Cherry Lips // s. black

-SEPTEMBER. 3.-

That didn't solve the problem, unfortunately, but there had been enough money to buy a second-hand wand and two sets of dark robes with sweet wrappers in the pockets and an embroidered sunflower on one sleeve, as well as the required books and a half price potions kit.

Now she had a little dark vault with a few piles of knuts and a handful of galleons. Hagrid had specifically requested no sickles.

Silver made her sneeze a lot and break out in rashes. So did cats.

A shudder went through her body as the train started to move, and a redheaded girl raced past the compartment.

Carmilla opened her trunk slightly, not wanting anything to fall out, and slipped out one of her books. She hadn't read all of the books assigned this year, and because she had very limited knowledge on Hogwarts and the wizarding world as it is, she needed to catch up. She flicked through the pages, eyes scanning the words quickly and hoping they would retain something.

It didn't work, because Carmilla couldn't read.

There were very limited educational opportunities at the catholic orphanage. That was actually adult talk for, she couldn't read or write.

Carmilla didn't actually know how long it would take for the train to arrive at Hogwarts, but once she was three chapters into the pictures and drawings in Hogwarts: A History, the door slid open. A girl with pink hair and light brown eyes stumbled in, carting a trunk that looked like it was about to burst.

She looked up and saw Carmilla, then squeaked, and turned back around to leave. Unfortunately, the door had slid shut behind her as the train turned a corner on the tracks, so she knocked into it, her skull making quiet the hollow thud.

She stood still for a moment, face red, and then turned to Carmilla with an awkward grin, and held her hand out, "greetings. I'm Ace London."

Carmilla shook her hand, "that's a cool name."

"Thank you!" Ace said and flopped back onto the burnt seat with a huff. "Sorry for barging in, I hexed Malfoy, and now the prefects are after me. What's your name? I haven't seen you before, are you new? I love your eyes."

Carmilla blinked at the onslaught of questions and then folded the corner of the page she was up to and set her book down. "My names Carmilla. I'm starting in the third year... Your hair is very pink."

"Third year? Me too. And thanks, I dyed it myself." She gestured to her hair, and flicked it around, it reached just below her shoulders and made her look like a fairy. Carmilla had seen very few people in her hometown with colourful hair. That was adult talk for no one.

"Erm, what's Ravenclaw?" she asked.

Ace didn't seem to mind the lack of knowledge and started rambling about houses, pulling her knees up to her chest. "You mustn't have finished that book yet, there are four different houses, you'll get sorted when we arrive with the rest of the newbies. Ravenclaw is for people that desire knowledge and want to learn new things. Everyone just thinks we're nerds, but we're really not. Hufflepuff is for the loyal and trustworthy people, Gryffindor is for the loud people, and Slytherins for the dark wizards. At least that's what everyone thinks, but really, they're pretty chillaxed. Most of them."

Carmilla wasn't sure if she would fit into any of the houses. She didn't have a defining trait that wasn't to do with being a vampire, or an orphan, really. Ace continued on.

"You don't have to be the smartest person at school, or the bravest or anything like that. The sorting hat will pick somewhere that's good for you, try not to worry. Are you a muggle born then?" She propped her feet up on her trunk, matching Carmilla.