The morning was a bustle of excitement and nervous giggles, getting ready together. Maryam was particularly clever, her sharp wit even getting Holly to smirk appreciatively. Sadie sat on the end of her bed, Asenath perched behind her and weaving a waterfall braid through Sadie’s red hair. She seemed content to let Sadie chatter away, occasionally offering a quiet remark that Sadie had to strain to hear.

Her uniform had been neatly pressed, with red and gold embroidered into the trimming sometime during the night and her black flats polished to a shine. A silk tie had been included, emblazoned with what she assumed was the crest of the house at the very base.

Sadie ended up helping most of her dormmates knot their ties neatly, rather surprised to find that most of them had never done so before. But she recalled George’s explanation; few of them would have attended any form of formal school before. She patted Gail’s shoulder with a beam as she finished. Buttoning her cardigan over her crisp white shirt and high-waisted pleated skirt, Sadie followed Maryam and Tasia, slipping her red lined robes on over her shoulder. Luckily the castle was so drafty, otherwise Sadie suspected she might sweat to death. Gail fell into step with them as they descended the circular stairs.

“My mum just took over Madame Malkins,” Tasia informed them, her massive curls bouncing with every step. 
“What about you?” Sadie asked Gail over her shoulder, nearly tripping into Maryam. She blushed with a laugh, apologizing profusely. Gail cleared her throat a little nervously.

“Um, my papà’s a liaison from the Italian Ministry. My mother collects art.” 
“And your family, Sadie?” Maryam queried as they entered the Common Room. Sadie scanned the room and found a familiar head of white blonde hair. She brightened, waving. Turning to her dormmates, she smiled apologetically.

“Oh, they’re farmers. Sorry, have to go, I’ll catch up with you later?”

Maryam’s brow arched, and Sadie was surprised to see her direct a cool look towards George, as if she disliked him intensely. She offered Sadie a stern look.

“Be careful,” she warned her, and Sadie tilted her head. “He’s a [i]Nott[/i],” she sounded as if that meant something really big and important, but it flew over Sadie’s head. She shrugged.

“He’s nice. Anyway, bye!” She bounded over before Maryam could lecture her further, joining her friends as Seine arrived with a loud yawn.

“Morning!” She chirruped, hitching her leather bag more evenly across her shoulder. “You look like a zombie, Seine.”

He looked at her flatly, as if he didn’t quite get her reference. What, really? All this magic and no one knew what zombies were? Maybe the magical world wasn’t as great as she’d been lead to believe. She shook her head.

“Never mind. Did you sleep well?” She directed to George, plowing on ahead with a bounce. “I didn’t. This is all too brilliant. Ahhh! Oh my gosh and we have [i]class[/i] and I am so totally beyond ready. I’ve been waiting like, a hundred million years for this.”