Hello everyone. I've been writing away and I'm currently working on C76, so I thought I'd give you another chapter. I hope you enjoy the addition and have something to say about it. Or about anything. Lol.
Special thanks to...Diane, VdG, Ailsam, SevenMagic, lucidity, SamDragon, Shanita, Sharie (2), bookworm, Account2002, Bren-k, Adria (2), elevencrone (7), SaraDuncan, Monster King, Last Divine Shadow, nkh1, ElsieHopea (2), chao-hellsing, bigwolf (5), and Prryhus (log in, so I can respond, please)...for posting comments/reviews. I deeply appreciate it. With each chapter, I look forward to reading what people have to say. You give me reason to want to continue! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
On a personal note...Texas is growing on me. It's been super cold, which I love...we're even expected to get a freeze (and maybe snow) on Monday/Tuesday. I'll believe that when I see it! This time of year certainly beats the summer heat that lasts SIX months (of 90-100+ degrees)! But I fear that there will be another move sometime in the near future. Could be this year in July when our lease is up or maybe next year if we resign the lease. It's not up to me. My DH consults me, but due to the fact that he makes the majority of the money and handles paying for most things, I defer to him on things like this. We've discussed it. He knows I don't want to move again (yet), but in the end, we have to go where we can afford to be and he doesn't have as much work here as we thought he would. And the hourly pay here (for me) is horrendous! He wants to "go home" (to California). Right now, I don't want to return to California...especially with everything burning like it is. We still have the house in our hometown there and right now it's pretty safe. Thank goodness. But California burns every year and it's scary. *sigh* Anyway, that's the scoop on my life right now.
Chapter Sixty-two
Touring – Part II
After being led through several corridors and shown some of the classrooms that were up in the higher levels of the castle, Buffy, the Gryffindor Prefects, the sisters, and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall returned to the Great Hall. It was lunchtime and everyone was hungry again. Especially Buffy who, when she saw all the food suddenly appearing, nearly squealed as she hurried over to the table and plopped herself down.
"It's only been three hours, Buffy," Tom said teasingly as he watched her in astonishment. Her plate was already ridiculously half full by the time he'd spooned just one sensible-sized portion of one item of food on his.
"And two of those hours starving," Buffy said with a shrug. "You know what my appetite's like and...well, it was three hours of walking up and down all of those staircases, burning up calories. Do you have any idea how many steps that is?! I'd wager that I've already put in well over ten thousand steps today and it's only just barely noon!
"And those moving staircases nearly murdered me on the way down. I think they do it on purpose. You know, to see how many students they can get rid of each year. Thank goodness for Bilius! If not for him, I would have been a goner!" She nodded, then glanced at the red-haired boy and grinned. "Thanks."
Frowning, Tom looked at the older Prefect—who was now sitting on the other side of Buffy—and nodded. "Thank you, Weasley," he said stiffly.
Grinning, Bilius nodded. "Oh. It was my pleasure, Riddle," he said, then looked at the girl. "You're very welcome, Summers. We couldn't have our new student plummet to her death, now could we?"
Buffy huffed at their use of last names, but didn't comment on it.
Absently, Tom ladled gravy onto his potatoes—he didn't feel much like eating, but knew he needed to keep up pretenses—then looked at Buffy again. "So, how was your tour?" he asked quietly.
Buffy smiled. "Oh! It was great!" she exclaimed—a bit too loudly. "Gryffindor's Common Room is... magnificent! It's so warm and cozy, you know? And it has—"
"Oi! Summers!" Owen Hornby called out from his spot down the table. "No giving away the secrets of Gryffindor!"
Buffy made a show of rolling her eyes. "Tons of books, I was going to say," she returned. "Since when are books a trade secret?" Then she looked back at Tom. "Giles would love all the books. Giles loves books."
"Who's Giles?" Grisha asked.
"Oh. He's my Wa... Um...well, the librarian at my school. At home," Buffy responded, quickly avoiding the word Watcher. "I spent a lot of time there. In the library with him...and my friends. You know, looking stuff up for papers and...studying. And Giles was always there, of course. He practically lives there."
Sulpicia Gamp snorted. "Well, it makes sense if he's the librarian," she said.
"So, you like to study a lot," Wiglaf Sigurdsson surmised, smirking.
Buffy frowned. "Oh. Um. Not really. Like...not a lot a lot. Just...when I absolutely need to. Giles is super helpful and is always pushing us to read his books." She didn't mention that those books were about vampires and other monsters—and apocalypses!
Tom frowned. He'd known she wasn't talking about Edmund Giles, but it felt odd listen to her speak in public about someone who didn't even exist yet—someone he didn't know and never would.
"Well, maybe you'll like the library here too," Wiglaf said. "Though, I suspect you won't find Madam Scribner quite as pleasant as your Mr Giles. She's a bit...strict and—"
"Pfft! A bit?!" Jillian Wakefield cut in. "Madam Scribner took ten points last term, because I asked a question."
Another girl rolled her eyes—it was obvious that she was the other girl's twin sister. "Jills, you and Augusta weren't even studying. You were talking about boys and giggling like banshees."
