We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

- The Prank -

"It didn't happen all at once—just quiet moments, soft glances, and suddenly you were there in every thought I didn't mean to have."

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The morning sun stretched across the towering spires of Hogwarts, casting a soft golden glow over the ancient stone walls as Katherine made her way through the castle for her first full day of classes.

The air felt different in the morning, quieter, yet filled with anticipation.

Students moved through the corridors in clusters, their voices blending into a steady hum of excitement and nerves. Footsteps echoed against the stone floors, robes brushing softly as people hurried past, some clearly confident in where they were going, others just as lost as she felt.

Katherine walked a little slower than most, her eyes constantly drifting. She couldn't help it.

Every corridor seemed to lead somewhere new, every staircase twisting and shifting in ways that made the castle feel alive.

Tapestries lined the walls, some so detailed they looked as though they might move at any second. Suits of armour stood silently in place though she was certain she had seen one shift slightly when she wasn't looking directly at it.

It was overwhelming. But in the best possible way.

By the time she reached the Great Hall, the space was already buzzing with energy. The long house tables were filled with students, plates stacked high with food that seemed to appear endlessly, and candles flickered gently overhead as though untouched by the air around them.

Katherine hesitated briefly before making her way toward the Slytherin table.

The moment she sat down, the feeling returned.

That quiet sense of being... out of place.

Around her, students leaned into familiar conversations, laughing easily, exchanging stories as though they had known each other for years.

Many of them clearly belonged here. Not just in the house, but in this world.

She, however, still felt like she was catching up.

Learning rules everyone else had grown up knowing.

She had barely begun eating when a voice broke through her thoughts.

"Katherine, right?"

She looked up.

A blonde girl from her dorm had taken the seat beside her, offering an easy, welcoming smile.

Katherine nodded, quickly swallowing her mouthful.

"I'm Veronica," she said. "But everyone calls me Ronnie."

Katherine studied her for a moment.

Her hair was a much softer blonde than Draco's, lighter, natural and her bright green eyes stood out sharply against the darker tones of her robes.

"Nice to meet you," Katherine replied.

"You look like you're analysing everyone," she added, reaching for a piece of toast. "Bit early for that, don't you think?"

Katherine huffed a quiet laugh.

"Just trying to figure out where I stand."

Ronnie followed her gaze briefly before shrugging.

"Give it a week. Everyone pretends they know what they're doing at first."

There was something reassuring in how casually she said it.