Through the Trees

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Laurie was at breakfast the next morning with another student, the same one that Einda had met on the Hogwarts Express with when she'd flounced by their compartment.

It was unusual for a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin to be seen together, but if Einda knew anything about her new peculiar friend, it was that he was quite unusual either way.

"Morning," he slung his bag over their house table and reached for an apple. "This is Brandt Grayson. That's Einda Swift, she's in my house," he said politely, introducing them. "You guys, uh, met on the train."

[Young Brandt Grayson]

"Hi," Brandt smiled and extended his hand to her to shake. "Nice ta meetcha... Again."

[Qingying]

Einda had already become acquainted with a number of students from other Houses, and walked into the hall with two Ravenclaw girls before they waved and trotted off towards beckoning friends.

She was just a little bit taller than Laurie, and had dark hair in two bouncing pigtails. Her eyelashes were noticeably lighter – almost ginger – and her cheekbones, which stuck out a bit, made her light blue eyes look a little sunken, but no less bright. There were exactly three freckles on her left cheek, and four on the right.

“Hi!” She greeted with a grin and stuck out a hand as she dropped her book bag onto the bench. Her grip was surprisingly appropriately firm– something that had been taught.

“Nice to meet you, too!” She sat down after they shook hands, and quickly nabbed a croissant. “What do you have today?”

Qingying, unseen, watched comfortably while also taking in the children at other tables.

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Perhaps predictably, Laurie settled back in his chair, allowing them to converse while he picked over his Defense Against the Dark Arts notes. He grabbed a quill out of his pocket and a bottle of ink, uncorking it to scribble something in the margins.

[Young Brandt Grayson]

Brandt looked at his plate, then back up at Einda. "Uh, just some corned beef hash and some pancakes."

[Qingying]

When she saw Laurie start writing, Einda set her croissant down in front of him with a swish. "Eat," she said with an almost scolding tone.

Qingying smiled with amused approval.

Einda looked up and laughed as Brandt answered. "I meant classes!"

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Dutifully, he pulled a piece of the croissant apart and pushed it into his mouth, barely chewing it before he was back to his book. "Mmn," he mumbled thanks.

[Young Brandt Grayson]

"Oh, umm," he blushed. "I have Ancient runes, charms, then DADA, then lunch, then transfiguration, then study of magical creatures, then DADA again. Uh, what about you?"

[Username]

“I have Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, lunch, Herbology times two, and Magical Creatures,” she answered as she took a piece of toast from the basket in front of them with her left hand. Care of Magical Creatures was a joint Hufflepuff and Slytherin class.

“I’m in his class,” she pointed at the reading Laurie, and then pushed a glass of diluted pink raspberry juice towards him, testing whether he would drink it.

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

He reflexively grabbed it! "Defense Against the Dark Arts," he muttered, clearly only half paying attention.

[Young Brandt Grayson]

Brandt nodded. "Cool. We probably have care of magical creatures together."

[Username]

“Yeah!” She grinned as she put jam on her toast. “And that’s raspberry juice, not Defence Against the Dark Arts juice.”

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"Huh? What?" Laurie stared at her. "Oh."

[Young Brandt Grayson]

Brandt focused on eating his breakfast. "What's your favorite class so far?" He was asking Einda. He already knew Laurie's was DADA.

[Username]

She shook her head with a small smile at Laurie.

“I like Potions,” she replied with a grin, speaking only when she wasn’t chewing her toast or drinking more raspberry juice. “Flying with other people is fun, too – I did it at home but it’s much more fun in a class!
I like all subjects though!
What’s yours?”