𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐼𝑉.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

TO CAROLINE'S LUCK, Jacob had been sorted into Ravenclaw, which meant that she was getting twenty galleons from the twins. It also made her nervous, because Caroline knew she wouldn't be able to check on him as much as she would've liked. Her nerves calmed when Jacob's new friend Carson was also sorted into Ravenclaw.

        The twins were not happy to give Caroline the money they owed, but they did, sulking the entire time. Once Caroline got the money, she found Jacob at the Ravenclaw table and blew him a kiss. He smiled and waved at her, which led to the beginning of Ron's questions. "But, normally siblings end up in the same house. Look at my family, all Gryffindor." Ron said, confusion laced in his face.

        Hermione chuckled at Caroline's face. Caroline didn't even know what to say, but what she did made Harry shy away from his best friend to laugh. "Keen observation, Ron, but what's different about our familes?" Caroline asked, hoping Ron would catch on so she wouldn't have to explain it again.

        Ron paused, face falling until he figured it out. "We're redheads?" Hermione groaned, Harry, Fred and George laughed, and Caroline sighed.

        "I had faith in you, Ron. Remind me never to have that again."

        And Ron asked Hermione was the real difference was, and she told him to figure it out himself. He was going to ask Harry, but the choir of students began singing, and they were silent until they finished. Dumbledore appeared, standing behind his podium as always.

        "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor." the hall applauded for Lupin as he stood up. Caroline immediately turned to Hermione, who praised her for being right in her assumption.

        "Of course, Caroline's right. That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry." Hermione said, leaning across the table towards Harry and Ron, who were sat opposite from her and Caroline.

        A voice from the Slytherin table behind Harry and Ron drew the group's attention. "Potter. Potter. Is it true you fainted? I mean, you actually fainted?" Draco Malfoy sneered, winking at Caroline who recoiled in disgust.

        "Shove off, Malfoy." Ron said, turning Harry around.

        "How did he find out?" Harry said, annoyed.

        Caroline shrugged. "He's Malfoy, that's how."

        "Just forget it." Hermione said, turning back towards Dumbledore.

        "Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher has decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other than our own... Rubeus Hagrid." Dumbledore gestured to Hagrid, who stood up loudly, while the four friends clapped and cheered loudly for him.

        "Finally, on a more disquieting note, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban, until such a time as Sirius Black is captured. The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now, whilst I've been assured that their presense will not distrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution. Dementors are vicious creatures. They'll not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But, you know, happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

THE FEAST HAD concluded, and the Gryffindor house was making their way up to their house. When Hermione and Caroline joined the boys on the way up the stairs after Caroline had said goodnight to Jacob, they found Seamus trying to get in. "Fortuna Major," Seamus said to The Fat Lady who guarded the house's entrance. The Fat Lady ignored Seamus and continued vocalizing. "Here, listen. She just won't let me in." Seamus said, turning to his friends who had accumulated.

        "Fortuna Major." Harry said, stepping forward. Caroline rolled her eyes. They were going to have to find Percy, and he would yell at them for being stupid like he always did.

        "No, no. Wait, wait. Watch this," The Fat Lady held a glass, and started vocalizing again in an attempt to get it to shatter. When that didn't work she started screaming, causing everyone to cover their ears. Finally, the glass broke when The Fat Lady smashed it, and the screaming stopped. "Amazing. Just with my voice."

        Caroline rolled her eyes, pushing past Harry to get to The Fat Lady. "Fortuna Major." she demanded, and The Fat Lady gave up.

        "Yes, all right," she opened the portait up. "Go in."

        "Thank you." Harry said sarcastically, walking in with Dean, Ron, Seamus and Neville, while Caroline waited for Hermione before she went in. They walked through the common room, and Dean walked through a ghost, making Caroline chuckle in amusement.

        Suddenly, Ron stopped walking before he made it to the stairs. He gasped, his face lighting up. "I figured it out!" he sounded proud of himself, but no one knew what he was talking about.

        "Figured what out, Ron?" Dean asked, head tilted to the side.

        "What Caroline told me earlier! You're not in the same house as your brother because you're adopted! It makes perfect sense!" Harry, Dean, Neville and Seamus all froze, unsure of if they should laugh or scold Ron for his bluntness. Hermione scowled, and Caroline sighed.

        "Good job, Ronald. I'm so proud of you for coming to that revelation." said Caroline, rolling her eyes. Ron's words didn't affect her in the slighest, she was just surprised it took him that long to figure it out, especially because he had known Caroline was adopted since first year. It was also quite obvious, because Caroline looked nothing like her family, and she acted nothing like them either. But, they were her family, and she loved them.

        It was quiet for a few seconds as everyone continued standing still, until Hermione spoke, grabbing her best friend's hand. "Let's go unpack, Carol." Hermione said, brushing past the group of boys with her hand in Caroline's, who walked at the same pace. The boys simply laughed at them, but they paid them no mind. Hermione and Caroline were quite used to it by now.

        "Read my mind." said Caroline as they marched into the dorm that they shared with Lavender Brown, a girl in their year that neither Hermione nor Caroline particulary liked. She was quite rude, and had made snide remarks to Caroline about practically everything she did. Parvati Patil has always been nice, and Caroline had shared conversation with her. Their final roomate was a mellow girl named Sophie Roper, who didn't have too many cares in anything, and had no interest in getting to know Caroline and Hermione.

        With great efficiency, Caroline and Hermione had gotten all of their school books and materials ready in their bags, unpacked their trunks, and had each taken care of their respective cats. They were in their beds reading before the three other girls in their dorm had even finished gossiping. Caroline fell asleep with Penny under her arm and a smile on her face as she heard the distant laughs of Seamus, Dean, Neville, Ron and Harry enjoying themselves, instead of getting an early night's rest.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —