There's always a stretch of time at the start of the year where the first years have to get used to their living situations. For Myr's year, they'd taken about a month to get settled - Myr himself had switched beds since he absolutely can't handle sleeping next to Remi, something he'd learned during their trial period.

They'd all thought this year's boys wouldn't need very long to get settled. After all, there were only two boys in the year, and Percy is notorious around school already for being extremely adherent to the rules.

A week and a half into the year however, Percy and Oliver Wood are still at each other's throats every time they're both in their dorm room, and there's no sign that they plan on slowing down.

Myr arrives back from double Potions on Thursday utterly exhausted and hoping to grab a nap before Quidditch tryouts that afternoon, only to hear the now-common sound of the two first year boys in the heat of yet another argument.

Charlie comes in behind him and immediately groans. "You know, at home Percy is the good kid." He complains. "I don't know why he's being such a pain now."

"He's sweet enough when he's not around Oliver." Fiona notes. "I think they may just have clashing personalities."

Charlie snorts. "Oliver is a lot like me, I like the kid. Percy's usually the one being about something or other."

Myr sighs and heads away from his friends and up the stairs. Usually Charlie or Bill is in charge of breaking up the first years, but Charlie has voiced his annoyance a lot more in the past two days, and Bill is studying in the library at the moment. And Myr figures if he's not getting a nap anyway he may as well see if he can help.

He walks into the battle zone braced for anything, but is surprised to find that despite the raised voices the scene he walks in on is otherwise rather civil.

Percy is standing next to his bed, back ramrod straight and arms crossed tightly across his chest. His ears are glowing red but his expression is carefully controlled.

On the other side of the room, Oliver is flopped back into the desk chair - and Myr is a little jealous that they get a desk in their room when his year doesn't - with his feet up on one of the two beds and glaring irritably at the red-head.

"I'm almost afraid to ask but what happened?" Myr sighs.

Percy and Oliver both looks surprised for a moment, but Percy recovers quickly and is only too happy to tell his side of the story first.

"Oliver tramped all over my side of the room with his muddy boots and now I have to redo my potions notes." Charlie's brother accuses, his voice pitching slightly at the end of the sentence and his hands curling into fists against his sleeves.

Oliver rolls his eyes. "Who leaves their notes on the floor?" He counters, his voice notably more even than Percy's but just as accusatory.

"They obviously fell! There were on my bed!" Percy's voice pitches again, and his ears flush even darker as he clamps his mouth shut.

Oliver groans and spins in the chair. "Well that's not my fault!"

"You shouldn't have been on my side!"

Myr decides he needs to step in now. "Okay, woah, breath, both of you. Percy, let me see your notes, I know a spell that should clean them up."

Percy looks at him uncertainly and then turns to his bed and picks up a pile of muddied notes.

Myr lays them out on the desk, shooing Oliver out of the way, and carefully performs a cleaning charm.

Percy grabs the notes from him the moment the mud is gone and rifles through them worriedly, letting out a small sigh of relief when he sees that they're unmarred.

Myr turns to Oliver, who's now seated on his own bed. "How about you two lay out a couple of ground rules? Shoes have to be taken off at the front of the room could be a good one. And you can choose punishments if the rules are broken."

Percy perks up. "I could do that." He offers. "I have some ideas-"

"Oh please, you'll make everything a rule!" Oliver complains. "Let's get Charlie to make the rules, he'll be fair."

Percy frowns, a mix of hurt and irritation on his features, before he nods sharply. "Fine, Charlie can decide."

Myr rubs his temples lightly as the two boys run past him to hunt down Percy's older brother, and while he's half sorry for sending the two first years to Charlie he figures he's done plenty for now. He checks the time and seeing that he has an hour to tryouts decides to try for that nap after all.

He somewhat succeeds, not fully passing out but at least resting his eyes for a solid forty five minutes, and he feels markedly better when he grabs his broom and heads out to the Quidditch Pitch.

The rest of the hopefuls are already there, and he spots Oliver Wood sitting excitedly in the stands. He gives the brunet a wave and Oliver happily returns the gesture.

Laughing, Myr jogs out to where the others are gathered and stands next to Charlie.

"Seems like we've got a fan already." He observes with a grin, and Charlie nods.

"Ollie is apparently quite a Quidditch player. Percy says it's pretty much all he talks about it. He's a Keeper too, so he actually has a decent shot next year. I don't think anyone knows who's going to replace Kent when he graduates this year."

The mentioned current Keeper, and new team Captain, chooses that moment to clap his hands and get everyone's attention.

"Alright people, we've got a couple obviously open positions this year, but we'll be taking auditions for every position. If you can out-fly the current players I'm not going to bench you. But if not there's a lot of space in reserves as well and some of our current players can tell you reserves is the first step to the main team." Kent nods at the end of his speech, content with it's contents.

Evera pouts at him. "But no way you're replacing your very own sister, right?" She jokes, and Kent shoves her.

"Extra play time for anyone who can out-fly this one." He adds with a grin.

"Easy enough." Jacob Fawley drawls carelessly. The sixth year Chaser is standing slightly off to the side, leaning on his broom in a way that makes Myr wince slightly. It can't be good for the bristles.

Evera glares at the older boy fiercely and he only gives her a cocky smile.

Kent coughs pointedly. "Right then, we'll do some stretches and then get into the sky. Follow me everyone!"

Kent's warmups are significantly less painful than Laurel's had been, and although Myr is of course pleased he's also already mourning his fantastic calves which he doubts will ever be in quite the shape they were in the year before.

The Chasers are airborne first, and Myr sits next to Charlie and Bradon near the benches, stretching in order to stay warm since he knows the Beater tryouts are up next.

"Do you think Kent really will change the lineup this year?" Brandon sounds hopeful. "I mean, it's almost all fourth years except him and Fawley, including the reserves."

Charlie pats his shoulder lightly. "I think there will at least be room in the reserves this year?" He offers, and Brandon deflates.

