The first week of classes came off as typical as they did every year. First there was the first year sortings, then the scramble to see who had classes with who, and then the madness that was planning the best route through the many confusing halls so that one could get to class on time and still have the occasional conversation with a friend or two before getting to sit through a lecture. All that changed at lunch, however, as it was the one reprieve during the day where the students got time to do what they pleased. Some chose to catch up on their studies, others would gorge themselves in food, and the rest would spend their time dreading the rest of the day. It was, after all, just another day, so everything was business as usual.
Well, mostly everything.
Tossing his bag onto the table, Noah Ashford would plop down onto his seat, letting out a groan as he ran his hands over his face. Despite the first few days going relatively smoothly, his moment of peace was going to get ruined by the one class he completely sucked at: Herbology. It was his own fault, really. When choosing his schedule he had meant to leave it out seeing how his track record only came through with his constant struggle. But his negligence would cost him, and thus he was thrown back into the world of magical plants that he found terribly boring. You'd think that by now the professors would have been able to make them more interesting, but everything said in that class went over his head. Despite just starting the year, he could see his failing grade now. And so now he sat there, his lunch ruined by his stupid class that his stupid self had stupidly enrolled in. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"It's a little early in the year to be in so much despair, isn't it?" Noah perked up slightly as he watched a boy and girl take their seats across from him, the girl in particular looking somewhat delighted as Noah scowled at her. She grinned, a hand lightly tousling her short, brown hair as she eyed Noah. "Should've paid a little more attention, right, Elliot?"
The boy next to her rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "That's his problem, Chloe. Noah doesn't think," He replied, letting out a small sigh. "He has no one to blame but himself."
The three had been friends for a few years now, though their conversations mostly consisted of Noah getting into trouble, Chloe bailing him out, and Elliot scolding him on his recklessness. Rinse and repeat for the past five or so years. Noah and Chloe were both Gryffindors, so it was only natural that the two would meet, though he never would have guessed the girl that beat him up because he made an offhand comment that she looked more like a guy would end up becoming one of his better friends. Elliot had taken a little longer to meet, not under the best of terms, as accidentally unleashing a bunch of pixies before the Care of Magical Creatures lesson had started. The blonde boy lived up to the Ravenclaw reputation by handling the situation very well, though Noah was pretty sure he lectured him worse than the professor did. Nonetheless Noah made sure to hang onto them both along with a few others, just in case he would continue to cause mayhem. "You're both terrible at comforting me, I just want you to know that," Noah ended up chuckling, placing his chin on his hand as his eyes roamed the hall. "I'm so screwed..." He murmured as he placed his head down on the table, letting out a somewhat dark laugh.