HOPPER // f. weasley

THREE

"So, your dad is here? Teaching at Hogwarts?" Esther asked, stepping out of the carriage along with Hope. "I can't wait to meet him! You speak so fondly of him, so I'm sure he must be a good guy."

"He's the best." Hope smiled. Esther Reilly was Hope's best and only friend. Though she got along with the other students in her year, Hope never bothered with making friends. If Esther hadn't been so determined in their first year to get closer to the girl, Hope would most likely be alone. Despite their obvious personality differences - mainly Esther's immaturity - the girls were as close as sisters.

Following the other students, the two made their way into the great hall, taking a seat at the Gryffindor table. They noticed as several students approached the front of the room. As a surprise for the beginning of the year, the choir performed a few songs to entertain their fellow peers.

While Esther was busy catching up with the other students, Hope scanned the teacher's table, trying to find a certain face. In no time, she made eye contact with her father, sending the nervous man two thumbs up. He smiled in return, seeming to calm down a bit. Hope then returned her attention to the Gryffindor table, laughing as Esther almost took Seamus Finnigan out with an excited swing of her hand.

Once Dumbledore approached the front of the room, the hall immediately quieted, and all eyes were on him. He politely dismissed the choir, the hall bursting with applause, before speaking.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" He announced joyously. "Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast.

"First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor RJ Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of defence against the dark arts teacher. Good luck, Professor!" On cue, Remus stood up and bowed to the students nervously.

Seeing as the applause was much dimmer than she'd had hoped, Hope encouraged the people around her to clap louder, herself doing the same. "That's her father!" Esther exclaimed, jerking a thumb at Hope.

Hope seemed to ignore the rest of the speech, only really paying attention to the warning of dementors. Instead, she was focused on her father, trying her best to get his attention. However, he seemed to be too stunned at being back in the castle, that he himself wasn't paying much attention to the speech. Hope looked on with amusement as he surveyed the room, an almost childlike smile etched onto his face.

After the feast, the prefects escorted the members of their houses back up to the dormitories, addressing the first years on how to enter as they went. After Esther had run off to speak with a few of her other friends, Hope was left alone in the crowd of people, though she didn't mind, instead taking in the spectacular castle she'd come to call her second home.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Hope stopped as two large figures stepped in the her path. She looked up, eyeing the redheads suspiciously.

"Do you need something?" She questioned.

"You're Hope Lupin, right?" The one on the left asked.

"Yes, that would be me. And you are?" She replied. The two seemed quite surprised at her question, finding it hard to believe that she didn't recognize them.

"I'm George, and this is Fred." The one on the right spoke, pointing out who was who.

Like a lightbulb going off in her head, Hope suddenly remembered. "Ah, you're the Weasley twins!" She exclaimed. "I've heard a lot about you from my roommates. Anyways, did you need to ask me something?"

The one on the left, who Hope remembered was Fred, spoke first. "Is it true that your dad is our new Professor?"

She sent the boys skeptical looks. "Yeah, he's my dad. Why?"

"Wicked." The two looked at each other with matching smirks before turning back to the girl, George speaking. "Is there any way your dad could pull a few strings for us? You know, seeing as we're in the same house and year as his daughter."

Hope sighed, now understanding why the two had approached her. "If you want me to help get you out of detention, it's not going to happen. He may be my dad, but he still has a job to do. Besides, I barely know you two, why would I help you with something like this?" Before the twins could respond, Hope ran off, trying her best to catch up with the rest of the Gryffindor students.

Fred looked to his brother. "Guess this is gonna be harder than we thought."