𝔞 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥; 𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔯𝔶 𝔭𝔬𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯

iv. greasy-haired devil.

HOGWARTS was a labyrinth. 

Hogwarts boasted a total of one hundred and forty-two staircases, featuring a variety of styles: expansive and majestic, or narrow and unsteady. Some led to different destinations on Fridays, while others included a disappearing step halfway up that required a timely jump to avoid. Additionally, some doors required polite request or tickling in a precise location to open, as well as deceptive walls masquerading as true entrances.

Add a Emmalina who couldn't tell left from right, it was a very nasty combination. The magic of Hogwarts was slowly wearing off as Emmalina had to tickle a door and it led to a room she didn't even want to go to begin with.

It was hard enough adjusting to actual ghosts roaming the Hogwarts walls without immediately thinking of a gory horror movie but the ghosts didn't help much to get to their classes, either. 

It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. 

Emmalina remembered almost tearing her vocal cords to shreds when the Bloody Baron ( the Slytherin Ghost ) glided through a door and threw her the most murderous look.

 Nearly Headless Nick ( an absolute sweetheart ) was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist ( the devil in disguise ) was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

Hence, she thought coming to study at Hogwarts wasn't the best idea after all.

Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch ( the foulest old man to ever exist ). Filch owned a cat called Mrs Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp-like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. 

The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs Norris a good kick. 

It didn't help with the new arising gossip, Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts and people couldn't contain themselves from taking a glance at the eleven-year-old boy making Emmalina and Parvati work extra hard to avoid the crowds ; waking up earlier than the rest, leaving the common room early etc, and in turn avoiding the boy who lived and the massive crowds he seemed to carry with them..

And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. Emmalina, pretty early on, found out that magic was vast and very diverse.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets which ruined Emmalina's sleep every time, almost sleeping throughout the lessons.

Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout  ( a very well-suited name ), where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Emamlina always found the practical lessons quite fascinating.