CHAPTER 1

It was my first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was so nervous. I clutched my acceptance letter in my right hand. I could feel the crinkle of paper in my palm as I stared at the platform where I was supposed to get the Hogwarts Express.

"What if I slam right into it and make a fool of myself?" I whispered softly to myself, trying to build confidence, but failing. I stared for what seemed like a half hour till my mum scowled at me.

"Fay, you need to hurry and get through the platform. Hazel is just on the other side waiting for you."

I nodded and proceeded to run at the wall between platforms nine and ten. I went straight through the wall and ended up on the other side facing a huge crimson train. In faded but ornate gold lettering I made out the words 'Hogwarts Express'.

Hazel found me in the last car on the train and sat next to me. Hazel was my sister. She was 1 year older than I was. Not to mention she was also a Ravenclaw. Hazel and I were not typical sisters. We grew up on a small manor in Ipswich. We never had any other children to play with, so naturally we always had each others back. She was my friend and sister.

"Hey Haze, can you hand me one of the sandwiches mum packed?" I asked while sticking my nose back in my book.

"Sure. How was getting on the train? Sorry I wasn't at the platform. Some friends needed help with a jinxed cauldron." She replied getting me a veggie sandwich. She sat next to me and linked her arm in my elbow reading over my shoulder. "Why are you so anti social?" she asked.

"I am not anti social. Just nervous, I guess. What if I make no friends and no one likes me? What if I don't get into Ravenclaw with you?" I looked up nervously. I closed my book and shoved it in my purse grabbing my robes and drawing the curtain.

"Everyone will love you. You are so nice and sweet. Just be yourself. Go talk to some firsties. I bet they are just as scared as you are." She pointed towards the door. I pulled on my robes withdrawing the curtain. I looked at her and then the door. Its silver handle boring into my brain as I grabbed it and slipped out to the aisle.

"I'll go have a look around. Be back in a bit." I noticed my sandwich and dashed back in to grab it and slipped back out again.

I wandered down the aisle and looked in each car. No one really interesting caught my eye. Then I got to the second car and noticed a girl sitting alone. She had brilliant red hair and was looking out the window. She seemed to be sad. I knocked and slid into the seat opposite her. This time getting a better look. She was pale and gorgeous. Her eyes seemed to have a sheen about them. They were almost like opals. I smiled and reached out a hand.

"Hi, I'm Fay." I gestured with my eyes towards my hand and she shook it slowly but firmly.

"I'm Bracken." She smiled and I giggled.

We didn't talk the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, but as I sat there clutching my sandwich, I knew without a doubt we would be best friends. That was just fine with me.

CHAPTER 2

I was enjoying my time at Hogwarts. I had gotten sorted into Hufflepuff and I decided that was alright with me. Bracken had been sorted to Slytherin. We had become real close real quick. We were your typical eleven year old firsties. Always giggling about something or gossiping the next. We had potions and herbology together so it made some days go by real quick having someone to talk to.

I had made some new friends. There was a spunky, cute girl in Slytherin that Bracken introduced me to. Her name was Jas. She was a Second Year. She was also hilarious and always had attention on her at all times. I had also met the Matson twins. They weren't really twins. Kalli was part succubus and Ardy was part elemental angel. They had become best friends and as far as I could tell…inseparable. Wherever Kalli went Ardy followed. Which ever direction Ardy picked, Kalli agreed. I loved them both. They were both Third Years in Slytherin. Because of their unique backgrounds both were also very enticing and beautiful. Your heart couldn't help but beat a bit faster when in their presence.

I felt a perfectly manicured hand on my shoulder. Before I looked I knew it was Ardy. I turned my eyes to look at her burning orange eyes.

"Hi Ardy!" I smiled big. "How are you doing today?" I asked.

"I am doing fantastic my darling Fay." She replied and returned the smile. I felt my heart skip a beat as it reassured me I was still alive.

Bracken had also joined us in the Great Hall and took a seat next to me and I crossed my arms. "You don't look very sick to me!" I glared mockingly. Bracken had cursed herself to spit up chocolate sauce every five minutes. Then she went to the nurse and played sick all day to get out of classes. I knew of the devious plan but was too chicken to go along with it.

