A/N: Hey everyone! It sure has been a little bit since the last update, and for that, I apologize. I've had a hard time writing and balancing everything else. With my 12th grade year approaching, everything is about to get crazy. Needless to say, I won't have much writing time…I'm desperately hoping to crank out a couple more chapters before school begins again.

Okay, so…the deets. This is from Sam's point of view. Please review! I would love to hear what everyone thinks

Sam

The entire school was chattering about the first trip to Hogsmeade. It was exciting to see all the third year students buzzing about what there was to see and do in the village, and the older kids were filling them in with equal enthusiasm.

Ginny and I had organized a small group of students for the trip. Portia had invited Beckett when they had hung out the previous week, and he in turn had asked Bryce, Aven, and John to come along as well. Rai's brother Jacob was eager to accompany us, and so was his best friend Lane. I was most excited to see Lane. She was always a bundle of energy and a bright smile. Just seeing her made the day seem brighter.

"All set." Portia announced proudly, and pushed her parchment away from her. "Two weeks of predictions accounted for."

"Trelawney will be pleased." I smirked. Portia was obviously the favorite student of all; Trelawney saw Portia's knack for Divination and never refrained from announcing it to the entire class.

"I'm sure she will be. They're extremely gruesome."

"That's the spirit, Tia." I winked and scribbled the end of my paragraph. "And now I've finished the Potions assignment. I can go to Hogsmeade without that chip on my shoulder."

"As if it would really stop you." Portia chuckled and packed her supplies into her bag.

"I bet you're excited that Beckett is coming along."

"Shhh!" Portia hushed fiercely. "Bryce is right over there!"

I rolled my eyes. She was always so worried about people over-hearing. Who knows? It might help her advance towards a relationship. I'd never tell her though; I was a firm believer in people taking their own paths.

"But you're right." Her eyes softened, and she smiled serenely. "I am anticipating the trip, although…"

"Yes?" I prodded, tapping my quill against the table.

In a whisper, "I wish it could just be the two of us." She looked guilty, as if she had admitted something unholy. Her light skin flushed, but her eyes never left mine.

"Someday it will be, Tia. I don't understand something, though." I shook my head, fighting back a smile. "You're usually confident, and will say whatever is on your mind. You're blunt—don't take that the wrong way. It's refreshing. But when it comes to Beckett…you're…"

"Like a shrinking violet? Like a flower that opens and closes depending on the time of day. Like the Ipomoea or Mentzelia."

"The what?"

"Ipomoea. A kind of Morning Glory. I think they open up at night, but during the day…they stay shut." She looked down at her hands and gave a soft laugh. "I guess Beckett's like my sun."

"You two do wonders for each other, you know. When you two do talk and hang out, you're both livelier. Beckett is already an energetic guy, but you just make him beam."

"I do feel more vivid around him. He understands everything I like, you see. Not that I don't enjoy your company, or Ginny's. I love you two. But he gets why I'm fascinated with Healing…he understands my desire to write and learn and soak in a good book. I-" She paused and lifted her eyes to meet mine. I saw a mix of emotions in her eyes. Her blue eyes were always honest; you could tell everything she felt just by looking into them. There was pain, and disappointment. "I never told you guys about my summer. Yet, I told him the first night when he wanted to talk. I'm sorry I didn't confide in you, Sam. I should have."

"I don't mind, Portia. I wanted you to come to me. I trust you to do the right thing; if you felt more comfortable telling Beckett, so be it. I'm here for you. When it's time for you to tell me, I'll be ready to listen."

"It's time." She sighed. "I need to get it off my chest. No secrets."

"No secrets." I repeated, and spared a glance in Rai's direction, who was no doubt keeping secrets.

Portia and I got up bright and early the next morning. She needn't indulge why she spent more time than usual fussing with her hair. It was all for Beckett.

I was amused to see her in frenzy, but I helped her out all I could. I aided her in selecting an outfit. She'd decided on a mint colored top tucked into a gorgeous navy pleated skirt. It did wonders to accentuate her figure, as well as her eyes. She looked gorgeous.

"Where's Ginny?" She asked while poking a plain, silver stud into her ear.

"Down in the Great Hall, I expect. She didn't exactly say when she left. Just that she'd be back."

"Hmmm…" Portia hummed.

"D'you think Rai is going with Rafe?" I pondered. I wasn't expecting an answer, really. After 'hmmm'ing, Portia typically fell into a daydream or would think deeply about something.

"I think so." She replied, and I jumped slightly. "She was talking about it rather loudly the other night. They're not together, though. Thank goodness, for that."

"Why do you say that, Tia?"

"Because you like him, of course." She said as if it were the most common of facts. She smoothed out a couple unruly creases in her shirt and looked up at me. Her eyes were bright and dancing with anticipation. Besides Beckett going with us, I knew she was excited to go to Scrivenshaft's and Honeyduke's.

"Of course." I replied flatly, trying to conceal the rise in my voice.

"It's okay, Sam. I personally don't find him attractive, but I've talked to him in Dark Arts and he's brilliant. I approve of his mind. He's very sharp—he deserves to be in Ravenclaw."

"Still on about that, are you?" I asked, though it wasn't really out of true interest. I was trying to divert the conversation off of me.

"Nice try, Sam." Portia rolled her eyes. "But yes. I do wish I were put into Ravenclaw. It would have been a proper fit."

