Once dinner was over, we were all led to the Hufflepuff common room by our prefect, Gabriel Truman, down to the appropriate corridor.

I paid special attention to our surroundings in an effort to learn the layout of the castle and the location of where I'd be spending the majority of my free-time.

The Hufflepuff common room lies in the same corridor as the Hogwarts kitchens, Hettie hadn't been lying about that. Proceeding past the large painting of fruit that forms the entrance to said kitchens, a pile of large barrels can be found stacked in a shadowy stone recess on the left-hand side of the corridor.

When I say large, I mean LARGE! These barrels are absolutely massive!

The barrel second from the bottom, in the middle of said row, opens if tapped in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff,' opens to reveal the entryway of our common room.

The prefect warned us that as a security measure to repel non-Hufflepuffs, tapping on the wrong barrel, or tapping the incorrect number of times, results in one of the other barrel lids bursting off and drenching the interloper in vinegar.

In other words, don't get the barrel or the password wrong unless we wanna be washing our clothes and hair for days to get the smell out.

Entering the common room led us up a sloping, earthy passage traveling upwards a little ways until a cozy, round, low-ceilinged room was revealed, reminiscent of a badger's sett. It honestly reminded me of a Hobbit hole, and the vibe I got once inside reminded me of warm honey.

The room was furnished, decorated in the cheerful, bee-like colors of yellow and black; this was emphasized by the use of highly polished, honey-colored wood for the tables and the round doors which lead to the boys' and girls' dormitories.

A colorful profusion of plants and flowers seemed to relish the atmosphere of the room; various cacti stood on wooden circular shelves (curved to fit the walls), many of them waving and dancing at passers-by, while copper-bottomed plant holders dangling amid the ceiling caused tendrils of ferns and ivies to brush your hair as you passed under them. Those same vines and ferns clung to the ceiling as well.

A portrait over the wooden mantelpiece (carved all over with decorative dancing badgers) shows Helga Hufflepuff herself toasting the students with a tiny, two-handled golden cup.

A familiar golden cup.

Small, round windows just level with the ground at the foot of the castle show a pleasant view of rippling grass and dandelions. It wouldn't surprise me if we saw passing feet every once in a while during the daytime. These low windows notwithstanding, the room felt perennially sunny.

Odd, given it was late after sundown.

As I looked around, I couldn't help but smile. I only have vague memories left of the Gryffindor common room from the movies, and I've no idea what the Ravenclaw and Slytherin common rooms are like, but I know for a fact this is the perfect environment for me.

I guess the Sorting Hat really does know what it's doing.

What with it being so late, the Prefects made quick work of handing everyone their schedules so we could be ushered off to bed. I was eager to do so! As exciting as this day has been, my body was tired and ready for sleep.

I followed the other girls into our dormitory, and bid Hettie and the others a good night as I went over to the room and bed my luggage was all placed in. I wonder, was it the House Elves that did this? Or did they charm our luggage to float or teleport here?

The dorm room featured three beds, each with their own lamp and nightstand. Near our beds, each section of the room held its own desk and wardrobe, which featured the badger symbol of Hufflepuff House.

I'm gonna be seeing badgers a lot over the next few years, huh?

I was currently the only one here. It seems my roommates may still be occupying themselves outside with Hettie and the others.

I walked over to the bed, which was cozy, soft, and featured the most amazing patchwork quilt I'd ever seen. I changed from my robes into a nightgown, and after spending some time unpacking my bare necessities, I crawled under the sheets, relishing in their cool feeling over the smoothness of my skin.

I went to rub an itch off my hip over my nightgown, only to feel the scales on the outside of my upper thigh. They'd gotten firmer over the last few years, and were starting to take up more space. Luckily they're still only barely noticeable. Though that's gonna change as I get older. Puberty is going to be a bitch-and-a-half to deal with, I can already tell.

I grimaced, opting to close my eyes and ignore that thought for now.

Instead, I focused on the velvety embrace of my bed. It's the greatest bed I've ever experienced, I'm gonna take every moment I can to revel in its soft, smooth, silky sheets.

But as my tired mind drifted off, I was reminded of something.

The letter I received from Vault 7 at Gringotts.

