"Hi Gaia! How was your summer?" Gaia turned her head to see Jewel taking the seat next to her.

"Eh, it was fine. Nothing special really happened. Yours?" she shrugged, propping her head up on her hand.

"My little brother's squib. Mum's a bit bummed about it but I think dad's relieved that he won't be the only one without magic between the four of us," Jewel explained as she looked at the doors of the Great Hall, waiting for the first years to come.

To be honest, Gaia had first thought that Lele was a squib when they were much younger. The younger Eruditus rarely ever had any incidents with accidental magic - unlike Gaia, who had dropped a vase on her father's head when she was still 5 because he took away a potion that she attempted to drink (it was a Polyjuice potion that the aurors had to use during one task).

"And what do you think about it?" Gaia asked, sitting up straight.

"It doesn't bother me. I'm just worried he'll get jealous of the magic when he grows up," Jewel admitted.

"Well, my sister's starting today." Gaia grinned, "Oh! And we ran into Harry Potter in Diagon Alley." she exclaimed a bit loudly, making a good portion of the Ravenclaw table turn to her, including Jewel who snapped her head to look at Gaia with her mouth ajar.

"Harry Potter?" Jewel asked incredulously.

"Like, the boy who lived?" Cho Chang, a second year, asked shyly as she scooted closer.

"Seriously?" a boy in their year named Jonathan Selwyn asked as well.

The other houses started looking at the Ravenclaw table as a good majority of the students compressed in one area and talked over each other, all of them trying to pry answers from Gaia.

"Let her talk, won't you? Maybe you'd actually get answers to your question." Kaleb's voice dominated, making the questions die down.

"Thanks Kaleb. Anyway, yeah. He was with Hagrid in Diagon Alley. I think he was on his way to get his robes," Gaia said after smiling gratefully at Kaleb.

"How do we know you're not making it up?" Yvonne Launge, a girl in their year, asked suspiciously.

"Why would she even lie about it, Launge?" Jewel fired back.

Just before Gaia could answer, the doors of the Great Hall swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall with a crowd of first years behind her. In the crowd, Gaia could spot Lele, Harry, and a boy with a familiar shade of red hair - must be Ron, Gaia thought.

"There's Lele and Harry. And I think that one's Ron," Gaia said, pointing out the first years to Jewel.

"Ron?" Jewel asked in confusion.

"Fred and George's little brother."

When the students reached the front of the hall, Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a scroll of parchment in one hand, and the sorting hat on the other.

"Abbott, Hannah" Professor McGonagall called.

A blonde girl with pigtails stumbled from the crowd of first years and sat down on the stool. The Transfiguration professor placed the sorting hat on top of the girl's head and there was a moment of silence before it shouted- "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table cheered for their new housemate as she made her way down to them, their house ghost clapping along with them.

"Bones, Susan!" Professor McGonagall called again.

"This is gonna take so long again," Jewel groaned as she let her head fall on her arms as she crossed them on the table.

"Boot, Terry!" - "RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted in cheers as they got their first Ravenclaw of the first years. Some, including Kaleb, actually stood up while clapping and shook hands with the boy as he reached the Ravenclaw table.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw." Gaia grinned at him when he sat down. He smiled shyly.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" - "RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!" - "GRYFFINDOR!"

The noise that came from the Gryffindor table was no doubt louder than Ravenclaw's. Gaia let out a laugh when she spotted the twins playfully catcalling (Did they get taller? Gaia had thought).

"Bulstrode, Millicent" - "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table clapped for their first new addition and the girl walked towards the table, seemingly pleased with herself.

"Eruditus, Lele!"

Gaia tensed slightly as she watched her sister step up to the stool, a number of students watching on with a dazed look. Lele glanced back at her sister and breathed out noticeably as Gaia shot her and encouraging smile. The sorting hat was then placed on her head and no more than 31 seconds later - "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Some Ravenclaws turned their heads to Gaia as she cheered, louder than even the Hufflepuff table. Lele once again met her sister's gaze, and Gaia could tell that she was panicking, perhaps because they weren't in the same house. Gaia only shook her head slightly and gave Lele a thumbs up, still shopping with a large grin on her face. She saw the panic in Lele's eyes disappear, replaced by excitement as she nearly ran to the Hufflepuff table.

