The next morning I feel like crab; I barely slept a blink the whole night. Every time I closed my eyes I could see Lockhart's face and smell his disgusting, minty breath.

"Geez, Cellie, you look terrible", Iris informs me.

"Thanks, I feel that, too", I reply and pull the blanket over my face. "Wake me up at lunch."

"No way", Samantha says. "We're not going to let you miss all the lessons before that."

"Who says I'm going to the lessons after lunch?" I mutter. "I'll just eat and go back to bed."

"As awesome as that sounds, we can't allow it", Iris states and throws my blanket to the floor. I moan loudly.

"It's cold!"

"Then get up and get dressed!" Iris commands and starts throwing my clothes at me. I reluctantly get up and stumble to the bathroom to change.

Iris drags me with them to the breakfast table and the lessons, even Defence Against the Dark Arts, the main reason I wanted to stay in bed.

Lockhart goes on and on about how he defeated some horrible monster somewhere in the mountains. I just lean my head to my hands and stare at my desk. I notice him wondering my way more than once, and every time I smell his disgusting scent of mint I nearly throw up. On top of that I have a horrible headache caused by the sleepless night. The Hufflepuff girl next to me, Scout Meyer, notices something's wrong.

"Are you okay?" she asks. I shrug.

"Just a headache."

"You don't look too well", she continues in a worried tone. "I think you should visit the Hospital Wing."

"Miss Meyer, Miss Reed, is something wrong?" Lockhart asks as he sails towards us. I grit my teeth and refuse to look up from the desk.

"Reed's not feeling very well, professor", Meyer tells him. Lockhart leans over our desk and my heart starts racing faster and I can feel my breakfast coming up.

"Is that so?" Lockhart asks. "Miss Reed?"

I don't answer. If I just ignore him, maybe he'll go away and forget I exist.

"Miss Reed?" he repeats more demandingly.

"I'm fine", I murmur.

"You do look quite ill", Lockhart says. "I will escort you to the Hospital Wing."

He takes my upper arm and pulls me up. I quickly shake him off of me.

"I'll find there myself", I mutter, still not looking up to face him.

"He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me too close. I shake him off again. Why can't he just leave me be?

"Now, now, Miss Reed. You look quite feverish, and I do not think you should wonder along the corridors alone."

He lifts his hand to touch my face. I jolt back.

"Don't touch me", I snap at him. "I'm fine." I grab my bag and storm out of the room before he has the chance to try and molest me again.

I wonder along the corridors until I'm as far away as possible from the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

I turn to a crowded corridor; it seems like every single person who's been in a room along the corridor has come to see something. I make my way through the crowd to see what they're looking at. The sight makes my eyes go wide.

It's Finch-Fletchley's cold and rigid body. He's staring at the ceiling with blank eyes and a shocked expression. And next to him there is the Gryffindor's house ghost Nearly Headless Nick, hovering a few inches above the floor all black and smoky and looking about as dead as a ghost can look.

I look up and see Harry standing next to Nearly Headless Nick.

"What's going on?" I ask him, but he doesn't hear me; professor McGonagall has set off a loud bang with her wand.

"Everyone back to your classes!" she commands. I stay still and stare at Harry. He couldn't be behind this, could he? There is just no way he did this.

Poltergeist Peeves just starts singing. I know it's a Poltergeist, but shouldn't even they have some kind of respect for others? Apparently not.

Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick are taken to the Hospital Wing, McGonagall takes Harry with him, the scene clears, and eventually I am the only one in the corridor. I just can't seem to get my legs to move.

Why is all this happening? I feel like I should know something, like something's dancing right in front of me but I just can't see it.

"I'm not Muggle-born and I am still extremely relieved to get out of the castle", Iris says as we sit in the Hogwarts Express on our way home.

"What could possibly do that to a ghost?" Samantha asks nervously.

"I wish I knew", I sigh, "I really do."

"The question probably isn't what, it's who", Frances notes nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, who?" Daniel asks.

"No creature could ever live a thousand years. It's got to be a person, someone who's just trying to make everyone believe there's some kind of a monster on the loose", Frances replies.

"You mean Potter?" Wallace specifies. Frances shrugs.

"It's Potter, there's no doubt about it", says Uriah. "Everything points at his direction."

"It's not Harry", I say defensively, feeling like I should defend my friend.

"If it's not Potter, then who?" Janette asks challengingly.

"I don't think it's him either", Luna states breezily. Janette scowls angrily at her.

"Nobody asked you, Loony", she scoffs.

"Don't call her that", Callum snaps at Janette, who snorts out a short reply.

I stare out of the window and think about the Polyjuice Potion. Hermione said it would be ready by Christmas. What exactly are they planning to do with it? Sneak into the Slytherin common room in hopes Draco Malfoy just happens to be boasting about the petrification of two Muggle-borns? I really doubt that. Even if Draco was the heir of Slytherin, he wouldn't be that stupid.

