Starman

2nd of September 1971

Amalia woke up that day, excited for her first day of school. She just hoped she wouldn’t get any homework. Lily looked up from her trunk, already dressed in her Hogwarts robes.

“Morning! You excited for our first day? I can’t wait!” she said with a wide grin.

“Yeah, I never thought I’d be excited for school.” Amalia replied, stretching and yawning. “I just hope we don’t get any homework.”

Mary and Marlene woke up shortly after, and the four girls got dressed, chatting excitedly about the day ahead.

“What do you think Potions will be like?” Mary asked, pulling on her robes.

“I hope we don’t blow anything up,” Marlene laughed, tying her shoelaces.

Lily grinned. “I heard Professor Slughorn is really nice. He even brings sweets to class sometimes.”

As they made their way down to breakfast, they bumped into James and Sirius. They were with two other boys, one of whom Amalia knew from her neighborhood. His name was Peter, and he lived down the road from the Potters. They had all grown up together.

“Hey, Pete,” she smiled at him warmly.
“Hey, Amalia,” Peter responded, his face lighting up.

James cleared his throat. “This is Remus. He’s in our dorm,” he said, gesturing to a boy with sandy hair and a kind face.

Remus gave a nervous smile and a awkward wave. “Hi.”

He wasn’t much taller than Amalia, and he had scars across his face. Amalia thought they looked badass. She held out her hand for him to shake.

“I’m Amalia, and this is Lily, Mary, and Marlene.”

Remus took her hand. “Nice to meet you all,” he said, smiling a bit brighter than before.

“Shall we get a move on? I’m starving,” James said, patting his stomach for emphasis.

They all nodded in agreement and continued on their way, chatting along the way.

“So, what are you most looking forward to?” Sirius asked, looking at Lily.

“Probably Charms. It sounds fascinating,” Lily replied.

“I’m excited for Transfiguration,” James said. “It’s supposed to be really challenging.”

Peter looked thoughtful. “I think Defense Against the Dark Arts will be interesting.”

Amalia nodded. “I’m curious about Herbology. Magical plants sound so intriguing.”

After they finished their breakfast, they all made their way to their respective classes. First up for Amalia was Potions. Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all had the same class. Lily and Amalia sat down next to a greasy-haired boy whom Lily introduced as Severus.

“This is Severus,” Lily said. “I know him from home.”

Severus nodded, glancing briefly at Amalia before returning to his potion ingredients. He was in Slytherin and was sitting next to another Slytherin boy called Evan.

“Nice to meet you,” Amalia said politely.

Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter sat opposite them.

“Think we’ll make anything explode today?” Sirius whispered to James, who snickered.

“I hope not,” Remus said, overhearing them. “I’d rather not start the year with detention.”

“Agreed,” Peter said, looking a bit nervous.

Professor Slughorn entered the room, his cheerful demeanor instantly putting everyone at ease. “Welcome to your first Potions class! Today, we’ll be making a simple Cure for Boils potion.”

The class passed quickly, with only a few minor mishaps. Amalia found that she enjoyed the precise nature of potion-making, though it was clear that Severus had a natural talent for it.

“Severus, your potion is perfect!” Slughorn exclaimed, beaming. “Ten points to Slytherin!”

After Potions, Amalia had History of Magic, but only Sirius and James were in that class with her. They soon found out it was the most boring class in the world.

“Is professor Binns a ghost? Or am I crazy?” James whispered to Amalia halfway through the lecture. “I think he might be.”

“I think you’re right,” Amalia whispered back, stifling a yawn. “How does he even keep teaching if he’s dead?”

Sirius chuckled softly. “Maybe he doesn’t know he’s dead.”

The lecture dragged on, and by the end of it, all three of them were struggling to stay awake. They made their way to lunch, eager to see their friends again.

“How was Herbology?” asked Amalia, as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

“It was good. Very interesting,” replied Lily, her eyes bright with excitement.

“How was History of Magic?”

“It was definitely not interesting,” Amalia said with a yawn.

“I almost fell asleep,” James admitted, shaking his head. “How does Binns expect us to remember anything?”

“Maybe he casts a sleeping charm on us,” Sirius suggested with a grin.

After lunch, Amalia made her way to Herbology. Lily was right—it was interesting. They learned about magical plants, and Amalia found herself fascinated by the subject. Mary and Remus were in her Herbology class, and Amalia decided that she liked Remus very much. He was very calm, collected, and kind.

“Do you think we’ll get to work with mandrakes?” Mary asked as they left the greenhouse.

“Probably not until second year,” Remus replied. “They’re a bit dangerous for first years.”

“Did you see the Venomous Tentacula?” Amalia said, her eyes wide. “I can’t believe we’ll be working with plants like that one day.”

Remus nodded. “It’s amazing how many different types of magical plants there are.”

The three of them made their way to Transfiguration, their last class of the day. As they entered the classroom, they saw Professor McGonagall standing at the front, her stern expression softened by a hint of a smile.

“Good afternoon, class,” she began. “Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will be punished. You have been warned.”