"Yeah. I'd almost rather be in the stands with Badger than stuck on a bench way down here." He sighs. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for Quidditch."

Charlie is immediately shaking his head. "Don't say that! You just have to keep trying!"

Brandon snorts. "Trying only goes so far." He points out. "If I'm not getting anywhere why not change course? I actually have been thinking about taking extra lessons with Snape for Potions."

Charlie gags, as does Remi who's sitting nearby but for once not trying to push himself into the conversation.

"Why would you actually want to spend time with that greasy git?" Charlie asks once he's put his face back to rights. "Honestly I'd do just about anything to get out of having to stare at his ugly glowering mug twice a week."

Brandon shrugs. "Yeah he's awful, but he's also a genuine Potions Master, and I like Potions."

"You like blowing up potions." Charlie corrects wryly, and Myr can't help but nod his agreement.

Brandon mocks offense, gasping dramatically and putting his hand over his heart as he collapses backwards onto the grass. "You wound me! My great experiments are true acts of potioneering greatness!"

"Great mess maybe." Myr quips, and Charlie snorts.

"Nice." They high five over Brandon's still prone form, and the American laughs as well, sitting up a moment later.

"You know, I'm actually liking this idea. I may not tryout after all." Brandon is halfway to his feet at this point, and Charlie is too busy looking confused to stop him. "See you two later, good luck and all though I'm sure you'll make the team again." And with that he's off, a spring in his step.

Myr blinks. "Well. I suppose he looks happy at least."

Charlie shakes his head. "I'm telling you that girlfriend of his has made him barmy. I don't get all the fuss about it personally."

Myr shrugs. "My sister seems happy with dating, but I haven't really thought about it yet. Mum says I'm probably a late bloomer like Cadi though. Maybe you are too?"

Charlie makes a face. "Maybe." He says. "But I hope not. Dating just seems yucky and weird. I'm happy with dragons."

Myr has to mount his broom a minute later as Evera, Drake, and the other Chaser hopefuls touch down. Only Kent and Fiona are still circling overhead, waiting for the other Beater candidates.

There's only three of them, Myr, Fiona, and an awkward second year who looks more ready to speed in the other direction than swing at any oncoming bludgers. Myr lands feeling pretty certain who he'll be teaming up with this year.

Fiona is equally optimistic. "Looks like I'm finally off the bench." She observes with a grin. "I look forward to beating with you Myr."

"I would like all to know that I am refraining from making a very crude joke about that." Evera announces proudly. "You're all welcome."

"Yes, we're very proud of you." Drake smirks, and Evera smacks him playfully as the group waits for Charlie and Remi to finish their Seeker tryouts.

"You know, I almost feel bad for Remi. No way he's every going to out fly Charlie, and yet he keeps trying. It's almost endearingly pathetic." Fiona notes, watching the two figures circling in the sky above them.

"Sure, if you're into that sort of thing." Evera makes a face. "I'd rather kiss Jacob Fawley than Remi Longbottom myself, but you do you girl."

Myr tunes out of the conversation as it strays into territory he's not yet comfortable or familiar with, and he instead watches the end of the tryouts. Once Charlie has made his way back over to them, the whole group treks back to the Great Hall for dinner, discussing who they think will replace Laurel and Cassidy.

"I mean, Fiona obviously is the new Beater even if she's no Laurel. No offense." Drake observes.

Fiona shrugs. "None taken, Laurel was a real talent. I'm just doing this for fun. And anyway, I doubt anyone will be as good as she was for a long time honestly."

Charlie grins. "My brothers might surprise you." He notes idly, and Evera is immediately interested.

"You've got more? I mean, you must have more, Bill is a Chaser and Percy is a raging nerd who probably doesn't even know how Quidditch works. How big is your family exactly?" She presses curiously.

Charlie puts his hands up under the assault of questions. "Okay, one at a time. First off, I've got twin brothers who play Beaters. Two Percy is a nerd, yeah, but he's actually a decent enough Chaser when he's in the mood. And he knows the Quidditch playbook like no one else I've met. Honestly I'm scared of when Oliver figures that out-"

"Figures out what? You guys were awesome up there today!" Said Quidditch-obsessed first year chooses that moment to spontaneously appear behind them, and Evera actually yelps in surprise as he's closest to her.

"Jeez kid, wear a bell or something." She groans. "I swear you have a sixth sense for knowing when people are talking about Quidditch."

Oliver beams happily at the comment. "I'm gonna be on the team next year!" He declares excitedly.

Charlie ruffles his hair almost distractedly. "Well we'll certainly have a Keeper position open next year, so it's possible. Kent has been the Gryffindor Keeper since we got here and Fiona was his reserve last year so it's up in the air who's getting the position now that he's graduating."

Oliver's eyes light up excitedly at the information. Myr is honestly surprised the first year hadn't already worked it out on his own somehow considering how much he seems to know about everything else Quidditch related.

"Then if she's not reserve this year maybe there won't be one! And I get to be the new Keeper!" He spins happily, nearly tripping himself in the process.

Charlie laughs. "Well that enthusiasm will certainly help! But you do know most second years don't make the team, right?"

"Hypocrite."

The group had arrived at the Gryffindor table to eat just as Charlie spoke, and Holly looks quite pleased at her interjection as the other fourth years, plus Oliver, join her, Brandon, and Nabila at the table. "You made the team your second year so you know full well that skill talks."

"That was with Laurel though. If Jacob makes Captain next year who knows what will happen?" Evera shudders.

"He'll probably just try to play every position himself." Drake jokes, and the group falls into a comfortable banter as they eat, with the occasional excited interjection from Oliver the only thing that breaks the flow of conversation.

As they head back up to the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower, something occurs to Myr.

"Hey Oliver, where's Percy? Did you two get everything sorted out?"

Oliver snorts. "Yeah, we're fine, he just overthinks everything and it's annoying is all. Charlie made good rules."

"Of course I did, I know how to handle my younger siblings." Charlie agrees proudly. "Anyway, Perce is probably in the library studying again. If he's not back in two hours I'll sic Bill on him."

