The Sleeping Bunny (Hogwarts Raiders)

Chapter 0.2 ☽ The First Quarter

Lorelei headed out into the main stretch of street, reaching down to push her jean back into her boot beside her wand which poked out the top of her high-calf boots. From her vantage point on the raised step in front of Ollivander's shop, she spotted the sunset red trim of the Quidditch supplies shop where a large line had suddenly began filing in after the shop doors opened. The blonde girl made haste hurtling through the streets; between chittering first years dragging oversized Hogwarts cases, and ducking under two owls who swooped overhead on the way to mounted perches on stands in front of the Owl Emporium.

So close to September 1st, it was no wonder why all the children in Diagon Alley's square were overflowing with excitement, so much so she accidentally slammed into a short boy and both fell backwards onto their bottoms. As her hands hit the dirt, spots of gravel plastered into her hands and the uneven ground, unswept by the house elves that wandered the streets cleaning, letting her legs rest uncomfortably in front of her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The boy grabbed her other hand that wasn't clutching her gut after he'd head-butted it, trying to pull her to her feet. "My bad!" Lorelei doubled over slightly, it didn't hurt that much but the shock made her stomach sting just a bit longer than usual.

"No, no" Lorelei smiled and blinked until her vision cleared, almost being able to see the boy in his glasses before two gigantic hands curled under her arms and lifted her up to her feet. With her boots under her, she almost thought she heard Cedric say "clumsy as always", but it was just a memory of a time she had tripped or fallen over something while her friend was beside her.

There was a rough chuckle from the figure who'd helped her up as he moved around to pat the boy on the shoulder, "Miss Lovegood! Look at you! You've gotten taller. Why, you're almost up to me beard 'ere" As she looked up, a kind set of eyes poked out from a mess of dark brown hair in long, frizzy curls on top of a gigantic coat that loomed over them.

"Hagrid, what are you doing in Diagon Alley so close to the start of school?" She smirked, rather enjoying the onlooking children as they gazed in wonderment at the large man who towered over all of the passerby's on the street. "Not trying to win another egg, I hope!"

Hagrid shook his head ruggedly like a child who had just been scolded, and nearly took out a low-flying owl as he waved his hands in dismissal, "Oh no, no. Definitely not, actually I'm just helping Harry here get his school supplies." Harry Potter 'e is, bit smaller than I thought but he'll grow with a good lot of Hogwarts dinner in 'em.

Lorelei hummed sweetly, not letting on she'd caught what the large man had been thinking.

He pat the shoulder of the boy, and Lorelei's gaze fell to the oversized, navy-blue checkered shirt the boy wore over top of a dark shirt he had tucked into his baggy pants. A thick black belt was the only thing holding the large pants up on his hips, as his frame was far too scrawny to support wearing a man's clothes. Part of Lorelei made her want to reach out and pinch his cheek like she'd do to Levi, and scold him for not eating enough.

But instead she held out her hand and grasped his smaller one, shaking it gently. "I'm Lorelei, I'm a third year at Hogwarts, it's good to meet you Harry."

The boy smiled at her but his well-knit brows were laced together, "Um, excuse me Lorelei, but your hair is very strange, is it supposed to be that colour or is it some kind of spell?"

Lorelei's tongue clicked at the top of her mouth, "do you always say exactly what you're thinking Harry?"

She failed to deny the accuracy of his claim as Hagrid suddenly became very interested in a bewitched paper crane hanging from the store behind her head. Her hair after all, was quite peculiar, being the brilliant shade of petrified blonde it was, shining and sparkling in the light like the sun off snow.