I was fuming. Livid. Furious. Enraged. Up in arms. Whatever you prefer to call it, I was angry. Draco Malfoy, who was supposed to be my best friend (in Slytherin, that is) had punched my sister. She may have threatened him, and he may still be a pompous prat, but he is still gonna get it. At least, until he apologizes. We've been working on this, the whole not-beating-people up thing. Apologies as well. It's a work in progress, I know, but it doesn't excuse him from punishment.

Fred, George, and I definitely had something planned. For the sake of secrecy, I won't tell you (yet) but you'll see soon enough. It was all set for next Monday; because he'll start to think he's safe. Oh, how wrong he will be.

So, we've had two days of school, and things are falling back into the same old routine. The only complaint I have (besides the reading and writing part) is the fact that I have to wear a skirt. Otherwise, it's going swimmingly. Oh, and the fact that I have to get up before noon. That's disappointing as well.

Of course, it's just my luck that the balance is disrupted.

"Charlotte, would you like to read the next passage for us?" asked Professor Binns, glancing over at me. Please let it be a literal question, I begged silently.

"No, I would not," I replied nervously, hoping nobody thought that I was afraid to read, which I was.

"Go on, read it." With a sigh I glanced down at the page. "roiGcd rGfyoinrdf swa eon fo het orfu furdsnoe of Hgtrosaw" is what I saw. For almost five minutes I stared at the page. I swear Binns has it in for me. He knows that I have acute malum dyslexia (a really rare form of Dyslexia most common in Wizarding children causing the brain to jumble up letters numbers) and yet he loves to make me read.

"Umm..Digroc?No, um… Cirgod? No… Rigcod… Godric! That's it, Godric… Gryffindor! Godric Gryffindor was eon… No, one of het… the frou… FOUR! Four furdsnoe of Hgtrosaw? Nosedurf? Erfodnuds? Nodefusr? Redsnoduf? Founders! Founders of, errr, Togshawr… Hogwarts! Godric Gryffindor was one of the four founders of Hogwarts!" I could barely contain my excitement. Binns sneered as I cheered internally. People never realize how happy it makes me to read one sentence. I have to go word by word, unscrambling on the way.

After that excitement, the day went on pretty well. Did Draco apologize? No. But it's all good, I mean he's been the most selfish jerk his entire life, and I can't change that instantly. But hey, we're working on it. It's a process. Besides, he's a HUGE part of Dumbledore's gigantic operation, and it's my job to get him and the Gryffindors to become a bit more civil. Dumbledore has this whole scheme planned out and it is foolproof.

Did I mention he thinks Voldemort is coming back in a few years? Well, that's what he believes and that's why Draco and I are so important. If a Gryffindor comes to him wanting to be a death eater, it's kind of weird, but Draco and I aren't very suspicious considering our house and all. Yes, I will eventually have to become a Death Eater. Does anyone else know? I didn't tell anyone, I'm not sure if Dumbledore did. But that's why I have to grin and bear being in Slytherin, because one day I will be following in Severus Snape's footsteps.

In a slightly less depressing note, I'm planning a secret operation that may help the Gryffindors and Slytherins get their anger out towards each other. Dodgeball, a week from this Saturday. Hermione's going to help me charm the balls so that they don't hurt anyone, but they look like they might. It will be quite the feat if we get through without any charms or hexes, but I believe in everyone! (And I've decided to confiscate their wands before the game.)

I was walking outside to get some exercise in tonight, just to clear my head. For some reason, running really clears my head. It was a cool September night, and it was perfect for a jog. But who do I run in to than Mr. Malfoy himself.

"Charlie! CHARLIE!" He yelled, trying to catch up with me. I ran faster. I may be a girl but I can outrun most guys here. "Charlie, I'm sorry!" Stopping short, I turned around.

"You're sorry? Did you just say that you're sorry? Draco Malfoy doesn't say that he's sorry. I'm so proud!" I threw my arms around him enthusiastically. He was learning! Now, I'm not much of a hugger, but this was a seriously huggy moment. "You're learning social etiquette!"

"Um, I guess. Anyways, does that mean we're friends again?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Of course, Drakey!" We both started to laugh uncontrollably. Of course, all good times have to end, and I was getting cold just wearing some basketball shorts and a sports bra… Plus, curfew was coming up. Not that I cared about curfew but all that reading really tired me out. I needed some rest, because after classes the next day Hermione was helping me with my homework and reading and the like.

We walked back up to the castle in silence. There was so much I wanted to say, I wanted to tell him all about our part in Dumbledore's spider web of plans, about how Snape will pretty much be our only ally and confidant when Dumbledore comes back. Which, I guess isn't a bad thing; he's like my uncle considering that he's one of the only people I could talk to about this.

*CO*CO*CO*CO*CO*CO*CO*CO*

Classes went by fairly averagely. I didn't have to read aloud, so that pleased me greatly. After classes got out, Bay and I sat in the courtyard talking about our first three days.

"How do you like Snape?" I asked from my spot on a low wall surrounding the garden.

"I HATE HIM! He's really really mean and took tons of points from Colin Creevy because he was taking pictures of all the potions. And he yelled at me for asking Gia for some Burbleroot Extract. I hate him with a passion that burns firey deep in my soul and nothing anyone says ever could change that," she replied, yelling fairly loudly from where she was sitting against the wall I was perched on.

"Oh, okay." I didn't know what to say to that. How could I have known what to say? I don't want to upset her, but I also want to defend Sev. (Okay, so he told me I can't call him that, but I think he just meant outwardly, right?)

"You can't tell me you like him?" She looked up at me, and I could see the passionate hate she had for him in her eyes, and there was no changing that.

"He's…okay."A nice, safe answer. Besides, hate is a strong word; she can't expect me to use it?

"You're telling me you don't absolutely hate him?"

"Hate is a strong word, and you know me, words with more than two letters confuse me." It was stupid. I know, but I had to say something. I've always been a bit different, I get that, I understand I'll never be normal. I came to terms with that a long time ago. But I guess sometimes, lame sentences come out instead of rage, you know?

"Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I gotta go, meeting with 'Mione, bye!" And she skipped off in the general direction of the doors. She left at the perfect time, just after she left it started to rain. It started sprinkling and morphed into a downpour. For a moment, I didn't care. I broke down and cried right there. I was alone and no one could tell. There was no storm, just rain. All of my fears, my frustrations, and my anger came out right then and there, and I was completely alone getting drenched to the bone in the freezing rain, and I was sobbing and screaming and yelling and it felt so dang good.