Jillian stuck her tongue out at her sister, then said, "Anyway, our librarian isn't tolerant at all and really not helpful either."
"She's not unkind, Jilly...just stern," her sister said.
"Okay...whatever you say, Emma," Jillian returned sarcastically.
Buffy listened to the sisters go back and forth. She wasn't looking at what she was putting on her plate. She was just filling it up and eating. Tom was eating too, but more slowly because he couldn't take his eyes off the girl next to him. He was so engrossed that he didn't notice that others were watching him—until someone elbowed him sharply from the other side.
"You're actually completely enamored by her, aren't you?" Winky Crockett hiss-whispered, smirking knowingly.
Turning, Tom glowered at the girl menacingly. Almost everyone shied away when he did this—it was scary—but apparently not Crockett. Instead, she just continued to smirk.
"I can assure you, Crockett, you had better watch yourself!" Tom ground out under his breath.
It was meant to be a threat, but Winky just rolled her eyes. "Ooo. Scary, Riddle. I'm not afraid of you at all," she fired back, then turned her back on him and started talking to someone else.
Tom stared at the back of her head for a second, seething at the girl's dismissal. Mentally, he started to plot against her—she'll be sorry, he thought—and then he was distracted by Buffy.
"Hey! Tom. What's that whipped cream pie cake fruit thingy in front of you?" she asked, patting his arm none too gently, then pointing.
Blinking, Tom shook himself out of his boiling rage and, looking up, spied what Buffy was referring to. "It's...a trifle," he responded, then looked at Buffy's plate and was shocked to find it nearly empty. It had been absurdly full just moments before! Where was she putting all this food?! "Would you like to have some?"
Buffy nodded enthusiastically. "Most definitely," she said. "I need to build up strength for whichever Common Room is next. All those stairs!" She shook her head. "This place needs some elevators."
"It's going to be Hufflepuff," the blonde girl sitting across from Buffy said. "I heard the teachers talking before you returned. Our Common Room is the closest, so you won't have too far to go."
"No massive hike up seven bloody flights of stairs," said a tall bulky boy with light strawberry blond hair. "I'm sure that will make you happy."
Buffy shrugged. "It's really all the same to me, but I think Vin and Sophie will be grateful for the lackage of steps." She grinned. She'd made big deal out of the numerous flights of stairs, but in all honestly, she was all good. Vin and Sophie though, would definitely appreciate less of them. They hadn't worn the most practical shoes, after all, and had struggled as they'd clip clopped around in their high-heeled footwear.
Buffy glanced up at the head table to see them sitting together again. They were laughing at something one of the professors had said. It looked like they might even be flirting with the man. This caused Buffy to smile. Poor guy! They might be grown women, but they behaved more like horny teenagers.
After a moment of watching the sisters, she looked at Tom again. She could tell that he was brooding. Again. She knew he wasn't happy that they'd been separated since breakfast and now it seemed they would be separated after lunch as well. It couldn't be helped—there was nothing they could do about it—but she hated that he was upset.
Reaching out under the table, she laid her hand on his thigh—which caused him to startle, his eyes widening. She instantly knew that he would find it inappropriate. Rolling her eyes, she gave his leg a rebellious squeeze, then removed her hand from his leg and took his hand instead and clasped it. She hoped it would make him feel better—less removed from the situation they found themselves in. Maybe they could take a walk together later in the day, she thought—and leaned in to suggest it.
"What do you say we hang out later?" she said. "Just us."
Frowning, Tom nodded. He'd like that, but wondered how they'd pull it off. The more time she spent with the other Prefects, the more they seemed to think she would be sorted into their House—and the more they tried to draw her away from him. And he hated it!
Smiling, pleased that the suggestion seemed to appease him, Buffy gave his hand another squeeze, then released it to go back to her lunch.
~oOo~
When their lunch had concluded—and Buffy was full again—everyone just sat around chatting until they were joined by Vin and Sophie who'd approached with a very well dressed wizard in perhaps his thirties.
"Well, good afternoon, Miss Summers," the man said boisterously as he thrust out a hand. "My name is Herbert Beery and I'm the resident herbologist, as well as the Head of Hufflepuff House! And an actor."
Buffy blinked at the man's enthusiasm—that was perhaps a little too much.
"Oh. Um. Yeah. Hi, Professor. Nice to meet you," she said, taking his hand and holding on for dear life as he proceeded to shake it so hard she worried he might actually take it clean off. Thank goodness I have the strength of a slayer! she thought as he pumped her hand—and arm—vigorously.
"Buffy, Professor Beery has offered to personally take us all down to his House and show us around," Sophie said, sounding tickled by the idea.
"Isn't that fabulous?" Vin asked.
Behind her, someone snorted while others snickered.
Buffy glanced at Vin and Sophie, then looked up at the man who'd finally stopped whipping her arm about—nearly dislocating it from her shoulder—and hmm'd noncommittally. She noted that he was tall and ruggedly handsome—medium brown hair, blue eyes, a bit of a stubbly beard, but no mustache—and that he was also well-built. Definitely attractive—and he knew it! It seemed that the sisters had noticed as well and that they seemed especially taken with him.