Myr wonders what it would be like to have so many siblings. Then Evera steals Drake's broom and races off up the stairs shouting taunts and he thinks that maybe he already knows.

It's weird to watch Lenox and the other familiar flyers heading out for Quidditch tryouts while Rajani stays in the common room poring over her History assignment and making sure she's gotten all the dates correct.

Eugene and Queenie are sitting with her, and Eugene pats her shoulder comfortingly when her head instinctively turns to watch the group head out. "It's strange at first, but honestly the extra study time is worth it, I promise."

"It'll be different without Mayra this year as well." Rajani agrees, but she still feels a tug in her gut telling her she quit. The feeling does not sit lightly.

Nonetheless she manages to push down her unease - it's not like she hasn't been doing the same thing plenty these days with all her lying to her parents - and refocus on her homework long enough to get half-way through it.

That's when Ed joins them on the couch and any hope of actually getting work done goes out the window and drowns in the Black Lake.

"Hey pixies, what are you doing studying already? It's barely the end of the second week." The brunette grins over at them and Queenie pulls a face, putting down her quill.

"You're a terrible prefect, you know that? Telling students not to study." She admonishes him.

He grins. "Hey, I only have four classes, I've already long forgotten the stress of having to study every waking moment."

Rajani shoves him playfully, and he just laughs and pokes her back.

Queenie opens to make a comment that Rajani is sure will embarrass her, but then changes her mind moments later, her entire demeanor shifting from playful to somber in a heartbeat.

Rajani frowns at the change, but when she turns around she realizes the cause.

Cadfael Ashburner has emerged from the boy's dormitories and is quickly making his way towards the exit, his head down and a gloomy aura saturating the air around him.

Eugene sighs as his roommate leaves and the room's atmosphere immediately lightens again. "I wish he'd talk to someone, he's really bumming everyone out."

Ed frowns. "Why's he like that? I know he's always been a bit of a cad, excuse the pun, but he looked like death warmed over just then."

Queenie shakes her head. "His little brother passed away over the summer." She says quietly. "I can't even imagine - I don't even want to imagine life with Kingsley around. His brother was supposed to start at Hogwarts this year too..." She trails off, her face pressed into the carefully apathetic mask that Rajani recognizes as her friend trying not to tear up.

Ed lets out a low breath. "Oh, ouch. I may complain about them but I couldn't imagine losing any of my siblings either." A moment later he stands up. "I'll see if I can talk to him. You three have fun studying."

Queenie looks vaguely surprised as Ed gets up, suddenly all business, and hurries after their blond year mate.

"I honestly didn't think he had it in him to do that." She admits.

Rajani raises an eyebrow. "He is a prefect Queen." She points out with a trace of amusement.

Queenie shrugs. "I always figured the other boys in his year must be absolutely awful and that's why he was picked." She admits with a faint grin. "But you heard the prefect, back to studying. I want to get started on our Muggle Studies paper so that I don't have to think about it next week."

They get through about five minutes of work before Eugene pipes up again and derails their focus. "Who do you think will make Prefect in our grade next year?"

"Jemma Finnegan, obviously." Rajani replies promptly. "She's too much of a goody-two-shoes not to be. From our House I think Finn will probably be the male Prefect."

Eugene pouts. "Why not me?"

"Because you talk back in class too much." Queenie replies sweetly, pecking him on the cheek lightly. "I think it's cute but I don't think the professors appreciate it."

Eugene's lips quirk up. "Well I suppose I can't argue with that. What about you ladies? Who gets the honor of Prefect?"

"Obviously me." Queenie and Rajani speak at the exact same time, and the two girls look at each other in surprise a moment later.

Eugene scoots away. "Is this going to become a thing? Because if this is going to be a thing I'd like to get very far away very quickly please."

Queenie eyes Rajani critically, and then holds out her hand. "May the best woman win." She declare diplomatically.

Rajani gives the firmest handshake she can in response, and the two girls hold eye contact for a long moment before releasing their grip. Rajani's hand hurts slightly but she ignores it and grabs her quill again.

"So where were we?"

The study session is a bit tenser after that, but by the time the rest of their friends have wandered in from their various classes or other activities they've mostly fallen back into their usual routine.

Lenox is the last to arrive, waving at them only briefly before ducking up the stairs towards the dorms.

"I appreciate him." Eugene announces decidedly. "You know Cad and Alas don't shower every day? Finn neither but he also isn't always around at night. Dunno where exactly he gets to but he's not losing House points so I don't care. Lenox takes proper care of himself."

"Is that so?" Clary asks, sitting up from where she'd flung herself over the back of the couch, her eyes sparkling slightly. "I'd appreciate that too. I'm so glad I'm a girl, we all have proper hygiene."

"That's because we're Slytherins." Nia says primly. "I've smelt the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff girls at times and they're as bad as boys."

"Why is this our conversation topic?" Elspeth grumbles. The two girls are sitting on the floor in front of the couch, with their homework out but ignored in favor of chatting. "Boy are gross, girls are gross, everyone is gross. End of discussion. Someone talk about Transfiguration, I don't understand Colovaria."

Nia turns to help Elspeth with the incantation as the others laugh.

"I'm excited to see who you eventually fall in love with Els." Queenie grins. "We'll see if you think boys are gross after that."

Rajani very nearly adds on 'or girls' but bites her tongue. She doesn't know how her friends feel about that lifestyle and she doesn't want to unintentionally out her sister to anyone. Or unintentionally out anyone else in the area who might be the same.

She sighs to herself, grimacing as she looks back to her essay. She's only half-listening to the following conversation - she knows Lenox rejoins them at some point - but her attention is fully regained when a figure approaches them that normally doesn't hang around their group.

Eugene tilts his head curiously at the newcomer. "Hey Alas. What's up?"

Alasdair shrugs uncertainly. "Have you guys seen Cadfael around? We normally hang out in the courtyard and practice for class a bit but he never showed up today."

