Cherry Lips // s. black

-SEPTEMBER. 3.-

Ravenclaw.

Carmilla stood up quickly, relief flooding through her body, and took the brown hat off.

Cheering surrounded her as she hurried to a seat next to Ace, who grinned brightly and opened her mouth to say something. She was interrupted.

Professor Dumbledore stood up from behind the long table the teachers were seated at. He walked to a podium made of a golden owl and smiled down at all the waiting students with shiny teeth. "Hello. Welcome to Hogwarts, and welcome back, to the rest of you. I'll try not to bore you with an old man's waffling, but a few rules need to be... reinstated."

He glanced to some people underneath the red and gold banner next to the Ravenclaw table, closest to the big doors. The floorboards were as shiny and polished as Dumbledoor's teeth.

Carmilla turned to look at the group he was eyeballing, and made eye contact with a tired looking boy. His face was littered in vicious scars. He was blatantly staring at Carmilla, and didn't look away until she stuck her tongue out him in retaliation.

The boy had a funny smell. Magical like the rest of the witches and wizards in the great hall, but something else as well.

Dumbledore continued to make his speech. He introduced another teacher for a lesson on the dark arts, or maybe it was defence against them. She wasn't paying attention. Instead Carmilla took the time to properly take in the room. It was amazing, really, the roof must have been magic as the stars shone down on them from above, and the moon helped light up the hall. It was aided by lots of floating candles.

There were around one hundred students along her dark table, matching the rest. What really stood out was the plates, bowls, and cutlery. They were all gold. She wasn't sure if it was solid gold, but it shone all the same. Carmilla glanced down at her robes, and sure enough, they were a dark blue.

She matched everyone else along the table.

The Ravenclaws were second from the door, Gryffindors, with the scarred boy, being first. The green house where the twins had gone, was on the other end. Then there was Heather and Ophelia, sitting with some other yellow robed people wearing gold jewellery and colourful headbands.

Dumbledore said a few words Carmilla was pretty sure weren't real. The golden plates in front of them filled with food.

Carmilla's eyes widened as she took in the sight.

Plates of juicy meat, piles of roast vegetables, boats of gravy, and everything in-between.

Her mouth started watering involuntarily as people piled the feast onto their plates. At the girls home, there had never been an abundance of food. The girls were never starved, but the nuns who cared for them weren't rich, so the best meals they had were on Easter and Christmas, when the town would donate to the church.

Carmilla picked up a bowl of roast potatoes and some Yorkshire puddings. She didn't take any meat. She had never actually eaten any, never wanting to gain a taste for flesh and blood. She was scared she might like it a bit too much. It was going to be hard enough to make friends without the added complications of wanting to drink their blood.

"I'm so glad you're in Ravenclaw, I knew you were one of us. You'll probably be in my dorm. Me and June are the only ones in it, the spares." Ace enthusiastically said, while pouring too much gravy for her own good onto the peas.

"I'm just thankful I'm not sitting next to him instead." Carmilla answered, eyeing the greasy looking boy at the Slytherin table. She wasn't one to judge appearances, but there was something else about him too. Something harsh.