Chapter
-2-

A New Beginning

The first years held more familiar faces than usual as they walked between the tables. Albus Potter caught James' eye and looked incredibly worried.

"You'll do fine, Al," James smiled as he walked past, "you'll get in Gryffindor, I know it."

Albus gave James a grateful smile. Fred turned to him.

"Not an hour ago you were teasing him about being in Slytherin," Fred chuckled. James raised his eyebrows.

"I was just kidding. It's what older brothers are meant to do." James looked after Albus, looking proud. "He's definitely a Gryffindor."

"Hey, look, it's that Malfoy kid."

Scorpius Malfoy was walking by himself, looking determined and worried. Kasia also saw Rose Weasley following behind Albus, babbling in a way that reminded her of Molly the year before.

She saw Zeno Tremlett, his black hair nearly hiding his anxious eyes. He was walking with two other kids – twins – from the Weird Sisters gang. Kasia recognised the two blonde eleven-year olds as Castor and Pollux Wintrigham. Their nearly white, feathery hair, sharp features and mischievous expressions gave the impression that they were two impish pixies or elves.

"I thought I would be less hungry than last time," Fred groaned, "I ate so much on the Hogwarts Express."

"Shut up, the Sorting's starting!" Demi hissed, and Fred grumbled, putting his chin on the table as the first names were called out.

"There's something about an empty plate that gets my stomach started."

"Edwards, Kai!"

"Slytherin!"

"I think you're right about that," James agreed, looking longingly at his clear plate, "and we don't really care about anyone's Sorting until P."

"That's rude," Demi sniffed, stubbornly paying attention to the front.

"Come on, Demi," Kasia sighed, "aren't you even a little bit bored? I know this is important for them and all, but it doesn't make it any more interesting unless we know people."

Finally they went past M – Scorpius Malfoy, predictably, getting into Slytherin – and came to P.

"Potter, Albus!"

James bit his lip. The Sorting Hat was taking longer than usual.

"Gryffindor!"

James and Fred cheered loudly along with Teddy, Victoire, Dominique and Louis. Albus ran up to them, grinning.

"Nicely done, Al," James grinned, ruffling his hair and making room, "looked like the Hat was considering Slytherin for a while there..."

"Shut it, James," Albus laughed, "I'm in Gryffindor now, so you can't tease me anymore. I hope Rose gets in, too."

"She is your cousinly counterpart," Fred agreed, earning strange looks from Demi and Kasia.

"Tremlett, Zeno!"

"Slytherin!"

Zeno joined Nico and Scorpius at the Slytherin table, high-fiving his oldest brother, Chairo, on his way.

"Almost every one of us has a cousin who's either in the same year as us," James explained, "or a year away. For example, me and Fred. Then there's Louis and Molly. Albus and Rose..."

"Lucy and Roxanne," Fred continued, "and Lily and Hugo. Vic, Dom and Teddy are by themselves. Well I suppose Vic and Teddy have each other." He laughed.

"Weasley, Rose!"

Albus sat up straighter, straining to see. The Hat seemed to take a while on her as well.

"Ravenclaw!"

Albus' face fell. James patted his back. "It's alright. You'll still be good friends with Rose."

"Wintrigham, Castor!"

"Gryffindor!"

"You can be friends with him, as well," Fred said comfortingly, gesturing to Castor, who was approaching them, but looking behind at his brother.

"Wintrigham, Pollux!"

"Gryffindor!"

"YES!" Castor yelled, before his eyes widened and he grinned sheepishly at the staring eyes.

oOo

Demi didn't ever take offence when Kasia says that she didn't want to talk to her about something big, because she knew that when Kasia wanted to talk, she'd talk to Demi first.

It was after the Sorting that Kasia came up to her and they sat down in between their four poster beds. Demi was glad that it hadn't taken too long for Kasia to talk about it; when she was seven at Christmas, she didn't talk to Demi about feeling completely out of place for a few weeks.

"You already know everything that's going on," Kasia began, "but all I literally want to talk about is...er..."

"Your feelings?" Demi guessed, and Kasia nodded. "It's a big thing to comprehend."

"At first I was just completely shocked. And sad, like everything had fallen down around me. And then I was angry at Ramona. And then I was excited and happy, nothing could touch me."

Kasia sighed, frustrated. "And now I just have a really weird feeling."

