Okay, I want to let you know that I have NOT abandoned this story. I was a freshman in high school when I started it and now I'm about to be a freshman in college and I feel like I owe it to myself as well as the readers to finish this story. Not a day goes by when I'm not thinking about certain scenes I envisioned occurring in this story. I just had trouble getting to these scenes. Now, I am older and wiser. Some people can just wing a story. I, sadly, can not. I've made an outline for the story so I know exactly where I am going with it. I've taken some stuff out and added stuff in and I also present you with a new chapter I had been working on for the past 3 years. I have no idea how regularly I will be updating but I promise the wait won't be anywhere near as bad as it was before. Enjoy!

I'd also like to point out that I started this story 4 years ago. Half-Blood Prince hadn't come out yet. As such, this is before J.K. Rowling declared Blaise Zabini a boy and all those deaths happened and what not so this story is non-canon. Okay? Okay.

Chapter One

"I hope we have a decent teacher this year," Harry said as they climbed another staircase. "What's her name again?"

Hermione answered, "Professor Dessen. Ginny said she's good. She had her yesterday." They reached the top of the stairwell and made a left.

It was the end of the first week of school and the trio was making their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, the last class of the day.

Ron shifted his school bag to his other shoulder. "I just hope she doesn't give us too much homework. We have enough as it is," He said as they rounded the last corner. Down the hall, they could see the class filing into the classroom. He made a face. "We have this class with the Slytherins."

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled at his sleeve. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

Ron sputtered, "Hermione, we're right here!" She gave him a look and then pushed him through the door. Professor Dessen was just telling the class to settle down as they made their way to three seats on the right side of the classroom.

"Would one of you get the door please?" Professor Dessen asked, looking up from her desk.

Ron turned round to close it but Hermione stopped him. "I got it." He nodded and followed Harry to the Gryffindor side of the classroom. She doubled back and closed the door but on the way back, a foot out from the Slytherin side sent her sprawling in the air. She stuck her hands out to break her fall. Ron and Harry jumped up to help her.

Hermione heard a few snickers and she turned her head to see Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy sneering down at her. Blaise smirked, "Did you finally realize that's where you belong?"

Pansy laughed, sticking out a black Mary Jane and shoving it in Hermione's face. She grinned maliciously. "Why don't you kiss my feet while you're down there, Mudblood?"

Hermione got to her feet and slammed her hand down on their table. "What is your problem?!"

Harry glared at them. "You could've hurt her, you know."

Draco shrugged, examining his nails. "Well, it would be one less Mudblood in the world."

Ron made a fist and nearly punched him but Harry grabbed his arm just in time. Draco stood up and narrowed his grey eyes at him. "I dare you, Weasley."

Hermione gave him an utter look of disgust and patted Ron on his shoulder. "They're not worth it, Ron. Let's just go."

Draco smirked, "Listen to the Mudblood, Weasel. You can't afford to piss us off." Pansy and Blaise snickered behind him.

Hermione and Harry struggled to keep Ron from doing something he'd regret. Hermione glared at the three of them. "Enlighten me. What makes Purebloods so much better than Muggleborns?"

"There's no reason why, we just are. It's like how the sky is blue. You don't know why it's blue you just know that it is," Pansy said smugly.

Hermione retorted, "Actually, there is a reason why the sky is blue. It absorbs other colors of the spectrum but reflects blue because of the color of the oceans."

Blaise looked skyward. "Don't you have a book to memorize, brown noser?"

"I don't memorize books and I am not a suck up."

"Please! All Gryffindors are kiss asses, especially you three. You guys got all the teachers wrapped around your prissy little fingers, don't you?" Draco said. "People think you're so brave when you're just too stupid to see the danger."

Ron finally shrugged off his friends but had thankfully calmed down. He countered, "Yeah? Well all Slytherins are just children of Death Eaters." He said using Draco's same tone. "Especially you three. You're probably the children of You-Know-Who's Inner Circle. He's practically your Godfather, huh?" Ron spat.

