It's Magic!

The train chugged dutifully along the track, steam spewing from the smokestack. Occasionally, the smoke had bursts of bright color interspersed in its inky black cloud, due to some especially energetic pranksters.

I was on the Hogwarts Express, headed to another yet year at my school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

At seventeen, I was a seventh year student. I had been going to Hogwarts since I was eleven.

On the worn, torn, vinyl seat across from me sat my best friend, Sheralynn. She preferred people to call her Sherri, however.

She was lounging back on her perch, watching the ceiling inattentively.

"Izze," she sighed.

I looked up from my book. I always seemed to have a book on my lap. I'm just like that.

"Will we get there any time soon?" Sherri groaned.

I chuckled under my breath. She was ever the impatient one. "I would guess we'll be there within ten minutes," I replied, almost as excited about the upcoming school year as she was.

"The train ride seems to get longer every year," she complained, distractedly flipping her brown curls over her shoulder.

I was interrupted from replying by the door to our train car sliding open. A grinning, tousled blond head poked in.

"Levi!!" Sheralynn exclaimed, sitting up straight. "Come sit with us! How have you been?"

My other best friend, Levi Shaw, slipped through the door, closing it behind him.

Sheralynn leaped to her feet and hugged him tightly.

Closing my book, I laid it on the seat next to me and also hugged Levi. "So good to see you again, Lev! How was your summer?"

His eyes got wide when I hugged him, and he stiffened.

"Hi – uh….bye!" he exclaimed, and practically leaped back out the door.

Sheralynn and I looked at each other in confusion. Levi did not usually act that way. Why had my hug bothered him so much?

I shrugged and Sherri mirrored my movement.

Later, after we had arrived at Hogwarts, sat at the table, and had the Sorting, Professor Armitage, the head teacher, stood to make announcements.

"Ahem," He cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. "Tonight, instead of having our usual feast followed by bed, we will be having a Welcome Back To Hogwarts party."

Mystified shouts and gasps filled the dining hall. Sherri squealed excitedly in my ear.

"We've never had a party on the first night!!" she exclaimed.

"We have hardly had any parties at all," I replied. It was true.

We were instructed to go upstairs and unpack, then meet back in the dining hall in an hour.

Sherri and I split up, promising to meet each other soon.

I'm in the Ravenclaw house, while Sherri and Levi are in Gryffindor.

I climbed the steps to our dorm rooms.

Three other girls are in my dorm. I'm not particular friends with any of them, but they're all nice.

I opened the big lid to my trunk and dug through it until I found what I wanted. I pulled out a light yellow dress. It was long enough to reach mid-calf, and it had flounces around the bottom. I silk sash around the middle had a pink flower pinned to it.

I slipped into the dress, and then piled my long, blond hair on top of my head.

When it was time, the four of us trooped down the stairs and back into the great hall.

The dining hall had been decorated beautifully for the party. The long House tables had been pushed against the walls and now overflowed with deliciously tempting snacks.

Tinsel and multi-colored lights had been strung around the walls, while the magical roof let moonlight spill down into the room.

Every student was dressed in their best, and really excited.

One of the teachers was conducting the orchestra in on corner, and a few couples had started dancing. Other students were laughing and chatting with their friends in little clusters. Still others were helping themselves to the food laid out on the tables.

I craned my neck around, standing on tiptoe to find Sherri. I didn't see her at first.

Turning to look the other direction, I ran smack-dab into Jaygo Erroyl.

I mentally groaned.

Jaygo was from the Slytherin house. He really bugged me.

"Hi, Izze," Jaygo greeted me smoothly.

I tried to be polite. "Good evening, Jaygo."

"Welcome back to school," he began.

"Thanks. You too," I tried to make him get the hint that I didn't want to talk to him.

"Look, Izze, I was wondering if you and I could go together on the next trip to Hogsmead," Jaygo smiled widely, waiting for my answer.

"Um. Well," I stuttered. I wished he hadn't asked. I knew that he had liked me for a long time, but hoped he wouldn't be brave enough to actually talk to me about it.

"I don't think that –"

Jaygo cut me off. "Are you saying yes or no?"

I knew he wanted a straight answer. I looked him straight in the eyes and said simply: "No."

A disappointed scowl crossed his face, and he stalked away from me.

I began to push through the crowded hall to the big doors that led out of the room. I needed air and quiet.

Just as I made it to the doors, my buddy Levi strolled casually over to me, looking happy.

"What did he want?" he asked, gesturing to Jaygo with one hand.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "He asked me to go with him on the trip to Hogsmead."

I pushed through the doors and out into the quiet hall.

Suddenly, Lev didn't look so carefree. "What did you say to him?"

"I told him, kindly but firmly, that I didn't want to," I shrugged noncommittally.

"Why, exactly?" Levi shuffled his feet nervously, looking anywhere but at me.

My eyebrows knit together. "Because I truly don't want him as a boyfriend…." I began.

"But not because you don't want a boyfriend?" he asked, still not looking at me.

I put a hand on my hips. "What are you getting at?"

He fiddled with his fingers. "I was just wondering if you…. and I – well, I mean…..maybe."

"What are you saying?" I demanded, staring intently at him.

"You are not making this easy!" He groaned.

I stayed quiet so that he could finish.

Lev locked eyes with me, took a deep breath and said, "I was wondering if you would go out on the next trip to Hogsmead, and if you would be my girlfriend." He sighed in relief after he had said that and relaxed visibly.

I smiled hugely at the sudden insight that had popped into my head. "Is this why you were acting so weird earlier on the Hogwarts Express?"

He nodded in confession.

Blushing slightly and trying not to look too excited, I replied. "I would like to be your girlfriend."

Lev's grin almost split his face in half. He grabbed me around the waist and spun me in a circle.

I giggled. "Put me down. Put me down!"

He did, and then we went back to the party.

~^&^~

The next month, all the students gathered together in front of Hogwarts to head to the little village of Hogsmead.

As we walked, I got a glimpse of Jaygo glaring at me as I held hands with Levi, but I ignored him.

Levi and I had a great time at Hogsmead.

As we walked stepped out the door from the tea house, my friend Sherri popped into view.

Lev smiled at the wide, excited grin on Sherri's face. "I'll leave you girls to talk for a bit. Izze, do you want to meet in ten minutes by the Hog's Head?"

I nodded in agreement, and he left.

I talked for a while with Sherri, but one of her other friends called her away.

As I headed to the Hog's Head for my rendezvous with Levi, I turned the corner and ran into Jaygo.

I saw something strange in his hand. "What are you doing with Levi's wand?" I asked accusingly.

He tried to hide it under his coat, but I snatched it away.

"Izze! Uh….I…..well, you see…" he mumbled.

I marched off, ignoring Jaygo's mumbled excuses and taking Lev's wand with me.

~^&^~

A week after the trip to Hogsmead, I was walking from potions class to the library for some extra study time.

I was suddenly overtaken by a very keyed up Sheralynn.

"Izze, Izze, Izze!!!" she cried, grabbing me by the shoulder. "You will never guess what happened!"

She had me intrigued. It was not unusual for Sherri to overreact, but she wasn't often this animated.

"A student has been attacked!" she exclaimed. "Professor McCauley found Garret Cortland in a hallway. He was covered in warts and unconscious."

I gasped. "Really? Do you know anything else?"

She nodded vigorously, wide eyed. "Well, you know that Garret was Levi's good friend. Lev was the last person anybody had seen with Garret, and the rumor is that Levi is the attacker!"

My mouth dropped open. "Levi?" I shrieked. "But he would never do anything like that!"

"I know that," Sherri agreed. "But the evidence is condemning."

~^&^~

A few days later, there was another attack.

Another of Lev's friends had been attacked. This time the person was paralyzed for a full four hours. Again, Levi was the last person seen with the victim.

I decided I needed to talk to him about it.

I ran into Levi coming out of the office of Professor Armitage, the head teacher.

Lev looked upset.

"What is going on?" I demanded, lacking more tasteful words at the moment.

He scowled. "Professor Armitage threatened that if another attack happened, and the evidence incriminated me, I would be expelled."

I gasped. "But, you didn't do it, did you?" I couldn't believe he was at fault.

