Year 1, Chapter 6

Things were tense between Rose and Albus for the rest of the weekend. While Rose had clearly found Albus at some point and apologized profusely, the patch-up was shaky at best. Elle found herself often trying desperately to steer the conversation to any subject that wouldn't allow Albus to bring up his budding friendship with Scorpius – he seemed to be finding a grim satisfaction in the pursed lips and stiff back that elicited from Rose. To give Rose her credit, she never spoke up against Scorpius again, though it was clear that she had no interest in being his friend. Scorpius himself seemed to stay away from Albus whenever he was with Rose, Elle and the rest of them. Elle was sure that was Scorpius's own doing however, since she thought Albus would have relished in the discomfort sharing a table would have caused Rose. While it was all a bit mean, Elle wasn't a hundred percent sure she would have reacted any differently. Anything Rose had thought about Slytherin could have just as easily been applied to her after all.

The weekend passed in a blur, Elle spending most of her time exploring the castle with whoever she could drag away from lounging near the great lake for a few hours. By the time Monday rolled around, Elle was fairly confident she could navigate to all her classes, moving staircases and all. She'd even seen a tall Gryffindor boy emerge from a tapestry on Sunday evening, and, after investigating, knew the shortcut herself.

Elle and Ruth descended the stairs to the great hall for breakfast bright and early, wanting to get a good start on their first real day of school. Elle was so wrapped up in her thoughts about what classes might look like, and her worries about how she'd perform, that she didn't notice James Potter at the bottom of the stairs until he thrust a piece of paper in her face. "Little map of the castle to help first years find their way. Just tap your wand to the class list on the left and your route will light right up" he said, flashing a smile. "James Potter by the way, I don't believe we've met?" He said, directing his attention towards Ruth.

"We don't need any help from you" Elle said heatedly, remembering all too clearly James's teasing and Albus's reaction. James turned to look Elle in the eyes for the first time. Elle saw the shadow of recognition pass his face, and he had the decency to look mildly ashamed. "Right-o" he said, recovering quickly. "Your loss!" He turned on his heels towards two giggling Hufflepuffs, holding out his maps and immediately introducing himself as 'James Potter' again. Elle saw that two similarly aged boys in Gryffindor red were handing out maps as well.

"What a git" Elle said under her breath. "He clearly thinks his name should mean something to everyone." Ruth just shrugged, heading towards the smells of bacon and eggs wafting their way. Elle and Ruth joined Rose, who was the first to breakfast. She was already studying the map. "Let me see that" Elle said curiously, peering over Rose's shoulder. Rose was looking rather frazzled this morning, her hair puffing up around her ears where she kept running her fingers through it. "Sure" she said, handing it over. "I think I've got it mostly memorized at this point."

Elle studied the map herself for a moment, frowning. "This is all wrong" Elle said. Sam looked up from where he had taken his seat opposite them. "What do you mean?" he said, clutching his own map in his hands. "Well first of all the route to history of magic should not take us up that third-floor staircase" Elle replied. "In fact, most routes have us going up there, but that makes no sense." Rose grabbed the map back from Elle, looking concerned. "I think I trust James's advice. He's been here for two full years already." Rose said after taking another look at the map.

"I wouldn't" Albus said from where he'd quietly taken his seat a few minutes before. Rose looked indignant. "He gave this map to all first years Albus. Surely you don't think he's up to something. He would get caught out in two minutes. He'd have his first detention before classes even started." Albus just shrugged, mouth full of cornflakes. "You're being ridiculous" Rose said, standing up. "Time to get going."

"What?" said Sam incredulously, half a strip of bacon hanging out of his mouth. "Classes don't start for another 45 minutes!" "I want to get there early" Rose said defensively. "Make a good first impression." Sam looked at all others in turn, hoping someone would speak up against what he clearly considered to be insanity. To his dismay, Elle got up as well. "Might as well get a head start" she said. "I've a feeling the halls are going to get a bit chaotic soon." Albus nodded in agreement, giving Elle a knowing look.

The five friends set off from the great hall, Rose leading the pack, map in hand. At the base of the third floor, Elle spoke up. "Professor Binn's class is this way Rose" Elle said, pointing to her left. "It says room 2103 on our schedule." Rose frowned, running her fingers through her hair. "No that can't be right" she said, "the map clearly shows us going up these stairs." "I'm with Elle" Albus said, standing behind her in support. "I think it's this way too. Elle's been exploring the castle all weekend. I trust her."

