Franziska continues to absolutely hate portkeys, and the subsequent illness she always feels after taking one. In this particular instance her portkey is an old shoe, and she promptly drops the thing as soon as she's landed and flops over on the grass that's suddenly surrounding her.

"I hate." She informs the sky above her in German, marveling sluggishly at how much of it she can actually see after only catching glimpses between buildings for most of the summer.

"I assume you're complimenting our lovely countryside." A cheerful voice responds, and once the sentence makes it way through Franziska's nausea she startles and tilts her head backwards to find a certain blonde Irish girl staring down at her, grinning cheekily and looking entirely too amused by Franziska's situation.

"Hello Kiera." She greets lazily, still too disoriented to try piecing together any more complex English sentences. "I've arrived."

Kiera laughs. "I can see that. Come on, up you get. You okay to ride?"

Franziska blinks and allows Kiera to help her stand. "Ride?"

Kiera gestures behind her, where two horses are grazing happily in the meadow. "Yeah. You know how, right? Because it's a pretty long walk back to the house from here."

Franziska has not, in fact, ever ridden a horse, but she can't imagine it's too terribly difficult. "Sure." She responds. "Which one is mine?"

Kiera grins and hurries to lead the two horses over. "This one is Epona. She's an absolute sweetheart so she won't give you any trouble."

The mare is a light dun color and her dark eyes observe Franziska with a lazy curiosity. Franziska immediately falls in love.

"Oh she's absolutely beautiful!" She gently pats Epona on the nose while Kiera double checks the mare's saddle.

"Alright, she's good to go. Come on, I'll give you a leg up. Though you've gotten taller so you might not need one." The blonde grins, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "It seems you've grown elsewhere as well. Do I spy bra straps?"

Franziska immediately pulls her shirt further up her shoulders. "Shut up, I'm still getting used to them." She pouts. "I miss the training bras, they were way more comfortable."

Kiera laughs as she helps Franziska up into Epona's saddle, and then mounts her own horse shortly after. "Still, I'm jealous. No chest and no growth spurt for me this summer. I'm just hoping we don't get back and I'm suddenly shorter than everyone else."

Franziska shakes her head. "Well you'll grow eventually, and see if you're still jealous then. The whole process is awkward and uncomfortable for the most part. Anyway, which way is your house?"

The two girls ride leisurely, enjoying the countryside and sharing stories about their summers so far.

"Cú Chulainn here managed to kick down his stable door in the middle of the night so we've been rebuilding that to withstand more weight than before." Kiera laughs, patting her brown and white horse lightly on the neck. "He's just gotten old enough to ride around and he's an absolute monster, aren't you CuCu?"

The horse snorts in protest and Franziska laughs. "Oh, does he speak English?"

Kiera grins. "He's a lot like the cats - he knows what he wants to know and the rest may as well be Greek."

They finally make it to the Cassidy farm after about a forty five minute ride, and Franziska is startled when it seems to suddenly appear in front of her.

Kiera laughs at her shock. "Magical barriers. Some left over from the war, but mostly to ward of nosy Muggles. We grow a lot of magical plants around here - we're a major supplier for the Mungo's potions department."

Franziska gazes around the farm with wide eyes. "Wow Kiera, no wonder you're so good in Potions and Herbology. You basically live those classes!"

Kiera shrugs modestly. "Basically yeah. Come on, let's get these two into the paddock and I'll show you around and introduce my folks."

Franziska has a much harder time getting off of Epona than she had getting on, and Kiera teases her mercilessly about it even as she helps get her friend untangled from the foot straps.

"We'll have to teach you how to ride properly before you leave - yes hi to you too Bibs - it's a disgrace to not know how to ride a horse at our age."

But Franziska isn't listening to Kiera anymore as she too occupied with the chubby tortoiseshell cat that has waddled up to meet them. "Hello!" She giggles as it noses at her ankle.

Kiera grins. "That's Bibs. She's not fat, she's just pregnant, and she's only one of I think twelve cats we've got running around the place right now so you'll get used to cat sightings pretty quickly. Come on, the greenhouses are this way, my mum is probably there."

As they make their way around the house Kiera points out five more cats, and Franziska wonders how she can remember all of them.

"Most of them are rescues, so we spend time with them getting them healthy again." Kiera explains. "Plus they all have their own personalities - it's hard to mistake one for the other." She adds. "Here we are. Hey mum, are you in here? Frannie's here!" She pushes open the door of the greenhouse, and Franziska is hit with a smell that reminds her of the Hufflepuff common room and it's endless array of plants brought in by their Head of House.

A slight woman is standing at the back of the greenhouse, watering some of the plants which Franziska recognizes as sugar shrubs. "Hello sweetie! And hello Franziska, lovely to finally meet you!" She waves and sends some water sloshing across the floor. "Oh dear, wrong hand. Would you girls minds helping me out?"

Franziska is glad that she wore comfortable clothing for the trip, because Kiera happily volunteers them both for planting duty. Five minutes later they're both elbow deep in dirt with large fuzzy earmuffs firmly on their heads, helping to transfer mandrakes from pots into a more open plot that Kiera's mother had prepared for them.

Once the last shrieking root is covered, they all remove their earmuffs.

"Well now that that's done, how about some proper introductions? I'm Ann Cassidy, co-proprietor of Cassidy Farms." Kiera's mother holds out a compost covered hand, which Franziska quickly shakes.

"Franziska Chalida Reinhardt." She introduces herself politely, while at the same time trying to subtly wipe off the extra dirt she'd gotten on her hands from the handshake.

Ann either doesn't notice or doesn't mind the gesture as her smiles remains solidly in place. "Lovely to meet you Franziska, we've heard a lot about you from Kiera." She nods to her daughter. "Now I'm sure you two have other things you want to be doing so go on and get settled. Kiera dear, I believe your father and Nana and at the main house sorting this week's delivery schedule."

Kiera waves her acknowledgement as she leads Franziska back out of the greenhouse.

"Your mom seems nice." Franziska comments as they make their way towards the farmhouse a few dozen meters away.

"She's pretty great yeah." Kiera agrees. "I mean, still a mom, but I can't complain too much you know?"

