September 2, 1891 (Morning) - Gryffindor Tower, Fifth Year Girls Dorm, Hogwarts

As much as Sisse had been ready to come back to school she had been nervous about returning. She hadn't exactly advertised that she was a prefect to her friends, nor had she hidden it, but somehow she'd never managed to tell Alice - and Alice was the one she was most worried about. She had always thought that Alice would be the prefect of their year, it had never been a doubt in her mind. Just like she had always known Ned would be one last year. But then her letter and arrived and with it had come a shiny badge she had never expected, while she had glowed at the idea, she also felt terribly guilty. Alice deserved the honor, she needed it, much more than Sisse did. Although Sisse was now positive her mother would let her stay at Hogwarts it had never been because of the money, but being able to possibly be head girl? Well that was enough to still her mother's talk of Pendergast for the time being.

However, all her nerves about telling her friends (namely Alice) had been pushed aside when her friends didn't arrive on time. Then the rumors had started. Then the feast had been served without the sorting ceremony. And still her friends hadn't been there. Nerves were replaced with worries as Sisse found herself fretting more at each rumor she heard. She'd dozed through the night but woken at every sound in the dorm thinking the rest of the girls might have arrived. They hadn't.

She had gone to breakfast and come back, deciding to distract herself by unpacking when finally one of the other girls showed up. Sisse turned and before she could worry about another thing flung herself at the girl, "Alice!" She wrapped her friend in a hug, tightly, saying into her shoulder, "I was so worried! Are you alright?" She pushed back from Alice, holding her by the shoulders to look her up and down and make sure her friend was okay.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

It would have been a lie for Alice to say she wasn't the least bit relieved when the train had come to a screeching halt. She had stressed for the entire month of August over how and when to tell her friends she wouldn't be returning in the fall. Most would likely react like Cameron had, with the Gryffindor bravado and idealism that had always left her feeling like the outcast. Useless plans would be hatched, arguments had, tears shed, when really all Alice was hopeful for was an enjoyable last year with her friends. And decent scores on her OWLs, those would be appreciated too.

Traveling by portkey had never agreed well with her, so when she stumbled into the castle for the first time after dealing with the chaos that was the train Alice was nauseated, exhausted and ready to collapse into her new bed. Her nerves were shot after consoling the frightened first years for hours, her thoughts were anywhere but reuniting with her friends. A nap. All Alice needed was a nap.

Except, before she even made it three steps into her dorm room Sisse had hugged and was investigating her like a horrible tragedy had occurred instead of a stalled train. "I'm alright, it's all okay. The train got stuck on a bridge," she answered in an attempt to console her friend. If Alice avoided looking down to examine the shiny prefect badge pinned to her friend's robes she hoped it wasn't noticable.

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

At Alice's words Sisse nodded then pulled Alice in for another hug. "I had heard the train was stuck but the rumors...." Sisse trailed off finally stepping back and letting Alice. "Anyway," She waved her worry off, "You are here now. Is everyone else okay? You are the first person back that I've seen."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

She nodded, her smile there but tired. "No injuries that I was made aware of. Several frightened first years. Some of the students decided to enjoy the lack of adult oversight. There were some of the student staff -" prefects "- on board to help keep the kids in line. We all survived, thankfully."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

"The poor first years.[b]" Sisse's voice was sympathetic, she felt horribly for them. "[b]They didn't sort the ones here last night, the poor things had to spend the night in the Great Hall. I feel so bad. I was going down to check on them soon."

Then Sisse turned to the thought of gossip, she was, afterall, a teenaged girl. "Oh, no. What did they get up to? I'm sure you helped the staff." She too pointedly didn't say prefects. "Were there any adults on board?" She found yet another question slipping over her lips before she even gave Alice the chance to respond.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"That sounds like an adventure in of itself," she chuckled. To sleep under the floating candles must have been such a beautiful night. Alice was almost jealous to have missed the experience. "There was the trolley lady, not that she held much authority." She then shrugged. That many children and only one adult, the trolley lady was lucky to not have been thrown overboard. "The Gryffindor boys partied well into the night, some kids had the bright idea to try and get into the engine room. All sorts of mishaps. The ministry arrived a few hours ago, so that settled everything down easily enough."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

"If they weren't so nervous, I'm sure they would think so." Sisse thought, recalling the looks on the first years faces at breakfast that morning.

"Of course they did." Sisse shook her head, she could see several of their friends being among that number. "Oh gosh!" A thought had just occurred to her, "What about food? Did you have anything to eat? I can go grab you something!" Surely there were snacks in the kitchens if breakfast was no longer being served.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"No, no." Alice immediately insisted, her stomach churning at the thought of food. "Portkey travel never sits well with me, I'm afraid. I was hoping to have a lie down for a bit before the festivities later." She hadn't meant to be rude, but she was bloody exhausted and mentally fatigued. "Thank you, though."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

"Oh, of course! I'm so sorry Alice." Sisse gave her friend a sympathetic smile then backed away. "I'll let you get some rest, but if you want anything just let me know." Her words were sincere and coated with worry. "I'll just be unpacking, but if that's too much noise, just let me know."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"Of course." Alice smiled tiredly. In truth, she would sooner ask a troll than Sisse for help at present, but that would pass in time she hoped. "And don't worry about the noise, I can sleep through most anything." Alice had seven siblings to thank for that talent.

