Sorry for not updating, I can't remember how many emails I got in the past month of people subscribing to any of my storys, but I've been ridiculously behind in school, and I kind of needed to catch up. Anyways I wrote this because I felt really bad for not updating and I think I'm almost through their first year. Next chapter will be the end of the year and then I'll start on their second year, which is when Harry comes to hogwarts, and we know how exciting that is going to be. :D

Also excuse any over the top plot points, not that there are really any staring you down or something, but just remember, I overestimate my writing and I have no idea if its good or not. Either way, I hope you enjoy.


Mandarin felt herself coming out of her dream like state. Her body felt heavy and her eyesight was slightly blurred.

"Mandarin?" She heard a boy ask. She groaned and shifted slightly in the bed. "Mandarin, wake up." He said again. She opened her eyes and blinked at the blinding light. She looked over to the chair beside her bed. "There you are." He smiled slightly.

"George?" She whispered, her voice thick with sleep.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Wha' happened?" She sluggishly tried to sit up. George helped her put her pillows behind her back.

"You had hypothermia. So now I should ask you what happened." She mumbled to herself, looking the other way, towards the door. "What?"

"They threw me in the black lake."

"Who did?"

"The same ones who have been bugging me all year."

"I didn't know anything about that."

"Well how could you when you've been a twat thus far."

"Look, just because we made a few jokes, we weren't trying to be mean to you."

"Yeah well thanks a lot, because now my life sucks." She stated plainly. George frowned and opened his mouth to say something. Suddenly the door opened to the hospital wing and three people walked in; Pandora, Adele and Fred. She looked down towards the sheets, almost shamefully.

The trio walked up to the bed and took their seats. Adele took one of her hands into her own grip.

"This is not your fault, Mandarin. Those Slytherins have no sense of tact."

"Yeah, well it doesn't help that people have been spreading rumors about me all year." She snapped. Fred and George seemed to cringe. Pandora looked at her harshly.

"Mandarin." She said, a tone of disapproval snaking into her voice. "We will report this. Stop feeling so defensive." Mandarin's shoulders dropped, and she leaned back against the headboard. After a moment she looked around at the group.

"Are there...creatures in the black lake?" She asked.

"You mean the giant squid?" Fred grinned.

"Giant squid?" Pandora asked incredulously. "I'm sure there is no such thing."

"We've seen it!" Fred exclaimed happily. The door opened again and Jeremiah walked into the room with some flowers. He grinned and stepped forward.

"I'm glad to see your okay." He took a seat on the edge of her bed. Fred scoffed inaudibly and motioned for George to get up.

"We're gonna go. Maybe check out that squid again." He laughed. Adele jumped up.

"I wanna see it! Sorry, Mandarin, I'll be right back." She ran after the twins. Mandarin frowned slightly. Did they have something against Jeremiah? The silence was almost unbearable until Jeremiah held out the flowers.

"I- uh – got these for you. I hope you like them." Mandarin blushed slightly.

"Thanks. I guess." She held them in her lap and felt the soft petals with her fingertips. Pandora leaned forward in her chair, her blond hair falling over her face slightly as she adjusted. Mandarin leaned back against the headboard and breathed deeply. "This sucks." She whispered. Pandora snorted then cleared her throat.

"So, anyways, did you start that book I gave you?" She asked.

"Yeah, first chapter. I like it so far. Its exciting." Her eyes lit up as she recounted the first chapter in explicit detail to Jeremiah. Almost word for word out of the book. Soon it got even later, and they would get in trouble if they stayed any longer. They left with well wishes, Adele having not come back. Mandarin laid down, her head falling softly against the bed and her eyes drifting shut immediately.

"You stupid bastard! I hate you George Weasley! Your a twat! A goddamn prick and I never want to see you again. You ruined EVERYTHING!"

Her eyes flew open again. She looked outside. It was light out. The only thing she could recount from her dream was herself screaming. What happened? She looked over in her bed to see the Grey Lady – no Helena, floating next to her bed. She swallowed her startled shout.

"Sorry. Did I frighten you?"

"Just – surprised is all."

"I see. They will start happening more often you know. Once you gain the ability, fate never retracts it."

"What do you mean?" Mandarin asked sitting up in bed.

"I told you, you're one of them." She stated patiently.

"Who..are them?" Mandarin gave a frustrated sigh. Then the door opened and the ghost disappeared into a puff of air. She leaned forward in bed, and put her hands out, trying almost to catch the ghost that had left her so confused in the past few days. Finally her hands dropped in defeat and she looked over at Adele who was rubbing her face, and yawning.

