The Secret Diary of Stella Elara
This story contains characters from the Hogwarts Mystery universe attending Hogwarts at the same time as Harry Potter.
First Year
Saturday, July 20th, 1991
I finally got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! I've never been more excited in my life! Ever since Luke started two years ago, I've been counting down the days until it's my turn to go.
Today was super special because I got this amazing Never-Ending diary when Mum took me and Lochlann shopping in Diagon Alley to get all our school things. We used Floo Powder to get there, and ugh, it's definitely my least favourite way to travel. Mum and Dad are both magical, but Dad is Muggle-born so we're only Half-bloods.
Luke, my older brother, is going into his third year at Hogwarts in September. He's in Gryffindor House. I'm the second eldest. I'm Stella, by the way. Stella Isolde Elara. I have a twin brother named Lochlann, who is eight minutes younger than me, but he acts like he's the big brother. We have a little sister, Brooke, who is a year younger than us, and a baby brother, Shane, who is two years younger than her.
I have shoulder-length dark brown hair and blue eyes, just like Mum, and I tan super easy thanks to my Portuguese grandpa. Luke is already a head taller than me, with messy blonde hair and ears that stick out. Loch will be taller than me soon. He and I look alike, of course, but he's stocky like a little bear. Mum says it will turn into muscle when he's older. Brooke and Shane have black hair, but Brooke has blue eyes and Shane has green.
Mum's so good to us. She let me have a clotted cream in a waffle cone from Fortescue's before we even got any of our stuff. Loch doesn't like ice cream- crazy, right? He reckons it hurts his teeth. Sometimes we're so different that I have no idea how we could be twins! Mum let him pick something out from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop so that we could both get a treat.
We went to Gringotts first to get some money out of the family vault. I've been a few times in the past, but it never gets tiring going there- it's like riding a rollercoaster for free! Loch dangled half his body over the edge to see into the ravine below. He's not scared of anything.
It was fun getting all our books, equipment, and ingredients. We're not allowed an animal yet, though. Luke didn't get his owl until he was in his second year, so we have to wait too. But the thing I was most looking forward to was finally getting my very own wand.
Mr. Ollivander gave me the most gorgeous wand ever! It's ivory-white and fine-grained, and feels just perfect. It has unicorn hair inside! Mr. Ollivander said that an aspen wand is suited to martial magic. He said he wouldn't be surprised at all if I turn out to be a fine duellist. "In my experience, aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined. This is a wand for revolutionaries, Stella Elara. I look forward to seeing what becomes of you." Isn't that ace?
Loch got his wand as well. It's made of blackthorn with dragon heartstring core, twelve and a half inches, and inflexible. He's already letting Shane play with it. Shane keeps whooping as green sparks fly out of it. I'm not letting anyone touch my wand, ever. It's the most precious thing in the world to me.
I've never been much for reading, but I'm going to start going over our course books tonight. They're bound to be more interesting than any Muggle book I've read, right?
Can't wait to start at Hogwarts!
Wednesday, July 31st, 1991
I've been practicing a few of the charms from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade One. I've got the hang of "Alohomora", the unlocking charm. It's so cool to pop locks without a key. I can also do "Spongify" which is for making things soft- super handy for making my bed bouncier! Next up, I'm going to tackle "Reparo," the mending charm. I want to have a few spells up my sleeve before getting to Hogwarts. I think it's important to be a little prepared. I have no idea what I could be up against, in terms of how much the other kids will know. I don't want to be left behind.
I don't think Loch has even so much as peeked at his books. He keeps banging on about how he can't wait to learn "real" magic, and thinks the spells I'm learning are "useless". Sure, they might not be of any use in combat, but every witch and wizard should know how to use simple, household charms.
That's it for today. I've got to go practice some more.
Thursday, August 15th, 1991
My parents made us go to a regular Muggle school, and I can't say I'm not sad to leave because, hello, I'm going a magical boarding school! It's like a dream come true, and I'm so ready to leave my old school behind, even though I'll miss my friends a ton.
I've only told them that I'm going to a fancy boarding school in Scotland, the same one my brother Luke goes to. My best friend, Emily Maines, is disappointed that we won't be going to high school together. I always knew that we wouldn't, but I had to keep it a secret. There's been a few times that I've come very close to revealing to her that I'm a witch. It's so hard keeping something like that a secret from your best friend!
I've lived in North Yorkshire forever, and it's the only place I've really called home. It will be hard to leave it behind. I mean, I've never even been to Scotland! My parents always preferred to holiday abroad, somewhere sunny like Spain, or else we would see the other side of Dad's family in Fermangh. Mum hasn't been back to Scotland since she graduated from Hogwarts in the mid-seventies, but she told me that it's the most beautiful place in the world. Looking out at the purple heather from my bedroom window, though, it's hard to imagine anywhere prettier.
Sunday, August 25th, 1991
There's only one week left until we get to Hogwarts! I've read some passages from every course book, but I haven't gone through them cover to cover. I'm just trying to enjoy the last bit of time with my family and my Muggle mates. I won't see them again until Christmas, and that feels like forever away. As much as I'm buzzing to start at Hogwarts, I'm really going to miss everyone.
And guess what? Luke told me I'll be in the same year as Harry Potter! I can't believe it. He defeated the dark wizard You-Know-Who when he was just a baby. No one knows how he did it. It's a bit sad though, because his parents died in the attack and now he's an orphan. I'd like to meet him, but I reckon he might be a bit up himself. Luke says people don't like to chat about You-Know-Who much- everyone is still scared of him, even though he's been dead for ten years. I think it's a bit daft, but then I don't really know much about the scary times he caused. I was only a year old when all that ended.
Saturday, August 31st, 1991
We leave for Hogwarts tomorrow morning. I'm so excited I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. There's just so much going through my mind, especially about which House I'll end up in and whether I'll be in the same one as Lochlann. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we get separated- we're just so different! I wouldn't mind being in Gryffindor with Luke, but I don't think I'm terribly brave. Hufflepuff could be a good fit for me though- I work hard, I'm all about fairness and being loyal, and I bet it's where the kindest people are.
Ravenclaw sounds a little scary to me, because everyone in that house is meant to be super smart. I can just imagine them all trying to outsmart each other. And then there's Slytherin- I guess I could fit in there too since my Muggle teachers always say I'm 'resourceful' on my report cards. I think Loch might end up in Gryffindor; he's got bravery in spades and doesn't ever seem scared of anything!
It's nearly bedtime. I feel both sick and excited. Time's dragging so much. My trunk's all packed, and I've checked it like three times to make sure I have everything. Mum's said she'll send anything I forget by owl, but I really hope I haven't left anything behind.
Tomorrow my life as a witch-in-training officially begins!
Sunday, September 1st, 1991
We woke up at the crack of dawn just to make sure we got to London in time for the Hogwarts Express at eleven. The last couple of times times I went through to platform nine and three-quarters, I had to watch the Hogwarts Express whisk my brother off to the magical world. Today, I got to go as well!
Poor Shane was really sad about us leaving. He and Loch are super close. Loch promised him some 'souvenirs,' though, which could mean just about anything. Brooke will join us at Hogwarts next year, but we'll be in fourth year before Shane gets to go. It will be so hard for him to watch us all go to Hogwarts without him, while he keeps having to go to Muggle school. We promised to send him loads of letters, but he didn't think it was much of a consolation.
Loch and I managed to snag a compartment with three boys: Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Vincent and Gregory didn't have much to say for themselves, but Draco kept going on about how silly it was that first-years can't play Quidditch. I got so bored of his moaning and drawling voice that I decided to explore the train and meet some other students in our year.
That's when I met Penny Haywood. She's so lovely, and wears her long, blonde hair in two braids. We hit it off straight away. We linked arms and wandered from compartment to compartment, introducing ourselves to as many people as we could. We hung out with twin girls named Parvati and Padma Patil for a while, and a nice boy named Seamus Finnegan. He brought some cauldron cakes for all of us to share.
