The Four: Tale of the Elements

Chapter 1: Waking up

"TRISSIE! Will you get up?!"

Trissie Venilia turned over in her bed and pulled the covers over her head. She was excited about going back to Hogwarts just not that enthusiastic about getting up at 8 in the morning to get there. She could hear her mother stomping up the stairs to get her.

"Tris, get out of that bed! Basil, Quinn, and Oliver are all waiting for you down stairs!" Her mother said ripping her covers off of her. The quartet of Oliver Porter, Quinn Murphy, Trissie Venilia, and Basil MacKay had been together since they had met at pre-school, Basil and Trissie since they were born. But that was just because they were neighbors and their parents were good friends.

"Just send them up," Tris muttered to her mom trying to find her covers again. If she knew Basil he was just as tired as she was. Their windows faced each other and they had stayed up all night talking about what would happen to Harry Potter this year and what had happened to him over the summer, the lies written in the Daily Prophet calling him a nutter and Dumbledore too. Basil and she had both agreed they were behind Dumbledore and Harry. Stuff like Cedric's death aren't accidents. No one would claim that someone's death was on purpose if it wasn't and for attention. That was stupid. She heard the pounding of Basil's and Oliver's tennis shoes and the click of Quinn's boots coming up the stairs. Tris felt Basil's arms go around her and felt herself being lifted off the bed. She just groaned and snuggled into his sweater taking in the sweet scent of cinnamon that always lingered on him.

"You spoil her," Oliver said following Basil down the stairs. Tris lifted her hand only to flip him off. "I love you too, Tris!" Oliver said ruffling her already messed up red hair.

"Grab her a change of clothes, Quinn!" Basil shot back. Quinn nodded and headed back into Tris' room. Basil sat Tris on one of the stools in her kitchen and she finally sat up and opened her eyes. Basil got her a cup of coffee and put some cinnamon in it.

"Thank you, Basil," she said grinning tiredly at him. He smiled his Basil smile and sat next to her making sure she didn't fall over. Quinn came bouncing down the stairs with Tris' clothes folded neatly in her arms.

"Here you are, lovely," she said putting them next to Tris.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"Hey! WE go now!" Tris' mom said bouncing into the room. Tris groaned but got out of her seat grabbing her clothes and coffee mug. The quartet piled into the Venilia's van. Basil's mom was in the front with Tris' mom and they made small talk while the teens in the back all chatted. Tris changed into the clothes Quinn had brought for her and groaned again.

"Don't you think that skirt's a little short?" Oliver asked looking at Tris legs.

"Oh you like it," Quinn told him.

"Yes but I don't want all the other boys to notice," Oliver said grinning at Tris.

"I bought that outfit for Tris," Quinn said pouting.

"That's why I don't wear it," Tris muttered.

"I heard that and it's about time you start showing off that body of yours. You will never get a boyfriend," Quinn told Tris.

"That's just the thing. I don't care for a boyfriend right now," Tris said. "That's your department. Who will it be this year?" Tris mocked her friend.

"You're just jealous," Quinn said pouting and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Yes, that's it," Tris said laughing.

"What do you think about it, Basil?" Quinn went on. Basil finally turned around to look at them. He had been quiet through their whole exchange. He looked Tris up and down.

"She looks just as lovely as she always does," Basil said. "It doesn't take a skimpy outfit for anyone to notice that." Tris smiled at her best friend and blushed. Basil only gave compliments when he meant them.

"I agree," Oliver said smiling at Tris. "The skimpy outfit just lets me see more." Tris threw her sleeping shirt at him. "I'll keep this forever," he said hugging it.

"You are such a pervert," Quinn admitted.

"Yes but I'm good at it," Oliver admitted grinning at the two girls in the backseat. "If perversion was Quidditch, I would be seeker." Tris shook her head smiling.

"If you all are quite finished," Basil's mother, Emily MacKay, said looking back at the quartet. "We're here." They all smiled at each other. Another exciting year at Hogwarts, well exciting as it can get in Hufflepuff house.