"You so wish you had done it. You're jealous, I can tell." She laughed getting pink in the cheeks.

"I so am. I was dreading potions knowing you weren't going to be there. I had to sit next to Matt." I scoffed.

Matt was someone who had a crush on me. We met about two weeks into the school year and he was so sweet. I didn't really have the same feelings but he still was my friend all the same. He was a wicked fast learner though and had already jumped two classes in two months. He was a regular 'Hermione'.

I grabbed some chips off a platter in front of me and ate a few while staring down the table. Jas had joined the table and sat opposite her brother Joe. Joe was a Fourth Year and hilarious. He was such a horn dog. Always flirting with girls.

"Joe stop being such a twit!" Jas sneered.

"Stop having a fat ass and maybe we'll talk m'kay pumpkin?" Joe joked back and stared down a few feet at Ana. Ana was the prettiest girl I had ever met. I envied her. Silky long hair that was the perfect shade of chestnut. Her eyes a gorgeous hazel. Her skin flawless and her attitude to match. She caught Joe's eye and winked. Ana was a firstie like me but she was very mature. Joe laughed and then chucked a mayonnaise packet at his sister.

"Aww JOE! You got it all in my hair!" Jas screeched and reached for a napkin. I giggled at how funny my friends were. Just then I noticed my sister walk in talking with a cute boy. I ran to meet her and hopefully catch the name of who this kid was.

CHAPTER 3

I waltzed up the aisle to my sister and I eyed the brown haired kid. He was a bit shorter than I was, I had seen him around but didn't know anything about him. Hazel was giggling at something he had previously said and immediately introduced me to him.

"Oh FAY! This is Jaymes! He's a First Year Ravenclaw. Jaymes, this is Fay my sister." She pointed each one of us to the other and he smiled.

"Nice to meet you. I've seen you around." I smiled back cheerfully.

"Same. We have Charms right now together in fact. Wanna go with me?" He asked making a gesture to the big doors.

"Sure let me just go grab my bag." I said excitedly as I dashed back to the table and grabbed my bag. I left with quickness and everyone at the table watched us, curious to know the boy as we rounded a corner and out of sight.

I reached in my bag to grab my quill. He stopped for a moment and I looked up. He put a finger to his lips ordering me to be quiet. I looked around figuring it must be a teacher he was being quiet for. I didn't spy anyone around but Jaymes dashed off towards an abandoned corridor. He pinned my shoulders to the wall smiling. I felt a bit uncomfortable not really knowing who I was down a dark corridor with.

"Shh..we are cutting class to go to this really cool small pond behind the castle." He whispered

"What? What if we get caught?" I asked not lowering my voice any.

He clamped a hand over my lips and dragged me off down the abandoned classrooms doors and hanging portraits.

We had jogged for about 10 mins and just as I was about to slow to a walk a rush of light hit me and I was in a field with a small pond. Seemed like quite a few students sat around and lazed in this particular spot. I looked around and found myself lost in the beauty of the nature around me. Huge flowers bloomed everywhere and trees grew thick and plenty so you could rest in the shade. The pond was clear and blue. It was something I would have thought to find in a fantasy universe.

I picked a flower, orange in color and slightly pokey. Jaymes looked at me and smiled as he retreated to the clearing near two kids. One was a girl, my age, blonde hair and pixyish. The other a boy, not much older looking than I was and he also had blonde short hair.

Jaymes sat between the two and smiled calling me over to sit with them. I walked past some other students and sat in the tall grass next to Jaymes. I was getting slightly nervous. I was out of class and in a place that looked to be secluded and unknown to staff however everyone else knew. The blonde girl turned to me and smiled.

"Hi there. I am Amber. Jaymes said your names Fay right?" She pointedly asked

"Yeah…I'm Fay. Nice to meet you." I replied shyly

She laughed and pulled me into a hug and giggled. "Welcome to the happiest place on the grounds! Haji, don't be rude. Say hi."