"You're being ridiculous." Rose said, her voice raising an octave until it was rather shrill. "You're just mad at me and your brother! Just because we both…" Rose started, climbing the stairs backwards while facing the group. Albus crossed his arms, his face getting stony. Elle was just about to cut in before it developed into a full-blown fight again when Rose stopped speaking abruptly, a small "oof" sound escaping her lips instead. Rose had just sat down on the steps, hard. She had a look of shock on her face.

Albus was the first to realize what had happened, and he could not contain the glee on his face. One of the steps had sucked up Rose's leg like quicksand, and she was struggling now to pull it out. Elle herself couldn't help but chuckle as Sam and Ruth grabbed Rose under the arms and started to help her free. "I… uh…" Rose fumbled after the foot had finally come out with a faint 'pop'. Elle waited for her apology with her arms crossed. "Sorry Elle." Rose said meekly, "I guess you were right."

Sam redescended the staircase, carefully hopping over the trick step. "Man" he said, looking at Albus "your brother's going to get in so much trouble." Albus grimaced. "Won't be the first or the last time." He replied. "It's a little funny" Elle said, Rose's shocked face still fresh in her mind. "Binn's class is only a few doors down this hall. Maybe let's hang around and see how many others try the third floor." "To warn them, right?" Rose asked sternly. "Oh. Yeah" Elle said in return, realizing that would be the nice thing to do. "Of course."

Despite Rose's best intentions however, soon the hall was so busy that even if she'd screamed at the first years clutching their maps, she wouldn't have been heard over the din. Hundreds of students streamed past the group's vantage point against the wall, making their way to class. Most of the older students jumped over the trick stair, but all of the first years fell spectacularly, spellbooks flying every which way. Soon the hallway was filled with floating parchment. Peeves, the poltergeist Elle had been warned about Sunday night by an inkstained and grouchy Louis returning from prefect rounds, was relishing in the fun. He was balling up all the parchment he could grab and throwing them at students, with surprisingly good aim. Pretty soon, he had found a stash of ink as well. The result was pure, unbridled chaos.

Rose looked absolutely horrified at the scene before her. Elle finally pulled them all away and down to the hall towards Binn's classroom when Peeves started pulling dungbombs out from a stash behind a nearby portrait.

The change in energy from the hallway to the classroom was shocking. History of magic turned out to be incredibly dull, even for Elle who was keenly interested in all things magic. The surprise that had rippled through the class when their ghost professor had entered the room through the wall was the only moment of excitement, as Binn's monotone voice soon dampened everyone's first day jitters. It only took twenty minutes for Sam to start snoring softly to Elle's left.

The rest of the day proved just as chaotic as the first-class rush. Professors were seen chasing after every first year they saw with a map in their hands. Through the gossiping of students in the dining hall, Elle found out that alternative map routes had led some students directly into the great lake, some to knock on the doors of Professor's private chambers ("Professor Longbottom answered in a nightie" one boy snickered), and even others to a disused dungeon room that had been subject to a potions mistake so heinous the smell had never been able to be removed. "I hear the smell sticks to clothes so bad they've had to order them all new uniforms" Louis whispered loudly to a fellow Ravenclaw prefect looking aghast. James and the two friends of his that were handing out maps this morning were noticeably absent from dinner.

"Right" Sam said, stretching as he got up from dessert "I'm knackered, and Arun promised me he'd teach me gobstones tonight, so I'm off to Hufflepuff dorm." "I better head to mine too" Rose said also standing. "I promised some of the Gryffindor girls I'd meet them after dinner. "and I'm off to the owlery" Ruth said softly. "I'm going to write my parents about my first day". The three students left, leaving only Elle and Albus at the table. "Library?" Elle asked him "I don't fancy heading back to my tower just yet." "You just read my mind" Albus replied, grinning.

