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── IN WHICH THEY ARRIVE
. . .
Elodie was undeniably nervous. The gigantic carriage had begun it's descent to Hogwarts, a beautiful stone structure which rose from the cliffside like something out of a movie.
And whilst she didn't think it looked as eerie or cold as the other students were thinking it could be, it still had a certain mystical, slightly dangerous aura to it.
But perhaps that was only the dark green forest which surrounded it, or the ink-like lake which streched out to the horizon. Or it could be the words of her father, playing in the back of her mind, telling her that Hogwarts was a great place.
All the same, Elodie wasn't as intimidated by the stone castle as the others were, but she was still incredibly nervous. However, that wasn't what she showed to others, hoping that they would find it comforting that she acted the same as usual.
Fleur, who was sat next to the window, leaned close to it, peering out. "Look." She exclaimed. "All the little people." Fleur giggled, pointing at the outline of what seemed to be the student body of Hogwarts.
Moving closer to the window, Elodie stared at the crowd, which seemed to become larger and move life-like as the carriage got closer to the landing strip.
"Ready for it?" Elodie asked, as the carriage was about to touch down, knowing it would be a bumpy landing. Fleur wordlessly took Elodie's hand, squeezing it at the carriage landed, almost throwing the students inside up into the air.
The pair continued to stare out the window as Madame Maxime exited the carriage, Raphael having been the first to jump out and get the steps. The giantess of a woman elicited a collective gasp and looks of slight awe from the students of Hogwarts, and for a few minutes, she talked to a man with a long silver beard.
"Professor Dumbledore." One of the students near her whispered. "Friends with Nicholas Flamel. He defeated Grindelwald." The student continued, and noises of approval and awe could be heard.
"Come on guys." Raphael said, poking his head inside the carriage. "It's cold, so put on a shawl or something." He winked at Fleur, who looked confused, then nodded as Elodie tied her matching uniform hankerchief around her head in a sort of headscarf fashion.
"I do wish he would stop flirting with me." Fleur mumbled, as her and Elodie approached the door.
"Forget him, now come on." Elodie almost jumped out of the carriage, trying not to fall over or react to the cold. The silk uniform wasn't helping their warmth at all - neither was the fact that Elodie had adjusted it in so many way, whether that was by cutting it or by rolling various parts.
For instance the dress she wore. Whilst the torso area fit perfectly fine, being fitted up until the waist, it was the skirt which Elodie had a problem with. It was so long and unflattering, and Elodie had never felt more uncomfortable in a dress.
So she cut it. Somehow she didn't manage to mess it up, and it looked like the uniform, except the skirt of the dress was so much shorter. She did this for the rest of her school uniform, not just her formal wear, and even sewed the trousers so they were tighter-fitting.
Elodie wasn't entirely sure why Madame Maxime hadn't commented on it - or the various ladders in her tights (she had a habit of somehow making them and she didn't know how). However, her shawl, shoes and hat were in perfect condition.
Fleur shivered besides her, and Elodie wrapped an arm around her, surveying the crowd and all the different colours that they seemed to have accompanying the grey of their uniform.
"Twins." She said, her eyes grazing over a part of the crowd which was predominantly red, and was only added to by the various heads of ginger hair. "Over there." Elodie nodded Fleur in the right direction. "Remember Louis and Adele?"
Fleur mumbled her reply, her teeth chattering as she cuddled up to her best friend. Silk uniforms weren't really a good idea, but Elodie was far too interested in the pupils of Hogwarts to even focus on the cold.
One of the ginger-haired twins noticed her staring, and waved his hand in a sort of wave, a smirking sort of smile on his lips. Then was the point where Madame Maxime began to march towards the school.
Fleur began to drag Elodie along with her, and with a smile on her face, the French girl turned around and returned the gesture, catching the twin's eye.
"Planning a holiday romance?" Fleur asked, finally slowing to a walk as they entered the hallways, which were a lot warmer than the outside. Elodie let out a laught of disbelief, shaking her head.
"Me, romance?" She laughed, and Fleur shook her head, sighing. "Come on Fleur, you know that I'm not that sort of person."
"I suppose you'll stay the girl who cuts her skirts rather than having a cute boyfriend who is from Hogwarts." Fleur followed Madame Maxime down the aisle between tables, and being seated at the end of a table of blue. "And it looks like not only the ginger twin is interested."
"Hm?" Elodie followed Fleur's gaze, as she stood at the very end of the table, peering over the crowds. A boy sitting at the table of yellow, as the mass of students around him rushed to their seats, Durmstrang having arrived with none other than Viktor Krum.
He was undeniably handsome, and the small smile that appeared when he realised that Elodie had seen him only made him that bit more attractive. He nodded his head slightly, as a form of greeting and Elodie returned the gesture, before slipping down into her seat and attempting to hide her blush.
"You would think that you're the part-veela one." Fleur joked, nudging her best friend. "Besides, my time in the spotlight will come. You can be the one to attract everyone and I can be the one who competes. You'll be able to distract them from my mistakes."
"Fleur, you'll be fine. You're not going to make any mistakes. I'll be there helping you. You're going to win. For me and Amelie. Ok?" Elodie asked, looking at her best friend.
"Ok." Fleur promised. But truly, neither of them knew what they were getting into.
