A/F: Hey Fanfiction Potterheads! This is the first story that I've written in a long time that's for anyone but myself, so I beg of you all to bear with me. But other then that, I honestly hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any comments, questions, or even grammar mistakes (Self-editing right now, but sometimes I miss a spot or two) feel free to drop me a PM and a review. I honestly love ANY feedback, good or bad!
XOXO,
Emmie Rose

Some characters, the world, the spells and the genius belong to the rights of JK ROWLING, but all others such as most characters, plot and such are completely mine! Thanks!


I glared at myself in the mirror. Things just weren't going right for me this morning. The room echoed back at me, making me start to sweat. Oh boy, Mum is not going to be happy, but hopefully Kent is worse-off like he usually is. My school trunk lay open and its contents were spewed all over the room. This is so not like me.

"Kaylie! I thought you packed last week. Then two days ago. Then last night again. Wicked, this is going to make my trunk look positively tidy," my twin brother Kent announced from the doorway. He was clutching two different socks; one with Gryffindor lions on it and the other black with unidentified stains.

"Oh put a pie in it before I make you," I grumbled, pointing to my wand lying innocently on a pile of different colored jumpers.

"No but honestly, what's with your trunk? This is totally against your normally annoying OCD standards," Kent snorted, leaning against the doorjamb and jerking his head so some of his dark brown curls lifted out of his eyes.

"I had a dream last night, which sent me careening into a panic attack. I realised my outfit is completely wrong," I grumbled, holding one of the two jumpers in my hands against my dressing robed chest.

"Your outfit is wrong? What the bloody hell happened to you? Since when do you care about how you look? I thought books and lessons were the only things that mattered to you," Kent laughed, stuffing the socks into his jean pockets and flopping onto of a pile of neatly folded clothes on my bed.

"Get your filthy trainers off of my clean bedspread!" I gasped, going over and shoving his legs. He rolled onto a pile of text books on the floor.

"Ouch! You banshee! That really hurt!"

"I don't give a flying hippogriff if it hurt! You were mudding and wrinkling my clean clothes you-you flobberworm! Your trainers are filthy," I snapped, my turquoise eyes flashing. I can almost hear my dark brown curly hair crinkling in my ears with anger.

"I'm a flobberworm! Where is this coming from? Since when do you get all titchy about going back to school?"

I felt my cheeks heat up.

"I'm not titchy, okay?" I announced, grabbing my wand and clutching it tight.

"Oh really? Coming from the person who will walk around all day with ink on their nose," Kent laughed, sitting up and holding one of my large tomes in front of him like a shield.

"Nobody told me!"

"That's my point! You usually don't care about mirrors and appearances, what's got your knickers in a twist?" he questioned innocently.

"Nothing, okay. Just drop it. We've got to get packed up or we'll miss the train and Mum will kill us." I sighed, letting my wand arm drop. Maybe I was only a tad bit defensive. But I have my reasons.

"You're off your rocker, you are." Kent announced, lowering the book.

"I am not, okay. I just thought that I'd give things other than books a chance," I mumbled, clutching the jumpers into my fist and flicking my eyes towards the pile of clothes on my bed. Maybe the new blue top with the flowers around the hem and neckline? It would look brilliant with that skirt Victorie Weasley picked out in muggle London. I furrowed my brow and let out a small sigh.

"You've gone mad," Kent announced, tossing the book on my bed as I went forward and carefully plucked the two from the pile. I painstakingly refolded the two jumpers I was holding and put them into the "Jumper Pile".

"Where'd you get that?" Kent asked suddenly.

"Get what?"

"That skirt thing? You don't wear those."

I looked down at the tight black skirt in my hand and blushed.

"When I went out with Victorie that one day," I replied, before coughing embarrassingly.

"You went shopping? But you hate shopping," Kent spluttered.

"There you two are! Kent, your trunk is completely empty! And so is yours! Kaylie, this is very unlike you!" Mum announced from the doorway.

"I know, but we all know I can repack it in a jiff, Mum. I just had to get something out that was at the very bottom," I explained, shooting our mother a smile.

