make you believe

It was the first official day of classes and, so far, Remus was certain he was doing well. There was only one class left for the day and he was determined to face his last class with the same cheerfulness and energy as he had all the other classes throughout the day. He left the door open and he knew the class would be arriving any moment, so he moved to stand at the door while he waited. He knew the last class would be full of Seventh Year students and he’d already memorized the names of every student he was meant to have. Once he knew what face belonged to which name, he was certain he would memorize that easily as well. Leaning against the doorframe, he waited patiently for his new round of students and he offered a smile to some students who passed by the classroom, nodding kindly to them, recognizing a few from his previous classes, but he didn’t hold them up, not wanting to get in the way of any of their studies. His gaze settled ahead as he spotted a group of students walking up and he nearly paused in shock when he saw a brunette beauty, the sight of her causing his heart to race in his chest, even though he tried to force it to slow. Despite this, though, he found himself hoping beyond hope that perhaps she’d be in his class.

Raelyn was making her way to her Astronomy class, her robe pulled tightly around herself to protect her from the evening chill - especially since they had to spend their time at the Astronomy tower. As she walked, she shoved past a few students without an apology, scoffing quietly to herself. “Move,” she said with frustration as she walked. While she knew she didn’t really have to be as rude as she was, she wasn’t at all eager to let any other Slytherin think of her as weak. Head held high, she ascended the Astronomy tower quickly, determined to get to class without incident. The year was full of new professors and each of them had been introduced at the back to school dinner - one of them was simply Hagrid, but there were two others, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, and the new Astronomy professor, Isaac Lahey. Admittedly, Raelyn found herself curious about the new Astronomy professor, though she’d only seen him from a distance, so she was looking forward to seeing him up close.

Louis was making his way to Potions with Luke, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his gaze settled ahead, and a smirk on his features. He wasn’t at all worried about whether they ended up late to the class or not, since Snape tended to go a little easier on Slytherins, so he was walking fairly leisurely, taking his time. “I still can’t believe they made that oaf, Hagrid, the professor for Care of Magical Creatures,” he said with a quiet snort, rolling his eyes, “And who the bloody hell are the new Professors for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Astronomy? They look ridiculous. Much more suitable professors could have been chosen, I’m sure - even Snape would have done much better.” And, even though he said that, he didn’t truly believe it. Potions suited Snape the most, dull and miserable. Smirking with the thought, he shook his head, though his gaze spotted Leigh Aubrey, a Gryffindor Louis could never allow himself to admit his feelings for, up ahead. He’d almost paused in his steps at the sight of her, a part of him just wanting to take in the sight of her, but he refused to let himself give into that desire, just as he refused to let himself truly accept how he felt for her. “Well, well, look who it is,” he called with a smirk, arching an almost taunting brow at her, “Slow going there, Aubrey.”

Lyra was walking with Louisa as they headed to Herbology, though a frown seemed to be permanently settled on Lyra’s features. “I can’t believe it’s our last year and we have to spend our last hour of the day in Herbology,” she grumbled quietly. She’d much rather spend her time in a more exciting class, but she’d gotten stuck with Herbology, of all things. The fact that they still had to take Herbology was downright laughable. Any plants they learned about in Herbology seemed to be learned about in classes like Potions, or even Defense Against the Dark Arts. It seemed like a waste of time most days. As she walked, though, she spotted a pair of Gryffindors up ahead - a muggleborn named Ashton Irwin and Calum Hood. She could feel her frown fading at the sight of Ashton, a part of her very aware of her feelings for him, but she forced a scowl to her face. She was a Malfoy, dammit, and she couldn’t possibly be in love with a mudblood; she refused. She could only imagine how the rest of her family would react, how quickly her cousin, Draco, would spread the news if he ever heard. “Disgusting,” she muttered before picking up her pace to walk past the pair quickly, hoping that maybe avoiding having to look at Ashton would ease her heart a bit.

Vale swung her arms casually as she walked, heading to Defense Against the Dark Arts, mostly just eager to get her last class for the day over with so she could go back to her dorm, do her homework, - the fact that they already had homework on their first day of classes wasn’t something that Vale was a fan of, but she would deal with it - and get some sleep. The muggleborn was looking forward to just relaxing; Hogwarts never ceased to amaze her, but it could also occasionally be overwhelming. There was still so much that she didn’t know, so much that she found herself learning and discovering every day that she attended the school throughout the years she’d been there, and she was beyond glad that she’d had this opportunity at all. With it being her final year, a part of her was almost sad that her time at Hogwarts was coming to an end. Lifting her gaze with the thought as she approached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, she spotted Harry up ahead, and she offered a weak smile; they never really talked much, but at least he wasn’t cruel. “Good evening, Harry,” she greeted eventually, though uncertain if the greeting would even be welcomed.

