Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
The breeze blew through the reddened hair as Antares leaned on the railing of the ship, so called the Fair Fairy, because someone liked playing with words too much. His eyes were not on the crowd, but on another, a girl with similarly hued hair, but lighter. Lighter eyes, as well, though at this distance one couldn't tell. She stood before two others, his parents. They were graying. Serious. He couldn't hear anything from this distance but he was familiar with the gestures, like the way his father settled his hands on her shoulders.
The way his mother kept her hands behind her back.
‘Just step off the ship and say hello. Apologize. Anything.’ Antares tried to will himself to move. He narrowed his dark eyes, squeezed the railing, and then heard a dog bark. He jolted as his orange cat dug claws into his shoulder. Antares stiffened and straightened, his form coming to loom over the familiar face of Solon Porter, clinging desperately to his black hound’s leash. ‘Must be Reaper.’ He’d heard of the dog, never met him. Hogwarts didn’t allow dogs.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was just coming over and Reaper saw your cat. He's friendly!” Solon was saying as Reaper stared up like a lovestruck girl at the cat, who remained perched on Antares's shoulder like a parrot.
Antares gently reached up and plucked the cat from his dark robes. “You're alright, Solon,” he said. “Golden will come around, see? Gently sniff the kitty.” He had knelt down and offered the cat like a sacrifice to the dog. Reaper did start to enthusiastically sniff the cat, still held back tightly by Solon. “If you're looking for my sister, she's not on board yet. Family.” Solon had some understanding of what that meant. Not the full meaning of what it meant to be a ‘pure blood’ in the Rosier line, one of the Sacred 28, but enough.
Enough to know not to venture close to them and their poison.
“I was kinda, yeah. Maybe you can show me around?” He asked, shifting his gaze from the cat to Antares.
“Sure!” Antares lifted himself up once more and placed Golden back on his shoulder. “I'll show you to the cabins, that's all you really need to know. There will be food for sale all around, mostly up here on deck. There's also a dining room but there is gonna be a feast at Avoniste, so don't waste your money.” He advised, beginning to step away from the railing and all hope of going to reconcile things with his family that year. “The trip is only a couple of hours.”
“Kay.” He gave a singular nod as he was taken to the stairs and shown down. It was all rather white and bright, illuminated well, but without the feeling of it being too sterile. The scent of cinnamon in the air may have helped. It was warm below deck, though freezing above.
“I have technically claimed this one, with this loser.” He opened the door to room 103, where someone in a black and white robe was passed out on a couch. “You can join us if you need a break from the others here or to rest, they're all basically like the Hogwarts express, just larger.” As was obvious. “The restrooms are at either end of each hall.” He said as he pulled back from the room, closing the door lightly on his sleeping friend. “The dining hall is actually below us, with more rooms. Somewhere on the ship is our luggage but I'll be damned if I know where.” He continued on, walking by groups of new and familiar faces. “It will end up in your quarters once you get sorted.”
“House Uric, Pavo, Helarion, Holly, and Merwyn, right?”
“Right, except Holly is always last.” It was a weird, unspoken rule. House Holly was the outlier. “You're probably gonna be in Helarion.” He said. “They got a new head this year. We met him at the end of last year, Professor Kincaid. He's... interesting. I'm in Uric - panda house.” He put on a cheesy grin. “Best house.”
Solon rolled his eyes. “Hey, hey - it's better than a peacock.” Not that he was bitter, “Or a squid.”
“I kinda like the turtle.” Though Solon figured that trait-wise he wouldn't be there. Blood would keep him from Pavo. He didn't want to be in the mad house, though. It was nicknamed House Hell for a reason. It was Hellarious.
Why was he friends with Reena and her bad puns?
“Maybe you'll be a turtle.” Antares patted his head and he immediately fussed, tried to push his hands away. Antares laughed but let them relax back at his side. He showed Solon deeper into the bowels of the ship, walked him into the dining room if only to say hello to a few others and get his face known. He had looked out for him before. He intended to do so again.
Plenty of people also came over just to pet the dog, so by the time they returned topside, the boat was already moving, leaving the mainland behind. The breeze was still chilled, and Antares was about to suggest they find his sister and head back down, when he noticed that Solon was staring at someone unfamiliar. Antares smirked. “Yeah, he's cute,” he said, quickly checking out the Asian man as Solon turned multiple shades of pink.