"Well alright, but Kent, you go pack. And do not just shove everything in!" She declared, giving my twin a knowing look.

"I don't see why not. It just ends up that way by tomorrow," Kent grumbled, giving me one last odd look and exiting the room. I sighed and watched the enchanted blue jays fly around the tops of my walls.

"Kaylie, darling, are you alright?"

"Just peachy Mum, just peachy," I chirped falsely, quickly pulling on the top and grabbing my thick uniform tights from the end of my bed. I struggled to get them on, ignoring my mother's pointed look.

"You seem rather jumpy sweetheart. Is it because your O.W.L.S are this year? The term hasn't even started and I'm sure you will do brilliant," she announced, taking a stack of books (organized by subject, then alphabetically) and putting them into the bottom of my trunk. I finally got the tights up over my hips and let out a small sigh. A situation like mine just isn't discussed with ones mother. The truth is, I'm in complete and utter love and he doesn't know I exist. So I lied.

"Yeah, that's it exactly. You know how I get about exams," I replied feebly, getting my skirt up and over the bottom of my top and buttoning the toggles of the top of my skirt just under my rib cage. I looked at myself in the mirror. There in front of my stood and awkward girl of fifteen (almost sixteen), wearing clothes that she looked clearly uncomfortable in. The top accentuated the right bits (according to Vic) and the skirt flared out in a rather girly manner. I kind of just wanted to be in my jeans and a ratty sweatshirt, but I knew that would lead to another year of invisible Kaylie. Twin to Kent Scott and other best friend of James Potter. I sighed.

"You look pretty hen, are those some of the things you got with Victorie?" Mum asked, now putting my shower bag and a package of fresh socks and tights into my potions cauldron. By now, she knows the meticulous way that I pack my trunk. Always the same and always perfectly symmetrical. Put down my pillow and blanket on top of my school supplies and began to layer in jeans and winter coats. Jeans on the left, coats on the right, all the exact same level. Then go the school robes on the upper left and school shirts the bottom left, school skirts the upper right and school sweaters the bottom right. My muggle clothes go next and finally the uniform I will change into on the train. Mum shut the trunk and locked it with a tap of her wand before turning to me. I nodded and took in a deep breath.

"Let it out hen, there's nothing to be afraid of. You will pass with plenty of revision," she soothed, coming over and pushing some curls out of my eyes before planting a kiss on my forehead.

"I'm going to go check on Kent now, be down in the kitchen in about ten minutes?"

I nodded again and grabbed the light button up jumper from the hanger next to me. I slipped it on and flicked my hair out of the collar. I was dying to tie my long hair up into a pony tail. It jumbled down to my waist in annoying waves and tangles. It was nothing like Victorie's long sheet of slivery hair. She had all the boys going after her. But she only ever had eyes for Teddy. She was blubbering to me that she didn't know what to do now that he had graduated. I remember scoffing at her in my mind. It was only one year.

I've always looked up to Victorie in a way that I couldn't place. Not only was she drop dead gorgeous, but she was smart and Head Girl. Ever since I was eleven, I've admired her with a reverence I couldn't describe. She was two years older than me and I thought I would never, ever, get to know her. But then Kent and I became really good mates with her cousin James and she and I became friends despite the age difference. Not the type of friendship I had with James, but more like a mentor mentee kind of way, which drove her sister Dominique crazy. I don't know why I never became close with Dominique, she's certainly closer to my age, but something with Victorie just clicked.

My eyes flicked to the shiny Prefect badge Mum moved to the top of my trunk, acutely noticing the bronze alice-band with the metal flowers she also placed there. I was one step closer to becoming more like her.

I sighed again and walked over to the trunk, lifting up the thin metal band. Mum has good taste. I shoved it into my hair, brushing it off my face. Giving myself one last look I nodded at my reflection, grabbed my wand and slung my leather book-pack over my shoulder. I just need to be as confident with this as I am with books, because if there's one thing I hate, it's failing at something I set my mind to.