"Neato," was all Buffy could muster at the moment. Professor Beery seemed a bit pompous, if you asked her—and wearing obscenely grandiose robes over...was that like, a six-piece suit?! This was an informal lunch before school even started and he was dressed like that? Is that normal in nineteen hundred and forty-two? she wondered. If that was the case, then...thank goodness for uniforms!
Focusing, she glanced at the man again. He was currently rubbing the hand that she may or may not have clamped down on a teeny tiny bit too hard in an attempt to dislodge his grip—and she was pretending not to notice his attempts to get his blood flowing again. After a moment, he stopped and smiled down at her. "Quite a grip you have there."
Buffy smiled sweetly, but said nothing.
The professor gave her a strange look, then turned toward Vin and Sophie. "Shall I escort you ladies?" he asked, offering each of them an arm.
As if they had never been attended before, the sisters excitedly ooo'd and ahh'd—Buffy wasn't sure which sound came from which witch—and then hurriedly accepted the wizard's arm, Vin on his left and Sophie on his right.
Rolling her eyes, Buffy glanced around for Tom—and was pleased that he was still there. She thought he may have slipped out during her near arm amputation, but nope! And so she hurried over to him.
"So later...I don't know what there is to do at this joint, but...just you and me?" Buffy verified.
Tom nodded. He was relieved but forced himself to nod casually, as if he didn't care one way or the other. "Of course, Buffy," he confirmed.
Buffy grinned and, when she did, her whole face lit up. "Awesome!" she burst, her hands reaching out and curling into his. She had the urge to kiss him—or give him a hug, at the very least—but she knew it would make him uncomfortable...that doing either of those things would make him feel like he was on display. So instead, she dropped his hands and gave his chest a gentle tap-tap, then tilted her head to the side and smiled at him again. "See you later, Riddle," she said, then turned and walked away without looking back at him. She was sure he was gaping at her for using his last name!
~oOo~
"This way," Nobby Leach directed as they exited the Great Hall. He turned right and started down a flight of stone steps, with all the Hufflepuff Prefects—and Buffy—following him into a broad passageway that, despite being only sconce-lit, was fairly bright.
On the walls hung various food-themed paintings. One in particular, made Buffy smile. It depicted a banana dancing with—and dipping—a carrot.
"This way," the seventh year Prefect repeated as he passed a painting of a bowl of fruit, gesturing at it and saying, "This is the entrance to the kitchens." He didn't give any further explanation about the kitchens. Instead, he immediately turned left after said painting and continued down the corridor.
Buffy glanced right as she rounded the corner, but that portion of the corridor, which had no lighting, was quite dark by comparison—and no one mentioned where it led.
Just round the corner there was another set of steps going down. Buffy noted that there were perhaps only half the number of sconces in this hallway as there had been in the previous. It was not dark, but neither was it well-lit. Quickening her step, Buffy hurried down the steps—she didn't want to hold everyone up.
At this point, Vin and Sophie and Professor Beery were out of sight. But then, it wasn't easy to see beyond those in front of her.
Just in front of Buffy, Samantha Montgomery glanced back and spoke. "I wish we were congratulating you on being sorted into Hufflepuff House," she said, her pert nose twitching a bit as her lips narrowed into a mini pout—then she smiled brightly, her shoulder length blonde waves bounced prettily around her face. "But I suppose we'll have to stay hopeful."
Buffy nodded. "I guess we'll see what happens. Right now I'm just glad they let me come early to have a look around. This place is fantastic!"
"You are very fortunate," Lannette Wynne said with a nod. "I'm not sure anyone has ever been allowed to come early...let alone be allowed in to see all the Common Rooms."
"I know! Grisha told me!" Buffy burst. "I think that's just...insane!"
"Yes, I heard her tell you that," Thalia Scamander said as she stepped up beside Buffy. "We're all a bit jealous."
A tall bulky boy with dark eyes, light strawberry blond hair, and a spattering of ginger stubble on his chin grumbled something unintelligible under his breath—and received an elbow in the ribs from Lannette for whatever it was that he had said.
"You hush, Moody!" she barked at the boy—then looked at Buffy and tried to explain. "We all understand, but...it really isn't fair."
The boy called Moody snorted. "Since when is life fair?"
Buffy frowned. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Obviously, she didn't want to upset anyone—especially before she'd even gotten sorted into a House—but what could she do? She wasn't about to decline an offer that gave her an advantage. "I mean, I'm super excited about all of this, but...I'm sorry. It totally sucks when things aren't fair."
All three boys chuckled at her wording—and received dirty looks from the girls for it.
Huffing, Lannette reached out and patted Buffy's arm, then smiled at her and said, "Don't you worry about it. Brendan knows this isn't your fault."
Brendan Moody's face flushed a bit. "Of course, I know it isn't," he said—then smirked and went on. "It just totally sucks."
The boys snickered again and...were the girls blushing? It was hard to tell in the low lighting.
