Against the dark Hearts

Dormouse and Butterbeer

The day after the induction ceremony began with classes, but first it was breakfast. My first lesson was ancient runes. I grabbed my wand and a small bag I kept my books in, and of course I wanted to head to the Great Hall first. I stepped out of the Ravenclaw common room, my brownish-red hair was loosely pinned together and my blouse was still hanging out of my skirt because I was in a bit of a hurry, having slept a little longer than I should have.

"You look like something attacked you," said a voice to my left and as I turned my head, dark green eyes looked at me, I stared at him, he was somehow taller than he was a few months ago too. He smiled mischievously at me and pushed himself off the wall, "Been waiting for you, Dormouse," he said and put his arm around my shoulder. "Where's Ominis?" I asked curiously and Sebastian looked at me indignantly, "There I am waiting for you and I got all dressed up too and all you care about is Ominis?", he asked playfully dramatically, he was wearing the normal Hogwarts uniform, of course his was green. "Save the theatrics Sallow," I said and hugged him loosely, "Ominis is just easier to miss than you are," now I grinned at him and he also grinned, Sebastian told me that Ominis was already in the great hall waiting for us so we headed out. The Great Hall was almost empty, there were only a few tables with people sitting at them and at the Slytherin table there were only two other Slytherins besides Ominis and the principal's son whose names I didn't know because they were either first or second years.

I followed Sebastian to the Slytherin table and sat down with them, "There you are," Ominis said in a reproachful tone long before we sat down at the table, sure our footsteps had made noise but that he knew exactly that they were ours was impressive. "Complain to Hawkins," Sebastian said and I looked at him with my eyebrows down, "Why? Did she get into another fight with a full grown troll on the way here from the common room?" asked Ominis, a bit bored and I had to smile again. "A full-grown troll and a slightly smaller one," I said, looking meaningfully at Sebastian, who looked at me as if he wanted to know if I was serious. A glance at the clock told us that it was time to quickly eat something and then walk to class.

We had Ancient Runes together so we sat together as well. After that we had the first lesson of Apparating and it went pretty badly, almost everyone had trouble getting started. It was like flying for the first time back then, I heard some whisper after we left the room. I remembered, my first lesson flying had been pretty good, apparating on the other hand was something completely different. Flying had the danger of flying off your broom and you were either dead or paralyzed, apparating on the other hand could literally tear you apart and I know I would rather be dead than lose an arm.

I didn't have any classes in the afternoon, Ominis and Sebastian had still chosen fortune telling and because we had planned to visit Sirona in the Three Broomsticks, I waited for my friends in the library. I was absorbed in a novel I had brought from home. "Little Women," was the name of the book. I was sitting on one of the tables leaning against the window when I heard footsteps approaching, "Are you reading something naughty?" asked Sebastian boldly and I raised my eyebrows in wonder, "Just because you imagine I'm reading naughty doesn't make it true Sallow," I said and flipped the book closed, he eyed the title and shrugged. "Muggle stuff," he said and I smacked the book against his arm, "Don't say that like it's a bad thing," I said slightly indignant and he gently pulled the book out of my hand and came closer, "If you lend it to me I'll read it just for you," he whispered and I felt his breath on my cheek, my face grew hot and I pushed him away slightly, pulling the book out of his hand. "If only you could read," I said, annoyed.

Ominis, standing behind Sebastian, laughed, "Hogsmeade?" he asked expectantly, and I put the book in my little pouch. Sebastian stared at the small container, the pouch was not tiny, it looked like it would hold a novel and some more odds and ends, you should have seen the book, but the shape did not change. "Undetectable expansion spell," I said with a shrug and held up the bag, "There are so many naughty novels in there you could swim in it," I said a little more quietly and hacked at Ominis to get going. Sebastian followed us closely and then put an arm around me as he caught up to us, "I already know what's going on in that little head of yours Hawkins," he said mischievously and looked at me again with that look as if he was up to something or had me completely figured out.

If only he really knew what was going on in my head. Besides all the thoughts and guilt, there was something else. It was something dark that I couldn't put my finger on. I hadn't told anyone about it before, but just before this school year started at Hogwarts, I had started having nightmares. Sometimes I wondered if they meant something or were a result of everything I had experienced last year. Maybe the nightmares were surfacing now because I had been nervous about what all would happen this year. I'm hoping for a quiet year, maybe a little romance or even just a crush. No trolls, no goblins, and no dark wizards, I just wanted to learn and drink butterbeer with my friends.

Butterbeer was the keyword, I had been in my thoughts so long that we had arrived at the Three Broomsticks, we each ordered one and Sebastian tried to persuade Sirona to give him a Firewhiskey but she just patted his head and told him to come back when he had graduated from Hogwarts. Sebastian was already 17 and allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts, but Sirona knew this Slytherin. He attracted trouble like light moths.

Our first day of school in sixth year is only the second for me. We ended the day in the small tavern and when we walked back to Hogwarts, the sun was already setting. The light was warm on my skin and I pulled my cloak off my shoulders to wear in my arms. I noticed a quick glance from Sebastian and he too took off his cloak, rolling up his sleeves and holding them a bit more into the remaining sunlight. Ominis did nothing of the sort, instead keeping the conversation going.

When we got back to the school, we said our goodbyes and headed in different directions to our common rooms. I briefly looked after the two of them and Sebastian also turned briefly to wave to me. It was a small gesture, but somehow his smile made my heart beat a tiny bit faster.

No troll attacks, no dragons and no goblins. I remembered my first day at Hogwarts and I was glad, I was so glad that this time might be a quiet year after all.