George offered an amused look to Fred as they walked to Charms, tossing ideas back and forth of what their next big prank could be. “I think we should definitely spend the year trying to outdo ourselves at every turn,” he chimed cheerfully, smirking broadly with the thought. And, with everything they’d accomplished so far, he was completely certain that they’d be capable of it - though he was also certain it would get them into a load of trouble. The very thought of it made him grin, though. After all, no prank was worth doing if it didn’t risk some form of backlash from the professors, some sort of repercussion. “Might as well avoid being even remotely tame, it takes all the fun out of it.” As the words left his mouth, he caught sight of Olivia Edward, a gorgeous Slytherin whose presence seemed to brighten the very school itself - how somebody as gorgeous as her existed was beyond George’s understanding, but he usually allowed himself to enjoy the sight of her as much as he could. Grinning with the thought, he nudged his brother as they walked into Charms. “Oi, Olivia,” he called out, “Up for sitting with us?” Since she was a Slytherin, though, he wasn’t sure she’d take him up on his offer; he did hope that she could see that the offer was genuine, though.

Calum was lazily walking towards the greenhouse with Ashton so that they could arrive to their Herbology class on time. They still had plenty of time to get there, but Calum was looking forward to getting to class and finishing out the day. “Did the rest of your classes go well?” he asked Ashton with curiosity, looking to his friend, because while they shared plenty of classes together, they didn’t share them all. Mostly, he was trying to get a conversation going, because he was sure that, once they got to the greenhouses, they’d still have a little while before the rest of the students arrived. At least that meant they could pick the better spots. “Perhaps this year will be a bit easier since it’s our last.” He grinned with the thought, admittedly hopeful, because the opportunity to just enjoy the last year seemed like an opportunity he wanted to embrace, if given the chance. Feeling somebody move past them, though, he blinked out of his thoughts, watching as a Slytherin pair passed them, his gaze focusing on Louisa. His heart ached for the girl, yearned for her, but he knew she’d never be interested in him; she was a Slytherin, after all, and he was a Gryffindor. Moreover, he was aware that there hadn’t even really ever been any contact or conversation between them, not for years, and he hated that he hadn’t seized any chance he could to try to talk to her and get close to her.

Edena hadn’t really known what to expect when she first came to Hogwarts. She’d learned, after receiving her acceptance letter, that her father had been a wizard, but he’d died when she was younger and her mother hadn’t really known anything about the magical world her father came from. The only reason they even found out about her father was because her mother had contacted her father’s parents after Edena had received the letter, hoping for advice, because she’d thought it was a scam. Instead, they’d been introduced to the wizarding world because Edena’s paternal grandparents had filled them in from there. Having grown up in the muggle world, with no previous knowledge of magic at all, Edena had felt a need to prove herself, so, when she’d arrived at Hogwarts, she’d delved into her studies as fast as as much as possible, always feeling like she was behind the rest. It often ended with competitions between a certain Luke Hemmings - an unfairly attractive Slytherin, who seemed to aim to be smarter than the rest - and the competition tended to make Edena’s heart ignite in a way that only Luke could. As she walked to her Potions class, the thought of Luke flickered through her mind, but she slipped into the classroom quickly.

Juniper hummed quietly to herself as she walked to her Charms class, almost skipping, eager to get the last class of her first day of the year underway. A grin on her features, she moved swiftly through the crowds that were forming in the corridors, carefully calling out “Excuse me’s” in the process. As she approached Charms, though, she spotted the Weasley twins up ahead and, arching a brow, she watched the pair from behind, her gaze automatically focused more on Fred than anything. She could hear George greeting Olivia and she offered an amused look as she picked up her pace to approach the trio. “Hi all,” she greeted with a small grin, tilting her head, “Is there anything interesting or amusing in store today?” It was, after all, the last class of the day and, if she knew the Weasley twins at all, she knew they wouldn’t just end the day quietly.

Michael’s gaze was wandering the grounds as he made his way towards the Astronomy tower. The day, so far, had been a good one, full of surprises, and full of new professors. A part of him was almost bummed with the fact that the new professors came in during his last year, but he’d decided since the back to school dinner that he’d make the most of it. As he drew closer to the Astronomy tower, though, his gaze caught sight of Iris Jones, a Ravenclaw that Michael’s heart had chased for years even though he hadn’t quite opened up about it. Grinning, he picked up his pace to a jog to walk alongside her as they got to the tower. “Evening, Iris,” he greeted cheerfully, “Looking forward to class?” He arched a brow in curiosity but, for a moment, he just took her in, wanting to relish in the sight of her, wanting to commit the sight to the depths of his memory so he’d never forget it. She was a wonder, especially in the setting sun, and words of endearment formed on Michael’s tongue, but he swallowed them back, worried about ruining anything he could ever have with her if he moved too fast with admitting his feelings. Another part of him chastised him for the thought of too fast, as if he hadn’t kept the feelings locked away in his chest for seven years already, but he grinned despite this. “How’d your summer go?”

Harry ran a hand through his unruly curls as he walked, trying to neaten out his appearance. His previous lesson had been Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid, and as much as Harry respected the half giant, that bloody nightmare of a book was difficult to calm down. It was a snappy little bugger, and stroking the spine wasn't as simple as it looked - the student that was sent the hospital wing after a particularly nasty bite was the proof. Smiling to himself with the thought, Harry shook his head in amusement, grateful that he was approaching the final class for the day. He was excited to return to the Hufflepuff common room and get a good night of rest after a busy beginning to term. Still, Defence Against the Dark Arts was a class that Harry enjoyed, and the new teacher, Remus Lupin, seemed to be the type that was laid back, but still so eager for his students to learn. He was a Professor that Harry could see himself enjoying, unlike the greasy mess that was Severus Snape. Harry was grateful that he didn't have Potions until the next day. Hearing an approaching voice, Harry quickly neatened out his yellow and black tie, recognising the voice as Vale's, a gorgeous Gryffindor who had captured his attention since the moment he laid eyes on her. They'd never even had much more than a quick greeting, Harry couldn't understand what it was about her that so easily enthralled him, but he was, admittedly, embarrassed that he'd never taken action when his heart and his head both told him to. "Good evening, Vale." Harry returned easily, looking to the girl as they approached their classroom, walking beside one another so easily. "How was your day? Quite busy?" Harry offered a dimpled smile to the beauty.

The first day of term was usually one that students wanted to get out of the way fairly quickly, but the beginning of the Seventh Year made Pearl want to take her time and memorise every little detail she could of the castle, her friends, and her studies - particularly Defence Against the Dark Arts. Despite being a muggleborn, having no prior knowledge of magic, Pearl had been told she would excel in any career to do with the Ministry of Magic, and out of all her options, Pearl had chosen to be an Auror. Her O.W.Ls' results had been wonderful - a lot better than what she had expected of herself, and she knew that this year's exams - the N.E.W.Ts, would be the most important, and Pearl intended to surprise herself once again. With a careful flick of her wand, Pearl's hair neatened itself into a ponytail, and she made her way to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, taught this year by Remus Lupin, a ruggedly handsome man introduced at the Sorting Feast. Smiling as she watched Vale approach Harry, Pearl approached the classroom, almost pausing when she saw the teacher - easily in his thirties - stood at the door. Offering him a small smile, Pearl approached carefully. "Good evening, Professor Lupin." She greeted happily.

Isaac Lahey was pleased to know that Hogwarts hadn't changed since he was a student. This castle had become a beacon of hope to him in his teenage years, providing a safe place that Isaac wouldn't of had otherwise. He'd always hated the end of the academic year, because it meant he would have to go home to an abusive muggle father who seemed to be jealous of the talent his son possessed. His life at home was one of the many things that inspired Isaac to follow the path of teaching - he'd had his own fair share of incredible teachers, one of which was still teaching, Professor Minerva McGonagall, the woman who offered Isaac a refuge that he wanted to provide to his own students. The first day of term had been quiet - Isaac couldn't teach his Astronomy lessons affectively in the daylight, so Isaac decided he would take each evening of the week to teach students from each year. Monday was for the Seventh Years, and Astronomy was a subject that was optional to them, especially with their most important exams approaching. Still, a curiosity stirred within Isaac, and he was excited to see who would walk to the top of the tower to greet him, and he had quite the lesson planned out - they were going to study the formation of constellations, and the history behind them, and what they had taught history. His favourite, Isaac had decided, was Perseus. It had such a unique formation, and Isaac, even with his own age, was so amazed to know humans were built of stardust. It was beautiful in itself. Hearing footsteps up the tower, Isaac turned, the cool September air not bothering him. Seeing an absolutely exquisite blonde, wearing a silver and green tie proudly around her neck, Isaac provided a smile. "Good evening." Isaac kept himself casual, trying to ignore the way his heartbeat seemed to increase with the sight of her, thumping against his ribs in a way that begged him to know her name. "I'm Professor Lahey. And you are...?"

