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On the night of the first of December, Lydia couldn't sleep. No matter how many times she tried to sleep, nothing worked. Even the sleep spell she had recently found to occasionally soothe Stiles and Scott didn't help. After drawing for three hours, the girl put the sketchbook away and sighed heavily as she lay back on her pillow. What's the matter? Why do you have to have a sleepless night before an important day? Oh yes, tomorrow is Lydia Martin's birthday. And now, having tried every comfortable sleeping position, drawn four pictures, read three times in a row the paragraph on herbalism, the girl just lay and stared thoughtlessly at the ceiling.
Allison and Malia's whimpering was soothing and created a sort of almost homely cosiness. Sitting up abruptly, the girl looked at her friends. Allison was sleeping in a starfish position with her mouth open, and Ricky was resting on her head. Malia, on the other hand, was sleeping in a rather odd way. The girl's legs were bent at the knees and she was leaning on them, while Tate's arms were just resting along her body, resting on her chest and shoulders. Jane, crammed into the space between the sheet and her mistress's body, was sniffling peacefully. Grinning, Lydia got out of bed and walked to the window. The sky, as it happened, was covered with clouds, and neither moon nor stars could be seen. With an annoyed sigh, Lydia turned away and, glancing at Sophie's rounded eyes, suddenly whispered:
- Why not?
Going to the wardrobe, Martin took out the first jumper and jeans she could find, dressed herself, put on trainers and, pulling her hair into a ponytail, looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't looking at a member of the ancient Martin family, no. She was looking at an ordinary girl, a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who sometimes broke the rules and didn't learn her lessons. Putting Sophie on her shoulder, Lydia quietly left the room. Walking down the stairs, Martin stopped.
- Do you think we should go? - She asked Sophie. Looking into the absolutely fearless at this moment eyes of the crypter, the girl resolutely went to the exit of the living room.
Once on the stairwell, Martin looked around at her surroundings in confusion. Where is she going to go? All she knew was how to get to the Great Hall and McGonagall's office. Mentally berating herself for not thinking to take Malia with her, Lydia walked down the stairs. Reaching the fifth floor, the girl stopped abruptly, listening. With each passing second, someone's footsteps became more and more distinctly audible and her heart beat at a frantic rhythm. The girl slipped into the nearest niche in the wall. Clamping her hand over her mouth, Lydia began counting down the seconds. One. The footsteps grew closer. Two. There was a whisper. Three. There was an unexpectedly loud exclamation that almost made me scream. Four. Sophie, still on my shoulder, jumped to the floor and disappeared around the corner. Lydia's eyes rounded in fright and without even thinking, she rushed after her, and a second later, she flew into someone and fell to the floor. There was a squeak and a swear. Rolling to the side and finally seeing who had frightened her, the girl exclaimed:
- Merlin's beard, Stilinski! Do you realise how scared I was?! - Lydia almost choked with relief, carefully hidden behind ostentatious anger.
- Lydia? - Stiles seemed more amazed than the girl.
- Oh, nice to meet you. - Martin sneered, rising.
- But what are you doing here? - Scott, standing next to her, asked.
- I couldn't sleep. - replied Martin, shrugging her shoulders. - And you? It's probably best not to ask.
- We found a really cool place. There's a portrait of all four faculties. - Stiles said, still in shock.
- Stilinski, not of the faculties, but of the founders. - Lydia rolled her eyes and, glancing at the more astonished boys, replied, 'I've read it.
- Shall I show you? - Scott asked, helping Tim onto his master's head.
After a little thought, Lydia nodded. A walk, that's a walk, as they say.
A few minutes later, the three boys found themselves in some dusty and old corridor that looked like no one had entered in years. At the end of the corridor hung a single painting. Glancing alternately at Scott and Stiles, Lydia walked forward.
- Hello. - Martin began.
- Oh, we have so many visitors today! - exclaimed the pudgy lady in the yellow dress. - Hello, sweetheart! My name is Penelope Hufflepuff. And you are?
- Lydia. - With a slight bow, the girl replied.
- Hello, oh lovely lady! - exclaimed a man in a red suit. On his belt hung a sword decorated with rubies, seemingly the size of a pigeon's egg. - You probably know my name, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I am Godric Gryffindor. The Faculty of the Bravest and Strongest is named after me! It's for people like these young men. - The Gryffindor bowed slightly to Scott and Stiles, who stood a little further away from Lydia.
