Dedicated to the UoC Harry Potter Society

Today was a spectacular day. An utterly spectacular amazingly fantastic day. It was the first day of September and Samuel Dawkins was finally going to be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, the day itself didn't seem to know that it was spectacular. On this wonderful Thursday morning the sky was covered almost completely with clouds. They were dull and greyish and in addition the roads were still slightly damp from the previous night's rain. It was the sort of day that made you want to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate as you read the latest Azriel Moldark: Vampire Nemesis comic. Instead Sam had woken at five o'clock from pure excitement. He had bounced around the house until his mother, Jessica, had finally put her foot down, to her husband Andy and elder son Dom's amusement. At nine thirty the family of four had bundled themselves into their little orange Austin 1100, with the two boys trunk's firmly secure in the boot, and made their way towards King's Cross station. That was where he was now, tucked in the backseat of the car, wearing the bright woolly knitted jumper he adored.

Sam was a small, skinny boy for eleven but his father promised that he would soon shoot up. He had a wild mane of curly dark hair that made him appear taller than he actually was. On his face he wore a pair of thick, round glasses that were over-large and made his brown eyes seem twice their actual size. Beside him sat his brother, Dom, who was delightfully picking his nose. Dom was the opposite of Sam in almost every single way. While Sam was small and skinny Dom was tall and muscled. Sam enjoyed reading comics Dom preferred being outdoors. The one thing the two of them shared was a love for quidditch. Contrastingly, his father was of a similar build to Sam but also rather tall which gave Sam hope for himself. His father drove the car with ease, especially for a wizard, as he sang along to the latest album by The Hobgoblins. Andy was wearing his favourite red-checked trousers and beige turtle-neck, that Sam absolutely hated. Back before he was Sam's father Andy had been a Quidditch legend who had played chaser for England in two world cups before an untimely injury had put an end to his successful career. From then on he had diligently looked after Sam as Jessica furthered her own career in the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. They suddenly came to a halt as they arrived at the station car park. His parents and brother were already out of the car and Andy had begun to unload his new school trunk. Sam grabbed the wrought iron cage in which his recently purchased pet Owl, Aristotle, sat peacefully snoozing beneath one of his wings and clambered from the car.

"Come on then, Chipmunk," Jessica said as she put one arm around Sam's shoulders.

He allowed Jessica to pull him into the station as his father lagged behind with Dom and their trunks. A few people stared at the small family as they passed, presumably startled by the presence of two owls and, most likely, his mother's slightly odd appearance. She still insisted on wearing clothes that were around a decade out of date and, on top of that, had turned her hair a bright turquoise. Today she had donned a dark braided headband, her flower choker, and a long bohemian styled dress of which many of the suited men and women seemed to be personally offended by. The family of four walked through the station and made their way towards platforms nine and ten. Upon reaching their destination Dom pushed past Sam and pulled his trunk through the barrier. Next Sam and his mother leant nonchalantly against the barrier and Sam found himself staring at the magnificent Hogwarts Express he had heard so much about.

"Well," his father began after catching up with them. "It looks exactly how I remember it. Excited, Sammy?"

A nod was all Sam could manage due to the sudden onset of nerves that had appeared. His mother, noticing this, gave Sam's shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance while Dom rolled his eyes and the four of them made their way down the platform. Along the way his parents greeted old school friends, some of whom Sam was familiar with and others with who he was not. Dom spotted a group of his fellow fourth year friends and darted off to greet them. Sam stood awkwardly by his mother's side as she continued her conversation with another mother he had never met before. After a few minutes that felt like an age the two women finally said goodbye and Sam and his mother went to find out where Andy had gotten to. They found him a few short steps away chatting merrily to their very old family friends. Piper and Kim Osment-Jones were two of his parent's best friends at school and Sam had known them his entire life. He had also practically grown up with their two children Kate, who was five years older than himself, and her sister, Sebastian, who had started Hogwarts the previous year.

"Hi Kate, hi Sebastian," Sam greeted the two of them.

