Minnie [#Wattys2017]

Hogwarts Castle

Hogwarts Castle

If there had been any hope whatsoever that Charlus Potter might have learned his lesson based on the Sorting Hat's chiding, the thought of it was dispelled quickly when, after the sorting had been completed, his voice carried across the Great Hall:

"Florean! Oi! Florean!"

The red haired, freckle-faced boy turned in his seat to look between the wall of Ravenclaw students in their blue-silk lined robes - including Filius Flitwick - to peer at his Gryffindor mate. "What is it, Potter?" he called out.

"Florrrrrean!" Charlus chortled, "Don't you find all of this just spiffing?"

Florean Fortescue had rolled his eyes and turned back to his table without answering.

Alastor snickered and returned the smirk and high-five Charlus offered him and they eagerly turned back around to find Minerva staring at them with a raised brow. Charlus's smirk melted ever so slightly. "Aw c'mon, Min - it's all in good sport."

Minnie snuffed her disapproval.

But none of them had long to dwell on Charlus's teasing, nor Minnie's disapproval, for it was at that moment that Headmaster Dippet stood and, clearing his throat, clapped his hands to send a chill air that circled the room, bringing silence amongst the students, and calling their attention to him at the front. Beside Minnie, a young girl with blonde hair and a round nose shivered and rubbed her arms against the cold.

"Welcome everyone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," said Armando Dippet. He held up his arms, which were covered in thick blue robes with large cuffs on the sleeves of a golden material hemmed with zig-zag patterns. He wore a large, sparkling sapphire ring that glinted in the flickering of the candle light as he moved, rotating slightly to look at each of the long rows of students that filled the hall.

"Blimey he's old," murmured the other first year boy, Something-Bell Minnie tried to remember his name, who sat next to Elphinstone Urquart, the prefect. The boy's eyes were wide as he stared up at Professor Dippet's pepper-grey beard and long, curling locks.

Elphinstone leaned forward, "Born in 1637," he whispered.

"1637!" Minnie exclaimed, turning about, "But - that would make him --"

"Nearly 300 years old," nodded Elphinstone Uquart.

"Bloody hell," whispered the Bell boy.

"That isn't all that impressive," Alastor Moody said in a grumbling voice, "There's members of my family over six-hundred years old! Fer instance, me grand-da's nearly ---"

"Bologna!" hissed Charlus Potter, interrupting, "You're full of lard."

"M'not," Alastor insisted. "Me grand-da's --"

Charlus's whisper was a sing-song, "Full of it!"

"Shh!" Minnie hissed, pointing at Armando Dippet, and they boys all turned their attentions back to the Headmaster, who didn't seem to have noticed that the first year Gryffindors weren't paying him mind. However, the deputy headmaster - the man they called Albus Dumbledore - had his eyes trained upon the table and he had obviously spotted them whispering. "Pay attention, will yeh? Before ye be gettin' in'ter trouble on your first night in the castle!"

"He looks more amused than anythin'," mumbled the Bell boy, for although Dumbledore was giving them The Look, there was a slight quirk of amusement to his lips.