Franziska nods. "So... who's Nana? Is she your sister?"

Kiera bursts out laughing. "She'll love that you asked that. No, Nana is my grandmother. She's the actual owner of this place, we just live here." She winks playfully. "I think you'll like her Frannie, she tells the best stories."

When they enter the house Franziska immediately spots the two figures hunched over the table, consulting a stack of papers on the kitchen table.

"Dad, Nana! Frannie's here!" Kiera informs them even as she ushers Franziska right past the two adults. "I'm going to show her her room first. Her things are already up there, yeah?"

They barely stay in the room long enough to hear the confirmation before Kiera is tugging Franziska up the stairs to a small bedroom, where her trunk and Rudi are already waiting.

"I admit I'm glad you sent your stuff ahead of your arrival - it was a nightmare trying to carry all of Nabila's things last summer when she came down. Our pack horses are usually busy with deliveries most days so they aren't really available to carry luggage around." Kiera gestures around the room. "But anyway, this is your room. You can unpack your stuff however you want, and dinner is at six o'clock sharp. Oh, and when you're done my room is right next door! I want to introduce you to Charlotte and Wilbur!"

Franziska agrees and makes quick work of putting her clothes away. The trunk had been mostly empty anyway since she hasn't gone to Diagon Alley yet.

She heads to the room that Kiera had indicated as hers, and immediately screams and jumps backwards upon entering the premises.

Kiera looks up from her bed in confusion. "Frannie? Are you okay?"

"There is a giant fuzzy spider on your head." Franziska wheezes, pushing herself against the door in an attempt to put as much space between herself and the fuzzy monstrosity as possible.

Kiera giggles. "Yep! This is Charlotte! She's a Chilean Rose Tarantula. Don't worry, she's really quite docile." Kiera plucks the tarantula from her head and places her in a large, dry fish tank next to the bed. "She's about six years old now, which is about half way through her lifespan." She laughs at Franziska's continued obvious discomfort. "Oh my gosh, are you like this with all animals? Because if so you're not going to like Wilbur much either."

Kiera finally leads Franziska out of the room with the furry monster spider and takes her back downstairs. "I'm taking Frannie to the stables Pa! We'll be back for dinner!" She calls to the two figures still sitting at the table before closing the front door and skipping towards the last building on the premises that Franziska hasn't been in yet.

She's met with the distinct smell of hay and manure, and she can't help wrinkling her nose at it.

Kiera laughs again. "Girl you need to loosen up. Come on, come meet Wilbur."

Wilbur proves to be a much cuter pet than Charlotte. The pig is only too happy to nuzzle Franziska's hand and let her scratch his ears.

"He was born three years ago so he's getting pretty old." Kiera says fondly as she feeds Wilbur some lettuce from a pouch on the pen's door. "Dad says pot bellies like Wil only live six to ten years, so he probably won't be around to see me graduate." She laughs. "Charlotte is going to outlive him, unlike in the book."

Franziska blinks in confusion. "Book?"

Kiera stares at her. "Oh come on Frannie, you grew up in the Muggle world and you don't know the story of Charlotte's Web?"

Franziska shrugs. "I didn't read much growing up?"

"Well we'll have to fix that. Come on, we can definitely finish it before dinner time."

It becomes routine for the two to retire into Franziska's room at the end of a long day working the farm and read a few chapters of whichever of Kiera's childhood stories Franziska hasn't heard of.

Finally August twenty second arrives and Kiera, Franziska, and Jack Cassidy floo to Diagon Alley to do their school shopping.

They find Charlie and his family almost immediately, as they're rather hard to miss. Aside from the fact Charlie is waving to them cheerfully, the whole group is a mass of redheads in the middle of an otherwise rather quiet street.

"Hullo Frannie! Hi Kiera." He grins to both of them. "How have your summers been?"

"I introduced Frannie to my pet Charlotte and she screamed." Kiera replies cheerfully. "It was hilarious."

"Your pet is a giant fuzzy spider the size of my hand." Franziska grumbles. "Anyone would scream if not properly prepared for that."

"Giant fuzzy spider?"

"That sounds awesome!"

Franziska suddenly finds herself surrounded by two short, identical redheads that have detached themselves from the rest of the hoard in favor of invading her personal space.

"Spider?" A young voice squeaks, clearly terrified.

Charlie quickly whacks the twins over the head. "No mentioning those things around Ron. I think you've scarred him plenty on that front." He scolds. He then smiles sheepishly at Franziska.

"Sorry about Fred and George, they're a bit of a handful but they mean well."

She smiles in return. "Oh it's alright. Um, these are your brothers?" She's honestly a little overwhelmed by the sheer size of the family in front of her.

Charlie looks a bit embarrassed as he nods. "Um yeah. There's a lot of us."

"Charles, introduce us to your friends!" A plump, cheery woman bustles to the front of the group, beaming at the two girls. "I'm Molly Weasley, it's lovely to meet you dears!"

Franziska can't help but grin. The woman is a force of cheerfulness. "I'm Franziska Reinhardt ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Kiera Cassidy." Kiera introduces herself as well. "So Charlie, introduce your brothers too! There are so many of you guys, I'm shocked you haven't said anything about them before."

Charlie turns red and stutters a bit, leaving room for the twins - Fred and George - to barge into the conversation.

"I'm Gred and he's Forge." One of the declares proudly. "We're pretty much the best."

"Absolute nightmares actually." One of the others mutters, barely loud enough to be heard. He's wearing horn-rimmed glasses and is slouched miserably off to one side of the group, keeping himself a bit separate from the others.

"Just because you can't take a joke-" One of the twins grins.

"-doesn't make us nightmares. Just makes you a stick in the mud." The other finishes cheerfully, and the bespectacled red-head flushes angrily.

"Come on you two, leave Percy alone." Bill interferes, his tone indicating no humor.

One of the twins sticks his tongue out. "Whatever you say mister prefect."

Franziska perks up. "You're a prefect?"

The group chats for a bit while waiting for Brandon, Leona, and Aidan to arrive. Franziska finds the Weasley clan to be quite an entertaining bunch, especially five-year-old Ginny who's already showing signs of being quite a fireball, much to Kiera's amusement, and who continues to remind everyone that she is in fact five now, and has been for eleven whole days, so that makes her all grown up and she doesn't need anyone carrying her around thank you very much.

