?" I ask my friends one lunch time, after a particularly tedious charms lesson.
"Ahh... It's just an old rivalry, goes back as far the school does, as far as I can tell," Connor shrugs, his eyes never leaving his sandwich.
Everytime Connor so much as opens his mouth it makes my heart beat a little faster,and my mouth dry slightly. There's something about the way he seems to care about nothing that makes me strangely attracted to him.
He raises an eyebrow at me, and I realise I have been staring at him. I feel a blush creep up my face. "Sorry,"
He just shakes his head and turns his attention back to his lunch. I see the rest of my friends giving me odd looks out of the corners of their eyes, and exchanging silent words, undoubtedly about me.
"I...uh have to.. um talk to Flitwick about something, I'll see you guys in a bit." I bumble out, and rush away, trying to hide my embarrassment.
o0o0
The entirety of my first year consists of just three things. Humiliation, crushing on Connor. Hard. And the basics of magic, which aren't as exciting as you would imagine them to be.
Before I know it in fact, I am standing next my Father at Kings Cross about to go back to Hogwarts for my second year. "Alright?" He asks, once we reach the magical side of the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
"Never bBetter, I'll see you in May?" It's more of a statement really than a question, there's no way I'm getting out of going to the reaping.
"Sure you will, I'll come and pick you up myself." He grins, before motioning to the monstrous red train in front of us. "Go on then, can't be late for your second year."
I roll my eyes, before pulling him into a quick hug. "See you later then, have a good Christmas."
"Don't I always, lovely, empty house in District 12. What could be better?" He laughs, but when he sees my guilt ridden face, he hastens to add, "Ddon't worry about me Lils I have got some friends back in the District you know."
I sigh, nothing will stop me worrying about my father all alone in our little home, his flimsy words of comfort are especially useless. "Yeah right, OK." I turn and make my way to the back of the train knowing thats where my friends will be.
It feels so different this year getting on the train. Last year I was scared, alone, a pathetic little girl with no home and no identity. This year I am a confident Slytherin who knows exactly where she is going. I wouldn't go back for the world.
I only have to walk a few carriages down to find my where my friends are sitting. I slide the glass door open. "Hey,"' I grin and plonk myself down next to Ally.
"Did you guys have good summers?" I question to spark off conversation in the carriage.
"Ughh, my Mum made me go to all these awful gala things. I had to stand around in dress robes, smiling for hours," Molly shudders before continuing her recount. "It was awful,"
"My summer sucked too my brother-" Christie begins to speak but Ally slides across her as if she isn't there.
"My summer, was absolutely the best one yet, my Dad was home all month, and I meet the cutest guy…" I stop listening to Ally's recount of her amazing summer, and find myself staring out of the window at the vast expanses of lush green whizzing past us.
Ally's voice rings in my head high pitched, and constant like a broken telephone stuck on theno dial tone. I find that it's better than what's she's actually saying though, as she is usually rude, obnoxious and, well boring.
"Is anyone listening to this?" I feel Connors warm breathe in my ear, as he gestures subtly to where Ally is garbling about her oh so fantastic summer.
I blush a deep red, at his closeness to me. "I don't think so," I breathe turning my face up to look at him.
I always knew he was handsome but I never fully appreciated all his features before. His cheekbones are prominent and angular, his eyes a warm hazel colour, and his lips were full. He was easily the most handsome boy in our year. He knows it too.
He just smirks pushes his earphones in and leans back. Charming.
Ally's voice falters slightly at Connor's dismissal, but she quickly recovers herself.
I turn back to the window to watch the landscape rush past.
o0o0
A few hours later, we have disembarked the train, been pulled along in a carriage moving off it's own accord, watched the sorting and stuffed down a feast.
Surprisingly though, as we walk back to the Slytherin common room it isn't Ally talking, its Adrian. "Did you guys hear? The Potter kid joined this year, he really does have a scar you know."
I frown, "Who's the Potter boy?" I ask genuinely curious.
Four pairs of shocked eyes turn towards me, making me squirm under their intense gazes. "What?"
"Harry Potter? He defeated You Know Who, all those years ago?" Molly answer my question with a question. I never understood why people did that.
I shake my head just as confused as I was before. "No, I don't know who! What are you on about?"
Connor sighs and runs a hand through his tousled brown hair. "You Know Who, was the most powerful dark wizard of all time. He killed Potter's parents but when he tried to do the same to the kid the killing curse backfired, killing him instead."
"Oh," I say quietly, but all my friends have turned their backs and begun talking about something else.
The common room is just as we left it. Huge and airy, the walls painted a dark green with a fire placed in a way that when students walked past it their shadows were cast eerilyeeirly onto the wall behind them.
I immediately turn to the cold marble steps that lead me up the room Iis share with Ally, Molly and Christie.
I quickly change into my makeshift pajamas of leggings and my fathers old top, brush my teeth for distinctly less than two minutes, before collapsing into bed and going out like a light.
Ok, from now on the story should start picking up and more exciting things will be happening! Please review, if you're reading this, even if what you have to say is negative. I have not received a single one in my last two chapters!
Thanks :)