At the Hufflepuff table, Gaia could see Cedric Diggory immediately talking to her younger sister, and watched as the rest of the tension in Lele's body leave her.

"Too bad your sister's not in our house," Jewel commented.

"It'll be fine! I'm sure Lele's going to be a perfect fit for Hufflepuff." Gaia let her eyes linger at the Hufflepuff table a bit longer before turning back to the sorting.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" - "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!" - "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Granger, Hermione!" A girl with thick bushy hair walked up to the stool eagerly, making Gaia smile slightly at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Reminds you of when we were first years, yeah? Nicholas Pyrus knocked over the stool when he ran into it," Jewel joked.

"I forgot about that." Gaia laughed, keeping in mind to tease Cole about it.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

From what she could see, Gaia observed that Ron had groaned and whispered something to Harry, a sour look on his face as his eyes followed the girl walking towards the Gryffindor table. Wonder what happened there, Gaia thought.

"Longbottom, Neville!" - "GRYFFINDOR!"

The boy had gone to the Gryffindor table with the sorting hat still on his head, making Gaia, along with the rest of the student body, laugh.

Along the way, Draco Malfoy was called and as expected, the boy was sorted into Slytherin. A few older students greeted him with grins, patting him on the back.

"Potter, Harry!"

Whispers broke out in the hall as the boy stepped up to the stool slowly.

"He looks quite nervous, doesn't he?" Kaleb said from right across Gaia.

"You'd be nervous too if everyone was whispering about you," Jewel answered before they both turned their attention back to Harry who now had the sorting hat on his head.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" The sorting hat said out loud making Gaia snort quietly.

"Way to tell the whole school," Gaia snickered causing Kaleb and Jewel to do the same.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, much louder than the one they had for Lavender Brown. Fred and George stood up and started chanting 'We got Potter!' making Gaia shake her head in amusement as she clapped along with the rest of the school.

"Thomas, Dean!" - "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa!" - "RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ron!" - "GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron got off the stool, his face showing very evident relief that he was put in the same house as all his other brothers.

"Zabini, Blaise!" - "SLYTHERIN!"

"Finally! The sorting always takes forever!" Jewel sighed as McGonagall rolled up the scroll and moved the stool and the sorting hat away.

Gaia found herself glancing at the Hufflepuff table every now and then, checking to see if her sister was okay in her new house. When she saw Lele staring at something with a frown, Gaia followed her line of sight to see Hermione Granger eating at the Gryffindor table. Granger had looked up and smiled at Lele's direction.

"They must've met on the train," Gaia mumbled as she observed the exchange between the two girls.

"Who?" Jewel asked from beside her.

"Lele. I think she made friends with a girl in her year, but the girl's in Gryffindor," Gaia explained.

"They'll still be friends. Just look at you, Malia, Ryker, and Aisha. The three of you are literally in different houses but you seem just fine," Jewel said.

Gaia stared for a while longer before nodding and turning towards her own plate.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine," Gaia mumbled, though it was more towards herself more than anyone.

✧✧✧

"Good morning boys!" Gaia grinned as she squeezed in between Fred and George at the Gryffindor table.

"You seem cheery," Fred said with a grin as they both wrapped an arm around her.

"What are you on about? I'm always cheery," Gaia answered, sticking her tongue out at him.

"You hate the mornings," George deadpanned, although there was a grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah, but I love the first day of classes. I miss school during the summers, you know," Gaia said, tapping George's forearm before shrugging off both of the twins' arms.

She started piling food onto her plate, the twins doing the same beside her. As they ate, Gaia noticed a familiar bushy haired girl sitting a little bit away. She swallowed down the rest of the eggs on her plate and turned to the girl.