She does end up needing to be carried once everyone arrives and they start collecting their school supplies. Both Bill and Charlie noticeably make themselves scarce for a lot of the trip, but the group still gets to know their siblings. Franziska even uses some of her leftover money to purchase a book Percy had been eyeing after she learns that it's his tenth birthday.

When the two girls return to the Cassidy farm Franziska is absolutely exhausted, but happy. She can't wait to get back to school.

Rajani thinks she does quite an admirable job of pretending she isn't itching to jump out of her skin and run off to the train station by herself on the morning of September first. From the moment she wakes up she's ready to go, her trunk already packed and her hunger pangs small in comparison to her urgency to leave the house.

However, her parents take their time getting ready and having breakfast, which Rajani does join them for. She stays quiet as usual, not that her parents mind as they discuss the latest news, which thanks to her recent interest in the Prophet Rajani is actually up to date on for once. She disagrees with a few of their observations, but she bites her tongue and wills time to move faster so she can get to the train.

The one positive about the whole situation is that Sahana is still at Mayra's house, so Rajani doesn't have to deal with the mopey rain cloud that is her older sister.

 And finally, at nine-thirty, the Misras find their way to King's Cross. Rajani's parents insist on accompanying her through the barrier and to the train since Sahana isn't with her this year, but she's still able to be rid of them rather quickly once she boards the train and hurries down the aisles in search of her friends.

As always, Clary had been the first to arrive, and Rajani finds her sitting by the window in one of the last compartments on the train.

"Hey stranger, mind if I join you?" It's a lot more teasing than Rajani would normally be, but she's still on a bit of a high from finally being away from the stifling environment of the Misra mansion.

Clary startles, and then smiles awkwardly. "Hey Raj. Yeah, seat's completely free, all yours. Need any help with your trunk?"

Rajani nods. "That would be appreciated, yeah."

The two girls struggle a bit, but eventually they get the trunk up in the overhead compartments and sit down again, with Rajani claiming the other window seat in the car, placing her directly across from Clary.

"So you've been kind of sporadic with your messages. How was your summer?" Rajani prompts after a much longer silence than she's ever experienced when in the same room as the single most excitable member of her year.

Clary startles yet again. "Oh, um, it was alright." She bites her lip, looks uncertainly out the window, and then sighs. "Look, can I be honest with you? Without the judgement Nia and Elspeth always bring?"

Rajani blinks. "I think so. What judgement do they bring?"

Clary seems to only hear the first sentence. "I kind of had a falling out with my best friend this summer. She's a Ravenclaw and she was mad about some stuff other Slytherins were doing. I told her Slytherin is fine and the rest of the Houses demonize us for everything. And now we're not talking. And it ."

Rajani isn't sure how to reply, her mind flying nervously to her own non-Slytherin friend and wondering if Donaghan feels the same way Clary's Ravenclaw friend apparently does.

"I mean, did you explain that it's not fair to blame Slytherin for everything that goes wrong? Or point out how we're the victims of more pranks than any other house?"

"Yes! She just doesn't listen." Clary sags. "You produce one dark wizard and suddenly it's all anyone cares about. Did you know a couple fourth years called me a Deatheater last year when I was out in the courtyard building a snowman? A freaking snowman! What about that is evil?" She sighs, and Rajani slumps as well, all too familiar with the situations Clary is laying out.

"Give her some time." Rajani suggests. "I mean, she's a Ravenclaw, so she must be smart. I've always thought smart people avoided obvious incorrect biases."

Clary doesn't get to respond because Nia finds them just then and plops herself down next to Clary.

"Girl you were terrible at communication this summer, I demand stories in recompense." She announces cheerfully.

Rajani grins wryly. "You seem chipper."

Nia's grin becomes downright predatory as she replies. "I may have left my most recent foster home a little goodbye gift as thanks for housing me this summer."

Clary raises an eyebrow. "Okay, see, that sounds like a story. Would you like to share with the class?"

Nia is only too happy to provide details of her summer foster family, who had been a group of Hufflepuffs.

"Absolute nightmares, they were. Tiptoeing around me like I was going to hex them for glancing my way." She rolls her eyes. "Honestly people are so... I don't know."

"Presumptuous?" Rajani offers and Nia points at her.

"Exactly! Seriously, I'm thirteen. I can't even use magic outside of school four another four years."

Eugene and Queenie join them in their compartment shortly before the train leaves the station, and Nia frowns.

"Huh, I wonder where Elspeth is at? She was supposed to sit with us." She muses.

"Maybe she finally made other friends." Queenie suggests. "It would be about time if that was the case."

Her and Eugene are sitting next to each other, as they had taken to doing constantly the previous year so no one comments on it. However, Rajani can see that their hands are intertwined on the seat between them and she feels the usual mix of emotions at the sight. Which she as usual pushes away.

"So Eugene, Queenie, I hear you two had quite a summer." Clary grins, seeming to have completely relaxed from her earlier tension.

Queenie grins and Eugene flushes a bit as she flashes her ring to the compartment. "Oh, maybe. It wasn't too dramatic really."

Nia's jaw drops. "Wait is that-"

"We're officially engaged, yeah." Queenie grins. "Obviously the wedding won't be until after we've graduated, but the dowry and such is all sorted. Now it's just a waiting game."

"That's so exciting!" Clary has gone giddy at the sight of the ring. "I wish I didn't have to worry about dating. You two are so lucky!"

Rajani is content to sit back and let Nia and Clary do all the cooing over the engagement. Having regularly seen both Queenie and Eugene over the summer, most of what they're talking about she's already familiar with.

That is, until Clary starts talking wedding plans, and Queenie surprises her.

"Rajani is going to be my maid of honor obviously, but you guys can still be bridesmaids."

Rajani sits up, startled, and looks over at Queenie. "I'm your maid of honor?" She questions, knowing she sounds silly but unable to hold back her surprise at the statement.

Queenie raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Obviously. Who else would it be? You're my best friend Rajani, and I expect the greatest hen party England has ever seen."

