A Trek Through Worlds- HARRY POTTER X OC

6.

Neville made sure to keep a slow pace, not wanting Effie to fall behind. Her eyes roamed the painting covered walls, bewildered, as she smiled and waved to the people in the paintings who were waving back at her. She didn't even realize they had reached the common room until Neville came to a sudden halt and she bumped right into him. Her body flung backwards down the staircase before Neville quickly snatched her hand and pulled her back up.

Neville braced himself, expecting her to be mad at him for stopping so suddenly and without warning, but she was smiling warmly at him.

"Phew that was close. Thank you Neville. I'm such a klutz."

She then turned her head up to the large picture frame in front of her. The Fat Lady looked down on her confused.

"Hi, I'm Effie. That dress is stunning by the way!"

The Fat Lady's confused face turned to a smile in an instant. The power of girls hyping up girls.

"Well Effie, thank you very much. Password?"

"Fortuna Major."

The picture of the Fat Lady swung open to reveal a circular entrance. Excited, Effie shouted up a thank you to the Fat Lady and quickly scurried through, Neville following after her.

The second the got inside the Gryffindor common room, Effie gasped. She sprinted over to the couch and ran her fingers along its fabric. An older student whipped out his wand, pointing it at the wood in the fireplace, and saying, "Incendio!" A blaze immediately formed.

She let out a sigh of content before turning to a dumbfounded Neville.

"Thanks Neville! Will I be seeing you tomorrow at breakfast?"

He nodded silently and she flashed him a big smile.

"I'm going to get ready for bed now. Thanks again for all of your help. Tell Dean and Seamus that I said goodnight."

He nodded again.

"Goodnight Neville," she said in a sing-song voice, prompting his response. 

"Goodnight Effie."

Effie walked up the spiral stairs to her dormitory. The sign on the outside read:

"Third Years: Hermione Granger, Evelyn Jordan, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown."

Effie smiled to herself before entering. An Indian girl with long dark hair and a short girl with fair skin and brown hair silenced mid-conversation when she entered. They both stared at her with judgmental faces that she tried to ignore. Putting on a bright smile, Effie tried to be nice to them.

"Hi! You must be Parvati and Lavender."

They both stared at her up and down, trying to decide if they thought she was worthy of talking to them. The way their eyes scanned her made her uncomfortable and self-conscious as seconds passed, reminding her of the girls in her previous school whom had made her feel unworthy. Finally, with a knowing glance towards each other, they talked to her.

"You're Evelyn, right?" Asked Parvati.

"Please, call me Effie."

"Well, Effie," Lavender started, "Where are you from?"

Effie pretended not to be surprised by the mean tone of the girl's voice. It wasn't intentionally cruel, more mistrusting. And that was something she could understand. She was also beginning to understand why Hermione didn't spend time with the girls in her year.

"London."

"Where in London?"

"Awfully pushy, aren't you?" Effie laughed.