The blonde boy smirked at Amber and then sized me up, "Hi…I'm Haji. Erm..whatever she said." He glanced away slipping on some sunglasses.

I laughed shortly. "Nice to meet you too Haji. Way to be original." I chortled

Amber laughed at my comment, "I like her already. She doesn't take crap from anybody."

I smiled triumphantly and spent the class period talking and joking with Jaymes, Amber and Haji. I quite liked them all. Jaymes especially caught my eye. He was so interesting and funny. I envied how easy it was for him to make friends and keep all their attention on him with little effort. I didn't say much but I listened intently as Jaymes was finishing up a story. He caught my eye and smiled. I casually bumped my shoulder on him and returned the smile as he finished and I stood up.

"Well I better be off. Missing one class is enough for today." I swung my bag over my shoulder and started to gather my things.

"Tomorrow? I wanna skip tomorrow. I was thinking of having a picnic." Jaymes asked as we started walking back to the corridor.

I smiled and nodded, "Sounds great! Which class?" Looking at my class schedule for tomorrow.

"I was thinking the entire day." Jaymes answered slowly

"The whole day? I dunno Jaymes.." I hesitated. I looked at my schedule and knew Bracken would hate me if I skipped our classes…but she might just have to deal. "Fine. We can skip the whole day. I'll be here around 9." I sped off in front of him heading to the potions dungeons before hearing a reply.

CHAPTER 4

I walked up the staircases feeling slightly too full from Christmas lunch I had just eaten. Jaymes ran up behind me and poked my sides making me feel like I was going to puke.

"Jaymes! Don't! I ate way to much." I feigned a smile as I teetered on the last step.

"Hey! Wanna go grab my sleeping bag and your sleeping bag and make a fort in the Hufflepuff Common Room?" He asked skipping next to me.

"Ooo like a sleep over? Yeah!" I got excited. I quickened my pace unknowingly trying to reach the common room as quickly as I could.

Jaymes trotted behind me as I uttered the password. Hogwarts rules had been changed as to allow students of other houses to visit one another to promote social behaviors. Bunch of bologna if you ask me. But it certainly made hanging out with Jaymes easier. Over the past few months Jaymes quickly became my very best friend. We did everything together. He had even put in a petition to change houses so we could be in the same one. There wasn't one day you didn't see us together. Over the winter my family had taken a holiday leaving me and Hazel here for Christmas. Jaymes decided to stay with me and we could go on adventures around the castle.

"I think we should push the chairs together and then drape the sleeping bags over them." I pointed spreading the furniture out. I was the only one in Hufflepuff for the holiday so I had the whole common room to myself.

Jaymes moved the couches and draped and sleeping bags over them and climbed inside. He had run back to Ravenclaw to grab his sleeping gear and rolled it out inside. He had stuffed a few cookies in his bag and took one out to eat it. I grabbed the flashlight and set it up.

"Jaymes, do you think we will be best friends forever?" I looked down at my hands picking at my fingernails.

"Heck yeah we will. We are gonna be the most awesome best friends forever." He smiled and plopped next to me nudging me playfully.

I rocked back and forth and then smiled at him. "I was just making sure. HEY!" I shouted just coming up with an idea. Jaymes jumped slightly and then asked, "What?"

"Lets make a best friend pact! Like swap blood or something." I looked around for a sharp object.

"No. Lets do it an easier way. I will tell you my deepest darkest secret and then you can tell me one of yours." He suggested. I thought a moment and then nodded in agreement and listened eagerly for the secret.

"I…like, boys." He stated. I eyed him curiously and then it clicked. He was gay. I felt my eyes widen and I smiled.

"Really? Well that's cool." I smiled and hugged him. He looked a bit relieved and happy.

"Yeah really. I always have. Now your turn to tell me a secret." He said quickly

I thought for a moment knowing he would probably think I was kidding. "I actually like girls. I haven't really always noticed it. But ever since school started, I noticed my liking for them increased drastically." I thought back to when I first saw Bracken. She was my first girl crush at Hogwarts. How pretty she was and sweet. Always happy thoughts.