And then I finally met the famous Harry Potter. Penny and I stepped into his compartment and introduced ourselves. He was riding with a red-headed boy named Ron Weasley, a bushy-haired girl named Hermione Granger, and a round-faced boy named Neville Longbottom. Harry was different than I imagined. He was small and skinny with messy black hair that hid the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead where Voldemort hit him. He didn't have much to say. Ron Weasley, on the other hand, was quite chatty. He, Penny, and I spent some time talking about Quidditch. He supports the Chudley Cannons, the worst team in the league, but Penny is mad for the Wigtown Wanderers, and I'm all for the Appleby Arrows.
When we pulled into Hogsmeade Station, we were met by a giant gamekeeper named Hagrid, who took us across the lake in these little boats. I've never seen a picture of Hogwarts. It's unbelievable, like something out of a storybook!
Luke never told me how we get sorted into our Houses. I was terrified! We stood in the Great Hall with the rest of the school and teachers staring at us. I watched as my fellow classmates gradually got sorted into the houses by the Sorting Hat. Penny got put into Hufflepuff. Hermione and Neville were in Gryffindor. Finally, my name was called. My hands were shaking on my way to the three-legged stool. I jammed the hat over my head and it slipped right down over my eyes so that I didn't see the hundreds of faces staring up at me.
"Oh, interesting," a voice said. Whether it spoke into my ears, or in my head, I wasn't sure. "Not easy. A lot of ambition, indeed. Hmm... Loyal, and a hard worker. And talent! You could do well in Slytherin, but your diligence seems to override your Slytherin qualities. Your brother is in Gryffindor and you could fit in there too, but you're too modest. Hmm, this isn't easy at all."
I felt like I was sitting with the Hat over my eyes for ages and ages. Just as I was starting to think that it was never going to decide and I was going to get chucked out, the Hat spoke up again. "Well, you fit just about everywhere. But I have to decide, after all. HUFFLEPUFF!"
He shouted the last word out loud. I let out a breath I hadn't known I'd had been holding, took off the hat, and joined the cheering table on the far right. I was so happy to be in the same house as Penny!
Lochlann was sorted into Slytherin. I can't say I'm surprised, but I am a little sad that I'm not with either of my brothers. At least I'll see Lochlann in class, but the only time I'll see Luke is at meals or passing through the corridors.
The feast was incredible! I had the best roast dinner ever, with loads of Yorkshire pudding, gravy, and mushy peas. I sat between Penny and another girl called Hannah Abbott- she also wore her blonde hair in pigtails. We chatted loads with Ernie Macmillan. The other girls are Susan Bones and Megan Jones. The other boys are Justin Finch-Fletchley, Zacharias Smith, Oliver Rivers, and Alexander Zappaterra.
For dessert, I had treacle tart and a jam doughnut- my absolute favourites! I felt very pampered and spoilt. I was so caught up in the food that I barely listened to Professor Dumbledore's welcome speech. After, we sang the school song. Penny and I couldn't help giggling through it because the words were so ridiculous.
Afterwards, a Hufflepuff prefect named Gabriel Truman showed us to our common room, which is right near the kitchens. The entrance is hidden behind a stack of barrels. You have to tap them in a special rhythm to get in. The common room is cheerful and cosy, decorated in our House colours, yellow and black. There are loads of colourful plants and flowers that either stand on wooden shelves, curved to fit the walls, or are in copper plant holders that dangle from the ceiling. A portrait over the mantelpiece shows Helga Hufflepuff, our House founder, toasting us with a golden goblet. There are small, round windows level with the grounds that show us a pleasant view of rippling grass and dandelions. It already feels like home. I mean, it can't be a coincidence that I'm in Hufflepuff and yellow is my favourite colour.
Gabriel sat us down in a circle to talk about the classes and teachers, and what to expect from them. Then he held up a tennis ball and smiled widely. "Now, this ball is a tool that we are going to use to get to know one another. I am going to throw this ball to a person, and I would like them to tell the class their name and three things about themselves."
Of course, he threw the ball to me first. Being the first one to go, I had no idea what to say so I said that my twin brother got sorted into Slytherin, that I can speak three languages (English, Welsh and Portuguese), and that I vow to eat treacle tart every day here at Hogwarts. Everyone found that quite funny, and it seemed to kick things off, because then everyone else said similar things.
Our dormitories have comfortable fourposter beds, all covered in patchwork quilts with copper bed warmers hanging on the walls. Yellow hangings made out of velvet are drawn around every bed, like the ones you see in princess movies. Because we're in the basement, we don't exactly have an excellent view of the grounds, which is a shame, but you can't have everything.
I'm really tired. I want to get a good night's sleep. Everyone is turning off their lights and shutting the hangings around their beds. I think it's going to be an amazing year, Diary. I can't wait to tell you all about it!
Monday, September 2nd, 1991
Wow, what a day! It's so handy that our common room is so close to the Great Hall. We don't have to walk very far to get to breakfast. Poor Luke has to trek all the way from Gryffindor Tower on the seventh floor! We're only meant to know the location of our own Houses, but I have seven years here to explore the entire castle. I'm sure I'll happen to stumble upon at least one of the secret entrances to the other Houses one day.
There are 142 staircases here, according to the Prefects. Some are wide and sweeping, others are narrow and steep, and more still are hidden behind curtains, or are uneven so that you have to walk very carefully, otherwise you might trip and fall. There are stairs that look like they lead upwards when really they lead downwards. Steps that you have to jump, or you get caught in them. There are doors that look like doors from one side but are merely panels in a wooden wall from the other. Gabriel warned us not to trust suits of armour because they walk around, along with the inhabitants of the portraits. There's also this cat called Mrs. Norris. She's the caretaker, Mr. Filch's, cat. She patrols the castle looking for rule-breakers.
At breakfast, Penny and I sat with Ernie, Hannah, and Justin. Luke waved at me from the Gryffindor table. I haven't had a chance to speak to him or Lochlann yet. Loch was already having a blast with the Slytherins, laughing his head off. Ron Weasley smiled at me from the Gryffindor table, so I suppose he's not too bothered that I'm in a different House. Luke warned me about the House rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, but he reckons everyone gets along with Hufflepuff so hopefully I can be friends with loads of people.
The post delivery during breakfast was like something out of a movie. Over a hundred owls suddenly flew in through the rafters, diving to deliver letters and packages before flying out again. I didn't get anything, but it was really cool to watch, even if it did give me a bit of a shock. Professor Sprout, our Head of House, moved along the table to give us our timetables right after that.
First up was Charms with Professor Flitwick. I think this is going to be a fairly easy class for me. He's so tiny he has to stand on a stack of books so he can see above his desk. We had this class with the Ravenclaws. They seem nice enough. The class was wonderful. We practiced basic wand movements, and learnt the theory of magic. He said we must not ever do magic in front of Muggles, because they would either want magic solutions to their problems, or they would be very scared of us and try to eliminate us. And considering that there are many more Muggles than magical people, I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to wipe us all out. Our homework is to practice the 'swish' wand movement, and write a paragraph on why we think that we shouldn't practice magic around Muggles.
Then it was Transfiguration with the Gryffindors. Professor McGonagall is strict and clever, and gave us a lecture as soon as we sat down. "Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again! We were all really impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but it's going to be a very long time until we will be able to do that kind of magic. After a lot of note-taking, Professor McGonagall gave us all matches to turn into needles. I didn't expect it to be so awfully hard. In the end, only Hermione Granger managed to make any change to hers. Professor McGonagall said we should practice mind exercises. I'm going to do them tonight, so hopefully next lesson I will have improved.
Herbology was next, again with the Gryffindors. Professor Sprout is just the best. She knows all about every single plant, herb, and fungus there is. The greenhouse is like a jungle, packed with dozens of plants I've never seen before. We started off learning about normal, non-magical herbs. We chose a herb from basil, chamomile, catnip, lavender, mint and thyme to study. I chose chamomile because I really like that in tea. We've got to write a short essay about our herb for the next lesson.