"Oh hi, Sammy," Kate replied. "Sorry, I've got to dash. Prefect duties."

Kate grinned down at the shiny prefect badge pinned to her cardigan. "Congratulations," said Sam, beaming.

"Thanks." Kate smiled back at him. "Mum, mama, I've got to go." She gave both Piper and Kim and fleeting hug. "Bye Uncle Andy and Aunty Jessie, see you all at Christmas!"

"Bye," the collective group called as Kate pulled her trunk towards the prefect carriage.

Their parents began chatting again almost immediately. Sebastian smiled at Sam. "Are you excited to be starting Hogwarts finally?" she asked. He nodded eagerly in reply. "I hope you're in Ravenclaw like Kate and I. It's the best house, you know."

"I hope so too," said Sam, "though I wouldn't be too disappointed at being in Slytherin."

"Really?" asked Sebastian, her eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Well yeah. Merlin was in Slytherin after all."

"I'd never thought about it like that I guess." Sebastian glanced up at the clock hanging above the platform. "Five to eleven! We'd better get on board quick. Mum, Mama, I have to go."

"Alright, sweetie," said Piper.

Sam gave his mother a lingering hug. Suddenly he found that he didn't want to go at all. "Best hurry onto the train, Chipmunk."

For some reason Sam found himself on the verge of tears and his parents walked him over to the compartment door Sebastian had just entered the train through. His father passed his trunk to him and the two of them stood away from the train as the conductor had begun to close all of the doors. The platform was empty of students with only some parents lingering behind to wave goodbye. His mother continued to call out to him, promising that she'd write twice a week as Andy merely waved cheerfully at him. As the train began to roll away Sam and Sebastian both waved furiously back at their parents as they leant through the train door window. They began to pick up speed and soon the platform had completely disappeared. A lump caught in Sam's throat but he forced himself not to cry and, instead, turned to Sebastian with a huge smile on his face.

"Shall we go and find a compartment then?" asked Sam.

"Sorry, Sam," Sebastian replied. "I'm going to meet some of my friends. I'll help you find a seat first though if you like?"

"I'll be ok."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Bye, Sebastian."

"I'll look for you at the sorting."

She gave Sam a reassuring smile before turning and heading down the train to find where her friends were sitting. He turned and walked in the opposite direction though the lump in his throat had become a little harder to ignore. Sam couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been abandoned even though he knew it was ludicrous. Again he was in danger of crying and that was something he absolutely could not do. Taking a deep breath Sam forced himself to keep looking for somewhere to sit. Finally a few compartments down he came across one that was empty but for two other people, neither of them talking to the other, that were clearly first years like himself. With nothing left to lose he strode as confidently as he could into the compartment and attempted to haul his trunk onto the over-head luggage rack. Surprisingly the trunk slid onto the luggage rack with ease and as he turned around to face his travelling companions he realised why. The girl with dark brown eyes had helped him to push it onto the rack.

"Thanks," said Sam.

"Welcome," she replied and continued her silent vigil staring out of the window.

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence and Sam quickly realised that he was still standing. Picking the seat beside the brown-eyed girl he placed Aristotle, still snoozing peacefully in his cage, between them and pulled Azriel Moldark: Vampire Nemesis #27 from his backpack and began to read. As he read the first page Sam found himself quickly interrupted by a small cough. He looked up to find the brown-eyed girl staring at him.

"Excuse me," she began, "is this your owl?"

"Yeah."

"He's adorable. What's his name?"

"Aristotle."

"Good choice," the boy in the corner interjected, flashing Sam a knowing smile.

"Why?" The girl asked. "What does it mean?"

"It's the name of a Greek Philosopher," Sam explained.

"Oh, I see." She replied, "That's pretty cool. My name's Beth, Beth McGarby." She held out her hand to Sam, "What's yours?"

"Sam Dawkins," he said, shaking it.

They smiled at each other. "My name's Harry Bugle if anyone's interested," their companion announced.

Beth flushed red and held out her hand towards him now. "Sorry," she muttered.