Rajani blinks, and then laughs. "Sure thing Queen. Bridesmaids, I expect assistance."

"Yes ma'am, general maid of honor ma'am!" Clary jokes, giving a lopsided salute to Rajani, and drawing laughter from the whole compartment.

They eventually stray off the topic of Queenie and Eugene's engagement and onto a more general topic of dating and Hogsmeade.

"I can't think of anyone I'd ask right now honestly." Clary decides. "I'm just planning to go have fun and buy a ton of candy."

"Same for me." Rajani agrees, and then frowns when she gets knowing looks from everyone in the compartment. "What?"

"Maybe you won't ask anyone, but I'd bet there's someone interested in asking you." Queenie teases.

Rajani raises an eyebrow at her. "Oh really? Care to share your theories?"

Queenie just grins, so Eugene answers for her.

"Did you not get a gift from a secret admirer first year?" He points out cheerfully.

Rajani rolls her eyes. "Oh please, that again? It was probably a joke - whoever it was should have come forward by now. And I didn't get anything last year so even if they did exist they clearly don't feel anything now."

"Not necessarily." Queenie urges. "Just keep an open mind? I demand double dates before we graduate."

Rajani just shakes her head. "Sure Queenie, I will." A thought suddenly strikes her, and she straightens in her seat. "Wait, do you know who sent it?"

Queenie puts on such an innocent face that Rajani knows immediately that she does. "Whatever makes you say that Raj?"

"Oh come on! You have to tell us now." Clary pushes, only too happy with the new direction the conversation has taken. "You can't drop something like that and then leave it hanging."

"I didn't drop anything." Queenie states primly. "You all are jumping to conclusions."

"Oh please, you absolutely dropped stuff. But I suppose we'll all know by the end of the year - it sounds like our mystery man is planning to ask you to Hogsmeade Raj." Nia observes teasingly. "I guess that means you'll have to be my date Clary, since these losers are ditching us for boys."

"Hey!" Eugene protests as Clary giggles. "What's wrong with boys?"

"Nothing, you just smell!" Clary manages to state through her amusement.

Eugene's attempted defense of his gender is interrupted by the arrival of the Trolley. Everyone purchases their snacks, and the topic ends up shifting to electives.

"I can't wait for Care of Magical Creatures! I bet we'll get to work with a ton of cool animals." Clary grins, as Nia nods in solidarity.

"I can't believe none of you are taking it. Care of Magical Creatures is the best elective, everyone knows it." She says haughtily, and Eugene boos.

"Some of us don't like getting all dirty." he points out.

"Actually, I thought you were anti-muck and sweat Clary. Why are you taking Care of Magical Creatures?" Queenie points out airily, her smile wicked.

Clary's grin has frozen on her face. "I... may not have thought of that. Ugh, now I'm not as excited."

Nia makes a dismayed noise. "Clary no, we can't show a divided front on this!"

"Face it Nia, Care of Magical Creatures just isn't as cool as Muggle Studies." Queenie declares with finality.

This of course sparks an entirely new debate on whether Muggle Studies is really all that important. Rajani is surprised to learn that only she and Queenie are strong advocates of the elective, with the other three arguing that it's an unnecessary subject that can't be used in real life unless you're actually working with Muggles.

"And really, why would you need to? Only a few specialized jobs involve Muggle items and even fewer deal with the Muggles themselves." Nia points out. "Ancient Runes and Arithmancy are both more useful than Muggle Studies. Even Care of Magical Creatures is probably more real-life relevant."

Clary agrees quite fervidly. "And even if you do get involved with Muggles, you basically have to give up your magic anyway because of the Statute of Secrecy. No telling Muggles."

Queenie rolls her eyes. "Most wizards and witches ignore that when it comes to actually marrying a Muggle. And Muggleborn parents all know about it. Frankly I think the Statute is a relic of a bygone era. It's one of the things I plan to fight when I'm in the Wizengamot."

Even Rajani is surprised by Queenie's declaration. "Isn't that going a bit far? The Statute is there for a reason." She points out uncertainly.

Queenie shakes her head. "They were instituted due to a, admittedly perfectly valid at the time, worry about witch hunts. But they don't happen anymore. And honestly, any Muggle with a gun could best a wizard these days, so I don't understand why we're still cowering in the shadows when we should be communicating openly with the other ninety percent of the population."

Even Eugene looks uncertain, and Queenie sighs in frustration.

"I'll convince all of you one day, just wait and see." She declares pointedly. "People are scared of what they don't understand. We should be making sure they understand us before they learn on their own and freak out."

Rajani can understand the sentiment, but the thought of living openly with Muggles seems just a little too radical for her to stomach.

"Well I think Divination is the most useful elective." Clary speaks up after a moment, and there's a nearly audible release of tension from the car. Queenie looks a bit disappointed at the subject change, but she allows it.

"Think about it." The brunette continues determinedly. "Knowing how to look into the future can really help prepare you for anything that might be coming your way!"

"Very few people have a clear Sight though." Queenie points out in return. "Divination is useful, sure, if you can effectively use it."

"Anyone can read tea leaves or use a crystal ball. Sight isn't the end all be all of Divination you know." Nia argues in return.

"But it's known those predictions are often difficult to properly decipher without Sight." Eugene counters, and Queenie grins at him brightly, earning the couple a smirk from Clary.

"You're just saying that to stay on your girlfriend's good side." Clary accuses playfully, and Eugene looks affronted.

"You wound me. It just so happens that my girlfriend is brilliant and always right about everything, so I end up agreeing with her."

Queenie giggles and shoves him lightly while the rest of the compartment laughs.

"And don't you forget it." The black girl says playfully.

The rest of the train ride remains lighthearted as they share more stories about the summer and Rajani lets herself complain just a tiny bit about Sahana's moping.

"She still made Prefect, and the chances of getting Head Girl are minimal to none since the selection process isn't limited to the seventh year prefects!"

Queen pats her arms supportively. "She'll get over it, and she graduates this year anyway. What are the chances she keeps living at home once she has an actual job?"

Rajani acknowledges the point. "Not likely, that's true. But then, it could be worse with just three of us in the house." She adds with a frown. "Any chance any of you could give me an excuse to stay at school during Christmas break?"