Eugene, Queenie, and Rajani all share a look, and by unspoken agreement Rajani stands up.

"We saw him earlier. He was in a mood - Ed went to go talk to him. I can help you look if you want."

Alasdair starts to shake his head but Rajani holds up a hand.

"Look, you probably know best where Cadfael would hang out, and I know where Ed would. Between us we're more likely to find them."

Alasdair hesitates, and then nods uncertainly.

"He hates you though." He notes idly and Rajani can't help but smirk.

"I'm aware. It's his own fault though, following us out. He ought to know Slytherins-"

"I know what we're supposedly like." Alasdair cuts her off. "You just take that pretty firmly to heart. Snakes are ambitious and clever, but we're supposed to have each other's backs - no one else is going to after all."

And in one sentence Alasdair makes Rajani feel like Hippogriff dung.

She sighs heavily. "I'll apologize, alright? I honestly didn't know about the vanished stair - I didn't know he'd get the flack for that too."

Alasdair glances at her out of the corner of his eye as they make their way through the winding dungeon corridors. "Did you ever find out who did that?"

Rajani shakes her head. "Nothing concrete. I may have my own suspicions but like you said, Slytherins have each other's backs so I'll be keeping those to myself for now." She tilts her head up to look at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I will try to better in general about applying that to people outside of my immediate friend group from now on."

Alasdair shrugs. "I honestly don't care. Don't go having a crisis of self on my behalf."

That actually earns a sharp laugh from Rajani and she looks back to her traveling companion. "Oh, no, don't worry. I've already passed that point a while ago - you're just a step in the already occurring crisis."

He smirks. It's faint, but it's there. "Well, good to know I suppose."

They walk mostly in silence after that, only speaking up to suggest a direction they think may prove helpful to their search.

Rajani normally isn't a fan of the quiet, as it reminds her far too much of her parents' house, but right now she's thankful for it as her thoughts spiral around her head and try to reorganize themselves in the face of the new information Alasdair has given her.

They wander the dungeons for some time, and Rajani makes a mental note to herself that she should properly explore the entire network of winding corridors before they graduate. Eventually, they reach an area that leads up, and Rajani perks up when she hears movement.

"Might be rats again." Alasdair points out, as flat as ever.

It's not rats. Although Ed is nowhere to be seen, Cadfael is sitting against one of the walls, idly drawing nonsensical patters in the dust coating the ground.

"Hey, it's dinner time if you're hungry." Alasdair greets, walking over to slide down next to the other boy, Rajani's presence either forgotten or ignored. Rajani thinks it's most likely the latter.

Cadfael startles faintly, and then shakes his head. "Lost track of time. Not hungry though."

Alasdair shrugs. "We'll get something later then. Raj is here too."

Rajani is surprised to hear Alasdair refer to her so casually - normally only her friends use her nickname. She nods politely when Cadfael looks up at her, and he makes a face.

"Why is she here?"

"She can speak for herself, thanks." Rajani interrupts before Alasdair can answer the question. "I offered to help look since I know Ed and he went after you earlier. I'm still here because I owe you an apology for two years ago. There are reasons for my behavior but I've been treating them like excuses, and for that I apologize."

Cadfael eyes her warily, and then nods. "It's fine."

Taking that as a dismissal, Rajani decides to head back up to the Great Hall, as her own stomach is starting to protest the lack of food.

She arrives well after the rest of the school, but Queenie has saved her a seat and she slips in between the dark-skinned girl and Clary with as little fuss as she can manage.

"How went the hunt?" Clary questions.

Rajani shrugs and starts to fill up her plate. "Successful I suppose. Alasdair is very..." For once words elude her and she merely gestures with her fork.

"Definitely." Eugene agrees with a laugh. "He and Cadfael seem to get each other though, so at least they've both got someone."

Rajani nods distantly. "And they do have us as well." She adds after a moment.

Eugene hums. "Of course! Slytherins always have each other's backs - the prefects tell that to the first years every year, right on the first night. But I mean just for casual stuff they have each other, because I'm pretty sure I'd be bored out of my mind trying to study with those two."

"You'd probably get more done though." Lenox points out wryly, and Eugene laughs.

"Probably, but where's the fun in that?"

Rajani once again finds herself sitting quietly as her friends talk. Something about the whole day has drained her, so although she responds when directly addressed she has little energy to do more than that.

She knows Queenie is giving her worried looks from across the table, but she decides she'll address them later. Honestly even she isn't sure why she's feeling as hollow as she is at the moment, so there wouldn't be much she could say at this point regardless.

Dinner drags by slower than Rajani thinks is normal, but they do eventually retire back to the common room where she can distract herself with work and pointedly ignore her friends' attempts to engage her. She does eventually tell them that she's feeling rather under the weather, giving the girls a pointed look that has them fending off any further attempts at interrogation over her mood.

Rajani knows it has nothing to do with her monthly cycle though, despite her implications. She'd finished a little over a week ago, so this particular rush of emotional upheaval is all her, and that's almost as upsetting as the upheaval itself.

She does surprisingly manage to finish her Muggle Studies essay before she decides to call it a night and head down the tunnel to the dormitories, wishing her year mates goodnight as they likely won't be retiring for a few hours yet.

When she gets to the room, she contemplates her bed for a long moment before instead turning to her nightstand and pulling out a quill and parchment. She hasn't sent a letter to her parents and she should probably report to them that everything is going well.

The letter is brief and to the point, and she folds it neatly and places it in her book bag to ensure she won't forget in. Then she changes into sleepwear and settles beneath her comforter.

She doesn't fall asleep right away - it's far too early for her to consider doing so - and instead her mind goes back to wandering over everything she's learned that day.

She feels a bit less hollow now, but the thoughts still don't sit comfortably, and when she does finally doze off what feels like it must be hours later, she's still rather uneasy about the whole situation.

She doesn't have very good dreams that night.