"Don't worry," Harry replied, shaking her hand in return. "I'm only joking." Harry then shook Sam's hand and pointed towards the comic on his lap. "Is that Azriel Moldark: Vampire Nemesis?"

"Yeah, number 27. It's the one where Azriel stops Daria from assassinating the American Minister and-"

"-and loses his left eye," Harry finished. "It's my favourite comic."

"Mine too!"

"Who's your favourite character?"

"Probably Lothaire. He's just such a brilliant mastermind. I feel as though he's wasted as a translator for the French Minister but I suppose it must free up his mind for his other pursuits. You?"

"Interesting choice, I'd most likely go with Azriel himself. Though he's the hero, he isn't in your face about it and I quite like that."

"True," Sam mused. "What about you, Beth?"

"Oh I've never read it. Comics don't interest me much."

"Fair enough," said Harry. "What houses do you two think you'll be in? I'm heading to Ravenclaw myself."

"Slytherin I hope," Beth answered.

"Slytherin," Harry scoffed. "Why would you want to be in that wretched house?"

"It is the house of my ancestors," Beth sniffed, clearly offended.

"And I thought you seemed nice."

"I am nice" said Beth rather angrily.

Harry merely let out a loud laugh. "No Slytherin is nice."

"Actually," Sam interrupted, "the great wizard Merlin was a Slytherin. I'd be proud to be sorted into his house."

Beth gave a triumphant smile as Harry slumped back into his seat. "I'd never thought about it like that before, I suppose. Sorry," he said to Beth.

"Apology accepted." She smiled warmly at Harry again but then turned back to Sam. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Which house are you hoping for?"

"Oh right," said Sam remembering their conversation. "I'd like to be in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin but I have a feeling that I may be put in Hufflepuff."

"Don't you like Hufflepuff?" Beth enquired.

"It's not that it's just… I'd be disappointed because I never thought of myself as a Hufflepuff, only as a Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Both my mother and brother are Hufflepuff so I've just got a feeling that's where I'll be."

"We'll keep our fingers crossed for you. Won't we, Harry?"

"Sure."

Sam smiled at the two of them. "Thanks."

It was at that moment their compartment door slid open. "Hi Sammy," said Kate cheerfully. "Have you made friends already? Well done. I'm Kate," she said to the other two, "nice to meet you both. I'm the Ravenclaw prefect. Actually I'm on duty right now so I should be off. See you at the feast, Sammy."

"Bye," he murmured as she hurried away. He turned back to his companions to find both Harry and Beth gawping at him. "What?"

"You know a prefect?" Harry asked.

"Uh… yeah?"

"That is so cool!" Harry exclaimed as Beth nodded in agreement.

"I've known her since I was born," Sam explained, "family friend."

"Oh," said Beth. "Still cool though."

The two of them laughed as Sam rolled his eyes at them and then they fell easily back into conversation. Fortunately it wasn't long until the lunch trolley came around. His father had packed him some cheese sandwiches but his mother had also given him some money to get a treat or two from the trolley. He finally decided on a few cauldron cakes and some jelly slugs. Both Beth and Sam also bought some things so the three of them sat down to a very sugary feast of a lunch. After all, it did have to sustain them until that evening. As the afternoon wore on they met a few rather interesting people. At one point Dom threw a Bertie Bott bean at his head as he passed their compartment. Later on Beth's older cousin dropped by just to say hi. They also met a few first years that had either come to say goodbye or simply lost track of which part of the train they were in. However, it wasn't until five 'o' clock when they had their most memorable visitor. When the boy arrived he pushed the compartment door out of his way and swept into the small space, already wearing his school robes. He was clearly a few years older than them, boyishly handsome with wavy blond hair and sparkling blue eyes.

"Hello there young first years," he announced to nobody in particular. "I am Gilderoy Lockhart. Who might you three be?"

The three of them merely stared at him, astounded by his gall and confidence. "Hi, I'm Harry," he said standing up, being the first to break the silence. Sam watched as Harry shook the older boy's hand and sat back down. Beth merely surveyed him, obviously not a fan. "That's Sam and Beth."