Buffy's frown eased a bit—even though it seemed as though Brendan was making fun of her.
Samantha cleared her throat. "All right then, shall we start?" she asked—though it wasn't really a question. "So, if you didn't already know, our emblem is the badger. It is an animal that is often underestimated, because it lives quietly unless it is attacked."
Buffy harrumphed. "Sounds like most of us."
Everyone chuckled.
"True that," Brendan said with a grin.
Also grinning, Nobby nodded. "However," he said, "when provoked, the badger can fight off animals that are much larger than itself."
Buffy grinned. "So can I."
"You'd make a good badger then," Nobby said.
"Badgers will even take on wolves, if they must," Brendan added. "So even though we seem calm and friendly, one should always be watchful."
Nobby grinned. "Brendan's right...and he's relentlessly alert," he said with a wink.
"Be ever watchful, that's my theory!" Brendan said—and everyone laughed.
"That's Brendan's favorite thing to say," Lazarus Smith chimed in, causing Brendan to roll his eyes.
"Tell me I'm wrong and I'll never say it again," the ginger-haired boy challenged.
"You're not wrong," Thalia said, looking back at the boy one year her senior. "Just...maybe your use of it is a bit...excessive?"
Everyone else nodded—then they all started to laugh again.
"Nonsense!" Brendan burst, pushing ahead to join Nobby—who was grinning.
"It's going to be on your headstone, mate," Nobby said, giving the other boy a slap on the back.
More laughter.
"So, where were we?" Samantha said once she'd curbed her mirth. "Oh! House colors...yellow and black. But you probably knew that."
Buffy nodded. "Yep! Tom got me up to speed on some things...like House colors and mascots. Plus..." She waved a hand at Lazarus, who was wearing his full-on Hufflepuff uniform and robes.
"Oi! I didn't know everyone wasn't going to dress in uniform this week!" he said snappishly, glaring at Nobby's semi-casual burgundy print sweater vest over a nice button-down shirt and a pair of tan trousers, Samantha's non-House color blue on blue dress, Brendan's gray jumper and black trousers, Lannette's long-sleeved pale green blouse and dark skirt, and Thalia's plum jumper over a white blouse and a similar skirt. "One of you should have told me!"
The boys chuckled and made no secret about it—while the girls at least made the effort to hide their snickers.
"Moving on!" Lazarus snapped, pushing ahead and turning the next corner.
Still amused, Thalia reached out and took Buffy's arm. "All right," she started again, biting her lip in an attempt to prevent her giggles. "Our Common Room is about a level below the ground floor, which, as you saw, is in the same corridor as the kitchens."
"You know, just in case you don't get enough to eat at one of our three daily meals," Nobby teased.
Lannette gasped. "Nobby!" she said, swatting the older boy's arm.
"Don't look so appalled, Lannette," Brendan said. "It isn't like we didn't all see her filling her plate, then emptying it. I reckon she could out eat even Hagrid."
Snickering, Nobby walked ahead.
Lannette glanced down, embarrassed by the rudeness of her housemates. "Boys! They're so...boorish! I'm so sorry, Buffy. You'll have to excuse these cretins."
Buffy shrugged. "I can definitely eat," she said with a smile. "Who's Hagrid?"
"Oh. He'll be in a third year this term and he's huge!" Samantha explained.
Buffy frowned. "Like..." She held her hands out to her sides and puffed up her face.
Brendan snorted. "No. Not yet anyway. I mean, he's a bit..." He made the same gesture that Buffy had made. "But he's not..." He let his voice trail off quickly, then hurried down the corridor after Nobby and Lazarus.
"Hagrid is...extremely tall," Thalia said diplomatically. "He towers over every other student here at Hogwarts." She stopped talking and bit her lip.
Lannette nodded. "And the adults," she added. "I've never seen anyone so big."
"I heard he's part giant," Thalia blurted.
Buffy frowned. "Giant? Like...a giant giant...from fairytales?"
Thalia nodded. "He's big, Buffy," she said.
Buffy's eyes widened. "Wow! That's just..." She let her words trail off. She didn't know what to say.
"Isn't it though?" Thalia said, responding to Buffy's unfinished comment.
"Hagrid is...somewhat of a loner, so no one talks to him much," Samantha said, then frowned. "I mean, we don't talk to him. He isn't in our House, but maybe the Gryffindors talk to him."
Lannette nodded again. "But he's sooo nice," she said. "You should see him with some of the creatures. For a big boy, he's very gentle."
Buffy perked up a bit. "Creatures like...the Thestrals?" she asked hopefully, a bit excited at the prospect of someone knowing more about them. She wondered if she could talk to this Hagrid about the creatures that hardly anyone could even see.
The Hufflepuff girls glanced at one another, then shrugged.
"Oh. Er. Maybe," Lannette said. "To be honest, Buffy, I don't really like creatures, so I dropped Care of Magical Creatures ages ago."
"I don't take that class either," Samantha added. "And I've never seen a Thestral, so I'm not sure about them."