ӿӿKentӿӿ

"Kaylie, I can't believe you let Victorie give you a 'makeover'," I snorted from the backseat of the car. Kaylie's eyes flashed to me and I could sense her grip tightening on her wand.

"I think she looks lovely," Mum announced from the driver's seat.

"Kaylie couldn't look lovely if she tried. Who are you trying to impress, dear sister," I snorted, earning a sharp elbow to my side.

"I swear, one more word Kent and I hex you," she hissed. I gave her an impish smile. I'm not denying that she could hex me, because frankly she can hex me to oblivion if she wants, but she's not going to do it in the car and by the time we get to the train, her temper will have died down.

"I was just sick of her begging me to, alright? Will you give it up?"

I laughed and twirled my wand in my fingers, my stomach bubbling with excitement. I couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. It's been too long since I've done magic and played a half decent prank. I'm just not as up to par as I usually am when James isn't there. It's like only half my wit is around. But boy, when the two of us get together, what havoc we reap. Kaylie usually tries to stop us, but we always end up sweeping her into the chaos. That's what she gets for deciding to stick with us.

"Fine, I'll drop it. Do you think James is already there? He wrote for us to meet him by the Daily Prophet stand. It's where they'll all be," I announced, sensing that I was pushing my twin to the edge, which never winds up good for me.

"Kent, you've said that five times since we've left home. At this point I wonder if you're going to pee your pants or kiss him when we first see them," Kaylie giggled, earning her own elbow in the side.

"Oi! That really hurt!" She announced, rubbing the spot.

"That was an uncalled for statement," I retorted.

"I just don't see what you're so jazzed about. We saw him three months ago," she replied, her own smile playing on her lips. I let my mind wander to the contraband package that contained the new prank prototype sketches I was developing and the letter that James sent me last week. He said he had something to show us. I was hoping he had completed the design we've been working on all summer. We were going to be the next owners and proprietors of Weasley Wizard's Wheezes, and everything had to be perfect before we showed it to James' Uncle George. I mean we had to beat out his cousins Fred and Roxanne (George's kids). They were pranksters, like us, but we weren't sure whether they actually wanted to pick up the family business. They were older and technically the right was theirs, but we were hoping if we had brilliant ideas maybe it would happen for us.

"I'm just excited to go back to school. I'm sick of seeing Mum use magic and not being able to. I'm sick of having to fly really low and at weird hours. And I'm sick of listening to you snore through the walls," I declared. Kaylie let out an indignant squeak and elbowed me again.

"I do not snore Kenneth!"

"You do too, Kaylie-Kat," I retorted, using her despised childhood nickname.

"Don't call me that!"

"Don't call me that," I shot back, batting Kaylie's wrist away as she pointed her wand at my face. Unfortunately the sudden movement made sparks to erupt from Kaylie's wand causing the curls that were ever-presently flopped on my forehead to singe and filling the car with the acrid smell of burnt hair. Immediately I was hit in the face with a jet of water as Kaylie shouted Augumenti.

"Kaylie! Did you just set your brother on fire?" Mum shrieked, flipping around in her seat as I spluttered.

"It's not like I meant to! He caught me off guard and I did it without meaning to!" She replied, pulling a crisp handkerchief out of one of the pockets on her rusack. She handed it over to me, a small smile playing on her lips. I mopped off my face and shot her a glare. She was laughing! She just set me on fire and she's laughing.

"Kaylie, that's not funny. I should ban you from the first Hogsmede visit," Mum snapped. I smiled, relishing in the shouting being diverted from me for once.

"I didn't mean to! He hit me and I did unintentional magic. Trust me, if I did it on purpose I would've been more lethal than sparks Mum," Kaylie replied in an even voice.

"Kent, don't hit your sister," Mum announced after a moment.

"She sets me on fire and I get yelled at?"

"Well, you were the one that started it. Plus you effectively just said you were sick of being home," Mum answered, turning around with a slight frown and hurt expression. I sighed.

"I'm not sick of you, Mum. I'm just excited to get back to school is all."

