𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑉𝐼𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

IN THE GREAT hall, Caroline and her friends sat at their table, listening to Draco spin dramatic tales about his barely scratched arm. Caroline was ignoring him, seated next to Ron as she read a book. It was their first day of term, so there was next to no homework for any of them to complete.

        "Listen to the idiot. He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?" Ron said. Caroline looked up from her book and scoffed when she turned to see Draco getting showers of pity.

        "Yeah, but at least Hagrid didn't get fired." Harry said, containing a smile when he noticed Jacob entering the hall, looking for his sister.

        "I hear Draco's father's furious." Hermione said. Caroline put her book down for good.

        "Knowing those two, we haven't heard the end of this," Caroline added, hearing small footsteps behind her. All of a sudden, Jacob had appeared, hands shoving his sister's shoulders down harshly. Caroline knew exactly who it was right away. "Ow! How was your first day?" Caroline asked, swinging one leg over the bench so she could better view her brother after shoving him off.

        "Really fun. You didn't tell me school could be this fun!" Jacob smiled, making Caroline and her friends smile. Caroline reached up to fix Jacob's unruly tie.

        "I'm positive I did. Blue fits you, just like I said. What's your favorite subject?" Caroline asked, dusting off Jacob's robe and shirt.

        Jacob didn't even have to think before he answered. "Charms, of course!" he said. Hermione smiled.

        Caroline didn't even have to pretend to be disgusted. "Charms? Are you serious? That's the most boring subject!" she said, leaning her elbow on the table. She looked at Harry who chuckled under his breath at Jacob's reaction.

      He hit Caroline's shoulder gently. "It's not boring, it's the best! We learned the levitating spell this morning! Wingardium Leviosa!" Jacob smiled. Caroline, Ron and Harry all looked over at Hermione, getting flashbacks to first year. Hermione simply brushed them off.

       "That's a very useful spell, Jacob. I think you'll get it down soon." Hermione said, giving Jacob an encouraging nod.

        Caroline rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess Charms isn't so bad if you can learn all those useful spells first day." she faked giving in, and Jacob smiled.

      "Told you!" he said, and Caroline smiled, but the smile almost faded as Seamus came rushing over, newspaper in hand.

       "He's been sighted! He's been sighted!" Seamus slammed the newspaper down on the table to the right of Caroline and her friends.

       "Who?" Ron asked, standing up alongside Hermione and Harry.

      "Sirius Black!" Seamus shouted. Caroline called his name, putting a finger to her lips and nodding her head towards the little blonde Ravenclaw at her side.

      "Who's Sirius Black?" Jacob asked, confused.

     Caroline jumped in quickly. "No one. Here," Caroline grabbed her Charms book from her bag, handing it to Jacob. "why don't you go back to your common room and read about all the spells you'll get to learn when you're my age." Jacob's eyes lit up as he held the book.

      "Really?" Caroline nodded. "Thanks! I'll give it back to you at breakfast! Oh, I've gotta show Carson!" and just like that, Jacob was out the door. Caroline dropped her smile and stood up, standing next to Ron.

      "Where's he been sighted?" she asked, looking up at Harry. Her hands were pressed to the edge of the table and her sleeves were rolled up, showing her clenched muscles. Even though her parents had a son, Caroline had always been the manual labor child.

      "Dufftown? That's not far from here." Hermione said, inspecting the newspaper.

      "You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asked nervously.

      "With dementors at every entrance?" Dean asked, shaking his head.

      "Dementors? He slipped past them once. Who's to say he won't do it again?" Seamus said, standing next to Harry.

     Caroline rolled her eyes. The things she heard these boys say were sometimes too much. Then Bem spoke up. "That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

      "Lovely, Bem." Caroline said, grimacing. Bem just shrugged.

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IT WAS ON their way to Herbolgy that Caroline stole Harry away from their friends, walking ahead with them. She waited until they were far enough away to release his arm, Harry instantly missing the feeling of her hand on his skin. "I'm worried for you, Harry. Term has only just begun and someone's already out to to kill you. That usually doesn't happen until after holiday, at least." Caroline said.

        Harry smiled to himself. She was worried about him. "Carol, it's okay. I've survived twice before, I can do it again." Harry said, peering down at Caroline through his glasses and messy hair.

        "That somehow doesn't make me feel better." Caroline held her books, navigating through the bustled corridors with her friends behind them.

        "Yeah, my neither." Harry agreed. He often concealed his true feelings and hid behind sarcastic remarks, but with Caroline, everything was different. Harry didn't know why, but he didn't want it to ever change.

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