Iris wasn't running late, and that was the perfect reason to stop for a moment and admire the sun setting past the rolling hills of the Scottish highlands. Even as a Witch from a long history of magic running through her veins, Iris was certain this view was one she would never tire of - and she was almost sad, for a moment, that once this academic year came to a close, she would no longer be returning to Hogwarts, and goodness, she would miss it. The castle had become a second home to her outside of her family's manor, and Iris would be sad to leave, but she knew she had a secure job in the Ministry just waiting for her, and although it wasn't what she wanted, she knew - or, so she was told - it was the best choice for her. Exhaling as the sky began to gradient from the deepest orange to an inky blue, Iris reminded herself that Astronomy would be starting at any moment and she should probably begin to ascend the tallest tower. Hearing a voice call out to her though, Iris rolled her eyes fondly when she whittled the possibilities down to Michael Clifford, a Hufflepuff that Iris wouldn't admit to anyone she was rather fond of, and that fondness only grew during their Second Year, when they were paired together for a project. "Good evening, Michael." Iris greeted with a small smile, hating the fact the boy brought out the kindness within. "Yes, actually. The stars are just something so spectacular, aren't they?" Iris looked to the sky, before looking to Michael. "How about you?" Iris heard his question about her summer and she nodded. "It was okay." She began to ascend the stairs, not interested in continuing the conversation past that, despite the fact her head and her heart screamed at her to speak to him - to let him in.

Fred Weasley, along with his twin, George, were the troublemakers of Hogwarts, and it was no secret. It was proven further within the big plans the twins had for the new academic year, and although they were all still in their earliest stages, they were building upon a solid foundation of mischief. "Right you are, Georgie!" Fred patted his brother on the shoulder with a smirk that only seemed to grow as he thought of the possibilities, certain that Snape was going to be in the firing line once again this year, along with a few students the twins disliked - mostly Slytherins. Besides, a lot of the Professors seemed to go easier on the twins they focused all that energy on those who felt they were above the rest of the student body because of their pure bloodline. Pulling a face with the thought, the distaste soon disappeared from his face as George tried his luck with Olivia Edward, and seemingly by dumb luck, Fred heard the all too familiar voice of Juniper Sparks, a particularly wonderful Hufflepuff who had captured Fred's heart, and she'd had hold of it for quite a while now. Fred was almost embarrassed, because he could play all these pranks, get into all this trouble, and he still couldn't find the courage to ask Juniper on a date to Hogsmeade. Gryffindors were meant to be brave. "Hello there, Juniper!" Fred greeted happily, slinging an arm across the Hufflepuff's shoulders. "Well, you'll just have to see, won't you?" Fred teased. "How was your first day back?" And Fred wanted to know if her first day had gone smoothly, because every little silly thing he did in her presence was for her, to make her smile, to make her laugh, because Juniper was the most wonderful thing in this castle, and if Fred couldn't call her his yet, he could at least be the cause of her happiness. "Juniper, will you give me the honour of sitting beside us this class?" Fred grinned.

Olivia had been so excited to be returning to Hogwarts this year, because something within her chest told her this year was going to be something amazing, and she had no reason to doubt her intuition. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Olivia held her Charms textbook to her chest, her green and silver tie tied to perfection. Her first day had been nothing spectacular, but allowing the castle walls to feel like home again was too incredible to ignore, and one of the things that helped that sense of welcome was a certain George Weasley, one half of the Weasley twins and someone who was so unapologetically himself that Olivia couldn't help but harbour a crush towards the red head - well, a little more than a crush, really. She was certain he held her heart within his hands and he was none the wiser. Biting her lip with the thought, Olivia blinked as she heard George call out her name, and her heart began to beat just a little faster, and faster still with his offer. Unsure if he was serious or not, Olivia turned to look at George, Fred and Hufflepuff Juniper Sparks, and she could feel a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Good evening, George." Olivia smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit. "Oh, uh," looking over her shoulder to the rest of the class, Olivia could see she had no particularly close friends in attendance (or at all, really) and she nodded with his offer. "Okay." Making her way over, Olivia offered George a gentle smile.

Luke Hemmings was smart, and he knew it. He wasn't usually one to show off his academic achievements, but when he was toe to toe with muggleborn Ravenclaw Edena, Luke couldn't help but try his damn hardest to advance past her in every class they shared, and he was sure this year would be no different. The (somewhat) friendly competition had made Luke form a soft spot for the girl, and despite the fact she was what he considered to be nothing more than filth on the ground because of his blood status, it didn't stop Luke from becoming fond, and rather attached to her - and looking past her intellectual brilliance, she was the most beautiful thing Luke had ever laid eyes on. He could never admit though, to himself or anyone else, that soft spot had become a crush. Not that anything would come of it anyway, he only spoke to the girl to boast whenever he won a round of their competition. Trying to rid his mind of the thoughts of Edena - she occupied his mind most of the time anyway - Luke tuned in to Louis' words, and he grinned, shaking his head in amusement. "The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher looks almost homeless. As for Astronomy, he just looks like a prat." Luke sneered. "This school has gone down hill, that's for certain. I bet you he's a little mudblood." Stepping into the Potions classroom, deep within the dungeons on the castle, Luke smirked when he saw Edena, and although he was completely enthralled by her beauty, Luke had an act to uphold. "Speaking of mudbloods." He whistled to Edena. "Oi, Pryor."