Mum huffed and turned around, giving me a small smile.

"I know you are honey, just quick provoking your sister or I'll take away your broom," she answered in a sickly sweet voice. I swallowed and folded my hands in my lap. There's no way I was going to let that happen.

"We'll be there in ten minutes time, let's just revel in family silence, shall we?" Mum questioned, pulling off the turnpike. Kaylie grabbed her hanky back and jokingly stuck out her tongue at me. I nudge her with my shoulder and raised my eyebrows. She gave me a huge grin. See deep down, she's just as excited to be back as I am.

ӿӿJamesӿӿ

"Slytherin, Slytherin, Al's going to be in Slytherin!" I sang, practically skipping as we pushed the luggage trolley through a crowded King's Cross.

"James Sirius Potter, how old are you?" Mum snapped, pulling Lily out of the way of a harried Muggle.

"Fifteen, but that doesn't mean I can't take the micky out of Al," I giggled, brushing a jet black lock of hair out of my eyes. Dad sighed and tightened his grip on Al's shoulder. My little brother looked positively glum.

"James, last warning," he growled, coming up to the blank barrier.

"What! I'm just preparing him for the inevitable. I mean, I don't want him to be so shocked he loses his cookies all over the Great Hall floor. In front of the whole school no less," I laughed, running through the barrier before Dad could swat me upside the head. I burst out through the other side and took a deep breath. The giant steam engine was billowing a thick stream of white smoke across the entrance half of the huge platform. It was like an alternate reality. Each time I cross through that infallible wall I just want to stand there and smell the deep musk of leather trunks, the burning sensation of train smoke as it hits your nostrils, and the sharp scent of magic in the air. It was a feeling I never could quite put into words, but I understand why Dad said Hogwarts was his favorite place ever growing up.

Al ran through just seconds after me, colliding into my back.

"Ay! Can't you move?" He snapped, bouncing off my back and landing with a thud on the luggage laden trolley that Dad just pushed through the barrier. I jumped and quickly moved forward just in time for Dad to cart Al directly to where I was standing.

"James, I could've hit you," Dad sighed as Lily and Mum slipped through.

"Butttt you didn't. So no harm no foul," I smiled, jauntily pushing the cart through the crowded platform.

"James, you give me more gray hairs then those bloody dark wizards," Dad sighed, coming up beside me.

"But you love me all the same, don't you Dad?"

He kept his face stern, but the smile filtered into his eyes.

"OI! HARRY! CUTTING IT RATHER CLOSE THIS YEAR!" Uncle George shouted from the annual meeting place.

"Not as close as Ronald I see!" Dad laughed. Fred had one of WWW new products, essentially a muggle 'hackysack' but it exploded with a blast of thick orange goo if it hit the ground, and was tossing it back and forth with Louis. Aunt Audrey was bending down, plaiting Lucy's hair. My other four cousins were probably spread out around the platform, finding cars and friends.
"I am going to go look for Kent and Kaylie!" I shouted, abandoning my cart a couple feet from my family and taking off through the crowd, ignoring the shout from my Mother. I pushed through the throngs of students, trotting on Dominique's shoe in the process.

"James! That hurt!" She announced. I stopped running and looked back at her. She was standing with a couple of her fellow Ravenclaws.

"Maybe you shouldn't put your shoe under my foot!"

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and started to reach for her wand, but I dashed away before she could do anything with it. I hoisted myself into the train, and began to peer into the cars to see if my twin best friends were claiming seats. I just had to show them the thing I found in my Dad's desk last week. Kaylie will probably harp about the illegalness of it all, but Kent will think it's brilliant and then Kaylie will have to bite her tongue.

"Hey James!" Roxy shouted from inside one of the carts where she and Molly were loading their stuff into the overhead racks.

"Hey Roxy, have Kent or Kaylie come by?"

"Nope, haven't seen them yet. Is Uncle Ron here yet? Dad was having a conniption about schedules and timing until Granddad took him away somewhere," Molly giggled, waving to a fellow Hufflepuff fourth year that passed behind me.

