chocolate frogs
"this dorm was once a madhouse"
chapter one: chocolate frogs
5th September, 1972
The cool September breeze swept through the castle, as students and teachers alike enjoyed the first weekend of the school year. The most coveted spot on the grounds was undoubtedly the wooden picnic table that overlooked the black lake, occupied this year by head boy Lucius Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins.
A game of gobstones between third year Gryffindors, the anxious group of fifth year Ravenclaws clamoring into the library to make their OWL study schedules, and the Hufflepuff gathered out on the pitch for tryouts; it may have been the start of a new year, but some things never changed.
Throwing around a magically charmed frisbee were four Gryffindor second year boys, who had spent at least half of their first year in detention, much to McGonagall's chagrin. The tallest of the group, a boy with messy black hair and glasses, tossed the frisbee too hard and it whizzed past the boys' heads and towards the black lake
Three first year Gryffindors were walking along the lake, giggling as they recounted their first week at Hogwarts, when the frisbee landed at their feet.
Two of the girls gasped in surprise, while their friend merely rolled her eyes. "Jamsie work on your aim!" She shouted, picking the frisbee up and hauled in towards the bpy with glasses, who grinned sheepishly.
When it landed on the boy next to him instead, James made a retort. "Well yours seems to be just as bad, Corrine!"
Corrine turned away and back towards her friends. "My dear brother needs to work on his accuracy if he has a chance as a chaser on the Gryffindor team."
There were just six first year girls in Gryffindor this year, and Corrine Potter's dorm was shared by Alice Fortescue and Mary McDonald. The three had become fast friends and stayed awake almost every night talking about everything and anything whilst trading candy. Alice and Corrine were both purebloods from old families who had grown up in the Wizarding World, while Mary was a muggleborn who knew nothing of its existence until her eleventh birthday.
“So, how exactly is Quidditch played?” Mary asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as they strolled towards the lake.
“It’s a bit complex until you actually see a game,” Corrine explained. “But don’t worry, the matches will start soon enough.”
Alice, who had been savoring a Chocolate Frog, added, “The game is played on broomsticks, and there are three types of balls. The Quaffle is used to score goals, the Bludgers try to knock players off their brooms, and the Golden Snitch is the most important because catching it earns your team a huge number of points.”
Mary’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “That sounds incredible. I can’t wait to see it all in action.”
As the conversation continued, they reached a grassy patch by the Black Lake, the waves shimmering under the afternoon sun. They spread out their blankets and settled down, the girls pulling out their collections of Chocolate Frog cards.
“Look, Alice!” Corrine exclaimed, holding up a card featuring a strikingly handsome wizard in elaborate medieval garb. “Another Godric Gryffindor! I swear, I must have five of these now.”
Alice, busy sifting through her own stack, grinned. “I’d be willing to trade you this one of Rowena Ravenclaw. I’ve been trying to collect all the founders’ cards.”
“I don’t have any yet,” Mary admitted with a chuckle. “But I suppose I’d better start building up my collection if I’m to keep up with you two.”
Corrine handed her card to Mary. “Here, this one’s for you to start your collection. I have four more at home.”
Just then, a semi-familiar voice called out from behind them. "Hey, you lot! Mind if we join you?"
The voice belonged to a second-year girl with vibrant red hair and kind, blue eyes. Corrine recognized her immediately as Lily Evans, a name that had been frequently mentioned in the Potter household over the summer. Lily’s friends, Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadows, trailed behind her.
“Of course not,” Corrine responded as Lily and her friends approached.
"Is that a Godric Gryffindor card?" Marlene asked, pointing to the card in Mary's hand.
Mary nodded, her face lighting up with pride. “It’s my first one.” She glanced around, noting the puzzled expressions on the older girls’ faces. “My parents are Muggles.”
Lily’s face softened with understanding. “Oh, mine too. I remember how thrilled I was when I got my first Chocolate Frog card. I think Marly gave it to me on the Hogwarts Express.”
Opening another chocolate frog, Alice gasped. "I got Helga Hufflepuff! This is the last one I needed for my founders collection."
The others five smiled and each grabbed the remaining boxes to open at the same time.
"Another Dumbledore card." Marlene sighed.
"I'll take it Marly, and you can have this Bertie Bott one." Lily offered.
"Ooh, I got Celestina Warbeck!" Corrine said.
Alice rolled her eyes. "You already have, like, ten of her."
"I know that, but I love Celestina Warbeck."
"Who's Celestina Warbeck?" Mary asked.
"Only the greatest singer of all time!"
"The singing sorceress!"
"We have to play some of her songs for you tonight!"
"Does anyone have a cassette of her music?" Alice asked.
"Molly Prewett, now Weasley, -- she was head girl last year -- gave me this before she left." Lily said, pulling out a copy of a tape recording of Celestina Warbeck's first album.
"It's settled then," Dorcas said, "You three will come to our dorm tonight, and we'll have a dance party."
The three girls agreed at once.
Laughter and chatter filled the air, something that all six of them would forever associate with this spot right on the shore of the Black Lake at Hogwarts. This spot where they would spend the next six or seven years together.