Leigh would never openly admit that the dungeons of Hogwarts gave her the creeps, but it seemed the ambience only worsened during the dusk. With the sun setting, the walls, lit by torches along the corridor, seemed to be more depressing than ever, and Leigh was so grateful that her common room wasn't down here. It was no wonder that Slytherins tried to over compensate with god awful attitudes. Despite the nervous knotting in her stomach, the first day of term had gone swimmingly, and Leigh couldn't ask for a better head start to this year. She'd been reunited with her friends, and Hell, she'd even consider herself lucky if she caught a glimpse of Louis Tomlinson, a cocky Slytherin who's worth was measured by the amount his parents had in Gringotts, and although Leigh was certain Louis had always been so cruel, she was hopeful that beneath that exterior, something incredible lay beneath. But she knew she wouldn't be the one to discover it, because there was no way he would never feel for her what she felt for him. Despite the name calling and the cruelty, Leigh harboured quite the crush for the blue eyed boy. Hearing his voice, Leigh paused, rolling her eyes in a way she meant to be callous, but she was sure came off as rather fond. "Oh, shut up, Tomlinson." Leigh retaliated easily. "What did you do with your summer, Louis? Knowing you, you probably tortured your parents house elves." Leigh sneered.

Ashton's summer had been quite uneventful, and returning to Hogwarts felt like such a blessing, Ashton couldn't quite comprehend it. Muggle life seemed so boring now that he'd discovered his magical abilities. He'd made sure to embrace that part of him, having never known of the possibilities due to his Father's absence, but the day he got his acceptance letter, Ashton felt as though all the questions he'd asked the universe had been answered, and he finally found where he belonged. When he was sorted into Gryffindor, Ashton found his family, and he found an unrequited love within Lyra Malfoy, the Princess of Slytherin house, a true beauty with a cold exterior, and Ashton couldn't help but wonder if there was something within her worth discovering. She held his heart in a vice tight grip, but Ashton knew he could never tell her, even in his last year of school, because she would crush it within her grasp and laugh in his face. Sighing with the thought, Ashton looked to Calum with his question, grateful to his friend for the distraction. "Today's been alright actually mate, yeah." Ashton nodded, following the path to the greenhouses, illuminated by heated lamps for the various plants growing inside. "How about you?" But when Ashton heard footsteps approaching from behind, Ashton looked over his shoulder, his heart jumping in his chest when his eyes landed on Lyra. Offering the Slytherin a small smile, Ashton felt a familiar sting of hurt sprout in his chest. "Nice to see you too, Lyra." Ashton sighed.

Louisa smiled weakly with Lyra's words, tucking a strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear, her wand tucked up her sleeves. "Oh, Lyra." Louisa chuckled gently. "I think Herbology is quite interesting, the lilies are beautiful this time of year. Do you know they only bloom in Hogwarts grounds?" Louisa asked with some sort of wonder. Magic was still something so incredible to Louisa, despite her knowledge of the wizarding world thanks to the stories she'd heard from her Mother. Her Father was a muggle, but nobody needed to know, and Louisa did a good job of keeping up the act, she was sure. Following Lyra closely, Louisa looked ahead to see Ashton Irwin, walking beside the golden skinned Calum Hood, looking absolutely ethereal in the setting sun. "Oh," Louisa murmured, but when she heard Lyra's remark, Louisa held her head a little higher, having to keep up the Slytherin reputation. Although she could never quite get herself to be outwardly cruel towards Calum, the boy was the least deserving person of such cruel words. He had a heart of gold, a boy who treated his peers with nothing but the utmost respect. It was no wonder he was sorted into Gryffindor. Walking past the pair with Lyra, Louisa didn't dare look over her shoulder, no matter how much she wanted to. Besides, she was sure that the crush she'd held towards Calum for years was nothing more than that: just a simple, school girl crush. "Come on, the greenhouses look so inviting."

