Roses on the Sidewalk {HP}

Chapter 2

"AAAARGH!" I scrambled to my feet as a sticky, wet and cold substance slipped down my shirt and made me dance like a loon trying to get it out. The whole compartment burst out laughing as I finally whipped my wand out and muttered a spell, proceeding into turning around and giving Fred (who was almost falling with laughter) the evil eye.

I should have glanced sideways. 

But I didn't.

Before I could start cursing Fred and James with swear words my parents wouldn't approve of and possibly jinxing them too, Lily burst inside, followed by Hugo. "Look! It's Hogwarts!" She cried gleefully, pressing herself on the smooth, cool window.

Sure enough, the castle-like-structure crept out of the gloom, towering over the grounds and the Quidditch pitch,and  the small Hogsmeade village, which was half-hidden by the mist. . The sun weaved itself through the clouds, shining spots of sunlight now and again. It was quite a breathtaking view.

We all gazed at our school in awe, like a kid does when they pass by the broomstick shop, never being able to get used to it's massive power and history, which, by the way, makes the whole aspect much more interesting.

"It's aura seems different." Lysander mused as he peered outside as well. His magazine was tucked inside his bag and his distant eyes scanned the school like a man debating wether to buy a new suit or not. "More... adventurous. One might, perhaps say, dangerous."

'Well, danger can also mean romance." Lily sighed dreamily, her breath fogging up the window. This also got her looks from both her brothers who stared at her as if she had said she wanted to marry a whale. Hugo just leaned away from her, as if her ideas would travel into his own head, making a rather repulsed face. 

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh at their faces as the train puffed along, for about another 10-20 minutes before we finally arrived. 

"I do hope we don't take too long.... I'm starving." Hugo rubbed his stomach for emphasis. I rolled my eyes and snorted along with the others. Hugo was just like my father in some aspects- never stop eating was one of them. 

"You don't suppose there are any yurios in the bathrooms this year, do you?" Lorcan asked suddenly. We all turned around skeptically and stared, then started laughing. 

But sure enough; there it was. Home.

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I flung myself down on the wooden bench beside Albus, on the Gryffindor table. The Great Hall was packed with people,  all chatting and drifting from place to place at the tables, catching up with friends. The sky rumbled,as if to call for attention, and grey clouds swirled overhead. 

Fred and James had already disappeared. They were probably going to start their Prank-extravaganza together with the first meal here. 

'Since its our last year,' Fred explained, 'We must do something grand. Something to be rembered for; The true pranksters of Hogwarts. Not counting my father, of course.' he had added hastily, since most of their jokes came from Uncle George's endless supply at Weasley Wizard Wheezes. 

Roxanne might me helping them, I thought. She usually did, since she and her brother were quite close. But lately, according to Fred, she was having too many 'female crises' to deal with proper jokes.

McGonagall called for attention, her loud clap of hands bouncing off the walls like a ping pong ball. The oak doors at the back of the hall burst open, and Flitwick lead a herd of frightened and nervous first years through towards the stage. The ancient hat we all knew sat on his usual stool, in the middle of the stage, His brown features dark and dusty, and his brim, which was also his mouth, if you can say he had one, was closed shut. As soon as everyone settled down in their chairs and fell into silence, McGonagall smiled, and the hat broke out in his yearly song, full of rhymes, and ending with a warning: