Taste of Youth

I’d completely forgotten what school felt like. After years away in a six person class with the same teacher speaking in the same monotonous tone, it was overwhelming to be in so many different environments in one day. It was like the first time I’d been in Hogwarts all over again only this time the place was crawling with people. When I hurried through the front doors the assault of voices and laughter and the sheer number of people stopped me. The wholeness of the picture made the castle seem smaller, not so intimidating as it had been when my every step echoed for miles.

“Luce!” Lily pushed through a group of younger looking students and hurried toward me waving a piece of paper in her hand, “Hey! How did the meeting go?”

“Well I won’t be seeing you in the mornings two days a week.” I took the paper she offered me and glanced over the timetable of classes.

“It changed while I had it, I take it AHTP is why you won’t be around in the mornings.” She was tugging me now leading me up the stairs.

We hurried up two more flights and hurried into the classroom. The sixth year Gryffindor boy crew slammed in right after us, Sirius kicking the door so wide it almost hit me into the desk in front of me. He apologized under his breath and Flitwick called for us to take our seats. The class room was divided straight in two, one half was the red of Gryffindor’s hoods and the other half yellow from the Hufflepuff’s robes.I slid into the seat next to Lily and Alice turned around from her seat in front of us.

“You pass the test?”

I nodded as Flitwick started talking motioning for her to turn around.A piece of folded paper in the form of a small dog bounded over Lily’s papers much to her displeasure and settled on top of my own notes. I frowned at the paper as it’s muzzle moved in a barking motions and it titled it’s head to the next table over. I leaned forward and Sirius pointed with his quill it the dog before resuming his lounged position

“What is it?” Lily whispered and I shook my head eying the dog curiously.

After a few more seconds of the paper dog pacing in front of and over my notes, it gave another silent bark and opened on its own. I glanced at the wild scrawl of writing and slipped the paper under my notes in a pointed fashion. There was a grumble from Sirius’ direction and Flitwick turned from the chalk board he had been using to explain protection charms and their uses.

“Mr. Black, do you have a problem with the Protego Duo charm?”

“Not at all, Professor.” Sirius flashed him a wide grin and leaned back waving his hand, “Please continue.”

Lily snorted loudly shaking her head and I leaned toward her muttering, “Is he always like that?”

She gave me a sideways look and rolled her eyes, “Always.”

Flitwick looked annoyed but didn’t say anything as he continued his lesson. Another dog bounded across the table smearing the ink of Lily’s notes causing her to make a disgruntled sound. This time the paper dog barked, the sound was as loud as Fangs bark and I quickly caught its muzzle with my fingers leaning over it so that Flitwick couldn’t see it. It barked again and I shot a look to Sirius trying to tell him to shut it up. He made another motion to read it and I scowled pulling the first note from underneath my notes. The barking stopped and Flitwick frowned at the classroom before returning to his explanation.

You never answered my question yesterday.

I glared at the paper and looked at him. He made a writing motion with his hand and pointed at the paper. I looked back at the paper to see his writing disappearing into the paper. I frowned and picked up my quill dipping it into the ink my writing looping smoothly across the page.

You aren’t going to let this go are you?

The ink faded away and I set it next to my notes glancing at it when ink formed.

Not at all.

I dipped my quill and glanced at Filtwick who was still lecturing.

Of course you’re not.

I’d leave you alone if you’d answer.

Somehow I doubt that. I don’t want to talk about this, so just back off.

I’m afraid that doesn’t work for me. Besides didn’t I tell you I like bugging you.

I shoved the paper of the desk and waved my wand under the desk the paper turning into smoldering ash as it flinted to the floor. Lily gave me an odd look and I waved my hand at her. Class wasn’t long and it ended soon enough but it felt like a lifetime with the goofing off that was happening in the room. Lily and I left the room talking about variations on different protection charms and ways that it could be varied even further. Alice caught up easily having had to stay back because of the Hufflepuff girl she’d been forced to sit with.

“Everyone have break now?” She asked tossing her arms around our shoulders.

“Think so, study time?” Lily asked her fingers twitching towards her notes and book.

Alice snorted loudly, “Not even, study bug. What’s our next class?”

“Defense Against the Dark Arts.” I told her waving my schedule at her.

“Wonderful, let’s hang out at the Beech Tree.” Alice started tugging us down the stairs chattering about the date Frank was planning for the first Hogsmead trip.

The sun was shining bright unlike when I’d left this morning. The morning was clean and warm, summer simmering away over the lake and turning into fall as it reached the tree the three of us sat at. Lily was sprawled across the grass her Defense book open on the grass reviewing what she had learned last year and ignoring Alice’s jibes toward her bookworm tendencies. A voice protesting something came from higher up the hill and a few minutes later the boys dropped down on the grass next to us.

“We should be studying.” Remus grumbled and sat down between Lily and me.

“That’s what I said but Alice wanted to be out here.” Lily told him not looking up from her book.

“We’ll be studying soon enough! We don’t need to do it right now.” Alice replied earning the mumbles of agreement from Sirius and James.

“Oh, hey, Peter!” Alice said catching sight of the lump of a boy that sat down a few feet away from the group.

“Hi, Alice.” The boy murmured.

“This is Luciana, Peter. She’s new this year and what not. Luce this is Peter the missing Musketeer of three.” She jerked her thumb to the boys.

“Nice to meet you, Peter.” I greeted him and he gave a shaky greeting back.

“Oi! You lot what do you think your doing!” Lily shouted at something up the hill scrambling up her Prefect badge flashing in the sunlight.

Remus was up after her, his Prefect badge out of his pocket as well both of them sprinting up the hill. I quickly got up and caught sight of Lily and Remus arguing with students in green robes. There was a shaking girl behind them maybe a first years age in Hufflepuff robes and wands were out. I hurried up the hill to them and added myself between her and the others.

“We weren’t doing anything, Evans.” One of the boys in green spoke a few features on his face reminding me of Sirius.

“Disarming and threatening a first year is doing something, Mulciber.” Lily hissed at the boy her wand tapping in a threatening manner against her leg.

I turned to look at the first year who had now taken to clutching at my robes and smiled gently, “It’s going to be okay. They’re taking care of it.”

“Hey,” Mulciber pointed his finger at me ignoring Lily’s hiss of rage, “you’re the new girl. Names Rein right?”

“Back off, Mulciber.” Sirius’ voice sounded and the other were there Alice taking her place on Lily’s other side covering most of me and the first year from view.

“Calm down, Black. I’m only introducing myself.” Mulciber did something like a smile showing his teeth mockingly at Sirius before turning to me, “It’s nice to meet the great Leon Reins lovely little sister.”

I was bristling something off about the way he’d said my brothers name, “I can’t say the same.”