"Hermione, right? I'm Gaia Eruditus," Gaia said with a smile and the girl looked up at her, startled.

"Oh, yes. You wouldn't happen to be Lele's sister, would you?" Hermione said.

"I am, actually. She tell you that?" Gaia asked.

"Yes. She also told me you're in Ravenclaw. Why are you eating at the Gryffindor table?" Hermione asked, though Gaia didn't think she meant anything rude by it

"I usually eat with these two," Gaia answered.

"There's no definite rule about students not being allowed to eat at other tables. And the other Gryffindors are already used to her sitting here," Fred answered making Gaia turn to him.

"And what would you know about rules, Fred Weasley?" Gaia raised an eyebrow at him.

"We'll have you know, we know plenty of rules," Fred scoffed.

"That way, we'll know which ones to break," George grinned.

Gaia laughed before looking back at Hermione, who seemed confused and slightly alarmed - probably at the mention of the twins breaking the rules.

"You'll get used to those two. Besides, our head of house knows I always eat at the Gryffindor table," Gaia grinned at her.

"That's not what I was concerned about anymore," Hermione muttered, eyeing thee twins who stood up at the same time.

"Well, we're going," Fred said.

"We're setting up something with Lee," George explained.

"Well, make sure it doesn't hit me," Gaia said, shoving a piece of bacon into her mouth.

"'Course not, Gaia-"

"-When have we ever hit you?"

Gaia rolled her eyes, feeling the twins' grin even without looking back. Though, they weren't lying. The first and last prank they pulled where Gaia was involved was the one during 1st year when the twins got everyone's hair to change color.

"You know what I mean," Gaia answered.

"Later, Gaia," The twins said in chorus.

When the twins left, silence fell over the two girls left at their spot.

"Do you not like Ravenclaw?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence. Gaia choked slightly before turning to the Gryffindor.

"Why would you think that?" Gaia asked.

"Why else would you sit here at the Gryffindor table?"

"Huh. It does seem like that, doesn't it?" Gaia paused to drink from her orange juice, "But that's not the case. I have plenty of friends in Ravenclaw but the twins are my bestest friends. Don't let them hear that, it'll inflate their ego."

"I think they already know that, though. You three seem close," Hermione said, slowly lifting up her goblet to her mouth.

"Well, I met them on the train during my first year and we've been best friends ever since," Gaia explained.

"Must feel great to have friends from the beginning of school," Hermione mumbled before setting down her goblet.

Gaia frowned. She opened her mouth to counter the girl's words.

"Miss Eruditus. Please give these to the twins, I trust you know where to find them. And here's yours from Professor Flitwick. Miss Granger, your timetable," Professor McGonagall interrupted, handing Gaia 3 pieces of parchment. The witch turned to Hermione and gave her a piece of parchment as well.

"Sure thing, Minnie." Gaia grinned up at the witch. Professor McGonagall gave the Ravenclaw a pointed look before walking away, although she was wearing a smile on her face.

"You get away with calling a professor something like that?" Hermione gaped, her eyebrows furrowed.

"She loves it, I know she does. Anyway, you're bound to have friends Hermione. You're friends with Lele, right? You're a likeable girl," Gaia said to her.

"Tell that to Ron Weasley," Hermione sighed, slumping in her seat.

"Why? What's wrong with Ron?" Gaia asked with a frown once again.

"He thinks I'm annoying," Hermione huffed.

"He told you that?" Gaia asked, surprised. She certainly did not expect to hear such a thing about her best friends' younger brother.

"No, but I can feel it."

"Good morning, Gaia. Hi, Hermione."

Gaia turned to see Lele behind them, grinning from ear to ear. Gaia beamed at Lele before pulling her into a hug.

"Ah, I'm still not used to you being at Hogwarts with me now. How's Hufflepuff?" Gaia asked.

