Chapter Text
Book One, Chapter One, Part One: Blueberries and Dirt
August 23rd, 1992
Moira stared at the letter in front of her.
You’ve been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
“Oh, we need to go to Diagon Alley, immediately,” Moira’s mother exclaimed excitedly, re-reading the list provided with a wide smile. Moira shrunk lower in her seat as her older brother Augie squeezed her shoulder. She knew why they were making such a big fuss over it. The last time one of the Seeley children were expecting a letter to come from Hogwarts was for her brother, Archie.
It never came. That was the first time Moira had ever heard of a squib, someone from a wizarding family with no magical blood. The opposite of a muggleborn, Moira supposed.
“Bet Mum’s just happy she’ll have a quiet house all year long with all of us off to Hogwarts.” Anthony, one of Moira’s 4 older brothers, whispered in her ear. Moira let out a soft snort and shook her head.
Hogwarts. She’d been there once before, when her oldest brother, Eddie, had a quidditch incident in 4th year and was in the hospital wing for a week. She remembered the ceilings and the portraits lining corridors, it was a grand sight, and ever since Moira had been dreaming of setting foot in there once again.
“Is that a smile I see, dear sister?” Moira rolled her eyes and sent a bland look toward her older brother, Anthony, that is.
“Oh be off it, Anthony, Moira is merely excited, and so were you.” Mum said, setting down the list, “And it’s early enough to go still, if we hurry, go get dressed, dove.” She directed at Moira, who nodded and left to get ready.
Moira closed the door to her room, which she didn’t have to share, unlike her brothers. She grabbed a jumper and pulled it over her shirt, then ran a brush through her messy hair black hair.
“M, Mum says to hurry up!” Anthony called, making Moira quickly pull on her shoes and rush downstairs.
~
Moira shifted on her feet and let out a soft sigh, they’d arrived at Diagon Alley hours ago and she’d been dragged to three stores already and currently stood on a short podium at Madam Malkin’s robes. The woman measuring her smiled and motioned for her to step down.
She did, heading over to sit on the bench next to her brother Eddie, the oldest of the five Seeley children. “Where did Mum go?”
Eddie glanced at her from the wizard magazine he was skipping through, “Bookstore for Augie. Needed some herbology book.”
Moira went to reply but was cut off by a squeaky voice echoing through the shop. “Ouch!”
“Oi, stand still miss!”
Moira’s head followed the voice of a woman trying to fit a young girl who couldn’t seem to stand still.
“It’s not my fault, you keep pricking me.” The girl responded, making the older woman tut and keep working.
The fussing girl looked up and smiled brightly when she met Moira’s eyes. “Are you a first-year too?”
Moira realised the girl was talking to her, “Oh, yes.” She replied, nodding politely.
“That’s cool, I’m so excited, are you excited?” She continued happily, before Moira could begin to think of a response she continued, “I’ve never been inside of Hogwarts before, I hope it’s as great as the stories say.”
Moira nodded and smiled politely as the random girl rambled before the woman fitting her declared her finished with a huff.
Moira watched the girl hop off, waving eagerly to Moira before she exited the shop, and turned to Eddie. “Eddie, what house do you think I'll be in?”
It was, admittedly, a worry for Moira, she knew her family wouldn’t care, all of her brothers were in different houses; Eddie himself was a 7th-year Gryffindor, Augie a 5th year in Hufflepuff, and Anthony a 3rd year Slytherin, but she wanted to be sure she got into a house that fit her. “I’d reckon Slytherin, you always were sneaky,” Eddie replied, teasing.
Moira frowned, “Am not.”
Her brother set his book down on his knee, “Well what house do you want?”
Moira thought for a second before replying. “Ravenclaw, that way Mum and Dad will have a child in each house.”
“Hmm, I doubt you’re smart enough, though.” Moira went to retort but her mum’s voice stopped her.
“Eddison Franklin Seeley! I know I did not just hear you say that.” Moira’s mum scolded, having freshly entered the shop.
Moira turned and laughed loudly at him, now stammering a reply, “I was kidding, Mum!” He protested, “I think Moira’s the smartest of us all, truly.”