“That's not—!” He started, before Antares laughed and he glowered. “That's Tye Winters! He's a transfiguration genius from Japan. I had no idea...He's here!” His voice was practically a squeak. Solon was stricken, and Antares knew what had to be done.
“Let's go say hi!” And before Solon could protest, he jogged ahead to where the dark haired man was standing, gazing across the sea. “Hey there, Winters?” He spoke cheerfully, as Solon slowly approached, keeping some distance, more so that Reaper wouldn't rush an idol. The dog so desperately wanted to meet all the people. “My friend Solon here is apparently familiar with your work in transfiguration and wanted to come meet you. I'm Antares Rosier.” He honestly had no idea if it would mean anything. He didn't know the Japanese families as well as he ought to. He left off Solon's surname on purpose, though. Just in case Tye turned out to be a snob.
Karina would know the status of the name Winters.
Solon lifted one hand from the leash of Reaper to wave, a bit. “Ah... sorry if we're intruding.” Reaper wasn't. Reaper barked in greeting.
Golden jumped from the shoulder of Antares, but he didn't seem to notice or care as it walked off. He felt a warmth run over him and only smiled a bit as his shivering died down. He knew where Golden was going as the robes shifted in the magically conjured heat, and he took a glance over his shoulder to see her setting up nearby, before he let his attention refocus.
~***~
Hufflepuff were called the Loyal house, and none could argue with it, but there was a queer sense of loyalty to House Slytherin, though it was often forgotten because many in Slytherin – beta or alpha – had a host of friends they’d betray for a jellybean if it suited their needs better. Their true friends, however, were never betrayed. The problem came with such friends, or such families, were at odds. Karina felt that as deeply as she felt her father’s hands on her shoulders as he lowered himself to look her in the eyes. She could feel another set of eyes burning into the back of her skull.
“Promise me you will not be influenced by your brother.”
Parting words, unkind. Rigel had all but disowned Antares, and her mother knew better than to speak his name. Lyra learned to create a distance in anticipation of failure.
“I promise.”
Antares did not influence her, but she could hardly confess her sins or what did influence her. Her parents couldn't see beyond tradition, couldn't imagine a world where muggles and the magical mingled in harmony, their technology seamless. If she asked them, ‘What is magic?’, they’d have no answer except for how it separated them from others, made them better.
That was the question that plagued her days and her nights, and that was how she tried to map the future, based on what that answer may be. That was the future, as Solon once said - any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Karina saw that truth. It forced her to hide or lie about things like cell phones, but it was so much more efficient than owls.
Their kind were bound by the limitations of magic, which wouldn't advance without thinking outside the box. Beyond tradition lay power and growth.
It was only with that promise she was allowed to leave, the trappings of the name in a signet ring of a thorny rose upon her hand, and the green dress robes elegantly covering her as she went about the deck to find Antares and other familiar faces. There were others she noticed, including Baker and Velvetine, but she didn't do much more than acknowledge them as she passed. Others did approach her, mostly other Slytherins who seemed encouraged for going to the university with her.
The standard rules, the standard roles – other Slytherins were here, those she knew, and many of whom expected her in Pavo. She was told of the dueling club, but she knew enough already. Antares was still a good brother to her. She’d been filled in on what he could gather about the professors that might interest her, and the power among the student body that she intended to disrupt, eventually.
Yet, she couldn’t find Antares easily, so she decided to resume her normal habit of observing, which she did easily after she found a line for beverages queuing up. Alcoholic ones were now offered, but Karina had no such plans.
Her eyes took in the others, noting the minions she had back in Slytherin and wondering how many might end up annoying her here. ‘Oh?’ One, but it explained some of the tension from previous conversations
One would cause issues, but not through their own actions, through their support of another. Karina noticed them helplessly involved in a flock of others, and one name could be understood above the din. Flamel. A famous name, of course, a famous family and for good reason. It was obvious who the Flamel was, if only because Karina had seen portraits of his famous ancestor.
Could be a nuisance. Could be an aid. She'd leave it at to be determined and consider him at least worthy of a note, like Solon, for now. Her attention turned forward as she came up next in line. “French vanilla latte, iced, please.” Regular vanilla didn't taste as good. The touch of hazelnut made it delicious, when the barista actually understood what she wanted.
