"Miss Sanders," said Dumbledore with a kind smile. "Have a chocolate. It might help your nerves."

I nodded and took a small chocolate from the offered bowl, slowly sucking on it. I immediately felt the chocolate slowly calm me down with its bittersweet taste. The usual signals of anxiety and panic I felt when I was going to have a panic attack faded away.

Panic attacks were not something I was used to, but it happened enough that it frightened me. I knew my triggers, and I went out of my way to avoid them.

It wasn't like I had a full on panic disorder, I just had difficulty dealing with particular occurrences in my life, and my response to those things was panicking.

"If you are feeling slightly better, Ms. Sanders," said Dumbledore, "I think we must discuss the issue of your safety."

I nodded, my hands clenching in my lap.

"Your father has, of course, informed me of the situation, but we've both agreed that you're vigilant enough to not have any particular restrictions placed on you."

I nodded. I was well known in my coven for being the most paranoid witch in existence.

"I don't think you'll need to worry too much. Hogwarts is the safest place for you right now."

"You just had a troll, which appeared out of absolutely nowhere, roaming your corridors. Forgive me if I'm a bit worried, Professor."

Dumbledore chuckled.

"That is why I lay emphasis on it being safe for you. You're more than capable of handling a few surprise creatures, Miss Sanders," he said, his twinkling eyes focusing on me.

I couldn't help the small, pleased smile on my face. I knew I enjoyed being praised by my teachers, but it felt different when Dumbledore praised me. It almost seemed like he was taking me into his confidence.

"I think the only thing you really need to worry about, at this point, is Oliver Wood taking you out with a Bludger."

I let out a surprised laugh at that.

"The boy is far too incompetent to perfect the aim required for that, Professor."

He peered down at me, oddly amused, with a knowing smile on his face.

"How are you liking your time here, Miss Sanders?"

I looked at him, opening my mouth to tell him how much I missed home, when, suddenly, I realized I hadn't felt homesick since I had started arguing with Wood. My eyes widened in astonishment, while Dumbledore chuckled.

"You are very much your mother's daughter. She used to, from what your father tells me, be very competitive. Lived and breathed competition. She never felt comfortable in a place where she wasn't competing with someone."

"I don't like where you're going with this," I said, glaring at him, much to his amusement.

I knew how the story went. My father and my mother had spent the longest time as rivals, where he would just keep beating her and she would keep getting angrier, much to the amusement of my father. He always had a fond smile on his face when he told me the story of how Mum just decided to attack his face with hers one day.

Hey, what can I say? Competition is sexy.

Just not Wood.

Dumbledore shook in silent laughter.

"I suppose you should go back now, Miss Sanders. You can sleep in the Gryffindor dorm today. I'm sure your friends are there, waiting for your return."

"Of course, Sir. Thank you."

I made my way to the Gryffindor dorm, and was not surprised to find Katie waiting for me in the common room.

"Erica! What happened?" she said.

"Probably wanted to tell her what an obnoxious captain she is," said Wood, and I immediately pulled out my wand, anger rushing through my veins. I had had enough of everything today. The troll had set me on edge and Dumbledore's cryptic-ness hadn't helped alleviate my worry.

Wood was faster, whipping his wand out.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Is that the best you can do, you bloody moron? Aguamenti!" I said, deflecting his spell.

"Guys, you really shouldn't be…" said Katie, trying to stop us.

"Get out of the way, Katie! If you wanted to see me wet, Sanders, you only needed to ask! Confrigo!" he yelled.

"Oh my god, what are you two doing?" yelled a random person.

"Shut up!" we both yelled. I let out a yelp as the wall behind me burst into flames.

"Fucking hell! Diffindo!" I yelled, but in my leap to safety I lost my aim, the spell just making Oliver's pants fall off.

Neither one of us noticed the Head of Gryffindor entering the common room.

"Seriously, Sanders. You really want to see me naked don't you? Everte Statum!" Wood yelled, and I flew backwards, almost hitting the flaming wall behind me.

Wood looked absolutely horrified for a moment, the silence in the room ringing loudly in our ears. He moved forward to make sure I was okay, when we heard a voice that made the blood in our veins turn to ice.

"OLIVER WOOD. ERICA SANDERS. JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TWO OF YOU ARE DOING?" roared Professor McGonagall, and I shakily got up.

"Professor…" started Wood, his eyes narrowing at Percy Weasley who stood behind her, looking absolutely terrified.

"No, Mister Wood. Both of you, Headmaster's office. Now."

"Aw, crap. I was just there!" I wailed. "Professor! He's the one who tried to hurt me! I only used defensive spells!"

We both rushed to follow the angry woman out of the common room.

"Quiet, Miss Sanders. Your parents have been called."

"Oh ruddy hell. Mum's gonna kill me," said Wood, his face losing all colour at the thought of his mother being called in. I groaned.

"Daddy's in Russia and Mum's with some unknown tribe is the Amazon. Who the hell did you call?" I said, frowning.

"Your brother has been listed as your emergency contact, Miss Sanders."

"Oh bloody hell. He's never gonna let this go," I said, absolutely horrified at the prospect of Derek coming to Hogwarts. "Professor, he's going to kill Wood!"

McGonagall made no indication of having heard me,calmly saying "Lemon Drops" to the Gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office.

"You're not going to have a captain! Who will I compete with now? Flint's like a freaking coconut and Diggory is like a puppy!" I wailed.

"That's what you're worried about?" said Wood, staring at me."We could get expelled!"