Buffy nodded. "Okay. Got it. Hagrid's big and tall, but not yet fat," she said, reverting to their previous topic of conversation. "But a nice loner...a gentle giant."
Thalia grinned. "That about sums it up."
The other two girls nodded.
"Now, there are a few more things you should know about Hufflepuff House," Samantha began again in an attempt to get them back on track. "First of all, let's deal with a perennial myth about our House...which is that we're the least clever House at Hogwarts. That is just...
"WRONG!" all three girls said in unison.
"Hufflepuff is certainly the least boastful House, but we've produced just as many brilliant witches and wizards as any other," Lannette said.
All three girls nodded vehemently.
"Want proof?" Samantha asked. "Just look up Grogan Stump, one of the most popular Ministers for Magic of all time. He was a Hufflepuff, as were the successful Ministers Artemesia Lufkin and Dugald McPhail."
Eyes wide with interest, Buffy nodded.
"Then there's the world authority on magical creatures, Newt Scamander," said Thalia, looking proud. "My uncle Newt is incredibly shy and very awkward, but he knows his stuff."
Buffy nodded, and wondered if she could write to Thalia's uncle and ask about Thestrals.
"And then there's Bridget Wenlock, the famous thirteenth-century Arithmancer who first discovered the magical properties of the number seven," Lannette said, cutting into Buffy's thoughts.
"And Hengist of Woodcroft, who founded the all-wizarding village of Hogsmeade, which lies very near here," added Samantha.
"Oh! Vin and Sophie are going to look for a place in Hogsmeade," Buffy told them. "They want to be close to the castle...and to me, just in case."
"That's very odd," came Brendan voice as they turned a corner in the corridor to find all three boys waiting for them. "In case of what?"
Blinking, Buffy shrugged. "Like...I don't know. Just in case I need them."
"Need them for what?" Brendan asked suspiciously.
Buffy shrugged again. "Who knows. Like, just in case I get attacked by creatures or something."
Brendan snorted. "No one else's family moves to Hogsmeade to be near their child."
"Vin and Sophie are...not like anyone else's family, let me assure you," Buffy said. "Besides, with all that's going on in the world...constant vigilance, you know?" She smirked at the older boy.
Brendan hmm'd—he quite liked her alteration of his mantra! But he didn't say any more about it. Instead, he turned and trudged on down the corridor. Buffy did not miss the look he'd given Nobby, though Nobby's face remained impassive.
Lannette's eyes narrowed at Nobby before she continued. "So, as we've said, Hufflepuff has produced its fair share of powerful, brilliant, and daring witches and wizards," she said proudly.
Thalia nodded. "We just don't shout about it like the other Houses."
"To be honest, I don't think we get the credit we deserve," said Lannette, pouting a bit.
Samantha waved her hand dismissively. "None of that matters though. Hufflepuffs are hardworking and loyal and trustworthy. That's what's important! We don't shoot our mouths off like some of the others do. But cross us at your peril." She grinned. "Like our emblem, the badger, we will protect ourselves, our friends, and our family against all-comers. Nobody intimidates us."
Buffy grinned. She liked the sound of that.
"Now, what else do you need to know?" Samantha asked with a smile as they rounded another corner. "Oh yes, the entrance to Hufflepuff is just here." She'd stopped walking and pointed at a huge mound of barrels that were stacked in a shadowy stone recess.
Buffy looked at the barrels and frowned. "Um. Where here?" she asked. "I see no entrance. Just a bunch of old barrels."
"Exactly!" Brendan said with a grin. "If it were obvious, then everyone would know where our Common Room was, right?"
Buffy shrugged. "I suppose, but...why does it matter? I mean, how do you find your friends if you can't find their House? You can't call them."
"Well mostly, your friends are in your House," Samantha said.
Thalia frowned. "Not always," she said, biting her lip. "Gwen and I have to pre-arrange times to meet, but it's not always easy when we haven't and one of us needs or wants to tell the other something. When that happens we have to rely on someone to go into their House and find them. It can be inconvenient. Especially when you can't find someone willing to help."
Buffy nodded. "That must be frustrating. Why not just make it easier...give everyone a map or something. And if you don't want people from other Houses inside, then they can still just come over and knock."
This caused laughing—which Buffy didn't understand. "What?" she said, confused.
Lazarus was laughing so hard that Buffy was worried he might wet himself. She just watched them.
"I don't get what's so funny," she said after a few moments.
"I don't think knocking would be very pleasant...for the knocker," Lazarus finally said.
Buffy frowned. "And why is that?"
"Because Hufflepuff is the only House that has a repelling device for would-be intruders. If you were to tap on the barrels in the wrong order or in the wrong rhythm, then you'll be doused with vinegar," Lannette explained cheerfully.
Buffy's eyes went wide, then she scrunched up her face. "Oh! Ew! That's totally gross. I hate the smell of vinegar."
Thalia grinned. "Doesn't everyone?"
"It's definitely not pleasant," Lazarus agreed—causing everyone to laugh some more.
Snickering, Thalia said, "In our first year, poor Laz had a bit of trouble with the barrels."
"He got drenched a time or ten," Brendan divulged.
