A/N: This is a contest entry for the Dracolov challenge! If you would like to enter you must e-mail Dracolov, her e-mail is in her profile. The last day to enter is 12/1/04. Please R & R (read and review) and thank you for reading my story.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize unless you got it from my other story and it was mine.

"Ok so did everyone successfully turn their pet into a goblet?"

"Professor, oh, ooh, Professor, I did"

Professor Hermione Granger smile at Melanie Potter trying, as she sat in her seat bouncing up and down, to get her attention.

"Ms. Potter, let me see."

Hermione walked over to the girl and looked at the beautiful goblet in front of her. 'Poor Hedwig,' she thought to herself, 'This is the second time she has been put through this, and at least this time it was a thorough transformation.'

Hermione beamed down at the student, "Very well done, Ms. Potter. Ten points to Slytherin."

Melanie smile and looked at all of her friends around her. Hermione chuckled and walked back to her desk at the front of the room. When she got there she turned around and announced, "We will have a quiz tomorrow over turning animals into house held objects. Don't forget to prepare. Class dismissed."

All the third year Slytherins and Gryffindors stood up and started to exit the class room. Hermione marveled in how they talked amongst each other and seemed to get along. 'How different from when I was in school.'

Hermione was brought out of her daydream when Melanie and her best friend Casey Weasley came up to her.

"Are you and our parents going to lunch this weekend?"

"Yes why?"

"We were wondering if we could come with you, seeing as it is a Hogsmeade weekend and all."

"I guess that would be ok, why don't you ask your father, Melanie."

Melanie looked confused, "Why"

"Well, he is right behind you."

Melanie turned around and sure enough there was her dad.

"Hey dad. Is it ok?"

"That is fine honey, do I get a hug?"

Melanie rolled her emerald eyes and heaved a huge fake sigh, "I guess"

Harry chuckled and enveloped his daughter in a big hug. "You two," he said indicating Casey "Should probably get going. You wouldn't want to miss lunch, now would you?"

"No!" yelled Casey who, much like his father, ate way too much it seemed for his size.

Casey grabbed Melanie's arm and pulled her out of the classroom and with one more wave they disappeared around the corner. Harry chuckled and turned to Hermione. "Man, they do act a lot like us don't they?"

"Yes they do"

"Melanie was saying just the other day that you said that there was something very important that you needed to talk to me about, when I got some free time. Well, here I am on my free time. What is it?"

"I talked to Author the other day."

"And what did the minister have to say?"

"Well, he thought that it would be a good idea to have a family type day here. Seeing as most of the Ministry parents' children go here. Just to let them see what is taking place. Let the have two days. One day, a Friday, to go around to the classes, and a Saturday where we could have a Quidditch tournament. Maybe a faculty, or parent,-student game, for fun."

"That sounds good. But why are you talking about it with me?"

"Just to get your perspective."

Harry looked at her warily, "Why...."

Hermione huffed. "Fine, because Author and I decided it would be better if it seemed like you came up with it."

"Why?"

"Well, because you got in trouble for the whole shrieking shack trip. Well, at least the parents got mad at you, but anyways. If you came up with this idea and it was successful, then the parents would be happy with you. They would probably forget the entire Shack incident."

"There was no incident. Those moms just freaked out for no reason. There is nothing dangerous about the Shack."

"I know, not the point. The point is, that a good idea would get you back on the parents' good side."

"I'll think about it."

"Thank you"

"So you are going to lunch Saturday?"

"Yep"

"Good. Oh and by the way, the new potions master will be there"

"He is awful late, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but he had his reasons"

"Ok, who is he?"

"Can't say"

"Why?"

"He asked that I don't"

Hermione looked at Harry like he was crazy, who just shrugged in return.

Hermione was in her room later that night reading, big surprise there. She was totally engrossed in her book that she didn't notice the small bit of movement in her corner.

Ok, there it is. The first chapter. I hate first chapters. Don't worry, Freedom is still being written. I won't put it off. Hope that you liked it.

Toodles

Chocolate hugs and cherry kisses

Nikki