In the aftermath of the dragon attack, it nearly slipped my mind completely. I haven't had a chance to read it since all that had happened, and with classes officially starting tomorrow, I doubt I'll have much alone time.

I sighed as I reached down under my bed, grabbing the suitcase and fished the letter out.

I sat up as I opened the thick, old parchment.

Inside was a plain metal pendant with some kind of symbol that reminded me of a torch. I could feel some kind of magic swirling inside it, and occasionally I swear I saw some kind of white glow.

The envelope also contained a blank piece of parchment. I unfolded it, and as I did so, words appeared on its surface.

It eerily reminded me of Riddle's Diary.

I'm certain you have questions,
 Let me begin by congratulating you on inheriting my vault. I do not know who you are, but in time you will come to know who I am.
 Because you are reading this, it is evident that you are a wielder of a power known as Ancient Magic. I was once a wielder of this same power. My vault contains my findings and research regarding this power.
 Because of its esoteric, even dangerous potential, I will give you fair warning: if you want access to the vault again, and to remove the protective enchantments guarding my research, you will be tested.
 A room unlike any other is found at Hogwarts.
 Find it, if you wish to become my successor.

I re-read the letter twice.

So the one who left me a vault didn't really leave it for me. It was left for anyone who might've had access to Ancient Magic…

And it seems they want me to find what I can only assume is The Room of Requirement. They couldn't possibly mean anything else, right? A 'room unlike any other' seems to be a dead give-away, unless they mean the Chamber of Secrets or something.

Blast. Where was it again…? It's been too long since I read Harry Potter or watched the movies…how am I supposed to find it among such a huge castle? And even if I do find it, what the heck am I supposed to do? How would I know what to say to get it to open where this stranger wants me to go?

Fred and George popped into my head. Maybe I could use the Marauder's Map? Oh wait, the Room doesn't show up there…I remembered that much, at least. Guess I'll worry about it later.

Before drifting off to sleep, I pulled up the notice I received earlier as I set the letter in my nightstand drawer.

Notice!

Perk Gained!

House of Hufflepuff
You have been Sorted into the Hogwarts House of Hufflepuff.
While within Hogwarts grounds you learn magic, skills, and scholarly knowledge 10% quicker.

Quest Received!

The House Crests
Objective:
Special House Crests of all four houses can be found throughout the castle.
Find them all before graduating Hogwarts.
Rewards:
?
?

Woah, I can gain perks? That's cool, I guess. I haven't really explored my System aside from training my Magmamancy…and I've been avoiding investigating that Heritage of Dark trait of mine. I've had no real drive or desire to yet, but now that I'm actually in school, maybe I should change that.

Also, quests are now a thing! Didn't realize I could get them…this one seems overly vague though. What does it mean by 'Crests?' And once again, how am I supposed to find anything in this giant-ass castle!

If nothing else, I've got excuses to explore now.

I'll worry about it more later. For now, I need to rest.

My head hit the pillow and I passed out like a light.

I awoke early the next day, as was commonplace for my mind and body. Excitement gripped my chest as I threw off the covers to get ready for the day!

My first class is Charms, followed by History of Magic , then I'll have lunch, Herbology and end the day with double Potions.

They don't kid around here, that's a hefty first day!

My roommates were still sound asleep by the time I was ready to leave. Or, roommate, I should say. One of the beds is still empty. How early did this girl wake up?

But that was the last thing on my mind, I was so excited to get started with my studies that I barely spared it a second thought! While I packed my book bag, I figured I'd have to get to know my roommates later.

I wonder how early they serve breakfast…

Turns out they serve breakfast at 7:30. I was one of the first students to enter the Great Hall, having arrived at around seven.

I was going over my Charms books by the time breakfast was served. I ate absentmindedly as conversations happened all around me, more focused on going over the hover charm in my head.

That's likely to be our first practical lesson, and though I've been practicing it at home for a while now, I still wasn't exactly good at it. I haven't had a chance to cast it with my own wand, so maybe spell-practice will be easier now that I have my own.

Once I was satisfied with my review of the spell, and had eaten a portion of eggs, bacon, and toast, I gulped down the last of my orange juice and took off. I need to find the Charms classroom.

