Thirty minutes and a small scuffle with Ciaran later found E hidden in Flourish and Blotts with her nose buried in numerous books. I wonder if Mum would let me get this book as extra reading. These spells are really quite fascinating.

E's internal dialogue was interrupted by a sharp pain on the back of her head. Somebody had pulled her hair! Spinning around, E glared into the deep green eyes of Albus Potter.

"What do you want, Albus?" She was still glaring at him and was in no mood for kidding around.

Albus backed up a step and put his hands up in a calming gesture. "Geez, what's with all the hostility, Red?"

E snapped the book she was reading shut and held it against her chest with her arms crossed. Narrowing her eyes at him in anger, she spoke in a quiet and cold voice (her mother was not the only one who could cause fear with just her voice), "Do. Not. Call. Me. Red."

Albus's eyes widened a bit and then he chuckled softly. "I'm…I'm sorry. E, I'm sorry. I won't call you 'Red' anymore. I was just teasing you."

E finally looked away and took a deep breath to calm herself. What is it about him that gets under my skin so effortlessly? I never get angry this easily. She sighed. "Thank you. I just really don't like that nickname. I have a nickname and I like it." After a few seconds of silence, she looked back into his face. He was watching her with a strange expression that she couldn't quite place. She began to feel slightly uncomfortable under his gaze. "Albus, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just really don't like being called that. I have a name and I like it too."

Finally, Albus let a half-smile cross his face. "Yes, you do have a name. It's a beautiful one too…Eimear."

Whatever she thought was going to come out of his mouth, it was not that. How dare he? After he made fun of me so much about my name! The nerve! (There was her anger boiling to the surface again.) Once again, she was looking at him through narrowed eyes. "That's not what you seemed to think the last time we had a conversation about my name…"

Albus looked at her with confusion obvious on his face. What is this girl talking about? Albus furiously tried to rack his brain for any clue as to what she was talking about. Suddenly, it hit him like a cup of cold water to the face. She's still hurt from that? All those years ago? Oh no…

4 years ago…

E was completely in awe. A straight-backed, unyielding sort of lady with a very tight bun had just finished terrifying all of the first years huddled around her in the entrance of a castle that was bigger than E could even imagine being in existence. The stiff lady (with the pointiest hat E had ever seen) was leading them down the aisle between 4…'long' just didn't quite capture it…tables. They were full of students except for the few feet closest to a table sitting perpendicular to the rest, full of what E thought must be teachers (they were all old). The ceiling looked like the clear, starry night that E had watched on her boat ride across the lake with the giant bearded man.

The lady—Professor McGonagall, E suddenly remember she was called—set down a three footed stool with a hat resting on top of it. Slightly confused, E started looking around wondering what in the world was going on. Everyone was staring at the hat…what? Abruptly, the hat started singing! E was struck dumb. She had seen some strange things, but never clothing items singing. She was still staring incredulously at the moving hat that she didn't realize that she had missed everything it had just said—sung?—until it was already done.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward carrying a long piece of parchment. "When I read off your name, step forward, place the Sorting Hat upon your head and sit down."

E started to get nervous. When she got nervous, it was not a good thing. She tended to lose any food she recently ate when she got nervous. Lucky for her, she hadn't eaten anything in hours, so that was a plus, right? No. Not Quite. She was so focused on not making a scene that her attention to the sorting drifted in and out. She saw a few people get sorted intermittently; a short, blonde girl went to Slytherin, a short, dark brunette went to Ravenclaw (Geez, is everyone here short? E eyed a particularly small, older gentlemen sitting at the staff table.), finally she saw a slightly taller boy with whacked out hair go to Gryffindor. Yikes, he's a weird looking one.

Finally, Professor McGonagall read out, "Eimear Mac Amhalghaidh!"

The funny looking boy sniggered at this and loudly whispered, "What kind of name is that? You can barely pronounce it!" He sniggered some more and continued, "Sounds like someone's talking with a head cold." At that moment, he looked up and visibly paled. When E had realized he was talking about her, she had stopped and turned to glare at him. Professor McGonagall had overheard his snide comments as well and was glaring alongside of E. The weird looking boy sunk down into his seat and stayed there.

E, for good measure, continued to stare at the boy for a couple of more seconds before she made her way to the Sorting Hat. Trying desperately to still her shaking hands, she reached out and picked it up. Placing it on her head, she sat upon the stool and waited. After what felt like an eternity, she heard a voice begin talking softly into her ear.

"Hmm…strong-willed…courageous…feisty…" The Sorting Hat chuckled. "You are an interesting one, aren't you? There's only one place I can put you, little one."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

E smiled. She may not be in the same house as her sister, but she was happy all the same. After reading Hogwarts, A History, she had hoped she would be put in Gryffindor. Taking the hat off and returning it to the stool, she turned to the table that was clapping and cheering for her. Walking over towards the table, she noticed the rude, weird looking boy still sunk down into his seat clapping politely. Unfortunately, the only easy place to sit was directly beside him. Oh, you have got to be kidding me! I have to sit next to that skanky prat? Refusing to show her hesitation, E moved confidently over to her seat, grumbling under her breath.

Once seated, the boy turned to her and offered his hand. "Hi, my name is Albus Potter. I'm…sorry about what I said about your name."

E met his eyes, looked at his offered hand and flitted back up to his face. Slowly, she shook his hand. "Hello. You can call me 'E'."

Albus's eyes widened at her pronounced Irish accent and a small smile touched his lips. "Looking forward to getting to know you…E."

Present Day…

"E, I'm sorry. I didn't know that night still bothered you. I apologized then, but I guess I can understand why you wouldn't put much stock into an apology from a prat of an eleven year old boy. I'm sorry. I love your name. Please, forgive me?"

Albus had a pained look on his face. E was rather shocked at the sincerity she could hear in his voice. Slowly, she nodded once. Her look was questioning.

After a few seconds of silence, she asked him again in a softer voice, "What do you want, Albus?"

Albus looked down at his feet and shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, you know, I er… I ran into your mum and Maura in the street. Your mum told me you were here and that I should come find you. She er…she actually invited me to have lunch with your family at the Leaky Cauldron and told me to tell you to meet them there in 30 minutes." He looked at his watch. "I guess, that would be 20 minutes, now."

E watched him. He stood not looking at her with his hands stuck in his pockets. Is he blushing? Nodding, she began to turn and put the book she was holding away.

"Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts?" Albus asked. "My dad has that book. Are you looking into getting it?"

"Perhaps." E said, before turning and walking towards the door. Albus stood watching her go. When she was at the end of the aisle, she turned at met his gaze. "Are you coming?"

He smiled and responded, "Yeah, I'm coming." He started moving to leave. When he was sure she wouldn't see him, he turned and marked the location of the book, and then ran to catch up with her.