Jaymes smiled at me, "We are soul mates. You and I are perfect friends." He hugged me and I giggled.

I climbed in my blanket and Jaymes grabbed a book and started reading it to me. I sat happily knowing everything was just perfect. I had amazing friends, I could do magic, and I had Jaymes. Now and forever…he promised.

CHAPTER 5

School was nearing its end. Everyone returned from holiday and it was chaos. Studying, tests, people going crazy, etc.

I was getting slightly overwhelmed with the school load I had acquired. Jaymes was as laid back as ever. He helped me out by letting me copy some of his work. Hazel had been to the hospital wing twice already for nervous breakdowns. Jas and Joe seemed to just genuinely not care. Kalli and Ardy had their noses in books almost every minute, studying. Haji just goofed off during class and looked as if he didn't mind failing. Amber was the worst of us all. She was constantly stressing, losing quills and finished work. I nicked a calming draft from the potions class and slipped some in her drink that morning. She was now relaxing in the corner with a book in hand.

"Jaymes can you hand me your copy of 'Hogwarts a History'?" I asked holding my hand out not taking my eyes off my paper.

"Sure. Need any help with this one?" He asked handing the book over as I flipped its pages searching.

"Nah. I got it. I am almost done and then we can head down to The Secret Garden and relax m'kay?" I said shortly burying my face in the book and scribbling my answers.

Hazel came over to me and touched my shoulder, "I am going back to the common room and heading to the Great Hall for something to eat with Nita, Sim, Seven and Xizen ok? I'll see you a bit later." She started towards the door.

"Alright. I'll catch you later. If you could, grab me maybe a piece of bread or a fruit or something for me to eat, just in case I don't make it, that would be great." I smiled at her pleading.

"Ugh, fine. You owe me." She slid out the door and off down the corridor. I smiled and finished up my paper just as Jaymes was getting comfy, leaning in a chair on its two hind legs. I grabbed his hand and pulled him up, grabbing my bag and handing him his book. I started off to The Secret Garden.

We had decided to name it being as no one had yet. Amber told me the story of how it came to be one day while we lounged.

"This room has existed for years. Stories told say that 2 fourth year girls stumbled upon it one day, while searching for a place to hide from Voldemort. The two girls charmed it for students only so that Voldemort wouldn't be able to find it but students could be aware of it. The charm was so powerful that the effects never wore off and it is still charmed to this day. Professors are too old to enter being as students are only 18 and younger. So naturally they don't know of it's existence and will never be able to see it."

Amber finished the story and we had spent the rest of that day trying to come up with a name. We eventually settled upon The Secret Garden.

I walked down the dark corridor with Jaymes by my side. We came upon a small oak tree and laid the small blanket underneath. It was finally spring and the flowers were coming into bloom and trees getting their leaves. We had missed the entire winter to come here being as it was cold and icy.

I relaxed against the base of the tree and took a deep breath. "Finally caught up on my work and I can breathe a bit. I have missed this place." I sighed, closing my eyes.

Jaymes sat next to me and grabbed a blade of grass pulling it apart and tossing it aside. " Me too. This is one of my favorite places to come. It's nice to have the place to ourselves." He grinned. I smiled and poked his cheek.

"YOU'RE IT!" I shouted and got up running off, giggling. Jaymes sat for a moment confused and then he realized and got up quickly running after me.

We spent the rest of the day just playing silly games in the garden, it neared night as we laid in the grass looking at the stars.

"Jaymes, I love you. You always make me smile and happy." I said grinning towards the starlight sky.

"Love you too, Fay. I am glad we are best friends." He smiled looking at me and I could tell he meant it.

CHAPTER 6

I wasn't able to return home for the summer so I stayed at The Leaky Cauldron. Jaymes decided to room next to me as his mom was in Canada for the summer. He and I spent most of our days walking up an down Diagon Alley and slowly but surely some of our friends showed as we reached the last few weeks of summer holiday.

