how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

thirty-four: first day

FIRST DAY

Beyond the curtains of Lucia's four-poster bed, she could hear the rustling sound of the other girls in the dorm getting ready for the first day of classes.

She groaned and pulled the covers over her eyes to shield them from the ambient blue glow that was engulfing the room from the morning sun. Tom and her hadn't returned to their dorms until late, and she was beginning to regret this now she had to get up so early.

After being told off by Aimee the previous night in the Astronomy Tower, they'd walked around the castle talking for a while before finally returning to their dormitories incredibly late at night.
And no, much to Tom's disappointment, the broom cupboard suggestion did not happen.
After stretching her arms in front of her and sighing rather loudly, she sat up and pulled the covers off. She'd already be getting a detention from the previous night, she didn't need another one for not being at breakfast to get her timetable.

Lucia pulled back the curtains, revealing a couple of the other seventh year Ravenclaw girls brushing their perfectly styled hair and pulling up their school socks just under the knee. They didn't even look up at her when she walked out of bed to the bathroom.

She chuckled at her reflection in the mirror, eye bags on the first day was a look she hadn't intended to sport. She just moved to washing her face and brushing her hair and teeth, not having enough time to shower much to her annoyance.

The other girls had left without so much as a word to her when she walked back into the dormitory. She rolled her eyes, apparently this year would be the same as any other. They'd do nothing but give her dirty looks or ignore her.

After dressing in her uniform, she pulled on her black dragon-hide school shoes and shoved a couple of random items in her pockets for the day. It was then she realised just how hungry she was for breakfast, considering she hadn't eaten at the feast the night before.

When Lucia arrived at the Great Hall, students were excitedly chattering at their tables. The Gryffindors already had their timetables, and were comparing them frantically to see who had classes together.

She sat down at the Ravenclaw table next to Lorcan, who was cutting a pancake into extremely small pieces while talking to Lysander about the historical significance of Thestrals in wizarding wars of the past.

"Merlin, you smell like smoke Lucia." Lorcan cringed as she picked a waffle from a shiny silver tray.

"I think I should owl a thank you note to your mother." Lucia chuckled, "She had some good shit in there."

"First day of classes and Lucia's already getting high." Lysander smirked, rolling his eyes as he popped a grape into his mouth.

"Aimee fucking caught Tom and I smoking at the Astronomy Tower last night," Lucia explained frustratedly while pouring syrup over her waffle, "I expect I'll be hearing about a detention today. But as long as it's not with McGonagall I'm fine with it."

"Miss Cohen." A voice sounded from behind Lucia, she turned mid-bite to see Professor Flitwick looking at her with a rather stern expression.

"Hello Professor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She smiled politely, knowing exactly what was coming.

"You haven't even been here twenty-four hours and you've already managed to get not only yourself but a new student detentions." He sounded rather disappointed, but not even remotely surprised, "Smoking on school property? Surely you must have learnt by now how low our tolerance for that is."

"I'm sorry Professor, it won't happen again." She assured, accepting the parchment with her timetable from him.

"I believe that's what you said last year." He accused, then lowered his voice, "You're such a promising student, Miss Cohen. If you just try to keep yourself in line enough this year to perform well on your N.E.W.T.s, you could have a truly bright future. Don't let yourself get dragged down by something as ridiculous as muggle drugs."