After class, Penny, Ernie and I headed off to the library to do some research on our herbs and start our essays. Penny's doing lavender, and she finished her essay in no time at all. She's so clever. Ernie loves learning just as much as she does; they're both so pleasant and fun to chat with. I'm really glad I've made fast friends already.
I managed to finish my essay in about an hour, and then I wrote letters to Mum and Dad and to Brooke and Shane, telling them all about Hogwarts, and which Houses Loch and I got into. I'd never thought I'd say this, but I love school! Even so, I can't wait for the weekend so I can have some time to explore the castle. I just have to make sure I stay on top of things and have all my homework done. I can get a little flustered when I feel like I'm getting unorganised.
We went down for dinner together and had steak and kidney pie. The food here is really excellent. Everyone was tired and full when we got back to the dormitory, but we all stayed up late talking and getting to know one another. I love my life.
Tuesday, September 3rd, 1991
Today we had our first Defence Against the Dark Arts class with the Slytherins. I know that Hufflepuff has a reputation for being the 'pushover' House, so I thought the Slytherins might be a bit snooty about it. Draco Malfoy was sort of nice to me as we lined up, but he did make a comment about me being a Hufflepuff. He's mates with my brother, so I guess he knows better than to be too mean- Loch would definitely stick up for me. Not that I need looking after; I don't really let harsh words bother me. I just laugh them off!
Anyway, Professor Quirrell didn't mind us mixing up the Houses, so I ended up sitting with Penny on one side, and a Slytherin named Tracey Davis on the other. Tracey was really cool, and had the nicest smile.
The lesson itself was a bit weird, though. Professor Quirrell seems way too jumpy for someone who's meant to be teaching us how to fight off all sorts of scary creatures. Every time anyone mentioned ghouls or anything, he nearly jumped out of his skin! Not to mention that his classroom and his robes reek of garlic. He wears this turban he says was a gift from an African prince for helping fight off a zombie. None of us really believed him though, especially when Theodore Nott from Slytherin asked him more about it. He got all red and stuttery and started talking about the weather. Not sure I learned much about defending myself, but it was definitely an interesting class.
We also had our first History of Magic lesson with the Slytherins. I thought this would be a really cool class, because the teacher, Professor Binns, is an actual ghost, plus I'm a bit of a history geek. But oh my gosh, it was so boring. Professor Binns has this really monotonous voice that almost put us all to sleep straight away. I can't even remember what he talked about- all I know is it was super dull.
At dinner, I popped over to the Gryffindor table to say hi to Luke. He introduced me to some of his friends, including Fred and George Weasley (Ron's older twin brothers) and Lee Jordan. I also said hi to Ron and Harry. It's still weird to see how quiet Harry is, especially when you think about how famous he is. Apparently, he grew up with Muggle relatives, and had no idea that he was a wizard until he got his Hogwarts letter- imagine that! He didn't know anything about You-Know-Who or what happened to his parents.
Luke said I can use his owl to send my letters home, but I can also use a school owl from the Owlery if Jax is busy. I'm thinking I might get my own owl next time we go to Diagon Alley. They seem really handy to have around.
Wednesday, September 4th, 1991
Today was brilliant! We handed in our herb essays to Professor Sprout, and she magically graded them right there and then, and gave us all five House points. Neville Longbottom looked so chuffed to get points. Professor Sprout said she just loved what he wrote about the properties of thyme, and how they can be used in magical potions. It's so nice to see teachers being encouraging, especially for someone like Neville who doesn't seem to get a lot of praise.
But the best part of today was Astronomy class, which I've been super excited about because I absolutely love everything about space. It's just so vast and mysterious. I can't even begin to wrap my head around how big and terrifying space is. We had the class at midnight up in the tallest tower with Professor Sinistra. Luckily, we don't have any classes until nine tomorrow morning, so we can catch up on some sleep.
We learned to identify different stars and constellations like the two dippers, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. We studied pictures of them, found them in the sky, then drew their positions on our star charts. We have Astronomy with our whole year group. Loch sat next to me- I thought he'd be annoyed about having a class that interrupts his sleep schedule, but he thought it was so cool. Draco Malfoy also seemed to really like the class; we chatted about the constellations we can recognise by sight on the way downstairs. He knows loads about them, way more than I do. The Slytherin common room must be somewhere in the dungeons, because that's where they headed off to when we said goodnight to each other.
It's now 1:30 AM and I'm so sleepy. I can hardly believe this is really my life now- it's just perfect!
Thursday, September 5th, 1991
Today we had our first Double Potions class. Luke had already told me to watch out because Professor Snape can be really tough, especially on anyone who's not a Slytherin. He's supposed to be really hard on Gryffindors, but today we were with the Ravenclaws, so I hoped he'd be a bit more neutral.
Professor Snape has his classroom in the dungeons of the castle; the dark and murky tunnels suit his appearance. He is tall and thin, with a large hooked nose and black, oily hair, and dresses in black robes. His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke to us. Penny was totally captivated by everything he said, and it seemed like he really liked her too.
He paired us up to make an Amsoil potion, which is supposed to cure boils. I was paired up with Justin Finch-Fletchley. I was a bit worried at first because he's Muggle-born, and I thought he might not know much about potions and I would have to do all the work, but it turns out he'd read all his textbooks already because he didn't want to be left beihnd, and actually ended up doing more work than me!
But oh no, poor Hannah Abbott had a disaster! She was paired with Zacharias Smith- who I'm really not fond of- and he tricked her into adding porcupine quills too soon, which made their cauldron melt and released a huge cloud of green smoke. It was obvious Zacharias had done it on purpose because he couldn't stop laughing. How on earth did he get sorted into Hufflepuff? I think Hannah would believe anything you tell her. She got drenched with the potion and ended up covered in boils. Professor Snape took ten points off Hufflepuff, then picked Megan Jones to go take Hannah up to the Hospital Wing. I'm glad Hannah didn't get into any trouble.
After all that, Snape graded our potions. He said mine and Justin's was "acceptable," but he was really impressed with Penny and Ernie's- they made one of the best potions he'd ever seen from first years. He awarded five points to Hufflepuff, so that nearly made up for Zacharias' points.
I thought we'd be really up against it with the Ravenclaws because they're all so clever, but none of them made a potion as good as Penny's. After class, I caught her chatting with Lisa Turpin and Mandy Brocklehurst. Penny knows all the scoops- she told me Lisa and Mandy are pretty gossipy and a bit cynical, so I need to be careful what I say around them.
Friday, September 6th, 1991
Today was a bit of a short day, which was nice! First years always have Friday afternoons off, but we finished even earlier today because we don't start Flying lessons until next week.
This morning we had Transfiguration. I've been working really hard on the mind exercises Professor McGonagall gave us, and it's actually helping. I managed to make my match pointy at the end of the lesson, although it didn't change colour. But she awarded a point to everyone who managed to make a difference to their match, and it looked like a lot of us did well.
I used the extra time to go to the library and get all my homework done. There wasn't too much this week, but I reckon the teachers are just easing us into it and it'll pick up soon. Now I've got the whole weekend free, which is brilliant! Penny wants to go explore the grounds, which sounds like fun. I've hardly been outside except for going to the Herbology greenhouse. Can't wait for a bit of adventure!
Saturday, September 7th, 1991
It's been such a wonderful weekend. It's like being at a never-ending pyjama party in our dorm. We've had so much fun and barely left the room except to eat. Susan brought her wireless out and showed us loads of pictures from when she went to a Celestina Warbeck concert this summer. Mum says I'm far too young for things like that. Susan's so lucky!
Hannah received a massive parcel of sweets from her family and shared them with all of us, which was super nice of her. Megan brought out all her drawings to show us. She's really talented- it looks like she uses magic to make them, but she doesn't! Everyone's got something they're brilliant at. Penny is ace at Potions, and I reckon I'm pretty good at Charms. Professor Flitwick said that I've got 'swish' down perfectly and my 'flick' is just wonderful. We've decided we're going to be the best class Hogwarts has ever seen. I can't wait to see what we all do next!
