❝You know, you should dye your hair red.❞
❝Er... why?❞
❝So it'll match that fiery personality of yours.❞
❝Or so it'll match your own?❞
❝That too.❞
❁❁❁
Serena Mallard is anything but a rule follower.
Spontaneous and very stubborn, with bravery that b...
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❁❁❁
Every head in the Great Hall swiveled to look at Harry Potter. Serena's wide eyes were fixated on the fourth year who looked just as stunned. Like he truly didn't know what was happening.
No one clapped. No one whistled. No one cheered.
Instead, there was a buzzing that filled the entire Hall, people were whispering to each other in disbelief. The long Gryffindor table were all watching the green-eyed boy, open mouthed in shock. Harry turned to his friends, and Serena heard him say, "I didn't put my name in. You know I didn't."
Ron, Hermione, and Iyla just stared blankly back at him.
"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"
Hermione and Iyla pushed the dumbfounded boy up from his chair, and although Serena knew the last thing Harry wanted was everyone's attention, she couldn't help but watch as he tripped over his robes, hesitantly walking forward.
Everyone was outright shouting in anger at this point. "He's a cheat!"
"He's not even seventeen yet!" another hollered.
When Harry finally disappeared through the back chamber like the other Champions, a new wave a protests began. Professor McGonagall made her way over to the Gryffindor table, shouting in order to be heard over the noise. "Prefects! Please escort your house back to the Commons!"
Serena stood up with the rest of her house, just as everyone began exiting the Great Hall, still grumbling in irritation. Serena walked in between the twins when she suddenly halted in her step. "Er... I'll catch up with you guys later."
"Wait, where are you going?" Fred asked.
George looked back at the girl. "Don't you want to join the party? We've got a Gryffindor Champion to celebrate!"
"Maybe later. I've got to talk to Ramona." Before either could ask her why, Serena took off, trying to catch up to the line of Hufflepuffs walking away. She pushed through the crowd, accidentally stepping on the toes of offended first and second years to get to her friend, just as she elbowed her way through the mass of panicked witches and wizards at the World Cup. The sudden realisation made Serena stop completely, causing a fifth year to slam right into her.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
"Oh, sorry," she said sincerely. She finally saw spotted Ramona, running up to her just as Magnolia appeared at the girl's other side. "Ramona!"
The girl jumped, looking at Serena and Magnolia at either side of her. "What- shouldn't you two be in your common rooms?"
"Yes, but we've got to speak to you. And we aren't leaving until we do." Magnolia said.
With a sigh, Ramona beckoned the two girls to follow her down the same staircase to the basement Serena and Fred went to on the first day of school. Instead of following the food-themed paintings towards the kitchens, they turned right, were a pile of large barrels were stacked against the wall. Ramona pulled out her wand, tapping a few of the barrels before taking a step back; the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room swung open to reveal a low-ceilinged room that seemed to be doused in the colour yellow.