"Nice to meet you all," Lockhart replied. "I'm a third year from the wise Ravenclaw house. Are any of you hoping to become the newest Ravenclaws?" Both Sam and Harry nodded. "Excellent. If you ever need any advice about anything at all you should most definitely come to me for it is widely known that I am on track to become a prefect and head boy."

He looked around impressively until Sam finally said, "wow, that's amazing."

"I know," Lockhart said as he flashed his dazzling smile. "Alas, for now we must part but it has been a pleasure meeting you all. I bid you adieu." With a twirl the boy left their compartment and walked out of sight.

"Well," said Beth, "that was…. interesting."

She grinned, a mocking look in her eye. "You joke but I really did find him quite interesting actually," said Harry. "If he truly is going to become a prefect and the head boy one day it might be prudent to befriend him. He could help give us a leg up."

"I think I'll pass," said Beth.

Soon the sky outside began to darken and the lamps automatically switched on. They decided to pull on their robes, unsure of when they'd get there. It wasn't long before the train began to slow and suddenly they had arrived. As Sam stepped out onto the platform he saw the biggest man he had ever seen ushering all of the first years to follow him. After they had all gathered around him the large group walked towards a fleet of boats and, once all aboard, glided towards the castle. Sam kept his eyes open, trying to take everything in at once but finding everything to be so magnificent. To think it was only that morning he had woken up in his ordinary house and now he would be spending his first night in this wonderful school. Finally they reached the bank and Hagrid led them into the castle. A woman wearing emerald green robes with her dark hair in a tight bun introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and gave them a short speech before leading them into the Great Hall. There were hundreds of candles floating above their heads and the towering ceiling looked as though it opened right out into the sky. Every eye in the room was trained on them as they walked the length of the hall. Once they reached the end they clustered into a tight group as they watched Professor McGonagall put the stool she was carrying on the floor and place a weathered hat on top. The entire room focused their gaze upon the hat making Sam extremely intrigued. After a few moments a rip opened just above the brim and it began to sing. Once the song ended the entire hall erupted in cheers and soon the sorting got underway. Beforehand Sam had been told by Dom that he'd have to undertake a series of extremely hard and dangerous tests in order to determine his house, but now seeing that all he had to do was try on the hat made him extremely relieved. Sam watched as his peers in turn went to sit on the stool and ram the hat onto their heads. He watched as Harry strode up to the front and as soon as the hat touched his head it loudly shouted RAVENCLAW! Suddenly McGonagall was calling his name and he shakily walked up and sat on the stool. The last thing he saw before the hat fell over his eyes was every face in the room trained on him.

"Hmmmm," a voice said in his ear. "You're a bit of a tricky one. Very tricky indeed. I see that you have a great mind and a huge thirst for knowledge. Yet there is also something else. Hmmm… It might be more prudent to put you in Slytherin, your ambition could take you far. What to do? I think, after all, I'll place you in RAVENCLAW!"

As the hat shouted the last word for the entire hall to hear the table directly to Sam's right erupted in cheers. He took the hat off and half-sprinted to his seat. Kate gave him an encouraging thumbs-up, Sebastian grinned at him from further up the long table, while Gilderoy Lockhart shook his hand heartily as he sat down. For the rest of the evening Sam's hand continued to tingle although he was unsure as to why. At the end of the feast Kate and another fifth-year prefect named Micha led them up to the Ravenclaw dormitories. Beth caught Sam's eye as they left the Great Hall and smiled wistfully at him, taking the opposite path down towards the dungeons. Upon reaching the entrance to Ravenclaw tower Kate grabbed the bronze knocker and hit the door with it three times. The eagle shaped knocker blinked twice before opening its mouth.

"What does a boggart look like?"

"No-one knows as it takes the shape of whatever one's deepest fear is. That being said it could then be inferred that its form is fear itself," answered Kate.

"Interesting perspective, eloquently stated."