“I’m eleven years old, Eddison ,” Moira responded and gathered her things. Mum shook her head in Eddie’s direction and turned to buy the robes. Moira smiled at Eddie in triumph and he stuck his tongue at her in annoyance.
Moira truly loved her brothers, but it was always satisfying to make them annoyed, maybe she did belong in Slytherin.
Their next stop was Magical Menagerie, where Moira could pick out her own pet. She’d already decided on a cat, knowing she could use Eddie or Anthony’s owls for letters.
She entered the shop and instantly her view was many animals of all types, and cats in what must have been every color, her gaze was drawn to a scrawny tabby cat near her with bright green eyes. Moira crept forward and held her hand out to the bars.
“She’s a menace, that one.” Moira started in surprise at the sudden voice behind her and turned to the saleswoman hovering nearby, "Scratches anyone who goes near her, prefers a quiet atmosphere."
Moira nodded and turned to the cat, who was now gazing at her curiously. Moira didn’t know what it was, maybe it was the eyes or perhaps the soft meow that came from her mouth, but Moira did know this was the cat. Her cat.
“Mum, could I have this one?”
***
“What’ll you name her?” Augie asked, stroking the cat’s back, they were back home, Eddie, Augie, and Anthony were sitting with Moira on the rug in front of the fireplace, watching the new addition sleep softly after an hour of exploring- and hissing at everyone besides Augie.
Moira hummed in thought, “Hattie.”
“I think it fits.” He replied, "I hope she gets on well with Achilles." Augie referred to his own pet, a playful and shy black cat who was most likely hiding away somewhere.
“Are you ready for your first day?” Anthony asked, unwrapping a chocolate frog he got from his pocket. Moira shrugged and Anthony threw a piece of half-eaten licorice at her. “It’s okay to be nervous, you know? You still have a week.”
“I know,” Moira muttered, “I’m just worried I won’t make any friends, I think.” She admitted, “What if nobody likes me?”
“Why wouldn’t anybody like you?” Augie questioned, “You’re cool, you know, for a girl.” He added in afterthought.
“I’m me .” She responded, ignoring his comment, “I have no idea what to say to people, ever. Not to mention my three very weird older brothers.”
“Oi!” Anthony scoffed and dramatically grabbed his chest, “You wound me.” Eddie rolled his eyes at him and turned to Moira,
“Look, M, it’s okay to be worried but you’ll make loads of friends I’m sure, plus you’ll have all of us.” He motioned to the two other boys and himself.
“But what if I never make friends, you’ll leave next year, Augie after you, and Anthony. If nobody likes me then I’ll be all alone for my last 2 years.” It was hard for 11 year old Moira to say something like this. She wasn’t normally a person who expressed her feelings, except dislike, she had never had any trouble letting someone know she'd rather be anywhere than with them. She was scared though, she had never been a very social person, and she didn’t like the spotlight, but she certainly didn’t want to be alone for 7 years.
“I’m only in my 3rd year, M, there will be someone before I leave who’ll be your friend, don’t be dramatic.” Anthony said matter of factly, when Eddie threw him his ‘tough older brother’ look he was quick to add in, “If they don’t I’ll just keep repeating 7th year until you graduate.” He finished, then added with much humour, “Besides, you’ll have Hattie.”
Moira laughed softly, “Yeah I’ll have Hattie.” She reached her arm out to pat the tabby, who woke up and swiped a sharp claw at her. “Thank you, guys.” She said, ignoring the sassy cat. "We should probably go to bed before Mum realises we're still awake though and has a fit.”
Eddie patted her head softly, “Goodnight, M.”
Moira swatted his hand away and bid them goodnight. As she laid in her bed that night she thought of Hogwarts, she imagined she was lying in her dorm, whichever house that may be. She started thinking about the girl from Madam Malkins.
“Yes, I am excited.” She whispered in reply to the girl's previous question, only the darkness listened.
Moira seriously regretted not taking Augie on his offer to sit with her. Stupid. She thought. Go sit with your friends. I’ll be fine. Moira Seeley was in fact, not fine. She was rather pathetically sitting all alone in a compartment, an open book sitting in her lap. She’d flipped it to a random page in the middle so people walking by would think she was sitting alone on purpose.
