Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 54

Tilly wakes me up the next morning by barging into my room and getting into bed with me.

"What're you doing?" I ask groggily.

"I'm homesick," she replies, snuggling down, "I just wanted some company."

We lie in silence for a few minutes before I realise she's gone to sleep. I roll over and eventually fall asleep again.

When I wake a couple of hours later, Tilly is lying on her back, snoring. I laugh and get out of bed. It's about six am, which is when Charlie suggested we get up. Breakfast is over at seven and most people are out working by seven-thirty.

I get some clothes and go into the bathroom to change. When I come back out Tilly is stirring. She sits up, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry, mate," she yawns, "it just feels so lonely lying in the dark. Feels like no one is around for miles."

"It's fine," I say, "why don't you get dressed and we can head up to breakfast."

"Yeah, new boy might be here," she says, getting up. She goes out to her cabin and I brush my hair and tie it back before going outside to wait for her. The sun is up already, but I know in the winter we'll be working in the dark for a few hours every morning and evening.

Tilly comes out dressed in jeans, an old flannel shirt and riding boots and we head up to the food hall. Jennifer and Andrei are there, sitting apart from everyone. Charlie is sitting with a group of men and women, all of them talking and laughing.

"So, do we sit with the other newbies or with Charlie?" Tilly asks. We exchange a look and walk over to sit with Charlie.

"Morning!" he says cheerfully, "everyone, this is Aurelia and Tilly. Guys, this is... Everyone."

We sit down and mainly listen to them talking, trying to figure out who is who. At seven a whistle blows and everyone gets up, carries their plates to the window going through to the kitchen, and files out. I follow Tilly through to the communal room where we sit down on a couple of sofas.

"So, tell me about you," Tilly says, kicking her shoes off and lying down, "where did you go to school?"

"Uh, Hogwarts," I answer, "most British kids go there. Where did you go?"

"Sturt's Academy," she replies, "boarding school in Sydney. Were you born or made?"

"Excuse me?" I exclaim, shocked. Tilly raises her eyebrows at me.

"You're a vampire," she says, "were you born or made?"

"How did you know?" I gasp. Tilly rolls her eyes.

"I'm an expert on all non-human beings," she says, "show me a creature, I'll identify it in three seconds or less. Except werewolves in human form, still getting the hang of those..."

"Non-human beings?" I repeat. She grins at me sheepishly.

"Monsters is such a harsh word," she says. The door opens and Jennifer and Andrei walk in. Neither of them acknowledges us. Tilly rolls her eyes at me.

"So, this boyfriend of yours," she says, "what's his name, again?"

"George," I reply.

"George who?"

"Weasley."

"Weasley," she raises her eyesbrows, "no."

"Yes?"

Tilly bursts out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry," she chortles, "that's great. So, what does he do?"

"He owns a joke shop with his brother, Fred," I say, "Weasley Wizarding Wheezes."