Of Hufflepuffs and Hippogriffs

Dinner was very interesting, to say the least. Not only was the food amazing, it kept coming. I had a hard time limiting myself like I usually do, reminding myself that I was supposed to be a delicate eater.

Rowan talked- a lot. But Elena seemed interested enough in listening to what he had to say. He grew up with his Grandmother, who was a Squib. He explained to me that a Squib was a person who was born to magical parents but with no powers. He said they're rarer than Muggleborns.

"We're pureblood." Elena boasted, a huge grin on her face.

"Related to the Lestrange and Black families, too." Alice sliced up her small piece of water fowl.

"Who're they?" I asked, pushing a group of peas around my plate.

The twins' mouths fell open simultaneously. "You don't know who they are? They're only some of the oldest families in the wizarding world!"

"Girls, I just found about all of this magic stuff in May. Am I supposed to know everything by now?"

Elena and Alice exchanged glances, before glaring at me playfully. "Yes."

The four of us laughed.

"So, Rowan, what's your story? Besides living with your gran." Elena's face turned a light shade of pink as she talked to Rowan. I giggled. Elena definitely had a crush.

"Well, you see, my parents died when I was a baby, so I've been living with my Gran for about ten years now. She's not all there, but we've got my Aunt living just next door, so we're alright. Auntie's a witch- and a brilliant one. Her kids, Rachel and Edward, are seven and ten. Ed can't wait to get his letter." Rowan smiled at Elena and she giggled softly, her face turning a darker pink.

"What's your wand?" Elena questioned despite the odd looks her sister was giving her.

"Oak and Dragon Heartstring. Yours?"

"Blackthorn and Thestral hair." Elena looked at me, "What about you, Jane?"

"Rosewood and Unicorn hair."

"So, do you have any friends yet?" Rowan asked to nobody in particular.

"I might have a friend in Slytherin- Tom Riddle."

"O-oh. He's handsome." Alice giggled.

"Really? He seems dreadfully… morose." I said.

Alice shrugged and Elena smiled. "Alice, the first night and you already fancy a boy? How cute."

"Be quiet." Alice snapped. I noticed her fingers tighten around her fork.

"Well, anyways, we sat with a bunch of fourth year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. And one second year- Minerva McGonagall."

"She cute?" Rowan asked, smirking. Elena smacked him on the arm playfully.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the Hall. The headmaster stood at his podium. "Good evening, all. I'm going to keep things simple tonight because it has been a very long day for all of us. For all newcomers, I am Headmaster Dippett. Just to remind us of the rules, the Forbidden Forest is off limits. Students should not, under any circumstances, enter it. Also, students caught out of their dormitories afterhours will be punished.

"These are good circumstances that we meet under, friends. Lets continue it this school year, eh? You are dismissed. Prefects, if you would please escort your houses back to your dormitories. Good night."

All at once the Great Hall exploded into noise. I heard a boy calling for Ravenclaws. I grabbed onto Elena. As we squeezed through the large doors, everybody spilled out and dispersed. The Slytherins slipped down a flight of stairs and disappeared. The Hufflepuffs headed in the opposite direction. We followed the Gryffindors up to the staircase, which I could tell instantly would cause me many problems in the years to come.

"Curiouser and curiouser." I heard Elena say behind me.

We began to ascend a set of stairs, and as we did, the stairs jolted to life and began moving slowly towards another platform. I grabbed onto the rail and prayed to not fall off.

"This, my friends, is the Grand Staircase. I'd be careful about them switching, though. I've heard rumors about children falling off." A fifth year cackled in front of me.

"Oh shut it Ramona, you're scaring them!" A boy close by told her. He turned around and smiled at us, "Don't worry. There's a charm that keeps you from hitting the bottom if you fall off."

I gulped and nodded. We continued up the stairs, through a maze of corridors and up a tight spiral staircase before stopping at a door. There was a knocker on it, and I wondered why it would be so easy to get in. The Prefect knocked once and the knocker came to life, startling me and Rowan.

"What came first, the phoenix or the flame?" The knocker asked regally. I smiled at this amazing feat of magic.

"Does anybody know the answer?" The Prefect asked.

Rowan raised his hand. "A circle doesn't have a beginning."

"Wonderfully put, child."

The door swung open and we flooded through the door into the common room. It was amazing. Bookshelves and reading chairs occupied all of the room except for a bust of a woman that sat in front of a tall, narrow window, and a large fireplace. The ceiling was starry, which was reflected in the carpeting.