I'm lost.

I spent a good amount of time trying to find the classroom on my own, and somehow ended up in the tower with changing staircases. Now I found myself facing some kind of corridor that seemed deserted. Blast!

I'm gonna be late for sure! I even got up early and left breakfast before anyone else!

Oh, dammit. Why didn't I just wait for at least one person to finish eating and follow them? Instead of studying, I even could've used the time to socialize and stick with a group that knows where they're going! Drat!

"Not lost, are ya m'dear?" a voice said behind me.

I startled, flipping around with a squeak. Only I didn't see anyone behind me…

"Over here, dear," The amused voice came from my left. I turned to see one of the portraits talking to me.

"Oh, hello," I sighed, rubbing my chest, "You gave me quite a fright."

"Apologies," The woman said, "No harm meant. You just seem to be quite turned around."

"Yeah, could you tell me where I am? And where the Charms classroom is?" I asked with a nervous smile.

"Well of course," The portrait said, "Keep going down here and you'll end up in a corridor on the third floor, so you'll want to turn around. The charms classroom is further that way, down those two staircases. Once you pass that, take a left, then another left, and a right. Can't miss it."

"Okay…down the staircases, left, left, right," I repeated as I started jogging down the hall, "Thanks so much!"

"No problem!"

For now, I'm going to ignore the fact that I nearly had a run-in with Fluffy; I'm running too late to care. But honestly, shouldn't there be some kind of sign saying, 'Hey, this is out-of-bounds, turn back,' or at least some other kind of warning!?

Seriously, the way they do some things at this castle could very well get someone hurt if not killed!

I opened the door to the classroom as gently as I could, trying to not incinerate into dust with the amount of heads that turned to look at me.

"Ah, another late comer," Professor Flitwick said, "Take a seat and pull out your charms book. We're on page seven."

"...Thank you, professor," I smiled sheepishly, sitting down next to a Hufflepuff I didn't recognize. Across the room were several Slytherins, so it appears we have charms with them. Malfoy was among them.

I pulled out my textbook, grateful for the fact I wasn't the only one that was late, though I was the last, as no one else walked through the door. I was expecting to get my house docked points, but it appears being late as a first-year on your first day wasn't that uncommon.

"Now, let's continue!" Flitwick said, "As I said earlier, the first few weeks of class we'll be going over different applications of wand-movements and the importance of incantations. What you learn these next few weeks will not only be useful for this class, but almost every other class and practice of magic you use both in your time at Hogwarts and for the rest of your life; so pay attention! For homework, I want a detailed essay on how and why wand movements influence spells…"

As he gave his lecture, a part of me felt surprised. I thought we'd be going over different charms every lesson, but it seems I misunderstood how the Professors interweave their curriculums together.

This is actually awesome!

I made sure to take a lot of both physical and mental notes throughout the class as Flitwick taught and demonstrated to us how to properly use a wand.

We didn't get to do anything practical or any actual spells, but by the time the lesson was over, I felt more confident with handling my own wand.

When the books described History of Magic as boring and all the students falling asleep, I thought they were exaggerating for comedic effect.

I was very wrong. Even my eyes got drowsy, and I was actually interested in the subject! I want to know more about the history of this world and what magicians have accomplished in the past! But for the life of me, I couldn't keep my eyes open! Professor Binns can take the most interesting topics in the universe, and he'd still manage to put ya to sleep!

I barely even remember what he talked about! The beginning of my notes have something about a self-stirring cauldron in them…I'll have to look into it more later.

I'm really looking forward to lunch. Getting some food in my system will give my sluggish body the boost it needs!

I entered the Great Hall with a renewed vigor, a pep to my step as I marched and sat down at the Hufflepuff table.

As I scooped food on my plate, Hettie and a few older Hufflepuffs came and sat down near me.

"Hey Kayla!" She greeted me with a big smile, "How's your first day been so far?"

"Hey, Hettie," I smiled back as I bit into a roll, "It's been alright; only had two classes so far, so I can't give an accurate review yet."

"Fair enough," Hettie said, "I remember my first day pretty well. I was so bummed that we couldn't practice spells right away!"

