Bloom | George Weasley

1. The Last First Day

It took me two years to write this oh my god lol
Enjoy!
- Taintedandloved <3

A welcome back feast for the ages, is how I'd describe it. Triwizard tournament, Yule ball, exchange students from two different schools - all in my last year at Hogwarts!

"You sure you're not putting your name in?" I ask to my left, my knee bouncing up and down at just the thought of becoming Hogwarts champion. Whether it's confidence or anxiety, I couldn't tell you.

Ainur shakes her head.

"Cedric definitely is." She responds, nodding her chin towards the Hufflepuff table, where the boy in question still has a look of interest at Dumbledore's words. "If he gets chosen as the champion then he won't take exams. Seven years of us fighting for top marks and I'll finally come out victorious by acing my N.E.W.T.s."

"Unless you fail." Stevie cuts in and Ainur jumps a bit, knocking twice on the Ravenclaw table.

"Don't say that!" She hisses. "But no, I'm not putting my name in."

"Well I am," I swirl my name onto the wooden table with my fingertips, just like I'm practising. "You, Stevie?"

She nods her head, face full of confidence and mouth full of pudding. Then she swallows and speaks.

"D'you actually think we're worthy enough?"

"Well I don't know about you, but I think I have a pretty good shot." I tease.

"Oh, right, Saint Madhvi." She exaggerates. "The perfect girl - Hogwarts' champion!"

"I'm glad you finally admit it." I grin as I stand up. "I'm gonna turn in early - think I had too many sweets on the train ride."

"Last train ride to Hogwarts, totally worth it."

"We'll meet you in the tower. We've gotta have a word with Diggory first." Stevie waves off and Ainur confirms.

I continue on my way out the Great Hall and am only stopped briefly by two redheads in the year below me, who are known notoriously throughout the school and - quite possibly - the entire wizarding community in Great Britain.

"You thinking of putting your name in, Joshi?" One of the twins asks, leaning against the stair banister as I walk up.

I can't tell which one spoke, which puts me off a little bit. It's not like I speak to them enough to tell them apart, but it bugs me that I can't name check the one who addressed me.

"Hoping I'm good enough, yea." I say to the both of them, then ask, "you guys aren't 17 yet, are you?"

"Nearly there-"

"- first of April."

"Right, well I reckon you two'd make great champions."

"That's exactly what we think." One boasts.

The other adds, "just gotta convince Dumbledore."

And I'm stuck nodding along to nothing, because I find myself trying to find any identifying features for either of them, that I don't realize they've stopped talking. But I've got to admit it, they do a very good job at fooling everybody - I can't find a single difference.

"Well, I'll give you boys points for trying." I smile at them, wanting to get to bed.

So I bid them goodbye and continue on my ascent to the Ravenclaw tower. Seven years in this school, and yet the journey is no less complicated. Maybe if Rowena hadn't put sentient stairscases designed to screw over the students, It'd be easier.

Alas, when has anything at Hogwarts been easy?

~*~

First mail of the year, and a school owl comes sweeping down at me, nearly taking my head off. I screech and swat it away as it flies off. My friends laugh at me.

"You've got mail?" Stevie guesses and I send a murderous look as I fix my hair. I think the owl might've taken a chunk out of it.

"You've got two, actually." Ainur flips over the letters. "One for your brother."

"Guess they're from my parents." I mumble, a bit pissed off from the owl, and get up.

Stalking over to the end of the Gryffindor table, I practically slam the letter down in front of him, the corner catching in his eggs and splattering them all over the place. Ajay jumps in surprise.

"Next time, use a different owl when talking to mum and dad." I tell my brother, who looks up at me and immediately laughs.

"New hairdo, Madhvi?" He snickers and I flick him in the forehead before walking back to my friends.

I plop down, now not so excited for my last first day of Hogwarts.

"I have a comb in my bag." Stevie assures and I sigh.

"What would I do without you?" I make the mistake of saying. She smirks.

"It's a wonder how you survived this far."

I've got to admit, Defense Against the Dark Arts is a very interesting start to the day. Professor Moody is quite the character, and I say that in the most polite way possible, because although I know he can see everything with his eye, I don't know what kind of contraption he might have on his ears that could allow him to hear across the room.

By the end of class, 'Constant Vigilance' is engrained into our minds, along with a light ringing from the volume at which Moody spoke.

And apparently, Orla Walsh from Slytherin doesn't share my fear at Moody's mega-hearing, as she whispers to me while we're exiting, letting Ainur and Stevie wander the corridor themselves.

"Bit gammy he is, you think?"

"He's got a bad dose of something, alright." I whisper back and we giggle until we're stopped outside the class by two, rather tall, men.

"So you're the lucky class who got Moody first, eh?" It's one of the Weasley twins.

"Any advice for a couple of newcomers, Joshi?" The other asks.

"You two've got Moody now?" I confirm and they nod. I look at Orla, who just snickers. "I don't think there's much I can say about him."

"He's one of a kind." She adds and I can't help but laugh.

"You boys'll be fine." I assure, sobering up, but one of them snickers.

"What's with the new hairstyle?" He asks and I grab onto my strands, remembering the events of breakfast.

Not that I wasn't aware, but hair brushes and curly hair don't really mix, unfortunately, I didn't have much of an option - it was either brush out my hair and look like the grounds keeper, or leave the nest that demon's claws made. So here I am, Madhvi Hagrid.

"Had a small altercation with an owl." I admit, trying to smooth it down before clearing my throat. "Now I have to get to Alchemy, see ya."

"I could walk you to class." the other one says, and I stop in my tracks, very suspicious at the offer.

"In case I get lost?" I raise an eyebrow doubtfully.

He shrugs. "You never know."

Orla and I side-eye each other, apparently both getting the same distrustful feeling. The Weasley twins are always up to something, and it's never a good idea to let your guard down around them.

"I think I can manage this time, thank you." I say. "If I get lost you can have bragging rights."

"I'll look forward to it." He says and Orla and I leave.

"Couple of dossers those two are." She whispers to me and I throw a look over my shoulder at the two, who are now talking to their friend.

I nod my head.

A/N

hey hey :) i write on tumblr too
@kleftiko