"Girls dormitories on the left, boys on the right. First years, you're on the top floor."

Elena, Alice and I rushed up the stairs. By the time we reached the top of the steps we were very tired. The dormitory was as starry as the common room. Bunk beds were built into the walls- a white ladder leading to the top bunk. Our trunks were grouped around a little furnace in the center of the room. Elena and Alice quickly began to bicker over who got the top bunk. Elena argued that since she was the oldest she should get the top bunk. Alice retaliated with a lengthy rant about how Elena always got everything because she was the older twin and how she should let Alice get something for once.

While I watched the heated debated, somebody tapped on my shoulder. I turned to see a girl much shorter than myself with tight black curls.

"Could we share bunks? I will sleep on the bottom because I don't like being off the ground." She offered.

"That's reasonable." I smiled and offered the girl my hand. "Jannett English. You can call me Jane."

"Sylvie Beaumont." The girl shook my hand quickly.

I smiled, changed into my nightclothes, and climbed into the top bunk. Sleep found me quickly.

. . .

"Why can't you just admit that you took my pinafore?"

I woke with a start, banging my head against the top of my bunk. Judging by the grunts and groans filling the room, the others woke up that way as well.

"Elena, I did not take it!" Alice shrieked.

I flipped over and glared at the twins. Alice was already dressed- robes and all. Elena was in her shirt and skirt. One sock was on, rumpled around her ankle and the other was balled up in her fist, seeming to grow smaller by the second.

"Even if I did, I couldn't wear it because you're so fat!" Alice continued, seemingly unaware of Elena's growing anger.

"You're the fat one, you pregnant Acromantula!" Elena squawked, causing Alice to lunge at her. The sock fell out of Elena's hand.

As soon as Elena got a grip on Alice's robes, Alice reached over and sunk her teeth into Elena's arm. Elena let go and Alice tugged harshly on her sister's hair. I rolled out of bed, barely missing Sylvie, who had gotten out of the lower bunk at the same time I fell. I pulled myself to my feet before rushing to the Elena's aid. It took Sylvie, myself and the other first year girl to separate the sisters. I pried Alice's hand out of Elena's hair and then pulled her at least arms length from her sister before letting go.

"Elena, you can borrow my spare. It should fit you well." Sylvie offered, holding the taller girl's arm lightly. "And maybe we could see to the nurse about that nasty bite."

Sylvie was referring to the human bite on Elena's lower arm.

"But Sylvie, you're so small and Elena is so fat." Alice jeered.

I whipped around and slapped her straight across the face. "Leave, Alice. Now."

Looking more shocked than angry, Alice mumbled something indecipherable before fleeing the room. Giving Elena an apologetic look, I quickly got dressed and went down to the common room. Rowan was sitting in a chair with his feet propped up on the table poised in front of the fireplace. He was reading a book and talking softly to himself.

"Rowan, what are you reading?" I asked, grabbing at the book.

He pulled it away and stuffed it in his school bag. "I'm not reading anything. I don't know what you're talking about."

I rolled my eyes and leaned across him, pulling the book from his bag while he protested loudly. "Les Miserables?"

Rowan snatched it back, "don't you dare tell anybody."

"Why would I?"

Elena and Sylvie came down just a minute later. Elena walked over and grabbed Rowan by the collar of his robes. "Come on, boy."

She pulled him out of the chair and dragged him across the coffee table while he screamed about being handled and two fifth years shrieked about him knocking over their ink pots.

"I'm sorry. It's just- she's crazy!" Rowan shouted as Elena dragged him from the common room.

As the door slammed shut, I heard the girls yell for Rowan to control his girlfriend. I smirked and followed them out to the staircase. We rushed down them, trying as hard as possible to get down before they switched. They only switched once, which caused us to barrel into two Hufflepuffs.

"Sorry." The taller of the two mumbled. I noticed her bright blue hair, but Rowan was the first to speak.

"You're hair's great. How'd you get it to be that color?" Rowan lifted some with his fingers and the girl swatted his hand away.

"I'm a Metamorphagus. I can make m' hair whatever color I want and I can be anybody I want to be." The girl smiled. "M' name's Jessica."

"Well hello Jessica. My name's Rowan."

"I'm Katie." The second, smaller girl, smiled shyly.

"Elena. That's Jane." Elena introduced.

The girls smiled nervously. "Are you going down to breakfast?"

"Of course. I've never missed a meal." Rowan smiled and hooked arms with Jessica, "ladies first."