The door banged open and a girl with wavy light brown hair poked her head through. “Hi, mind if I sit? Couldn’t find much else.”
“Oh,” she glanced around, half expecting the girl to be talking to someone else but nodded, “Sure, I don’t mind.” The girl grinned widely, and lugged her trunk into the compartment. Moira watched her for a minute before deciding that was creepy and looked down at her book. She wished she had just started at the beginning, now she had to go the whole train ride pretending to understand what was happening.
“Hey, I know you! You were at Madam Malkin's last week.” The girl spoke up, sitting across from her and folding her legs into her lap, “I was the girl getting abused by the dress-maker, remember?"
“Er, yes.” Moira said uncertain, she thought back to a week ago, she took in the girls long hair, round face, and bright smile. Ah. Yes.
“Nice to meet you! I'm Evelyn Locke. You can call me Evelyn.” The girl, Evelyn, winced, “Well, obviously just call me Evelyn. Am I talking too much? I feel like I’m talking too much, Mother is always going on about how I talk too much,” She stopped herself with an embarrassed smile, “I’ll shut it now.”
Moira smiled softly at her, she was reminded of Anthony, who never did know when to stop talking. “You can talk if you want to, I have 4 older brothers, so I don’t mind. I’m Moira by the way, Moira Seeley, you can just call me Moira.” Moira added cheekily, mimicking Evelyn’s earlier words.
Evelyn grinned at her at looked out the window, the train whistled loudly and Moira felt a jolt as it rolled out of the station. She turned away from the dispersing crowd outside and examined the girl, Evelyn, again. She’s met with Evelyn already looking at her.
“You have such lovely eyes, you know.” Evelyn said randomly, leaning back in her seat, “I thought they were brown, but they’re blue, how are they such a dark color? It’s like the ocean without sun.”
Moira blinked at her. “Um.”
“Sorry, eyes are the first thing I notice. Windows to the soul and such. I have green eyes, well, I’m told that they’re hazel, but I swear they’re just light green, at least I think.”
Moira frowned lightly, looking around subtly to see if someone else was witnessing this. “Okay…”
“Am I annoying you? That was weird wasn’t it? The eye thing. I just say what comes to my head and I shouldn’t. Sorry.”
Despite herself, Moira smiled, “It’s okay, here let me see.” Moira leaned forward towards the girl, who met her in the middle and giggled when they were inches from each other. Moira met her eyes and stared closely. They were a light seafoam green, with flecks of yellow and brown. “Definitely green. I can see why some might say hazel, you've got some brown in there, like dirt.”
Evelyn let out a surprised huff of laughter and leaned back quickly, “Dirt? I said your eyes were like the ocean and you called mine dirt?”
Moira fell back into her seat and tried not to laugh, “Sorry.” She mumbled, amused, and shrugged her shoulders.
Evelyn shook her head on mock offense. “Well then fine. I change my mind, your eyes are like blueberries.”
“Blueberries?” Moira questioned, raising her eyebrows, “How is that an insult, I love blueberries.”
“I hate them.” Evelyn replied bluntly. “But I think you’re pretty cool. We should be friends.”
“You mean you and me?” Moira asked, she could hear her own surprise, Evelyn nodded slowly, she looked like she was nervous for the first time since sitting down. “Okay, sure.”
She smiled again and looked down at the random page in her book. She never knew it was that easy. Evelyn stared out the window, for a few moments Moira wondered if she should say something but she’s not entirely sure what, and Evelyn seemed lost in the world of passing fields.
The compartment door slid open. “Hello, may I join you? A nasty pair of 4th year girls just yelled at me to get lost.” A girl with long dark brown hair asked, Moira nodded and the girl slid the door shut and sat next to Evelyn. “I’m Inaya, you are?”
“I’m Evelyn, it's a pleasure to meet you.”
Moira introduced herself as well, and Inaya leaned back against the seat, her thick and glossy hair pulled into a braid over her shoulder.
“Are you excited?” Evelyn asked to fill the now silence.
Inaya nodded her head, “Yes, but more nervous, my parents aren't like me, I'm a-" she seemed to struggle to find the word for a moment, "Oh, I'm muggle-born. And so I only recently found out about all this.” She gestured around the compartment.
