Then I Met You [D.M.]

Year One: Lamest Quidditch Match Ever

1st January, 1992, Wednesday Morning

Violet couldn't believe winter break was already over. She had enjoyed the few weeks back home immensely, despite her parents constant onslaught of questions about her new magical life. She was happy to answer every single one, though, when her parents expressed how proud they were of her and how excited they were that she got to experience this new world. 

The train ride back to Hogwarts was quiet enough. She shared a compartment with Hermione, who spent almost the entire ride reading her school books, aside from a few minutes of sharing what they'd done over break. By the state of the books, it wouldn't have been the first time she'd read them. Not that Violet could judge, she had started reading ahead on her Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts books. She'd been lucky enough to finish most of her homework the first few days she'd arrived home, so she had plenty of free time to do as she pleased.

When they finally arrived back at Hogwarts, Violet wasn't surprised to see Harry and Ron waiting for Hermione, hugging and welcoming her back. They weren't so friendly with Violet, not that she could blame them. They rarely hung out or talked, having only two classes together and other friends within their respective houses. 

The four of them catch up as they stand outside the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were rather secretive about what they'd done, only sharing that they'd found a magic mirror that showed each person their heart's deepest desire, and that they'd done a lot of reading that didn't provide anything useful, whatever that was supposed to have meant.

Once she'd gotten tired of holding her schoolbag, Violet excused herself and made her way down to the Hufflepuff basement. She knocked on the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row to the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', making her way through the rounded door that appeared.

Inside was full loud fellow Hufflepuffs, all reuniting and discussing their holidays. Everyone seemed to be in good moods, having had time to rest and relax over the last few weeks. Violet waved to a few people, smiling at a few others. She hadn't realised just how many of them she'd gotten to know in the Fall, that she'd have so many- well, not quite friends, but acquaintances. 

She shouted with glee when she entered her shared dorm, all three of her friends greeting her with warm hugs. As she, Caroline, Aimee, and Hannah unpacked and settled back in, they told each other all about their holidays.

Caroline spent her holiday travelling with her parents and little sister, who was just a few years younger than herself. They travelled to Ireland, where they apparently had distant family. Aimee stayed home with her father, celebrating quietly, as she had lost her mother just a few years before around that time of year. And Hannah spent the holidays visiting her family around Britain, mostly in Bristol. 

Violet had missed her friends. She missed her parents more, at least right before she'd left for break, but she was glad to be back. She missed the feeling of magic and wonder at Hogwarts.

Classes didn't start until the next day, so she and her friends were more than happy to explore Hogwarts a bit. It was still cold outside, where everything was covered in snow, so they made do exploring the castle. They knew where their current classrooms were, but they made it a game to see and count how many there were at Hogwarts. From classrooms, closets, dormitories, bathrooms, and empty rooms, there were well over two hundreds rooms they counted.

By the time they arrived for dinner, which was a grand feast to celebrate the return of students and start of classes, the girls were thoroughly exhausted and had sore legs from all the walking. The feast was nothing short of spectacular, though, as they ate and talked with their fellow housemates. 

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22nd February, 1991, Morning