"You're a true Gryffindor, Tia. You're bold, blunt, courageous—"

"Courageous?" She scoffed bitterly, and the air suddenly felt thick. When Portia was bright and cheery, it was a sight to behold. But the same could be said for when she was feeling rotten. "Sam, I don't know if you've heard what Rai has been saying about me. I have amazing hearing. She just doesn't know it, or maybe she doesn't care. She prattles on and on to that Jessica girl all about how much of a flake I am. She says I'm all words. She says I will write and write and write all my complaints on parchment and send it to the Prophet…and I accomplish nothing. Why? Because the words don't come out of my mouth. She says I'm a coward for not having stood up to the Carrows last year. My written protests weren't enough for her, Sam. And I don't belong in Gryffindor, because of that. And maybe she's right." Portia shrugged and her eyes had turned to ice. "I didn't do anything. My hand did the writing, but I never once vocalized my hatred and disgust."

"So she says." I growled. "You belong here. More than she does. Gryffindor is about loyalty. She hasn't shown you that, or else she would have apologized and given a good reason for her comments. She's never really treated you all that well, Tia." This was something I never wanted to tell her. I always noticed it…but I just couldn't bring myself to let Portia know what I saw. "You looked up to her so much. She was spunky, outspoken and unreserved. She skipped homework assignments, played hooky. She was a little bit of you, but more rebellious. I think you overlooked a lot of her true traits. She's bossy, and degrading. She's always said snarky comments, but I guess it never tipped me over the edge until now." I sighed. "But now she's worse. She's not only rude, but cold and distant."

"Now that I give it thought, she did sprinkle unkind words here and there. But you're right." She nodded, her face blank. "She's more harsh. She's changed."

"And that's not your fault, Portia. You deserve better, because you've been nothing but kind and generous. You're my best friend. If this whole Rai conundrum has done any good, I think it's brought us closer."

She brightened and a smile played tug-of-war with her lips.

"You're right."

"And you're right. I do like Rafe."

"Told you." She sounded proud. She was getting back into her normal self.

"I just don't get why he hangs out with her…"

"Don't worry. I don't think it will be for long." She sounded so sure; it was hard not to trust her.

"Oh?"

"My inner seer tells me so." She pressed both sets of her index and middle fingers to her temples and smirked. We both began giggling uncontrollably, until Ginny came to find us.

"Where to next?" Lane was the one who posed the question, literally skipping through the cobbled streets of the village. She was wearing a beautiful yellow dress that contrasted with her dark skin wonderfully.

"Food!" Bryce yelled and pointed at Honeyduke's. The bright pink and mint green exterior popped out against the other buildings in a colorful splash.

"Alright, alright." Lane chuckled, and opened the door for everyone. One by one we filed in, and instantly the smell of confectionaries hit us like a ton of bricks. It was intoxicating. I looked around at everyone in our party and had to laugh. We all had dazed expressions. It was sheer, sugary heaven.

"Sam! Look at these…" Ginny exclaimed and tugged me over towards the display of coconut ice. I nodded enthusiastically as she asked me whether or not she should buy some.

Beckett was talking to Portia near the Sugar Quills. I knew that these were Portia's favorite, and apparently Beckett knew it too. He was trying to get her to pick one out, but she was refusing to select one.

"C'mon. My treat! You know you want one." He held out a couple in his hands, but she shook her head in protest.

"You should be buying something for Lauren."

His face contorted and it looked as if he had just tasted a vomit flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.

"I am. Blood Pops. But I want to buy you some. Please?" He was pleading with his eyes. Poor guy. He was just trying to be a good guy.

"Portia, come here for a sec. Ginny and I need help deciding."

She looked relieved, and excused herself.

"What's your problem!" Ginny demanded. "Just let him buy you the candy."

"I feel like I'll owe him." She countered, and glanced over at where Beckett had stood, but now he was gone.

"That's stupid. It's not that much." I put my hands on her shoulders. "He's not here with Lauren. He's here with you."

"And all the rest of you guys."

"Who's he buying candy for?" My eyebrows raised, and I let my arms drop.

"Portia?" It was Beckett. She turned around, and she smiled brightly. He had a bag in his hand that no doubt had Sugar Quills inside.

"Hey." She rolled her eyes, but her smile remained.

"These are for you. You can't refuse." He smirked, something that made all the girls in our year go crazy.

"You're right. I can't." I sighed in relief as she played along. Success.

I think we were all feeling high-spirited by the end of the day. The trip was winding to a close, and we were ending it right.

The Three Broomsticks was packed with Hogwarts students, as was customary for Hogsmeade visits. All of us had large Butterbeers in front of us, which only made us more hyperactive after our raid of Honeyduke's.

The only quite one was Jacob May, Rai's brother. Many times Lane tried to get him to join in on the conversation, but he managed to stay relatively silent. He mostly at in the booth sipping his Butterbeer with his mid-arm length red hair draped around his face.

"So Jacob—how's the drumming going? I remember last year you and Lane were always talking about wanting to start a band." I was trying to break the ice that he had built up around himself.

"Good. I'm getting much better."

"He's even getting some muscle from it." Lane informed, and playfully patted Jacob's arm. He shrugged it off.

"What's wrong Jacob?" Portia asked. She had a tendency to skip the crap and get right to it.

"Same problem you have. My sister."

Portia's eyes opened wide, but she said nothing.

"She completely ignores me. Not only now, in school, but this summer. I think something happened with Andy this past holiday, but I can't be sure. She doesn't talk to me anymore." He sounded pained, which really ripped my heart into pieces. Jacob was the most dedicated sibling I'd ever come across. It was unfortunate that he too had to feel the chill of Rai's cold shoulder.

"Everybody is changing." Beckett mumbled, and Aven cracked a grin. I couldn't see what was funny about Beckett's statement, but it seemed to amuse all three of his friends.

"Last year was tumultuous." Portia nodded. "That's probably why we're all so altered. "

"It was crazy," agreed Lane. "But it's all good now, isn't it? We're safe."

I forced a smile. It was mostly for Lane and Jacob's benefit; they were still relatively innocent. I wanted to feel the same as them. But the fear felt last year still lingered.