Laila Vaernes was not having a good day.

She could not say that she had many good days in general. Everything about this castle seemed to nick at her nails. The permanent aroma of mangoes and pumpkin juice that pilfered out of the kitchens just by her Hufflepuff Common Room. Jostling feet hammered at the steps, echoing down the halls to her room. The Third and Fourth Years that took a lifetime to get out of bathrooms made her nearly forgo wrapping up her high dark-blonde ponytail and letting the tangled hair fall wherever it decided. Unfortunately, she knew she would not make any friends with dragon breath and her robes unbuttoned. At least, she would not make the right ones.

On top of that, the school was up in arms over a massive waste of time. The weirdest hunt for nothing. She knew there were plenty of glory-hungry people in Hogwarts regardless of House that planned on scrambling around for something. She hardly had time to unpack from her journey from across the sea without a gaggle of students coming up to her for help with her father's resources. Looking down at the front cover of her textbook, a small scrabble of words lined the edge of the frame. A message from her father wishing her well for the year. She covered it up with her hand, drumming a finger on the cover. Even in such a personal message, he still had to inscribe his official title of Norwegian Minister of Magic in the margins.

It was a new year for her at this dumb school. Okay, she thought to herself as she stared at the rose-colored walls of the incense-ridden room. It's not just Hogwarts. She would be miserable at any school she went to. Shifting in the uncomfortable oak chair, her black trousers were dotted with small white hairs from her white Tabby. She tapped her brown sneakers onto the squeaking floorboards. In her head, she drowned out the dull din of Professor Trelawney's dawdling about moon phases.

Laila snapped her gaze back to the front of the class. Trelawney plopped herself on a plush velvet chair by a crystal ball. Pairs of students shuffled around in the room like pixies skating in mid-air over a cool lake. Laila blinked her indigo eyes while scanning the room. That strange, scarred Ravenclaw scowled to himself seated at the corner of the room. His partner, a prim-and-proper blonde Gryffindor, pulled at his collar as he tried to talk to him.

The loud and annoying Gryffindor that shoved himself into the chair a row down from her she saw frequently. Robbie was one of those characters that a person took at face value and not in a good way. He was the embodiment of a brash person. Whenever his and her fathers met, they made it a point to have them around to smile for the cameras as if they were on a family and friend vacation together. The fewer summers she had to spend by Robbie and the British Minister of Magic's lakeside resort, the better. She could not stand another minute of him gloating about how he planned to be the youngest seeker in England's National Quidditch Team History.

"Oi, you're Laila?" A rough voice growled.

Laila veered her eyes towards the seat next to her. Yet another Gryffindor. This time, one of Robbie's friends. His silk white sleeves rolled up, his hair was darker and his frame taller than Robbie. He had referred to this boy as Cas, a fellow Sixth year, during one of those forced meet ups in the countryside.

He sat down without invitation, sighing as he flipped his hands palm-up on the satin table dressing between them. Laila leered at him as Cas raised his eyebrows.

"Go on. Read my palm."

"Oh," Laila said. "Is that what we're doing."

"You weren't paying attention?"

"Is there a reason why I should?"

Cas shrugged and pushed his palm towards her. She took a finger and stroked one of the lines on his palm. His hands were quite warm, like the metal railings outside in the midst of summer sun. It distracted Laila for a second, but she huffed and continued.

It's not that Laila disliked Divination specifically. Sure, Trelawney was dumb and the whole subject was treated as a joke by many. However, most classes were becoming that way at Hogwarts. Every class in her year was an opportunity for some shenanigans to occur. Laila would much rather be outside by the Forbidden Forest. She heard Hagrid had procured a new batch of magical creatures, and she was always willing to help out.

Feeling his palm, Laila made the stroke quick and sat back in her chair. "Oh no, you're going to die soon. The horror," she deadpanned.

"Is it anytime soon?" Cas asked with a flat face.

"How soon do you want it?" Laila asked.

"Before I get another headache," Cas said, gesturing his head towards Robbie down a row.

Laila could not help the small snort that croaked from her. "Alright. You're going to die tomorrow. It will be quick and painless."

Cas smirked. "Thank God. Or whatever the hell I believe in."

Laila looked around at the rest of the class. Sixth Year was going to be aggravating. Robbie was loudly espousing to a poor Hufflepuff girl about his visit to the Cursed Hills of some mythical place called Tennessee. Over in the corner, that Blonde Slytherin that got into the fight the previous night with Robbie was glaring over at the man like an angry puppy. A smaller fellow Slytherin had a smile as she shook her head at the man. It was a strange web of people in the room, and she had no clue where she fit in with them.

"Wanting to die, too?" Laila asked Cas.

"For a while now," Cas said. "Robbie blew my ear off about how he was going to get that Slytherin wanker from last night deported. Did you know the Minister of Magic could do that?"

"Not in Norway," Laila rolled her eyes. "Otherwise, I'd have been kicked out years ago. By my own dad."

Cas looked down at his palm still on the table. "Some people are pissed at him. We would've lost points if someone saw him. Then, that weirdo over there," Cas pointed over at Edmund in the corner with Warren. "He came in really late and almost got us in trouble. He looked like he saw a bowtruckle cutting of a snake's head. Head Boy caught wind of it and wondered why he was out till midnight. Then there was that other girl who sat up with her gossip circle until two in the morning. Ellora. I know her because she tried to smuggle in a whole barrel of firewhiskey on the last day last year. I couldn't get to sleep until one because of those wankers."