"Oi!" Lazarus burst, his face bright red. "No need to tell Summers that!"
Everyone except Lazarus laughed again. But after a moment, he did too.
"It really is disgusting," he said.
"I can imagine," Buffy agreed, not liking the idea of being vinegar-soaked at all. "So, no knocking then. But what about installing a doorbell, so people could still contact their friends. A bell that doesn't, in any way, disturb these... things." Buffy gestured up at the barrels and wrinkled her nose, then took a few steps back so that she wasn't standing so close to the offending objects.
"Hmm. That's an interesting idea, Buffy," Thalia said. "In fact, I love it! It would sure make it easier when Gwen needs me."
Brendan frowned. "But then everyone would know where all the Common Rooms are," he said.
Buffy shrugged. "So? What difference does it make? Besides, how hard is it to follow someone and find their Common Room even if you can't get in. I'd be willing to bet that plenty of people know where the others are."
Nobby hmm'd. "I would have to agree with that."
Buffy grinned. "See. California girl, not so dumb."
Everyone laughed—again!
"Shall we go inside?" Nobby said next.
Buffy nodded. "Yes please."
"Great! But, since you're not a Hufflepuff yet, you'll have to turn around and close your eyes," Nobby instructed.
Buffy huffed, but did as she was told—and heard, "Tap-tap, tap-tap-tap."
"You can turn around now," Samantha said, smiling.
Turning, Buffy stared at the opening. It wasn't that big. Certainly not large enough to walk through. Moving closer, she leaned over and peered inside. The sloping, earthy passage inside the barrel led upward a little ways and opened up into another space that, from where she was, looked very bright.
"We have to go through here?" she asked, pointing.
Everyone nodded, amused by the look on the American girl's face.
"Crawling through a barrel sounds uncomfortable and... super inconvenient," Buffy said. "What if I'm in a hurry or something. Or carrying books. Or wearing the wrong shoes! Or have that silly pointed hat on! Or like, wearing a skirt and some perv is crawling in behind me?" She made a face.
Everyone laughed.
"Buffy, you don't have to crawl. The tunnel isn't that tiny. I mean, it's not very roomy either, but most of us hardly have to stoop over to get through," Samantha said.
Brendan snorted. "Speak for yourself!"
More laughter.
Buffy glanced at the boy. He wasn't overly tall, but he was certainly taller than the ceiling of the passageway. And he was a bit bulky.
"Like I said, uncomfortable," she repeated.
"You get used to it," Lannette said—then went through the barrel opening to get to their Common Room.
Everyone followed except Thalia, who gestured for Buffy to go ahead of her.
~oOo~
"You will hear other Houses boast of their security arrangements, but it so happens that in more than a thousand years, the Hufflepuff Common Room and dormitories have never been seen by outsiders," came a man's boastful voice from inside said Common Room.
"Until now," Sophie said, clapping her hands gleefully.
Professor Beery chuckled. "That seems to be true," he said, smiling at the blonde woman. "Maybe we'll have to put the Hat on each of your lovely little heads and hope you're both sorted into Hufflepuff as well."
"Oh stop," Vin said, laughing playfully—which caused Buffy roll her eyes. She was tempted to point out that she wasn't a Hufflepuff yet either—and maybe mention that neither of the sisters were the type of witch to be sorted into a House in the first place.
But no one had noticed that she'd entered the room, so she didn't bother.
"Or have us all Obliviated," Professor Beery said next. "If no one remembers the three of you being here, then maybe you weren't here to begin with. I don't wish to be a braggart, but I am handy with that spell."
Again, Buffy's eyes rolled. "No, not a braggart at all," she said under her breath—causing Thalia to giggle and everyone else to turn and look at her.
"Oh Buffy! There you are," Sophie said, interrupting Buffy's musings. "Herbert was just showing us around the Common Room. Isn't it lovely? So bright and open." She looked up at the high windows that were letting in tons of afternoon light. "He tells us there's a roof-top garden up there."
"That, there is!" the man cut in. "We have some truly lovely plants up there."
Buffy hmm'd. Then she glanced at the sisters' shoes—both appeared to be spotless! Their trek through the earthy passageway didn't seem to have done any damage. If it had, she would definitely hear about it, she was sure.
Buffy turned her attention to the room. It was round and dotted with overstuffed black and yellow patterned sofas, oversized chairs covered with patchwork quilts, and tables made of highly polished, honey-colored wood with chairs to match. The rest of the room was decorated in cheerful banners—also in Hufflepuff's bee-like colors of yellow and black—and paintings of all shapes and sizes.
Every surface of the room seemed to be covered with plants and flowers—small ones on the tables, tall ones on the floor, various dancing and waving cacti on wooden circular shelves curved to fit the walls of the round Common Room.
Buffy's eyes drifted up to the high windows next. They were at the top of the room and half-circle shaped. The windows went around the entire room, causing Buffy to suspect that the cozy room always felt sunny even when the sun wasn't even shining outside. Through the windows, she could see the grass rippling in the breeze and dandelions fluttering. She could even see a bird up there!