Draco, Blaise, and Pansy's face hardened as the room fell silent. Both trios glared at each other with heart felt loathing. Only when Professor Dessen spoke did they remember that they had an audience.

"Sit down! All of you!"

All of their heads swerved toward her.

"Now!"

Pansy, Draco, Blaise returned to their seats. Harry and Ron helped Hermione pick up her things and sat down at their own seats, which were annoyingly close to the Slytherins. Professor Dessen got up from her desk and stood in the middle of the classroom.

"I'm sorry that I snapped at you like that but this has to stop."

Hermione hesitated then asked, "What does?"

Professor Dessen shook her head as she brought her wand out. She pointed towards her desk and said, "Accio chair." The chair appeared behind her and she sat down on it. She put her wand away and looked up at the class and answered, "The prejudice."

Harry inclined his head toward the opposite side of the room. "Tell it to them. They're the ones that are prejudice."

She shook her head again and said, "It's not just them, Mr. Potter. It's everyone, including you."

"What are you talk-,"

"Tell me, what is the meaning of prejudice?"

Ron looked at her like she was crazy. "It's when you have something against a certain group of people."

Professor Dessen's black eyes landed on him. "No it's not. The dictionary meaning of prejudice is preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or experience and unjust behavior formed on such a basis." She paused to let the class think and then continued, looking at the two trios. "I'm going to speak with Dumbledore and your Heads of Houses."

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked feebly.

"We will discuss that after class. Now if everyone would take out their wands we can get started on a review to see what stuck with you guys over the summer."

* * *

The bell rang and both trios rushed to pack away their things. Professor Dessen raised an eyebrow at this and inquired, "Why are you in such a hurry? You're not going anywhere." Their bags dropped to the floor along with their hopes at escaping punishment. They sat back in their seats groaning. Housemates gave them pats of sympathy and walked out. Professor Dessen stood up from her desk and announced, "I'm going to Floo in the Heads and Dumbledore."

Draco lifted his head from his folded arms on his desk. "Why don't you just give us the detention or deduct the points so we can all leave? Or do you lack the authority to do so without the Headmaster present?" He smirked. Blaise and Pansy snorted to cover up their giggles. The Gryffindors rolled their eyes.

Professor Dessen gave the Slytherins polite smiles back and answered, "I do have the authority to give out detention and points without the Headmaster and if you three aren't careful, maybe I might add that to the arrangement I had in mind." When that comment wiped the smirk from Draco's face, she snorted to mock the girls.

"What arrangement?" Ron asked as Professor made her way to her office in the back.

"I'm going to ask them if it will be alright to lock you six in a room and not let you out until you understand that nobody is better than anybody else."

There was a brief silence in the room and then-

"You can't do that!" Pansy argued.

"Are you kidding me?" Harry groaned.

"Please tell me you are-," Blaise pleaded.

"We didn't do anything!" Hermione objected.

"Whatever happened to point deduction?" Draco asked.

"They were the ones that said it. How come we're getting punished?" Ron declared.

Professor Dessen looked at Ron. "You and your friends are just as guilty. It isn't your fault. The prejudice started many years ago but has seemed to have been passed down to you."

Harry sputtered, "But they started it!" He pointed to the opposite side of the room where the Slytherins sat.

Draco rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Well put, Potter."

"I am quite aware of that, Mr. Potter but you and your friends decided to finish it and it's about time you all learned a lesson. I'm going to my office to bring your teachers so we can discuss it."

As she did so Harry whispered to Hermione, "She can't do that can she?"

"I just don't see how- I mean, we have classes to go to and other things to do. I don't think Dumbledore would allow it."

Ron nodded his agreement, "He's crazy but not THAT crazy."

Meanwhile, a similar conversation was happening on the opposite side. Blaise looked at Draco with complete horror. "Tell me she can't do that."

Draco shook his head, "Even if she can, which I doubt, Snape wouldn't give her consent."

"Yeah Blaise, he's on our side," Pansy agreed.

* * *

"I think that's a marvelous idea. You have my permission to do whatever you wish," Snape nodded.

