The three of us were exhausted the next morning (I was for the most part because Cassie wriggled about in her sleep and had very pointy elbows) but eager to discuss the giant three headed dog that lived in our school.
I didn't want to look at it's eyes, so I looked at the floor. Cassie told us. It was stood on a door. There's something under there. Something its guarding or protecting.
"I mean, if you want to keep something safe I suppose that's the way forward." I stifled a yawn as I adjusted my tie, which hung limply around my neck.
"A Cerberus!" Katherine's eyes were bright and excited. "Like in Greek Mythology! It guards the gates to the Underworld—they're so fascinating. I knew they existed in the wizarding world, but I never thought I'd see one!"
You are way too excited for it being this early in the morning, Kat. Cassie blinked several times, clearly trying to stay awake as we traipsed up to the hall for breakfast.
"It's half past eight, this is later than we usually go to the hall." Katherine frowned. "I just like mythology... it's interesting."
"It is," I said brightly, not wanting to discourage her. "We're just too sleep deprived to appreciate it."
Cassie joined us at the Hufflepuff table for breakfast, and nobody seemed to mind too much. While the Slytherins had a reputation for not being nice, people knew this wasn't true about Cassie. She radiated positivity and kindness.
"Ha!" I exclaimed as I poured milk over my cereal. "Look at Draco's face!"
Cassie and Katherine both grinned. Draco looked sulky as he noticed that Harry and Ron were sat at the Gryffindor table, clearly not in any trouble. He especially looked annoyed that Cassie was sat at our table, and very clearly had saved Harry and Ron from trouble.
"He's pissed off at you, Cassie." Katherine gave another small smile.
Cassie gave her a smile that radiated sunshine. When life gives you lemons, you have to make a hell of a lot of lemonade.
**
A week later, the fruit of Cassie's metaphorical revenge lemonade against her brother was ripened. About a week later we were sat having breakfast, when not one, but six screech owls flew into the hall carrying a long package.
It soared straight over to the Gryffindor table, and dropped the long package onto the table in front of Harry. He and Ron read a note that was attached, before they hurried off from breakfast with the package in tow.
Katherine, Cassie and I exchanged a look. "Well that wasn't suspicious," I frowned. "Wonder who's sending Harry a massive package."
Cassie snorted, and I gave her a withering look. "You knew what I meant, Cass."
She shrugged which said I saw the opportunity.
"You are both dense," Katherine looked up from her eggs. "it's obviously a broomstick."
I almost spilt tea onto my blouse. "What?"
Katherine rolled her eyes. "Harry obviously doesn't have a broom, because first years can't usually the join the teams. It's a large package—Cassie, stop giggling please, I have a point," she tried to look annoyed at Cassie, but even that was a fairly gentle smile. "So obviously one of the teachers has bought him a broomstick. That's why the boys were excited."
"Great job, Katherine Holmes," I tried to sound extra-sarcastic like Sasha. "But why not we just ask them?"
Katherine paused. "Yeah, we could do that."
Quickly grabbing our rucksacks, we hurried out into the entrance hall to find that Draco had approached Harry and Ron, the package in his slimy hands.
"—Ah ha! First years can't have broomsticks, you'll be in so much trouble, Potter—" Draco was saying.
"It's a Nimbus Two Thousand," Ron said smugly, and Draco's face fell. "Fastest broom on the market, isn't that right, Harry?"
Harry nodded smugly, and Draco's face screwed up. "What do you know about brooms, Weasley? I bet you and your brothers have to build them, twig by twig—OUCH, Cassie?"
Cassie had punched her brother in the arm and retrieved the broomstick. She passed it to Harry, who looked relieved.
"Wish I had a Nimbus Two Thousand," Katherine said sadly. "My Auntie thinks they're too dangerous."
"Not fighting, children, I hope?" Professor Flitwick had approached us, and in fairness it did look like the five of us were ready to smack down Draco.
"Potter's been sent a broom!" Draco said triumphantly, always the snitch.
"Oh yes!" Flitwick's eyes lit up. "McGonagall told me, special circumstances—brilliant! What model is it?"
Draco scowled at us all, and stomped off, but not before shoving Cassie as he went. She shot him a dirty look. She wrote one word on her notebook to us: Boys.
**
Time was flying past us at the speed of lightning, and it was a great surprise to me when Halloween arrived. I'd already been at Hogwarts for two months! It had felt like a lifetime and felt like my dearest home.
People had stopped looking at my weird eyes and making snide comments about my father. People had finally realised that I wasn't (that much) of a freak and certainly not murderer material. I still hadn't talked to mum—but that was just a glitch. I'd talk to her when I was ready.
"We really have the best house," Katherine announced on Halloween morning as she braided her hair in a complicated cool way I'd seen some other black girls around the school did. "Can you smell that?"
"Oh boy," I said dreamily.
Our entire room smelt of home-made cooking and warmth, and I couldn't keep a smile off my face as I dressed for school. We were having a huge Halloween feast tonight and being so close to the kitchens had its advantages.
"Morning, morning!" Sasha said, all chipper as we met her in the common room. She was wearing her hair in a neat bun which made her look effortlessly cool (but would make me look like a Tellytubby) and wearing a large '14' badge that I'd bought her.
"Happy birthday!" I exclaimed, thrusting a birthday bag at her. Katherine shyly passed my sister a small package as well. "Love you, my spooky sister!"
Sasha rolled her eyes. She revelled in the fact her birthday was on Halloween—and 'spooky sister' was her nickname for her birthday only. When we were younger celebrations involved lots of Halloween treats Mum baked and endless scary movies.
Sasha tore into the packaging. A grin came onto her face. "You do really love me, golden eyes."
I'd gotten her the latest installment in a Japanese horror manga series she loved. Sasha loved them so much that she was fluent in Japanese—she claimed the Japanese edition of the manga was more authentic. It'd taken almost two months to arrive, but the smile on her face was worth it.
"If I didn't get you something good you'd annoy me half to death." I teased, but we both knew that I thought birthdays were as special as she did.