"Figures. Well I guess they're not here yet," I sighed, giving them a small wave and making my way off the train. I stood on my tiptoes and searched the crowd for the look-alikes but came up empty again. I started my way back to my family with a streak of turquoise caught my eye. I felt my jaw drop. Teddy Lupin was snogging my cousin. My cousin! I guess Kaylie was right about them. I just didn't think he would go for her, considering he's basically family.

"Teddy!"

He furrowed his brow and looked up. He gave me a small wave and an impatient look. Well fine. Don't talk to me. I gave him my own annoyed look and walked back to my family, bursting with my even newer news.

"Dad! Guess who I found snogging Victorie!" I declared, bounding up to the large group, which finally contained Uncle Ron's brood and the two people I was just looking for.

"Was it Victorie, 'cause I told you so!" Kaylie announced. I looked around Kent and felt my jaw drop again. What the heck was she wearing? I felt the tips of my ears go pink.

"Is that a skirt?"

Kaylie blushed deep red and clenched her jaw.

"Why is such a gigantic deal that I'm wearing a skirt? I mean it's perfectly normal and quite acceptable for a female to wear such article of clothing!" She announced, her fists clenched at her side and red sparks flying out of the tip of her wand. The sparks hit the hem of Kent's shirt, which immediately started to smoke. He yelped and started to jump around, beating the fabric with his hands.

"Augumenti!" Kaylie snapped, pointing her wand at him with a frustrated groan. The stream of water was poorly aimed and landed square on the crotch of Kent's jeans. I burst out laughing.

"KAYLIE! FIRST YOU SET ME ON FIRE TWICE, THEN YOU MAKE IT LOOK LIKE I PISS MYSELF?" Kent exploded, as Fred, Louis and I roared with laughter.

"You set him on fire before?" Louis snorted. I planted my hands on my knees, the laughs coming out in short bursts.

"It's not my fault! You hit me the first time, while my wand was pointed at you and I blame this one on James."

I stopped laughing.

"How is it my fault you have no aim," I questioned with a small giggle.

"Your blatant disregard for my femininity is what got me angry in the first place," she snapped.

"Hey, you're the one who decided to dress all different," I stuttered.

"I wear skirts with my uniform," she replied.

"Not skirts like that."

"Can one of you fix me so it doesn't look like I wet myself?" Kent exploded. Fred pointed his wand at Kent, still giggling fiercely.

"NOT YOU! YOU'LL MAKE ME LOSE EVERYTHING!" Kent yelped, pulling Kaylie in front of him.

"Kenneth, sweetie, did you have an accident?" Mrs. Scott announced, walking over from the clump of adults and pulling Kent away from Kaylie.

"No Mother, I did not have an accident. I'm not five!"

"Then why are the fronts of your trousers all wet?" She tsked, like Kent wet himself on a daily basis. She took out her wand and flicked it, making the wet spot instantly disappear.

"Now you all better get on the train," she announced, looking up at the large clock. Mum was consoling Lily who was crying again and Dad had pulled Albus aside. Everyone was saying goodbye to their parents and flooding onto the train.

"Now you three please be good. I don't want any more owls from McGonagall." Mrs. Scott lectured, looking at the three of us. Kaylie huffed and shot her mother a look.

"Well, you two be good and don't drag Kay into your shenanigans," she laughed, giving her daughter an affectionate pat on the head. Kaylie gave us a smug smile and hugged her mother goodbye.

"See ya' Mum! I'm gonna go get on the train!" I shouted, reaching for my trunk and owl cage.

"Wait James! I don't even get a hug goodbye?" Mum snapped, looking up at me from Lily. Begrudgingly I went over and gave her a quick squeeze around the waist. She pulled back and placed her hands on my shoulders while looking at me critically.

"Stay out of trouble," she announced finally, brandishing a finger.

"Of course mother, you know I always do," I declared, playfully fluttering my eyelashes at her. Her eyes narrowed and she transferred her affection to Albus, who looked like he was going to throw up. Dad came over and I held out my hand. He raised his eyebrows at me, but shook it once.

