Vulpes in Arce

Year I - Lectures and a day

Connor Evans opened his eyes and found himself wrapped up in the blankets on his comfortable bed in the boys' dormitories. Rays of dull sunlight reached through the murky depths of the Black Lake through the curtains, falling around the frame of the bed and onto the deep green carpet. Connor checked his clock - it was a bit past seven in the morning. Today is Friday, he thought. Still the first week of September.

He pushed off his blankets and pulled on his robes, trying not to wake Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott whom he shared his dorm with. He wasn't normally used to such strongly-opinionated people who only believed in one thing so faithfully. He'd heard the three talk about their parents and how they used to be Death Eaters - followers of Voldemort during the Wizarding War. He could almost compare this kind of blind devotion to several people in the Muggle world, but perhaps this would prove too extreme.

Connor wasn't used to a lot of things since he came to Hogwarts. He'd made his first two real friends - three if you were to count a friendship formed in secrecy. His first real study of magic began about a week ago, something he'd been looking forward to ever since he found out he was a wizard. Much here was new to him - but he was ready to change that. Perhaps he would familiarise himself with some bits of everything. Anyhow, he was determined to do well.

Connor stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Frowning at the mess his hair was in, he tried his best to even out the black locks on his head, pushing them to one side. He found it looked too peculiar, so he ruffled his fingers through his hair, deciding to let them stay the way they are. He splashed his face with water to maybe wake himself up a little more, wincing when a droplet fell into one of his dark eyes.

After drying off, he walked back to his bed and silently nodded at Blaise Zabini, who, with puffy eyes, still tucked in between his blanket and pillows, sent Connor a tired smile. Connor gathered all of the textbooks for the day, pushed his wand into one of the pockets in his robes and left the dormitories. He sat down in his favourite armchair beside the fireplace in the Common Room, waiting for a pair of girls as he perused through his Transfiguration assignment one more time.

At half-past seven, the two emerged from the girls' dormitories, textbooks in hand, and sat down on the sofa next to his armchair.

The first thing he noticed about the girls was their hair. It was weird, but Emily's black hair stood out to him ever since they first met at Madam Malkin's. And her eyes... it was strange seeing someone with Asian features having green eyes. They were a deep forest colour, with streaks of brown and hazel like barks of trees in the woods.

Alisha's hair was as chocolate brown as her siblings' but unlike them, her hair was less curly. It flowed in waves right down to her collarbones, usually tucked behind her ears. Her eyes were auburn, but near the fireplace they reflected the warm light, making them appear almost red.

"When do you wake up?" yawned Emily, giggling as Alisha yawned right after her. "You're always here before us."

"I'm just used to it," Connor shrugged himself out of his thoughts. He collected his textbooks and stood up from his spot, the girls following suit.

"You wake up at seven every day? Even on the weekends?" Alisha asked, bewildered, as they walked out of the Common Room together. They passed a few Gryffindors as they neared the Great Hall for breakfast - their first lesson today was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, together with the 'rival' house.

"Yep, especially on the weekends. My mum sleeps in on the weekends so I have to make breakfast and clean the kitchen."

Rounding a corner, they came into view of the Great Hall. Only a few people sat at the four tables, with the Slytherin table being nearly empty, save for Daphne Greengrass, Terence Higgs and Clementine Yaxley, who were having a conversation about Professor Snape. At the High Table sat only Professor Dumbledore, who was finishing his meal last as the other Professors had already left to their classrooms.