"Well," Demi began knowledgably, "when a girl becomes a woman, every month –"

Kasia laughed loudly and smacked her on the arm. "Shut up, Demeter, you know what I mean."

Demi giggled. "Yeah, I do. Now don't call me that, Kasia Alexa Days."

"See, that doesn't bother me," Kasia laughed, "Alexa is an awesome name."

Demi was serious again. "I can't imagine how I'd feel, but I think everything's happened so quickly, within two days, really. And now you've figured out that you're going to meet the father that you didn't even know you had. Do you remember him at all?"

Kasia had a look of deep thoughtfulness on her face. "There was this phrase that randomly popped into my head two years ago. Don't be afraid of the spaces between dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so. At the time I had no idea where it'd come from, but...thinking about it, I'm sure my father said it to me."

Demi looked at her pityingly.

"And...lately, I swear I can remember...I have this memory where I can see my father. His eyes – my eyes – and his face. He had light brown hair." Kasia shook her head. "It could just be a dream, or something...but that's all I really remember. In his letters, he said that he used to tell me all about magical creatures, and I used to love it. I don't remember that specifically, but when someone told me about a magical creature for a few years after I came to live with you, I felt like I already knew that. I suppose that's why it wasn't too much of a shock for me about magic existing."

"Do you know where in Scotland they are?"

There was something else that Demi had to refrain from expressing. She realised that she could be selfish sometimes, and it was definitely not a good trait. So she kept it to herself.

"Donaghan is going to send me the address. He said sometimes he Floo's my father."

Demi nodded, and then Chandi came into the dormitory.

"James and Fred want me to tell you that 'you're being far too anti-social and to come down this instant'," she recited, looking a little exasperated. Kasia laughed.

"Alright, we're coming."

oOo

The start of third year had a kind of excitement similar to their first ever week in Hogwarts. They had new classes, and they were finally able to go to Hogsmead when trips to the little village were held. They even had a different tie.

"Yeah, no. It looks exactly the same as last year's," Fred snorted, looking at his tie at breakfast.

"No, look!" Demi pointed at the gold lines, "the lines have a different pattern. Last year they and the maroon lines were the same, and this year, the gold lines are thinner and have a different pattern. See? Thick, thick, thin."

"That's ridiculous," Fred remarked, shaking his head.

"Wait, you can't see the difference?"

"Of course I can, but it's pointless."

"I think it looks better."

"You think anything new looks better!"

"Touché," Kasia laughed, and stopped when Demi glared at her.

"Whatever happened to that fifteen galleon duel that was going to happen last year?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. Demi and Fred looked at each other suddenly.

"You forgot!" Demi accused.

"And you didn't?" Fred shot back.

"Of course I didn't!"

"Yeah, cuz you're Demeter and you're so perfect!"

Demi's eye twitched. "What is it with people calling me my full name recently?"

"So you remembered about the duel?"

"Yes!"

"Ah!" Fred grinned, and his expression declared that he had already won. "So you were afraid you'd lose?"

Demi's eyes widened. "Of-of course not! I just wanted to see how long it would take you to remember!"

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," Fred announced, turning to Kasia and James, who were trying their best to keep their laughter held in. "What is your verdict?"

Kasia snickered and nudged James, who composed his face. "The jury is withholding judgement for fear of physical health."

"With that being said, I herby charge you guilty of cowardice," Fred declared, and banged down his empty glass of pumpkin juice. "Punishment shall be paying for fifteen galleons worth of sugary goods at Honeydukes."

Demi sighed, recognising her defeat. When breakfast was over, Kasia turned to James excitedly.

"Ancient Runes is first up!"

"Would you look at Friday?" Fred whistled in appreciation. "Potions, double Charms, double Herbology, double Defence."

"I love that the professors gave us a good Friday," Demi sighed. "Well I'm off to Muggle studies. Have you got Arithmancy, Fred?"

Fred nodded, looking torn between excitement and regret. He also looked determined to stand by his decision to do Arithmancy.

"It should be great," he grinned shakily, going with James and Kasia to the moving staircase. Demi headed down to the first floor. At the Ancient Runes classroom on the sixth floor, they watched Fred walk up another floor to Arithmancy.

"Five galleons says he doesn't make it to the end of the year," Kasia said at once.

"You're on," James said, shaking her hand, "he's more stubborn than Aunt Fleur when it comes to teaching Vic, Dom and Lou French."

