Chapter 37

                                    

                                          
One by one, each person left the compartment to get changed. Ruby couldn't help but notice the unusual colors of Wren's tie: gold and silver. Ruby had neglected to wear hers, as she often did, but other than Wren, everyone else had a green and silver tie.
                          
        She decided not to comment on it, choosing to look out the window as Narcissa braided her hair.
                          
        The carriages were pulled by Thestrals, as always, and soon they were in the Great Hall.
                          
        Knowing that McGonagall wouldn't let her sit at the Slytherin table this time, she sat down next to Sirius, sending the gray-haired woman a glare when she wasn't looking. The entire sorting was rather awkward, because somehow, she'd ended up sandwiched between Sirius and Potter. Obviously it could have been worse, for example, being in between Potter and Lily, but still...
                          
        She had half a mind to tell Theus to switch seats with her so that he would be next to Potter, and she would be in between Theus and some other person she didn't know the name of. The only reason she didn't was because the hall was almost entirely silent, and it would draw a lot of attention.
                          
        Theus actually had no idea how awkward she was feeling. It wasn't like he was actually talking. James was just passing him tiny pieces of parchment with questions about his vacation and health in minuscule handwriting. Sirius was lucky he had grown up reading the boy's horrible handwriting, or there was no way he would have been able to identify the characters. He ignored them anyway, choosing instead to watch the Sorting.
                          
        It had finally finished, with twelve first years being sorted into Gryffindor, eight to Slytherin, ten to Hufflepuff, and ten to Ravenclaw. The feast began, and both Ruby and Sirius ate more than they usually did, although Ruby found herself missing the smoky, wild flavor that all food in Neverland seemed to have.
                          
        The meal was, if possible, even more awkward than the sorting. Potter was bragging loudly about becoming Head Boy, and talking about sharing a dorm with Evans, and how they had to pull off the best pranks. In between these loud comments were quieter ones, asking how Sirius's summer had been, evidently not having been told during the train ride.
                          
        Sirius just answered with a vague 'it was good' and changed the subject. Ruby finished eating before the desserts had even appeared, and told Sirius goodnight. She jogged over to the Slytherin table to ask Jana, who was the seventh year prefect, what the password was.
                          
        It was already getting colder, and she really didn't want to be reminded of how different things were, again, but it couldn't be helped. She didn't go to the Slytherin common room, instead taking the long staircases up to the Gryffindor common room. She stood outside the portrait only to realize she didn't know what the password was.
                          
        Unwilling to go all the way back down to ask Potter, she sat down with a huff next to the portrait. She ignored the woman, and was soon asleep.
                          
        When she woke, she was sitting in the windowsill. The air was stiflingly warm, since the window was shut. She opened the window, cool night air flowing in. The stars shone down brightly, but she couldn't help but remember how they shone just a little brighter in Neverland.
                          
        She fell back asleep eventually, and woke a few hours later before the sunrise. She got ready, and pulled out the books she would need for the day. The sun had risen by the time she went down the stairs of the girl's dorms. She ran up the stairs to the boy's dorms to wake up Sirius, who she knew wouldn't wake for at least two more hours.
                          
        The door squeaked surprisingly loud on its hinges, but none of the room's occupants woke at the noise.
                          
        "Wake up, Theus." She shook him lightly. He groaned, but didn't seem to wake. She shook him more roughly, and was met with a sleepy glare as he lifted his head. "Come on, Theus." He grumbled, but reluctantly rolled out of bed. Satisfied, she left the room, and waited at the bottom of the stairs for him.