She noticed that there were more plants hanging from the ceiling, in copper-bottomed plant holders, with ferns and ivies dangling over their sides.
"It's like a greenhouse in here," Buffy said with a smile.
"Isn't it?" Samantha said, smiling back.
All the Prefects all beamed. It was obvious that they loved their House.
Buffy's eyes settled on the fireplace. Its opening was also semi-circular—and had a ferocious fire burning within it, making the room toasty warm. Buffy imagined the Common Room would be cozy even on the coldest of highland nights!
Above the hearth, there was a large wooden mantelpiece that was handsomely carved with decorative dancing badgers—and over that, a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff, the founder of Hufflepuff House. In the painting, she was toasting her students with a tiny, two-handled golden cup.
"So homey in here!" Buffy whispered.
"All right girls, why don't you take Buffy and her aunts down to the dormitories to have a look around," Professor Beery suggested. "I need to step into my offices for a short fire call. And boys, you can just sit around while the ladies are busy." He waved his hand dismissively.
"Yes, of course, Professor," Lannette answered for all of them.
Buffy could tell that Vin and Sophie were torn between wanting to go see the dormitories and not wanting Professor Beery to leave, but they quickly refocused themselves and turned toward the three female Prefects.
~oOo~
Once Professor Beery was gone and the boys settled down on the sofas to await the girls' return, the girls turned toward Buffy and her aunts and smiled.
"Are we ready?" Samantha asked.
Both Vin and Sophie nodded—this was all so much more entertaining than being back in London—and Buffy rubbed her hands together. "Yep!" she said with obvious excitement.
The three Hufflepuff females grinned.
"All right. So, there are two sections of the dormitories," Samantha began as she turned around and gestured at two doors they hadn't noticed before. "The boys go through that door there." She pointed at one of the large round doors, the one that was to the left of a lush flora-filled planter—that was to the left of the Common Room entrance—then started walking the other way, past another large, overflowing planter. "And the girls' dormitories are through this door, here on the right."
Smiling, Samantha reached for the doorknob and pushed the door open, then gestured for everyone to follow her inside. Buffy and the sisters hurried in after her, followed quickly by Lannette and Thalia. After they were all inside the room, Samantha closed the door.
The room was a good size, but much smaller than the previous room. It was also round, its ceiling much higher, more domed, and appeared to be one very large skylight.
"Now, this room is the girls-only mini Common Room," Samantha continued.
"Because, you know that there are times we just need to remove ourselves from the presence of boys," Lannette added.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the truth?!" she said.
Thalia snickered. "Just wait until you hear some of the ridiculous things they say."
"Well, you know, nothing surprises me anymore, because...boys are stupid," Buffy said. "My friend Xander...sometimes I wonder about him." She shook her head and tsked.
"What about your friend Riddle?" Thalia asked. "Do you wonder about him?"
Buffy sighed. "I wonder about Tom all the time."
"Well, he is a Slytherin," Thalia said. "He definitely needs considering."
Lannette laughed. "Says the girl whose best mate is one."
Thalia frowned. "Gwen is different!"
"Sure she is!" Samantha and Lannette said in unison.
Thalia pouted. "She is, I promise."
The two older Prefects smiled. "We know that, Thal," said Samantha.
Nodding, Lannette reached out and placed her hand on Thalia's arm. "We were just teasing."
Meanwhile, Vin and Sophie had started to wander about the room, looking at this and that with interest. On one side of the door they'd come through, there was a massive, multi-colored abstract painting on the curved wall over a small yellow settee, its bright colors representing all four Houses of Hogwarts—and lighting up the room.
Sophie cocked her head and studied it. "Does this look like a woman to you?"
Vin frowned. "Hmm. Possibly," she said. "It's very cheery. We should replicate it and put it in Tom's room. That boy needs more color in his life."
Sophie nodded. "I would have to agree."
They did not hear the three Prefect girls tittering.
On the other side of the door, over a longer sofa, were two smaller floral paintings, their brushstrokes reminiscent of Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers, but each had a large black cat in them, one of them pawing at one of the flowers, the other just standing there, its tail twitching back and forth while it kept its eyes on the two who were standing there staring.
"These moving paintings are a bit...disconcerting," Sophie commented as she leaned forward—causing both cats to stop moving and meow loudly.
Vin only hmm'd, but she definitely agreed with her sister, as she too was perplexed by the enchanted paintings.
"That's all those two do," said Thalia.
"Nothing too disturbing," Samantha added.
"I've heard that, in the Library annex, there's a truly unnerving portrait of a man kissing the hand of a woman with living snakes for hair," Lannette said with a shudder.
"Oh. Like Medusa, who can turn mortals to stone," Buffy said. "I should like to avoid that, so no thanks to the Library annex."
Everyone chuckled.
"I've been in the Library annex and it's not in there," Samantha said. "Perhaps it's just rumor."
"Or there's a secret door to a hidden room in there," Lannette posed.
Samantha laughed.
"It could be!" Lannette argued. "There are loads of secret passageways and chambers at Hogwarts."
