Under their control

IX

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The long table adorned with green let's out low rumbles and shouts of protest. Meanwhile the yellow and black table burst with cheers. Hopping gracefully off of the stool the young girl saunters past the Grffindors to her new house table.

Taking a seat between a first year and what looks to be a third year the girl gives the group a charming smile.

"Hello, I'm Ares Young."

"Oh, I'm Alice Nashford", a tan girl with yellow hair and green eyes greets in a Scottish accent.

"Henry Reid at your service", the lanky chocolate haired boy teases as his pale blue eyes sparkle against his equally pale skin.

"Ignore him, but I'm Braydon Helter", his black mane settles around his pale face as his warm hazel eyes glare at the boy next to him. Clearly offended Henry drops the chicken wing he had been holding and clutches his heart.

Giggling the next girl looks at them kindly, "Susan Bones." Her round pinkish face lifts as her smile touches the girl's dark ebony eyes. Her strawberry hair pulled back gives her a childlike innocence that makes Ares smile.

The third year to her left reaches across her plate to grab a biscuit and sends her a wink, "Thorton Mayor." The tan boy sits back, his auburn hair slightly covering his forest green eyes.

"Mayor leave the poor precious child alone!" An average built boy sends a green bean across the table at Thorton who doesn't move fast enough. Smiling to himself the milky boy with brown hair and welcoming brown eyes leaning across the table reaches out a hand knocking over his goblet of pumpkin juice, "Kennan Anthony."

Jumping back poor Alice has to slide down the bench to avoid pumpkin juice as a second year girl waves her wand. "Tansley Meadows", the dark skinned girl smiles as the juice retracts back into the cup. Her yellow eyes contrast against her black hair giving her a raven like complexion.

Leaning his head down a boy almost identical to Tansley speaks up, "Conner Meadows."

Smiling the girl looks at the freckled boy in front of her expectantly. Making eye contact his blue eyes twinkle with amusement as he runs a hand through his fawn hair, "Andon Randle."

"Well I guess we're family now", looking down at the table Ares grabs a goblet of water and pulls it closer to herself.

"Of course we are my little duckling", Kennan's joking voice responds.

"Hush don't call them ducklings", the dark skinned girl back hands the charming boy's arm.

"Would that make you our mother goose?" Looking innocently at the older students no one would be the wiser to the young girl's condescension. But Andon using that face often himself sees the joking behind her eyes and lets out a chuckle.

"Oh yes, our mother goose", Conner's sarcastic undertone is lost on Kennan as he lets out sobs.

"Oh my darling ducklings, of course I'll be your mother goose."

So like that the rest of the feast is filled with laughter. No one notices as Ares' plate stays empty and the young girl is grateful. Not wanting to explain that she broke a rule back home leading to her current situation.

"Alright first years follow the prefects back to your common room", Mcgonagall's proper voice shouts over the students and immediately a handful of older students stand.

"This way young Badgers", a tall curly haired Hufflepuff says to the group of first years.

Standing from the bench Ares helps Susan stand and the pair trail after the prefect. Turning to the left after the Great Hall the Hufflepuff walk alongside the Slytherin for a few moments. The two groups go down multiple flights of stairs as they go further into the dungeon. At the end of the current hall the Slytherin take a right down the stairs while the Hufflepuff take a left up a short set of stairs. The short set of stairs open to a flat corridor that leads left or right. Taking a right the group passes by several paintings of food before they reach a cluster of barrels that make up most of the end wall.

"Now to enter the common room you must tap the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff on the second from the right third from the top barrel." Tapping out the distinct rhythm the barrels peel away much like the wall at Diagon Alley. Beyond the door is a set of mossy stone stairs that lead up into what is assumed to be the common room.

Taking the lead Ares is the first to reach the common room. High ceilings curve into a dome like room that truly does resemble a burrow. Pale wooden furniture lays about in the form of couches and bookshelves. Beautiful yellows and olive greens make up the plush couch cushions. The bookshelves that lay on some walls and occasionally divide the couches are filled to the brim with plants and used books. Plush black and yellow beanbags lay about the room in no particular order. Steps on the left and right side of the room lead to a raised platform where small lofts lay below the long thin windows. At the ends of couches pale wooden cocoon chairs with woven cushions hang from the ceiling. Plants cover most of the empty space leaving only the far wall with pale wooden staircases to be the dorm entrance.

Running past her Henry climbs into a chair and swings back and forth.

"Now in true Hufflepuff fashion we have a welcoming party tonight. Starts at 9, so that gives you lot an hour to get ready. Girls dorms to the right and boys to the left." The prefect smiles at the group before walking back out of the door.

The boys run up the stairs leaving the girls to walk up the opposite stairs. Walking along a narrow hall the trio stops at a poplar sliding barn door.

Inside the dorms is just as bright as the common room. One wall has three cube like beds in the wall that appear to pull out. The wall straight ahead has three mounted desks mixed in with the bookshelves and plants. The wall to the right has two sliding doors that match the one the trio just walked through. A standing bookshelf resides between the two doors. In the center a settee and matching chairs rest on top of a woven carpet.

"Guess we'll be sharing a closet", Alice's voice shouts from across the room. Going to investigate the girl is in fact right as the closet seems to have three distinct compartments made for the girls. The door to the left of the closet houses their bathroom. The white and black bathroom has a single claw foot tub with a separated shower head. A short wall beside the tub hides the toilet. A bronze chair sits next to the vanity and like the rest of the Hufflepuff dormitory plants sit on shelves and hang from the ceilings.

"The top one is your's Ares", turning to where Susan spoke the girl walks over and climbs up the short ladder to her bed. Pulling down her trunk she walks over to the closet.

"Do you girls want to arrange the closet before the party?"

"Sure", jumping down from her bed Alice drags her trunk across the large room.

Susan walks out of the bathroom and nods. The trio settles down in the closet for an hour full of laughs. Dragging clothes out of their trunks and hanging them may seem boring, but they all had enough stories to make time fly. While hanging clothes the girls pick out clothes to wear and by the time they are finished each girl has decided on what to wear.

"You lot finished?" Ares looks at the others to see them nodding.

"I'll go change in the bathroom", with that Ares walks to the adjoining bathroom and slides the door shut.

Pulling her black muggle corset over her head she cinches it tight before putting on a yellow skirt. Pulling her hair out of it's current style she parts it into the middle and twists it into two bins. Leaving on her gold jewelry from earlier she slips on a gold chain garter to signify her relationship status. A tradition that Narcissa has instilled in her since she could understand the meaning of finding a pure blood husband. With the chain in place she slides on black thigh high boots. Grabbing her clutch with her wand and a change of clothes she steps out of the bathroom.