Chapter 2: Gryffindor Tower

Dinner was a delight; I hadn't seen this much food in one place in my entire life. Mince Pies, Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, roast veggies, and more. I piled my plate with a couple of things I knew I liked, and a helping of things that seemed new just to give it a try. I personally did my best not to look at the youngest Weasley child shoveling food into his wide gob and focused more on the conversations going on around me. Percy was across from me talking about how the classes worked and what Hermione should look into before classes started. As it was a Saturday, we wouldn't be starting classes till the 3rd of September.

"So I'm assuming we don't have class tomorrow?" I say to the twins on either side of me, "I mean tomorrow is Sunday." I pointed out before trying a sip of pumpkin juice. I frowned at the offensive cup and set it down. Glad I didn't fill the cup more than a splash with the gourd juice, I chose to refill my cup with water instead.

"Nope, We're lucky this year." The twin to the right said.

"Last year we had Saturday and Sunday to look forward to." The Left said.

"It's a great way to get a feel for the Castle, Gred and I can show you around," the twin on the right, now dubbed Fred in my mind, added.

"Yeah, Forge and I know Hogwarts like the back of our hands" George said.

I nodded to myself and listened to them talk about what they normally got up to. Though the conversation was interrupted by Percy who though it prudent to butt into our conversation. "It's a good time for those of us who had homework over the summer to make sure everything is in order before turning in the work. Though I already know my personal work is finished." This caused the three of us to roll our eyes. I was all for good grades and high honors, but you didn't need to be a snob about it all. One of the things about Percy I never liked was how he put his standing and academics over his family constantly. Though I didn't blame him, he was his mother's perfect prefect Percy, knowing how she is from the books, it's a wonder he actually survived the wizarding war the way he did.

It wasn't long before dinner changed into desert with mountains of puddings and cakes decorating the table scape. I found a cherry pie that I had unashamedly taken about a quarter slice from with a nice dollop of whipped cream. This earned an eye brow raise from Hermione whom sat directly in front of myself. "What class are you most excited for, Hermione?" I asked knowing she'd just sit there judging me for my large helping of the sweet pastry.

"Well… I uhm… I read into all our course books, I think I'm most excited for charms or transfigurations." She said, startled that I even took the time to talk to her. I knew she wasn't used to kids her age having a conversation with her on their terms.

"I think I'll enjoy Potions or Transfigurations myself. If you think about it, potions is like cooking or baking but at a more scientific level." I pointed out, "Personally I'm more of the creative type so Transfigurations would be a good way to let that creativity flourish."

"How so? I mean how can you use creativity in Transfigurations?" She questioned, "I Read through the theory of it all and it seemed more complicated than creativity."

"Well you do need to have a good grasp of the materials you are working with, like the one spell in there about transforming a toothpick into a sewing needle. That is more about learning the change of materials between a soft wood into a hard iron or steel." I explain, "It'll have no way of creativity between the two, however something like the beetle into a button spell, that one you can be creative as you are more focused on turning a living creature into an inanimate object. I think the less like a beetle your button is the better so imagine a horned beetle turning into a sapphire encrusted silver button." I fell into over explanation on how the creative mind can come up with complex transfiguration spell work and the possibilities of using those thought processes to get extra credit

"I… see, I wasn't much for art when I was going to primary school… but maybe you are right…." She said thinking over what I had explained.

"Maybe we can study together sometime." I offered, I wanted Hermione to have at least one friend before the troll incident, maybe I could help her be more sure of her self and give her a female support role outside of Parvati and Lavender. Hermione nodded and smiled kindly. When desert was over and the table's cleared of their dishes, the headmaster addressed the students before the school burst out into singing the school anthem. Personally, I listened to the twin's rendition in a mournful funeral march tone doing my best not to burst out laughing. Not too long after the twins finished their lament the school was dismissed to their dormitories.

"First years with me!" Percy stood, "Gryffindor First Years!" the Lanky boy held his arm above his head as all the other students made their way out of the dinning hall. Harry, Dean, Seamus, Ron, Hermione, Lavender, Nevil, Parvati and myself followed the older boy towards Gryffindor tower. I stayed more towards the back of the group taking in the sites of the hallways and staircases up towards the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Welcome to Gryffindor house young ones," the portrait bowed her head towards us and Percy waited as some of us responded in kind.