Sunday, September 8th, 1991
Today was so sunny and beautiful, I just couldn't stay indoors. We all went down to the lake and chilled on the grass, trying to catch the last of the sunshine for the year. We watched the giant squid propelling itself around in the water- it was so cool!
I got two letters today, too. One was from Mum and Dad saying they're really proud of me for being sorted into Hufflepuff. Dad was in Gryffindor and Mum was in Ravenclaw. Brooke and Shane sent me another letter. Shane's a bit upset because me, Loch, and Luke are all in different Houses, and he's scared he'll be on his own when he starts at Hogwarts. I wrote back to him right away to say not to worry. I told him he's definitely not Ravenclaw material because he's not book smart, but he is street smart, which might make him a good fit for Slytherin, especially since he'd like to be with Loch. As for Brooke, I'm not sure where she'll end up. I think she could be in any House except Hufflepuff.
Monday, September 9th, 1991
I used to hate Monday mornings when I was at Muggle school, but today I was actually buzzing to get back to class after such a fun weekend.
Transfiguration was a bit of a drag today. We took loads of notes in complete silence about the Transfiguration alphabet. Professor McGonagall said that we'll start learning Switching spells once we've got the theory down.
Herbology was way more interesting. We learned about a plant called dittany and even got to chop it up and squeeze out the juice for Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. Neville Longbottom knew all the properties for dittany, and earned Gryffindor ten points. I only have Transfiguration and Herbology with the Gryffindors, but it's pretty clear that Neville doesn't do as well in his other classes.
We had another theory class in Charms too, which was a bit disappointing. I understand it's important to know what's happening 'behind the scenes', but I'm really eager to start doing some practical magic. Fingers crossed we get to wave our wands a bit more soon!
Tuesday, September 10th, 1991
Our first lesson this morning was History of Magic. I really want to like this class. I mean, learning about the Wizengamot should be super interesting, right? But Professor Binns has this way of making everything sound as boring as a lecture on plugs. Zacharias Smith actually fell asleep- he was snoring, but Binns didn't even notice!
After lunch, we had Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Quirrell talked about a famous vampire called Vlad Tepes, and even though he stuttered a lot, it was actually pretty interesting. Vlad was notorious for impaling his enemies and bathing in their blood. We learnt how to recognise vampires, their habits, and how to destroy them. Our homework is to do our own research on Vlad Tepes. I found it pretty cool to learn that even though vampires aren't magical, they still fit into the Wizarding world way more than the Muggle world, since Muggles just think they're myths. I'm going to go dive into that research- it sounds creepy but fascinating.
Wednesday, September 11th, 1991
Today in Herbology, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley ended up sharing a tray with Penny and me. Harry is really looking forward to Flying lessons tomorrow- I'm so jealous, we don't start until Friday. They both seemed a bit down about having to take the class with the Slytherins. When I mentioned I liked the Slytherins, you would've thought I'd said something terrible! Harry looked really worried, like he feared for my sanity, and Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"You can't be serious? You like the Slytherins?"
I frowned at him. "My twin brother is a Slytherin."
"Lochlann Elara? He's mates with Draco Malfoy, but he seems more friendly with Barnaby Lee," Harry chimed in.
"Loch's alright, really," I told them. "He's got a lot of Slytherin in him, but he has a big heart. He's a leader, which is good because he won't let the other Slytherins push him around."
Harry seemed to accept that, but Ron was still not convinced. He just shook his head like he was thinking, 'It's your funeral.' I guess it's not really his fault he's so wary; all his family have been Gryffindors after all.
Thursday, September 12th, 1991
What a day!
We had Potions this morning, and thankfully, Zacharias managed to behave himself this time. Snape paired him with Justin, probably thinking Zacharias can't scare Justin as easily. I was with Hannah, who had a much nicer time than last class. I'm starting to think Professor Snape isn't as terrible as everyone says. He's really knowledgeable about Potions, and Penny is just soaking up everything she can learn from him.
Snape even mentioned he knew I'm Luke Elara's sister, which was a bit of a surprise. He doesn't seem to dislike Luke, even though he's a Gryffindor. I think it's because Luke tends to keep his head down. But he did say, "Your brother Lochlann, on the other hand, likes to stir up trouble."
I couldn't help but grin. "Yes, sir, he does. I hope he isn't causing too much trouble in your class?"
Snape smirked and said, "Let's just say it's a good thing he's in my House." I wonder what he meant by that?
Later, I bumped into Loch in the Entrance Hall. He was off to Flying lessons, and was really looking forward to it. He's already pretty confident on a broomstick. He was with a really sullen-looking girl named Ismelda Murk, and Barnaby Lee, who definitely doesn't look like he's only eleven. Barnaby smiled when I said goodbye, but Ismelda just scowled.
Penny filled me in on some Slytherin drama. Apparently, Pansy Parkinson wants to be the leader of the Slytherin first-year girls, but Ismelda isn't having any of it. Pansy's only got Millicent Bulstrode and Daphne Greengrass with her because she refuses to be friends with Tracey Davis, because she's only a Half-blood.
I waited for Loch at dinner to tell me how Flying went. He complained about the school brooms being awful. Apparently they vibrate as you go higher, and some don't even fly straight, but that's not the interesting part. He reckons Harry got into a tiff with Draco, and they rode brooms after the Flying instructor, Madam Hooch, had specifically told them not to after she left the grounds with Neville (he got injured somehow). The thing is, Harry had never rode a broom in his life, but Loch said he was a natural! Harry got taken away by Professor McGonagall, probably to be expelled or something. I felt my heart drop at that. Harry is so nice, and surely they wouldn't expel The Boy Who Lived, right?
At dinner, Penny and I spotted Harry and Ron, so we rushed over to find out if Harry had been expelled after the broomstick incident.
"You haven't been expelled, have you, Harry?" I asked nervously.
He shook his head. "I'm not in any trouble," he reassured us. Then he and Ron grinned, which made us even more curious. Ron was giggling like he knew some secret joke. When Penny pried, Harry just teased he had to keep it a secret, and that we'd find out eventually.
That was when things got... weird. Draco turned up with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. Why he hangs around those two useless lumps, I'll never know. He challenged Harry to a wizard's duel at midnight in the Trophy Room. Hermione Granger, ever the rule-follower, tried to stop them. She doesn't know how to have fun, she just cares about House points. I care too, but watching a wizard's duel would be fascinating. Penny asked if we could come watch. They looked surprised, but said yes. We made arrangements to meet outside the Trophy Room.
As we were heading back to our table, Hermione caught up with us. "Look, I overheard you two saying you wanted to go watch them and you really mustn't. Think how much trouble you'll be in if you get caught!"
Penny and I glanced at each other, then turned to Hermione. "Look, Hermione, I know you mean well and that you're looking out for us, but this will be really cool to watch. Why don't you come with us?"
Hermione started to protest, but I cut in.
"This could be really cool, and you might even learn something new about duelling. It's important to know these things, right? Plus, we want to make sure Harry doesn't get hurt since Draco probably knows more magic. You could help us protect him."
I could see the cogs in her brain turning. Hermione looked torn between learning something new and breaking the rules. I doubted she'd come, and I just hoped she had enough sense not to go running to a teacher. It would just make her less popular than she already is.
On our way into the Entrance Hall, I spotted Draco and ran over to him to talk about the duel. "Penny and I are really excited to watch it," I told him. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Elara, you really don't think I'm actually going to go through with it, do you? No, I'm going to tip Filch off so Potter gets caught creeping around at midnight and gets thrown out." The surprise must've been evident on my face because he chuckled and said, "Oh, come on, what else did you expect?"
"Draco, I thought you knew something about duelling? I mean, I like Harry and don't want to see him bested or anything, but me and Penny were really looking forward to watching a little bit of magic. Come on, Draco, don't you think it would be fun? Look, forget about telling Filch and we can all go to the Trophy Room together. Even if you don't end up duelling, don't you think it would be cool to see some of the castle at night?"
He seemed to consider it for a moment. "You'd have fit in well in Slytherin," he mused. "Fine, I won't tell Filch. Should we meet here?"