Nia nods immediately. "I'm always here anyway, we can think of something! Maybe not for this year, but give me next summer and I can get you out of it."

Rajani smiles gratefully at her friend before one of the new Slytherin prefects knocks at the door - and Rajani perks up when she recognizes him.

"Hello Ed, how was your summer?"

Edward Poole shrugs cheerfully. "I didn't kill any of my siblings, so all in all it went rather well. I'll fill you all in during the Feast, but we're arriving in an hour so you all should get changed."

As the only male in the car, Eugene is the booted out to let the four girls change into their robes, and Rajani spends the rest of the trip waiting for the Hogwarts castle to appear in the distance.

Ana ends up spending the train ride to Hogwarts with Hannah who cites 'avoiding Josie and Horace being gross' as her reason for not sitting with her fellow seventh years, and as Alasdair had decided to sit with a group of Slytherins who didn't seem too keen on Ana joining them, the Ravenclaw was fine with sitting with her seventh year friend instead.

Hannah has always been one of Ana's favorites of the seventh years to talk with, especially since Eric became more concerned with spending time with his girlfriend rather than sitting with his house.

They share stories about the summer, and Ana helps Hannah work through the pros and cons of several of the blonde's plans for the future.

"I can't believe we're graduating this year." The chubby girl sighs wistfully. "I'm going to miss Hogwarts. As cool as real life is sure to be."

"You don't consider Hogwarts real life?" Ana immediately jumps on the potential topic. When she can get Hannah debating existential concepts they have some of her favorite conversations.

Hannah grins and shrugs. "I mean, obviously it's a part of it, but for me school just isn't representative of what a majority of life is going to be, you know? Once we graduate we make our own decisions, pay our own bills, design our own schedules. Right now our lives are almost completely controlled by quote-unquote adults."

"But we choose our own electives, and ultimately it's no one's decision but ours who we interact with during our time at school." Ana points out. "The people we become and the jobs we're able to do are things we get to decide ourselves."

Hannah sits up a bit straighter, her eyes gleaming with the challenge. "Perhaps, but even those decisions are limited by external factors, like your parents or the school. Be honest, if you could have complete reign over your school subjects would you be taking the exact same ones you currently are? I certainly wouldn't be."

That surprises Ana enough for her to temporarily drop the debate. "Really? I thought you loved your classes?"

Hannah holds up her hands somewhat defensively. "Oh trust me I do, especially Astronomy and Divination, but I wouldn't mind learning a bit more on Leglimency and Occlumency in practice rather than just in theory, but that's not offered in any classes. We studied it a bit in Defense our fifth year but there's been nothing since then, even in the NEWT level classes."

Ana frowns. "Well, Defense isn't exactly the best example, considering how we get new professors for that class every year. I doubt anyone has gotten an effective comprehension of that class in the actual classroom." She points out, and Hannah laughs.

"Maybe, though we have to learn the same things each year - there's a set curriculum. But you're right, having different Professors with different teaching styles is going to make that a harder subject to keep up with." Hannah acknowledges. "Maybe that isn't quite the best example for my point, but I do feel the point itself still stands. How about I phrase it differently: if you could be somewhere other than Hogwarts, would you?"

Ana frowns. That was a low blow - Hannah already knows that she had wanted to go to Durmstrang. "That's different." She insists. "That's because my family moved before I turned eleven. If we'd moved afterwards I would have just studied abroad like some of the other kids in my class."

Hannah grins triumphantly. "And that move was your parents' idea, which makes my point. Kids don't really have full control of their lives, so they can't really know the full, unimpeded facts of living until they've gone out on their own!"

Ana sighs. "Alright fine, you win that one. Are you sure you don't want to join the Wizengamot? You'd be quite good at it."

Hannah gags dramatically and the two are back on the topic of jobs, where they remain for the rest of the train ride.

They join Eric and Laurel in one of the carriages to the school, and Ana is pleased to find that the two seem to have calmed down some in terms of their flirting, as she's able to hold a full conversation with the pair about Quidditch statistics for the year.

"I'm hoping we can snag the Cup again this year, but with Bill dropping out in favor of Prefect duties and half my other kids graduated I'm not sure we'll be able to pull it off." Laurel admits sadly. "There are some good flyers among the third years, and I'm thinking I might do a bit more long-term planning and put them in so that I know the team will be left in good hands."

Eric squeezes her hand firmly. "You do already have a win, and that's the most important thing when it comes to applying for the pros." He reminds her, and Ana has to force herself not to roll her eyes and the way too sweet smile Laurel proceeds to give him.

"He's right." Hannah agrees. "I'd say build the team for the future. Mayra Byrne's team from last year was practically unstoppable - I hate to say it but if she can find a solid replacement for Blackthorn then she's pretty much got the Cup on lock this year."

Laurel makes a face at the mention of the Slytherin Quidditch Captain. "Ugh, Byrne. You're probably right but I'd hate letting her get the best of me in our final year, especially considering she's best friends with that stuck up Misra girl."

Ana tunes out as the discussion fades into inane gossip and instead attempts to see the world outside the window despite it being pitch black. Eventually, light edges into the frame, and soon the Hogwarts castle appears right in front of them, lit up like a Christmas tree and yet somehow invisible until they're right under it.

"Come on Eric, you have to sit with us today." Hannah teases as they exit their carriage and head into the great hall with the rest of the school, minus the first years.

Ana settles in the seat between Hannah and Eric and, as she had the year before, ends up tuning out most of the Sorting Ceremony. She does focus back in when she hears 'Flint, Marcus' called up, and she immediately understands what her father had meant when he said he couldn't forget the boy if he tried.

Marcus Flint is already taller than the other eleven-year-olds, possibly even taller than Ana herself, and heavily built with a jutting jaw and small eyes to match. His troll heritage shows in a rather massive way, and Ana almost feels bad about the nasty looks and comments she's sure he's heard in his life.

Not bad enough to almost regret agreeing to work with him though. Hopefully his personality is nicer than his face.

He's sent off to Slytherin predictably enough - the Flints have been a Slytherin family for generations after all - and Ana zones right back out, running through some Arithmancy equations in her head while she waits for the food to appear.

