𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xxiv

𝐁𝐎𝐍 𝐉𝐎𝐕𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀 good change from the Beatles. Dorothea was worried that she'd listen to the band's songs too much and get sick of them, so it was nice to have something else to listen to.

The morning of her departure to Hogwarts arrived in the blink of an eye. Kings Cross Station was noisy and crowded, but it wasn't as bad with Livin' On a Prayer playing in her headphones to drown out the noise. She gave Porcus a reassuring pat on the head before running forward into the wall that separated platform 9 and ¾ from the Muggle world.

While pigs weren't on Hogwarts' approved list of animal companions, Andromeda spoke with Dumbledore, and he agreed to allow Dorothea to bring Porcus, her Walkman, and headphones. The only rule was that she wasn't allowed to listen to music during classes, which she was fine with.

"We'll keep touch," Andromeda said as she hugged Dorothea goodbye. The teenager didn't resist this time, like she had on so many other occasions during the summer break. "Be good. Stay in the castle. No sneaking out, okay? It's too dangerous. Dora is stationed in Hogsmeade, so she'll be real close in case of an emergency." She kissed her forehead. "I love you, Thea. See you at Christmas."

"I love you too, Mum," Dorothea said softly. With Porcus by her side, she boarded the train. Prefects had to go to the prefects carriage to check in and get instructions from the head boy and girl. She was excited to see Hermione, who was a Gryffindor prefect and her favorite member from the lion house.

"Mutt, what is that pig doing in here?" Pansy Parkinson asked, scoffing. She looked at the animal in disgust.

Dorothea didn't answer her. She sat down next to Hermione, who's cat, Crookshanks, leaned forward out of her lap to examine Porcus.

"I've heard of service animals before, but they're usually dogs," Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff prefect in the year above Dorothea, said.

"Porcus is a service pig," Draco told them.

"That thing has a name?" Pansy scowled.

"Yes." Dorothea glared at her. Her nose twitched. Pansy shrunk back in her seat, deciding not to irritate the younger girl any more in case she tried whatever voodoo magic she used on her and Draco last year that made the boy fly up to the ceiling.

"I think he's lovely." Hermione smiled at Dorothea, who smiled too. "Oh! Did you enjoy the book I sent you?"

Dorothea nodded. She had read all of Pride & Prejudice in a week and a half. She enjoyed all books from Muggle literature, and Hermione Granger was the only other person she knew that shared that love.

They were joined by the head boy and girl not too long after that. They instructed them to patrol the corridor and put a stop to any misbehaving. After the feast that night, they would be in charge of showing the first years to the Common Rooms.

When they were dismissed, Dorothea began the search for her two best friends, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. She found them in a carriage near the back, and when she slid open the compartment door, Neville's jaw dropped.

"Merlin's beard, is that Thea Tonks?!" He gasped, smiling. "Your hair! It's shorter!"

"Cut it." Dorothea grinned.

"It looks lovely. It suits you," Luna said as she got up to give Dorothea a hug, checking first to make sure that it was okay before wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

Dorothea hugged her waist and tucked her head into the crook of her neck. She always felt safe with the blonde. Luna understood her in ways that the other students didn't, and never judged her for the things that made her unique.