"Mornin'" She groaned.

"Morning." Mandarin whispered back, a smile slipping into place. Suddenly the door opened again and three very specific Slytherin students were ushered in and one was dropped onto a bed. Soon they were followed by Fred and George Weasley. A bloodied Fred more like it who was being supported by his brother.

They looked over at her and grinned. Even with his nose all bloody, Fred still had an amazing smile. All toothy and whatnot. George just gave her a thumbs up and a wink. Madam Pomfrey was uttering nonsense under her breath. Probably something about how the twins will be the death of her.

"So your saying you were practicing for Quiddich and the bat just somehow flew out of your hand and broke Mr Finnery's nose. And the Mr Theorson came and attacked you?"

"I swear thats how it happened Madam Pomfrey." George stated. She just rolled her eyes and continued to fix him up. Five to ten minutes later, he was sitting on the bed, nose healed, blood washed from his face but still sporting a bruise on his cheek. When she left, Mandarin got out of her bed. She walked up to them.

"Should you really be out of bed?" George asked.

"Did you do that for me?" She asked, bluntly. They both looked at her shellshocked. Then they started laughing.

"Yeah, circus. We did it for you." Fred patted her arm.

"Well thank you for your troubles. You didn't have to." She leaned down and kissed his bruised cheek. His face turned as red as his hair. She giggled slightly.

"What, none for me?" George pouted, then giggled aswell.

"Its cause I have the injury."

"I highly doubt that." They began bickering playfully and Adele came up beside Mandarin. She slid her arm into her's and pulled her slightly away.

"Boys." She laughed.

She was released from the hospital later that day, and was delighted to find that she had missed the last day of classes. The only question was, where was she going for her christmas? She supposed she could go to the circus, but instead she wanted to stay at Hogwarts. The next two days she waited for a letter from the circus. Nothing came. The third day, her and Pandora sat, slowly getting through a game of wizards chess, but not generally paying attention. Her ferret came running in and jumped up on her lap. She laughed and picked him up.

"Truffles!" she exclaimed. "There you are! And you have a note!" Indeed, the ferret was carrying a small letter.

"He probably went up to the owlery. You have an owl aswell, and not just a ferret?" Mandarin shook her head.

"Nah, we stuck him in an owl cage when we were coming here, but I use Joseph's owl to communicate back and forth." She nodded, and her knight moved on the chess board. Mandarin opened and recognized Josephs neat printing.

"What does it say?"

"That they're travelling and they think I should either stay here for christmas or go to the Weasley's."

"The Weasley's? You mean those twins?" She nodded absentmindedly , reading through the rest of the letter. "Why would you wanna spend Christmas with them? They're very cruel and one of them looks at you oddly."

"One of the looks at me oddly?" She put the letter down and stared at her friend. Pandora shrugged.

"Well I've noticed that one always seems to be okay with helping you out and the other is kind of...hesitant." Mandarin frowned trying to think back.

"I've never noticed. Either way, Joseph, my guardian, has been getting to know their mum and dad, and apparently is friends with them now."

"Oh." She looked back down at the board. "Its your turn."

"Wha – oh, right. Sorry. Knight to H3. Check."

"Queen to H3."

A worried face. Red hair, and pale skin, contrasted against wide eyes and freckles. The queen moves closer and closer, then pulls the sword and bashes the scared looking boy to the ground.

"Ron!" The other boys yells. He steps forward. "Checkmate." He says in a definitive tone. The sword goes crashing to the ground.

"Mandarin? You okay?" Mandarin blinked, she was still in the library, still playing chess with Pandora. She cleared her throat.

"Yeah. Fine." She moved her bishop. She got up and left, carrying her ferret out of the library.

"Checkmate." Pandora whispered.

Mandarin walked back down the deserted hallway, looking for the Grey Lady. She sat down on the steps and waited. The ghost never showed up, and she sat there stroking her ferret for what seemed like hours. Soon she got up and just walked around the castle. In the great hall, the marvelous christmas tree stood up amazingly high, having been just decorated and adorned with tinsel and ornaments. When she walked in, Adele waved her over. It was a bit later than supper, but with the holidays, their curfew had been extended.

"So are you staying for Christmas?" She asked, once Mandarin had sat down and Truffles curled up beside her.

"Seems like it."

"Great. I'm staying too. My parents want to go away this year, but next year I'll go home for the holidays."

"Sounds fun." Mandarin smiled softly.

