twenty

•••

        When Ivy woke up in Chloe's room, she had a headache. Naturally, she tried to make out memories of last night, but it all felt like a foggy dream.

"Holy shit, what did I do last night?" Ivy asked as she rubbed her eyes. Everyone else was already awake and beginning to get ready for the day.

"Well, after you drank an astronomical amount of Butterbeer and you opened up about your lovingly feelings for Remus," Bella said casually as she dusted her cheeks with blush. Ivy's eyes widened.

"R-Remus Lupin?"

"Yup."

"What did I say?" Ivy managed to stutter out, beginning to get nervous.

"Oh nothing much. How you wanted to snog him, how attractive he his, how much you like him," Bella said with a shrug like this was common knowledge. Ivy laid her head on the back of the armchair she slept in.

"Do I really like him that much?" Ivy said, thinking out loud. Bella shrugged.

"They do say that drunk words are sober thoughts. Also, you said, and I quote, "I do really like him, I'm not being a drunk idiot," so, that must mean something," Bella said as she walked away and into the bathroom, where she changed into clothes for the day. Ivy thought long and hard about Remus.

She still didn't want to come around to the idea that she fancied him. Ivy wasn't one to think about boys often, but Remus was making it awfully hard to think about anyone or anything else. Ivy decided that she was drunk and it meant almost nothing. Although, she couldn't help but feel she was lying to herself.

Ivy eventually got up and got ready for the day, changing into her clothes and doing her morning routine. Once they were all dressed, they went to Diagon Alley where they bought school supplies for the upcoming year.

        "We all should have done this a while ago," Ivy said as they walked through Flourish and Blotts, picking up the books they need.

        "Yeah, probably. I'm surprised they aren't sold out or something, since we waited until the very last minute," Jessica said as they walked to the register to pay. Once they were done with buying books, they were basically finished. Chloe needed new robes since she managed to outgrow her old ones.

        "How are you still growing? You were already super tall," Jessica said as Chloe got measured.

        "Not that tall. Well, taller than all of you, but still," Chloe exclaimed as they walked out Madam Malkin's robe shop.

          After their day at Diagon Alley, Ivy travelled back to her home where she already began to pack her clothes for Hogwarts, grinning down at her luggage, excited to go back.

•••

Ivy walked through the halls of Hogwarts, taking everything in like it was the first time she's seen the castle. She didn't ride on the train with James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus, but instead with Marlene, Lily, Alice, and Mary. Lily was nice to her, making Ivy feel kind of guilty for misjudging her.

As the students walked down the halls, Sirius Black ran up to Ivy and tapped her on the shoulder. Ivy gasped and grinned at him.

"Sirius!" She exclaimed happily as they walked. James came not too much longer, followed by Remus and Peter.

"How was your summer?" Remus asked Ivy. She shrugged.

"Good, I guess. Rather boring, though," Ivy said. Remus looked down at her, his eyes twinkling in joy.

"Same here," James began, "without my dearest Lily Evans, I've been counting the days until we get back here."

Ivy rolled her eyes with a smile, recalling the train ride with her. Lily was a lovely person, with a melodic voice and bright red hair. James's words triggered a memory of one particular conversation she had with Lily on the way.

        "Ugh! Don't even say his name!" Lily said with the roll of her eyes as the other girls laughed. Nonetheless, she was still smiling. "He's so persistent. It's quite admirable in a strange way."

         "Ivy, what's he like? You hang out with him often," Alice said, causing all of the girls to shift their gaze to Ivy, who struggled slightly to find the words to describe him.

        "He's funny, and actually quite kind most of the time. More kind then Sirius, who acts like a twelve year old girl who only gossips," Ivy said, getting laughter from the girls. "James isn't that bad, especially since he's stopped teasing Severus."

        They continued to talk, but it was obvious to Ivy that Lily had more complex feelings about James than they thought. Ivy decided to keep this information to herself for now.

"Oh of course, I'm sure she missed you too," Ivy said in a sarcastic voice as James nodded his head, agreeing with her.

