Lili sat shyly eating her food, not comfortable enough to really relax or be herself. Cedric seemed to notice this, and he knocked her elbow in a way to get her attention. Lili looked at him.
"Hey. You shouldn't be so nervous. I don't bite."
"I'm not nervous about you."
"Is it being at school? Hogwarts isn't that bad."
"It's not Hogwarts either, Cedric."
"Then what is it? Look, we're gonna be together for the next four years. Might as well be friends, right?"
"Right. It's just...I'm worried about what my family will say. It's fine for Draco, since he was actually sorted into Slytherin. But me...I mean you can tell that I wasn't."
"Well...wasn't you're uncle sorted into Gryffindor? That was different."
"He's my cousin, actually. And I suppose you're right about that."
"I don't think you should worry so much about what you're family thinks. If they decide to disown you, then this house will be your new family. That's the great thing about Hogwarts. You're here for so much of the year that the people in your house become your family."
"I suppose you're right. I'll be spending the most amount of time with my house. But what about Draco?"
"I think that if he cares about you enough, he won't care about your house."
Lili turned to try and spot Draco across the hall. They somehow managed to catch the other's eyes, and Draco gave a small smile. It gave her hope that their relationship would not change.
--
The conversations on all tables were hushed when Dumbledore rose from the Head Table. "If I may, I have a few start-of-term notices to announce. First years should note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all pupils. Also, our caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. And finally, please note that this year, the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."
Lili's eyes widened. "Does he actually mean that?"
Cedric laughed softly. "Probably...but don't pay any mind to it. Just don't go there and you'll be fine." The rest of the Hufflepuff table stood up suddenly. "Oh, we're going to the dorms now. They're amazing, and you'll want to stay in the common room all the time."
--
The Hufflepuff Head Boy and Head Girl stood at the entrance to the common room. explaining how to get in to the first years. "The entrance is here, in these barrels. Tap the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', and the lid will swing open. Please note that if you tap the wrong lid or you do it in the wrong rhythm, you will be doused in vinegar." The Head Boy then proceeded to do just that, and the lid swung open. "Go on through,"
The other first years went through, and soon Lili was the last one left. She felt Cedric nudging her softly. "Go on, Lil. We don't have all day."
Lili reluctantly went forward, climbing through the barrel. She knew Cedric was right behind her and that the rest of the house needed to get in, so she tried to crawl as fast as she could. She didn't want to hold anyone up, though the barrel was surprisingly long. She guessed that it led into the wall, connecting to make a longer tunnel.
When she got through, Lili couldn't help but stop and stare in awe. She had to be moved by Cedric so that she wouldn't block the entrance. The moment she got through to the common room, Lili felt more at home than she ever had in Malfoy Manor.
The room was coloured with earthy tones, and the whole layout made it feel cosy. The lit fireplace was inviting and made Lili feel comfortable. The furniture was upholstered with the house's colours, yellow and black. Moonlight flooded in through the round windows high on the walls, and there's a set of hammocks against the far wall. Plants sat on top of the fireplace and on wall sills, adding some green to the room.
"Pretty amazing, huh?" Cedric asked, snapping Lili out of the trance she didn't realise she was in.
"Yeah, totally. It's beautiful."
The Head Girl got everyone's attention. "Girls' dormitories to the left. Boys' to the right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up. Goodnight all. Oh, and don't forget. Before retiring, please place all living potion ingredients in your cupboards. This includes slugs, fire beetles and cutworms. Sweet dreams."
"See you tomorrow at breakfast, Lili," Cedric smiled.
"Yeah, you too."
--
Lili laid in her bed, tired but unable to sleep. The moonlight flowing through the small semi-circle windows was calming, but it didn't help. She was just glad that she made a legitimate friend, especially since she would only be able to really hang out with Draco during class. Cedric seemed super nice and she felt that they would have a really good friendship.
Lili closed her eyes and rolled over, attempting to fall asleep once more. Her breathing slowed slightly and she eventually fell asleep, her first night of a long seven years.
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