"Fifth year is a little old to hug your Dad," I explained stoically. Dad smiled and absentmindedly rubbed the thin scar on his forehead.

"Of course it is, son. Please keep out of Minerva's, I mean Professor McGonagall's office," he warned, giving me a stern look. I smiled at him.

"I wouldn't dream of going in there. When do I ever get in trouble? Honestly Dad, your faith in me is astounding," I laughed. Dad ruffled my hair, making it messier. I hoisted my trunk into my hands with Midnight's cage balanced precariously on top. Kaylie and Kent weren't around anymore so I gave Lily a goodbye smile and hobbled over to the train, which gave a loud whistle. I fumbled my way on and found my two friends in an empty car towards the middle of the train. They were struggling to get Kaylie's extra-large trunk onto the rack, but as usual Kaylie wasn't being much help. I nudged the door open with my foot and lowered my trunk to the floor.

"Move," I groaned, bumping Kaylie with my hip and knocking her onto the seat with a small grunt. I grabbed the end and pushed the end of the trunk securely into the rack.

"You could've said please," Kaylie huffed, removing her alice-band that became dislodged when I body-checked her. Kent and I grabbed my trunk and hoisted it up, depositing Midnight's cage next to their gray owl Hoodley.

I threw myself onto a bench and flung my legs up. Kent was already riffling into his bag and pulling out the worn leather folder which he always sealed with his wand. It contained all of our hard work.

"So was it the Yo-Yo?" he questioned excitedly, tapping the folder with his wand so he could pull out a few sheets of paper.

"What about the Yo-Yo?" I replied, furrowing my brow. Our Yo-Yo was our latest project for our own joke line. It was supposed to look like it went in the Muggle Trick section, but really it was enchanted to make the user yo-yo for hours without stopping. So far it only made us yo-yo so fast it made our arm blur and you really couldn't stop it or we inexplicably break out into blue hives. It still needed work.

"Is that the surprise? You worked out the kinks in the Yo-Yo?"

"OH! I COMPLETELY FORGOT!" I exploded, scrambling up and climbing on top of the bench so I could pull down my school bag.

"It has nothing to do with the joke line, but it's certainly going to help it," I explained, riffling through my already messy bag. I plopped on the floor and flipped it upside down causing the snacks, comic books, summer homework, and spare parchment to spill all over the ground. Kaylie peeked over her book at me and raised her eyebrows.

"Professor Vector won't accept that essay ripped," she announced, pointing to my torn Potions essay. I frowned at it before pushing it aside and grabbing the worn piece of parchment that fluttered to my right.

"James, you wanted to show us a mangy old piece of parchment," Kent snorted, grabbing my potions essay and pushing it over the words of Kaylie's book. She huffed, set her book down, and picked up her wand.

"Reparo," she sighed, tapping it and sealing it to perfection. She reached over to her own bag and pulled out the thick leather folder that held her own pristine homework. She carefully placed my own essay in it and gently put it away.

"Now it won't get ripped again," she explained when I gave her a look. I shrugged and shoved the mess to the side, scooting over so I was at Kent's feet.

"This is no ordinary piece of parchment, chum. This will be the secret to the rest of our lives at school. I'm pissed I found it five years too late," I announced, taking out my own wand and clearing my throat. I placed the tip of my wand on the center of the paper and looked up at Kent.

"Nothing happened mate," he snorted, raising one eyebrow at me. He shoved his wild hair out of his eyes, and I refrained from hitting him.

"I haven't done anything yet! I was pausing for dramatic effect," I announced. Kaylie snorted and gave me an innocent look when I glared at her.

"It's okay James. We don't care if you've got a huge surprise or not," she declared sweetly. I glared at her.

"Will you two shut up and let me do this," I snapped, clearing my throat again.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," I announced, smiling as the ink lines spread and wound their way across the parchment. I looked up at Kaylie and Kent who were staring at the yellowed paper in awe.

