Aly shivered at the sight of the horseless carriages.

"I mean, do they really have to be here?" Amanda said, staring at the carriages.

"You'd like to walk your pretty little self up to the castle then?" Damien smirked. "Come on, get in."

Amanda sighed and reluctantly climbed into the carriages.

The students had just gotten off the train. Char and Aly preferred to stay in the other train and Amanda was pretty mad at Aly for giving her a scare. Aly shivered in the chill of the evening and stared up at the lighted castle. They had to wait until the first carriage took off.

"I can't believe you didn't come and find us," Amanda scoffed for the third time that evening.

"Oh, come off it, Amanda," Hayden said plainly, "You knew she was on the train, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah," Amanda said slowly, "But still, you can never be too careful." Aly turned her head and stared over Damien's shoulder at a figure slowly approaching him from behind.

"Oh, Amanda, stop worrying so much. It's not like He's right behind me."

A pair of hands suddenly reached around Damien's waist and squeezed. Damien let out a terrified yell and suddenly the person behind him burst into a roar of laughter.

Aly laughed as Michael Straum walked out of the shadow and grinned up at Damien. He hadn't changed much since last year, except for his hair and excessive tallness.

"Nice, Straum," Aly said, giving him a high five.

"Why, thank you, Gem," he said politely, and then stared at Aly's hair. "Nice...haircut?"

"I don't like it," Char stated plainly, frowning.

Michael shrugged and turned to Damien, who was still clutching his heart after Michael's prank.

"Get a hold of yourself," Michael smirked, and strode over to his own carriage.

Char burst into laughter again at the sight of Damien's white face.

"I don't see why you like him," Damien said angrily as they walked up the stairs to the Great Hall.

"I don't like him," Aly said carefully, pulling up the hems of her robes as they continued up the stairs. "I just happen to frequently run into him, and we're...acquaintances."

"Why does he even call you Gem, anyway?" Amanda mumbled irritably.

"I dunno," Aly said, as they reached the top. "Hayden knows, though. He just won't tell me."

"And I won't, either," Hayden said brightly, "Not until she tells me Kylie's address."

"You haven't talked to her at all over holiday?" Damien gaped. "Then what were you doing all those hours in your room, the door closed and everything?"

Hayden flushed. "Writing."

"To who?" Char demanded as they entered the Great Hall. "If it wasn't Kylie, who was it?"

"Bella!" Hayden blurted with exasperation. Aly raised an eyebrow. "And my mum."

"Why Bella?" Amanda asked bitterly.

"She wanted to know how Damien's doing," Hayden asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. He determinedly kept his eyes off of Amanda. Char, Aly and Damien sat on one side, Amanda and Hayden on the other.

"Really, now?" Amanda asked, a steely glint in her eye. "Why is that?" Aly eyed Damien worriedly.

"Well, she asked about everyone, Amanda, not just Damien," Hayden said hastily. "You know, just to...catch up!"

"Sounds like she wanted to catch up on Damien," Amanda growled. "Why does she care, anyway? She's in France!"

Hayden opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Amanda blinked at Hayden and then turned around and rested her head on her hand, drumming her fingers on the table. Damien stared at Amanda, confused.

"Well, then," Char said, attempting to lighten the mood, "What are we all taking this year?"

The other students began filing into the Hall slowly. Teachers arrived as well, and took their places at the Heads' Table.

"Well," Hayden said thoughtfully, "The same thing as everyone else. Except for you two," he said, motioning to Char and Aly. "You two are taking Ancient Runes."

"Me, Hayden and Amanda," Damien said, throwing a quick glance at Amanda, "Are taking Divination again. No room."

"Sorry, mate," Char said. He gulped at looked over at Hayden. "Ready for O.W.L.'s?"

"Um, no," Hayden replied flatly. "So much pressure from the parents to do well, you know?"

Aly shushed Hayden as Professor Dumbledore stood up and announced the sorting. Aly looked at the Sorting Hat in fascination as it sang this year's song.

Unite? Us? With those slippery, slimy Slytherins? I don't think so.

Aly watched Professor McGonagall stand up and begin the calling of first years.

Aly slowly felt herself drown in a sea of hunger. They barely had any time for breakfast this morning. She rested her head down on the table and blinked drowsily at the terrified first years sit on the stool.

She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of applause around her as another Gryffindor was announced.

"Aly, wake up!" Char hissed in her ear. Aly's head shot up and connected with Char's nose. "Ow!"

"Ooh, sorry!" Aly said quickly. Char shook his head and grinned. "What did you want?"

"Guess who was just announced?"

"Who, Char?" Aly whispered sarcastically. "I hate guessing games."

"Adam Aldaine," he said, enunciating the last name.