Turning from her friend, Alice pulled back the covers and kicked off her shoes. She thought about undressing too before deciding it required too much effort.

"Congratulations by the way," she said with the same tired smile as she looked back towards her friend. "It was well earned."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

It was such a small comment but still Sisse felt the twinge in her stomach. She knew that Alice could sleep through a lot, the fact that she commented on it felt like she was disregarding how much Sisse knew of her, disregarding the fact that they had shared a dorm for four years, disregarding their friendship. Alice probably hadn't meant anything by it, so Sisse tried to keep her face calm and turned away.

Watching Alice climb into bed fully clothed, Sisse just wanted to tuck her friend in, her trunk hadn't been delievered from the train yet, Sisse figured they were trying to get the students first and then their things. She took out her own pink and lavendar quilt and one of her nightgowns and steeled herself. Alice's comment made her thing that maybe she didn't want anything to do with Sisse, but she was still one of Sisse's closest friends so she was going to ignore the worry and take care of her friend.

Sisse had just reached the edge of Alice's bed when her quiet reached her. Sisse blushed and spread the quilt over Alice. "Thank you.' She murmured, smoothing the quilt down at the edges. "But it should have been you." Sisse turned her gaze to her friend, earnestly, hoping Alice could see all the guilt and worry in Sisse's face. She forgot entirely about the nightgown in her hand, so great was her worry about Alice's response.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Smiling through the devastation the decision caused had become Alice's common place this last month. Ever since she had mistakenly unleashed her rage on Cameron, Alice had been dedicated to burying the twinge of resentment and jealousy. Sisse was better situated in life and a true proper young lady. There truly was no one better to lead them than she.

"It was never going to be me," she responded with a shrug. Even the quilt laid upon her smelt like a young lady ought to, its floral and delicate soaps hitting her nose instantly. "You earned it, don't let anything diminish that." Alice meant it wholeheartedly, too. If any of their friends had the same reaction Alice had just had, she would have scolded them into the next century. "Thank you for the blanket."

  

In Sisse's mind it was always going to be Alice. She was the most responsible of the group, she worked the hardest, she needed it. Yes, for Sisse it meant her mom would allow her to stay on instead of going to Pendergast, but she didn't need the scholarship that came with it. Next to Alice's perservence, Sisse just seemed like a smiling brainless feather. When she had opened her letter she had been shocked and her first thought had been of Alice. She gave Alice a small sad smile and hugged her. "Still, I am sorry." Her already warm cheeks warmed again and she was grateful for the reminder of the quilt and nightgown.

"Oh, and here, a nightgown will be more comfortable than your clothes." Sisse held out the white cotton gown with it's lace and satin ribbons. Once Alice was settled, she decided, she was going to go and find some tea and then she'd use a warming charm the cook had taught her (and she hadn't been able to try) until Alice woke up.

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   Alice Dawson

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

There was no room for pettiness or spitefulness in growing up in such a large household. For one, her parents weren't tolerant of it, but mostly if one was to hold a grudge over every slight then the fueds would never end. One side would always be plotting their vengeance, allowing no room for growth or success.

However, for a few seconds as Sisse hugged her, Alice bitterly thought that Sisse's guilt was deserved. It was the same flash of resentment she'd experienced over the summer with Cameron, though thankfully she hadn't yet been provoked into an explosion. Then, it was Alice's turn to feel guilty, which was only intensified as Sisse handed over a nightgown to accompany the quilt.

"Thank you," she repeated, unsure of whether or not she deserved to borrow anything from Sisse. However, knowing her friend Sisse would have insisted. Moving back to her feet, Alice began the dreaded process of removing her dress. "Did they do the sorting feast?" She then asked.

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Amazing set by Bee!

Sisse merely smiled at Alice's thanks, it was the least she could do. Poor Alice had been stuck on a train while Sisse had been quite comfortable in her own bed. Besides, Alice was practically a sister (while Sisse didn't have a sister of her own she rather felt this was what it was like to have one) and Sisse couldn't imagine not offering.

"No." Sisse found herself frowning. "They wanted to make sure everyone was here first. The first years have been sleeping in the Great Hall until they are sorted." Concern was evident in on features. "I feel so bad for them. I remember how nervous I was when I was first sorted. To think that I'd have to wait... it just makes me feel so nervous for them. Poor things."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"They're probably having the time of their lives." That much room to roam, free access to food, an easy pass to slip into the rest of the castle unseen. Any child with a streak of adventure would be over the moon to have to camp in the Great hall.

She slipped the nightgown over her shoulders before putting her dirty dress and under layers atop a nearby chair. "I wouldn't fret over them. I'm sure it's all well in hand." Sisse obviously would know more than she there, having the responsibilities of patrol. Alice laid back upon her bed and covered herself with Sisse's borrowed quilt. "Don't fret."

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