"That has been disappointing, yeah," I acknowledged, "But I actually really appreciated the subject and theory we went over, especially in Charms! I never expected our classes to be so intricately woven together!"

"You're starting to sound like a Ravenclaw," Hettie joked, "It's good to see Professor Binns didn't immediately curb your spirit, though."

"Binns? Yeah, he's pretty…boring, to say the least," I chuckled, "But how'd you know I just came from History of Magic?"

Hettie pointed to the students I came in with; some were still dozing off, while others were outright falling asleep on their plates, "I know that look well by now. Coming out of Binns' classroom makes you feel like you got put under a sleeping charm."

I chuckled as I continued to eat, "True enough, true enough."

Harry and Ron were in grumbled spirits, their moods dampened as they exited the dungeons.

"That Snape really seems to have it out for Gryffindors," Ron said, "Especially you, Harry. Did he really expect a first year to know all that stuff?"

"Hermione seemed to know," Harry shrugged, though that was beside the point. Snape really did seem to have it out for him.

"Well, now we've got lunch," Ron's heart seemed to soar at the thought, "C'mon! Let's hurry, I'm starving! And then after that, we've got Herbology. That should be a simple enough class."

"Magical plants? You don't think that one could get complicated?" Harry had very limited experience in things like biology, but the few textbooks he saw at his muggle schools seemed very complicated, even for primary school.

"What's complicated? Throw a seed in the dirt, pour a cup of water on it, and you're golden!" Ron smiled, inhaling through his nose as his strides lengthened, "Mmm, smells like they've got more of that chicken…"

My next class is Herbology. We have it with the Gryffindors.

Unlike the fiasco that was locating the charms classroom, the greenhouses were easy to find. We passed them by when we were first entering Hogwarts, and seeing as to how they took up a good chunk of the castle's layout, they were simple to locate.

I followed the group into Greenhouse One. Professor Sprout was there, ushering the students in.

"Welcome everyone! Come on in, don't be shy!" She flashed a warm smile while everyone meandered in.

I noticed a head of red hair in the corner of my eye as the Gryffindors piled in behind us. Seems Ron, Harry, and Hermione are in this class with me. But I spared looking at them for too long in favor of paying attention to the lesson.

"Welcome to your first ever Herbology lesson!" Professor Sprout continued, "We're going to get right into it! For our first few days, you'll be learning to care for and plant Dittany. Anyone know what that is?"

Hey wait, I do know! My hand went up, but at the same time, Hermione's hand eagerly shot into the air. Sprout saw her first. Hermione's enthusiasm brought a smile to my face as I lowered my hand.

"Yes, Miss…?"

"Granger, professor," Hermione said with a smile as she recited, "It's used in potion-making. It's a powerful healing herb and restorative. Its use makes fresh skin grow over a wound, and after application it can make a wound seem several days old."

"Very good, ten points to Gryffindor!" Sprout declared with a smile. Hermione looked very pleased with herself, "Can anyone tell me which potions precisely?"

Hermione was actually taking a second to think this one over. I blinked, realizing I knew of at least one. Just before she raised her hand, I softly raised mine.

"Yes, Miss…?" Sprout egged me on.

"Prodvere, ma'am," I answered, "I believe the herb is used in Wiggenweld, professor?" I asked. I know this because Kelly grows Dittany in her garden. She uses Wiggenweld in the field when she works with dragons head-on, as a quick method to ease or even cure minor injuries and burns.

"Precisely, ten points to Hufflepuff!" Sprout smiled, "It's used in a number of other potions, but I'll leave that lesson to Professor Snape. You'll find that Herbology and Potions go hand in hand, and knowing how to care for your plants properly will bring forth better results with the various brews you'll concoct."

"Now to the task at hand!" Sprout continued, "Everyone take out your gloves, partner up, and grab a pot from those tables."

It seems friendships form fast. The majority of people partnered up rather quickly, leaving me to look around for a person who wasn't already with someone. I'm really wishing I spent breakfast socializing…

There was one student who hadn't partnered up yet. Hermione.

Oh, what the hell, I shrugged, approaching her.

"Hello," I smiled as I waved at her, "My name's Kayla. Wanna partner up for this?"