Fortunately, this one did realize she wasn't just trying to be pretentious. The cold beverage was paid for and soon in her grasp, allowing her to mill around again, and this time actually find Antares. Her brother was with Solon, fortunately, and already on his way to making friends. Karina ignored the brief pang of jealousy. More friends were good for Solon...it wouldn't mean she'd be forgotten.
She certainly wasn't by Golden who jumped from the shoulder of Antares as she let her fingers coil around her wand. Wandless magic was high on her list to learn, but for now, a simple wordless spell encircled Antares, a variant of the hot-air charm sending warm air up from his feet to encase him in a pleasant breeze. He didn't thrive in the cold. Ever.
“Hello Golden,” she greeted the feline and reached down to pick him up as she walked on, situating him on her shoulder. He had a bit more difficulty with the balance since her shoulders weren't as broad, but he managed to find a comfortable perch. He didn't need to cling long, Karina put herself in sight under a table with an umbrella and began to dig for her tablet. Antares would pester her soon enough.
Golden leapt onto the table and definitely tried to make reading impossible as she set the tablet up. She had put plenty of her books into it already, helped over the phone by Solon. She brought up her book on the wandless magic of native American tribes to start on that process, while Golden stretched or alongside and tried to inch himself onto it.
Little by little, but each time the cat was pushed back little by little, until it eventually attacked her hand and clung to it, pulling at it and rabbit-kicking it with his back feet. Karina seemed wholly unimpressed, or that engaged with the reading.
~***~
“Byeeee! I love you!” Reena Tandon waved cheerfully to her parents from the ramp onto the boat, as the Fair Fairy ferry threatened to leave without her. Her parents waved back, their shouts lost over the noise of the area. Reena still smiled to herself as their mouths moved and hands waved. She turned away, and jogged the rest of the way on board, offering a cheery smile to a man in a uniform, assuming he was annoyed with her delay.
She flushed only a little in embarrassment as she dragged her owl along in her cage and onto the main deck as the ramps were pulled up.
It was just as noisy on the boat as people met and reunited. She knew some of her own friends were here, like that punk Solon and his guardian devil Karina, but so was Tara, and probably her old Quidditch friend, Antares. She hadn't seen him in a couple years though she headed he was in House Uric, continuing the tradition of disappointing his family. Not in Slytherin. Not in Pavo. A panda. He amused her at least.
She was looking forward to seeing them all, even if she wasn't sure what she was doing here. She ought to be out playing Quidditch and making bank, but no. She was here, for plan b... whatever that was. ‘I wonder where I’ll even end up.’ She thought, glancing back over at the mainland and thinking she should jump over. No, probably not a good idea – Astrid would not be happy with her, and her broom was somewhere in storage. ‘Damn. Damn, damn, damn, what am I doing?’ She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then went onwards.
Reena tried not to linger on it as she wandered around deck, noting a group already seeming to engulf one kid. She couldn't help but snicker to herself, not recognizing the name or face off-hand as she moved by the mob. She just felt bad for whoever it was, while quietly hoping she'd have such problems in her future when she was famous.
She took note of Karina, as well, but was never terribly comfortable approaching her alone. If Antares was fire, his sister was ice, and though none could ask for a friend more devoted, there was always the question of whether or not they were actually friends, or just tools.
That was the rumor in House Slytherin, the reason why ‘they’ were tolerated. It was always a matter of ‘us vs. them’.
So, she passed them by, and went on down below deck, wandering aimlessly until she noticed a familiar face when a door was opened.
She’d settle for a small group of others as opposed to fame. “Tara!” Her brown eyes settled on the brunette, and she hastened her steps to join her and her group. “Am I glad to see you all!” The relief painted her voice, as did pride. Hogwarts pride. “Mind if I take a seat?” Though even as she asked she was setting the owl cage down and slipping into an open space.
She didn't actually expect to be turned away. She took in the other faces, a few registering with names, but most just recalled in yellow robes. “How was everyone's summer?” She asked the group at large, eyes moving over the mostly Hufflepuff faces. Considering their reputation, Reena was actually surprised to see so many. Pleasantly surprised but surprised all the same. She expected to see more Ravenclaws, and well, Slytherins.
So far she’d seen one Slytherin, and no Ravenclaws – though she knew Solon was around here, somewhere. ‘Hopefully not shoved somewhere.’ That poor kid had it rough sometimes. It didn’t help that when he actually talked about something he knew, he honestly sounded like a prat. She’d told him that once and he went right back to being a shy kid, blushing and fussing. Adorable.