Vale felt her heart ease a bit when Harry returned her greeting, and she offered a smile, nodding slightly. “I’d say so, yes,” she admitted, “It’s been a good day regardless, though.” It could have been worse, after all - and at least things were fairly simple right now, with classes having only just started back, so there weren’t any major assignments due just yet, no intense studying to be done for now. It was a bit of a relief, she could admit that much, at least to herself. “How about you? How was your day?” Watching Harry, she couldn’t help the way her smile softened a bit when she caught sight of his dimples - it made him look all the more cheerful, kind, and it was certainly something she enjoyed about Harry, even if they hadn’t really ever spoken before. “Looking forward to class?” She arched a brow as she stepped inside, moving to find a seat.

Remus looked over when he heard somebody greet him, though he felt a bit shocked when he caught sight of the girl, his heart racing in his chest at the sight of her. She was beautiful, so much so that it caught him off guard, startled him into silence, and it took a moment for him to recover, to get his senses back and to get ahold of himself. Clearing his throat, he offered a smile and nodded, straightening as he watched her. “Good evening,” he greeted, “And who might you be?” He arched a brow, curious. He wondered if she was meant to be one of his students for this class time - if so, that meant that she was a Seventh Year. But, he knew that realizing that could bring on thoughts that he certainly shouldn’t entertain, not when he was a professor, and he was meant to set an example for the students, not be attracted to them. When it came to this girl, though, he wasn’t sure he could help it. “Will you be in this class?”

Raelyn paused in her steps when she heard somebody speak, her gaze going to the source, though she was surprised at the sight of the man, and she found herself blinking, trying to determine whether she was just imagining this man’s existence - she didn’t think anybody as gorgeous as him would ever teach at a place like Hogwarts. “You’re the Astronomy Professor?” she asked with surprise as she watched him, taking him in, a part of her wanting to commit the sight of him to memory, especially with the dimming light filtering around him. Still, she straightened, not wanting to seem distracted or weak, simple-minded. “Raelyn Frost. It’s nice to meet you, Professor Lahey.” She just hoped that effect didn’t wear off as time went on.

Michael grinned slightly down at Iris, happy to find that conversation came so easily between the two of them, as if no time had passed since the last time they saw each other before summer started. It made his heart swell in the best ways, fondness in his eyes as he watched her. “They are, yes,” he agreed with a nod, “It’s amazing how many stories can be told by stars, how important they can be.” And, he liked knowing that they were one of many things that he and Iris shared an interest in. “I’m looking forward to it.” Nodding slightly, he let himself relax, breathing out happily, enjoying being near Iris, so certain that her presence brought him so much happiness that it was surreal, amazing, in so many ways, and he couldn’t thank her enough for that. “Just okay?” The explanation caused an eyebrow to arch, curiosity reflected in his tone. “Did something happen?”

Juniper looked up at Fred, grinning slightly with the feeling of his arm around her, swearing there was no place she’d rather be than right there, in his arms - but she never said such things to Fred, could never bring herself to admit anything like that, too worried about what the fallout would be. “Aw, come on, that’s no fair,” she complained lightly, making a slight face at him, a pout soon forming on his lips, “Be nice and share your plans, Fred.” She nudged him playfully but laughed and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “It was alright, nothing too difficult or too exciting has happened. How was your first day back?” Arching a brow, she watched him, curious, hopeful that his first day had gone well - but, more than anything, she was just glad he was there. “Now, how could I deny such a request?”

George smiled fondly as he watched Olivia, his heart swelling at the sight of her tucking her hair behind her ear, and he was pretty sure it was habitual - a reflection of being nervous, perhaps, or even anxious, and the thought made him want to make things a little easier for her; he wanted to try to make sure that she was comfortable around him. “I’m glad to hear it,” he told her quietly, his voice reflecting nothing but his happiness and how genuinely he meant those words. He toned down his excitability a bit, not wanting to scare her off or make her uncomfortable, and he motioned with his head as he led the way to find them a place to sit. “How was your summer? Or your first day back?” He looked over to her, trying to gauge her reaciton, trying to determine what all she was okay with talking about, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. “Unless you don’t want to talk about any of that, which is fine, too - whatever you want.”

Edena let out a quiet sigh when she heard Luke’s voice. “Don’t whistle at me, Hemmings, I’m not a dog,” she said simply, not even turning to look at him, instead keeping her attention focused ahead so that she could be ready for when class started. She refused to get distracted by Luke, refused to let him get under her skin this year. She was determined to shut Luke up, to get ahead and stay ahead in classes this year, to beat him in every class they shared, and to have higher marks than him in whatever she did. She had to, because it at least kept her busy - and being ahead of Luke, who had no qualms in being an ass, meant that there was at least one thing he couldn’t take from her, when he seemed to enjoy causing trouble in any way that he could. It sucked, she could admit, because she held such an adoration for the boy, but she had to bury all of that.

