bound together
The first hints of winter were appearing as the sky above Hogwarts was painted in shades of grey. Despite the chill, Andies anticipation for seeing her friends after a long summer apart seemed to warm her. The familiar buzz of students filled her ears as Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin mingled together, the atmosphere charged with the anticipation of a new term. Andie weaved through the crowd, her eyes scanning for the distinct faces of her friends.
"Andie! Over here!"
She turned to see Lucy Carlyle, waving energetically from the grand staircase. Her brown hair was shorter than last term and her eyes shone, surely from her Halloween break spent at Hogwarts that Andie was so jealous of. Lucy and Lockwood tended to stay at Hogwarts when they could, rather than face empty rooms, whereas George always went home, more often than not begging Andie to come with him.
"Where's George? I assumed you came together?”
“I left him in the library,” Andie laughed as they started to walk towards the dining hall. “He did slightly less reading when we were with his family and clearly he wants to borrow a fortnight's worth of books in the hour before dinner. He’ll probably meet us in the hall” Lucy was clearly referring to George Karim, another member of their usual group who happened to be Andies best friend since they sat on the train together all those years ago.
The pair, now having reached the grand hall, only slightly late, made their way over to the Ravenclaw table, where George was already sitting .First year when they'd all tried to sit together despite their different houses, chaos ensued, but spotting Mcgonagall's annoyed but expected stare as they sat down, the two were relieved the staff had remained resigned to their fate. “And that's why it was the best studio album- Hey? Where's Lockwood?” Lucy continued, nodding at George, whose head was too far into a book to notice. He sat with his perpetually thoughtful expression and his blue-and-bronze tie slightly askew, as always.
"Probably making a grand entrance," he said dryly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You know how he is."
As if on cue, through the double doors of the Great Hall Anthony Lockwood strode in, his Slytherin robes billowing behind him. His tie stood perfect as always, and despite being late he wore a confident smile that bordered on a smirk. From the next table the three could hear the laughs of Quill Kipps, another Slytherin, whose rivalry with Lockwood was legendary but always maintained with an air of friendly competition.
“Wasn’t he here all break? How can he possibly be late? Although I'm sure it takes a while to style his hair just so…” Ignoring Kipps, Lockwood made his way over, spotting the group.
"Andie, Lucy, George. Ready for another term of adventure?"
"More like ready for another term of keeping you out of trouble," Andie retorted, though her smile gave away her fondness for the Slytherin boy.
"Trouble? Me?" Lockwood feigned innocence, placing a hand over his heart. "You wound me."
Despite their different houses, they were united by a bond stronger than any sorting hat could dictate. As they ate, their conversation turned to their favourite subject: the supernatural. Ghosts, ghouls, and poltergeists were a part of everyday life at Hogwarts, but the members of Lockwood & Co. had a special knack for dealing with them. Each of them had their own talents and specialties, and together they formed a team that was both formidable and inseparable. Dinner passed in a blur of classes and reunions, and before they knew it, the group found themselves back in their favourite spot: a cosy nook in the library, away from prying eyes and curious ears. It was here, surrounded by ancient tomes and the scent of parchment, that they planned their next adventure.
Finally alone, Lockwood began to lay out his plan for the weekend. "So, we still have two days before classes officially start back…and I reckon we explore the forbidden forest before they block it off? I mean it's forbidden for a reason, imagine how much we can do? Better training than any ‘defence against the problem’ class, plus it’ll finally put us above Kipps.”
Despite the clear protests that began from George, Andie looked instantly to Lucy who met her gaze, clearly thinking the same thing.
“Three against one George, maybe you can finally use all those spells you read about…”