He should have been a Hufflepuff, she thought. Then realized maybe that was why so many were going on to a University. They didn’t think too highly of themselves. They were going on to get better because, well, they were able to admit it might be necessary.
The way his mother kept her hands behind her back.
‘Just step off the ship and say hello. Apologize. Anything.’ Antares tried to will himself to move. He narrowed his dark eyes, squeezed the railing, and then heard a dog bark. He jolted as his orange cat dug claws into his shoulder. Antares stiffened and straightened, his form coming to loom over the familiar face of Solon Porter, clinging desperately to his black hound’s leash. ‘Must be Reaper.’ He’d heard of the dog, never met him. Hogwarts didn’t allow dogs.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was just coming over and Reaper saw your cat. He's friendly!” Solon was saying as Reaper stared up like a lovestruck girl at the cat, who remained perched on Antares's shoulder like a parrot.
Antares gently reached up and plucked the cat from his dark robes. “You're alright, Solon,” he said. “Golden will come around, see? Gently sniff the kitty.” He had knelt down and offered the cat like a sacrifice to the dog. Reaper did start to enthusiastically sniff the cat, still held back tightly by Solon. “If you're looking for my sister, she's not on board yet. Family.” Solon had some understanding of what that meant. Not the full meaning of what it meant to be a ‘pure blood’ in the Rosier line, one of the Sacred 28, but enough.
Enough to know not to venture close to them and their poison.
“I was kinda, yeah. Maybe you can show me around?” He asked, shifting his gaze from the cat to Antares.
“Sure!” Antares lifted himself up once more and placed Golden back on his shoulder. “I'll show you to the cabins, that's all you really need to know. There will be food for sale all around, mostly up here on deck. There's also a dining room but there is gonna be a feast at Avoniste, so don't waste your money.” He advised, beginning to step away from the railing and all hope of going to reconcile things with his family that year. “The trip is only a couple of hours.”
“Kay.” He gave a singular nod as he was taken to the stairs and shown down. It was all rather white and bright, illuminated well, but without the feeling of it being too sterile. The scent of cinnamon in the air may have helped. It was warm below deck, though freezing above.
“I have technically claimed this one, with this loser.” He opened the door to room 103, where someone in a black and white robe was passed out on a couch. “You can join us if you need a break from the others here or to rest, they're all basically like the Hogwarts express, just larger.” As was obvious. “The restrooms are at either end of each hall.” He said as he pulled back from the room, closing the door lightly on his sleeping friend. “The dining hall is actually below us, with more rooms. Somewhere on the ship is our luggage but I'll be damned if I know where.” He continued on, walking by groups of new and familiar faces. “It will end up in your quarters once you get sorted.”
“House Uric, Pavo, Helarion, Holly, and Merwyn, right?”
“Right, except Holly is always last.” It was a weird, unspoken rule. House Holly was the outlier. “You're probably gonna be in Helarion.” He said. “They got a new head this year. We met him at the end of last year, Professor Kincaid. He's... interesting. I'm in Uric - panda house.” He put on a cheesy grin. “Best house.”
Solon rolled his eyes. “Hey, hey - it's better than a peacock.” Not that he was bitter, “Or a squid.”
“I kinda like the turtle.” Though Solon figured that trait-wise he wouldn't be there. Blood would keep him from Pavo. He didn't want to be in the mad house, though. It was nicknamed House Hell for a reason. It was Hellarious.
Why was he friends with Reena and her bad puns?
“Maybe you'll be a turtle.” Antares patted his head and he immediately fussed, tried to push his hands away. Antares laughed but let them relax back at his side. He showed Solon deeper into the bowels of the ship, walked him into the dining room if only to say hello to a few others and get his face known. He had looked out for him before. He intended to do so again.
Plenty of people also came over just to pet the dog, so by the time they returned topside, the boat was already moving, leaving the mainland behind. The breeze was still chilled, and Antares was about to suggest they find his sister and head back down, when he noticed that Solon was staring at someone unfamiliar. Antares smirked. “Yeah, he's cute,” he said, quickly checking out the Asian man as Solon turned multiple shades of pink.
“That's not—!” He started, before Antares laughed and he glowered. “That's Tye Winters! He's a transfiguration genius from Japan. I had no idea...He's here!” His voice was practically a squeak. Solon was stricken, and Antares knew what had to be done.