The door swung open and Micha ushered them all inside. Sam found himself in a large, circular room with various comfortable chairs dotted about the place and bookcases lining the walls. There were also several desks placed around the room. A beautiful midnight blue carpet covered the floor and blue and bronze silks hung from the ceiling which was decorated with painted stars. In that moment all he could think about was how wonderful everything at Hogwarts was.

"Now," Micha began, "as you know by now our house is founded upon wit and wisdom. This is why, instead of a mere password, our common room asks a question. There are some of you here who may not be from wizarding families and may be worried about this. Don't be. Some of you from wizarding families may not know the answers to such questions yet. This is why the door will only ask a question that pertains to your level of magical ability and age. As you advance through the school the questions will get harder, so always be ready. In the event that you do not know the answer the door will remain shut until somebody manages to answer the question correctly and let you in. We wish you luck."

"This statue is of our founder, Rowena Ravenclaw," said Kate, pointing to the huge marble carving beside the staircase. "She is an idol to us all. Up these stairs are you dormitories. Boys can be found to the left and girls to the right. Sleep well and get plenty of rest. Tomorrow you will begin your classes."

Sam traipsed up the stairs along with the other first years, thinking of nothing but a warm, soft bed to lay his head. He and the other boys continued up the left staircase and reached a heavy wooden door. A sign hung from a rusty nail on the door which said 'FIRST YEARS' followed by a list of six of their names. Sam didn't find his name printed on a sign until he reached the third and last door for first years. There were five of them altogether although Sam hadn't yet spoken to a single one of the other four boys. They were all far too tired to stay up and chat and so after a quick introduction Sam pulled on his pyjamas and fell into his four poster bed covered with midnight blue hangings, following the usual Ravenclaw décor, falling asleep as soon as his head touch the pillow.

The next morning Sam woke early, his happiness over being at Hogwarts still had not evaporated and he was extremely excited to begin his classes. After washing his face he dressed quickly, stashed his wand in his pocket, and picked up his backpack which was brimming with books. He and another boy named Gerald went down to breakfast, joining Harry and three other boys at the Ravenclaw table. Sam piled his plate high with food, joining in with the general conversation. At around eight thirty their head of house, Professor Flitwick, descended from the staff table to hand out their timetables. As soon as Professor Flitwick moved onto the second years Sam and the rest of the Ravenclaws made their way towards their first lesson, History of Magic. Admittedly he was slightly disappointed that his first class would not be a practical one but he was no less excited to embark upon his magical education.

His first few weeks at Hogwarts passed in a blur of excitement. By November the novelty of being at school had finally worn off. Sam now had a nice group of friends who he spent most of his time with, though he rarely spoke to Beth anymore, only smiling at her occasionally in the hallways, and Harry he saw in the common room but did not spend much time with him. Professor Slughorn was giving them their homework when the bell rang signalling lunch. Sam finished writing his homework down before gathering up his cauldron and supplies. As Sam swung his bag over his shoulder he chuckled slightly as, again, Slughorn was the first out of the door. He walked to lunch with his friends but halted at the top of the marble staircase as they carried on.

"Hi, Gilderoy," said Sam.

"Why hello there young Ravenclaw, I'm sorry I've forgotten your name," he replied.

"Sam, it's Sam."

"Sam yes, of course. How have you been getting on?"

"Pretty well thanks," said Sam, beaming.

"Wonderful, just wonderful. Do you have a favourite subject yet?"

"Well I quite like Transfiguration."

"Ah yes, there's nothing quite like it, although I think I could teach it far better than McGonagall."

"Really?"

"Most definitely, Sam. I am rather skilled in that area if I may say so myself. In fact I- Look there, that's James Potter, our Head Boy," he said, pointing at a tall skinny boy with messy jet-black hair and glasses walking down the corridor towards them. "I'll introduce you." Sam watched as Gilderoy marched confidently forwards. "Hello, James," he said, Holding out his hand.

"Er… Hi," said James, shaking it lightly.