"Sure," She gave me a small smile back, "I'm Hermione."

"It's nice to meet you, Hermione," I smiled. It's kind of amusing, someone who I know quite well introducing themselves as a stranger. Though I guess I don't really know her. Maybe I should change that?

"I can get us a pot if you want to go grab the seeds?" I asked as I put my gloves on.

"Sure thing," Hermione smiled, heading over to Sprout.

As Hermione and I interacted as we followed Sprout's instructions on planting Dittany, we got to talking, and I realized we have more in common than I thought. We're both definitely bookworms, though she's probably read more textbooks than me. Turns out she loved learning even before she discovered magic.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad befriending her after all. But, I'll keep things cordial between us for now.

"Harry? Harry? Harry!"

"What?" Harry snapped from his stupor as Ron waved his hand in front of his face.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked, "You keep spacing out."

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Harry flushed a bit, "Just a bit distracted is all."

Ron gave him a funny look, before glancing over where he'd been staring.

"Oh," Ron said as understanding bloomed on his face, "I wouldn't worry too much. She's a know-it-all, but you don't have to hold yourself to such a high standard. Don't let what happened in Potions bother you too much."

"Huh? Oh, er, yeah…" It seems Ron thought Harry had been staring at Hermione. Harry was in no rush to correct him.

He had, in fact, been staring at the white-haired girl she was partnered with. He had a plethora of questions for her, but he honestly had no idea how to approach her…or when. During class doesn't seem like the best time, and he hadn't seen her at meal-times…there were a lot of people to sift through in the Great Hall, and he'd been more occupied with getting to know his new friends and house-mates lately.

Harry shrugged to himself, trying to focus on the task at hand. Though he couldn't help sparing the white-haired girl a few glances every now and then.

Herbology ended, and lucky for me, the greenhouses are just across the large entrance hall that leads to the dungeons. Potions are up next.

I bid Hermione a farewell as Sprout dismissed us. I left in a hurry; Flitwick may be forgiving, but I wasn't about to count on Snape and his good graces if I was late for his class.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging Snape at all; if anything, I consider him to be one of the strongest characters from the Harry Potter series, considering all the crap he went through, but I'm still wary of him as a strict teacher.

And it seems we have Potions with the Ravenclaws. A lot of blue robes followed the yellow into the classroom, which was filled with cauldrons, vials, and even drying herbs and plants in some places. Cabinets filled with various liquids and ingredients lined the walls, and the desks were larger than the others you see in classrooms, as they had to occupy a cauldron for every student.

"Find a seat quickly!" Professor Snape declared as students began filing in.

Students were hurriedly motioning to each other, ushering their friends to sit next to them. I grimaced, once again lamenting my choice to study at mealtimes rather than socialize.

It took a moment, but I managed to track down an empty seat next to a student that hadn't been claimed yet. This student was a Hufflepuff with long, dirty-blonde hair.

"Hello," I smiled as I approached her, "Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Sure," the girl said quietly. She had soft features, and I could already tell she was the more reserved type.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled, "My name's Kayla."

"Nice to meet you too," The girl replied.

When she said nothing more, I asked, "What's your name?"

"Olivia," She replied with a quick smile.

I opened my mouth to ask a question, but Snape started speaking, effectively cutting all chatter.

"Now," Snape's authoritative voice silenced everyone, "There will be no foolish wand waving, or silly incantations in this class. The art of potion-making requires strict discipline and adherence to instruction. Pay attention carefully, or you may end up in the Hospital Wing more than once."

A few students chuckled, but the sound quickly died from the look Snape gave those particular students, "Today, we're going to go over the basics of how to use the tools potions require. One student from each desk will come up and grab two mortar and pestle. By now, you'll have all gone over dittany with Professor Sprout; we'll be creating Essence of Dittany to introduce you to the basics. It'll be on page thirty-six of your books. Get a move on and hop to it."

We learned very quickly that Snape is indeed a cut-throat teacher! But he was effective. Nobody was confused with the instructions he gave.

Working with the actual ingredients was another story.

"Put more force behind your pestle, Mr. Turner."

"Miss Bones, You're going to spill your entire cauldron if you keep that up."