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"Professor! You can't expel me!" I wailed, the moment I entered Dumbledore's room.

There were two chairs already out for us.

"What did you do, Miss Sanders," he said, calmly, absolutely unaffected by the flailing on my part.

"Wood was being a douchebag."

"Freaking tattletale."

"Shut it, Wood! This is all your fault!" I said, stepping towards him angrily.

"How the hell is it my fault you have anger management issues?" said Wood, angrily as he stepped towards me, invading my personal space.

"Oh god, its like Lily and James all over again," muttered McGonagall, earning a small chuckle from Dumbledore, but no reaction from the two of us.

"Erica, who the hell did you...hey! Get away from my sister!" said a voice, and immediately, I was pulled back by a man in a leather jacket, glaring at Wood. He was about a foot taller than me, with dark hair and hazel eyes. His stubble made him look like the kind of guy you did not want to mess with.

"Oliver, what did you do?" said a new voice, and a very pretty lady came in, followed by a serious looking man. By the absolutely terrified look on his face, the two were his parents.

"Wait, who did you kill?" said the man, holding me at arms length. "You don't have blood on you. Erica, it's not even been a week."

"I think you're confusing me with you again, Derek," I replied drily. "Are we pretending you're the responsible one between us?"

"You're as responsible as a rock," grumbled Wood, earning a startled look from his mother, and amused look from his father, and a blank look from Derek.

"Shut it," I growled.

"Who are you again?" asked Derek, forgetting his manners as usual.

"Mr. Hale, we'll clear everything up. Mister Wood, Miss Sanders, please take a seat," said Dumbledore.

"Sure thing," I said, cheerfully. "Derek, take my seat. I'd rather not have you murder anyone."

"Is your entire family crazy?" said Wood, earning a sharp whack on the head from his mother.

"Oliver, apologize."

Wood looked like he'd rather jump off a cliff. Before he could apologize, Derek shrugged easily.

"More or less, yeah."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Wood looked at Derek like he had started growing mushrooms in a corner.

"So what did our son do, Sir?" said Mr. Wood.

"Hey! Why are you assuming its my fault?" said Wood, looking offended.

I sniggered.

"Actually, I'd like to ask them that. What happened?"

I looked forward resolutely, glaring at the wood of Dumbledore's desk.

"Sanders had a freaking fit," said Wood.

"I had a fit?" I yelled. "You listen here, you flobberworm!"

"Who the hell are you calling a flobberworm, you banshee?!"

"I may be a girl, which you seem to think will hinder my abilities at Quidditch, but I'll always be a better captain than the likes of you!"

"Oliver," said Mr. Wood, and Oliver immediately sat down, glaring at Erica.

"Now, why would that even come into question?" said Derek, his voice deceptively calm. "Erica's one of the best chasers I know, and she knows exactly how to run a team."

"Derek, I don't need you to fight my battles for me," I said, and Derek looked at me.

"Then why is he still standing here? Why isn't he in your infirmary, nursing his wounds?"

"I promised Mom that I wouldn't actively kill people this year," I said easily.

"You could have bludgered him to death."

"No Derek," I said, running my hand over my face, absolutely exasperated.

"Why not? He's being a chauvinist douche!"

"See, Derek," I said, patiently, "There happens to be this thing called being socially acceptable. Murder is not, under any circumstances, legal or socially acceptable."

"While I truly enjoy listening to people plot my death," said Wood, "I was not the one who took the other's pants off."

"You took his pants off?" said Derek, looking ridiculously amused.

"Shut it, it was an accident! Wood, keep your mouth shut. Professor, can we please finish off with this so I can send this boy back to Germany?"

"Why did you try to take his pants off, though?"

"Look, I didn't want to kill him okay?"

"And what did he do?"

"Made the wall behind me burst into flames," I replied, smirking as Oliver got an angry whack from his mother again.

"And you were the one concerned about his well being."

I sighed, looking at Dumbledore for help, but he seemed too amused about this free show he was getting.

"Like I said, I'm a responsible, upstanding citizen, unlike Wood."

This earned a snort from both Wood and Derek, and I glared at them.

"Do you two have something share with the class?" I said, dangerously.

"I'm just saying, love," said Wood, smirking darkly at me. "We wouldn't be in this office if you were responsible."

"You cast the first spell!" I yelled.

"Ri-ri, I know you love competing with someone. Now, while I don't think this one is even worth your time," said Derek easily, looking slightly apologetic when he glanced at Wood's parents, "I have no doubt that responsibility flies out of the window the moment you feel the need to prove yourself."

I grumbled. "You are dead to me, Hale."

He just laughed. "You love me."

Mr. Wood cleared his throat.

"From what I've gathered," he said, his deep voice calm and oddly warm,"Oliver and...Erica, was it?"

I nodded, though I resumed glaring at Wood right after that.

"Oliver and Erica seem to have had a misunderstanding of sorts. Perhaps its better for them to sort it out without our interference," he said.

"And without their wands," said McGonagall from her place near the door.

"The lack of a wand won't stop Erica from punching him in the face if she gets too pissed off," said Derek.

Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes, I suppose we should let them sort it out themselves. There is a Hogsmeade trip this weekend, correct?"

Derek looked confused for a moment, but Wood and I nodded.

"The two of you shall spend it together, then."

"WHAT?"


AN- Sorry for the gap between this chapter and the last one. I've had tons of work piling up and Uni stuff to deal with. But thank you for reading and please do comment. :)

I've written down almost the entirity of the first year, and since I'm now on break, you can expect me to update somewhat regularly. :P