A/N: Happy Easter, people!
Update: I had breaks in the story, but a very kind person told me that they got lost in transit. So here's some more!
o~O~o
"Mam, I can manage just fine on my own!"
Minerva sighed. Every year, her brother had the same argument with their mother, and every year Mam said the same thing:
"Aonghus McGonagall, you are still an O.W.L student and until you pass those exams you will listen to what I have to say. Now, you listen to your sister, and behave, and no more using that Jelly-Legs Jinx on your classmates!"
" But Minerva's only one year older than me, why should she get to boss me around?"
" Because she is far more mature than you have ever been!" Minerva sighed again, picked up her trunk, kissed her mother goodbye and clambered on board the Hogwarts Express.
"Minerva!" her best friend Poppy exclaimed as she threw her arms around her. "It's been ages!"
"It's been two months, Poppy dear," Marcus, Minerva's cousin drawled as he came up beside her.
"Still!" Minerva drifted off into a reverie as Poppy and Marcus chattered on.
"Here he comes," murmured Marcus. Sure enough, Aonghus appeared a few seconds later.
"Hey Minerva, can I borrow some money for the trolley?"
"No, Aonghus, I only have enough money to buy my own lunch."
"And you're not getting any money off of us, either."
"Fine, then!"
"What are you doing here anyway, Aonghus?" Minerva asked,"You know you're not supposed to be in the prefect's carriage."
"I only came to ask you for some money."
"Well, then you should leave, before the Head Boy or Girl catches you."
As Aonghus left, the Slytherin Prefect, Tom Riddle entered the carriage. Marcus watched him pass with barely concealed contempt. "What would you be willing to bet that he adds at least one more zombie to his little cult this year?"
"And do his best to hurt us while he's at it," replied Minerva.
"Well, at least we have our little gem of a healer to patch up any damage" added Marcus, elbowing Poppy gently.
"I doubt I'll be able to heal any injuries inflicted by Riddle's posse. I'd bet that they've come up with some very creative tortures over the summer." said Poppy darkly, her previous good mood having vanished with Riddle's arrival. "To think, he only hates us because we wouldn't join him when he asked us to." murmured Minerva.
"Well, that and you two are Gryffindor, and I'm Ravenclaw." replied Poppy simply. "At any rate, I'm starving. Where's the trolley when you need it?"
o~O~o
Aonghus flopped down into his seat beside his friend, Lucrezia, whom everyone called Lulu. "She wouldn't give me any money," he complained. "Now how am I supposed to get my lunch?"
"Didn't your mother give you any money?" asked Lulu.
"Well, yeah, but barely enough for a Pumpkin Pastie. That's not enough!" Aonghus cried. "I need more!"
"So just wait until the feast. It can't be far to Hogwarts now." replied Lulu. "Besides, Minerva probably got the same amount you did."
"Just because you two are the only girls in our estate does not mean you have to stand up for her the whole time!" shouted Aonghus.
"We talk to each other during the holidays and I come to her when I need help. And I don't stand up for her the whole time!" As the argument continued, neither of them noticed Tom Riddle pause outside their carriage, or the slight smirk that crossed his face.
o~O~o
As Professor Dippet, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, sat down following his speech, the Great Hall filled with the sound of chattering students and the sound of cutlery scraping against plates as the school enjoyed the Start of Term feast. Minerva and Marcus, sitting at the Gryffindor table, turned to Poppy, who was seated behind them at the Ravenclaw table. "So, how is your little cousin Myrtle? She's starting here next year, isn't she?" Marcus asked Poppy.
"Marcus, you dolt, if you had been paying attention, you would have noticed that she's just been sorted into Ravenclaw and is sitting at the end of the table." replied Minerva.
"Whoops" said Marcus nonchalantly. " It's so hard to keep track of the new students."
"We're prefects, it's our job to keep track of them! Anyway, I promised my aunt Jocelyn that I'd keep an eye on Myrtle for her." snapped Poppy.
"Jeez, what crawled down your robes?" asked Marcus indignantly.
"I'm sorry, it's just that Tom Riddle keeps looking over here and it's making me nervous. I wish I knew what he was planning." sighed Poppy.
"But none of us is a Legilimens." murmured Minerva, as the main courses faded from the plates and the puddings appeared.
"Oh, well, there's no point in wishing for things that probably won't happen anytime soon." said Marcus. "Now, I want to get some of that treacle tart beside you, Minerva, so if you wouldn't mind?"
"Honestly, Marcus, do you ever think of anything besides your stomach?" asked Poppy as Minerva passed him the plate.
"Yes, but there's no point in wasting good food." replied Marcus, missing the scathing look Poppy threw his way.
o~O~o
"Oh man, Aonghus, you won't believe what happened in Charms today!" called Lulu from the door of the Great Hall.
"Anything that happens in that classroom is a waste of my time." replied Aonghus in a bored voice.
"Well, first off Professor Miryoku was steamed that you ditched. Again! How long are you planning on doing this anyway? Until you get suspended?"
"Lulu, stop acting like my mother and get to the point!" snapped Aonghus.
"I'm just wondering, that's all. Anyway, we were practicing the Speed Charm, and that Lestrange boy said the spell wrong and blew up Professor Miryoku's desk! She was so mad she started shrieking in Japanese!" laughed Lulu.
"So, did you learn anything useful?" asked Aonghus.
"Yes, you're getting a detention when Professor Miryoku catches you." warned Lulu.
"Meh, she hasn't caught me yet." shrugged Aonghus.
"Aonghus!" came a shout from behind him. "Did you skip every Charms class this week!" asked Minerva, who had just entered the Hall.
"So what if I did?" replied Aonghus.
"So? Aonghus, you're going to fail your Charms O.W.L. if you keep this up! Professor Miryoku just told me that if you aren't in her class on Monday, she'll ban you from going to Hogsmeade! As it is, she told me to give you a detention. You're to go to her office at eight o'clock." scolded Minerva.
"What! She can't do that!" cried Aonghus.
"She can and will. And, if you don't attend both your detention and your classes, Professor Dippet will write to our parents." replied Minerva. With that, she stalked off, down to the end of the Gryffindor table.
"This is so unfair!" moaned Aonghus as he flopped into his seat.
"No, it's called justice. You skipped class and now you're being punished." replied Lulu.
"Who's side are you on?" asked Aonghus angrily, before storming out of the Hall. Focused on his punishment, he walked straight into Tom Riddle.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there." muttered Aonghus.
"It's alright. Say, was that you and your sister arguing a moment ago?" asked Tom.
"Yeah, she's always on my case." replied Aonghus. "You have no idea what it's like."
"Actually, I do. Where I live, there's this group of girls who go searching for even the slightest trouble, so that they can report it. It's very annoying." said Tom, shaking his head. "Say, there's a group of us going to Hogsmeade this weekend. You're welcome to join us if you like."
"Thanks, Tom. I might take you up on that offer." replied Aonghus.
"Well, if you decide to come, we'll be leaving around 10 o'clock. You can join us in the Entrance Hall." said Tom. As Tom walked off, Aonghus looked back. Tom was a nice person, he decided, no matter what Minerva said.
o~O~o
Yay! Read and review please!