Louis couldn’t help but laugh with Luke’s words, nodding his head in slight agreement. “You’re probably right about that,” he admitted, shaking his head slightly, “You’d think Hogwarts would put a little more effort into finding suitable Professors for the school. At this point, it just seems like they’re grabbing anybody they can find and offering the jobs.” He scoffed quietly, though he figured he probably shouldn’t really be surprised - after all, Hogwarts likely had the most muggleborns compared to any other school that specialized in witchcraft. Hearing Leigh shoot back at him after his taunts, though, he couldn’t help the smirk that grew on his features. “Funny that you’d assume such things, Aubrey. I had far better things to do than that. Bet you didn’t do anything interesting, though, likely just sat inside and became even more of a pest than you already are.” As he spoke, though, he knew he could never see her in such a way - he just couldn’t admit that, not now, likely not ever.

Lyra listened to Louisa, looking over at her, though she lifted a shoulder in response. “I didn’t know that,” she said easily, but she didn’t pay much attention to Herbology, anyway - she did what was necessary and participated in class, but she didn’t like the class, it bored her. As they continued to walk, she gave a quiet scoff when she heard Ashton speak, and she rolled her eyes. “Do you hear something, Louisa?” Arching a brow, she looked at her friend, not bothering to give any attention to Ashton - she was certain that, if she did, everything would crumble around her, she’d lose every wall she ever built, because Ashton seemed to have that effect, and as much as she wanted to embrace that and let herself indulge in her ever-growing feelings for him, she knew better. Shaking her head with the thought, she made her way into the greenhouses.

Calum nodded his agreement to Ashton’s words. “It’s gone alright for me, too. Not too many problems and I’ve kept up so far,” he said, offering a small smile, though his attention was easily caught by Louisa, and he found himself watching her. There was something so spectacular about the girl, there was so much he wanted to discover about her, and a part of him could tell that there was far more kindness in her than people might think. She was a beauty, somebody he wanted to speak to, somebody he wanted to have in his future, but he wasn’t sure if that would ever come to pass - she seemed to have no interest in him, though he wished that he could decipher her more easily. His heart raced and ached in his chest and all he wanted was to catch up to her as he watched the distance between them grow - he wanted to tell her how he felt in the hopes that maybe she returned the sentiment, but he worried that she may just end up hating him, if she didn’t already. “You know, I sometimes wonder what would happen if we separated those two,” he mentioned quietly to Ashton, “I feel like Louisa would be far more open and easier to talk to if she wasn’t always around Lyra…”

Harry looked to Vale as she spoke, wanting her to know that she had his full attention always, because she was so incredibly worth his time, and no one else captured his attention quite as much as Vale did. "Well, at least it's been a good day for you," he teased gently. "I was nearly bloody bitten by that Care of Magical Creatures book - vicious little thing." He laughed, ducking his head slightly, causing his curls to fall into his face. Tucking them behind his ear quickly, Harry looked to Vale once more, following her closely, wondering if it would be okay to sit with her. "Absolutely." Harry nodded. "I've heard great things about Professor Lupin, although the Slytherins were trying to spread some rumours earlier." Harry's lips tugged into a frown with that. "Vale... is it alright if I sit next to you?" He asked gently, moving to find a seat as well, looking at the various parchments on the wall with things about werewolves and dementors. "Well, they don't look very kind." Harry laughed, pointing to the hooded figure's photo.

Pearl tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she studied the handsome man, scars etched onto his features which told a story he wasn't ready for the world to know, but somehow, they suited him. Watching as he straightened out, Pearl offered a somewhat shy smile as he arched a brow at her, and she couldn't help but admire him - she'd heard rumours at lunch time that Professor Lupin was dressed as if he was homeless, looked at though he didn't belong in a place like Hogwarts, but as she looked to his eyes, Pearl would say that he definitely belonged, with a voice as smooth as silk and eyes that hid a kindness behind them. "I'm in your next class, my name is Pearl." She introduced happily, offering him her hand to shake.

Isaac laughed with her question, nodding his head. "Yes, I'm your Astronomy Professor." He smiled, although he didn't quite miss the surprise in her tone - was she expecting someone completely different? He understood that some Slytherins had low expectations of their experiences at Hogwarts, and he couldn't help but wonder if she had a low expectation of his class - the thought made him want to ensure that she left feeling as though she'd had fun. Taking a moment to study her, Isaac couldn't help but smile softly, because she really was the prettiest thing he'd laid eyes on - the stars would be jealous. "Raelyn, what a lovely name." For a lovely girl, he was sure. He found himself hoping that over the course of his lessons, he could get to know her more. "Well, please, come and get comfortable. I've got some pretty interesting things in store, I'd say, so I hope you enjoy the class." He wondered then, what caused her to choose Astronomy. "What made you choose the class?" Isaac asked, wanting to start a conversation.

