Final Destination

I forced open my gummed-closed eyes, thinking that it must have been morning, for why else would someone be moving around so much? Once I had rubbed my eyes open, however, I realized--

That it was still nighttime.

The dormitory's only light was made from the moon shining right through our window and on the beds right opposite it. I pressed my nose up to my watch to be able to read its tiny message: 2:32 A.M.

Why would I be up at this time? Why would -- whoever had woken me -- be up now?

I slid my curtains back to find Alice rummaging through her trunk, looking perfectly rested, not at all showing a slowness that would be normal for two o'clock in the morning. She had never changed into pajamas, and was still wearing her Muggle clothing from before. The moonlight fell on the back of her head, and her hair glittered majestically.

"Having trouble sleeping?" I asked.

She gave a little start and turned to look at me. Her already-pale face seemed haunted in the light of the moon. "Oh--I'm sorry--did I wake you?"

"It's not a problem," I said, stifling a yawn. I hesitated, but dove in. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Alice replied airily. Her eyes sparkled as her head moved a fraction in the moonlight. "You should get back to sleep--you'll need it for tomorrow."

"Aren't you going to get some sleep?"

"Sooner or later," she said vaguely. "Trust me, you need it more than I do." And she refused to say any more.

By breakfast I had forgotten the night's disturbance, however, when Professor Flitwick passed me my schedule.

"Awww, come onnn!" I moaned after my first glance at it.

"What?" Ron said through a mouthful of bacon, tipping the schedule backwards so he could read it upside-down.

"Divination, first thing..." I groaned.

"Why did you take it this year, then?" Ginny asked. "You didn't have to, right?"

"Yeah, but..." I muttered, "it's--"

"Oh, it's got to do with that thing you're working on?" Ginny guessed.

I nodded. "Still, I was hoping I wouldn't have it double, first thing on a Monday...."

"Well, that's what happens when you have NEWT level classes," Harry said.

"So, what else have you got today?" Ginny asked.

I took my schedule back from Ron to continue examining it. "Tranfiguration. And then after lunch I have double Potions and Arithmancy."

"That's not too bad," Hermione said, clearly surprised that someone else in Gryffindor took Arithmancy.

"Yeah, you get Tonks today!" Ron said.

"Erm...good for me..." I muttered.

Ginny laughed. "Don't worry, she's great. Just don't mention death in front of her," she said, lowering her voice. "She'll go back into depression about Sirius...."

"Oh--erm--okay..." I said, though why I would mention death at all in a Transfiguration class was beyond me.

"I wonder what I'm supposed to do?" Alice said cheerfully.

That thought hasd occurred to me, too. What WERE guests expected to do while they were here? The answer came sooner than I'd expected.

"Alice." The voice was deep. I looked around, and standing right behind me were Edward, pale as Alice, and Bella.

"Oh, hi guys!" Alice cried.

"How was your first night?" Edward asked.

There was a pause, between which Edward's topaz eyes flashed towards me. "Oh!" Alice said suddenly, as if she had just remembered something. "Oh, right! It was pretty good, how was yours?"

"It was fine," Edward said slowly.

"Bella?" Alice asked.

"It was okay--the Ravenclaws were talkative. I was glad to have Rosalie to keep me company, at least I wasn't alone."

Alice nodded. "The Gryffindors weren't all that talkative--they just looked at me a lot." She exchanged a glance with Edward, who gave a small nod.

"Hello, how were your first nights?"

Professor Cullen had silently appeared beside Edward. The three guests said silent "Good"s, seeming to be waiting for something.

"Wonderful," Professor Cullen said. "Simply wonderful. Well, I'm sure you three've been wondering how you're going to be spending your time here between periods of duty?"

"Of course," Alice said.

"Yeah," Bella said.

Edward was silent.

I silently slid a fork full of scrambled eggs into my mouth. Professor Cullen's eyes moved from the three to us at the table--well, more me.

"Oh, hello!" he said, as if he'd just realized we were there.

"Hello," came murmured replies from around me.

"Carlisle Cullen," he said, though I already knew who he was, sticking out his hand.

"Oh--um--Baylee Mouse," I muttered, grasping the hand. It was freezing and hard, as if carved from ice.

"Ginny Weasley," said Ginny from next to me.

"Ron Weasley."

"Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter."

"Nice to meet you all!" Professor Cullen said, giving each hand a shake. I saw that Harry was just as taken aback by the chillness of his skin as I had been. "I'm sure I'll see you all in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" There was a murmur of assent all around. "Good, good. I hope you all will find my class satisfactory," he said. "I think Patronuses are too advanced to be starting first-off with, but I believe Invisibility Effects will be efficient for seventh-years?"
Ron made a small choking noise from across the table, and Hermione gave a small "Huh!" of surprise. Invisibility was also advanced, maybe even more difficult than Patronuses--if that were possible.

"Anyway," Professor Cullen continued, now addressing Alice, Edward, and Bella, "you're going to be able to do whatever you want while we wait for something to happen.... Of course, I would like you to attend some of the classes. I wouldn't complain if you helped a bit with my classes, also...." His voice faded.

"Okay!" Alice said. Bella nodded; Edward yet again remained silent, staring persistently at Professor Cullen.

Cullen soon departed, and once he did, Ron dove at his schedule and said, "Oh, yes!! We have him right after lunch today!"

"He seems cool," Ginny said conversationally.

"Hey," Edward said suddenly to Bella as they turned to leave. "Gryffindor is brave, right?
What in the world was that hat thinking, putting you in Ravenclaw???"

Bella laughed. "Brain over brawn," she said, and they disappeared into a growing crowd.

"I can't believe he's starting so big, though," Hermione said, paying no notice to them.

"Ah, you're just upset that you learned the easier part of the book that we're probably not even going to do," Ron said, shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth and choking on it. "You'll actually end up having difficulty in his class this year."

"No, that's not it!" Hermione cried indignantly. "I'm just surpri--"

"This is better," Harry interrupted. "We get to learn better spells for later this year...."

Personally, my opinion was the same as Harry's: at least we'd learn more, better spells. I was looking forward to Professor Cullen's class.

"Hey--Baylee," Alice said.

"Huh?"

"Mind if I go with you to Divination? Ya know--Carlisle said he wanted us in the classes."

"Oh--of course!" I said, taken aback that she'd referred to Professor Cullen by his first name. But then, she had come with him....

"Cool." Alice smiled, her teeth flashing in the misty light coming from the ceiling.

I shoved another forkful of eggs into my mouth, and once I had swallowed stood up and said, "Well, if you're ready, it's better to get a head start."

Alice jumped out of her chair with a huge grin. I began to wind my way through the Hall, wondering vaguely why she hadn't eaten anything.