"Yeah, we'll be waiting. Just don't bring Crabbe and Goyle, okay? They're not going to be of any use. Come by yourself."
"But I said Crabbe's my second."
I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Draco. You don't need Crabbe turning it into a Muggle duel with his fists. We want to see some proper magic!"
I wasn't sure he'd listen, or if Hermione would spoil our plans, or if we'd even see any magic tonight. But one thing was for sure- I was ready to break a few rules and have an adventure!
I got my wish. Tonight ended up being absolutely mental. Penny and I snuck out after everyone was asleep. We didn't tell anyone what we were planning on doing. Ernie loves rules nearly as much as Hermione, and Hannah would be too scared to sneak around in the dark. We met Draco in the Entrance Hall, all decked out in his emerald green dressing gown. Together, we crept up to the third floor to the Trophy Room. I wondered aloud how people get caught after hours, and suggested the teachers must patrol the corridors, or the ghosts might snitch, and Penny turned totally pale. "You're probably right," Draco whispered. "But we can't turn back now."
In the Trophy Room, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville (who'd apparently healed up quick thanks to Madam Pomfrey) were already waiting. It was a relief to see Hermione there; it meant she hadn't told on us.
Ron stepped forward. "Where's Crabbe? And why did you two come with him?" he asked me and Penny in what sounded like an accusatory tone.
"Our common rooms are near each other's," Penny answered quickly.
"So are we doing this or what?" Harry asked, stepping forward, wand at the ready. I thought that was quite brave of him, because I was sure that he wouldn't have any idea how to duel.
"What else do you think I'm here for, Potter?" Draco sneered. He also took a step forward, but then they just stood there as if they were waiting for the other to strike first.
Ron looked from one to the other. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"I don't know any spells, Ron," Harry muttered.
Hermione pressed a hand over her mouth, and Neville let out a squeak of fear.
"Come on, Harry," Ron said quietly. "He's not worth it. What a waste of time, Malfoy. Never thought you'd miss the chance to show off what a better wizard you are than Harry."
Draco didn't say anything. The thought that we could run into a teacher soon was starting to race through my head. It had all seemed so exciting earlier, but now it was downright daunting. I had no idea how much trouble we could actually get into.
"Let's just go," I suggested.
We went out into a gallery full of suits of armour, about to part ways. The Gryffindors were all going upstairs, and the rest of us were headed downstairs. But that was when a rat scurried across the floor and Neville, trying to avoid it, brought both him and Ron crashing into a suit of armour. We all bolted down the corridor, with Harry leading the way to who knows where. We stopped in the Charms corridor, thinking we were safe.
Then, as if our night couldn't get any worse, Peeves the Poltergeist caught us. He teased us about giving us away to Filch. "Seven ickle Firsties out in one night," he cackled.
"Leave us alone, Peeves," Penny begged.
Ron's temper got the best of him and he took a swipe at Peeves, so that wretched Poltergiest bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"
We ran all the way down to the end of a corridor, but the door was locked.
"Try Alohomora!" Penny panted, bent double.
"I was just about to do that," Hermione snapped as she whipped out her wand and tapped the lock. We all piled in the room and pressed our ears against the door, listening for Filch.
"This is all your fault, Potter!" Draco hissed.
"Mine? Who was the one who suggested a midnight duel?"
"You didn't have to accept."
"Yes, I did," Harry said defiantly.
Suddenly, Neville let out a little moan.
"What?" Harry snapped at him. Neville just shook his head, looking totally horrified, staring up at the ceiling. We followed his gaze up, and there it was- something right out of a nightmare. A gigantic three-headed dog was staring down at us with all six eyes. It was so large that it completely filled the corridor- the forbidden corridor I forgot Dumbledore had mentioned at the welcoming Feast.
The dog started to growl, a triple-throated, thundering growl that made my blood freeze. We all screamed and ran for it, slamming the door shut behind us and not stopping until we were back in the Entrance Hall, panting and scared out of our minds. Penny kept whirling around, as if she was half-expecting the dog to bound up behind us. Draco was gasping, "If my father knew about that..."
We dashed back to our dorm and collapsed into our beds, out of breath and still shaking. What is a three-headed dog even doing at Hogwarts? Dumbledore must be mad! I've never been so scared in my life!
Friday, September 13th, 1991
I had this awful dream about that huge dog we saw last night, and what could've happened if we had been stuck in the corridor with it. At breakfast, Harry and Ron were all chatty, obviously talking about last night. Neville looked like he'd seen a ghost, and Hermione was by herself, looking really miffed. Draco seemed proper miffed too. But I couldn't think too much about it, 'cause today was our first ever Flying lesson!
Justin's never been on a broom before, but he was all cool as a cucumber. Susan Bones too, just munching on her bacon and eggs like we weren't about to fly for the first time or anything. Zacharias, Ernie and Penny were all blah-blah about all their adventures up in the sky.
Penny tried to explain to Hannah how to fly, but it's hard to put into words that whoosh feeling when you're up in the air. Hannah's never been keen on brooms, even if she is a Half-blood. I guess it isn't exactly a package deal in all wizard families.
At half three, we went out on the grounds together. Ernie reckoned the weather was bang on-perfect for flying. Madam Hooch got us to stand by our brooms, stick our right hands over them, and shout, "Up!" Mine took forever to listen, but Penny's was showing off, jumping right up into her hand. And Zacharias was dead chuffed when his broom hopped to it straight away.
Once everyone was holding their brooms, we mounted them. They had these cushioning charms on them, so it was like sitting on a cloud. Madam Hooch told us that on her whistle, we would kick off, keep our brooms steady, hover, then lean forward slightly and come back down. It was a piece of cake for me, 'cause I've flown loads, but it was a big deal for Justin and Hannah- they've got to start from scratch.
Madam Hooch was chuffed that we were all behaved. She said the other class from yesterday was a right nightmare. I bet having Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in one class would do that!
Flying's the best– it's like you're free and nothing else matters. And now the rest of the day's ours to enjoy! Two whole weeks at school are done, and it's been brilliant so far.
Saturday, September 14th, 1991
So, the girls and I reckon we should do some clubby stuff on weekends. Penny's all for Gobstones club. Loch's bonkers about Gobstones- he's always nagging me to play back home. I caught him at brekkie and asked if he fancied joining us, but guess what? He's got detention with Professor McGonagall. Classic Loch, that.
Gobstones was a laugh but, blimey, not every Saturday! We trudged back to the common room stinking worse than a dungbomb and chucked our clothes straight into the laundry- they were rank! We had a quick scrub in the showers, and then we just chilled in our dorm till it was time for tea.
Post-dinner, me and Penny sat down to crack on with homework, but we ended up just gabbing off in the common room till some prefect came and told us off 'cause it was way past lights out.
Sunday, September 15th, 1991
I was up with the birds this morning, so I took a stroll around the grounds. It was all hush-hush and calm. Smoke was furling from a hut on the grounds that belongs to Hagrid, the gameskeeper. He was tending to his garden. Wonder how he got so humongous? I popped by the Owlery to send Mum and Dad a letter about the last week. I made sure to leave out what happened on Thursday night. I've been trying not to think about it. I just want to stay as far away as possible from that dog. Why is it even here?
When I got back to the common room, Ernie was teaching Justin how to play wizards chess. Justin played disastrously. He claimed he's a Muggle chess whizz, but the sight of the chess pieces clobbering each other left him gobsmacked. Can't blame him, really. Gonna go read a bit.
Monday, September 16th, 1991
Draco was sitting on the bottom of the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall, repacking his bag as I came up for breakfast. We had one of them awkward stare-offs for a moment before he turned away. I dunno why, but I toddled over.
"Elara," he grumbled.
"Malfoy," I said back with a bit of a cheeky grin. "How come you've been dodging me?"
He wouldn't even meet my eyes. "I have not being dodging you. Just don't fancy been seen chinwagging with a Hufflepuff, that's all."
He stood up and swung his bag back on the shoulder. I stood up, too. Our eyes were level. Then he tried to do one over me, stepping higher on the stairs so he could be taller than me. Boys! "I thought that maybe you wanted to talk about that dog. It was pretty scary, wasn't it?"