“You don’t have trains in the muggle world?” Moira asked dryly, Inaya laughed nervously.
“I meant the wizard stuff.”
“My Father’s muggle-born!” Evelyn exclaimed, jumping in her seat to face Inaya. “He says it’s a blessing because he knows all about muggle inventions too, we have a toaster!”
“What's a toaster?”
Both girls whipped their heads to face Moira in surprise. “It’s a muggle invention to toast, well, toast.” Evelyn explained.
Moira frowned, “How does it work without magic?”
Inaya quickly jumped in, “It’s like a box and you put the bread in and it heats it up.”
“Like a fireplace?” She inquired, crossing her left leg over her right.
“Well it’s a lot smaller, but sure, I guess.” Inaya responded, “Do you really not have toasters?” Moira shook her head with a frown. She desperately wished she’d paid more attention to Augie when he talked about Muggle-Studies so she didn’t seem so daft right now.
“I wish wizards knew more about muggle stuff.” Evelyn spoke, “You'll have to teach us more Inaya, even I don't know much since my Father uses mainly magic too.”
“I definitely will, but only if you tell me something in return.” Inaya responded and Evelyn gestured for her to continue, “What are the houses like, I’ve read lots, in Hogwarts: A History but I want real opinions, are all Slytherins really evil?”
Moira sat up straight, “Where’d you hear that?” She snapped, instantly thinking of her brother Anthony, who was a 3rd year Slytherin.
Inaya shrugged, “Heard someone talking about it, and ran into a few.”
“Well, no, they aren’t, and my brother’s a Slytherin.” Moira responded sharply, Inaya gave her a disbelieving look which Moira noticed with intensity, “They aren’t evil.”
“Alright, I’m sorry." Inaya threw her hands up, "What house do you reckon you’ll be in?”
Evelyn seemed eager for the subject change, and Moira herself wasn’t too fond of the sudden atmosphere change, “My father says Hufflepuff for me, although my mother says…” she trailed off, wondering if she should say it with the present company, “Well she says Slytherin.”
Inaya nodded quickly, “Which would be really cool!” She said a bit too eagerly in Moira’s opinion.
Moira however looks Evelyn up and down. “You don’t seem very Slytherin to me.” She announced, Evelyn smiled widely at her.
“Trust me, I can be. I would much rather Gryffindor or Ravenclaw though.” Evelyn replied, “What are you hoping for?”
“Ravenclaw, definitely, I have a brother in each house except Ravenclaw, I think it would fit.” Moira answered.
“Maybe we’ll all get Ravenclaw!” Inaya says cheerfully, “I think I will be, I’m not very cunning, brave, or whatever the heck Hufflepuff is. Pretty sure they were just a filler house.”
“Hufflepuff’s are patient, loyal, and hard-working people.” Moira snapped at her, “Sorry, I also have a brother in Hufflepuff. I get defensive sometimes.” She added, quietly. She really needed to learn how to just let someone say their opinions sometimes.
Evelyn waved her off, “I wish I had a sibling, I’m an only child, and it sucks.” She said with a pout, “Do you have any siblings Inaya?”
Inaya nodded, “An older sister and a younger one.”
Evelyn threw her arms in the air exasperated, “Oy vey.”
Just as conversation fell short a trolley came to the compartment and Moira insisted on buying some for the group. (“My brother Augie gave me his pocket money to buy some, but he’s too generous and gave me loads more than I’ll use as a 1st year.”)
Moira popped the bottom half of a milk chocolate wand into her mouth, and watched in amusement at Inaya opening her chocolate frog, “It moves!” She yelled and promptly screeched when it jumped out. The noise made Evelyn laugh so hard that she spit out some of the juice she was drinking.
“Ew!” Moira yelled, jumping sideways to avoid the red splatter. Inaya scooted across the bench and squished herself into the farthest corner with wide eyes.
“That’s a bloody nightmare!” She claimed indignantly once she wrapped her mind around the moving frog, “Who in their right mind would make it do that?”
“It’s made of Croakoa, a magical chocolate,” Moira replied amused. She was desperately fighting laughter at Inaya’s red face and Evelyn’s cackles.