Finally Dumbledore gives his speech and the Feast finally begins. Ana is only too happy to fill up her plate, and she gets some good-natured teasing from Horace over it.

"Well at least my food doesn't stay on my body." She replies shortly. "You, on the other hand, seem to have gained weight."

Josie bursts out laughing. "Oh Ace, she's got you there!"

Horace frowns. "I had a summer job, less time to work out." He defends, and Hannah grins.

"More like your metabolism dropped and you refuse to acknowledge it." She comments airily.

"I'm too young for a depleted metabolism though." Horace complains, and Ana perks up at the unknown word.

"Metabolism?" She pronounces it carefully, aware of her accent but less self-conscious about it than she might normally have been. "What is that?"

Josie perks up, slipping into what Ana likes to call 'explanation mode'. Ever since their midterm study session the year before Josie has been much more communicative with the seventh-years' tag-along younger student.

"Metabolism is basically how fast a body can break down your food into usable bits. Generally it starts slowing down in your mid twenties but that can vary depending on lifestyle and body type." She recites cheerfully. "Obviously Ace hasn't been very healthy." She grins innocently across the table at her boyfriend, who merely rolls his eyes.

Ana tilts her head. "When do we learn about that?" She asks eagerly, and the older kids laugh.

Eric shakes his head. "We don't. That's Muggle biology, which isn't taught in Hogwarts. For stuff like that you'd have to do a specialized medi-wizard degree post-Hogwarts."

Ana frowns. It feels wrong to her that Muggles are apparently being taught things that they aren't.

"Do they cover it in Muggle studies?" She questions hopefully.

Josie actually chokes on her food from laughing. "Oh gosh no. I've seen some of Ace's homework from that class and they don't really cover anything. Misinterpreted Muggle culture, very rough and often uncertain attempts at explaining current technology, stuff like that. They really ought to hire an actual Muggle to teach that class, or at least a Muggleborn. But no, we have Professor Quirrell, half-blood extraordinaire, and distractable as all get out from what I hear as well."

"He's not so bad. A little hard to hear sometimes and he's big on tangents." Horace offers, being the only one in the group who's actually taken the class, if only for three years before dropping out sixth year.

"Well he is a Ravenclaw." Sarah notes with amusement. Her Head Girl badge is gleaming on her robes and Ana is impressed that she's managed to not brag about the appointment yet. "I've always thought most of us would be terrible teachers. Too concerned with learning and not with actually keeping up with the curriculum."

"Those can be the best teachers though." Josie argues.

Sarah shakes her head. "In the moment maybe, but then you get to the next year and you're two months behind where you're supposed to be. Do you remember the nightmare that was the start of fourth year?"

That sparks a full twenty minutes of reminiscing, during which Ana finishes her food and goes for dessert. From what she's picked up from the other times her friend group has gone off on this tangent, their fourth year was quite an adventure. She rather hopes hers won't be nearly as dramatic.

Eventually the topic steers back into territory that Ana can actually contribute to - namely jobs and the future.

Sarah is the one to spark the topic when she shocks the group by revealing she's changed her mind about climbing the Ministry ladder and is now preparing to enter medi-witch training upon graduation.

Even Ana is confused. "I think you'd be good as a politician." She says. "You have some really good ideas for improvements within the system." Sarah and her had shared a compartment on the way back home the year before and had swapped ideas on the state of the government and how to fix it.

Sarah shrugs. "Well yes, but some stuff happened over the summer with my younger sister Leona, and I realized I really want to be able to help people on a more personal level. Government is great for sweeping reforms but I'm just not certain I'd be satisfied there."

Hannah nods slowly. "Still, must have been something pretty big to get you to change your tune. I remember sitting with you on the Hogwarts Express when we were unsorted eleven-year-olds and even then you had big ideas for the Ministry."

"I can still submit my big ideas you know, I can just also be more personal with the people I'm helping." Sarah sniffs, but she's clearly as amused as Hannah is.

Ana is still puzzled how Sarah could turn her entire life upside down because of one incident, but she figures it's Sarah's prerogative in the end what she wants to do with her life.

As the Feast winds down, Ana feels the usual tug of dread knowing she'll have to face Evie Jones before she can go to bed. And then another thought crosses her mind - next year she won't have the seventh years to sit with to get away from her year mates during meals.

She glances over to where Sarah and Eric are debating the merits of having a post-Hogwarts education when entering the Ministry, and Josie and Horace are flirt-fighting as they usually do.

Hannah catches the look and raises an eyebrow. "You alright Ana? You look like someone kicked your puppy."

"I have a fire salamander, not a puppy. Puppies are frankly far to messy and demanding for me to think they make very good pets." Ana replies immediately, and Hannah laughs. "But I suppose it just really occurred to me that you're all in your final year now. I won't be seeing you next year."

Hannah's smile become sympathetic. "Aw, don't be like that Ana. Think of it as a push to go find friends your own age."

"I have a friend my age." Ana protests. "He just doesn't really interact with me during school."

Hannah frowns. "Is he a Slytherin?"

Ana is surprised at how quickly Hannah drew the conclusion. "Um, yes actually How did you-?"

Hannah sighs. "Slytherins... aren't the greatest friends. They'll always choose their house over any sort of personal connection, and a lot of them genuinely think they're better than us. Laurel mentioned Sahana Misra during the ride over here, remember? Those two were actually friends first year, but Sahana dumped Laurel with no warning second year because her family doesn't associate with non-Slytherins. It's all politics with the snakes Ana, I'd recommend finding a more honest friend than your current one."

Ana frowns. While it's not untrue that Alasdair is oddly withdrawn and dismissive during the school year, he's still proven to be a steady friend during breaks when the two of them take shelter from their parents and Alec in his room. Not to mention her own mother was a Slytherin and she doesn't act that way at all.

Hannah shakes her head with a faint smile. "Ah, don't worry about it Ana, maybe it won't be true this time. You never know."

But the thought still haunts Ana as the group finally makes their way to the common room - sans Eric who had run off as soon as the Feast was over - and then up to the dorms. Ana greets Amelia quietly and is both surprised and relieved when Evie simply ignores her presence entirely. If Evie isn't constantly trying to force friendship on her then the year is already looking to be much better.

But still, that voice at the back of her head reminds her that in a year she's going to be completely alone. And the thought scares her a lot more than she ever thought that it would.

"Myr! Holly! Sit your butts down we have extremely important business to discuss!"

Evera waves the two over to the Gryffindor table impatiently, and Myr simply shrugs at Holly as they walk over to join the rest of their year, who have already gathered around the end of the table. The two of them had sat together during the train ride with a couple of Hufflepuff second years so Myr hasn't actually had to face most of his friends just yet. He's surprised that he's not as nervous as he'd thought he'd be.

"Hey Evera, you seem chipper." Holly grins as she slide in next to the other girl. "I'm assuming you have some big news?"

Evera's eyes are gleaming. "Charlie says that Bill says that there are a ton of openings on the team this year, and that Laurel is seriously considering putting younger members in! That means our chances are super high!"

Holly rolls her eyes dramatically. "I could have told you that too you know. Also, that isn't important business, that's the same business you're always discussing! I wanna talk about something that isn't Quidditch, I've heard enough from Laurel all summer." She complains. "How about Hogsmeade? Everyone has their permission slips, right?"

Evera pouts at the topic change, but Fiona assists Holly with the redirect.

"I do! I'm really excited - I don't live very far from here so I'm hoping that once I know where it is I could visit Hogsmeade during the summer as well!" The red head grins cheerfully. "That said I don't really know what Hogsmeade is? I've heard some of the older students talking about it but?"

And with that Evera is on board with the conversation. "Hogsmeade is basically a mini Diagon Alley that we get to visit on certain weekends! There's a joke shop, and a sweets shop, and even a wand shop if something happens to yours!"

"It's a branch of Ollivanders." Holly notes grouchily. "We've been trying to buy him out on that lot for two decades now but he won't budge. It's not even a very profitable location, but it's closer to our wood farm than our current location is so it would be convenient for us. But no, heaven forbid anyone sell wands that isn't a freaking Ollivander! The guy doesn't even have kids, who does he think is going to take over when he's dead? Honestly."

Everyone stares at Holly in shock. Sure she rants about wands and her frustrations with Ollivander rather regularly, but she's never outright angry about the situation. Myr just sighs - Holly has been in a testy mood all day and he's mostly gotten used to the abrupt mood swings in the seven hours they'd spent on the train ride over.

"The Kiddell shop does quite well Holly and I'm sure when he's ready to retire Ollivander will likely give your family both shops if you stay on his good side. So what does everyone else have planned for Hogsmeade?" Myr asks, and he gets several grins of thanks for shifting the conversation back on track.

"Personally I'm going to go to the Three Broomsticks!" Charlie announces. "Bill says Madame Rosmerta makes the best Butterbeer in England!"

"Really?" Fiona looks interested. "I'll join you, we can try all the different drinks and decide which one is the best."

The whole table is soon piling on to join the two until they've decided that they'll all meet at the Three Broomsticks after one hour on their first weekend to properly test all the drinks offered by the tavern.

"Except the alcoholic ones of course." Myr adds quickly when he realizes that no one else has made that distinction.

Remi Longbottom, who had eagerly joined the discussion partway through, looks thoroughly put out by Myr's clarification. "Oh come on, why not?"

"Because it's illegal Remi." Myr sighs, reminded once again why the brunette is his least favorite roommate.

"It would be fun though. We'll have to redo this when we're all eighteen." Drake says with a wicked grin, and the other loudly concur, leaving Mry to shrug helplessly. Maybe they'd forget in the next four years.

Brandon suddenly frowns. "Wait, I'm not going to be eighteen until after we graduate though." He complains. "I'm the only one who won't be able to participate."

"You can hang out with me." Nabila offers from where she's sitting just a bit away from the group, as she always does. "I don't plan on drinking right before exams, since that's when you'd have to do it."

Myr is surprised Nabila spoke up at all. She's usually a quiet but consistent presence around the Gryffindor second years, rolling her eyes at their antics even as she tangentially participates in them herself.

Brandon makes a face. "No offense Nabila, but I prefer company that actually communicates."

"How was that not offensive?" Holly mumbles to herself, having been oddly quiet herself during the whole discussion.

"Okay seriously, who put a beetle in your soup?" Evera complains. "You've been madame grouch all evening and we haven't done anything different than normal."

Holly just huffs something under her breath and goes back to poking at her food. Myr is honestly starting to feel a bit worried for her but he's not exactly sure how he could help, considering he has no idea what the problem is.

The group continues chatting for the rest of the Feast, leaving Holly to her grumpiness. Myr eventually decides to ask Laurel if she knows what's going on, but he's disappointed to find that the oldest Kiddell sister is nowhere in sight when the students all get up to leave the hall.

So he goes to find the second best option when dealing with Holly.

Willow Kiddell is leading a group of Ravenclaw first years towards the Ravenclaw Tower when Myr finally catches up to her.

"Um Willow? Did you have a minute?"

The middle Kiddell daughter has always been something of a mystery to Myr - since she's a Ravenclaw she isn't around nearly as much as Laurel, but as far as he can tell the three sisters do get along well enough.

Willow blinks. "And this seems to be a confused Gryffindor." She informs the first years with a grin before turning to Myr. "You're Holly's friend, right? Can I help you with something?"

Myr is a little ashamed to realize that his thoughts on Willow - that she was a bit more aloof than her sisters - are completely incorrect. Her eyes have the same playful gleam in them that Holly and Laurel get when they're excited about something.

"Oh, um, Holly's been acting weird all night, really grumpy and sensitive. It's not like her and I couldn't find Laurel so..." He trails off awkwardly, and Willow laughs.

"Alright firsties, your first lesson is that Ravenclaws sometimes have to solve other House's problems for them since we're the smartest." She grins over at Myr. "Here, come with me to drop off these kids and then I'll see about my baby sister."

Myr has never actually been to the Ravenclaw Tower, so he's as startled as the first years when the eagle doorknocker speaks.

"What asks but never answers?"

