Lumos Maxima

Chapter 4

Chapter 4; Breakfast

I woke reluctantly and with a groan the next morning. I could see sunlight beginning to peek through the yellow curtains lining the dorm windows and I knew it was time to get ready for my day.

Excitement and nervousness surged through me; it was my first day at Hogwarts.

Susan lay in the bed next to me, already awake and watching my face as I woke. While I tried not to be creeped out by her animated expression, she spoke smiled widely, 'How do you feel?' She asked while gathering her robes to change into for the day into a bundle.

I returned a nervous smile, 'I'm excited, Hogwarts offers lots of classes at Beauxbatons didn't'.

Susan nodded, 'Care of Magical Creatures is my favourite!' She considered this for a moment, 'Although, I didn't see Hagrid at the feast, and I don't know if it will be as fun with Grubby-Plank'.

Susan stood and I began to wipe the sleep from my eyes. Reaching beside me for my yet-to-be-unpacked suitcase, I found my spare pair of robes and followed Susan out of the dormitory and towards the common room.

'Although Grubby-Plank seemed perfectly nice,' Susan continued, 'Except for that Umbridge, she seemed...' Susan paused, searching for a kinder word to use than 'bitchy', which would have been my chosen adjective, '...interesting,' she concluded.

Susan led us to the girls' bathrooms where she quickly found a stall, I chose the one next to her and pulled the black robes over my head. Fastening the yellow and black tie to my neck, I exited and looked in the mirror to check my appearance.

I looked like a proper Hogwarts student.

I wore a white button up, layered with a grey sweater which was thankfully not as itchy as it looked. Tucked carefully beneath the sweater was a striped yellow and black tie, peeking from the top of my robes. My robes bellowed over my small figure, slightly too big. I smiled down at the Hogwarts crest on my chest, running a light hand over the embroidery with admiration at the craftmanship.

My hair remained in its usual messy state. The red locks flowed from my head in thick curtains, curling slightly at the ends. Faint freckles dotted my cheeks, leaving a muddy trail towards my startingly dark eyes.

I have always hated my eyes. They seemed hopelessly out of place among my pale skin and red hair. They were almost black in their darkness, appearing as one gigantic iris which betray my emotions clearly upon my face.

Sighing in acceptance of the image, Susan bounded out of the stall. She wore the same uniform as me, yet her robes looked slightly newer. Her eyes glistened as she grinned, 'Shall we go to breakfast?'

'Where's Hannah and Olivia?' I asked curiously as we walked.

'Hannah probably left earlier this morning – she likes to avoid the crowds,' Susan replied knowingly as we climbed out of the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, joining the hordes of students following the smells of toast and bacon wafting from the Great Hall.

'I get the feeling she doesn't like me much,' I said gloomily.

Susan sighed and shrugged, 'She's like that with everyone at first.' She smiled, 'Don't worry though, she'll warm up to you. And she's wonderful when you get to know her,'

I suspected that Susan would say the same of just about anyone, so I just nodded unbelievingly.

'Olivia's probably with Ernie, Fred and George,' she continued, 'you know Fred and George, right?'

I shook my head.

'They're Weasleys and they're a right laugh,' she grinned, 'Ernie and Olivia get into a lot of trouble with them.'