"I've been meaning to come and speak to you, congratulations on becoming Head Boy."

"Thanks, I'm sorry you are?"

"Gilderoy, Gilderoy Lockhart. I'm poised to become Head Boy in a few years actually."

"Really? Well that's… great."

"Thank you. Oh and this is my friend, Sam. He's a first year."

"Nice to meet you too. Look I'm sorry but I've got to go, was good speaking to you again I guess."

"Goodbye. I'll see you around," Gilderoy called to James. "See," he began, turning towards Sam. "I told you I had the run of this place."

"Wow," said Sam slightly in awe.

"Don't worry, Sam. I'm sure that you'll be as well-known as me in a couple of years. You may not have my dazzling smile or brilliant blue eyes but you have charisma. Never forget that."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good. Shall we lunch?"

Sam nodded and the two of them entered the Great Hall together. They didn't speak much after that, although Sam took every opportunity he could to greet Gilderoy when he saw him. It wasn't until after Christmas that they had another conversation. Then they didn't properly converse again until April. It was breakfast and Sam had managed to sit opposite him at the Ravenclaw table.

"Good morning, Gilderoy," Sam greeted him.

"Oh hello there," he replied. "How are you this fine day?"

"Good thanks, you?"

"Yes I'm-", he broke off as a post owls swooped down.

Sam watched jealously as Sebastian's owl, Marina, landed in front of him with a package of sweets from home tied to her leg. He hadn't received anything from his parents in over a week. An owl also landed in front of Gilderoy with a letter attached to its leg. With one finger he gently stroked the bird's wing.

"Her name is Tekara," he told Sam.

"After the famous witch?" he asked.

"Precisely."

"She's beautiful," said Sam, admiring her yellowish feathers.

"I know," said Gilderoy. "I must be off, I'll speak to you soon."

Without allowing Sam time to say goodbye he got up and swept down the hall and up the marble staircase. Sam watched him go, wishing that he could have followed him. Unfortunately they didn't speak again until after their summer exams. Then it was on to the train home. Sam sent him several letters over the summer but only received one in return. In no time at all it was September again and Sam was excited to see his friends after so long, especially Gilderoy. He and Gerald had visited over the summer but it was not the same. Unfortunately for Sam he didn't get to speak to Gilderoy until after two weeks of being back at school. Sam was sat at a table in the library finishing off some herbology homework he had been given when Gilderoy came and sat with him.

"Hello there, Sam," he whispered.

"Hi," Sam replied, beaming.

"What are you doing there?"

"Just some herbology homework."

"What a coincidence, I was just finishing off my own homework."

"Perhaps we could do it together," said Sam hopefully.

"That would be great. Unfortunately I really need to head back to the common room. I suppose I'll just have to take another detention from McGongall," said Gilderoy wistfully.

"I'll do it for you," said Sam.

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Sam you are a lifesaver. See you at breakfast."

After that Sam spent most of his time with Gilderoy. More often than not he would impart some wisdom on Sam which would greatly help him later in life he had no doubt. Every day they would do their homework together, though Gilderoy would often leave early for various reasons. This left Sam regularly doing both of their homework but Sam didn't mind, he knew how important Gilderoy's time was. One night Sam returned late to the common room. On his way through the corridors he ran into a Gryffindor from the year above, Jaydine. He had seen her talking to Gilderoy several times though the two of them had never actually spoke.

"Oh hi," she said to him.

"Hi," replied Sam a little shortly. "Where have you been?"

"I was just with Gilderoy practicing the accio spell," Jaydine replied.

"I see," said Sam coldly.

"Yeah… well, I've got to go. See you."

Sam watched resentfully as Jaydine walked away. Why would Gilderoy rather spend time with her than with me? He thought spitefully to himself. "Oi," a voice to his right shouted directly in Sam's ear. The Portrait on the wall had caused him to jump around three feet into the air. It was of a young lady named Emily B., her last name had been almost worn out. "What're you doing up so late, young man? Get to bed! NOW!"

