𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄 ㅡ Golden Trio

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE - THE BLACK CONUNDRUM

Walking into the red accented room, Noelle was immediately pinned with questioning and defensive stares. She managed to catch on to some words regarding her genealogy.

"Miss Granger, if I could have a word with you momentarily?" Noelle watched as a dark skinned, bushy-haired girl stood up and walked past her, casting an inquisitive glance at herself, before following Professor McGonagall out into the hallway where the portrait closed behind them to give them some privacy.

In the deafening silence that followed Noelle hurried to explain herself. "I'm not Black. I mean — I'm not Sirius Black. Where I come from Black is a very common surname," she said anxiously, rubbing the sleeves of her sweater between her fingers in a nervous tic. The last thing she wanted was to be shunned by her most beloved characters — most beloved people. They're real, Noelle reminded herself. 

There was a snort. "Yeah, Ron, you'd have to be rather daft to think Sirius Black would transfigure into a teenage girl just to sneak in and not get caught by the Professors, never mind the bloody Dementors," quipped a boy with a pleasing Irish accent. 

Ron scowled at Seamus. "It's a very plausible scenario considering no one knows how he got in the first time!" 

Noelle relaxed as the tense atmosphere died down at their banter, though there were still some curious glances that Noelle acknowledged came with being a new student.

"So," said one of the twins — Noelle wasn't very sure which one was which just yet — as he leaned forward with a mischievous smirk painting his lips, "What's your name, O' Dark One?"

She quirked a smile at the pun. "Noelle."

"Miss Definitely-Not-Sirius-Black, please accept our gift of welcome into our humble abode," said the other twin with a matching grin an an accompanying clap. "You'll find a couch here—"

"—The fireplace there—"

"—I think the girl has eyes, Fred," commented Angelina dryly.

"— I will ignore your incredibly presumptuous statement," sniffed Fred dramatically, "and implore Miss Black to accept..." he waved a hand and George flourished a wonky looking flower from seemingly no where, looking surprisingly vibrant despite its wilting. 

"...This. A token of our hospitality," grinned George. There was a roll of eyes and some apprehensive glances between the flower and Noelle's surprised expression (who was honestly just happy to be able to differentiate the two at this point), which quickly morphed into one of mild playfulness.

"Are you sure this won't explode on me?" Noelle gingerly plucked the flower from the Ginger boy's hands, cautiously facing the flower head away from her.

Fred quickly schooled his expression to one of great offence. "Never!"

At that moment Hermione returned, looking rather pleased and somewhat excited at whatever McGonagall had told her, followed by the woman herself.

"Miss Black, I will leave you in the very capable hands of Miss Granger. She will show you to the dorms as well as inform you of your schedules. Do you have any questions?"

Just as she was about to shake her head in response, Noelle stopped suddenly and presented a sweet smile toward the Professor. She offered the flower to the Deputy Headmistress. "No, but I was asked by this lovely gentleman here to give this to you upon your return. Thank you very much for guiding me here, Professor."

George's face dropped, and Fred seemed to have a hard time deciding whether he should share in his brother's misery or laugh at the turn of events. There were similar expressions schooled on the faces of the students who were still watching the entire interaction.

Fortunately — or perhaps unfortunately, depending on who you were, Noelle supposed — McGonagall accepted the flower with a dry smile and quickly re-directed the flower head at the crimson walls. Immediately there was a splash of ink, and the flower deflated having lost its cargo. The stern woman cast her gaze to both of the twins, much to Fred's indignation. "I expect this cleaned up, boys — manually. And for goodness' sake think of something better!"

With those final words, McGonagall stepped out of the Gryffindor common room, portrait swinging shut behind her.

There was a snort of suppressed laughter, which soon spread as if infectious to everyone who had witnessed the exchange — save Hermione, who'd thought pranking the Head of House was incredibly out of line, no matter how lightly she had taken it, and had set her brows admonishingly at the twins who didn't look concerned in the slightest if their matching grins were anything to go by.

"I have to admit, Black, that was clever of you."

Noelle grinned back, bending into a little playful curtsy. "Why, thank you." She turned to Hermione finally, settling to a much more subdued smile. "So, you're the brightest witch of our age who's going to help me catch up?"

The question seemed to snap Hermione out of her thoughts as she turned back to face the grey eyed brunette in front of her, face slightly flushed from the compliment. "Hermione Granger," she offered her hand to Noelle with an easy smile, which Noelle accepted with her own brief introduction. "Shall I show you to the dorms first?"

Noelle nodded, and followed Hermione up the staircase on the left. "You'll be in a room with me and two other girls — Lavender and Parvati. There are fewer girls in our year in Gryffindor so we've really just had the dorm to ourselves. But don't worry," Hermione looked over her shoulder to throw a smile. "I'm sure you'll integrate just fine. Professor McGonagall said you transferred?" At Noelle's hurried nod she continued. "Your belongings are probably here already."

Noelle was prompted to stop for a moment upon hearing those words. She realised with start at the fact that she actually had no belongings save for the clothes on her back. She winced, fiddling with her sweater again. "Um...about that..." 

Hermione looked at her with a questioning glance as they arrived on the landing. She opened the door. "I don't think I have any..." Noelle stopped, eyes drifting over the four beds in the room before settling on one on the far left with a trunk pushed in front of it. On the trunk sat a grey-white Scottish fold, which glanced at the two visitors before leaping down gracefully to rub against Noelle's legs, mewling quietly in hello (or what she assumed was a hello; Noelle couldn't exactly speak cat). Noelle felt a strange sense of familiarity with the kitten and hesitantly picked it up — surprisingly with no fuss from the feline. Its intelligent olive green looked back at her and she was suddenly reminded of...

"Amira?" The name slipped from her tongue without thought and Noelle was left slightly jarred at the approving mewl the cat gave in response.

"Aw, she's adorable!" Fawned Hermione as the cat leapt down from Noelle's hold and went over to run around the fat ginger poof on Hermione's bed — Noelle belatedly realised this was her half-Kneazle, Crookshanks. "It looks like they'll get along well!" Hermione walked in and sat at her bed, rifling through her belongings before gesturing at the girl who stood dumbstruck at the door. "Come sit down! I'll tell you everything you need to know and we'll get started on the basics after lunch."

Noelle hummed absently, walking over to sit at her own bed, faintly aware that she needed to have a very stern talking to with her cat. God, that sounds so weird.

Hermione pulled out a thick book from her trunk; the embossed title Hogwarts: A History gleamed at her playfully in the late morning sun. She heaved a sigh internally. This was going to be a long day.

[Written: 15/05/20]

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