Even if Ivy was sixteen and puberty had happened a while ago, she was finally beginning to grow into her own person. Since the beginning of fifth year, she had become less insecure and walked with her head held high, a newfound confidence that most people seemed to notice.

"Also, you cut your hair!" Remus said, looking at the top of her head. Ivy nodded, happy he noticed.

"Yup, I cut it myself last week."

"I can already imagine how much you struggled," James said, causing Ivy to scoff.

"Yeah right, it was a breeze. I should be a hairstylist or something," Ivy said. James shook his head in disbelief.

She said goodbye and turned towards the Ravenclaw table, not even bothering to try and sit with the Gryffindors. McGonagall would notice.

Chloe, Bella, and Jessica sat next to her, saying hello and waiting for the sorting ceremony. Eventually, all the small eleven year olds got sorted.

"I swear, there's more of them every year," Jessica muttered to the girls as Dumbledore got up to say his welcoming speech, smiling at the students. After he was done, the food suddenly appeared as the hall was filled with people cheering at the sight of their dinner.

Everyone piled food onto their plates, chowing down. Ivy felt Adam Andrews' eyes fixated on her for most of the dinner, but she chose to ignore it. Whenever she looked in his direction, he would act as if he wasn't staring at her.

After dinner, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors walked to the West Towers as all the students talked excitedly and laughed at jokes their friends made. A prefect answered the riddle and then all the students rushed in, some sitting in the common room and others walking to their dorms.

        Sadly, their captain from last year, John, graduated. Ivy did not get the position of captain, which made her wonder who did.

Ivy ran a hand through her brown locks and sighed, stretching out in the comfy arm chair she was in. Jessica, Bella, and Chloe had gone to their dorm to organize their things, hanging up their posters and to get the room ready for the upcoming school year.

        Ivy looked up at the dome shaped ceiling, trying to find constellations in the stars. After a while of doing that, most students had gone to their dorm or were reading quietly in the common room. Ivy got up and walked to their dorm, where Bella was trying her best to hang up a poster of a makeup company.

         Ivy walked over to her bed with her luggage resting beside it, sitting down on her bed and looking around at the different sections of their room. It was definitely personalized. Jessica had several feminism posters, Bella had fashion and makeup posters surrounding her little section, and Chloe's walls were covered with Witch Weekly covers.

          "One day I'm gonna be in that magazine," Chloe said confidently as she hung up the last one. Bella nodded.

        "I don't doubt it. You're super hot and talented and smart. Why else would you be in Ravenclaw?" Bella said as Chloe smiled.

         "Well thanks. I'm going to go take a shower. Be right back," Chloe said as she grabbed her pajamas and walked into the bathroom. Ivy called next shower, resulting in swear words from the two other girls who wanted to take early showers.

"We need to alternate morning showers since we all want to take showers at night," Jessica yelled at Ivy as she walked in and closed the door.

She cleaned her hair with the coconut scented shampoo and conditioner, shaving her legs and washing her body. She hopped out and wiped off her already smeared makeup, looking in the mirror and sighing. She was never one to be narcissistic or all that confident, but for once she didn't really mind seeing her bare face. After she was changed into her pajamas, she walked out and got into her bed, grabbing a book and casting Lumos to read it.

The other girls were asleep or reading as well, the dark room enlightened by the ends of all their wands. Chloe said goodnight as she casted Nox, rolling over in her bed. The other girls did the same until it was just Ivy who was awake. She went under the covers to spare her roommates from the glowing light. As she read, her mind drifted off to school, who she would have her classes with, then Remus.

           Ivy reminisced about her time with the girls in Hogsmeade last week. She thought about what Bella told her she said about Remus. Seeing and talking to him for the first time since July made her remember why she liked being around him so much. And Sirius wasn't exactly subtle with the looks he gave when they were talking to each other. He whispered to James and grinned at them boyishly, excited about Remus finally getting a love interest as if his life was a movie.

        After a while of thinking, Ivy exhaled, casting Nox and putting away her book, turning around in the bed and slowly falling asleep.

•••