Taste of Youth

I wondered if this was how half giants felt when they wandered around large crowds. The group of eleven year olds pressed around my waist tightly and I tried desperately to ignore the stares. It was difficult when one stood half bodied above a sea of children due to tradition. The tight press of my lips had begun to make my jaw ache as the names were called. My eyes stayed leveled at the professors hands.

“Rein, Luciana.”

The children shuffled sideways to let me through whispering among themselves. I was unsure about the short stool the children had been perching on. Soft leather brushed against my forehead, a soft hum sounded in my ears. The feeling of being rummaged through was gut wrenching; there was none of the delighted excitement I had seen on the younger students faces. I kept still watching the hushed faces of an entire generation of wizards and witches.

Half of them kept whispering to one another; eye forward but attention on one another. James and Peter were talking to one another out of the corners of their mouths. I caught Sirius’ slow, easy smile and the knot in my chest loosened a bit. With them, please, put me with them. The hat howled something I couldn’t understand and the table covered in red and gold exploded into whoops and whistles. The same way the rest had when someone was to join their ranks.

The hooked nosed witch ushered me away towards them. My hands were rubbing the inner part of my wrist raw as I wandered towards them. Just as the concept of finding an empty seat began to eat me alive Sirius appeared in front of me. All crooked smile and boy he ushered me into a seat next to Remus. The knot in my chest became nonexistent at their smiles.

I cheered with them as the last of the kids were sent to their tables. Remus began to explain something about upcoming classes as the food appeared. I spit pumpkin juice into my potato’s at the sight of James’ mouth stuffed full of marshmallows. They howled louder at my embarrassment. James and I made a pair of antlers out of rib bones and some strange sticky pudding. He promptly stuck them to his head and began nosing a plate of salad three people down from him.

His scolding came a few moments later to the amusement of everyone in ear shot. The pretty redhead - Lily I would come to found out - frowned deeply at him until Sirius proceeded to try on the pair of ears I had just finished. He barked twice at another girl a few seats down before dramatically sniffing at my hair. My apologetic look coupled with the sheer amount of hilarity the situation held had her covering up her smile with a hand.

“Stop sniffing her, Black, you’re going to get a black eye.” She laughed out.

He immediately burrowed a little deeper with an explosive laugh. I flicked my fingers at his nose lightly laughing. The low whining sound he emitted before removing his ears had everyone dissolving into laughter once again.

“It’s hardly my fault, Evans!” He exclaimed brandishing the ears in her direction, ”I am a dog at heart.”

“Get your owner to do more training then.” Her laughter trailed after her as she returned to her seat.

Eyes bright with mischief the two boys put their ears down. By the time we were lead out of the hall their jokes had quieted. We wound up and up and up; staircase after staircase we went until we stopped at a rather large lady’s portrait. The prefects ushered us in and Mary beamed at me from the right stair case at the back of the large room.

I listened to her for a moment explain the sleeping arrangements. She twittered away for a few more moments as the bulk of the students disappeared. The boys - my friends stayed behind for a moment to bid me goodnight. My smile hurt my cheeks and just for a moment it felt honest. Just before they disappeared, just before Mary lead the way to our room I heard their laughter echo down.

“She smells good?” James’ boisterous voice echoed before the loud sounds of shushing were mixed with laughter.