Iris couldn't help but blink in surprise as Michael grinned at her, and goodness, she wondered how the boy could be so happy all of the time. Iris knew that she was experiencing first hand magic whenever Michael Clifford was around, because he was something so spectacular that it couldn't of been anything more than the work of wonder. Her heart swelling with the thought, Iris listened to his words about the stars, Iris tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, ascending the stairs slowly so that Michael could keep her pace - although she'd never admit that out loud. Hearing the curiosity in his question, Iris turned to look at him. "I - I don't want to work for the ministry, Michael." Iris murmured softly, her voice wobbling with tears. "I want to be myself."

Fred squeezed around Juniper gently as she grinned up at him, his heart swelling in a way that he could never describe. Juniper was everything he'd wanted, everything he'd craved, in someone to love, and the realisation that he was holding the closest thing to perfection made him feel like he could take on the Dark Lord himself and win. "I'm not sharing any plan yet, love, but I'll definitely be nice, only for you." Fred teased, laughing as the beauty nudged him with a playful stance, unable to stop his smile from broadening. "Well, I suppose you heard that someone flooded Snape's classroom with armortentia yesterday?" He arched an amused eyebrow. "That was how my first day back went." He grinned then - although he held back the detail that his armortentia had the familiar scent of Juniper's perfume. "Come on trouble, let's find a place to sit." And taking Juniper's hand within his own, the perfect fit, Fred lead her to a desk just behind George and Olivia.

Olivia felt her cheeks redden as George studied her, and she tucked any stray strands of hair that would be left, one more, behind her ear, just the fact that she had his attention being the most anxiety inducing thing in the world. He was a source of good for the school, everyone got on with him, and Olivia was always in the background - they would be so much mismatched. She was certain he didn't even think of her in such a way anyway. Hearing the happiness in his voice though, Olivia offered a sweet smile. Following his lead, Olivia sat beside him, trying to ensure her uniform remained perfect. Avoiding the subject, Olivia looked to George. "Well, how was your summer? I'm sure yours was far more interesting than mine."

Luke couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in amusement with Edena's words, and he scoffed. "Of course, that's why you act like such a bitch." He smirked, his quick wit one of the things that he was told would get him far. Breaking away from Louis, Luke approached Edena, standing in front of her with a stance that screamed power, and he folded his arms over his chest. "Are you sure you're still up for our little game this year, Pryor?" Luke studied her, trying to feign a look of disgust, but she was, truthfully, the most beautiful thing Luke had ever seen. "As far as I'm aware, I'm way ahead of you, and that must sting." The corners of his lips tugged upwards to a smirk then. "You Ravenclaws really do pride yourself on intelligence, but booksmart is the only kind of smart you are." Luke pointed out. "Enjoy Potions, won't you?" Luke shoved past her then, heading to the table Louis had settled at, getting comfortable.

Leigh rolled her eyes as Louis continued to try and get under her skin, and she was ashamed to admit that, sometimes, it worked. Her hopes were nothing more than that - hopeful, because there was nothing kind within that boy. "Oh, shove your wand up your ass, Tomlinson, I've got no patience for your assholery today." Leigh snapped, finding her seat and trying to shake off the fact that it was only the second day of the new academic year and already, Louis Tomlinson was targeting her. "You know what, Tomlinson, I feel sorry for you - your Slytherin cronies are the only sort of friendship you'll ever know, and that's not friendship at all." Leigh frowned, getting her quill and its ink ready, the classroom, for some odd reason, smelling like the cologne Louis wore.

Ashton's shoulders slumped in defeat as Lyra, as always, ignored his existence, and as he watched the beauty walk away with her best friend at her side, Ashton looked to Calum as he spoke. "We should try and separate them." Ashton was certain he felt a lightbulb appear above his head at that moment, and looking to Lyra, admiring how she looked in the dim light of the dusk, the pink skies above the greenhouse making her look like a painting. Toying with his lower lip, Ashton admired her for another long moment, before wondering - what would happen if Louisa and Lyra were separated? "How are we gonna do this?" He asked, looking to Calum. "I have to admit mate, I'm considering throwing myself down the hill." And even then, Lyra would probably ignore him. "Maybe we can ask Professor Sprout to be our wing woman." He smirked. "Do you think she would?"

Louisa pushed open the door to the green house, waving at Professor Sprout as she lead Lyra to the very last table, well out of the way of the other students - although, she was glad that this particular class was in the evening, because it meant that some students might be too tired to attend, which meant that she could keep a closer eye on Calum Hood. The boy was beautiful in every way, and Louisa knew that if she wasn't in Slytherin, she'd already be trying to earn his affection, to have him focused on her.