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Josephine slams the book shut and rises from her bed, determined to get ready for her first day of classes. She tip-toes to her dresser, mindful not to disturb her roommate, Dorcas, who is still fast asleep. The other girls in the dorm have already left for the day.
Carefully selecting her attire, Josephine chooses a black skirt, a crisp white button-up shirt, her tie, and then her robes. Making her way to the bathroom, she winces at the creaky door and shuts it behind her. After quickly dressing, she turns her attention to her hair and makeup. Although makeup is a regular part of her routine, she is grateful that it doesn't pose any challenges. Her hair, however, presents a different story. She finishes applying her favorite strawberry lipgloss and smacks her lips slightly.
"Are you fucking kidding me?," Josephine mutters, glaring at her frizzy reflection in the mirror. Determined to tame it, she grabs a spray bottle and mists her hair, working through it with a brush. Minutes tick by, accompanied with her hitting her head with the brush when it wouldn't detangle. Glancing at her watch, she realizes it is already 7:55 AM.
Exiting the bathroom, Josephine plops onto the bench at the end of her bed, struggling to slip on her combat boots. Finally succeeding, she breathes a sigh of relief. She adorns her fingers with her cherished rings, never leaving without them. Placing her book into her bag, she slings it over her shoulder. She grabs her strawberry scented perfume and sprays it. She had always loved the strawberry scented things.
Approaching Dorcas, Josephine gently shakes her still-sleeping roommate, who groans in response. "I'm heading to breakfast. You need to wake up," she says softly, urging her friend to rouse from her slumber.
Dorcas groans once more as she sits up, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"
With a soft chuckle, Josie replies, "It's 8:00."
"Merlin, alright, bye Jo."
Josie waves farewell and leaves the dorm, making her way down the spiral stairs. Surprisingly, the common room is empty this morning; usually, there are more people bustling about at this hour.
As she walks, Josie absentmindedly picks at her nails, noticing that her black nail varnish is even more chipped. She winces slightly as one of her nails starts to bleed from her nervous habit—a really bad one.
Upon entering the Great Hall, she is stopped by Filius Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw house. He holds out her class schedule for the week. Josie reaches out and takes it from him, offering a grateful smile.
"Thank you, sir," she says politely before making her way to the Ravenclaw table.
Her dark eyes instinctively drift to where Regulus usually sits. He is already engrossed in a conversation with Barty and Evan. Barty notices her presence and nods in greeting—an unspoken acknowledgment between them. Others often see Barty as "cold and mean," Returning the nod, she takes her seat at the Ravenclaw table.