The two set off, but before they could make it to the quiet solace of the library they were stopped by a yell. "Oi. Hatstall!" got Elle's attention. The two first years turned to face James Potter, who was running down the hall. "James Potter." Elle replied coolly. "What do you want?" Albus asked, sounding annoyed. James turned to him. "Oh. Albus. Didn't see you there mate. We on speaking terms yet? I've only apologized about seven times." Albus crossed his arms but didn't reply. James seemed to deflate a bit but carried on. "Headmistress gave me a letter for you." He said, addressing Elle this time. Elle could feel Albus's curious gaze on her as she snatched the creamy white parchment from James. "Thanks" she said awkwardly.

"In trouble already hatstall?" James asked cheekily. "I've got two months of weekend detentions myself, don't know why. I was just trying to help the first years out. It's not my fault I've got a terrible sense of direction. Luckily McGonagall was reasonable, made sure I'd be off before the first Quidditch match of the season. Did I mention I made the team?" he asked Albus, running his fingers through his messy hair. "Walked on to quidditch tryouts yesterday and was made a chaser two hours later, no deliberation required" James peacocked, swelling his chest with pride. Albus didn't reply, just rolled his eyes and turned towards the library. Elle followed suit.

"Why does McGonagall want to see you?" Albus asked Elle in a voice barely above a whisper after they'd found a seat in the library. "Why aren't you on speaking terms with you brother?" Elle shot back, tucking the letter, unopened, into her bookbag. "At first it was because he accidentally told me that he thinks all Slytherins are scum" Albus replied immediately "but he apologized enough for that by Saturday night. Now it's just because he's been insufferably arrogant since he made the quidditch team and I'm trying to take him down a peg." Elle was taken aback by Albus's honesty, and floundered, trying to answer his question in turn. "I er… am having some family issues." She finally said lamely, her cheeks growing scarlet. "Oh. Uh. Sorry to hear that" Albus replied awkwardly. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but at that moment they were violently shushed by Madam Pince, the librarian, who had been glaring at them from across the room. Elle, grateful, opened her history of magic textbook to the first chapter on goblin rebellions.

About an hour later, Elle was completely wrapped up in her notes for history of magic. It took her a while to notice that Scorpius had quietly joined their table, sitting next to Albus. Looking up from her book, Elle offered him a small smile that he shyly returned. She had noticed him in her cohort in classes today, always sitting alone. All of the classes had been introductory, but she had been warned by Professor Gladwell, a jolly witch with bouncy grey curls, that on Wednesday they'd be picking a potions partner. Due to interhouse bonding initiatives, that partner had to be in a different house than themselves. Elle hoped that Albus had mentioned to Scorpius that she wouldn't mind being his partner. She had become acutely aware that there was an odd number in her little friend group. Rose and Al, despite their bickering, would definitely choose each other, and Ruth and Sam had become oddly close. Ruth's quiet nature seemed to complement Sam's boisterous one. Elle had realized with a sinking feeling that she would be the one left out.

The three studied in silence for some time longer, before Elle had finished her chapters on History of Magic, Potions, and Muggle Studies, which was a newish first year mandatory course. Apparently, it was a move by the ministry of magic to try and promote empathy amongst magic-only families and muggles after the war. Elle thought it was a bit funny, since she had grown up amongst muggles. She thought electricity and central heating represented fairly ubiquitous knowledge. However, based on Scorpius's furrowed brow as he made his way through the very same chapter, she realized it might not be as obvious to some students.

It was not until much later that night, with the curtains drawn tightly around her bed, that Elle finally pulled McGonagall's letter out of her bookbag. With shaking fingers, she tore the parchment around the handsome black wax seal emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest and read the enclosed message.

Elle,

I hope you enjoyed your first day of classes at Hogwarts. Please meet me at the Headmistress' office on November 4th at 5 o'clock. An auror will be here to discuss your mother's case. The password, which I trust you will keep confidential, is Dumbledore.

Warmest regards,

Minerva McGonagall.

Elle quickly read and reread the short note, which was written in the same deep purple ink as her Hogwarts acceptance letter. A sinking feeling of disappointment settled in her chest. She wasn't sure what exactly she had been hoping would be in this letter, but this wasn't it. Tears brimming in her eyes, she crumpled the parchment up, throwing it against the deep blue of her bed curtains. All of a sudden, she missed her mother desperately.

She sobbed softly into her pillow, hoping that the other girls in her dorm had drifted off to sleep and couldn't hear her. Cat cuddled up her, purring, but even that wasn't enough comfort for her today. November couldn't come soon enough. She needed answers. She needed her mum.