With that he ran back to his common room. As Sam walked through he saw Kate and Sebastian writing a letter to their parents while Harry loudly lectured anyone who would listen on the properties of the Alihotsy plant and its respective uses. While Sam lay in his bed he vowed to find a way to keep Jaydine away from Gilderoy. There was no way he would let her come between them. He found that it wouldn't be an easy task but by the summer he had finally achieved his goal. Jaydine and Gilderoy now barely spoke and Sam was very happy. Sam barely heard from Gilderoy again over the summer but he knew that he must be busy. Dom was always off visiting and writing his friends but Sam mostly stayed him, writing Gilderoy letter after letter. Several times his mother asked him if there was anything wrong and Sam was always confused by the question. After all, what could be wrong? It wasn't until September when Sam finally saw Gilderoy again as the two of them were boarding the train.

"Hi, Gilderoy," said Sam. "Congratulations!"

"Congratulation for what?" asked Gilderoy.

"Becoming a Prefect, of course."

"Well I'm not," he sneered before strutting onto the train without a second word.

After that Gilderoy would no longer speak to him, no matter how hard Sam tried. It took him a while but by January he had his old group of friends back among a few new ones from other houses. He still held out the hope that Gilderoy would want to be his friend again but Sam knew that to wait around would be fruitless. He was in his third year now and taking two new subjects, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. As time wore on Sam realised that his friendship with Gilderoy was irreparable though he found that his sadness over that fact had lessened. Therefore it was a huge shock to Sam when, out of the blue, Gilderoy began to converse with him. It was a Saturday in May and Sam was in Hogsmeade with a group of his friends. They had just sat down in the Three Broomsticks to enjoy a butterbeer before heading back to school.

"Look over there," said Gerald, pointing towards the bar. A group of girls including a friend of theirs had just walked in. "Let's ask them to come and join us."

"Alright," said Douglas. "Ladies," he called over to them. "Would you like to sit at our table?"

"Sure," said Jana, a pretty Hufflepuff girl.

She and the others came and sat round the table though it was a bit of a squeeze. The group included three other girls called Hannah, Laura, and Chloe. It wasn't long before they were joined by three other third years called Ashley, Abbie and Jen. Sam thought that they were a very merry group, enjoying the wonderful atmosphere inside of the Three Broomsticks as always. It was a surprise to him, then, when Sam felt a small tap on his shoulder and turned around to find Gilderoy standing directly behind him.

"May I have a word, Sam?" he asked.

"Of course," Sam replied.

They walked over to the bar and Sam waited for Gilderoy to say something. "So," he began. "We haven't spoken in a while."

"No."

"Look I should not have treated you the way I did. I just hope that we can move past this."

"What do you mean?"

"I'd like to be friends again."

A warmth spread through Sam's body. "Really?"

"Yes. I feel just terrible about it. We haven't spoken in so long and I just think that we should try to rekindle our friendship."

"Well…"

"I understand that you're a little hesitant but I promise it will not happen again."

"I'd like to be your friend again, Gilderoy."

"That's wonderful news! Perhaps we could rendezvous in the common room this evening?"

"Sure but I have some last minute homework to complete."

"What a coincidence, so do I. I'll see you later."

On that note Gilderoy left the pub, presumably to walk back to the school. Sam re-joined his friends at the table finishing his butterbeer and not really partaking in the conversation. "So," said Gerald to him in an undertone. "What did Lockhart want?"

"To be friends again," Sam replied.

"Oh," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam demanded.

"He's using you, Sam," Gerald replied.

At that moment the group stood up, scraping their chairs loudly against the stone floor. They all walked back to the school together but Sam barely joined in with the conversation, his mind preoccupied with other things. It can't be true, Gilderoy wouldn't do that… would he? Sam thought. Maybe it just seems that way to Gerald because he doesn't know Gilderoy well enough. Perhaps I could get the two of them together. He's not using me, definitely not. After that Sam had no doubts about his friend Gilderoy. From that day onwards they were inseparable. However, this time Sam made sure to stay in contact with his other friends. It wasn't an easy feat since none of them actually liked Gilderoy.

