Petite Étoile → Luna Lovegood

The Myserious Horses

Instead of taking the boats which were usual for the first years, Étoile, Ginny, and Luna took the stagecoaches. All three of them were second years, so it was their first time going in one. Immediately after entering, Étoile stared boredly in the distance while Luna seemed to be looking fascinatedly at something in the front, where an invisible horse of some sort seemed to be pulling the carriages. Étoile wrinkled her nose; the carriages smelt like mold.

"I wonder what type of creature that is," Luna pondered quietly, and had it not been for her supernatural hearing abilities Étoile doubted she would have heard her. Étoile raised a brow, "What creature?"

Luna gestured madly at the front of the stagecoach and Ginny and Étoile both gave each other a quick, dumbfounded glance. "Maybe Potter could recommend a prescription for you," Étoile said, "I think you're seeing things."

Luna didn't seem to mind her insult very much.

Soon enough, the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns with winged boars, and two Dementors standing guard on each side of the gate. They all shivered in unison at the coldness the Dementors were radiating off of their withered bodies.

Leaving the carriage, the three students entered the magnificent doors of the castle into the Entrance Hall; then, spotting the door that led to the Great Hall that the other students were going through, they too went through to be met with the large, familiar room.

Étoile was just about to leave Ginny and Luna standing there and make her way to the Slytherin table when a loud voice halted her action. "Potter! Granger! Rosier! I want to see you three!"

Étoile tried to remain composed as she made her way with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger with the stern looking Transfiguration teacher. "There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."

Étoile almost laughed when Ron stared at Professor McGonagall in disbelief, the latter of which ushered the three of them away from the chattering crowd. Étoile ended up scowling, however, with the amount of exercise she already had to endure; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Étoile, Harry, and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Rosier, Potter."

Before any of them could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

"Oh, come on now!" Étoile voiced, hmphing as she shielded her face from view.

"I'm fine," Harry said, "I don't need anything—"

"You heard the man," Étoile said. "I, for one, would not oppose to some more chocolate."

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. "Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "They won't be the last one who collapse. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, while Étoile let out a small snort. Pomfrey was now taking her pulse.

"What do they need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"We're fine!" said Harry, jumping up. Although she did not want to admit it, Étoile agreed with him. A night in the hospital wing was the last thing she needed.

"Well, they should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Harry, while Étoile was squinting derisively at him. Couldn't he take the free chocolate and shut up? "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter, Rosier?" Professor McGonagall said sharply. "Yes," said Harry. Étoile nodded mutely.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

Harry and Étoile went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. They had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the four of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

Étoile tried to make conversation. "What are you so happy about? Found a way to take more classes or something?" She laughed at her own joke but Hermione and Professor McGonagall did not appear to share her sentiment; they were staring dubiously at her. Harry, as always, was oblivious to the whole interaction.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

Harry gave Étoile a small, polite nod in a form of a goodbye, and Étoile was forced to endure his embarrassing mannerisms one last time before making her way to her own table, a sea of emerald greens. From the table over, she could see Ginny smiling cheekily at her from beside Fred and George Weasley.

Étoile returned the smile.