"Scary?" he spat. "If you thought that was scary, then I was wrong to believe that you could ever belong in Slytherin."
"Come on, Draco," I grabbed his arm before he could stalk away. "Don't you want to know what that mutt is doing here?"
"No, I do not," he growled, just as Crabbe and Goyle lumbered over, looking for all the world like a pair of trolls. Draco wrenched his arm out of my grip and caught up with them.
I sighed as I plonked myself down at the Hufflepuff table. "What's wrong?" Penny asked as she poured a gobletful of pumpkin juice and passed it to me.
"I can't shake it off, that dog's got me all wound up."
"I know," Penny grimaced. "I keep thinking about it as well. What is it doing here?"
We looked up at the High Table, where Professor Dumbledore was munching his toast. What exactly is he playing at? How can he trust that no one is going to go snooping around the third-floor corridor? What if there are other monsters lurking around that we might stumble into one day? Magic school's one thing, but I didn't sign up for beastie dodging. Draco's rattled too, I reckon, even if he won't admit it.
My mind was all over the shop in lessons. I really must go start my Transfiguration homework on the transformation formula. The intended transformation is directly influenced by bodyweight (a), viciousness (v), wand power (w), concentration (c), and a fifth unknown variable (z). It's a proper head-scratcher.
Tuesday, September 17th, 1991
Today was pretty normal, if you don't count the usual Hogwarts wackiness. I reckon I'm starting to get the hang of the lessons, except History of Magic. Professor Binns is such a snooze-fest, but thank goodness for Lochlann and his hilarious notes, or I'd have dozed off too. Everyone says Binns kicked the bucket in the staff room and just drifted out, ghostly as you like, to teach. Spooky, innit? The way he creeps through the chalkboard at the beginning of every lesson gives me the shivers.
While Quirrell was stuttering about something or other, I can't remember because I wasn't really listening (the stupid dog is still distracting me. I wish I could Oblivate myself into forgetting about it), he slipped in something called the Curse of the Bogies. It's this bonkers curse that gives you a nasty cold. Loch shot me a cheeky grin and winked. He'd better not think about trying it on me, or I swear… Well, I'm not sure what I'll do, but I won't be happy.
I saw Harry and Ron in the Entrance Hall on the way to dinner. They were going on about how Hermione is still in a strop with them. I mean, who wouldn't be after that scare? Hope the whole school doesn't get wind of it, though. Just a rickety old lock is all that's keeping that beast from us- as if that's going to stop anyone curious enough!
Ron let slip that the dog was standing on a trapdoor. Harry jabbed him in the ribs before I could blink. It made my ears prick up, but I played it cool. Harry obviously didn't want me to know. He's a bit iffy about me since I chat with Draco, and my twin's a Slytherin. He's probably worried I'll blab, but my lips are zipped.
Wednesday, September 18th, 1991
Got a letter from Mum and Dad this morning. They're really pleased that I'm enjoying my classes, but they're on me to write more to Brooke and Shane. Bless him, Shane's gonna be a proper loner when Brooke heads off to Hogwarts next year.
Guess what I did to keep from dozing off in History of Magic? I showed Tracey Davis from Slytherin how to play Noughts and Crosses. She thought it was brilliant, and even got her big brother to make the lines wiggle with his wand at dinner! Pansy Parkinson stuck her nose up at us, but Tracey's ace- she doesn't let anything get to her. She has to have tough skin, being a half-blood in Slytherin and all.
But then, why's Loch so well-liked, and why does Draco even bother with me? Do you know what, I reckon Loch's gone and told them we're all Pure-blood. Sure, Mum and Dad both went here, but Dad's from a Muggle lot. Loch wouldn't fib about that, would he? People would suss it out sooner or later! It's daft, but I wouldn't put it past him.
Thursday, September 19th, 1991
I bumped into Hermione Granger at the library during lunch. She was all by herself. After our fab Potions class, Hannah wanted to hit the books so I said I'd keep her company. While she was hunting for books, I went over to Hermione's table. I reckon it'd been long enough since the whole three-headed dog scare, so I plopped down by her and said, "Hi, Hermione, mind if I sit here?" She half-nodded, and I whipped out my Herbology notebook. It's so cute, it's shaped like a cactus, but it's all soft and fluffy.
I was pretending to study, but really, I just didn't want her to be lonely. I know she hasn't got any mates, and that's got to be tough. I mean, I've always had my brothers and sisters, haven't I, so I can't say I know what it's like to be lonely. She doesn't even have that.
"You alright? I know you had a bit of a fright last week, well, we all did-"
That's about as far as I got until she hissed, "Shut up. Not here."
I noticed then that she wasn't studying at all. She was reading a letter. When I asked her about it, she said that today was her twelfth birthday and the letter was from her parents.
I went, "Oh, happy birthday, Hermione!" and right then, Hannah came over with a mountain of books and said, "Is it your birthday? Happy birthday, then!"
Hermione smiled shyly at me and Hannah. Hannah abandoned her books and started asking Hermione about what presents she got. Hermione said she just had one present from her folks, which got Hannah all sniffly.
On our way out, Hannah told me that she was dead set on getting Hermione a present. She's such a sweetie. I was like, "Top idea, but we can't exactly pop down the shops, can we?"
As we were discussing our dilemma in the common room, a third-year named Jake Flinton overheard and told us that we should get a cake from the kitchens- it's right down the corridor from our common room, after all!
"I didn't think we were allowed in the kitchens," Hannah said nervously.
"'Course you are," Jake insisted. "The house-elves will give you a cake, no questions asked."
He showed us how to open the door (tickle the pear in the portrait of fruit to turn it into a door handle). The kitchen's massive, like it's the Great Hall's twin, and the elves were the cutest things. They were so polite, bowing and pressing food we didn't ask for into our hands. Hannah requested a butter cake, because we have no idea what flavour Hermione would like, and they just gave it to us, no bother at all.
What a great idea! I'll have to go and thank Jake later, because Hermione loved the cake. She did say that her parents are dentists and are all strict about her eating sweets, but she had a slice anyway, then suggested that we share the cake with the other Hufflepuffs. I told her that she was welcome to sit at our table any time she likes, if she ever needs someone to talk to. No one should have a rubbish birthday, and I'm happy we made hers a bit special.
Friday, September 20th, 1991
Flying was ace today! Madam Hooch is a bit tough, but she's really good at showing us how to zoom around on our brooms safely. We all got to fly off the ground and circle around, which was brilliant. My broom kept trying to throw me off to the left, though.
I found Jake in the common room after tea to thank him for the smashing idea about the cake. He was hanging out with his mates. One of them, I didn't catch his name, was really cute.
I watched Ernie and Justin play wizard chess again. Justin challenged me to a game, but we had to stop halfway 'cause Gabriel Truman came up, all serious, saying someone was outside asking for me. He looked proper annoyed about it.
"Did you tell an outsider where our common room is?" he demanded to know.
"Of course I didn't!" I was a little upset that he'd think that. I know I'm only a firstie, but I know to keep our common room a secret.
Gabriel still looked grumpy. "There's a Slytherin who wants to talk to you," he said, and stomped off. I thought it might have been my brother, but it was Draco Malfoy.
I asked him how he knew where the Hufflepuff common room was, and he said it wasn't hard to figure out- he had seen us go down this corridor before. He asked if we could take a walk out into the grounds. That made me nervous- first years have to be back in their common rooms by eight P.M. Besides, we aren't allowed on the grounds after dinner and I told him so. We ended up just standing in the Entrance Courtyard- I didn't want to go too far.
"What's up, Draco?"
He sighed. "Did you blab to anyone about last week? About the dog?"
"No, I just talked to the people who were there. Why?"
"I've been thinking about what you said the other day. That it must be there for a reason. As foolish as Dumbledore is, he wouldn't have a dog that size standing around in a corridor for nothing.