“Let's go say hi!” And before Solon could protest, he jogged ahead to where the dark haired man was standing, gazing across the sea. “Hey there, Winters?” He spoke cheerfully, as Solon slowly approached, keeping some distance, more so that Reaper wouldn't rush an idol. The dog so desperately wanted to meet all the people. “My friend Solon here is apparently familiar with your work in transfiguration and wanted to come meet you. I'm Antares Rosier.” He honestly had no idea if it would mean anything. He didn't know the Japanese families as well as he ought to. He left off Solon's surname on purpose, though. Just in case Tye turned out to be a snob.
Karina would know the status of the name Winters.
Solon lifted one hand from the leash of Reaper to wave, a bit. “Ah... sorry if we're intruding.” Reaper wasn't. Reaper barked in greeting.
Golden jumped from the shoulder of Antares, but he didn't seem to notice or care as it walked off. He felt a warmth run over him and only smiled a bit as his shivering died down. He knew where Golden was going as the robes shifted in the magically conjured heat, and he took a glance over his shoulder to see her setting up nearby, before he let his attention refocus.
~***~
Hufflepuff were called the Loyal house, and none could argue with it, but there was a queer sense of loyalty to House Slytherin, though it was often forgotten because many in Slytherin – beta or alpha – had a host of friends they’d betray for a jellybean if it suited their needs better. Their true friends, however, were never betrayed. The problem came with such friends, or such families, were at odds. Karina felt that as deeply as she felt her father’s hands on her shoulders as he lowered himself to look her in the eyes. She could feel another set of eyes burning into the back of her skull.
“Promise me you will not be influenced by your brother.”
Parting words, unkind. Rigel had all but disowned Antares, and her mother knew better than to speak his name. Lyra learned to create a distance in anticipation of failure.
“I promise.”
Antares did not influence her, but she could hardly confess her sins or what did influence her. Her parents couldn't see beyond tradition, couldn't imagine a world where muggles and the magical mingled in harmony, their technology seamless. If she asked them, ‘What is magic?’, they’d have no answer except for how it separated them from others, made them better.
That was the question that plagued her days and her nights, and that was how she tried to map the future, based on what that answer may be. That was the future, as Solon once said - any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Karina saw that truth. It forced her to hide or lie about things like cell phones, but it was so much more efficient than owls.
Their kind were bound by the limitations of magic, which wouldn't advance without thinking outside the box. Beyond tradition lay power and growth.
It was only with that promise she was allowed to leave, the trappings of the name in a signet ring of a thorny rose upon her hand, and the green dress robes elegantly covering her as she went about the deck to find Antares and other familiar faces. There were others she noticed, including Baker and Velvetine, but she didn't do much more than acknowledge them as she passed. Others did approach her, mostly other Slytherins who seemed encouraged for going to the university with her.
The standard rules, the standard roles – other Slytherins were here, those she knew, and many of whom expected her in Pavo. She was told of the dueling club, but she knew enough already. Antares was still a good brother to her. She’d been filled in on what he could gather about the professors that might interest her, and the power among the student body that she intended to disrupt, eventually.
Yet, she couldn’t find Antares easily, so she decided to resume her normal habit of observing, which she did easily after she found a line for beverages queuing up. Alcoholic ones were now offered, but Karina had no such plans.
Her eyes took in the others, noting the minions she had back in Slytherin and wondering how many might end up annoying her here. ‘Oh?’ One, but it explained some of the tension from previous conversations
One would cause issues, but not through their own actions, through their support of another. Karina noticed them helplessly involved in a flock of others, and one name could be understood above the din. Flamel. A famous name, of course, a famous family and for good reason. It was obvious who the Flamel was, if only because Karina had seen portraits of his famous ancestor.
Could be a nuisance. Could be an aid. She'd leave it at to be determined and consider him at least worthy of a note, like Solon, for now. Her attention turned forward as she came up next in line. “French vanilla latte, iced, please.” Regular vanilla didn't taste as good. The touch of hazelnut made it delicious, when the barista actually understood what she wanted.
Fortunately, this one did realize she wasn't just trying to be pretentious. The cold beverage was paid for and soon in her grasp, allowing her to mill around again, and this time actually find Antares. Her brother was with Solon, fortunately, and already on his way to making friends. Karina ignored the brief pang of jealousy. More friends were good for Solon...it wouldn't mean she'd be forgotten.