“That’s stupid! Why can’t you just use normal chocolate?”
“It’s normal in the wizarding world.” Evelyn answered, calming herself with deep meaningful breaths, “You’ll get used to it.”
“I rather think I won’t,” Inaya responded solemnly. This, obviously, only made Evelyn dissolve into a fit of giggles again. Inaya huffed loudly and switched topics, “What are you most excited for?”
“I can’t wait to meet Harry Potter. Although he’s not coming to Hogwarts for another year.” Evelyn responded, “Maybe I’ll get to show him around the school!”
“Oh yes, crazy, isn't it?” Moira answered, thinking of the famous ‘Boy-Who-Lived.’
Inaya jumps in with a question;
“Um, who’s Harry Potter?”
“He’s super famous.” Moira said, “When he was a baby Voldemort killed his parents and Harry was the only one who survived, also he apparently killed him.”
“Who’s Voldemort? And how did a baby kill him?” Inaya asked in shock.
“Don’t say his name!” Evelyn interrupted quickly, “You-Know-Who was this super powerful dark wizard who wanted to take over the wizarding world and kill all muggle-borns or something like that. My parents told me about him, they fought in the war.”
“Your mum was in a war?” Inaya asked, “Wait, I'm still confused how a baby killed him.”
“Well, no one really knows why, but after Voldemort-”
“Don’t say his name!” Evelyn exclaimed with a whine, throwing her hands down.
“Merlin's beard.” Moira rolled her eyes, “That's the silliest superstition. After You-Know-Who killed Harry Potter’s parents, he went to kill Harry-”
“He tried to kill a baby, that's awful.”
Moira huffed, annoyed at the constant interruptions. “Yes. Very. Now when Vol- You-Know-Who, tried to use the killing curse on him, it didn't work, and Harry survived-”
“Which has never happened before, ever.” Evelyn quickly cut in again.
“Stop interrupting me.” Moira continued, “Then Voldemort disappeared.”
“What happened to him?”
“Died.” Moira responded with a shrug, “We won the war.”
“Wow.” Inaya leaned back in her seat. “So what happened to the people on the other side of it? You know, fighting with the bad guy?”
Moira glanced over at Evelyn. She supposed she didn’t know. Did anyone truly know? Moira frowned to herself before slowly answering, hearing her own hesitation. “I mean- Azkaban, right? Where else would they be?”
Evelyn pushed herself forward to invade the space between Moira and Inaya. “Azkaban is the biggest wizarding prison in the world.” She whispered darkly to Inaya. “Although, you know what I think? I think they’re still out there.” Her eyes grew dramatically wide as she darted them around. “Watching. Waiting. Hidden in the shadows.” Her voice had dropped to a low whisper and Moira shifted uncomfortably in the silence that followed.
Inaya broke it. “Waiting for what?”
Evelyn grinned wildly. “His return.” Moira’s breath caught involuntarily, only releasing when Evelyn leaned back with a loud cackle of laughter. “Kidding. Obviously they got caught. Relax.”
***
Moira glanced around the large corridor, the first years had just travelled across the Black Lake and entered Hogwarts. She noticed Inaya's and Evelyn's faces, full of wonder and shock, she thought she looked similar. She’d been here before but somehow it seemed bigger now, more grand and extensive.
Mcgonagall, a tall woman with greying hair and an aura of wisdom, addressed the first years. Moira tried her hardest to focus on her words, but just when she did, Professor Mcgonagall stopped speaking. She turned swiftly and led the group of first years into the Great Hall. The minute she entered Moira felt the air leave her lungs, some students turned and faced them, while others were engaging in conversation with each other, not interested in any new arrivals.
Moira looked around, there were four tables, one for each house based on the majority of a single colour robe at each one. McGonagall kept walking at the same pace to the front of the Hall, and Moira’s gaze was pulled to a hat atop a stool. She knew what it was, of course, the sorting hat. For a brief moment she wondered if her brothers were pulling her leg about it talking, Eddie and Anthony would certainly have a laugh with that.
