long way to heaven || marauder ff

2- of coffee and sunlight

"That's the thing about lessons, you always learn them when you don't expect them or want them."

- Cecilia Ahern, If You Could See Me Now

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Elaine wasn't completely sure what had held her up for the majority of the night. Maybe it was the fact that she was suddenly sharing a room with four girls she had just met hours prior. Maybe it was her nervousness to what being a Hogwarts student would entail. It most definitely had been partly due to the throbbing pain in her left arm. 

Oh, and Lily's owl that just kept staring at her was also majorly giving her the creeps. Like, all of the other girls' owls were soundly away in the owlery, just this massive thing of a bird was sitting on the redhead's bedpost, clearly judging Elaine. 

The young blonde huffed, before realising that there was no way she would be able to sleep for any second longer. Glancing to the clock hanging from the wall next to the door leading to the bathroom, she realised it was already just past 5 in the morning anyways, meaning just past six in France. 

Well, seems like coffee would have to do the deal. 

Gathering her newly acquainted Hogwarts robes, the girl made her way to the bathroom. She already knew that there was no way she would wear it the way Professor McGonagall had told her to. Whoever had designed the uniform surely wanted the students to look as dowdy as possible. The evening before, she had seen her new head of house disapprovingly muster her choice of clothes, as all she had put on of the uniform was the black robe. 

But who could blame her, really? The uniform of Beauxbatons had been tasteful, a nice light blue accenting the atmosphere of the castle. Now, if taking the whole medieval- Hogwarts-feeling into consideration, the uniform probably fit the character of the British school. 

Why was she even thinking so much? 

A mere minutes later there was a knock on the bathroom door. Giving herself a once-over, Elaine decided that her attire of the white blouse underneath the grey blazer would have to suffice in combination with her skirt. Surely the teachers wouldn't even notice her not wearing a tie or the fact that she had swapped her dress shoes with Dr. Martens, right? 

As she opened the door, she was met with the sleepy face of Luana. 

"Why are you already awake?", both of them asked the other at the same time, just to burst into laughter simultaneously. "You first!", insisted Luana, clearly trying to hold further laughter in. 

"Couldn't sleep I guess. Do you happen to know whether Lily's owl is a stalker?", Elaine answered, being careful to whisper her answer as to not wake up the remaining girls in the room. 

"Yes! She totally is. Like, Lily is never going to admit it, and you should absolutely not mention it in front of her, but that owl is on some serious drugs. She scared away Marlene's cat right in first year, and we haven't seen her since!", Luana exclaimed, forgetting to keep her voice down. A mistake that almost earned her a pillow in the face, as Lily had seemingly awoken as well.

"Will you guys please shut up for the love of God" she complained, turning around in her bed. 

Trying to stifle their laughters, Elaine and Luana looked at each other. "You go down to the common room, I'll be with you in just a second", the latter whispered, this time keeping the volume low. Elaine nodded, and upon grabbing her bag she made her way down the stairs. 

As it was to expected, the Gryffindor common room was completely empty. As she hadn't gotten a chance the evening before, Elaine tried to take in the whole space. It was a very comfy room, that gave off a strong homey vibe.