She certainly wasn't by Golden who jumped from the shoulder of Antares as she let her fingers coil around her wand. Wandless magic was high on her list to learn, but for now, a simple wordless spell encircled Antares, a variant of the hot-air charm sending warm air up from his feet to encase him in a pleasant breeze. He didn't thrive in the cold. Ever.
“Hello Golden,” she greeted the feline and reached down to pick him up as she walked on, situating him on her shoulder. He had a bit more difficulty with the balance since her shoulders weren't as broad, but he managed to find a comfortable perch. He didn't need to cling long, Karina put herself in sight under a table with an umbrella and began to dig for her tablet. Antares would pester her soon enough.
Golden leapt onto the table and definitely tried to make reading impossible as she set the tablet up. She had put plenty of her books into it already, helped over the phone by Solon. She brought up her book on the wandless magic of native American tribes to start on that process, while Golden stretched or alongside and tried to inch himself onto it.
Little by little, but each time the cat was pushed back little by little, until it eventually attacked her hand and clung to it, pulling at it and rabbit-kicking it with his back feet. Karina seemed wholly unimpressed, or that engaged with the reading.
~***~
“Byeeee! I love you!” Reena Tandon waved cheerfully to her parents from the ramp onto the boat, as the Fair Fairy ferry threatened to leave without her. Her parents waved back, their shouts lost over the noise of the area. Reena still smiled to herself as their mouths moved and hands waved. She turned away, and jogged the rest of the way on board, offering a cheery smile to a man in a uniform, assuming he was annoyed with her delay.
She flushed only a little in embarrassment as she dragged her owl along in her cage and onto the main deck as the ramps were pulled up.
It was just as noisy on the boat as people met and reunited. She knew some of her own friends were here, like that punk Solon and his guardian devil Karina, but so was Tara, and probably her old Quidditch friend, Antares. She hadn't seen him in a couple years though she headed he was in House Uric, continuing the tradition of disappointing his family. Not in Slytherin. Not in Pavo. A panda. He amused her at least.
She was looking forward to seeing them all, even if she wasn't sure what she was doing here. She ought to be out playing Quidditch and making bank, but no. She was here, for plan b... whatever that was. ‘I wonder where I’ll even end up.’ She thought, glancing back over at the mainland and thinking she should jump over. No, probably not a good idea – Astrid would not be happy with her, and her broom was somewhere in storage. ‘Damn. Damn, damn, damn, what am I doing?’ She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then went onwards.
Reena tried not to linger on it as she wandered around deck, noting a group already seeming to engulf one kid. She couldn't help but snicker to herself, not recognizing the name or face off-hand as she moved by the mob. She just felt bad for whoever it was, while quietly hoping she'd have such problems in her future when she was famous.
She took note of Karina, as well, but was never terribly comfortable approaching her alone. If Antares was fire, his sister was ice, and though none could ask for a friend more devoted, there was always the question of whether or not they were actually friends, or just tools.
That was the rumor in House Slytherin, the reason why ‘they’ were tolerated. It was always a matter of ‘us vs. them’.
So, she passed them by, and went on down below deck, wandering aimlessly until she noticed a familiar face when a door was opened.
She’d settle for a small group of others as opposed to fame. “Tara!” Her brown eyes settled on the brunette, and she hastened her steps to join her and her group. “Am I glad to see you all!” The relief painted her voice, as did pride. Hogwarts pride. “Mind if I take a seat?” Though even as she asked she was setting the owl cage down and slipping into an open space.
She didn't actually expect to be turned away. She took in the other faces, a few registering with names, but most just recalled in yellow robes. “How was everyone's summer?” She asked the group at large, eyes moving over the mostly Hufflepuff faces. Considering their reputation, Reena was actually surprised to see so many. Pleasantly surprised but surprised all the same. She expected to see more Ravenclaws, and well, Slytherins.
So far she’d seen one Slytherin, and no Ravenclaws – though she knew Solon was around here, somewhere. ‘Hopefully not shoved somewhere.’ That poor kid had it rough sometimes. It didn’t help that when he actually talked about something he knew, he honestly sounded like a prat. She’d told him that once and he went right back to being a shy kid, blushing and fussing. Adorable.
He should have been a Hufflepuff, she thought. Then realized maybe that was why so many were going on to a University. They didn’t think too highly of themselves. They were going on to get better because, well, they were able to admit it might be necessary.