Professor Babbling then came out of the classroom and smiled warmly at them all.

"I'm Professor Babbling and I'll be teaching you Ancient Runes for the next five years!" she said as she rushed them all in the classroom. "Take your places, please!"

Yasmine scooted in next to James, leaving Kasia next to Cameron Churchill, another Gryffindor boy. Cameron was, to put it kindly, dim. If she had to spend the next year explaining Ancient Runes to him, Kasia would have to find a gun and put a bullet through her skull. James, catching her look, moved to the other side of Yasmine, so Kasia could sit next to him as well as Abigail Hill, a Ravenclaw she befriended the year before.

It turned out that Professor Babbling was aptly named. It wasn't a flaw, though. She was a middle aged witch who dressed eccentrically and was enthusiastic about three things: Ancient Runes, teaching and...

"Nifflers?" Kyle Davis repeated, looking interested.

"That's right, Mr Davis," Professor Babbling beamed, "I've got three at home."

"Hang on, you keep Nifflers?" Ethan Swansea said, shocked. "But don't they tear apart your house?"

Professor Babbling waved a hand, jingling her many bracelets. "I don't keep anything shiny lying around. They know that."

"I can't decide if I find her mad or the most awesome professor yet," James muttered to Kasia, his eyes wide. Kasia laughed.

"It sort of goes hand in hand, doesn't it?"

"Now that I've introduced myself, let's move onto some actual learning!" Professor Babbling went on. "I know that's a bit surprising in school, but when the time comes you'll find yourself in the situation where you could die if you don't know the basic runic numerical system." She paused, looking at the class's expressions. "Joking, class, joking. Sometimes I make jokes. Now, the first nine numbers are based on magical creatures that relate to that particular number. For example, unicorn being one because of their single horn, hydra being nine..."

"Definitely awesome," James grinned.

By the end of the lesson, the blackboard wouldn't have made sense to anyone who walked in afterwards. Between the numbers, letters and comical drawings of magical creatures were scribbled lines and arrows, underlines and circles.

"She's brilliant," Kasia enthused on their way out, "the teacher really makes the difference, huh?"

"For sure," James agreed, "I mean imagine if we had a professor like Binns?"

"That would be horrible!" Yasmine chimed in, shuddering. Katriel caught up to them.

"Thanks for waiting, Yas," she chuckled sarcastically. "You sped out of that classroom as fast as a speeding broomstick."

oOo

Demi was delighted that her brother had made Quidditch Captain.

"So you'll let me get on the team, then?" Demi pleaded with Apollo, who arched an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding? You'll have to be fantastic, Demeter."

Demi narrowed her eyes, and Kasia could tell she was restraining herself from calling him 'Polly'.

"I would've thought that Leslie had been made Captain," Kasia said quietly to James and Fred, "no offense to Apollo."

"She did get it," Fred explained, "but seeing as this is her last year, she gave it up to Apollo."

"That way he could be Captain for three years," James went on, "having a constant Captain makes a strong team."

"Which is why Hufflepuff is all over the place," Fred laughed, "this is the first year they've kept their Captain the same since 2005."

Kasia followed them to the Quidditch Pitch, sitting on the stands and not really paying attention. When it was over, Fred and James were walking up to her.

"Please don't tell me she didn't make it again?" Kasia worried, looking around for Demi. Fred grinned and pointed up to the goal hoops. Demi was flying around them, doing loops and dives, screaming.

"Hold on, but Leslie, Apollo and Peter are still in school," Kasia said, furrowing her eyebrows, "who did Demi replace?"

"Teddy," James answered, looking a bit sad that Teddy wasn't at Hogwarts anymore, "she decided to go for Keeper, since there were no Chaser positions available."

"That's awfully lenient of her," Kasia mused, "she never liked playing Keeper."

"I think she just wants to be on the team," James muttered.

Demi streamed down to the ground, and Kasia had a feeling that she only just pulled up in time.

"I GOT IN! I GOT IN! I GOT IN! KAZZI I GOT IN THE QUIDDITCH TEAM!" Demi screamed, taking Kasia's hands and spinning around drastically. Kasia yelped and jumped back.

"I realise that," she laughed, and then narrowed her eyes. "Did you just call me Kazzi?"

"Yup!"

Kasia's eye twitched, and James and Fred laughed. "Please don't call me that."