Franziska thinks she's come up with quite an effective way of balancing her relationship with Brandon and her friendships with everyone else - simply involving Brandon in everything she does with her friends.

This mostly has resulted in them having to move their study sessions out of the Hufflepuff common room and into empty classrooms (since they had been rather quickly ejected from the library for being too loud). Franziska doesn't mind it, and for the most part her friends are fine with the change, though they tend to filter in and out.

Nearly a month into the school year finds her settling into a room on the eighth floor (and she's pretty sure she's never actually been on the eighth floor before this) on a Friday afternoon with her bag stuffed full of every textbook she could fit.

Brandon is with her, and he looks amused as she dumps the contents of her bag onto the table they've selected. "You planning to get through everything in the next three hours?" He teases lightly, sitting next to her and pulling out his Potions book.

She grins at him. "I figure if people forget their textbooks or finish something earlier than expected then they can just use my books."

"You are the sweetest." He drops a kiss on her cheek before pulling open his book. "Who all are we expecting today?"

Franziska doesn't have to answer, as their study group bursts through the door not moment later.

She laughs. "There's your answer."

Leona pouts dramatically. "Dang it, I wanted to catch you two being illicit!"

Aidan shakes his head at her in mock scolding. "I told you, they were expecting us. That's just sneaking 101, never let your target know you're coming."

Kiera cackles. "But it can be fun watching them squirm, wondering when you'll arrive!" She points out cheerfully.

"This is true." Henry concurs as he closes the door behind them. "But also somewhat cruel."

Franziska waves them all over. "Brandon and I are model students. Henry, did you still want to work on the new Defense hex?"

Henry nods eagerly, taking the seat next to Franziska and pulling out his wand with no further prompting.

Leona and Kiera spend most of the time messing around, but they're polite enough to not interfere in the others' studies. Even Brandon has buckled down on his Potions in particular.

He'd told Franziska the second week of classes that he plans to get private theory lessons from Snape, but he'll have to prove himself in class first. So far he's stuck fast to his resolution and Franziska is happy to support him through it even if she really doesn't get why anyone would willingly spend more time than absolutely necessary with Professor Snape.

She personally doesn't care if she does manage an E on the Potions OWL in a year, she's planning to drop the class for her last two years of school.

Aidan is spending more time helping Brandon with his new passion, and Franziska is just happy that none of the ABC club guys seem inclined towards pranks this year.

She neatly deflects Henry's botched Revulsion Jinx, though it bounces dangerously close to the table and jolts one of the benches.

"Hey, watch it!" Leona yelps. "You know, you ought to ask for proper tutoring for Defense, you've always been poop at that class."

Henry flushes. "I'm trying!"

Leona's grin has taken on the quality that Franziska recognizes she's about to unleash her uncanny powers of knowing absolutely everything going on in the castle. "I'm just saying. Perhaps that Ravenclaw girl in our year - Amelia, isn't it? She's quite good from what I hear. I bet she'd be more than happy to help you."

Henry's face gets even darker, and Franziska immediately realizes what Leona is up to.

"Leona, stop meddling in other people's love lives." She scolds lightly, but she knows that she's grinning. "Henry will ask her out in his own time I'm sure, if he really likes her."

Leona sticks her tongue out but obligingly drops the topic with just one last knowing look at Henry, who's still blushing terribly.

Franziska takes pity on him. "Hey, why don't we switch to the Potions essay? I bet Aidan and Brandon can help out with it. They haven't been working on anything else for the past hour."

"I was doing extracurriculars." Brandon defends himself, and she bumps him lightly having known full well he wasn't working on the assigned essay.

Aidan looks appropriately embarrassed as well. "Sorry, the theory is fascinating, we kind of got off track."

"Completely by accident I'm sure." Kiera teases. "But also I'd like help with that too, Potions bullocks."

"Language!" Franziska yelps, and everyone at the table laughs at her blush.

They end up never finishing the essay, getting distracted talking about Quidditch and the upcoming Hogsmeade trip.

"I assume you two will want to make a date of it, but what's everyone else up to?" Leona dismisses Franziska and Brandon with a wave of her hand, looking intently at the others.

"Like you don't already know." Aidan points out with a grin.

She shrugs. "Wouldn't you like to know. I have to maintain my air of mystery you know."

He nods sagely. "Indeed. Gossiping 101 after all."

The both giggle at that, and Franziska thinks back to their conversation when they'd first come in and wonders if it's an in-joke she missed.

"Well I'm raiding Zonko's with Tonks. She's promised to try and not have a weekend detention for once." Kiera laughs.

"What did she do to get today's by the way? I thought she was supposed to study with us." Aidan pipes up.

Kiera shrugs. "Annoyed Filch somehow - did you know he can give detentions?"

"He can give House points too." Franziska pipes up. "I got ten from him last year during the prank war."

"Wait what?" Even Leona looks surprised by the information, and Franziska feels a stab of pride that she actually knew something before her roommate did.

"Yeah, I helped him clean up one of the corridors during a free period. It wasn't anything big really." Franziska shrugs modestly, but she knows her smile is ruining any chance of her being considered humble right at this moment.

Kiera shakes her head in amazement. "I honestly would have thought Jemma would get points out of him before you would. No offense."

Franziska just laughs and shrugs. Honestly she would have thought the same in her friend's shoes, and she says as much.

"True." Leona agrees. "I mean, we're all Hufflepuff but Jemma is, like, above and beyond."

"She wanted to be in Gryffindor though, did you know?" Brandon pipes up cheekily.

Kiera makes a face. "Boo, no. She would have been a terrible Gryffindor."

Brandon sticks his tongue out at her and the two devolve into a private war over who could make the more ridiculous face. Franziska buries her face in her hands and pretends she doesn't know her boyfriend as the others laugh at the display.

Dinner arrives sooner than Franziska expects and the whole group arrives in the Great Hall late. Brandon bids them farewell and hurries over to join Charlie and Drake at the Gryffindor table while the Hufflepuffs join their own table on the other side of the hall.

Jemma greets them with a smile. "How did studying go?"

"Could you go over my Charms essay?" Kiera requests promptly. "You're the best in that class, I don't trust these people."

"Not even me?" Tonks bats her eyes at her best friend, but breaks down laughing only moment later.

Jemma smiles modestly. "Of course I can Kiera, though I don't think I'll have time until Monday, is that okay? I'm starting the first year study group this weekend."

Kiera nods easily. "It'll probably not be done until Monday, so that works perfectly." She grins at Jemma's long-suffering stare.

"You really shouldn't put things off for so long, we've had that assigned for over a week now." Jemma scolds lightly.

They talk about classes for a bit, but there isn't yet much to discuss despite the steadily mounting homework levels. Naturally the conversation turns back to the upcoming first Hogsmeade trip, and everyone excitedly shares their plans.

"I actually have a date." Jemma admits off-handedly, wincing when Leona spins to face her so quickly Franziska is rather certain her brunette friend is going to have whiplash.

"Did you see how good I was? I didn't tell anyone until you said it!" Leona exclaims proudly. "But Drake asked her to go just the two of them three whole days ago! I didn't realize you two were getting closer but that's so cute!"

Jemma blushes slightly at the attention now being focused on her, but Franziska finds her eyes drifting past the blonde to the slight figure sitting on Jemma's other side.

Donaghan is smiling, but it's strained and Franziska feels bad for him. She'd been watching him nervously nursing his crush on Jemma for the entire month of school and she'd really hoped he'd get the guts up to ask her out.

But she can admit that she sees how Drake and Jemma could work as well, and she wishes her friend luck and suggests a possible double-date in the future if things work out.

The weekend passes rather quickly. Franziska mostly spends it studying, but she does sneak up to the Astronomy Tower with Brandon on Saturday night to stargaze - and make out a bit, admittedly. They're caught by Bill Weasley, who tells them to get back to the dorms and not get seen by anyone else.

"We're lucky it was him." Brandon admits as they sneak back down the Tower stairs. "Bill's cool, he'll just give warnings to first time offenders. But anything more than that and he takes points."

Franziska grins at him. "We just can't get caught next time then."

She muffles her own laugh at the look on Brandon's face, gives him a quick kiss goodnight, and reminds him not to get caught again before hurrying back towards the Hufflepuff dorms and leaving her stunned boyfriend in the corridor. Hopefully he'd snap out of it and not get a detention. She's rather looking forward to their upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.

The week ends up dampening that enthusiasm with the sudden rush of assignments and complex new spells piled onto them by the professors. By Friday, Franziska is exhausted and dreading their History of Magic and Transfiguration lessons in the afternoon.

"Are we still working on Evanesco or was Tuesday the last day for that?" Tonks frets. "Because I'm still not doing it right."

The Hufflepuff fourth years are enjoying what is a surprisingly warm day for the start of October out in the Clocktower Courtyard, comparing schedules and planning their study groups for the month.

"Last class was the last one, we're spending this month on cross-species switches." Cian announces flatly from where he'd sat a bit away from the group after Donaghan had dragged him to the meet up. "You'll have to practice on your own."

"I can help, I'm not totally comfortable with it yet either." Tyler offers, shuffling through his assignments. "We could work on it after Divination on Mondays?"

"Those of us not in the class could secure a location right after lunch and work on things beforehand too." Jemma suggests.

They have a rather rough idea of when they'll be meeting to study in the coming week when it's time to head back to classes, but Franziska knows that unless they solidify it over the weekend she'll probably be studying alone with Brandon. Which isn't the most objectionable situation, but she doubts they'll actually get much studying done if no one else is around.

She honestly gets through the last two classes in something of a daze, and she makes a note in Transfiguration to go over what they'd done with Aidan since she hadn't really been processing any of it.

But finally, finally, the week was over and Franziska looked forward to the Hogsmeade trip with renewed enthusiasm, putting thoughts of the pile of work waiting for her to the back of her mind and focusing on enjoying her day with Brandon.

She eats breakfast on Saturday at the Gryffindor table, chatting with Holly and Fiona while Brandon goofs off with Charlie.

"We're raiding Honeydukes for all of it's candy." Holly informs Franziska cheerfully when the latter asks what her plans are for the trip. "That's we as in me, Fiona, Nabila, and Evera. She usually doesn't come with so that will be fine."

Franziska nods, and then blinks and looks over. "Wait, who usually doesn't come with?"

"Evera." Fiona supplies with a smile. "Usually she's with Drake and Jemma but since it's a date this time she doesn't want to third wheel."

Franziska hums. "That would make sense. She's okay with it though? Them dating?"

Holly glances at Fiona, who nods firmly. "She's fine. So what about you, anything big planned with Brandon?"

Franziska shrugs in reply. "Nothing in particular. We're just going to walk around and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts. Most likely we'll be back here by mid afternoon and spend some time down at the lake."

Holly sighs. "I'm jealous. Charlie still won't go out with me."

"Maybe you ought to accept that and move on." Fiona suggests. Holly waves her off.

"Nonsense, it's tradition now. And anyway, I don't even like anyone really, so who else would I move on too?"

Fiona just shakes her head forlornly and Franziska grins at their antics.

She drags Brandon out the door before everyone else has finished, wanting to make the walk to Hogsmeade without their friends, much as she enjoys their company.

"How is Potions coming along?" She asks as they walk, and is happy to quietly listen as Brandon immediately goes off talking about his latest scheme to get their irritable Potions Professor to give him extra lessons.

Franziska really doesn't understand most of what Brandon is talking about, but it's cute to see him so excited about something so she stays quiet, nodding and humming at appropriate moments to keep him talking. They're only a minute or so out from the village when he realizes how long he's been talking.

"But yeah, that's sort of the long and short of it." He cuts himself off and grins over at her sheepishly. "Anything big happening in your life lately?"

She shakes her head, still amused. "I see you every day Brandon, you'd know if there was. I'm dreading Charms this year though, I reckon we'll have to build up muscle in our wrists if we don't wand our hands falling off."

He laughs and pulls her towards Honeydukes. The conversation fades out as they pick out a few sweets before their classmates catch up and overrun the store. By the time they've paid the rest of the school is starting to stream into the village and they make their escape into the Three Broomsticks, claiming a quiet table at the back before anyone else can steal it.

All in all, it's a good start.

Ana hasn't ever gone into Hogsmeade without a clear purpose before. She doesn't think she likes it very much.

She's scheduled to meet with Hannah for lunch around twelve thirty, but that leaves her with an entire hour which she has no idea what to do with.

She ends up wandering between shops, fidgeting with her bracelet and constantly checking that her coin purse still has the same amount of money in it as when she'd left the castle. Eventually she does go into Tomes and Scrolls and peruses the shelves to see if any of the books catch her attention. There are a few first editions that catch her eye, but what she ultimately decides to purchase is a tome on animagi and how to identify them. It costs more than she normally would have paid for such a simple book, but she still has thirty minutes before Hannah arrives and she's officially sick of being bored.

She heads towards the Shrieking Shack and settles on a bench about half way out to the supposedly haunted building. Ana believes it to be a load of nonsense of course - if there was any truth to it there would be at least some similarities between the numerous stories surrounding the place. What really solidified her disbelief was when she heard claim that it was a Muggle haunting the shack - anyone with half a brain knows that only witches and wizards can leave imprints on the world in the form of ghosts.

But the tall tales scare enough people off that the road leading to it is quiet enough to settle down and read for a while.

There are the occasional stray groups of third years on their first Hogsmeade expedition, but Ana finds that giving them a sharp glare is more than enough to get them to settle down if they're being too rowdy and break her concentration.

The book is at least interesting - if, as she had expected, overpriced - and she gets absorbed enough that she's startled when someone sits down beside her.

"Good book?" Hannah grins, and Ana quickly closes it and turns to face the older woman.

She hasn't seen her friend since graduation the year before, though she had sent Hannah a book on Muggle Astronomy when the blonde had turned eighteen over the summer. Hannah looks exactly the way Ana remembers, rounding and with hair like straw both in color and texture.

"It's adequate, thought I paid too much for it." She reponds to the question, and Hannah laughs.

"Oh man I forgot about how you talk like that. Everyone in the Observatory is super casual - I've learned more slang there then I ever did at school."

Ana pushes down the urge to make a face. "Oh, well that's... good?"

Hannah laughs again. "Don't worry, I know it's crazy. I'm having fun though. Anyway, shall we get lunch? I miss Madame Rosmerta's butterbeer something awful, I never get a chance to get any when I'm in town."

Ana follows her friend, tucking her new book beneath her arm. "Why don't you have the chance? You don't work very far from here, and I can't imagine you'd live very far either as commuting out here is quite a pain."

Hannah nods. "I actually live in Hogsmeade, but we don't have days off really, and I work nights so I usually get home after Madame Rosmerta closes, and I usually don't wake up until the afternoon at which point I'm rushing to get to work." She shrugs lightly. "So if I start dozing off please don't be insulted." She adds with a grin.

Ana frowns. "I wouldn't want to be imposing Hannah. If you need to sleep-"

Hannah is cutting her off within seconds of her trying to voice the thought. "Nonsense, I always have time for friends. Josie is swinging by over Christmas to tell me all about the fancy French University she got into - did you hear about that? I know you and Josie weren't as close so I don't know if she told you."

Josie had not - the only other people Ana had really kept in contact with were Sarah and Eric - so Hannah is happy to fill her in.

They continue catching up over lunch, and Ana once again remembers how much she misses her old group of friends. As enjoyable as sitting with Amelia and Shaun can be, they're not as intelectually stimulating as the seventh years had been when they were still at school.

"So I've been blathering on long enough I think." Hannah jokes as she wraps up a story about one of her coworkers spending an entire three nights trying to plot a new star system, only to find that the telescope lens was dusty and that's what he'd been studying. "How are things at Hogwarts? Are you still tutoring?"

Ana hums, thinking how exactly to answer the question. "I suppose the answer would be yes, though since he made the team this year Marcus doesn't exactly pay attention when I'm trying to explain things."

Honestly tutoring sessions with Marcus Flint, the son of one of her mother's friends, have gotten rather uncomfortable thanks to the fact that Alasdair Macmillan also made the Slytherin Quidditch team, and he and Marcus have become friends. This has resulted in Ana seeing a lot more of the boy, who she used to be friends with but eventually stopped talking to for no specific reason.

She of course doesn't say any of this to Hannah, who's nodding sympathetically.

"Quidditch people get really intense about that game honestly, I'm not surprised he's distracted. Though the season doesn't start until next month - if he's bad now you may want to brace yourself for worse then." Hannah is clearly amused by the situation, but Ana frowns when she realizes her friend is right.

"I suppose whenever we have a loss I should probably just cancel the sessions." She muses. "Honestly, I'll never understand how utterly obsessed people get with that game."

Hannah laughs. "Well I can think of a few reasons to watch. The players being in excellent shape being the least of those."

Ana thinks about the people on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. "I suppose they aren't terrible to look at." She concedes. "Still, I'm not sure that would be enough for me to really get into the game."

Hannah shrugs as Madame Rosmerta walks over to them. "Who said anything about liking the game? I just like watching." She laughs and then turns to greet their hostess, who takes their orders and then hurries off to deal with the rest of the customers.

"But anything else going on? I recall my fourth year was rather chaotic." Hannah smiles at the memories. Ana has heard bits and pieces about the year before she'd arrived at Hogwarts, but she never got the complete story from any of her friends.

"Your fourth year contained a Defense teacher who blew things up nearly as often as Evie does." Ana points out. "Our teacher this year can barely stand up. Again."

Hannah winces. "Yikes, hopefully Dumbledore will find someone younger next year? Are you at least learning things?"

Ana nods briskly. "I can teach myself of course. But there is actually one rather exciting thing happening for me this year."

