The Girl Who Loved: Year 1

Chapter 9

Colleen and her roommates all sat on their beds in silence as they waited for an update on the troll situation. She was lying down on her stomach with her chin resting on her mattress, Padma was trying to distract herself with a book, Mandy paced, and Lisa nervously chewed on her nails. Who let a troll into the castle? Or did it walk in on accident? So many questions went through Colleen's head that it was giving her a headache.

A knock at the door snapped her out of her daze, and Penelope stepped in with a comforting smile.

"Girls," she said, "it's alright now. The troll has been taken care of."

A sigh escaped Colleen's lips as a wave of relief washed over the room.

"Tomorrow is a new day and a new month," Penelope continued, "so let's move on from this and wake up in the morning with a new mindset, all right? Sweet dreams, girls."

She turned and left the room.

Once the lights were out, each of the Ravenclaw first year girls fell asleep shortly after.

November 7

If October wasn't chilly enough, November was starting to take the cake. The mountaintops in the distance were starting to show off their snowcaps, and the morning dewdrops froze into frost by morning. Colleen always made sure to dress warmly every morning, but a few of the classrooms failed to stay warm during the day. However, she still managed to get her work done despite shivering in almost every class.

Colleen, Hermione, and, surprisingly, Malfoy were ranking with the top marks in their classes. Hermione was a little vocal about it, but she never boasted, Colleen was the same but helped others who were struggling, and Malfoy just acted like nothing happened and continued on tormenting his classmates.

Quidditch season had now begun, and the rumor weed sprouting around the school was that Harry Potter had been chosen as the new Seeker.

"Are you sure?" Colleen asked Ron after lunch one afternoon in the courtyard.

"Of course," he nodded. "McGonagall said he's the youngest player in nearly a century."

"But first years aren't allowed to try-out, are they?"

The siblings sat down on one of the stone benches, and Colleen felt a shot of the shivers rush down her spine. Stone cold, she internally joked.

"Remember when Harry saved Neville's Remembrall?" Ron stated matter-of-factly. "It turns out the Gryffindor team needed a new Seeker. McGonagall saw Harry flying, introduced him to the captain, Oliver Wood, and he was appointed the position."

Colleen said nothing but nodded.

The pair then began their Transfiguration homework, but ended up talking about Quidditch for most of it, spending an hour on what would be a fifteen-minute assignment.

Now, that they were in separate houses, the pair didn't spend time together as much; but when they saw each other at lunch they would make plans to study or do homework together as a way to spend time together. Ron wasn't the biggest fan of school, but his sister always encouraged him to do his best. Ron and Colleen bickered, as siblings do, but they always made up in the end. They never said it to anyone else, but they did love each other. Molly had made them both promise, in letters and verbally at home before school, that they would look after each other.

"By the way," Colleen said after they finished their homework, "I made something for you and the other first year Gryffindors. They're to wear at the match tomorrow."

She reached into her knitted blue bag (hand-made by their mother), and pulled out a handful of crimson buttons with needles wired on the back. Half of them were embroidered with the letter "G" in gold thread, and the half another with a cartoon lion's face.

"I made these for everyone to wear," Colleen smiled. "If they want to."

A smile grew wider than the Thames on Ron's face when he saw them. "Colleen, they're brilliant," he praised as he took one of the buttons into his hand to further inspect it. "Where'd you get them?"

Colleen hadn't exactly told Ron about the little trinkets and jewelry she had been crafting since she received her wand, but he was going to find out eventually no matter how aloof he was.

"I made them," she admitted.

"Made them?" her brother repeated. "Using magic?"

She nodded.

"This can't be the work of a first year, now could it?" –he locked eyes with her- "Unless you've been practicing since the day we went to Ollivander's."

"You're not going to tell, are you?"

Ron released a heavy sigh, but shook his head. "I guess since we were never told no magic, yet, I guess I'll let it slide."

Colleen nodded in thanks. No matter how much she squabbled with Ron, she knew she could always rely on him. They had always kept each other's secrets since they were small, and for now, he would keep her craftsmanship under wraps.

"On one condition," Ron said. "If you decide to sell stuff like this, I want some for free."

"14 Sickles," Colleen replied. "Everyone has to pay, including family members."

"10 Sickles."

"12 Sickles."

"Done."

He looked back down at the buttons again.

"They don't cost anything, do they?" Ron asked.

"No, they're a gift. From a Ravenclaw to the Gryffindor House."

As the two gathered their things and headed off to Potions, Colleen said, "If Gryffindor wins tomorrow, I won't tell anyone about your visit to the forbidden corridor."

"How-?"

Colleen didn't let him finish as she scurried off to find Valerie.