Green and Scarlet Ice {Book 1 of the Klins series}

Chapter 3

*Reese Diggory*

I knew Cedric had warned me. Draco Malfoy was someone I shouldn't fraternize with. A short train ride, however, showed me otherwise.

He could be kind, and even though I had been sorted into Gryffindor I hoped we could still be friends. His eyes were a dreamy blue and something about his pale blonde hair intrigued me. It was the company he kept that I could do without. The two boys didn't say much but wore the same distasteful looks. Clarissa Klins though, I didn't know what I had done to her.

The moment we met her eyes shot dangers at me. Maybe I had interrupted their conversation on the train and she thought I was being rude. I felt bad now. Maybe I'd find time to apologize to her.

"Aren't you ready yet?" Hermione rushed out of the bathroom. "I'd like to get down to breakfast on time and Percy is supposed to have our class schedules in the common room." She said as she attempted to wake Lavender who just rolled over and went back to sleep. I knew she was right. Being late on our first day would set us up for disaster and the teachers would hate us for the rest of the year. Ok maybe that was an exaggeration.

A short time later I was ready in my neatly pressed Gryffindor robes and I followed Hermione out of our room. It was probably better to head to the Great Hall with someone else, if we were lucky we'd be able to follow an upperclassmen.

"First-years?" Percy asked. We nodded. "Here is your schedule. Make sure to be on time to your classes." He handed us a piece of paper and we exited through the portrait hole.

"Know where we're headed?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course." Hermione answered as she confidently walked in one direction.

Once we made it to the Great Hall we found a seat across the table from Harry and Ron. "Hey Reese." Ron said, grinning.

"Hey Ron." I said laughing. "You have something between your teeth." I added, he blushed.

"Good morning." Hermione said to the boys, they gave a small smile but avoided making eye contact for too long.

I scooped scrambled eggs and bacon onto my plate and grabbed a piece of toast. "Pumpkin juice?" A boy next to me asked, he already had the pitcher in hand from filling his own glass.

"Yes, thanks." I said around a mouthful of egg.

"I'm Xavier." He introduced.

"Reese." I replied.

It was exciting to meet new people. Xavier was a second year. His friends, Sam, Maci and Delaney were all huge fans of the Hollyhead Harppies just like me. We all easily fell into conversation about quidditch.

Breakfast flew by. "We can't be late to classes." Hermione kept repeating as she anxiously checked the time. Harry and Ron just rolled their eyes. She could be annoying but I agreed, we shouldn't make a bad first impression.

Standing to leave I caught the eyes of my brother across the hall. Oh no I had almost forgotten, he had to be so disappointed I wasn't a Hufflepuff like him. He began walking towards the entrance of the great hall and I decided to meet him there.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't put in Hufflepuff- the hat it-" I blurted out.

"It's fine." He chuckled. "I'm proud of you. You've always been a very brave girl."

"Thanks." I said, relieved he wasn't mad.

"Ready for classes?" Ced asked.

I shrugged. "As I'll ever be."

"Here, I got something for you." He handed me a folded piece of parchment. "It's bewitched to help show you how to get to your classes. Just tap it once and ask it the way."