ii. Morbid Starts
The girls could hardly close their mouths as the new year began, it was a little different having both Lily and Bella in the same room but both had mad such an effort that no one really seemed to care.
"Lily," Remus knocked on the wall, "We've got duty..."
Lily turned around, smiling, "Sorry, I just got distracted."
"You don't have to apologise it's fine." He shook his head, laughing
Unlike the other girls however, who were too busy still chattering, Mary stared up at Remus, "What the actual hell happened to you, last year you were this short," she spread her hands about two inches from each other, "And all of a sudden you're like this," Then she spread them to their maximum capacity.
"I just," Remus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Had a growth spurt?"
Mary left her seat, shocked that for once she actually had to look up to speak to someone, "This," she exclaimed waving her hands around frantically, "Is not a growth spurt!"
"This needs to change Lupin or I swear I'll-"
"But you just pointed to the all of me!" He whined finding Mary's discomfort hilarious.
She groaned and slumped back onto the seat next to Alice and Dorcas Medowes, who's head almost immediately fell against Mary's shoulder, her warm eyes closed, "Aww..." Mary cooed not minding Lily's giggles in the background.
***
The rest of the journey didn't take long and by the time the train had come to a halt little flecks of starlight wavered around in the air, Marlene gazed up at the sky, it seemed an endless wave of purity, dark and beautiful.
"Don't you think it's wonderful, even after all these years it still amazes me how sweet it looks..."
"It's just the sky Marls."
"Doesn't make it any less sweet."
Elizabeth continued to walk ahead leaving the other girls alone. In the distance Hagrid's voice echoed forth gesturing for the first years to follow him just as she had done three years ago. It seemed funny now, to think she had once been that small and even scared of the tall man. Three years sounded like so little but it felt like a lifetime.
Seeing as Peter and her were never allowed the time, or at least much time to spend in each others company throughout the year it had almost become tradition to take the carriage ride together, of course they'd only been doing this for the past two years but to them the short time was worth it.
And so to her joy Peter arrived beside her walking at an extremely brisk pace, "When I say get in the carriage fast I mean it!"
Startled by her brothers confusing order Elizabeth cleared her throat, "And by that you mean?"
Only her question was answered before Peter even opened his mouth to reply, "She's as much our sister as she is yours Peter and I believe, personally, that family should travel in one carriage not split them selves up!" Sirius came running at them hands in the air, "But I'm mainly here for my brother!"
Behind him came James, fast, but slowed down by having to push his glasses up every five seconds and being pulled away by a persistent Remus.
Then, before either Peter or Elizabeth could protest Sirius hoisted himself up on the the carriage with a simple, "Evening," and, "Moony let the damn kid go!"
Elizabeth shuffled backwards in the carriage discreetly trying to distance herself from Sirius.
"Mr.Black!" A voice further on called making Sirius turn around, "No standing on the carriages and I do believe your brother is over here if you wanted to ride with family!"
At this they all turned their heads to see a stern professor Mcgonagall walking towards them, "I have biscuits." She finished and turned on her heel a rather grumpy looking Sirius trailing behind her, "Minnie I hope you know that I wouldn't be coming if there were no biscuits!"
But McGonagall held Sirius' sleeve very tightly and, "Oh there aren't." She replied causing Peter to snort uncontrollably.
Upon their arrival Elizabeth broke off from Peter to join the Hufflepuff table. No one really questioned where you sat during the rest of the school year but students had become accustomed to eating with their houses during the sorting.
Luckily The Hufflepuff table sat to the right of the Gryffindors and Slytherins to the left meaning they could all still be in each others company. Mary sat behind Elizabeth next to Dorcas, Alice and Lily whilst Marlene sat on the opposite side closer to Bella.
As usual Professor McGonagall made her way through the great hall followed by a small crowd of first years, "That's not a lot?" said a girl next to her to a certain sixth year Hufflepuff she knew by the name of Amos Diggory, he nodded.
It was true, there were hardly any new students compared to other years.
Odd.
After the sorting, which in accordance to the number of students hadn't taken very long Dumbledore made his way to the front of the Great Hall,
"First and foremost," He began, "I would like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts as many of you may have noticed some students will not be returning to us."
It was then that Elizabeth and the other students noticed how empty, even in addition to the first years who had just sat down with them, the hall seemed.
"On a happier note of course, the school year will be commencing as usual,"
"Well that sucks!" Mary retorted quietly from behind Elizabeth,
"although due to our lack of students year groups will be mixing and your head of house will explain this in more detail. I am inclined to tell you however that the Dark forest still remains Highly Discouraged! Dark forces have invaded the outside world and although within these walls you may deem yourselves safe, you are not. Very soon, dark forces will grow out of their holes and into the daylight, they will try to penetrate these walls, they will, grow strong and yet, even from the newborn candle, the gentlest of light flickers hoping to survive against the dark... Now, off to bed with all of you pip pop!"
***
"Well that was certainly grim..." Elizabeth held a book to her chest and a wad of chocolate Remus had given her, Marlene nodded and Bella sighed,
"Well you can't expect the old man to lie all the time can you?"
"I wouldn't call it lying... just, trying to lift the mood?" Marlene suggested
Dorcas raised her eyebrows, "I mean there were first years in there, imagine how they felt?"
"What I don't get," Mary started in an attempt to change the subject, "Is why they refer to the Dark Forest as 'Highly Discouraged' if they don't want us in there why not just call it The Forbidden Forest and use it as some medieval detention zone?"
The girls laughed causing Mary to grin at her accomplishment,
"First year Gryffindors follow me!" Lily smiled down at the children sympathetically alongside Remus who waved gleefully down at them.
"They act so cheesy around kids, have they never seen any before?" Mary scoffed,
"Honestly." Bella continued high-fiving Mary,
Then walking off in the other direction down to the dungeon followed by Elizabeth who had to pass the floor to find the basement on which the Hufflepuff dormitories and common room were situated.
Once they'd arrived on the dungeon floor Bella made her way along the corridor to her own common room leaving Elizabeth to walk down to the basement on her own. Pleasurably, the kitchens were located a little further down and although they'd rather not admit it during a stressful one week time period Peter and Elizabeth had managed to crack the code to the Kitchens, clearly it wasn't all on their own it had required some bribing of the house elves but oh it was worth it!
However just as she had made it, or very nearly made it to the end of the dungeon corridor, she couldn't really tell as it was so dark a firm hand pushed her back,
"I'm just going to stop you there Pettigrew."