Hanna perks up. "Your animagus lessons, right? I've been wanting to ask but I didn't want to say anything if you weren't enjoying them."

Ana shakes her head. "Oh no, they're wonderful. I meet with Professor McGonagall every Sunday after lunch for two hours. She says I'm not allowed to actually make any attempts to complete the spell until next year so we're just going through the steps and the dangers each poses."

Hannah hums. "Makes sense, fourteen is a bit young to be doing transformations like that. She'll probably have you wait past Halloween next year. Sixteen is a much better age for things like that."

Ana tilts her head in acknowledgement. "We've been looking at the effects of transformation on the developing body these past few weeks so I understand. I'm excited to learn about my form but not enough to risk my health."

They continue catching up, and Ana finds herself smiling without realizing it. She really has missed her friend, and when it's time for Hannah to run home to get ready for work Ana is rather dissapointed.

"Will we be able to meet at the next Hogsmeade weekend?" She asks, and Hannah looks surprised.

"Of course we will! I have to give you your birthday present after all." She grins. "I'll be seeing you every Hogsmeade until you get sick of me."

"I used to see you every day at every meal, I highly doubt I'd grow tired of your presence now seeing as I havn't already." Ana points out, and Hannah just laughs.

"I miss you Ana. Keep up the good work, but don't overwork!" She warns, giving Ana a hug goodbye that Ana tries to escape from immediately.

"Yes alright, I'll see you in a few weeks." She responds once she's extracted herself from the embrace.

Hannah waves as she hurries down the main street, turning off after a moment and vanishing from sight. Ana turns to head back towards the castle. It's only two in the afternoon, so she'll have time to do her school work before dinner, which she's rather pleased about.

The rest of the day goes by rather quickly between studying and writing essays, and when she awakens the next morning she grabs her notes for her animagus lessons and heads straight to the library to start reviewing.

Although it's only the fifth Sunday of the year, and only the fourth that she's had the lessons, she's already perfected the routine. A quick breakfast followed by settling at one of the back corner tables in the library with her notes from the previous sessions and all the books she's collected on animagi, which she then spends the morning going through in order to be fully ready for the afternoon's lesson.

This particular morning is the first one to divulge from the usual routine when Finnigan Marley walks over to her table, actually managing to startle Ana when he sits across from her.

She stares at him for a long moment as he pulls out his textbooks and parchment, spreading out over the half of the table not occupied by Ana's notes.

"No, no one was using that side, go right ahead." She drawls once she's recovered.

Finnigan half-glances up at her, then goes back to his notes without responding.

Ana rolls her eyes and returns to her own studying, not letting the surprise visitor throw her off her game any longer than he already has.

But the incident leaves her just confused enough to mention it over lunch to Amelia, Shaun, and Jerome, who have unintentionally become the new group of people she takes meals with.

Amelia frowns. "That is weird. I don't think he's ever willingly sat with anyone else outside of class before." She looks over at Shaun and Jerome. "Is he more open with you guys?"

"Not even slightly." Jerome shakes his head rapidly enough that Ana thinks he may give himself whiplash. "He's been super withdrawn and quiet from day one. Even Fitz chats more than he does and Fitz is like a scared little puppy most of the time."

Ana smirks at the comparison. "Not inaccurate. Well, whatever. He didn't distract me, I just found it odd."

"Quite." Shaun agrees quietly. "Maybe we could talk to him tonight? He's been rather sore since getting cut from the Quidditch team this year - maybe he just wants to reach out to someone but doesn't know how."

Ana rather doubts it, but she keeps her thoughts to herself and finishes her lunch as quickly as possible without choking or being impolite. Once she's excused herself she hurries to the Transfiguration classroom, moving perhaps a bit faster than she should be.

She knocks at the door once she arrives and waits a few second before pushing open the door and stepping in.

"Good afternoon Ms. Vulchanova. Take a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."

Professor McGonagall is grading essays at her desk, and Ana quickly settles in one of the front seats of the classroom and arranges her notes in front of her. She then folds her hands together in her lap and waits as patiently as she can manage for McGonagall to be ready.

After about three minutes the professor puts away her grading quill and stands. "I apologize for making you wait Ms. Vulchanova, but I do believe you are early today."

Ana lowers her eyes slightly. "My apologies, shall I wait for the appointed time?"

McGonagall shakes her head. "No need. Now, let us begin. Today and for the next several weeks we will be discussing the risks of long-term use of one's animagus form. We will start with the physical aspects and then delve into the mental and emotional. Any questions before we begin?"

Ana shakes her head quickly and raises her quill, adjusting her ink pot so it's easily in reach, prepared to write down everything McGonagall says.

The lesson itself is quite interesting, though nothing Ana hasn't briefly read up about on her own in the past. At the end of the session she packs up her things, thanks her teacher profusely, and then hurries back to Ravenclaw Tower to go over her new notes before dinner time.

"How was animagus training?" Amelia greets her casually as she enters their dorm. It was odd at first to be on comfortable speaking terms with the quiet girl but Ana is mostly used to it by now. Their third roommate Evie is nowhere to be seen, though admittedly Ana hasn't really seen much of her at all outside of lessons and curfew.

"Quite interesting, though I'm looking forward to next week more. We'll be discussing the mental impacts of frequent or long term transformations which isn't something I've found any books on yet."

Amelia tilts her head. "Sounds fascinating. You'll have to tell me about it. Have you finished the Astronomy Chart for tomorrow? I wanted to compare results with someone who actually gets good grades in that class."

Maybe Ana will never be fully comfortable with being on casual speaking terms with Amelia she thinks, as the request takes her by surprise.

"Of course. Let me just get it and we can compare." She agrees, and the two girls work on Astronomy until it's time to join the rest of their House for dinner.

It's definitely different than her past three years, Ana reflects as she and Amelia are joined in the common room by Shaun and Jerome and all four of them head to the Great Hall, but it's not bad. It's all becoming routine.