"What is it?" Kent announced, sliding to the floor next to me and taking the map from my hands.

"It's the Marauders Map, obviously. It's wicked! Look, it shows where everyone in the castle is at all times!" I smiled, pointing to the heading and the little labeled names.

"Who're Wormtail, Moody, Padfoot, and Prongs?" Kent questioned, looking at the names inscribed underneath the title.

"I don't know exactly, but Prongs could be my Dad. His patronus is a stag after all," I announced excitedly. Kaylie made a noise in the back of her throat. Kent and I stared at her.

"What?" I questioned.

"There's nobody your dad knew that could be those other three, so we don't know if it's him at all," she started, "where'd you even find it?"

"In his desk. He left one of his drawers unlocked," I shrugged, starting to point out one of the labeled secret passages. Kaylie made another noise.

"What now?" Kent questioned with a small sigh.

"If it was in one of his locked drawers, it must be something dangerous. He is Head Auror. He keeps those things locked away for a reason," she announced.

"It's just a map of Hogwarts. How can that be dangerous in any way possible?"

Kaylie's brow furrowed. She slid onto the ground and kneeled next to me, reaching over my lap to take the map from Kent. Her hair swung in my face, so I swatted her shoulder. She shot me a look and settled back, resting her butt on her heels. She examined the map critically. Unfolding some of the flaps and running her wand along the spindly ink lines. I shot Kent a look. If Kaylie was on board it would make our life so much easier.

She let out a sigh and flicked her hair over her shoulder. She finally looked up at us and bit into her lower lip. She casually flicked some lint off of her black boots (another weird and new thing she started to wear, because she usually wears beat up trainers) and scrunched her nose.

"Well, it looks harmless," she stated, handing the map back to me. Kent and I beamed at each other.

"You'll see KayKay! This is going to make our lives at Hogwarts so much easier, considering all three of us barely fit under the cloak anymore," I announced brightly. She rolled her eyes at me and grabbed a stray pumpkin pasty from my pile of stuff before plopping back on the bench.

"Whatever you say James but if we get in trouble I'm blaming it on you," she announced, ripping the package open with her teeth and taking a huge bite. I smiled and threw another slightly smooshed pasty at Kent. Good to know that even with a change of clothes she's still same old Kaylie.

ӿӿKaylieӿӿ

"Hey Kay, can you think of a reason that we keep getting these hives? I only put a drop of the Repetitive Draught and hives aren't even one of their usual side-effects," James groaned. I looked up from my book and sighed. James' arms were covered in large violent blue hives. I scrunched my brow and motioned for him to hand me the bright purple toy.

"What activates it?"

"The first time you let it drop," Kent answered, crawling over to my feet and resting his elbows on the cushion next to me. I bit my lip.

"We used a drop of Repetitive Draught along with a Sticking Charm so you can't take it off," Kent continued.

"Well it could be an adverse effect of the potion combined with the charm. Maybe if you alter the potion a bit?" I suggested, flipping the toy in my hands and peering at the string wound inside.

"Alter what though?" James questioned, furiously scratching his arms. Where he scratched didn't just leave faint red marks as usual, but turned the hives hot pink. He looked at his arm bewilderedly.

"That's new! They've never turned pink before!"

"JAMES! What the heck happened to your arm?"

I looked up at Dominique as she slid open the glass door to the compartment. Three of her friends were peering into the small room. I felt my mouth go dry and my heart start to pound. One of the guys was leaning against the doorjamb and trying not to laugh.

"It's just a side-effect. It goes away eventually," he grumbled, pushing Dom away as she tried to grab his blue and pink covered arm.

"Side-effect of what?"

A strange noise came out of my mouth. Why did Dom have to walk by with him at this moment?

"Our Yo-Yo," Kent explained, pointing to the disk in my hand. He walked into the cart and stopped in front of me. I think I squeaked again.

"Can I see it?" He questioned. I nodded and gently placed it into his hand.

"Yo-Yo's are muggle toys," he explained as one of his other friends looked on with a confused expression.