Willow grins as the first years stare in confusion. "Go on, try to figure it out! To get into our common room, you'll have to think outside the box. During the year it may ask more magical questions that you can't answer yet, so be sure you have everything before you leave the common room in the mornings!" The ravenette leaves the group to debate possible answers while she turns back to Myr. "Okay, so my baby sister is being moody? I think I may know what the problem is, and trust me when I say you probably don't want to know." She laughs lightly. "I'll talk to her tomorrow, don't worry about it. And thanks for telling me, even if I was your second choice."

Myr again feels a bit embarrassed at his unintentional dismissal of the middle Kiddell, but her expression is warm and teasing and he thanks her profusely before heading up to the Gryffindor common room, wondering how he's going to get in considering he has no idea what the password is.

Luckily, he runs into Bill on the way. The oldest Weasley is proudly sporting his Prefect badge, which looks to have been shined a ridiculous amount based on how it's reflecting every single light source in the halls.

"Hey, Myr! What are you still doing out, shouldn't you already be at the dorms?" Bill greets cheerfully, carefully straightening his robes as he does.

Myr raises an eyebrow and the action. "Shoudn't you?" He observes in turn, and Bill grins sheepishly.

"Yeah, probably. Well, I'd say it worked out for us though, since I know the password and you don't." He decides, and Myr acquiesces, thinking he probably doens't want to know what Bill's been up to anyway.

He makes his way up to the dorms and is disappointed to find that he's been left with the worst bed - that is, the one next to Remi.

"Hey guys." He greets, releasing Owen from his carrier and immediately sparking a wrestling match between the black cat and Drake's tabby Kallie.

Drake groans. "Tell me you're done babying that fuzzy nightmare." He complains. "He's bigger than Kallie now, he'll be fine roaming around."

Myr holds up his hands in defeat. "I know, don't worry. He can go out wherever he wants now, you'll get to see your cat during the year."

Drake looks quite pleased that he didn't have to fight about it, and honestly Myr is glad for it too as he's rather exhausted by the day's events. He takes all of fifteen minutes to shower, change into his pyjamas, and fall onto his bed and into a welcome sleep.

He's awoken by Owen at five in the morning when the massive black cat sits on his face.

"Agh, Owen, why." He grumbles, brushing fur off of his nose and tongue as the cat paws at him hopefully. "What do you want?" He whispers, suddenly aware of the four other boys in the room who are all still fast asleep.

Owen meows loudly and jumps off the bed to paw at the door before looking back over at Myr questioningly.

Myr sighs as he realizes his cat still doesn't know he's allowed to go outside the dorms without supervision. So Myr groggily gets up, stumbles to the door as quietly as he can manage, and pushes it open.

Owen perks up and is off like a shot, bounding down the stairs and out of sight before Myr has even closed the door. Groaning he falls back into bed and thankfully nothing wakes him up again until eight o'clock, when the rest of the dorm gets up and starts preparing to head down to breakfast.

"How crazy do you think the schedules are going to be this year? I mean, we do have new classes now - do you think we'll still have free periods?" Drake wonders as he hangs his tie around his neck and proceeds to completely ignore actually tying it correctly.

Myr straightens his own tie with a shrug. "Probably. I mean, we're not taking every elective, at least I'm not, so we'll probably have free blocks when other people have class."

"Oh yeah, Myr, which electives are you taking? I know you were still unsure about your second one last year and then you never told us what you'd decided on." Charlie pipes up. "You are still taking Care of Magical Creatures, right?"

Myr laughs faintly. "Yes Charlie, I'm pretty sure the entire year is taking that class with how pushy you've been about it. But my second class is Muggle Studies."

Brandon raises an eyebrow. "Myr, you grew up thinking you were a Muggle. Why would you take that class?"

Myr shrugs. "I'm curious how we're portrayed in the wizarding world." He says shortly, omitting the part about how he's hoping it might cover some of the Muggle school material that is left out of the standard Hogwarts curriculum.

Charlie whoops. "Hey, we're taking the same electives!" He offers a high-five that Myr awkwardly gives. "I wonder if any of the girls are taking Muggle Studies? It'll be pretty boring if it's just the two of us."

"Do you think electives will be like flying class first year? You know how we didn't start that until the second week of school?" Remi muses. "I wouldn't mind not having to start Divination for another week, I'm only taking that class because it's supposed to be an easy A."

"Only you would take an elective because you need an easy pass." Brandon cracks, and Remi frowns.

"Excuse you, my talents lie elsewhere, if Laurel would just give me a chance." He snaps huffily, and Drake laughs.

"Uh oh, looks like Holly's moodiness in contagious. Everybody run!"

Myr just rolls his eyes as Drake, Brandon, and Charlie all break for the stairs with a highly irritated Remi close behind. He follows the group at a much more sedate pace, and finds that his roommates have run into their female year mates in the common room.

Fiona has cornered Drake and is fixing his tie as he complains that he can do it on his own just fine, and Evera and Charlie have taken to very maturely teasing the two about what a cute couple they make.

Myr is happy to see that Laurel is talking to Holly near the fireplace - clearly Willow had managed to contact her older sister between Myr talking to her and now.

Myr decides to leave the group to their nonsense and heads out of the portrait hole, joined shortly after by Nabila.

"Hey, mind if I walk with you?" She requests, and though he's surprised Myr is happy to agree.

"So, you excited about electives?" He asks as they make their way.

Nabila's eyes light up in a way he hasn't really seen from his Housemate before. "Very much so. I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures and I'm very excited to start with that. Though I'm also rather curious to see what Arithmancy and Divination will be like. I've heard Professor Trelawney is the sort of teacher you either love or abhor. I'm hoping I like her - class is terrible if you don't like the teacher. That's why Transfiguration is my favorite class, I've admired Professor McGonagall for several years now."

Myr is a bit surprised to hear Nabila say so much at once, her talking being a rather rare occurrence so far as he can tell. Conversely, the topic is somewhat about animals, which he knows is the one thing she get rather excited for.

"That sounds cool? You're taking three electives then?" He offers when he's certain she's finished talking.

The rest of their House finds them at the table five minutes later, still eagerly discussing electives. Myr can tell a few of them are surprised to see Nabila actually engaged with another human being, but they settle in around them.

All in all, Myr thinks it's a decent enough start to the new year.