𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 (𝟏) || HARRY POTTER LOVE STORY

6

Everybody in the hall clapped. Julie didn't know wether he was being serious or mad.

"Mad? He's a genius!" Percy said when Harry asked what she was wondering "Does anyone want potatoes?"

Julie looked at the table and her mouth fell open. The dishes were filled with food. Never has she seen so many things that she wanted to eat at once: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips and so much more.

Only now Julie realized how hungry she was. She took a bit of everything except the mint humbugs. It all tasted delicious.

"That does look good" said a ghost as he watched us eat our food.

"Can't you-"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years" the ghost said "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident Ghost of Gryffindor Tower"

"I know who you are!" Ron suddenly said "You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"Ron! That's so rude, don't call him that" Julie said looking at Ron in disbelief. Hermione seemed to think the same as she nooded in agreement.

"Thanks, Miss Clarke, if i'm not mistaken?" he said "I would prefer for you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-"

"How can you be nearly headless?" Seamus Finnigan interrupted. Hermione and Julie looked at each other disapproving of the boy's behaviour.

"Like this" the ghost said as he seized his left ear and pulled. Julie quickly looked away, because she didn't fancy seeing his throat. The ghost flew away afterwards.

Julie was so hungry she even managed to eat second servings of everything. She was talking to all the new Gryffindor first years and she seemed to get along with everyone except for...

"Stop kicking my leg, Potter!" Julie said, glaring across the table.

"I'm not doing it on purpose." he said turning his attention to Neville who was talking about his toad Trevor.

Before Julie could bite back a response, Harry kicked her leg again.

"You're asking for it now!" she growled pushing her plate aside. She swung my leg under the table, aiming for his shin.

Harry yelped in surprise, nearly falling off the bench. The Weasley twins burst out laughing, their loud cackles drawing the attention of nearby students.

"I didn't do anything!" said Harry, though he was smirking now.

"I told you to stop kicking me!" Julie said, irritated but also determined to start ignoring Harry.

As they all slowly finished eating dinner suddenly the desserts appeared. There were puddings, blocks of ice cream in every flavour, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs, jam donuts, strawberries and so much more.

As Julie was very full already she only ate some strawberries and a bit of pudding. She looked at Harry who just slapped his palm on his forehead. Percy also noticed and asked "What is it?"

"N-Nothing" he answered and started asking questions about the teachers, especially a lot about Snape. Julie looked at him and she was sure he wasn't telling the truth. He just was uncomfortable telling anyone.

At last the desserts disappeared as well and Dumbledore stood up again. The hall fell silent. 
"Just a few more words now we are fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices for you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Julie immediately looked at the twins, Lee and Mason. Mason had told her about their numerous of failed attempts to enter the forest.

"I must tell you that this year, the third-floor  corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Julie looked at the professor in shock. Die a very painful dead? Everyone else seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore said. He flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words "Everyone choose their favourite tune and off we go!"

And they started singing. Everyone finished at a different time, but Hermione and Julie finished at the same time. At last only the two redheads next to her where singing to a very slow funeral march and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Ah music" Dumbledore said after everybody finished "A magic beyond all we do here. Now bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first-years, followed Percy trough the chattering crowd, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Julie thought she was about to pass out. Her legs and eyelids felt very heavy and she was sleepy.

Some of them including Julie noticed that a bundle of walking sticks were floating ahead of them and as Percy took a step towards them, they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves!" Percy roared.

"He's a poltergeist" Hermione said excitedly "I've read all about him!"

"Show yourself!" Percy shouted "Or the bloody baron will hear about this."

A man appeared in front of him, stuck his tongue at percy and vanished as he dropped the walking sticks right on Nevilles head.

"You better watch out for Peeves" Percy adviced as they continued walking but shortly afterwards came to halt.

"Password?" a fat lady asked, who was drawn as a potrait.

"Caput Draconis" Percy answered and the portrait swung open to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled trough and now were standing in the Gryffindor common room.
It was a comfortable room with lots of armchairs.

"Remember, all the first years don't have regular classes tomorrow. You'll have to meet Professor McGonnagal in front of the Great Hall at 9 a.m. You'll recieve more information tomorrow by her. Now please follow me and I'll show you your dormitories."

Percy led us to the girls dormitory and when they walked in Julie was relieved to see that my trunk and my cat's cage were on my bed.

"Hey, Juniper" she said softly, looking at her cat "Come on, I'll let you out and you can explore the castle"

He rubbed his head against her legs and trotted off into the common room. The girls, Lavender, Hermione, Parvati and her all put on their pyjamas and got into bed.

"We definitely have to decorate our dormitory" Lavender said while looking around the room.

"I've brought my muggle camera. We can take pictures of us and the castle and put them up in the room" Hermione agreed.

"And I can ask my mom if she can send us some fairy lights to put around our beds" Julie added excitedly.

"Our room's gonna be the prettiest of all Hogwarts." Parvati squealed. "Well, see you guys in the moring. Good night!"

As Julie settled into bed, she couldn't help but think about Harry. There was something about him that irritated her. Perhaps it was his arrogance or his quiet smirks, but there was also something that made her want to know him better. Maybe they'd become friends, she thought. Though right now, they didn't exactly get along, it wouldn't surprise her if, over time, they did.

Still, she wasn't going to let him know that anytime soon.

~~~

Harry, Ron, Hermione or Julie?
Me: Love all of them.