- Oh yes, Godric, everyone already knows who you are. Too much honour. - The man in the green suit stretched out his words in a mannered manner. - I am Salazar Slytherin. What is your blood status? - The man asked abruptly.
- Pureblood, sir. - Lydia replied perplexed, raising an eyebrow.
- Salazar, don't even think about it. - shouted a woman in blue robes and with an elegant tiara on her head. - I, unlike the others, will not introduce myself, for I see that you already know our names, Lydia. I will only ask you what department you are in? - Lydia looked at the founders perplexed. There was such hope in everyone's eyes that it made her laugh.
- Gryffindor, madam. - Martin replied, and noticed with great pleasure the way Salazar grinned.
- That's it, Slytherin! The strong-minded and fearless are the greatest of all these days! - Godric exclaimed, proudly sticking out his chest.
- Actually, no. It's just that your followers are the ones who always find us for some reason. - Candida Ravenclaw sighed.
- That's because they're the only ones who think of wandering into a long-abandoned part of the castle late at night. - sneered the Slytherin.
- Stop that at once! - Penelope said indignantly. - They can hear what you're saying! And this will probably be unpleasant for them.
- If they're Gryffindors, they don't care! - Godric exclaimed.
Lydia, Scott and Stiles took a synchronised step back. The Founders didn't even notice. Then the boys stepped backwards out of the corridor and laughed loudly outside.
- They're all twisted! - Stiles exclaimed, holding his sides.
- Come on, they might be uncomfortable! - Scott answered him and the boys laughed even louder. Suddenly Lydia clamped her hands over their mouths and hissed. Listening, the girl heard footsteps for the second time that night. But this time they were complemented by meowing and heavy breathing, the owner of which was clearly Filch. The boys, without collusion, rushed to run. After covering the distance in a few minutes, the boys flew into the portrait of the Full Lady, who was apparently still asleep.
- Shit, not now! - Stiles exclaimed and started drumming on the door. With a grumbling noise, the Full Lady opened her eyes.
- Is it morning already? - she asked sleepily.
- No, ma'am. But we just need to get into the drawing room right away. - replied Lydia.
- If it's not morning, it's not even my working hours. - The woman grumbled and turned away defiantly. - If you tell me a fact about me that almost no one knows, I'll skip it.
-We're Gryffindors, not Clawtonians, we don't have to be clever! - Stiles exclaimed.
- 'You're Godric Gryffindor's own sister. - Lydia said suddenly. - You died when he left home to travel with three other founders. When he learnt of this, he drew a portrait of you. Therefore, it is you who is the guardian of our living room. Your brother always counted not only on the usual password system, but also on the guard's personality. He was very fond of you. - The girl added, looking into the woman's eyes with incredible regret.
Turning around slowly, the Full Lady whispered in astonishment:
- This is incredible. No one has ever said that to me before. Come in, dear, of course come in. - said the woman, almost crying.
With one last look at the portrait, Lydia climbed through the opening. A moment later Scott and Stiles flew in, and the portrait, closing, saved them from their pursuer. For a few seconds the boys, breathing heavily, just stared at each other.
- How do you know that? - Stiles was the first to break the silence.
- Books. You can learn a lot more in them than you think. - Lydia replied. Glancing at the window, where it was already getting light, the girl exclaimed, 'Snow!
Big white flakes, twirling in an incredible round dance, fell, continuing their dance. It was so mesmerising that the boys stood like that for probably ten minutes. Scott was the first to come to his senses:
- Guys, it's time for bed. It's probably five o'clock by now. - said the boy.
- Thanks. - Lydia whispered in surprise, even to herself.
- What? - the guys looked at each other perplexed.
- Thank you. - repeated the girl. Now she decided not to think about upbringing, the ability to behave and so on. Now she was just an ordinary girl, a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who sometimes broke the rules and didn't learn her lessons. - It's my birthday today. Thank you. I've never had such a magical start to a birthday before. - Martin said with a genuine smile.
- Why didn't you say so before? We don't even have a present! - Stiles exclaimed indignantly.
- You've already given me a wonderful present. - replied the girl and hugged the boys, who froze in surprise. - But anyway, we have to go to bed. Good night, guys. - said Martin and went to her staircase.
- Lids! - Stiles called out to the girl. She turned around, smiling warmly, and the boy realised that she had never been like that with him before - sincere, warm and real, without any masks and other nonsense. - Happy birthday! - said the boy and smiled. Nodding, Martin went to her room. After glancing round and winking at each other, the boys headed for their bedroom.
All three of them fell asleep with smiles still on their faces.