"That is wormwood, Miss Patil, not dittany."

Snape is quick and observant. Which makes sense. I think he might be one of the better duelists in this world, but I can't quite remember. Either way, I'm impressed.

Speaking of impressive, Olivia was quite the potioneer! She had her Essence of Dittany completed first out of everyone!

"Wow, Olivia!" I commented, "You're good at this!"

"Not really," She replied somewhat shyly, "I've just done this one before…"

"Still, you must have a knack for potions!" I held up my own vial, which contained the finished product of my work, "Mine still has flecks of the leaves in it. But yours is practically clean!"

In the finished product, Essence of Dittany is a clear, unblemished green liquid that you can use as an ingredient for other various potions. Mine still contained small bits of ground leaves in it. But Olivia's was in pretty good condition!

Snape seemed to notice too.

"Impressive work, Miss Strand," He said to Olivia, "Five points to Hufflepuff."

He reached his hand out to me expectantly. I handed him the vial, expecting a harsh remark.

"Not terrible for a first attempt, Miss Prodvere," He handed it back to me, "But not good either."

He then addressed the entire class, "We have mixed results in this class. For your homework, I want an essay of twelve inches detailing the proper use of the various tools we used today. Mastering their application will improve your potion work considerably. Dismissed."

With that, students started packing their bags.

This was my last class, and now it was off to dinner.

"Dang!" I commented as I heaved my bag over my shoulder, "What a first day! That was intense stuff!"

Olivia nodded her agreement as she hoisted her own bag.

"Wanna head to dinner together?" I asked her.

"Oh…sure," She said softly, "But I won't be staying long. I plan on heading to the library after I eat."

"Really?" I blinked, "Is it alright if I come with you? I haven't had the chance to visit it yet, and I wouldn't mind getting a jump start on some essays either."

"Er…sure," She nodded.

As we made our way over to the Great Hall, I tried to pick up the conversation with her again.

"So where are you from?" I asked with a smile.

"I'm not really from a town…" She said softly after a moment, "My family lives along the coast of Ireland. It's quite…isolated."

"Really? My family lives a little east of London, in the suburban areas," I replied, "You guys aren't near any kind of town, or city?"

"No," Olivia shook her head, a small smile on her face as she recalled her home, "My dad works for the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, in the Beast Division; he documents their locations in our area and is out in the field a lot. My mum spends time selling various vegetables, herbs, and magical plants from our garden."

"Wow…no wonder your Essence of Dittany was so good, you've probably got a lot of experience!" I said.

"Yeah…my mom's taught me a lot," She said fondly.

"My mom works in the Department of Magical Creatures too, by the way!" I smiled, "She works in the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau."

"Really? Was she there when that huge dragon attacked?" Olivia's sudden interest nearly startled me.

"Yeah, actually," I laughed nervously, recalling the event quite clearly, "Would you believe me if I said we were in Diagon Alley when it happened?"

"Really!?" Olivia's eyes went wide, "What happened? The paper my dad brought home wasn't very clear on the details, and he wasn't told much either. What species was it? How big was it really?"

"Interested in dragons, huh?" I smiled, recognizing that enthusiasm. Kelly had it almost every time she came home from work.

"Well…" Olivia suddenly got nervous, "Not just dragons…I'm interested in most magical creatures…it's kinda what I want to go into…"

"Can't blame ya, they're pretty incredible," I nodded in understanding as we entered the Great Hall, "Now as for that particular dragon…"

As Olivia and I ate, we discussed more than just dragons. I quickly found out that Olivia's passion for magical creatures far outweighed her potioneering capabilities, and that it came from not just her father, but her mother too. It seems she and her parents lived on what was essentially a magical farm. It was also easy to tell after getting to know her, that Olivia contained a lot of passion under her quiet exterior.

When we finished eating, Olivia and I headed out for the library. I couldn't help the smile that adorned my face the entire time; I feel as though I've made a genuine friend tonight.

Don't get me wrong, I'm confident that Hettie and I are at least decent friends, but she seems to be friends with almost everyone, and she's a second-year. It'll be good for me to have a friend who's at least in the same year as me.

But more than that, Olivia would live to become my first best friend. The first one I've had in both lifetimes.