"It's great! Everyone's so friendly!" Lele smiled excitedly before turning to Hermione, "Anyway. Hermione, wanna walk to class with me? I have Transfiguration first. You?" Lele asked.

Hermione stared at her in surprise for a while before looking down at her timetable.

"Transfiguration as well," Hermione answered as she looked up.

Gaia gave Hermione a wink before standing up.

"You two need help finding the classroom, or can you find it by yourselves?" Gaia asked them.

"I think we'll be fine, thanks," Lele said.

"Right. Well, I'm off to find the twins. Good luck you two," Gaia smiled at them before walking out of the Great Hall.

✧✧✧

"Merlin, you two DID get taller!"

Gaia jogged slightly to catch up to the twins, slightly taken aback when she saw that she only reached about below their ears.

"Hello to you too, Gaia!" George grinned.

"Not our fault you're small," Fred teased, jumping when Gaia slapped his arm.

"Anyways, McGonagall asked me to give you two these" Gaia said as she handed them their timetables, "What electives did you two take?" she asked as the two skimmed their class schedules.

"Care of Magical Creatures," they both said.

"And Ancient Runes," Fred continued.

"I took Divination," George added.

Gaia raised an eyebrow at both of them.

"Ancient Runes and Divination? Seriously?" Gaia asked skeptically.

"What?" they both asked.

"Nothing. You two just don't seem the type to take Ancient Runes and Divination." Gaia shrugged.

"Well I felt like Divination would be an easy pass. You know, just make stuff up," George explained himself making me hum.

"And why Ancient Runes?" Gaia turned to Fred.

"Honestly. I just spun my wand and it pointed to Ancient Runes," Fred said nonchalantly making me laugh.

"Oh, Freddie. Don't take Ancient Runes too lightly. It's like learning a whole new language" Gaia said as she stood on her tiptoes to ruffle his hair. Fred laughed before lightly swatting her hand away.

"Why don't you try that when you can actually reach my hair, shorty."

Once again, Gaia hit him on the arm.

"Ow!" Fred whined as he rubbed his arm.

"What are you taking, Gaia?" George asked as he took the timetable in her hands.

"Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies," Gaia answered.

The twins shared a look with wide eyes before groaning.

"We forgot Muggle Studies was a thing. Should've just taken that," Fred mumbled as George went back to Gaia's timetable.

"Hey, we both have DADA up first. 'Bout you, Freddie?" George asked, looking up from his timetable to Fred.

Fred looked at his timetable and grinned, "Got DADA as well," he answered.

"Wanna mess with Quirrell?" Fred asked as he swung an arm around Gia, a faint flush covering her cheeks in surprise.

"You read my mind, brother," George answered, doing the same thing as Fred as all three of them made their way to the DADA classroom.

✧✧✧

Dinner time rolled around, and all the students were gathered in the Great Hall, chatting with their friends about how their first day of classes went.

"Snape hates me! I don't even know why!" Harry whined.

Gaia swallowed her food and looked at him sympathetically.

"Don't worry Harry, it's not just you. Snape hates everyone," she said and Fred snorted from beside her, "What?"

"You're one to talk. Snape actually likes you," Fred retorted with a grin.

"He does not," Gaia countered, crossing her arms.

"He hates you less than us, at least," George supported his twin.

"Well that's because you two are annoying." Gaia grinned before shoving more food into her mouth. Both of the twins gasped indignantly.

"We are-"

"-not annoying!"

Gaia looked at them pointedly and they looked at each other.

"Snape deserves it when we annoy him," Fred huffed.

"The git takes points away for breathing," George said as he rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic, he does not!" Gaia rolled her eyes at their dramatics.

"Not from you maybe. You're Ravenclaw," Fred said.

"But if you were Gryffindor, it'd be a different story" George continued, making his twin nod. Gaia shook her head and faced Harry.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. I'm sure it's nothing," Gaia comforted him with a small smile.

"Thanks Gaia" Harry said as he returned her smile.

✧✧✧