The Snake and the Lion

Chapter 6:

You are the single greatest mistake

I walk into the main dining hall the warm and delicious aroma wafting around me, the tables filled to the brim with all types of foods and drinks. Some people sleeping the early morning off and others chatting amongst their friends. My eyes slowly wander through the bunched-up students and lock eyes with Hermione as she curiously looks at the entrance. I grin and offer her a wave, she turns around pointing out to Ron and Harry where I am. They look around for a bit trying to spot me in the crowd but when they do they give me a rather cheesy smile. I hurry my pace, almost jogging out of excitement before eventually making my way to the table squeezing in between Ron and some other Gryffindor. My eyes roamed over the piles and piles of food. I've never seen so much food in front of me before. Things I've never seen or smelled before sitting right in front of me, I practically start drooling just thinking about it. "Bloody hell, is this what it's like every meal?" I say as I cut myself up a slice of ham and push some scrambled eggs onto my plate. The trio looking at me and giggling as I shove food into my mouth. "Whot," I say, my mouth full of food as the boys look at me falling into a laughing fit as Hermione looks on in disgust. "Honestly Y/N have you no manners?" She says before offering me a napkin. I gulp my food down and laugh at her. "Lighten up Granger! I say throwing a nearby roll at her. I watch as it makes contact wither her forehead, right in the middle. I hear a series of "oo's" and gasps from surrounding classmates as Hermione slowly looks up at me. "Y/N" she spits through gritted teeth. My mouth completely agape as I try to stifle a laugh "Hermione... I am so sorry." I say with a slight smile on my face as my voice shakes with laughter. I hear her mumble something underneath her breath and soon enough I watch as the whole pile of rolls flick up into the air, Hermione's wand aiming at me as she sends them off. They all come hailing down on me like pellets and I yell "Hermione! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" I say. A smile still plastered on my face as I laugh, the rolls tickling me because of how soft they are. Suddenly the rolls stop pestering me, I peak through my hand making sure there was nothing suspicious going on before standing up watching as Ron and Harry double over the table with laughter. I smile at them before looking at Hermione who has a sly smirk on her face "Is that a smile on your face Granger?" I say dramatically pointing out to everyone. She scoffs and I laugh lightly before offering my hand to her "Truce?" she looks at me and back at my hand before clasping her hand around mine. Her skin being soft and warm, with not a single callous, scrape or blemish on her skin. "Deal, but if you pull a stunt like that again it won't just be rolls being flung at you," she says in a whispered tone only for me to hear. "Yes ma'am" I give her a mock salute before standing up and going to pick up the lost rolls before realizing they've already disappeared.

"Alright, let's get started on the tour around Hogwarts," says Harry as him and Ron finally recover from the manic laughing session. Ron hops alongside me and Hermione as we out of the dining hall. For the next few hours, they show me around the school, the classes, and the courtyard, telling me all about their sotries about trolls, Voldermort, a suspicious teacher, adn everything Harry loves about quidditch, eventually we end up where they teach you Broom Flight Class, there are already brooms prepared for classes tomorrow and I can't help but pick one up. It was newer than the one I was taught to ride. The broomstick looking like a polished tree branch, the bristles a red color with yellow constricting around it. "Wow, this things beautiful." I say more to myself more than anything. Ron laughs, "If you think that old things pretty wait until you see Harrys Nimbus 2000." Hermione swatts at him for bragging about something that wasn't even his while Harry responds "To be fair it's not too new, Draco's whole team has the newest brooms." I nod my head quietly before placing the broom down. I look up at the sky, the sun beginning to fall just below the horizon, "Should we be making our way back?" I say looking at the whole group. "There's one last thing," Harry says. "I think you might like him." I look at him puzzled as Ron's face fills with recognition. They begin leading me towards the forest and take every step more skeptical than the last. Eventually, we find ourselves walking up to a rather small cottage right outside of the forest, the inside looking cozy and warm as Harry and Ron bang on the door relentlessly.

That was until one of the tallest brutes I've ever seen open the door before speaking in a heavy almost incoherent accent. "Aye well if it isn't my favorite students...and someone new this year, eh?" He says looking at me, I wave at him "Y/N Y/L/N." I say "Rubeus Hagrid, former Gatekeeper, your new Care of Magical Creatures teacher." He speaks with his booming voice. I smile and he offers one back before letting us into his humble abode. "What can I do for the lot of you guys?"

"Well Y/N here is new to Hogwarts and we were hoping you could tell her some stories, maybe even let her know about the creatures that roam the forest?" Harry says. "Well of course!" And that's where we spent the rest of sundown, talking to Hagrid and listening to an impossible amount of stories...