Riddle

Chapter Eight

Ivy got up the next day before everyone else. She loved the windows in the dormitory. They were cut into the thick stone walls in a way that meant she could sit on the stone ledge huddled in a blanket with a book next to the thin glass pane letting the dewy scent of the morning filter through.

Ivy watched the sun rise. She could see the lake pooled at the feet of the mountains that surrounded the castle. She could see the dense forest they had travelled through and noticed a small village nestled among the trees near the train station. It was beautiful. Heather covered the mountainside creating patches of purple. Ivy guessed that they were somewhere in Scotland. She smiled enjoying the feeling of peace and excitement.

Ivy stayed huddled in her windowsill for about an hour before the other girls started walking up.
"What are you looking at?" the girl who had helped her last night inquired, coming up behind Ivy.
"The view. It's beautiful! I don't think I have ever seen or will ever see anything like it." Ivy smiled tentatively at her.

She smiled reassuringly back and Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want the people she was sharing a room with to hate her. Despite what she had said last night.
"I'm Parvati Patil."
"Ivy Green!"
Parvati laughed,
"You seem really eager to make a good impression."
"I don't want people to not like me but I also don't want to bring them any pain." She paused, "I guess I just have to take what I can get."
Parvati nodded,
"It will probably take some time," she nodded to where Lavender was putting on her shoes, "I don't think you want to murder us all"
She whispered, winking, Ivy laughed.

Lavender stood up and glared across the room.
"Parvati come on we are going to miss breakfast."
Parvati smiled at Ivy and joined Lavender heading down for breakfast. Ivy sighed she was glad Parvati didn't think she was a psychotic murder or working for You-know-who.

Hermione and Ivy met Harry and Ron in the common room and headed to breakfast.
"Got to thank you Ivy." Harry said, "With everyone gossiping over you nobody is paying me much attention for once. Only got a couple of glares."
Harry still looked disheartened, but he tried a weak smile.
"Glad to be of assistance."
Ivy mimed tipping a hat to Harry. She was pleased to see him smile.
"Have people been giving you a hard time?" Ron asked.
Ivy shrugged,
"They mainly pretend I'm the black death and avoid me."
"I wouldn't mind some people avoiding me," Ron grumbled looking at two identical red-headed boys putting up advertisements around the common room. Ivy manage to snatch one that was hanging on to the wall as she climbed out the portrait hole.
"Who are they?"
She nodded to the two boys. They had matching devilish grins and mischievous eyes.
"My older brothers. Fred and George. They are massive pranksters and have started developing their own products."
He nodded to the poster.
"Hasn't been going very well. They took turns looking seriously ill or injured over the summer. Gave mum a heart attack. But with them as sons she knows to expect it."
Ivy looked at the price of parchment.
"Looks like they are looking for people to test their products on."
Ron glanced at the parchment with interest.
"Looks like they are paying them too."
"Let me see that!" Hermione snatched it away from Ron. "We need to do something about this!"
"Why?" Ron frowned.
"Because we are prefects?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Well I'm not saying anything. I could do with the money too!"
Ivy laughed.
"Same here. I have no clue what a galleon is! Makes me glad I have no money because I'd hate to try to figure out exchange rates!" Ron laughed with her.
"Can you even exchange muggle currency into Wizard money?" He said turning to Hermione.
"Look it up yourself!" She said angrily.
They had reached the great hall. It looked equally breath-taking to when Ivy had first seen it. She followed them to the Gryffindor table joining Neville.
"Morning!" He said brightly.
Ron plucked down and began filling his plate with bacon and sausages.
"Morning Neville." He managed with his mouth already filled with food.
A tall black girl with long braided hair was approaching Harry with a purposeful stride.
"Hi, Angelina."
"Hi, good summer?"
"Um"
She cut Harry off,
"Listen, I've been made Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."
Ivy frowned.
"What's quidditch?" She mouthed to Neville.
"A sport wizards play on broomstick." He whispered back.
Ivy felt her heart race a bit.
"In the air?"
Neville chuckled and nodded.
Ivy grinned. She had always wanted to fly.

Angelina left and Ivy turned eagerly to Harry.
"Could you teach me how to fly?"
He looked a bit taken aback.
"On a broom, yeah,"
"Really?"
Harry blushed slightly.
"Yeah."

He scratched the back of his neck as Ivy gave an excited smile.
"You want to learn how to play Quidditch?" Hermione asked.
"I want to learn how to fly and then I'll see about Quidditch. How does Quidditch work anyways?"
"It's pretty complicated." Said Ron.
"I'm sure I can learn." Ivy said determinedly.
"I want to practise before try-outs on Friday. I can try to explain it then after Harry has taught you how to fly if you want?" He offered.
"That's so sweet! Thank you!" She smiled. Thrumming with excitement.

Professor McGonagall moved among the tables handing out timetables.
"Now Miss. Riddle, if you could please choose the subjects you would like to take. I suggest asking your friends for help." Professor McGonagall told Ivy.
She nodded and looked down at the parchment she had been handed. It could have been written in a different language. The only words she recognised was her name at the top of the page.
"Here, let me explain each of the subjects." Neville offered.
"Herbology studies magical plants, Divination is basically fortune telling..."
"Complete waste of time!" Hermione whispered under her breath.
"Arithmacy is the study of runes, muggle studies is basically what the name is. There is also astronomy, which is stars, you have Transfiguration which is basically turning something into another thing, there is potions where you learn how to brew different remedies and elicits. Charms is learning spells. Care for magical creatures is learning about the different magical creatures in the world. Defence against the dark arts is pretty important at the moment as it's where you learn how to defend yourself. History if magic is taught by professor Bins. He is a ghost and it is probably the most boring class ever." Neville continued.
Ivy nodded along and decided to take care of magical creatures, Potions, defence against the dark arts, charms, divination, Herbology and astrology. Her timetable magically rearranged itself and she looked down upon her new timetable.
"I can help you with anything you need!' Said Hermione enthusiastically from across the table. "We can do extra study sessions!" She suggested with a look of excitement that did not qualify for studying. It instilled a kind of fear in Ivy. She felt the urge to hand her books over to Hermione who seemed to really want them.

They got ready for class. Ivy hoped she wouldn't be terrible at all of them. However after her first class she saw the logic in Hermione's extra study sessions.

Ivy tried to pay attention in classes, but her mind kept wondering to after classes had finished for the day when Harry was going to teach her how to fly!