When it came to June Sam was busy most of the time helping Gilderoy revise for his O.W.L.s. It left him less time for his own studies but he didn't mind and he still managed to attain high marks. Over the summer holidays they visited each other for two weeks at a time. Dom didn't like it when Gilderoy was staying with them and so he went to stay with one of his own friends a few days after he'd arrived. For as long as he could remember Sam had never known a better summer. Gilderoy passed most of his owls, though only got an E as his highest mark in Charms. Sam was confused as he knew how clever Gilderoy actually was. For the next year they would often be found together. That was until the Summer of Sam's fourth year. In September he would be entering his O.W.L. year and so in August he got sent his school list as per usual. Except that year he received the Ravenclaw Prefect badge. Sam was extremely excited. His parents bought him a new racing broom – a Nimbus 1500! – And his brother Dom, who had since left Hogwarts, sent him a huge assortment of sweets as a congratulations. Sam had written to Gilderoy and a few of his other friends immediately upon finding out he had been chosen as a prefect. They all wrote back congratulating him, except Gilderoy.

As September came around Sam saw Gilderoy on the train station platform. He tried to go over and say hello but Gilderoy had disappeared presumably onto the train and Sam needed to go to the Prefect carriage to await instructions from the Head Boy and Girl. The compartment was beautiful, far nicer than the rest of the train. The seats were covered in a deep purple velvet with matching curtains that were adorned with golden tassels. A mahogany table sat comfortably in the centre of the compartment. The beginning of their journey consisted of a lecture from the Head Boy and Girl of their newfound duties. Then they were sent off to patrol the corridors, though they were invited back to eat lunch if desired. Sam decided to go and find his friends once his duties were over. The first one he happened upon was Gilderoy sitting in a compartment surrounded by second years.

"Hi Gilderoy," said Sam.

"Hi," he replied.

"I barely heard from you over the summer. Did you enjoy yours?"

"It was fantastic," said Gilderoy.

"That's wonderful. Mine was-"

"Look Sam I'm sorry but we're a little busy in here. Goodbye."

With that Gilderoy slammed the compartment door shut, leaving Sam feeling bewildered in the train corridor. It was a familiar feeling but he couldn't quite place it. For a fortnight after the sorting feast Sam tried to get Gilderoy to speak to him without any luck. It took another month of him moping to realise that they may never be friends again. Whenever they'd see each other in the corridors Gilderoy would either laugh nastily while pointing at him or pretend that he did not even exist. By December it no longer hurt as much and Sam was too busy with his other friends anyway, as well as his homework, prefect duties, and quidditch practices. He'd finally made it on to the team as a Chaser after being a reserve for the previous year. One day he was walking along a corridor on the third floor when a voice called out to him. He looked around but couldn't see anyone.

"Over here you great lump," the voice called. Sam located it coming from one of the portraits hanging on the wall and it was Emily yelling at him as usual.

"What do you want this time?"

"Wipe your shoes before walking around the castle!"

Sam rolled his eyes and walked away. "DO YOU HEAR ME?" she yelled after him.

As he turned a corner he bumped directly into Gilderoy walking with a Ravenclaw boy in the fourth year. Sam smiled at Gilderoy but he merely pushed passed him and ordered the boy to follow. Happily for Sam he felt little to no sadness at this fact. At times throughout the year Sam found it a little hard to keep up with all of his homework as well as other responsibilities but somehow he managed it. In June he took his O.W.L.s and knew that they had gone well. For the last few weeks he merely lazed around the castle grounds with his friends, having no responsibilities left. He enjoyed the train ride home as usual but Sam couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at leaving for the summer as always. On the platform he said goodbye to his friends before finding his father and leaving through the portal that led to the muggle world. As he dragged his trunk across the car park he saw Gilderoy walking towards the street with a woman who could only be his mother. For one last moment they locked eyes and Sam knew that he was unlikely to see his old friend every again.