I hesitated. Ron had let slip that the dog had been standing on a trapdoor. And from my deductions, there would be something under that trapdoor that the dog was obviously protecting. But I didn't think I should tell Draco.
"I reckon Dumbledore's got his reasons. We better forget we saw anything. We'll be in a heap of trouble if the teachers find out," I said.
Draco nodded, looking a bit gloomy. "I guess."
I looked sideways at him. "You have to admit, now that's it's over and all, it was a pretty cool adventure," I said, trying to cheer him up.
He snorted. "You should be in Gryffindor with that attitude." He said 'Gryffindor' the same way you would say 'snot-nosed sandwich'.
"I like Hufflepuff just fine," I retorted.
"I've always thought Hufflepuff was a bit of a joke," he admitted. "Some of you are alright, though. Like you and Haywood."
"Professor Snape loves Penny, even if he doesn't show it."
"He wouldn't like her at all if she was in Gryffindor," he snapped.
"Draco, I don't get it. It's just a House. This rivalry is so daft."
"You obviously don't understand."
He started to get sulky after that, so I just wished him goodnight and left.
Saturday, September 21st, 1991
This morning after brekkie, Penny, Hannah, Ernie, Justin, and I popped outside for a bit. The boys thought it'd be fun to nick some broomsticks from the broom shed and toss a tennis ball around.
While we were at it, some Ravenclaw kids from our year, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, and Michael Corner, came over and asked if they could join in. Hannah isn't much for flying, so she sat on the grass by herself until Sue Li and Lily Moon, also from Ravenclaw, sat with her. I was really pleased she wasn't left on her own.
Ernie got on well with the new lot, and they were chatting away like old pals. Hannah introduced us to Sue and Lily, who were both mega shy and had their noses in books- I guess they're big into studying. I thought they might like Hermione because she's bookish too, so I told them to say hi to her the next time they bump into her. They said they'd do that.
When we got back to the common room, I spotted that cute friend of Jake's doing his homework way at the back, far from the dorms. I wish I knew his name, but I don't know who to ask. Oh, hang on! Penny would know. I'll ask her as soon as she's back from the library.
Sunday, September 22nd, 1991
His name is Cedric Diggory. He's never going to look twice at me, though. I'm only eleven. I'll be twelve in four months, but that's hardly going to change anything.
It's always the same. I end up fancying someone who doesn't even know I exist. Like with James Declan in primary school- he was two years older, just like Cedric is. James was only ever nice to me because I was mates with his sister. He wouldn't have noticed me otherwise.
Anyway, I don't know anything about Cedric, just that he's really cute. But I know I shouldn't just like people because they're good-looking. I should like them for their... I don't know... what's the word? Integrity, or something posh like that.
Right now, he's over there at the same table as yesterday, with a bunch of his friends. They keep laughing about something, probably some joke or game they've got going with this piece of parchment in front of them. I'm trying not to make it obvious I'm watching. I'm sat all the way over on the other side of the room, on my own. I should probably find something else to do.
Monday, September 23rd, 1991
Today, we learned our very first Charm- 'Lumos', the wand-lighting charm. But for some reason, I just couldn't get it right. Professor Flitwick noticed and told me my head was clearly somewhere else today, and that I'd better remember to bring it with me to class on Wednesday.
I saw Cedric Diggory again during lunch. He was sitting not too far from me. Alexander Zappaterra was chatting away to me, but I can't for the life of me remember what he was on about. I didn't look at Cedric, not even once, and I'm pretty sure he didn't glance my way either. I think I need to find someone else to fancy, someone from my own year maybe. I've been racking my brain all day trying to think of who that could be. I know you can't just decide who you like, but maybe if I really try to focus on someone else, it might actually work.
Tuesday, September 24th, 1991
Today in History of Magic, we started learning all about Hogwarts' history, focusing on the four original founders. We've got to write a report on our house founder, so I'm doing mine on Helga Hufflepuff. She was the one who arranged for the house-elves to work at Hogwarts, so they would have a safe place to be. I might be a bit biased, being a Hufflepuff and all, but she sounds absolutely wonderful.
I don't think I can even tell Penny about how I feel for Cedric. She'd probably think it's silly. I hardly know anything about him, just his name and his age. Oh, but maybe Penny knows more about him... How do I ask her without it sounding like I fancy him? Oh, what a bother.
Ernie asked me to help him practice the 'Lumos' spell, even though he was one of the few who managed it in class. I was puzzled why he asked me, since I couldn't even do it right. When I mentioned this, he went as red as a beetroot. "Oh, yes, that's what I meant. I wondered if you wanted my help?"
I shrugged. "Why not?"
We decided to go into the dungeon cave because it's really dark there, perfect for practicing 'Lumos'. Ernie said the key is to focus, but it was a bit tricky to concentrate when it was just the two of us alone in the dark.
I managed the spell within five minutes. It seemed easier in the dark- the Charms classroom is so bright. Ernie looked a bit let down that I got it so quickly, and didn't seem in a hurry to head back to the common room. "We haven't really gotten to know one another yet, haven't we?" he said.
We ended up chatting for ages about our families. His family's been Pure-blood for generations. My family's a mix of Muggle and magical, which always spices up our Christmas dinners. Ernie's really nice, even if he is a bit of a swot. I reckon he'd get on great with Hermione if they ever got to chat.
Wednesday, September 25th, 1991
At breakfast, the owl post came as usual. Harry got this long, thin package delivered by six owls.
"That's a broomstick!" Penny hissed, all excited when she saw it. Harry and Ron both looked awestruck as they read the card that came with it. They quickly nipped out of the Hall with it.
"I thought first-years aren't allowed broomsticks," Justin said, having overhead Penny.
"Harry Potter's allowed one because he's been made Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Ernie told us.
"That must've been what Harry meant when he said he wasn't in any trouble," I remembered. "He must be good, first-years aren't usually allowed."
Five minutes later, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle lolled in, looking thoroughly put out about something. Draco noticed me looking and came over quick.
"You're not going to believe this," he spat. "Potter has been sent a broomstick. A Nimbus Two Thousand-"
"Are you serious?" Penny broke in eagerly. "That's the best broom in the world, that is!"
"I know." Venom dripped in his every word. "Of course Potter got away with something like that. It's so unfair. Wait till my father hears about this."
Penny and I rolled our eyes at each other. Draco always says that. His dad's on the Board of Governors and they've got a lot of clout, but I doubt they'd fuss over something as silly as House Quidditch teams.
Thursday, September 26th, 1991
Potions was a blast today. We made a Cheering Potion. The ingredients were so bizarre; a crushed troll's finger and petrified fairy tears. We even got to use our favourite gemstone. You're supposed to smell it to cheer up. When Penny sniffed her potion, she was buzzing for the rest of the day.
I bumped into Ron Weasley on the way to lunch. He asked me why I looked so chirpy, and I told him we'd just had Potions. The look on his face was priceless- he looked totally spooked! "Potions?" That was all he could squeak out.
"Yes, Potions. It's one of my favourite classes," I said, grinning.
"But-but-but..."
I shrugged cheerily. "But you don't like Professor Snape. And he doesn't like you. We in Hufflepuff have a much nicer time in his class, because he isn't so prejudiced against us."
The truth is, the Gryffindors are just as biased against the Slytherins as the Slytherins are towards them, they just don't like to admit it.
In Astronomy, Loch sat next to me, but he kept distracting me by whispering about daft boy stuff. He's mates with Barnaby Lee, Ismelda Murk and Theodore Nott. I'm glad he's found his crew, but I hope he makes becomes friends with some non-Slytherins too.
Friday, September 27th, 1991
Today in class we learned about the limits of Transfiguration, which are ruled by Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. We also started covering the different types of Transfiguration, like Self-Transfiguration and Cross-Species Transfiguration, but we won't actually get to try those out for ages.
Hannah was really worried about Flying today. She's not the best at it. Madam Hooch decided to pair up the strong flyers with the not-so-strong, and I ended up with Hannah, just like in Potions. I think she was a bit miffed to be called 'weak'. I told her she doesn't have to ace everything. She's top-notch at Herbology and really good at Charms too. She's too hard on herself, I think.