"Don't use it," James warned, waving his bad arm around. He raised his eyebrows and hesitantly handed it back to me, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he looked at me.

"Kaylie, right?"

I nodded. He knows my name! He knows my name. Oh my holy Hippogriffs.

"I'm Luke," he declared, like I didn't already know. He was Luke Masters. Ravenclaw sixth year. Chaser on the House team. Sixth year prefect. Of course I know who he is and he's noticing me!

"Did you know Chasers are next most fouled players in Quiddich besides the Seeker," I blurted out. Why the hell did I just say that? Not only was it a completely obvious statistic it didn't even pertain to the conversation whatsoever and now everyone is looking at me. I felt my face heat up.

"Well, I'd expect the Quiddich commentator to know that much," he replied. My words dried up in my throat.

"Yeah, well, I just thought you ought to know, so you can look out for stuff out on the pitch…" I answered lamely.

"Will do," he laughed, touching Dom's elbow.

"We can tell Vic about James on the way back, I don't think you can do anything about that rash," he stated. Dom shot him a reproachful look.

"Because she's studied all that extra healing stuff, not because you're not capable," he droned, giving her a slight eye roll and offering his elbow to her. She huffed, but took it anyways, giving me a questioning glance before he led her out of the cart. James and Kent were looking at me.

"If you give me your recipe later tonight, I'll figure out what you need to take out of the potion," I squeaked, roughly handing the Yo-Yo back at Kent.

"Thanks…but wanna explain why you suddenly just started quoting Quiddich Through The Ages?" James snorted, starting to laugh. He was itching his arms, causing the rash to flash between hot pink and blue as his fingernails ran over it.

"I don't know!" I wailed, covering my face with my hands.

"What is with you?" Kent questioned, tugging at one of my arms.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I just didn't know what to say, so I said the first thing to pop in my head. Which is always a statistic," I grumbled.

"But it was just Luke…" James announced. Luckily the door slid open again and Victorie flounced in, followed closely by Elizabeth Longbottom and Connor Finnigan from our year.

"The corridor's been buzzing that you have a flesh eating disease!" Connor exclaimed, coming over and grabbing James' wrist.

"Wicked," he announced as Lizzy squeaked.

"That can't be good James. Maybe you should wait and see what Madame Harvey sees it," she sighed, sitting next to me on the bench.

"No, I don't think that's necessary. It's obviously one of their stupid prank things," Victorie sighed, opening one of the two little pots she was carrying. She snatched James' arm away from Connor and spread a thick yellow paste on a small section and then took a little bit from the second pink pot and did it on another patch. In about ten seconds the spot from the pink pot vanished.

"Put this on your arm," she sighed, before shooting me a look.

"But this is the Ten Second Pimple Banisher!" James announced, looking at the bright pink lid.

"You want the rash?" Victorie responded. James snorted and began to apply the paste.

"I'm going to get pumpkin juice from the trolley. Be right back," I sighed, following Victorie out of the cart. We walked down the corridor in silence for a couple seconds before I sighed.

"I blurted out a fact. He knew my name and I blurted out a fact," I groaned. Victorie giggled.

"Don't worry. Just practice talking to other cute boys and work up to him," she replied, slipping an arm around my shoulder. "You going to ever tell me who he is?"

"Never!" I exclaimed. I handed the plump witch a few sickles and took the couple flagons of pumpkin juice.

"Don't worry Kaylie. It'll be okay. You look really cute, by the way," Victorie laughed, making her own purchase and waving goodbye. I walked back to my own cart, lost in thought. How am I supposed to practice if I don't like anyone else? I just don't get it. I can talk to James and Kent. I can even talk to Connor and other boys of my house. But then bam! I get tongue tied.

I slipped into the cart and threw James and Kent a flagon. Lizzy was reading a large book on Herbology with her back against the window while Connor built a house out of exploding snap cards. James and Kent had put away all their plans and were fervently discussing Quiddich strategy. I plopped down with my own book and opened it up. But for once I wasn't reading the words in front of me.