McGonagall started talking once more but Moira found her gaze drawn up to the ceiling, instead of a ceiling, however, she found a vast night sky with floating candles, her mouth visibly dropped in awe. Anthony told her about it before, but seeing it was something so entirely different.
She jumped slightly when the sorting hat burst into a song about the house traits, a few first-years laughed out loud and Moira bit the inside of her cheek to avoid doing the same. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a waving hand from the Gryffindor table and recognised Eddie waving his arm at her with a wide grin, Moira smiled at him and he gave her a thumbs up. Mcgonagall began calling people to come forward. Alphabetically by last name.
“Kumar, Inaya.” Moira looked back to the front and to Inaya.
Her new friend gave her a worried look and walked over to the stool, the hat was placed on her head. After a few beats, it yelled out ‘RAVENCLAW!’ Moira clapped along with everyone else, watching Inaya sit down with other first years sorted into that house.
A few students were called before another now familiar name was called out; “Locke, Evelyn.” Evelyn practically skipped up to the stool, and Moira noticed her socks were mismatched.
It took the sorting hat a few moments longer than anyone else before it yelled out,
“SLYTHERIN!”
Moira watched Evelyn’s face fall slightly, but she quickly hopped off the stool and bounded over to the cheering table filled with a sea of black and green.
It felt like an eternity until her name was called.
“Seeley, Moira.”
Moira let out a deep breath and approached the stool, it's taller than she thought and her feet swing once she sits down. She wasn’t sure why her heart was racing. It’s only the next 7 years of my life. The magical hat got set on her head, it was big enough to almost cover her eyes. She wondered briefly if there's ever been a lice outbreak because of it.
'I can assure you there has not.' A voice returned in her head.
‘Sorry. It's a valid concern.’ Moira reasoned.
'Another Seeley, hmm? Yes, I've had my share of you, maybe Ravenclaw would be a good fit for you, I can feel your intelligence. That doesn't feel right. Although you do seem rather ambitious. Slytherin? Yes, that could be nice. No, I don’t think so, you would do well in Gryffindor, brave and outspoken you may be-'
"Will you just make a bloody decision already before my leg falls asleep?"
'I know the perfect place for you dear, let it be-'
“ GRYFFINDOR! ”
Moira felt the hat lift off her head and she practically jumped off the stool. It didn’t hit her yet. The Gryffindor table cheered loudly and she was extremely relieved to see her brother waving her over.
“I knew you were going to be a Gryffindor!” He exclaimed when she sat down next to him.
“You did not.” Moira protested, “You just want to be right.”
“I am right.” He said it like it was common sense, “Oh, M, this is Emmerson Barkley, Fisher Hummel, and Susanna Sweene.”
Moira looked at each person he gestured to, Emmerson was tall with blonde curly hair and bright blue eyes. He waved to her with a wide smile. Fisher was shorter with bronze skin and dark hair, and Susanna had short and wavy dirty blonde hair dyed blue at the tips. She’d heard of them before, and sometimes Eddie would visit them for weeks at a time over summer holiday.
“You’re so small, we weren’t that small right?” Emmerson asked in greeting, Moira didn’t know what to respond with– so she didn't say anything.
Susanna rolled her eyes, “She’s eleven, you bloody buffoon.” She said in a thick Irish accent.
Fisher snorted and raised his eyebrow at Emmerson. “Yeah, Buffoon.”
Eddie cut in dramatically, holding his hand up. “Good impressions for my baby sister, please.” He sighed and shook his head in mock disappointment, pressing his thumb and pointer to the bridge of his nose.
Moira recoiled at the nickname. “I’m not your baby sister, I’m more mature than you by ages.” She muttered
Fisher grinned at her. “We should keep her.” He announced, which caused Susanna to look at him in shock and then burst out laughing.
"Fair play, we should."
Suddenly the table erupted into cheers and Moira found herself joining in for the girl who got sorted into Gryffindor.
The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore stood and decided to give a speech, to which Moira, admittedly, did not pay attention to, she was too busy scanning the Great Hall for Inaya or Evelyn. Moira got brought back only by Dumbledore yelling loudly for the feast to begin and food magically appearing on the tables.