James nudged Sirius. “I bet we’ll get to turn something into a frog,” he whispered.

Professor McGonagall’s eyes flicked over to them. “Mr. Potter, care to share with the class?”

James turned red. “No, Professor.”

McGonagall nodded. “As I was saying, Transfiguration is very complex. We will start with simple spells today. Open your books to page five.”

Amalia found the class challenging but fascinating. They practiced turning matches into needles, and while her first few attempts were unsuccessful, by the end of the lesson, she managed to transform her matchstick into a somewhat needle-like shape.

“Not bad for a first try,” Remus said encouragingly.

“Thanks,” Amalia replied, feeling a bit more confident.

“Remember, practice is key,” McGonagall said as the class ended. “I expect you all to keep working on this spell.”

After Transfiguration, they had a break before dinner. Amalia, Lily, Remus, James, and Sirius decided to explore the castle a bit. They wandered through the corridors, marveling at the moving staircases and talking portraits.

“This place is incredible,” Amalia said, her eyes wide as she watched a knight in a painting duel with a dragon.

“I know,” Lily agreed. “I feel like we’ve only seen a fraction of it.”

They passed by a large, ornate mirror, and James stopped to look at his reflection. “I can’t believe we’re actually here,” he said. “Hogwarts is even better than I imagined.”

Amalia grinned. “Just wait until we find all the secret passages.”

Remus raised an eyebrow. “Secret passages?”

“Yeah, my sister told me there are loads of them,” Amalia said. “We just have to find them.”

As they continued their exploration, they found a cozy nook by a large window overlooking the lake. They sat down, enjoying the view and the peaceful moment.

“Do you think we’ll see the giant squid?” Peter asked, joining them with a bag of sweets.

“I hope so,” Amalia said, taking a sweet from the bag. “I heard it’s friendly.”

They spent the rest of the break talking and laughing, sharing stories about their families and their excitement for the school year. When it was time for dinner, they made their way to the Great Hall, feeling more like a group of friends than ever before.

At dinner, they found a cozy spot at the Gryffindor table. They spent the meal chatting about their day and the different professors they had met.

“McGonagall is strict, but I think she’ll be a great teacher,” Remus said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, she’s tough but fair,” James agreed. “And did you see how she transformed that desk into a pig? That was brilliant.”

Sirius leaned back in his chair. “I can’t wait to learn how to do that. Imagine the pranks we could pull.”

“Just don’t get us all in trouble,” Lily warned, though she was smiling.

They continued their lively discussion, debating the best kinds of magical creatures and spells they hoped to learn. Amalia found herself laughing more than she had in a long time, feeling truly at home.

That night, they all headed back to their common room, where they found a cozy spot by the fire. They spent the evening playing cards and gorging on sweets.

4th of September 1971

"First weekend at Hogwarts," said Lily happily. She was curled up on a sofa near the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. It was raining outside, and the Gryffindors could hear the pitter-patter of rain on the windows, a soothing backdrop to the warm, cozy atmosphere inside. Lily put down the book she had been reading.
Marlene was asleep, her head resting on Mary's lap, her feet on Amalia's. Amalia finished reading a letter from her parents and sighed contentedly.

"What did they say?" asked Mary, her fingers gently brushing through Marlene's hair.

"Nothing really, just telling me what’s going on at home," Amalia replied with a small smile.

The portrait hole swung open, and James, along with the rest of the boys, clambered through, soaked from head to toe. James shook his head like a wet dog, droplets flying everywhere. He walked up to the girls, grinning.

"Smart of you to stay inside where it’s nice and warm," he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Off causing trouble?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

James gasped in feigned horror. "We would never."

Lily rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Just harmless fun, right?" she said, looking pointedly at Sirius, who was attempting to sneak a wet sock onto the back of Peter's head.

"Of course," Sirius replied mischievously, his grin wide and unapologetic.

Marlene let out a little snore, and Mary brushed some hair out of her friend's face lovingly. "She’ll have a crook in her neck when she wakes up," she said softly.

The boys went to their dorm to dry off and change into warm clothes. A few minutes later, a third-year student accidentally dropped a jar of frogspawn in the middle of the common room, and the loud crash woke Marlene with a start.

"I’m awake!" she exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and looking around in confusion.

"Morning," said Mary with a grin, as she helped Marlene sit up properly.

The boys returned shortly after, now dry and carrying an assortment of items. They settled around the fireplace, which crackled and popped, casting a warm glow over the group.

James dumped a bag of sweets onto the low table in front of them. "My parents sent these," he said, grabbing a chocolate frog and unwrapping it eagerly.

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Remus suggested, holding up a deck of cards.

"Count me in," said Sirius, plopping down next to the fire and grabbing a handful of sweets.

They all gathered closer, the warmth of the fire and the chocolate frogs making the rainy day feel perfect. As the evening wore on, laughter and chatter filled the common room, mingling with the sounds of the crackling fire and the rain against the windows. It was moments like these that made Hogwarts feel like home.