The Hufflepuff Child

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

People have always said that I look like my mother. I can see it as I stand in front of the full length mirror in our dorm trying to pull my hair into a manageable style. I have her long, pale blonde hair (except mine is much longer than hers, extending slightly past my waist), crystal blue eyes, and pale skin.

"Ugh!" I exclaim after attempting a ponytail for the third time.

Lauren laughs from across the room. "Here, let me help." She says, putting down her book and walking over to me. Lauren starts to braid my thick hair. The tight braid goes all the way down my back when she's finished.

"Where did you learn to braid so well?" I ask, admiring her work.

"I've got 3 sisters." Lauren says. "I'm the oldest."

"What's it like growing up with 3 sisters?" I say.

"Crowded." Lauren laughs. "Now, let's go or we'll be late for breakfast."

Amber and Taylor have already left, so Isabel tags along with us. She's been ready for a while, but was waiting for Lauren. Having short hair like hers must be so easy to take care of.

"How do you deal with so much hair?" Isabel laughs. "I'd melt in the summer!"

"Who says I don't?" I say in response. All three of us burst out laughing as we enter the Great Hall, which is already mostly full. We spot Amber and Taylor and head over to sit with them. I can see Draco giving me a look at the other table. "They're Mudbloods and blood traitors." He mouths.

"So what? They're my sisters." I mouth back. I can see his eyes grow huge in anger, and he quickly turns to the rest of the Slytherin table and starts whispering to them. I shut them out.

The five of us quickly eat breakfast, excited to start classes. Professor Sprout begins to hand out schedules. All of the Hufflepuff first years have the same schedule, we come to find out. First is Herbology with Professor Sprout, then Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin and Professor Lupin. Then lunch, and after lunch, Potions with Professor Snape and Ravenclaw. Our last class is Transfiguration. And that's only today!

Unfortunately, none of us know where "Greenhouse One" is. "I have an idea." I tell the other girls, spotting Cedric.

"Hey Cedric!" I call, walking up to him. Cedric looks up from his schedule. "Can you tell us where Greenhouse One is?"

Cedric looks at my schedule and nods. "Come on, I'll take you girls there." He says. "All the greenhouses are together outside."

We follow Cedric out the main door of Hogwarts and onto the grounds. The grass surrounding the castle is a very pretty green. I spot a hut on the edge of a dark forest.

"Cedric, who's is that?" I ask, pointing it out to him.

"Oh that?" He says. "That's Hagrid's hut. He's the game keeper, and I think Care of Magical Creatures teacher this year. Hagrid's the one who led you guys across the lake yesterday, remember?"

I nod, remembering the extremely tall and hairy man who had led us up to Hogwarts through the rain last night.

"Here you are!" Cedric says as we approach a glass sided building. "Greenhouse One!"

"Thanks Cedric." We all say and the girls go inside to claim us a spot.

"Just a heads up, the Slytherins were saying something pretty nasty things about you this morning." Cedric warns me. "Don't let them bug you, the Slytherins will find something bad about everyone."