Moira wondered how it got there. She felt isolated next to her brother and his friends, but they tried to include her, which helped a bit. They had inside jokes between each other. Sometimes Susannah would lean over to Moira and make a snide comment about the boys, and Moira would laugh and not say anything back.
After the feast ended– Moira didn't eat much– the prefects gathered the first years and led them to their common rooms, she followed them in silence.
They’re led through the long corridors of Hogwarts to the Gryffindor Tower, where they travel up a staircase that moved. Once they finally reached the Gryffindor corridor they found the entrance to the common room, which was oddly enough, a portrait of a woman.
“This is the Fat Lady, give her the password and she’ll open up for you. Please remember the password without writing it down.” The prefect said. “The password is wattlebird.”
Moira stood on her tiptoes to watch the Fat Lady swing open. The Gryffindors scrambled inside and Moira found herself mimicking them as they all took in the atmosphere of the common room. A fireplace was on the wall to her left, surrounded by couches and chairs, a few people were already scattered around, with red and gold decorating everywhere.
“All right, let me tell you about the dorms.” The prefect stated loudly.
***
“Seeley? Like Anthony Seeley?” One of Moira’s dormmates, Larisa, asked. “I met him on the train! He helped me pick up my papers when I dropped them.”
Eloise, a girl with short brown hair laughed loudly, “Ignore Risa, she likes every boy ever! She was convinced she was going to meet a handsome boy on the train and they’d fall in love.”
Moira chuckled under her breath. Not really amused at all. After all, who wants to find out their roommate has a crush on their brother?
Moira’s last roommate, Zari, walked in from the bathroom. “There isn’t any soap in there.” She complained. “How am I supposed to wash my hands without soap?” To emphasize this she held her hands out in front of them like they now carried a disease.
Out of all her dormmates Moira thought she liked Zari the best. At only 11 years old she was well spoken and walked with confidence Moira wished she had.
“Maybe ask one of the prefects.” Moira suggested, putting the last of her clothes into her wardrobe and standing from where she’d been kneeled down.
“Ask the cute one with brown hair!” Larisa suggested, “Do you think he’d like me?” She asked suddenly. Eloise walked past her and smacked the back of her head.
“Come off it, Risa. Stop trying to marry yourself off, you still have baby teeth.”
“They aren’t baby teeth!” Larisa exclaimed, jumping off her bed to chase after Eloise. According to Larisa, the girls had the fortune of growing up in the same neighborhood, and were already close before coming to Hogwarts. Moira was lucky enough that Zari didn’t know them either, so she wasn’t left out.
“Where you from then?” Zari asked her, sitting on her own bed, next to Moira’s.
“I live in an offshoot part of Rye, Sussex. It’s a small wizarding community, mainly senior wizards and such.”
Eloise stopped running and turned to her. “Oh, Copsage? My gram lives there!” Moira nodded in confirmation. “Wait, do you know the family with that squib boy? She talks about them a lot. It was a big scandal, happened last year. They kept waiting and waiting for the letter to show, it never did.” Eloise asked, sitting on Larisa’s bed. Moira’s blood ran cold.
Gossip was 70 percent of the wizarding world she supposed.
“That squib is my brother, Archie.” Moira said quietly. “He doesn’t live with us anymore though.”
“Why?” Larisa asked. Her voice was quieter than Moira had heard so far, spoken softly and with an edge of careful curiosity around it. Moira hesitated to answer, she didn’t want these random girls knowing about her brother.
Zari seemed to sense her thoughts and threw Larisa a glare. “None of our business, Larisa, go about fancying boys.”
“No need to be rude. I’m just curious.” Larisa whined, but she dropped the question to pout over to her bed and flop next to Eloise.
Moira released her breath and climbed under her covers, listening to Eloise moving on to talk about how she already missed her mother’s cooking. Something landed next to Moira’s knees and padded up to her face. Soft whiskers brushed her cheek.
“Hey, Hattie.” Moira whispered quietly, running her hand over her thin frame. Hatti curled up and let out a deep sigh. Moira mimicked her sigh and turned away from the girls, staring at the curtains pulled to the side.
After a few minutes Eloise called goodnight and someone shut the lights off. Zari complained about the heat, and Larisa started snoring softly.
Oh how she already missed her own bedroom.