A/N: It's been a while since I've written any fanfiction, and I thought I'd try to get back into it. As I'm not J.K. Rowling, nothing in this story is mine and I'm making no money off this. Enjoy.

It was Michael who'd come up with the idea.

The nine seventh-years were sitting in the common room that night, the outside light slowly dying, when he'd suggested it. After an awkward pause, he'd continued. "Well, y'see, she's not going to be here, experiencing it all alongside us like she has been since, well, y'know-"

"No," Terry had replied. "It's perfect, Mike. Really."

Michael blushed and muttered his thanks. Morag stood up. "I got an idea." She turned quickly on her heel and ran up the stairs, her feet thundering almost too loudly.

A few minutes later, she returned, with an absolutely un-Morag-like pink flowery hatbox in one hand. In the other was a camera.

"Don't judge the box, alright? It's packaging from a birthday present." she snapped as she saw Kevin and Stephen struggling to hide their ever-growing smirks.

"Sure, sure." Kevin snorted as Stephen doubled over laughing.

"Bugger off, Entwhistle, Cornfoot." Padma glared at the pair.

"Ooh, Padma's gettin' spicy." Kevin shot back, causing the girl to turn red and Stephen to laugh even harder.

"Boys." Su muttered just loudly enough for them to hear as she rolled her eyes. Almost immediately, the two stopped.

"Anyway," Morag continued. "So I was thinkin' we could take a picture or two and put 'em in the box, and, y'know, keep the letters in here too. Just so they're all in a convenient place and easier t' keep track of. And the box goes in the seventh-year hallway, on the table between the two dorms. Sound good?"

"Perfect." Terry said. The others nodded in agreement. Mandy, who'd been surprisingly quiet the whole time, chose to speak up.

"But where'll we take the picture?" she asked.

"Was thinkin' on the couch," Morag answered, "but anywhere's fine."

"Middle of the room," Anthony said, "More space for us all, anyhow."

It took a good ten minutes for everyone to be arranged so they'd be visible in the photograph. Finally, Morag held the camera and put her finger over the button. "Smile, everyone."

As the film came out, Morag gently tapped her wand on it. A moment later, the picture appeared.

In front, of course, was Morag; so were Mandy and Kevin, the two shortest members of the group. Leaning over Mandy's shoulder was Padma; on Kevin's side was Stephen. Anthony, Terry, Su, and Michael rounded out the back row. All smiling, yet all in stark contrast with one another as their personalities shined through. Padma's dark plait and tanned complexion were the opposite of round-faced Mandy's choppy blue-tipped bob and mischievous grin. Kevin's baby-faced, rosy-cheeked, sandy-haired self was completely different from Stephen's curls and chiseled jaw; rounded out with Morag's not-quite-a-fro, Michael's flip-floppy cut, Anthony's slicked-back style, Su's perfectly straight bangs, and Terry's signature I-look-like-I-haven't-shaved-in-three-days stubble, the nine's personalities couldn't have been more different. And yet, somehow, they all ended up dormmates six long years ago.

"It's wonderful," Su breathed. The others nodded in agreement.

"Shame I dunno how t' animate it, though," Morag sighed. "That'd've been-"

"Morag," Terry cut in, "stop. It's great. Really."

"Where'd y' learn t' take such pictures, anyhow?" Mandy raised an eyebrow.

"Y' remember the Creevey kid, right? The one who followed Potter around with that camera all the time?" Morag asked. "I took a couple o' lessons from 'im last year with Lisa. Five Sickles a pop fer half an 'our, but lad's damn good at what 'e does."

"Five Sickles? Wish I'd known 'bout 'im." Mandy said.

"Right?" Terry agreed. "But back on topic," he said and turned to face Michael before he continued, "d'you want t' include a letter now?" Michael nodded.

It was agreed that Padma should write the letter, as she had the most legible handwriting of the group. After nearly two hours of arguments, the nine finally agreed on what to say.

Dear Lisa,

So many things have changed since last year. With the whole new Ministry thing, a hell of a lot's gone down at the school. For one, Snape is headmaster. Yeah, you read that right. Some idiot made the greasy git in charge of this place. Unbelievable, right?

Moreover, there's no more Defence Against the Dark Arts classes - they got rid of them for just plain old Dark Arts. And Muggle Studies is mandatory too. Both of them are taught by a pair of siblings, the Carrows, who are known Death Eaters. Creepy looking, they are. They're also Snape's deputies. Just when it couldn't get worse, it did.

Finally, Harry Potter's off on the run too. It's been plastered all over the Prophet. Death Eaters looking for him, making him out like some bloody criminal. Horrible, really. He's a good guy, Lisa, as we're sure you know. But it's no safer here for him than it'd be for you, unfortunately. According to Michael, it's "absolutely sickening" that such a safe-haven's becoming a hell-hole (Mandy's words in that last part).

Anyhow, we're all hoping the year shapes up to be alright. With Potter gone, though, it won't be the same. Less interesting, anyway. But rest assured, we'll all be paying more attention in Charms for your sake. Or at least, Terry, Padma, and Morag will anyway. And don't worry, Kevin and Stephen won't blow up the dorm bathrooms again. And Anthony'll be on hall patrol while Su just keeps being Su. See? Maybe not as much will change as we think it already has.

Wish you were here,

Your year- and housemates

Padma folded and sealed up the letter before handing it to Morag, who put it in the box.

Just then, Stephen yawned, so Su looked down at her watch. "It's almost twelve-thirty. Let's try to sleep, if we can."

The rest of the seventh-years nodded sleepily and filed up the stairs, one by one.

End Chapter One.

So a quick summary of the story-line: It's set during the year the Golden Trio were off horcrux-hunting, and focuses predominantly on the (mis)adventures of the Ravenclaws in Harry's year. Not a terribly original plotline, I know, but I'd like to think the way I'm planning to carry it out is slightly more original.

Quick list of all the characters featured in the chapter: Terrence "Terry" Boot, Amanda "Mandy" Brocklehurst, Michael Corner, Stephen Cornfoot, Kevin Entwhistle, Anthony Goldstein, Su Li, Morag MacDougall, Padma Patil, and Lisa Turpin (who's not actually at Hogwarts, as she's the lone Muggle-born Ravenclaw). All characters were either mentioned in the books at one point or confirmed as canon by J.K. Rowling; in any case, they all appear on the Harry Potter Lexicon page about Ravenclaw, which is good enough for me.

Whatever the case may be, any questions about the story can be directed to my PMs, where I'll attempt to answer without spoiling too much. Any comments or constructive criticism may be left in the reviews below.

Happy Reading,

QC/Purple