Reading the books- Marauders era

New Guests

The forty-five minutes break had ended and everyone was now seated on their respective seats. The hall, abuzz with light-hearted chatter, was silenced by the loud clearing of Dumbledore's throat. 

Lily whipped her head toward the old man who now held up a letter in his hands. She observed as the long-bearded man opened the letter delicately and silently surveyed the words before reading them aloud.

"It is with great excitement we announce that you all are getting some guests as soon as the break is over. The seats and all--"

Loud gasps echoed around the Great Hall. A black circle rippling with energy had appeared in the middle of the Hall, facing the floor. From it, fell a series of human beings, one over the another, except the last person -- a boy with bubblegum pink hair stepped out of the mini black hole like he was sliding down a slope. He carefully landed on his feet beside the pile and dusted his clothes. The boy stared at the pile of children, sighed in exasperation and then looked up, examining the Great Hall.

"Hello," the blue haired boy said, his voice echoing around the Hall. He was staring at Professor Dumbledore, critically assessing him with his eyes. "Headmaster Dumbledore." The boy nodded in greeting.

"Can you all just move?" A strained voice said. Lily recognised it coming from the bottom of the pile. "I don't mind dying but dying from suffocation is not on my bucket list."

"Then you ask why people think you're weird." The redhead lying on the top said, rolling her eyes as she straightened up and stood beside the blue-haired boy.

"Thanks for the compliment, Gin."

Lily watched in silence as the pile of children grew smaller and at last, only two children remained on the floor.

"Weasley," the girl lying on the floor breathed out, "I told you I don't want to die of suffocation – get off!"

"Aww my bestie, you're so cute and cuddly and so fluffy like a pillow," the tall red-haired boy lying on top of the girl hummed.

The blue haired boy rolled his eyes and with unimaginable strength got the red-head boy off the girl by himself. The girl stood up, breathed deeply and dusted her clothes. A plain white shirt and grey sweatpants.

"Wow," the girl said, gazing around the Hall in wonder. "It is still the same in twenty years."

The comment got a lot of raised eyebrows.

"Can we get your introductions, please?" Professor Dumbledore asked loudly.

The blue haired boy stepped up.

"I'm Edward." He introduced himself. "And they..." Edward pointed to the group of children standing behind him, "are the people you all were just reading about."

Lily didn't know who looked the most uncomfortable among the kids. Maybe the raven haired boy with emerald eyes and round glasses, or, maybe the girl with curly auburn hair and brown hair. It was as if the two were having a competition on who could look the most uncomfortable.

But the brunette boy with puffed up cheeks won the competition.

He shifted his weight from one feet to another, rubbed the back of neck with his hand, picked at his nails, tugged at his ears — all in the span of one minute.

"Time travelling almost twenty years into the past with eight people is a dangerous feat, Mr Edward." Dumbledore remarked.

"It might be in the 1970s wizarding world, but not in the future." Edward replied, raising a challenging eyebrow. "The wizarding world has evolved since the 1970s and is still evolving years into the future, Headmaster. And I can assure you, the time turner I used was tested by the professionals themselves."