"Whaddya gonna do?" Demi demanded jokingly, still dancing around them.

Kasia growled. "Demeter Wood. I know about Greek mythology, there are a whole lot of jokes I can make about your name."

Demi stopped dancing. "Fair point. I won't call you Kazzi. But..."

She took a deep breath and Kasia, Fred and James covered their ears.

"I GOT IN! I GOT IN!"

oOo

"Hey, Zia, what's this for?" Demi inquired, holding up a calendar. It had numbers on each of the days, counting down.

"You've never been one to count down days till the holidays before."

Kasia smiled sheepishly. "It's until I get to see my father. It's hard to believe that I'm going to meet him. I wonder if he'll recognise me? If I'll recognise him? What my grandparents are like? If he'll come back to England?"

Demi nodded and didn't meet Kasia's eyes.

"Hogwarts is supposed to be somewhere in Scotland, right?" Kasia asked, and went on before receiving an answer. "Then my father is somewhere over these hills..."

She looked out the window, past the Quidditch pitch and the lake.

"You're being awfully silent about this, Demi."

Demi huffed. "It's nothing."

Kasia raised an eyebrow and waited. To her surprise, Demi didn't cave.

"Won't you just tell me?"

Demi frowned, not saying a word. Kasia sighed.

"If you don't want to tell me yet, that's fine. I'm not the type to dwell on whatever you're going to say," Kasia reminded her. Still nothing. "Alright, then. Come on, let's go to dinner!"

Before they knew it, September had gone by, as well as Kasia's birthday and the first full moon at Hogwarts.

"You know, for some reason I keep on getting surprised when one year is harder than the last," Fred sighed one evening early October, after they had finally finished their homework. He, James and Demi had had a Quidditch practise and had to cram their homework in afterwards.

"I can't believe a month has already gone by!" Kasia agreed.

"My dad says that every year goes faster than the last," James told them. Fred laughed.

"And my dad says that every year goes the same speed, but Uncle Harry just moves slower."

James whacked him on the head. "Dad isn't moving slower. He's an Auror. It's a very fast-paced occupation."

"So is running a line of joke shops."

"So is playing professional Quidditch!" Demi chimed in, receiving looks from James and Fred.

"Yeah, but he's a reserve now."

"What's your point?"

"Not as fast paced as before."

Kasia tuned out. Her father mentioned in his letters that he studied magical creatures. She had to admit, it wasn't a fast paced job, but from the Care of Magical Creatures lessons she'd had so far, being a Magizoologist would be a brilliant job. Maybe when she visited him she could study some of them with him?

"Hey Demi, won't you just tell me what was bugging you?" Kasia said out of the blue, and Demi sighed. Kasia had been trying to get it out of her all month.

"It's not like you to be this silent."

"Demi being silent?" Fred gasped in horror. "What is happening to the w−OW!"

He glared at Demi and pointed an accusing finger. "YOU...are a violent woman."

"You should be more careful, then," Demi told him, and then turned to Kasia. "Do you really want to know?"

Kasia resisted the urge to reply sarcastically. Why else would she have been bugging her all month about it? "Yes."

"I don't want you to not live with us anymore," Demi whispered. Kasia was taken aback.

"What?"

"When you bring your father back to England," she clarified, "I thought...I thought you'd want to live with him instead of staying with us."

"I guess...I hadn't really thought about it," Kasia said, surprised, "but I'm not going to live with him."

It was Demi's turn to be surprised. Fred and James were staying out of the conversation, busying themselves with talk about Quidditch.

"Your place, your family, it's my home now," Kasia went on, "I'm not about to give that up for some man who hasn't seen me since I was three."

Demi sighed in relief. "I didn't want to say anything because I thought I was being selfish."

"I'm proud," Kasia laughed, "Don't worry, though. I'll stay with the Woods until I move out by myself."

She couldn't imagine how Demi would react when Kasia moved out to become a Potioneer. She'd looked into research facilities and the top one for permanent magical diseases was in America.

Yay chapter two! Aside from the main events, I might be moving slightly more quickly through the months, averaging on two a chapter rather than one. This is partly because there isn't much happening every month, and party because I'm going to try and squeeze three years into Third Quarter.

Do you guys like the covers I did? Let me know!

Maybe I should start asking review questions...? Uhmmm...what's been your all-time favourite part of this story (It's Full Moon Again included) so far?