All of their jaws dropped. This couldn't be happening. Hermione thought fast. "But . . . but how will we go to classes?"

"Yeah! How will we go to classes?!" Ron echoed. The fact that the inquiry came from Ron, of all people, showed just how dire the situation is.

"Well I imagine this situation will be a lot like being grounded . . . except you're at boarding school. You will go to classes as usual but you will return to the quarters that will be provided for you during breaks and meals. After school's done for the day you'll stay in that room," Professor McGonagall answered.

"For how long?" Pansy groaned, dreading the reply.

Professor Dumbledore sighed, "Professor Dessen is right. This has to stop-,"

"For how long, Professor?" Pansy repeated, impatiently.

"As long as it takes-,"

Ron exclaimed, "Nice going, Parkinson. You pissed him off!"

Dumbledore smiled, "I assure you Mr. Weasley that Ms. Parkinson's impatience didn't . . . what was it you just said Mr. Weasley?"

Ron looked at the ground and muttered, "Nothing,"

Draco waved his arms in the air. "Sir, what about Quidditch?"

"Oh I don't know. Don't you guys have reserve Seekers or something?" Snape asked with his lips twitching.

"No!" Harry and Draco sputtered in unison with the same looks of disgust. Honestly, why would they need reserve Seekers if they were the best in the school? Really!

"Oh well, I can only hope you children settle your differences quickly. Otherwise we'll have to tell your teammates to find replacements."

Their jaws dropped again. Pansy asked, "Why are you only punishing us? It's not as if the whole school isn't prejudice."

Professor Dessen countered, "And why do you think that is, Pansy?"

"What?"

"The prejudice has always been around I'll admit that, but it seemed to escalate since You-Know-Who broke out and I've never seen it as bad as it is now that you guys are in your final year at Hogwarts. Why do you think that is?"

Ron shook his head. "I don't see what you're getting at."

"You guys have no idea what kind of influence you have on the students at Hogwarts, do you?" They shook their heads. "You might not realize it but you guys are practically the leaders of your houses. The students look up to you because you're the oldest and to them you guys are probably the coolest kids in school. They admire you so much that they want to be just like you so when they see their leaders fight the way you do, which I'm guessing is all the time, they're gonna do the same thing."

Blaise shook her head vigorously. "That's ridiculous."

"How so?" Dumbledore asked, pacing around them. "You're all popular. You and Mr. Weasley are Prefects. Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger are sure to be Head Boy and Girl. Mr. Potter is the Boy Who Lived and to add to that all of you have strikingly good looks. Is it really that hard to believe?"

"No, but still . . ." they trailed off glaring at each other.

Professor McGonagall said, "Well it looks like we're going to have to go through with this aren't we?"

Professor Snape nodded his agreement. "You all can go to your Common Rooms and wait there until we have the quarters ready." The three adults walked toward the door.

Hermione asked in disbelief. "You can have the room done that soon?"

Dumbledore turned around. "We're magical people Ms. Granger. We can do anything." He winked and closed the door after him.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Draco got to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at Hermione. "This is all your fault!"

"My fault?" She asked incredulously as she and the others got to their feet as well. "If you and your idiotic friends hadn't have tripped me maybe none of this would've ever happened!"

Blaise scoffed, putting a hand on her chest. "So you're saying it's our fault?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "If the shoe fits!"

"I'll have you know, that we didn't trip you. The only thing you have to blame for your fall is your own clumsiness," Pansy said.

Blaise offered, "That or her big feet."

Harry started, "Hermione isn't clumsy-,"

"And I do not have big feet. I'm a 7-,"

"Someone tripped her," Ron finished.

"Well it sure as hell wasn't us," Draco said crossing his arms across his chest.

Harry asked, "How do we know you're not lying?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "It's common sense, Scarhead. If we had tripped her, her face would have landed a couple of desks ahead of us instead of at Pansy's feet. Generally when you trip, you fall forwards, backwards, side to side, not straight down." The Gryffindors fell silent. He nodded at his two friends. "Let's go."

Pansy turned around and smirked, "Now who's idiotic?" And with that, she closed the door behind them.