Fey gazed up at the dark structure that stood across from the lake, the lights from its windows twinkling like miniature stars, Hogwarts castle stood tall and proud against the even darker sky. All around her people bustled around, shouts of friends too each other and the racket of a schools worth of owls, cats and toads created a frantic din. Strolling agilely through the crowd Fey carried her barn owl, Duskan, in his cage over to the carriages. She had lost her friends in the scrum but it didn’t worry her, they would find each other at the great hall.

Shivering slightly as a cruel breeze swept down from the mountains that surrounded the castle, Fey reached the carriages and jumped into a free one. It didn’t stay free for very long as three Gryffindor’s also clambered in and the carriage started its rickety ride up to the castle. Fey made a casual motion sweeping her long hair back from her face and took the opportunity to glance around at her carriage mates, they were all in her year, she recognised their faces from some of her classes but they were not on speaking terms. The tension between the two houses was still there, simmering beneath the surface. Fey contemplated that it was actually worse, especially for Slytherin’s, since the fall of he who must not be named, Slytherin’s had been branded as traitors to the free wizarding world. Gryffindor house had been projected into glory as the house of the boy who lived, the one who had saved them all. 

“You know, I don’t see why they even let Slytherin’s into the school. We all know they are gutless bunch of dark arts loving freaks. Do you know that some of them are still pure blood, I’m surprised they aren’t inbreed by now.” The girl speaking had dark brown hair and cold eyes which slid onto Fey in her green tinted uniform and then back to her friends as they sounded a chorus of mocking laughter. Fey felt cold all over as her cheeks burned fiercely on her pale skin but she kept her silence and turned her face back to the window, gazing out into the darkness. 

They finally reached the entrance hall and Fey leaped out as soon as they stopped, almost running up the steps, the girls cruel barbs still ringing in her ears. Finally making it into the warmth and light of the stone castle Fey breathed a sigh of relief, back home at last. Leaving Duskan in the corner with the other pets she made a small clicking noise at him, which he returned and smiling for the first time since the train Fey caught her name being called from across the room as her friends called over to her.