It was definitely a long day. After lunch I went to Ancient Runes, my favorite class. Whenever I tried to solve the problems, I could feel my stress melting away. I could compartmentalize my worries and with every symbol I translating, I could feel myself calming down. I realized that what I said was hurtful and made a mental note to have a serious chat with Ella in charms. She's my best friend and if she wants to be with Malfoy, I needed to support her. That didn't mean I had to like him, but I would tolerate his presence. I also would warn her about the snake he truly is. Just as I felt at peace with my decisions, someone tapped my shoulder. I swung around, flicking my hair over my shoulder and came face to face with Malfoy. "What do you want?" I asked sharply.

He looked uncomfortable as he said, "Look, I know we don't get along, but this class is killing me. If I don't improve my marks, I'll lose my prefect's badge. Will you, like, tutor me or something?"

I almost laughed in his face and told him to bugger off but I remembered my new resolution to try to tolerate him for Ella's sake. "On two conditions. One, you help me in potions. Two, you tell me why you want to date Ella."

I stared resolutely into his steel gray eyes. I saw a flash of indecision before he confidently agreed. "Deal." He said staring back at me. With out breaking eye contact we shook hands. "We meet in the Library tomorrow after classes. Say, 7 o'clock?"

"Fine." I replied.

***

When I got back to the Gryffindor tower I was exhausted. Ella and I talked it out and we had stayed in the library until Madam Prince tossed us out. I climbed through the portrait hole and made a bee-line for the plush chair next to the fire I had claimed back in first year. I sat down and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. Just as I was about to start writing, someone threw themselves into my arms crying. I looked down to see my little cousin Lily Potter, sobbing in my arms. Her make-up, which is normally impeccable, was running down her face. I immediately enveloped her in a hug.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

She sniffled, and looked up at me with her big green eyes. "Jason cheated on me. With Suzanne Goyle. I caught them shagging in Myrtle's bathroom."

"That little slut! Don't worry Lily. I will take care of it."

"Rose, don't do anything stupid, ok?"

"I won't get caught Lily. I never do." I winked and stood up, surveying the room for Fred or James. I found them in the corner trying to convince some first years to try puking pastilles.

"Oy! James! Fred!" I caught their attention and nodded my head in the direction of Lily who had her knees up to her chest sitting in the chair. They hurried over to me.

"What's the plan?" Fred asked eagerly.

I grinned. " We will need the cloak and the map."

***

Fifteen minutes later, I was creeping through the dungeons with James on one side, and Fred on the other. We were attempting to all fit under the invisibility cloak, but with Fred and James both being 6 feet tall; the cloak was barely covering our knees. "This is not working!" I hissed. I ducked out from under the cloak and pulled them into a broom closet. "New plan, you two go to the kitchen and ask Winky for the stuff I need. Then, meet me by their common room."

I took the cloak and met my little brother Hugo by his common room. "How's my favourite Slytherin tonight?" I asked, winking at him and elbowing him in the ribs. He pushed my arm away and rolled his eyes. "Where's dumb and dumber?" "We all couldn't fit, so I sent them to get the supplies. I've noticed you've been kind of down lately. Are you feeling okay?"

Hugo and I have always been close. I wasn't surprised when he was put in Slytherin, but Mum and Dad were shocked. They always thought I was the sneaky one.

Hugo shifted uncomfortably. " Well, there's this girl." He smiled sheepishly.

"Can we talk about this later Rose? I bet James and Fred will be here soon and I don't want them to overhear. "

"Sure. Just let me know."

"Speak of the devils," muttered Hugo. James and Fred slunk around the corner humming the Mission Impossible theme song. My mum introduced them to muggle spy movies over the summer.

"Would you two cut it out?" Hugo snapped. "Let's just get this over with."

He whispered the password since he didn't want us to hear it and the wall seemed to disappear. A passage way appeared which I tentatively stepped into. "Oh! Can I have the stuff?"

James handed me a knack-sack and I walked into the heart of Slytherin.

***

The next morning I was sitting at the Gryffindor table, calming eating my breakfast with Albus, James, Fred, and Lily, when we heard a shriek from the entrance hall. James winked at me and I smiled back. Just then, Suzanne Goyle burst into the Great Hall, with bright blue hair, that was stuck straight up like the muggle troll toys mum used to get us as kids. The phrases "I'm the other woman" and "I'm a skanky trollop" were scrolling through her hair. I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. Not just laughing, hysterical laughing. I dried my eyes and looked up to see Jason strut through the doors and sit at the table to start eating. He took a stack of pancakes, and put a bite in his mouth, when he spit it out, to find that whatever he put into his mouth turned into worms. They always formed the words, "I'm a cheater."

I looked over to Lily and saw her laughing and knew it was worth only getting four hours of sleep. I leaned over and whispered, "No one messes with our family."

_

Authors Note: Thanks again for reading! I will try to update soon! Your review are much appreciated!

Sola714