LUMINARY, justin finch-fletchley

deux, the entrance

THE WAIT TO ENTER THE GREAT HALL WAS GETTING ON MY NERVES. My feet were already starting to hurt considering that I had been in heels all day. I could faintly hear the Headmaster's speech, going on about what was going on later in the year.

I had been beyond excited to accompany my best friend Gabrielle, seeing as her sister was of age, and would be plenty busy. Gabrielle needed someone to accompany her, seeing as her sister would be caught up in academics.

The Headmasters speech dragged on.

I had purely been brought only for the entrance. Our Headmistress would never dare say such a thing to me, but I had figured it out.

I had also been brought along to teach whoever was chosen English. Seeing as it was my first language, rather than French. Not that I minded, I would get to see my best friend in less than an hour.

I had barely seen him all summer. 

We both had busy schedules throughout the summer, and it seemed like my parents had blatantly ignored his, resulting in seeing him less and less.

It didn't matter. I was at Hogwarts. They can exactly come here; they're muggles, and they wouldn't know where it was anyway.

I was eager to get this stupid performance over with. It felt like I had just been put on the stage after only a couple of hours of rehearsing. I tried not to think to much about it, seeing as my anxiety would probably get the best of me.

"Ready?" Gabrielle whispered in French. I nodded, and gave her a soft smile. The doors of the Great Hall swung open, and it took everything I had not to stare in awe.

It was plenty bigger than Beauxbatons, and much less formal. Glancing around, their uniform was a lot more casual than ours.

In Beauxbatons, it was pristine. Everything seemed to be sparking with elegance, and it made you feel like royalty.

Hogwarts was different.

It had the feeling of belonging, and safeness. It looked more like home than home did. Candle-lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling by the walls, and singular candles floating by themselves. Past the candles, the night sky shown brightly. Even though I knew it was just enchanted. Four tables were lined up, all proudly presenting different colored ties. Thankfully, from what Justin told me, I could make out each house.

Finishing the performance, I turned to my Headmistress, gladly took her hand, and curtsied.

Whistles erupted from around the hall, along with cheering and clapping. Even though the girls seemed to be doing nothing but sulking and glaring at us.

It was safe to say it only boosted our ego's.

The Durmstrang boys came in after us, forcing us out of the front of the hall. I could hear girls snickering but I couldn't care less; I was looking for him.

Gabrielle noticed my eyes darting up and down the four tables, trying to find him as fast as I could. She put a hand on my shoulder after seeing my tense state. "You'll see him eventually. Relax." 

I sighed, as her older sister Fleur led us to a table filled with blue ties, which I assumed was the Ravenclaw table. Fleur had pushed me closest to the Hogwarts students, seeing as I could actually communicate with them.

Most of the girls from our table looked at us with disgust written all over their faces. Me and Gabrielle only giggled at their jealousy.

The Beauxbatons girls looked at the castle in disgust. I reckoned it was because in France, everything is proper. While here, it was more casual. It seemed they didn't like the change. 

Mountains of food appeared in front on us, and I was more than amazed. Gabrielle and I shared a glance, and started piling food on to our plates.

Fleur and her friends were more then happy to nudge Gabrielle and tell her to act more polite, all while insulting the castle.

I never liked Fleur, I always thought she was tolerable. But now it was unbearable.

I craned my neck and started scanning the tables again. After a good minute, I spotted the familiar head at the Hufflepuff table.

"Veuillez m'excuser." I whispered to Gabrielle, excusing myself, and stood up to walk over.

People were walking all over the place, grabbing plates from separate tables to bring them to their own. 

"Guess who." I said covering his eyes. "Tell me that was rhetorical." I sighed and rolled my eyes, even thought he couldn't see me. I dropped my hands and I was immediately enveloped in a hug, which I gladly returned.

"Wait sit down." He said dragged me down to sit. 

"Quit it you're going to rip my uniform." I hissed. 

"You never liked dresses anyways."

"Introductions maybe?" I asked. "Right."

I was immediately introduced to Ernie, whom I had known as he came over two summers before, Zach, Wayne, and Hannah, but stopped at the red head next to him as she proudly introduced herself as Susan.

"Wait this is the Susan you always talk about, right?" I asked, glancing at Justin. His cheeks turned the slightest tint of pink.

"You talk about me? Only fitting. Your name comes up at least once a week." She laughed.

Zach was snickering to himself as I added, "Aw look. Justin's blushing." I pinched his cheeks.

He laughed and pulled away. "Quit it, Blake." It meant to come out as demanding, but instead came out as a harmless.

I looked at Susan to see her smirking. "We're going to get along really well." She stated.

"Oh I know we will." I nodded. 

Justin sighed.

"I got to get back. I wouldn't want Gabrielle to be left with her sister too long."

"Why?" Wayne questioned.

"Her sister Fleur is ranting about how she déteste déjà ici." I said rolling  my eyes.

He looked more confused than he already was. "They don't like it here." Justin mumbled to him. Wayne made an "O" shape with his mouth.

"I'll probably see you tomorrow. Bonne nuit." I said walking off, missing Ernie's comment.

"You're whipped, mate."

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