Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Four

Quietly, Esmeralda waited at the end of the long Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall. Most other students were talking amongst their friends - catching up on the events of the summer or anticipating the events of the school year. However, Esmeralda was patiently awaiting Dumbledore's speech and, most importantly, the start of term feast.

"Avery, you're never short of wit; what do you make of Lucy Blackwell's new haircut?" One of the Ravenclaw boys leaned over the table towards her, gesturing his thumb over at the girl in question - Lucy Blackwell. The girl sat hunched over a little way down the table, her eyes were dead set on the empty table and she could presumably hear every single word everyone was saying.

Truth be told, her hair did look somewhat like her mother had put a bowl on top of her head and simply cut the girl's hair around it. This wasn't helped by the fact her hair was a kind of mousy brown colour. Esmeralda thought to herself that the younger girl did honestly look slightly like she had a dirty mop on her head.

"Her haircut sure has more character and personality than you, that's for sure. I don't even know what your name is." Esmeralda hit back coldly, a small smile emerging on her face as the boy's smug grin was quickly swiped off his face. The surrounding Ravenclaws roared with laughter and resumed to chat loudly amongst themselves, causing the boy to turn a vibrant shade of red.

Esmeralda looked up as the bench opposite creaked and Dirk Cresswell sat down opposite her at the table. "Merlin, Avery, we've been back all of five minutes and you've already destroyed a boy's ego. How do you do it?" He shook his head somewhat disapprovingly, although he had the faint trace of a smile playing across his lips.

"Oh shut u-"

"Dirk! I haven't seen you in forever! You didn't write over summer!" A blonde girl practically shrieked as she threw her arms around Dirk, practically smothering the boy. Behind her flailing arms and wild mane of curly hair, Dirk shot Esmeralda a pleading look.

"Why don't you introduce your guest." Esmeralda leant forward on the table, resting her chin in her hands as she smiled falsely.

"Avery, I swear-"
"Go on, Dirk. Introduce me." The girl purred, pushing herself into the seat beside the boy and pressing her chest up against his arm.

Dirk took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before sighing. "This is Piper Horix. She's in the year above." He introduced simply.

"Horix? That's an interesting name." Esmeralda mused, moving her leg so Dirk couldn't kick her under the table. Instead, the boy's foot collided with the wooden leg of the bench and he yelped in pain.
"Ow!"

Piper frowned, eyeing Dirk and Esmeralda suspiciously, "When my mum left my father, she changed our name. I think it's just a made up surname to be honest." She explained.

"Aren't all names made up?" Esmeralda questioned.
"Well..." Piper furrowed her eyebrows in thought, "I guess so."

"Hey Piper, where are all of your mates?" Dirk asked, drawing her attention back to himself.
She licked her lips slowly, "They're all sat down there talking about their holidays. I wanted to come and see you though." The blonde batted her eyelashes and looked up at him. Her long hair fell effortlessly down to her waist, and it was framed neatly around her warm olive skin and - almost highlighting her deep brown eyes and long eyelashes.

Before Esmeralda could burst out laughing, an unexpected silence fell over the Great Hall as Dumbledore rose from his seat and stood at the centre of the stage. All of the students looked up, eagerly anticipating the news of the school year. Dirk tried to shuffle away from Piper discretely, but this only caused her to grip onto his arm and hold it tight against her body. The boy was truthfully too polite to risk hurting her feelings by admitting his discomfort.