Also if he was the heir of Slytherin, that would mean we were family. I gag. Just the thought of being related to Malfoys makes me feel ill.

By the time the train finally arrives at Kings Cross I am completely overwhelmed by thoughts about the heir of Slytherin and completely sick of Janette.

Elaine, Emma and Maggie are waiting for me near the platform 10. Emma notices me first and squeals:

"She's there!"

And suddenly I am thrust in the middle of a storm of hugs and warm smiles.

"It's so good to have you back", Elaine assures me. Maggie and Emma squeeze me so tight I can barely catch my breath.

"It's good to see you too", I say and then turn to Callum, who has been hovering behind me like a moon next to a planet. "This is Raquel. But she's usually called Callum. Callum, meet Elaine, Maggie and Emma."

Elaine smiles at Callum and shakes her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Callum", she says. "I have heard a lot about you. It's nice to know Cellie has made some good friends at school."

Callum looks shier than usual and I can feel the heat crawling down my cheeks.

The whole way from Kings Cross to the Reeds' house Elaine, Maggie and Emma keep asking us questions about school.

"Do you get to turn people into toads?" Emma enthuses. Callum glances at me and I try not to laugh.

"No, Emma, we don't", I say. "We get to turn matches into needles and examine star constellation charts."

"That sounds stupid", Emma says, sounding disappointed.

"That's exactly what my father said", Callum mutters to my ear.

"Why does he think that?" Elaine asks from the driver's seat. Callum looks dazzled by Elaine's bat-like hearing.

"He thinks sorcery is full rubbish", Callum answers. "He wanted to send me to an elite Muggle boarding school, but mom convinced him to let me go to Hogwarts."

"So your father's not a wizard, then?" Elaine asks. Callum shakes her head.

"No, he's a Muggle. Mom's a witch, though."

"What do your parents do for living, then?"

"Dad co-owns a company with some guy called Vernon Dursley. They make drills."

"Dursley? Isn't that Harry's Uncle's name?" I ask. Callum shrugs.

"I guess so."

"So who's this Harry, then?" Elaine inquires.

"A friend of mine", I quickly reply. "Harry Potter. He's the famous guy I told you about."

"You know celebrities?" Maggie enthuses.

"Just Harry and he's not even a real celebrity. He doesn't even remember the thing that made him famous."

"Not to mention he didn't actually do anything", Callum adds. "Nobody knows what happened that night, but there is no way a one-year-old stopped the Dark Lord willingly."

"It's still so cool", Maggie insists. "I've never met a single celebrity."

"I almost met Peter Davison once", Elaine says. "He played the fifth Doctor in Doctor Who."

"Nobody knows what that show is, mom", Maggie comments. Elaine raises her eyebrows.

"Did you just call me old?"

When we get to the Reeds' house, Grandma Reed welcomes us with a big, warm hug. She's a big woman in every single way; she's tall and plump and she has a loud voice and a big heart and she mostly uses big words. She can also be extremely intimidating when she gets mad, which as I've understood luckily happens quite rarely.

"It's so nice to see you again, Cellie!" she practically yells in my ear while squeezing all the air out of my lungs. Then she takes a step back to have a good look at me. "Look how you've grown! You'll be as tall as me if this keeps on going! But you're so thin, too, I wonder how you're still alive! Don't they feed you well in that school?"

"I'm sure she gets just enough food", Elaine says with a smile. Grandma Reed moves on to Callum.

"And you must be Raquel!" she shouts. I see Callum jump a little at the sound and can't help but grin. "Hello! I'm Yvonne! It is so absolutely nice to meet you! Oh, I've heard so much about you! Come on, give me a hug! Cellie's friends are my friends too!"

Grandma Reed has one downside in addition to her loud voice; she's not familiar with the concept of privacy, and that includes your body and your mind. I know Callum doesn't like being hugged, but Grandma Reed doesn't notice her grimace.

We move on to the living room where Rodger and Rick are waiting for us; it's hard enough to squeeze four people, two people's bags, one owl and a big grandmother in the tiny hall without adding two other people to the mess.

"Cellie, darling!" Rodger greets me with an extremely wide smile he clearly inherited from his mother and hugs me. "Good to have you back! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks", I reply a little formally. "This is Raquel, but she's usually called Callum."

"Hello, Callum", Rodger says and shakes Callum's hand. "I'm Rodger. It's very nice to meet you."

"Now", yells Grandma Reed, obviously taking control. "I'm sure you girls are tired after such a long trip. I have made up a mattress for Raquel in Cellie's room. You can go tidy up a bit before dinner. Rick, I'm sure you can help the girls carry their bags upstairs."

"It's fine, we'll manage", I pipe in quickly. I take my back bag and Neri's cage and am about to head upstairs, when Grandma Reed stops me.