"Caput Draconis" Percy spoke clearly and the portrait swung open to a tunnel leading out into what looked like a warm inviting sitting room.

'If only my common rooms at my Dorms were like this…' I thought to myself as the lot of us clambered into the welcoming sitting area. Plush couches sat in front of a roaring fire place and a few small tables tucked against the windows with oil lanterns ready for any students to sit at with their homework. The room was covered in red drapery and accented with golds.

"Girls Dorms are on the Left and Boys on the right, You will find your rooms to be at the top of the stairs and your things should already be there waiting for you. Curfew is in an hour so do not dally, If you have any questions find myself or any of the other Gryffindor Prefects and we can help you the best we can." Percy announced.

There had been two doors leading to separate stair cases, you could see the stairs from below through the wall but either way the girls and boys separated up to their designated stair cases. We had found ourselves up in one of the towers in a room all to ourselves. Four full size beds circled the room draped with scarlet curtains with embroidered gold stars on them and the frame a rich oak carved with lions. In the center was a wood stove to keep the room warm and I saw everyone else had their trunks and pet cages at the foot of their beds except my own as I had my trunk in my pocket.

"Where is your Trunk Quinn?" Hermione noticed.

"Right here," I pulled out my shrunken trunk from my pocket and sat on the bed after opening the cage with Sir Pounce-a-lot. I placed the trunk onto the floor of our dormitory, "Engorgio" I said with a wave of my wand, and like expected my trunk unshrunk from its smaller form and sat before me at full size.

"Wow, you can already do a Second year Charm?" Hermione gapped

"Uh, yeah, my sister taught it to me when we got on the train." I said with a shrug, "She had shrunken my trunk before we left, it's not all that hard to learn either. I can show you tomorrow if you'd like." With that I went to my trunk and removed a messenger bag along with my text books to be placed on the shelf inside the night stand next to the bed. I also removed a set of pajamas to wear for the night and a sketchbook with a pencil sitting nicely in the rings of the book.

I closed the curtains of my bed and changed into the nightwear I chose, a nice cold sleepy grey flannel and joggers. When changed I sat crisscross on my bed before reopening the curtains. It didn't take long for the others to get ready for bed. There was an on-suit bathroom that I could see from where I sat. I would let the other girls do their nightly routine before brushing my teeth.

With My half Kneazle nestled on my lap I combed out my mass of hair and braided it in two thick braids. "Hermione want me to do your hair? I find it's less a mess if I braid my hair before bed." I offered seeing she was already in a light blue night gown with ruffled hems. At my question she seemed unsure before nodding and she grabbed her brush and a couple hair ties. When she sat on my bed, Sir Pounce-A-Lot left my lap to inspect the girl, "This is my Familiar, you can pet him if you'd like." I offered as I moved to my knees to get a height advantage on Hermione.

"Hi," she said to the cat like creature and scratched him behind the ear causing him to loudly purr. Hermione's hair was a bit tangled but my skills with a brush were unmatched. She didn't even flinch away or complain about any of the things I was doing to her hair. It didn't take me long before her hair matched my own and I returned her brush. "Thank you,"

"No problem, Hermione, I know what a pain hair can be." I say as she stands to leave for her own bed that sat directly next to my own. I propped up my pillows as a back rest and set to sketching the room in detail while I waited for Lavender to finish with the bathroom. I was sure the bathroom was big enough for all four of us but I would rather brush my teeth in peace. It was about 15 minutes till when the bathroom was free of the dirty blonde girl. She had curlers in her hair that she was tucking into a sleeping bonnet. With that I left my bed and ventured into the bathroom to bush my teeth and ponder on the day's events. When I returned to the bedroom the lights where low and all that was left was the lantern on my bedside table and my cat waiting for me on my bed. With a heavy and tired sigh I shut out the lights and drew my curtains. It didn't take long for me to fall to sleep. Little did I know what lie ahead of me.

AN: Short chapter, just trying to get back into the swing of things. I really wish I hadn't lost my notes on this story, I am debating on having Quinn travel between the two worlds or just be stuck in the HP world. It's a really big debate in my mind.

I don't own the Harry Potter Series; I only own my own characters: Quintessence and Amanda

Any questions or just your thoughts feel free to review. This story spontaneously came to me while in the shower so I hope you guys find it as interesting as I do.