I'm not usually one of those "kicking-and-screaming" people, cos I can't really afford it. I'm usually a quiet person who likes to take in her anger and deal with it later.

I come from a pretty modest family with low financial means and even attending Hogwarts is a miracle for me, since the expenses here are more than we can handle, but my parents struggle.

So I try not to disappoint them. Sure I don't dazzle teachers with my grades, sure I don't understand many things, sure I can't learn all the properties of a certain potion or the right steps in transfigurating a cat into a table, sure I sometimes fall asleep in History of Magic but overall I'm an average student doing alright.

I can't just blow my top when things don't go my way and I can't throw a tantrum either.

But there are times when I get beaten down or face some serious problems and I don't know how to act. Most of the times I don't; I just ignore them.

I've spent four years in this school without breaking the rules: I didn't stay after curfew, I didn't get more than ten detentions, I didn't wander off the school grounds, I didn't bring any illegal potions or beverages in the school and I tried not to get into any sort of conflicts with other students.

But this ended in a single afternoon when I literally exploded. It hadn't been the right move, no matter the reason behind it. I mean I shouldn't have got involved in something like this.

It all started with Sirius Black, a guy I had never talked to in my life but knew quite well by reputation. He was and still is the womanizer of the school, the classical Don Juan who really needs to get a hobby. I think he has dated and Merlin knows what else almost all the girls in school, except for a few Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors.

He is known to get together with one girl while trying to charm another, while dating a third and the list goes on. Sure he is handsome and clever in that witty sort of way, but that doesn't make up for the fact that he has no care for the feelings of others. And that's a big "no-no" in my list of "nice people I could talk to".

Now, I got into what I like to call "small fight" with Black because of a good friend of mine, Becky Summers.

Becky has always been my good buddy and we help each other a lot, even if we do not have so many things in common. We cheer each other up when the other one is sad and we get together, watch movies and eat junk food.

Well, to get straight to the point, I had had a very rough day and I was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. We had had a big test at Herbology and another one was coming up in a few hours at Astronomy, not to mention I had got a D in Potions.

My parents had written to me to tell me that they wouldn't be able to send me my small monthly allowance anymore, due to money issues. My allowance was already very small, but I was sad to hear my parents were having bigger problems.

Oh and I had spilt my ink pot on my clean white shirt.

All these things bottled up inside crashed when I witnessed an awful scene.

I saw Becky on the corridor crying while Sirius Black was trying to dump her.

I knew about their relationship, of course. They started going out three weeks ago and while I wasn't really content with this and told her she should be careful not to get hurt, I had to admit that she seemed really happy with him.

That is until he decided to end it. Becky really grew to like him over the weeks and frankly, that's not hard. Sirius Black can be fun to be around as a friend, but he isn't dependable or kind, he is just selfish and egotistical to a point where his nicer traits just disappear.

And now, seeing them in the badly lit corridor, her face in tears while he was just staring at her blankly, as if this was abnormal, something in me snapped.

I knew Black was rich. In fact, he was very rich. He was a spoilt, lucky kid. I was poor and I had had a bad day. And Becky did not deserve this treatment.

And how long was he going to keep up this stupid little game?

I marched right up to him and started yelling in his face.

'You're such a smarmy butt-faced prick with low self esteem who just loves to tread on others, regardless of their feelings!'

Both Becky and Sirius gaped at me in disbelief. Sirius was scratching his head a bit confused but that just angered me even more.

'So, you don't know what I'm talking about? Here's a girl who's only been nice and kind to you and cared for you sincerely and what do you do? You decide that's boring for you, because you rich frat boys (though I doubted he knew what I meant by that) can't help yourselves but show how deflated your ego really is and you chase every skirt until you reach the senile age of forty-five and you marry a Stepford wife and have an eighteen year old mistress.'

The last part just came out without even thinking, I just said everything I had always wanted to say. It wasn't fair some people had it easier. It wasn't fair he could just break people's hearts.

'So…I gather you don't like me,' Sirius said sheepishly.

'You're correct. And you know what? You don't deserve Becky. And you're going to be bald when you hit thirty,' I spat out awkwardly.

'Anything else?'

'No, that's all!' I half-shouted and walked away, taking Becky with me.

After a few flights of stairs, the realization that I had done a very stupid thing hit me like a thunder. And it sank slowly and painfully. I had insulted a boy for…well not nothing, but for something that wasn't my business. But people can't always sit and watch an injustice happening without trying to do something. I was afraid now that Black would report me or would talk to his rich, influential parents and then…

Oh, why had I flipped? Why now?

'Hey, Rachel…that was very…odd, but nice what you did back there. Thanks for sticking up for me,' Becky mumbled. 'No one's ever done that for me.'

Well, at least she thought I had done something good.

The next morning I thought Black would come up to me and retaliate or at least threaten me with a silly little catch phrase like "I'll teach you a lesson" or "meet me outside after classes, bring your pistols" but it didn't happen.

I was really glad I was off the hook so easily. I had reasons to celebrate so I put another helping of pancakes in my plate. He wasn't going to cause me trouble after all.

He was eating quietly with his friends. Maybe he had even forgotten all about it.

In the course of the day, I was in a good mood. Sirius hadn't said anything and I had stood up for someone and I felt like a small hero.

That is, until dinner time when I was suddenly called in the Headmaster's office.

Not good. I knew now Sirius had said something. I should have guessed.

No matter what would happen in there I had to keep my chin up and face the facts, and say it had been all his fault. After all, he was the one who started it by being so insensitive.

But the subject was very different. After I got out of there I wished that it had been about Sirius.

My parents were withdrawing me from school. My dad got fired three days ago. My mum was looking for a job. Meanwhile, my grandparents were helping them. My little sister who was just four, had got quite ill. Things were not looking up.

I felt a terrible pang inside. They couldn't afford to keep me here anymore, plus they needed me there to help them. The worst part was that I had already tasted this life and it would be hard now to return to the Muggle world, just like that.

My father wrote that I would return subsequently, but I didn't know how or when. For now I was just leaving.

I just felt so defeated that I assumed it was a punishment from Karma or divine Providence for making a scene the day before.

I had never felt this sad. I would be leaving on Friday.

I packed my things quietly and said goodbye to the wonderful scenery, the beautiful castle, the mysterious secret passages, the cheerful Great Hall, the warm common room…

I had told only a few people. I didn't want everyone to know. I didn't want anyone to ask me too many questions. They would notice eventually, or maybe not at all. I would miss everything so much, I would even miss Sirius Black if that was possible.

On Friday morning however, when I was just ready to leave I received a special missive that informed me that my small vault at Gringotts (dad had made one for me there when I turned eleven so I could officially be part of the magical world but I usually had little to no money there) now housed the sum of five hundred galleons.

I had never received a bigger shock. Apparently a very large donation had been made, or something as impossible as that. I thought someone was making a practical joke so I wrote them a letter but Gringotts confirmed the sum immediately. All morning I walked up and down the common room, baffled beyond words. I, Rachel Moore, owned five hundred galleons. More than enough to save myself and my parents. It was incredible.

Who could have done this very generous gesture?

I was baffled but flattered and touched at the same time. What a kind person!

But I had to find out who it was to thank them properly for this. I wondered if it was an accidental donation, that maybe he or she hadn't intended to transfer so much money.

Whoever it was, they had saved me, knowingly or unknowingly.

Now, I was indebted to that person, in a way.