Breakfast and Mail

Aurora sat down at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall. She loved the mornings here at Hogwarts, with the delicious bacon and eggs the house-elves provided, and the owls coming every day with mail for the students. A few days had passed since that day in the owlery, where she had met Isabella and James. She had sent a letter to her family, but Hyacinth had not returned yet. 'She will soon,' Aurora thought, 'it's just that Ireland is a long way off from here.' Just as she was thinking this, the bright rainbow feathers of her macaw swooped into the Hall with the mail owls. Hyacinth landed in front of Aurora, and joyously she untied the letter from the bird's leg. She gave Hyacinth one of the stewed tomatoes from the table, ('Why is this breakfast food,' she wondered) and Hyacinth flew away. Eagerly, Aurora ripped the letter open with her teeth and read:

Dear Aurora,

Great to hear that school is going so well for you. We are prouder of you than you know; you wanted Ravenclaw so badly. Now that your first classes have started, you can finally consider yourself a real Hogwarts student. Your brothers are so very jealous, and ask how you are doing every day. We know that you are too busy to send letters so often, but it was so wonderful to receive your first one. We fed Hyacinth some of the owl food, but she didn't really seem to like it much, so we gave her some nuts instead. Your father is spending his days reminiscing about everything that happened when he was at school (here Aurora paused, once again remembering the great deeds that he had done) while I just want to give you our love. Here it is: XOXOXOXO.

We miss you very much, and can't wait until you come home for the Christmas holidays.

Mum, Dad, Chris, Timmy, and Greg

Wade smoothed out his robe and walked over to the Slytherin table. It was full. But Lucy wasn't there. He looked around, trying to search for a familiar face. There were none. Not even Isabella was there. Suddenly, he noticed a Ravenclaw girl sitting alone, reading a letter. He walked over to her and waited patiently for her to finish reading. When she was done, he introduced himself, "Hi. I'm Wade. Wade Malfoy." and took out his hand.
He noticed the slightest hint of surprise on the girl's face, and wondered if she had already met Lucy. "Do you mind if I sit down? I know I'm a Slytherin," he held out his robe with the badge, "but I thought I'd introduce myself, since I just got here."

Aurora smiled. Her family could always cheer her up. Folding the letter, she put it in the secret pocket in the front of her robes. When she looked up, a strange boy was there.

"Hi. I'm Wade. Wade Malfoy," he said, and held out his hand.

'Another Malfoy,' Aurora thought, but shook the proferred hand."Aurora Finnigan," she said warmly.

"Do you mind if I sit down? I know I'm a Slytherin, but I thought I'd introduce myself, since I just got here," Wade explained.

"Not at all," Aurora said. "There are a lot of new students, and I'd like to meet more of them." She hoped that they would all be as friendly as Wade was. "Are you a relative of Lucy's?" she inquired. She had met Lucy in DADA the previous day, and liked her very much.

"Aurora Finnigan." she said as she shook Wade's hand.
"Do you mind if I sit down? I know I'm a Slytherin, but I thought I'd introduce myself, since I just got here," Wade explained.
"Not at all," Aurora answered and Wade sat down. "There are a lot of new students, and I'd like to meet more of them. Are you a relative of Lucy's?" she asked him.

He was a bit surprised the girl had mentioned his cousin, as Lucy wasn't very friendly.
"Lucy Malfoy? Yeah, she's my cousin. Been living with her family every summer since I was about six years old. Are you friends with her?" he said.

"Lucy Malfoy? Yeah, she's my cousin. Been living with her family every summer since I was about six years old. Are you friends with her?" Wade asked.

"Well, actually, I just met her yesterday," Aurora confessed. "But she seemed quite nice. Anyways, are you an American or something? Your accent's kind of funny." Aurora realized after she said this that it could be taken offensively, and she hoped he didn't mind.

"Are you an American or something? Your accent's kind of funny." the girl said. This made him laugh.
"Yes, I'm American. From Cali. You know where that is? Most amazing place I've ever seen." he said with a laugh.

Wade laughed. "Yes, I'm American. From Cali. You know where that is? Most amazing place I've ever seen," he said, laughing again.

Aurora frowned. "Cali... like California? I've heard about it, but not much. It's kinda funny, we wizarding types don't really keep up with other countries. Except for those guys at Department of International Cooperation or whatever it is. But where are you living now?" she asked, still trying to break any tension that might be there. She thought that house cooperation was more important than international right now.

"Cali...like California?" the girl frowned. Wade didn't really know how to react to her expression, so he kept quiet and let her continue. "I've heard about it, but not much. It's kinda funny, we wizarding types don't really keep up with other countries. Except for those guys at Department of International Cooperation or whatever it is. But where are you living now?" she finished.

"In Cheshire, with Phoenix and Lucy. Mom is traveling around, seeing places, meeting people, looking for the good-for-nothing father I have...you know." he said, looking away from her. "Where do you live?"

"In Cheshire, with Phoenix and Lucy. Mom is traveling around, seeing places, meeting people, looking for the good-for-nothing father I have... you know. Where do you live?" Wade said, seemingly unable to look Aurora in the eye.

Aurora was surprised that Wade's father was not living with him, after all, he must have given Wade the Malfoy name, and most Malfoys were unbearably proud to continue their line. "Oh, sorry," she said sympathetically. "Anyways, I live in Ireland with my family. My dad's Seamus Finnigan," she added, hoping that maybe Wade wouldn't know the name, but accepting the fact that he probably would.

"Seamus Finnigan...the name sounds familiar, but I'm not very sure who he is. But, I bet Ireland is a really pretty place." Wade answered, trying to make up for not knowing who her father was. He had heard the name, but he wasn't sure.

Wade seemed to think for a moment. "Seamus Finnigan...the name sounds familiar, but I'm not very sure who he is. But, I bet Ireland is a really pretty place." He sounded slightly apologetic for not knowing Aurora's dad.

Aurora smiled in relief. If he didn't know, she wasn't telling. "Oh, it is. They don't call it the Emerald Isle for nothing. It's green everywhere," she explained, relishing her Irish accent as the words rolled over her tongue. She didn't know much else to say, so she asked, "How have your first few classes gone?"