"Yeah. Jeremiah already went home. His parents have a huge Christmas apparently. They have an enormous family... Hey do you want some candy?" Adele was talking a mile a minute, but as soon as she mentioned candy, Mandarin's attention was back.

"Candy?"

"Yeah he gave me some before he left." She gave Mandarin a handful of Bertie Botts. She took one from her hand and put it in her mouth, savoring the taste. "You have some weird candy obsession." She laughed.

"When I was back at the circus, me and the contortionist, who is really one of the trapeze artists, she would always sneak me candy. Thats how she found out that I was abandoned is because she asked me if I wanted candy. I guess I just associate it with good memories." She smiled sheepishly and took another jelly bean.

"It reminds me of my mum." Adele said looking down. "My mum was always like that. She loved baking and making sweets. She ran her own candy shop."

"Shes gone?"

"Couple years ago." Adele swallowed thickly, before pushing her bangs out of her face. "But I also think of her when I'm eating candy."

"Candy is a wonderful thing." Mandarin grinned. Adele chuckled.

"That it is." The giant clock chimed throughout the castle.

The holidays came and went. New Years was celebrated and everyone returned from seeing their families with big grins on their faces and also dread at the coming finals. Mandarin and Pandora were currently in the great hall, during their study period, comparing notes and making sure everything was copied down. Then Pandora nudged her.

"What?" She hissed. Pandora motioned over to the Griffindor table. George Weasley had been looking at her. Quite intensely. As if he were trying to solve a puzzle. He turned as soon as she looked up, but she caught a glimpse.

"Which one is it?" She spoke quietly.

"George. I'm pretty sure. I remember Fred calling him into the hall at the beginning of the period." Pandora nodded.

"We should ask him about it."

"Maybe we shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Well, he is older. Maybe he's just watching out for me."

"And maybe he like-likes you."

"Seriously? Are we eight?"

"Close enough." They both giggled and the bell rang for their next class.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, since they were only reviewing in all their classes. On Mandarin's way to her dorm room, she wasn't paying attention and slammed into somebody. Rather hard in fact. Her books went flying and so did his.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed, getting down to pick up her books. She scrambled them all together when one of them was held out in front of her. She looked up into the brown eyes of George Weasley. At least, she thought it was George. She picked up her novel from his hands and blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks." She paused, wondering if she should call him George or Fred. He was looking at her like in the Great Hall again. She took a deep breath. "Thanks a lot George."

"Most people assume whichever twin they meet is Fred." He said plainly.

"You look at me different." He swallowed.

"Oh." He stood there for a moment looking awkward. "I assume those third-years don't give you anymore trouble."

"No, I haven't seen them in a while."

"That's good, that's good." He hesitated again. "How was your Christmas?"

"Fine. Yours?" She asked, looking around.

"Good." He fidgeted.

"George?"

"Yes?" His eyes snapped up to meet mine. My mouth opened, but I wasn't sure what I had wanted to say to him.

"Your books are still on the ground." I blurted out. He looked around him.

"Oh-uh – yeah. I'll just, get those." He bent down.

"Do you need any help?"

"I should be fine." He said.

"Are you sure? Cause I can help." She leaned over slightly as he went to get up. Their heads connected painfully.

"Ow." She rubbed her chin.

"Mandarin?" She heard from behind her. Adele walked up to her quickly.

"Adele, I-"

"You!" She exclaimed, turning on George. "What did you do? Are you okay, Mandy?"

"Adele, I'm fine, we accidentally bumped heads. Big whoop."

"You're sure? He didn't hurt you?"

"No. He didn't." George was still rubbing the top of his head. His books were now gathered in his arms.

"I'm just going to -uh- go." He rushed away quickly to the Griffindor common room.

"Was that one Fred?" Mandarin shook her head. "You mean its George? The one that's been staring at you?"

"Hey I told you that as a secret, don't talk so loudly." Mandarin whined. Adele laughed and skipped up a few steps in the stairways. Once they were in their dorm room and settled in. Mandarin lay awake, slowly petting Truffles and thinking of the odd encounter with George. She fell asleep to thoughts of the Weasley twins that night.


So...yeah. This is going in an odd direction but trust me, it will all work out in the end. Hopefully. We all know how the last book ended. I have this all planned out, I just need to sit down and write it. Once I'm sure my mark is safe however. Also I decided to add in a bit of Adele's family because I don't think I gave her enough respect when I thought up her character.

So please review! I'm not begging. I promise.