"No!" he exclaimed. "At least, I don't think so. Oh, I don't know!" he sighed, running two aggravated hands through his already messy hair. "I was sure I didn't do it, but now…." He trailed off. Looking with haunted eyes into my face, he whispered: "But now I'm starting to believe I did attack those students."

I laid a hand on his arm. "Lev, I know you. You didn't attack those students. There's no way. I'm going to get to the bottom of this."

~^&^~

On Saturday, I was outside the castle with Lev and Sherri.

Thankfully, there had been no more attacks, but I still had no further clues about what was really going on.

The three of us were sitting on the grass, having some light-hearted fun. Sherri and I were attempting to get Lev's mind off his problem for as long as we could.

Sherri whipped her wand out of her pocket and transformed a bumblebee that was flying about her head into a butterfly.

"There! Much better," she chortled.

I promptly flicked my wand at a grasshopper and turned it into a toadstool.

Sherri and Lev laughed.

Lev pulled his wand out, stood in front of us, and with a flourish, cast a spell.

There was a flash of light in front of my eyes and I blacked out.

~^&^~

I woke up with a terrible headache. Groaning, I lifted my eyelids.

I was in the hospital ward.

I sat up, recalling my blackout.

Sherri was in the bed next to me. Her skin was striped like a candy-cane.

I glanced at my skin and saw blue polka dots. Actually, I thought our new coloring was quite comical.

But where was Lev?

Madame Orwell bustled in, her sunny smile in place, as always.

"Hello dearie. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. Where is Levi Shaw?" I asked the important question.

The healer scowled. "Last I heard, he was on the way to the headmaster's office. Probably to get expelled, like he deserves."

I rolled out of the bed. I had to get to Levi before he got sent away!

I ignored Madame Orwell's protests and raced out of the hospital ward.

Frantically, I raced to the headmaster's.

I burst through his door. "Professor Armitage, don't expel Levi!"

The wizened teacher and Lev looked up, caught off guard by my entrance and my strange appearance.

I gasped for breath. "Levi isn't the culprit. I know he isn't."

Professor Armitage looked interested. "Why would you say that, Miss Mirrez?"

I stood tall. "I've known Lev for ten years. He wouldn't do something like this."

The teacher watched me carefully. "How would you explain that he was the only one with the students when the attacks happened? He was the only one with you and Miss Anders when you were assaulted."

This was the big moment. "Here's my theory." I began. "Check to see if his wand has been jinxed."

Professor Armitage confiscated Levi's wand and asked us to step outside while he scrutinized it.

We followed his instructions.

Lev leaned heavily against the stone wall. "Do you really think I didn't do it?" he asked me quietly.

I put a hand on his cheek. "Lev, I am absolutely certain you didn't do it."

He smiled gratefully. "You have more confidence in me than I do."

We were interrupted by Professor Armitage exiting his office. "I have detected a jinx that has been placed on this wand. It is enchanted so that it does not do the spell the user asks, but does something else entirely."

Lev and I looked at each other in relief.

"I think we have successfully cleared your name, Mr. Shaw. The only thing I don't know is who placed the jinx," Professor Armitage mused.

A sudden suspicion occurred to me. "I think I know."

I explained how I had caught Jaygo with Levi's wand on the trip to Hogsmead and how the Slytherin student had been jealous of Lev and I. The attacks had started after our journey to Hogsmead. It made sense!

~^&^~

A few hours later, Jaygo had been confronted. He had confessed and promptly been expelled for the rest of the year.

Levi had been invited to stay at school and his name cleared in front of the whole school.

Sherri's and my skin had been turned back to normal and the other two students who had been attacked were going to be fine.

I stood outside in the soft evening light, holding Levi's hand.

"I think you should have kept the blue polka dots," he teased. "I think I preferred you that way."

I rolled my eyes. "Am I really ugly enough that blue polka dots would improve my looks?"

He quit smiling. "You aren't ugly at all. You're very pretty." He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. "In fact, you are quite perfect."

Lev kissed me then. His lips were soft and tender against mine.

He pulled back, watching me seriously. "I wanted to thank you for saving me, but most of all for believing in me, even when I didn't."

I smiled, and laid my head on his shoulder. I could stay in his arms forever. "You're very welcome. And I will never, never stop believing in you."

He grinned widely, tucked a strand of escaped hair behind my ear, and kissed me again.