"For Heaven's sake, Cellie, what is that?" she yells. She's obviously not been informed about Neri.

"It's my owl", I say.

"Owl? Owl? Why on Earth did you bring an owl into the house?"

Elaine clears her throat.

"It's Cellie's pet. We bought it for her last summer before she left to the school."

"For Heaven's sake", Grandma Reed repeats. "Well, I guess there is nothing we can do about it now, but the owl stays in your room, is that clear, young lady?"

"Yes, Grandma", I squeal. She's the only one in the family I don't call by her name; I don't dare.

Maggie and Emma follow us upstairs. Maggie takes it to her job to give Callum a brief tour.

"That's mom and dad's room", she says. "That's the study, that room's mine and this one's Emma's. The bathroom is here. The trapdoor leads to Rick's room where none of us have any business according to him. I'm positive he's, like, inventing a bomb in there or something."

"Or maybe he just doesn't want people to sneak around his room", I note. "This is my room."

The room looks exactly the same it did when I left in September except for the mattress on the floor next to my bed. It feels sort of weird being here again.

"So", Maggie begins, sitting down on my bed, "do you have any cute boys in your class?"

I glance at Callum, trying not to laugh.

"No", I say, "unless you count Daniel who looks like a nine-year-old. He's cute in a puppyish way."

Maggie looks disappointed.

"Can you show us some magic?" Emma asks. "Please, Cellie, can you?"

"We can't do magic outside school", I tell her. Her face falls.

"Why?"

"It's a law meant to hide wizards from Muggles", Callum says.

"Which reminds me", I suddenly remember, "that Grandma doesn't know about the wizarding world, and it's probably best if she doesn't."

"Got it."

We have home-made pizza for dinner. We all sit around the kitchen table and listen to mostly Grandma Reed babble about everything in her loud voice. I have a strange feeling in my stomach. For the first time in years while I feel like I'm… home. Like I actually have a family.

"So", Grandma Reed shouts, "tell me about your classmates! Are they nice?"

"Mostly", I reply, "but we have one jerk in our group."

"Two if you count Janette", Callum adds.

"Why are they jerks?" Rodger asks.

"I don't think Janette's ever been nice to anyone, and Scorpius is just really narrow-minded", I tell them.

"Scorpius? Well, there's a name. What on Earth were his parents thinking?" Grandma Reed wonders and shakes her head.

"Probably themselves", Callum mutters to me.

"How is he narrow-minded?" asks Maggie.

"He believes everyone who isn't like him is wrong. His whole family's the same."

"What about the teachers, then?" Grandma Reed asks and takes more pizza. "Are they nice?"

"They're mostly okay", I say, pondering. "Our, um, chemistry teacher, professor Snape, can be really demanding at times, and then there's Lockhart…" My voice fades away.

"Lockhart's a wannabe-celebrity", Callum finishes the sentence for me.

"I still don't understand why you sent Cellie to that school almost right after you'd adopted her", Grandma Reed says. I almost drop the glass in my hand. Callum's knife stops cutting the pizza.

"Cellie's adopted?" she asks.

"Yes, last year from Cokeworth. Didn't you know?"

Grandma Reed looks at me with an unreadable expression and Callum carefully examines my face. I clear my throat and say:

"It never came up."

"No, it didn't", Callum repeats.

After dinner Callum and I retreat into my room. I try not to look at her as I start unpacking my bag.

"Why didn't you tell me you were adopted?" Callum asks after a while. I stop folding one of my shirts and just stare down at it.

"It's really dumb…"

"I'm your friend, right?" Callum says. "You can tell me."

I turn to look at her. She's sitting on my bed and looking at me.

"All of your lives just sound so perfect compared to mine", I finally say in a low voice. "I didn't want to be the freak whose parents are dead."

"Oh, Cellie!" Callum sighs. "Our lives are not perfect. I'm not saying yours is, but so what? It doesn't make you a freak that you're adopted. Nobody would think that."

"But they would pity me for not having a real family, and I didn't want to be pitied. You know I hate that."

Callum looks sad.

"Cellie, family isn't all about blood", she says. "If it was then marriages wouldn't matter at all. You know, today I didn't see anything worth pitying for. I saw a happy, middle-aged couple with four children. They are your, family, Cellie, and they love you. I know they do."

I can feel hot tears in my eyes, but I quickly blink them away.

"So", Callum continues, "do you want to tell me what happened to your birthparents?"

I shrug.

"Mom said my dad Douglas died in an accident, but I was just a baby, so I can't really remember him, just his voice, even though very faintly. And my mom Neri and my aunt Hannah died when I was six. Our house blew up. The firemen thought a gas leak caused the accident, but they could never say for sure. My mom was a Muggle, so I was sent to a Muggle orphanage instead of being sent to somewhere else."

Callum gets up, walks to me and hugs me. Only now I realise I'm crying. I hold on to her like I was drowning and she was my life buoy.