Jaymes and I had received our letters and book lists. We had all our school supplies and now it was close to September 1st. He and I sat to dinner with Jas and Joe as well as a new girl I had only heard of. Her name was Xizen. She was a sweet Japanese girl. Hazel met her last year. She was a Third Year this year in Slytherin. Hazel had told me some of her background, like she was originally from a Samurai Clan in Japan. Something happened and she was adopted by wizards later on her life. She presented more magic through her childhood, and then she was accepted at Hogwarts.

"Hi there. I'm Fay" I said introducing myself to Xizen, "I am Hazel's sister." Xizen smiled and reached a hand to mine.

"I'm Xizen. Hazel has told me so much about you. You and her must be really close." I shook her hand while nodding. I introduced Jaymes and then we all sat to eat. We spent our time chatting and nibbling late into the evening, finally I stood up slightly sleepy.

"I think I am going to head to bed guys. I am tired and we have to be up early for the train." I said rubbing my eyes softly

"Yeah I think I am going to head as well." Jaymes replied standing up as well.

Jas and Joe both agreed while heading to the staircase towards bed. Jas shoved Joe and as he fell she sped off in front of him up the stairs.

"You suck Joe!" She screamed from the landing, giggling to herself.

Joe picked himself up and shook his head. "You are an Essex girl Jas. I hate you." He said smirking.

Jas stuck her tongue out at Joe and slammed her door. I chuckled and opened my room waving to Jaymes goodnight. Xizen smiled at me and slipped inside her room as I said goodnight to her.

I sat on the edge of my bed brushing my hair. I was so excited to go back to Hogwarts. I was a Second Year this year. Jaymes was still my bestest friend ever and in Hufflepuff this year as well. They had granted his petition to be in the same house I was. Professor Witchy was head of Hufflepuff and she had seen how close Jaymes and I were. I laid down and covered up knowing that tomorrow I would be going home.

I awoke feeling late and grabbed my trunk hurriedly and sped out the door. The hall was void of anyone I knew. I hadn't noticed it wasn't light outside and checked my watch. It read 4:36 A.M. I blinked. Crap I woke up two hours too early.

I turned back down the hall towards my room feeling embarrassed. Just then someone caught my eye in the shadows. I turned to get a better look, and the figure I had seen, was gone. I looked around expecting someone to be standing there. No one was around me. I felt like I was seeing things.

"It's just too early in the morning Fay." I whispered to myself. I opened my door and went back to sleep. I awoke two hours later a bit sluggish. Jaymes was knocking on my door telling me he grabbed me breakfast and that we needed to leave before we were late. I pulled on my tank top and jeans and grabbed my trunk opening my door.

"You okay Fay?" Jaymes asked me on our way down the stairs.

"Yeah just tired." I replied climbing into the bus. The perfect excuse.

CHAPTER 7

We were settled into our rooms after the welcome speech and dinner the Headmaster Danilo gave. I was in Jaymes room and sat on his bed.

"I am so glad your in Hufflepuff now Jaymes!" I smiled swinging my legs to the side

"Me too Fay. Oh my friend let me borrow his laptop for school. Want to look up funny movies?" He asked plopping next to me.

I smiled, "Of course." I laid next to him watching funny movies until I fell to sleep.

I slipped back down the stairs quietly. Jaymes had fallen asleep and curfew had come and gone. I rounded the corner up the to the girls room and shut the door behind me. Ana was up in her bed texting someone. No doubt probably Joe. Her and Joe had been toying with the idea of dating. So far no luck. She knew exactly how to play him, he was practically at her heels like a lost puppy.

I shook my head chuckling and climbed in bed.

"Your up awfully late." Ana said not taking her eyes off her phone.

"Yeah, fell asleep while watching a movie with Jaymes." I replied getting comfy.

"You two are like attatched at the hip. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned straight for you." She smirked.

I nodded instinctively and then laid my head on the pillow as she returned to texting. I thought about what she had said about Jaymes and I. To my surprise I agreed with her. I think if it came down to it Jaymes might pick me over a guy any day. Surprisingly it made me extremely happy.