Samantha nodded. "This is true.
Thalia frowned. "There is a padlocked door in that annex," she said. "I've seen it. Gwen and I were in there looking for something and Madam Scribner came in and yelled at us. She even threatened to call Mr Pringle on us. Maybe it's behind that locked door."
Samantha shrugged. "I suppose it's possible."
"Either way, it's only a painting," Sophie said. "It isn't as if there's a real snake-haired woman in there."
Buffy snorted. "Yeah, but these paintings aren't normal. They're totally bewitched...or something." She looked back at the cat paintings and frowned. It was a bit like Disneyland, the way they moved and appeared to watch the watcher. Then Buffy remembered, there was a portrait of a woman who changed into Medusa on the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland. It seemed to be magical. She quickly recalled the last time she was there. It seemed like a lifetime ago! But one thing was for certain, she hadn't been petrified by that portrait of Medusa!
Beside the cat paintings was another piece of art. It was large and square and abstract—and, unlike the cats, was completely still! And, whereas the first abstract painting had been very colorful, this one only made use of black and yellow and white.
Buffy studied it for a bit, then turned to look at Vin and Sophie. They had moved on to something else and were completely distracted. They were currently inspecting a tall plant that was dancing merrily—it seemed to be waving at them—or beckoning them closer.
"Is this thing... alive?" Sophie asked, pointing at the wiggling greenery.
Vin snorted. "It's a plant, Soph, of course it's alive."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean," she said, giggling a little when the plant reached out and brushed a limb against her cheek. Smiling, she leaned into it. "Aren't you darling."
"If you haven't noticed, we have a lot of plants in Hufflepuff," said Lannette. "Like many of our previous Heads of House, Professor Beery has carried on the tradition of bringing in the most interesting specimens to decorate our Common Room."
Samantha nodded. "And the girls like to bring them through into here, as they thrive under our glass ceiling."
"They are simply lovely," said Vin.
Straightening up, Sophie nodded. "Truly," she said, her eyes going to the glass above. The midday sun was shining through the yellow stained glass, reflecting an array of golden beams into the room.
"Beautiful," Sophie added.
Next there was a very tall mirror and beside that, over a table between two chairs, was the portrait of a dark-haired woman with very pale skin wearing a fancy black and yellow ball gown. She was smiling at them, then leaning forward, she pressed a finger to her ruby red lips and said, "Shhh," while pointing and nodding to her right.
Vin and Sophie watched her do it again, both frowning with curiosity.
"I wonder what she's doing," Sophie said.
Lannette shrugged. "She's always doing that."
"Never says a thing," Samantha added.
"That's odd," said Buffy.
Thalia giggled. "What isn't odd at Hogwarts?"
"Shall we go down into the dorms now?" Samantha asked.
Vin and Sophie instantly came to attention. "Yes, of course," they said together.
~oOo~
After leaving the mini Common Room, they immediately went down a flight of stairs in a brightly lit passage and then turned a corner into another. When that hallway T'd, they stopped.
"We won't take you into all the year's rooms. It's just not necessary," explained Samantha.
"Especially if you don't end up sorted into Hufflepuff," Lannette added.
Samantha and Thalia nodded. "The first year dormitory is that way," the former said.
Buffy looked into the passageway and saw more steps going down, but beyond that she couldn't see anything because the hallway turned.
"That door leads to a room we gather in to study," Lannette said, pointing at the door behind Samantha.
"So, we'll go down these steps," Samatha directed as she started down. The passage T'd again and she stopped again and turned around. "The second, third, and fourth year dormitories are down that way." She pointed to her left, then looked at Thalia. "Would you like to take Buffy into the fifth year's room?"
Thalia nodded. "Right this way, Buffy," she said as she turned and walked a few steps to an opening in the wall. Inside the area, there were two doors. "That one is the sixth years and this one is the fifth years."
Taking the doorknob, she pulled open the door and went in—with everyone else staying behind.
Buffy looked around. The room was long and skinny, though relatively large. It had five four-poster beds, covered in patchwork quilts—three on one side and two on the other—and five nightstands to the right of each bed, each with a copper lamp. There was also a serviceable desk beside each bed on the opposite side of the nightstand. And on the walls, hanging close to each bed, was a copper bed warmer.
Thalia walked to the far end of the room where there was a big open space. "There's plenty of room for you in here, Buffy," she said. "See?"
Following her, Buffy nodded. The room was also quite bright, which drew her eyes up to the windows that went around the room at the top of the walls.
"How are there windows in there?" she asked once she and Thalia had joined the other two Prefects in the hallway. "Didn't we just go down like...at least three flights of stairs? We must be underground."
The three Prefects grinned. "We are definitely under ground level, Buffy. But, this is Hogwarts," Samantha reminded the newcomer.
"And everything's enchanted here," said Lannette.
Seeing the look of wonder on Buffy's face, Thalia added, "There's magic in everything, Buffy."
Buffy grinned. "This is just...I love magic."
~oOo~
Alrighty then...show me the love, please!
Sorry, not sorry for being so needy! *sigh*