After dinner, Penny, Ernie, Hannah, Justin, and I all snuggled up in front of the common room fireplace. We're such a tight-knit little group. Susan Bones and Megan Jones are great friends, but they stick to themselves. Zacharias Smith, Oliver Rivers and Alexander Zappaterra have buddied up too, but they're all so different from one another. I reckon they hang around with each other just so they're not on their own.
Saturday, September 28th, 1991
I spent the whole day with Luke and Lochlann, and it was really lovely to finally have some time with my brothers. Luke suggested we go down to Hagrid's cabin for lunch. I thought it was a bit odd because Hagrid's just the groundskeeper. Loch wasn't too keen either, but Luke was really into the idea, so we went along.
Well, I'm so glad we went to Hagrid's in the end. What a kind man! For someone who looks so frightening and intimidating, Hagrid is really friendly. He must be at least twelve feet tall, and three times as wide as any man I know. He's got a MASSIVE dog nearly as big as me, and a huge cauldron and a huge chair, and I reckon I could fit into his shoe, but he starts to seem less huge after you talk to him for awhile.
He shook all our hands- well, more like our arms- (his hands are about the size of dustbin lids) and made us tea and offered us treacle fudge. I fell in love with him right then and there. I adore anything treacle- it's my very favourite! Mum makes treacle gingerbread every Christmas. Loch loves treacle as much as I do, so any doubts he had disappeared when Hagrid put the fudge out. Luke was beaming; I think he might've hinted to Hagrid about our favourite treats, but he'd never admit it.
Anyway, Hagrid chatted with us about our classes, our mates, and just normal stuff to start with. We talked about his garden, and the animals he'd like to have.
"It's a bit odd, innit? Three siblings in different houses," he suddenly said.
We all glanced at each other. I shrugged. I didn't know if it was strange or not. "Parvati Patil's in Gryffindor and her twin sister Padma's in Ravenclaw, so it's not just us," I mentioned.
Hagrid nodded thoughtfully. "True, that. But look at the Weasleys'- they've always been in Gryffindor."
"I guess we just have different personalities," Luke said slowly. "I don't think it has to be black or white when it comes to Houses. Most of my traits match up with Gryffindor, so that's where the Sorting Hat put me because it knew I'd do well there. And I reckon Stella and Loch would've made fantastic Gryffindors, but the Hat must've seen qualities in them fit better with Hufflepuff and Slytherin."
That conversation really made me think. Before we were Sorted, I was certain Loch would be a Gryffindor, but it didn't shock me when the Sorting Hat chose Slytherin for him. I bet you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone at Hogwarts who fits perfectly into just one House.
Sunday, September 29th, 1991
Zacharias Smith and Oliver Rivers are horrible, mean, rotten boys!
Megan Jones has this adorable little Puffskein that she keeps on her bedside table. Well, she had it. It was the sweetest little thing, just a tiny ball of custard-coloured fluff and I'm so sorry that Zacharias Smith was ever born. He belongs in Slytherin, for sure.
A bunch of us were out on the Quidditch pitch to watch Harry practice. Everyone knows that he's the new Gryffindor Seeker, even though he's supposed to be a secret. Afterwards, the boys wanted to muck around on the brooms. I was chatting with Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw- he was wearing a Star of David around his neck, so he must be Jewish. Anyway, I heard Oliver ask, "What's that you got there, Megan?"
Megan had it perched on her shoulder, humming a happy little song. "It's a Puffskein," she said, all smiles. "Her name's Kiwi. They're scavengers, they'll eat anything and are real easy to take care of."
"But we're only allowed cats, rats or toads," Hermione Granger piped up.
Lavender Brown from Gryffindor spun around and snapped at her, "What, are you going to run and tell on Megan?" I thought it was a really unfair thing to say. I wonder how Hermione copes sharing a dormitory with her. I don't like her much- what a brat. Then Lavender had the nerve to try and block Hermione out of the circle. It wasn't even her Puffskein!
"They have magical properties too, I think you can use their hair in a Laughing Potion," Megan was saying.
The boys had Harry surrounded, begging him to let them use his Nimbus. "No way," he protested. "I need to win the match, and I can't do it if you wreck my broom and I'll have to use a school broom."
"He's got a point," Ron said. "Everyone, back off!"
The boys grumbled a bit, but they settled on using the school brooms and took off. Neville, who belongs firmly on the ground, also noticed the Puffskein sitting on Megan's shoulder, humming and smiling.
"This is Kiwi. Isn't she beautiful?"
Zacharias zoomed by on his broom. "It's a furball."
"We have a Puffskein at home," Ron admitted. "Well, it's my little sister's."
"Sure it is, Ron," Harry grinned.
"Can I pet it?" Oliver asked.
Megan nodded. "Yeah, she loves pets. And cuddles, lots of cuddles."
Oliver took careful hold of Kiwi, and she brushed against his cheek. That's when Zacharias on his broomstick called for Oliver to 'chuck it over'. Oliver lobbed Kiwi high into the air, and Zacharias clubbed her with a Beater's bat. Everyone gasped as Kiwi fell straight to the ground and didn't move. Megan screamed. Zacharias zoomed down and picked the dead Puffskein up. He seemed genuinely shocked. He swears he didn't mean to hit it so hard, he reckons he was just trying to have one over on her and he didn't know his swing was that strong and he was honestly sorry. And I think he really was sorry, actually, and so was Oliver. Justin asked him why he threw it and Oliver replied, "I dunno, do I? Instinct."
Megan is just absolutely crushed. It was so cute, that poor, sweet little thing. All us girls buried her out by an oak tree. Susan Bones said a few kind words, and Megan thanked us all for being there. I'm sure the boys thought we were being idiots. In fact, the only boy who seemed upset about the senseless act of terror was Harry. I overheard him talking to Ron as we were leaving the pitch. "I can't believe they killed her pet! If anyone hurt Hedwig, I'd make them pay."
"I dunno, Harry. Puffskeins are a bit different to owls. Owls are like family. Puffskeins are just little balls of fluff that eat your bogey's if you fall asleep around them."
Harry stared at him. Ron shrugged. "Just speaking from personal experience."
When we returned to the common room at dusk, Oliver and Zacharias were waiting for Megan. Oliver had collected a bunch of flowers from the gardens, and Zacharias solemnly promised to be her servant for the rest of his life. "I won't beg for your forgiveness, but I will humbly ask for it."
She forgave them, and said that he only had to be her servant for a week. I feel awful for her. I hope she gets another Puffskein soon. And I'll just have to remember that those two boys are never getting near any pet of mine!
Monday, September 30th, 1991
This morning at breakfast, Cedric Diggory sat three seats away from me. My face went so hot that I felt like I had a sunburn. I tried to distract myself by watching Zacharias acting all like a gentleman. He pulled out Megan's chair for her, kept topping up her pumpkin juice, and even carried her books to class. Maybe I was a bit harsh calling him rotten before. But I'm still not sure about him- I don't think he's a proper Hufflepuff.
We've finally got the hang of the 'swish and flick' movement in Charms. Now, we're learning how important pronunciation is. It's not just about waving your wand and saying some funny words. According to The Standard Book of Spells: Grade One, you could even get hurt if you don't say the spells right.
In Transfiguration, we tried turning wood lice into crickets. It was super hard and took loads of concentration. Even Hermione struggled with it.
We've started growing our own plants in Herbology. We picked the names of our plants out of a hat, and now we're competing with others who got the same plant. Professor Sprout will judge us at the end of term on how well our plants have grown and how well we've looked after them. My plant is belladonna, and I need to collect mooncalf dung from the grounds for homework, 'cause it's a magical fertiliser I can use on it.
I've been trying not to think about Cedric, but today he just kept popping into my head. He's just a stupid boy. I don't like him. I don't like him. I don't...
Okay, fine. I like him. But I'm not going to be a complete girl about it and swoon over him. I'll just admire him from afar. In fact, I'm not even going to write about him anymore. I've got to start on my homework, anyway.