𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥⇒ 𝕝𝕪𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 (on hold)

three.

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as much as laurel had liked the boy, lysander, she knew that she had to keep a low profile here at hogwarts. it was her father's only wish to her, and she had to stay true to her word, just as he always was.

laurel was currently seated on a soft loveseat in the headmistress's office waiting for her... what's the word? we'll stick with tour guide. mcgonagall told laurel that the boy was to show her around the castle and to her dorm. she called him a hufflepuff perfect, laurel believed, but wasn't entirely sure she heard her correctly.

"your mother sent an owl," the headmistress spoke, causing laurel to tense up. "apparently, she's not very happy that you left. i hear that you're not supposed to be here in the first place, that you didn't have permission. is this true?"

"relatively," laurel mumbled, looking down at her black and yellow stockings and black mary janes. 

"that's fine my dear. you come straight to me if you need anything. have you met anyone new since you arrived?"

"well, there was this boy named lysander, but t—"

before laurel could finish her sentence, a knock sounded on the wooden door. 

"come in." with the headmistress's words, the boy made his way into the room. 

"speak of the devil and he shall appear," laurel mumbled, rolling her eyes. in front of her stood none other than the boy from the train. 

"miss collins, this is mister scamander; he will he showing you around."

"we've met,"laurel said nonchalantly, looking down at her nails.

"we have?" the scamander boy questioned, his eyebrows furrowing together. 

"ohh okay we're playing this game. obviously not. you obviously didn't crash into me on the train or ask me to your friends' party during dinner. of course not."

"ma'am, i'm sorry, but i can't say that i am sure about what you're talking about."

then mcgonagall chuckled. "sweetie, i do believe that you've met lysander. this young gentleman here is lorcan, his twin brother. lorcan is in hufflepuff, just the same as you."

"oh. sorry," laurel mumbled. 

"don't worry about it, people mix us up all the time! now, how about that tour?" lorcan asked, offering a charming smile, along with his hand, to the girl. 

she smiled back and took his hand, and he led her out to the corridor. 

"so, tell me about yourself, miss collins," lorcan laughed, guiding her towards the ravenclaw tower. "where are you from?"

"um," laurel hesitated, unsure about whether or not she should tell him. "america. virginia."

"it is not very wise to lie, miz collins. you have a british accent, but you are from virginia, you say? hmm, i think not," a male voice with a thick accent spoke as they turned a corner. 

"professor grant. how are you?" lorcan greeted the man. 

"swell. get to your dorms."

"actually, professor, lorcan is showing me around. see, i'm new here, and—"

"oh yes, i'm quite aware of your situation here, miz collins from barcelona."

the three stood in the silent corridor, unsure of what to say. then, the professor continued his stride down the hallway leaving the students in an even more awkward silence. laurel attempted to say something, but she couldn't put what she was trying to say into words, so lorcan cut in. 

"laurel, it's fine, really," he chuckled. "i was just trying to get to know you a little better. i don't want you telling me things if you don't feel comfortable with them. i understand, i promise."

laurel gave him a small smile, silently telling him 'thank you.'

"the astronomy tower is one of hogwarts's highest towers. students frequently go up there to study or, in the words of james sirius potter, 'get laid.'"

"oh wow, that's pleasant."

lorcan laughed at the girl. "if that's what you call it."

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the tour of hogwarts lasted quite a long time, two or three hours at the very least, but with that said, laurel definitely felt like she knew her way around the place. she learned that the hogwarts castle had been somewhat rebuilt after the second wizarding war, the castle now having 6 towers, and almost double the size of what it once was. 

she was excited for quidditch tryouts, which started in merely two weeks time. she had hoped to be able to try out for the seeker position, but they already had a seeker. she could always try out to become a beater, she supposed. 

as she made her way to the great hall for an early breakfast, her roommates were all sitting together laughing over something one had said. one of them noticed laurel upon her arrival, and invited her over. "laurel, right? come sit with us!" she smiled. 

"thank you, um..." laurel wishes to thank her, but was unsure of her name.

"della bl—" she began, but before she could get her words out, the boy who showed her around last night said, "cordelia blake," in a fake posh voice. he looked at laurel and gave her a smile. 

"—but people find that name too prestigious, so they call me della or delia."

laurel smiled at the girl. "i think it's a remarkably beautiful name."

della grinned at the compliment she was given. "so i suppose that by the smiles the two of you are exchanging, you've already met?"

laurel could feel her face getting warm, but nodded. "he showed me around yesterday."

"quite the man isn't he?" 

"oh addy, you're the only one who thinks that. he's more like a baby to everyone else," delia laughed, nudging lorcan, who let out i sigh of defeat and shook him head. 

"is that laurel collins?" a familiar voice said. she rolled her eyes. "what, you're not going to say hello to your oldest friend?" 

"wasn't planning on it," she bluntly stated.

"well somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"mate i hate to be the one to break your heart, but i don't think she likes you very much," one of his friends said. "ty mastin, pleasure to meet you."

"nice to meet you, ty," she greeted.