Laila groaned. "At least you aren't by the kitchens. Every night some students try to sneak down and snag something. And I'm like what the hell is wrong with you? Couldn't you eat enough at the Great Hall? It's a giant buffet for a reason."

Cas nodded as he stared over at Laila's palm. "So I have to read your palm now."

"Just say I'm going to die soon. Trelawney would believe it," Laila rolled her eyes again. "But I'm glad you have as much a distaste for reality as I do."

"Easy with all the the headaches I have to deal with. Not to mention, class."

Laila looked over at the Professor. Trelawney was just as frumpy as ever. Donning a velvet brioche robe, she sashayed around the classroom in search for people to terrify. Pushing her massive framed glasses up her elongated hooked nose, her curled hair bounced around as she interjected on random palm readings.

"You dear," Trelwaney squeaked to a pair at the front of the class. "How is her lifeline?"

Erin shrugged as she glanced at Calista across the table from her. They were so caught up in other conversations that they had failed to do any real work.

"Well, I read her palm," Calista said. Trelawney's eyes zoomed open in a dramatic stare.

"Go on, dear."

"Based on her lifelines, the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter has aligned with mars. That means peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars. Her palm marks the dawning of the Age of Aquarius."

Trelawney clutched her chest like an old Southern Belle. Digging her fingernails into her fabric, she coughed out a squeal. "What an accurate reading! You're lucky Miss Schermer. You have a very positive future for the time being. Remember to keep your mind open to the Eye," she leaned over and patted Erin on the shoulder. "It's not everyday it gets to see you."

Trelawney skittered off to the back of the room. Erin stared at her with the surprise of a Phoenix exploding into flames. "So what did that all mean?"

Calista sighed before flipping her textbook to another tan, worn page. "I just quoted a muggle song."

"I'm surprised she didn't notice you were a fifth year in a sixth year class," Erin said.

"I have an open period, and this is more important," Calista said.

Erin shook of the reading and flickered her gaze around to make sure no on was listening in. She leaned in and hunched over while lowering her volume towards Calista. "So a bird told me that there's some strange thing coming over some of the students. Warren? He has some weird feelings going on inside him."

"That's most teenagers," Calista shot back.

"But he said he has some weird memories. Things that he hasn't seen before but felt like happened to him. And some others are feeling that, too. Guy named Edmund in Gryffindor. That girl you spoke to first day back-."

"Callie?"

"They think it has something to do with this object. When they touch each other, there is a weird feeling that goes through them. Like electricity. And they grow a sudden urge to find this thing."

Calista examined Erin as she breathed out in the dust-enchanted air. This thing was already causing some trouble. However, the effect of connecting complete strangers was something that made her weary. True, she had an urge to find the treasure herself, but that was without needing a zap or memories to haunt her.

"Do you know anything about connected souls?"

Erin swallowed. "Like Unbreakable Vows?"

Calista shook her head. "I read about it late last night after talking to that Slytherin guy. While I was up studying in the Restricted section, I started to read about souls. It was strange, but there was one book that stuck out from the others. Literally. It fell from the bookshelf in the back. I picked it up, and it was about the magic of souls. How they are created. How they are connected. Being broken. Even repaired. It was late, So I forgot most things, but I saw a lot of things in there."

Erin gasped and sat back in her seat. "That's pretty dark stuff, though! Calista, you can't read about that. A book that just appears for you to read? How can you trust that?"

Calista huffed. "It's not like I'm gonna do anything with it. I don't even know what I'd make a Horcrux with. Would I use my diary?" Calista said before waving off the suggestion. "Nah, that's a dumb idea."

"Don't joke about that, Calista!" Erin hushed out.

"Either way," Calista said. "We need to get these people together. If they're being possessed by some strange object, I'm sure they'd be the best way to find it. And lift whatever curse this is. At least that's what I think might be happening here. Unless it was a Portkey. Then, the person could send a student somewhere and kill them."

Erin grimaced. "Kind of a weird theory."

"You know that guy was in on it," Calista pointed at her.

"Oh my god, I'm tired of hearing this."

"Cedric Diggory was a shady guy," Calista said loudly. "I mean, come on! What are the odds he and Potter would touch the thing at the same time. You know, he was really pale. And I heard he never went anywhere around garlic. He had to have been a vampire."

"That doesn't mean he was a vampire," Erin sighed and shifted in her seat. "But whatever. I'll keep my out for anything else," she said. Then, she narrowed her eyes and grinned. "So, you were 'talking' to Alistair Leonhardt last night?"

"Really, Erin?" Calista said.

"He's fancying you," Erin chirped. "Like, hardcore. I've heard from someone who said that he was talking about you to his friends all last night. And you patched him up after Robbie?"

Calista tilted her head and looked across the room towards Alistair. The blonde was currently busy talking to that Gryffindor girl with the black bob hair in a very animated, urgent fashion. "This is purely business. I have a feeling he might be in on this, too. Sure, he wants the treasure, but what if he's connected in this mess? I thought I could get something from him."

"Can't you just make friends with people to make friends?" Erin asked. "Why does there have to be, like, ulterior motives? Besides, you could do way, way worse than Alistair. He's blonde and "

Calista bit her lip. "Well, he's not ugly," she said while discreetly ogling him. Of course, there was no doubt he was attractive. He was considered one of the premier ladiesman of Hogwarts. On a personality level, he was at least charming without being pushy from what she could tell. That did not change the fact that he was as one-dimensional as a piece of paper. She could not have an intelligent conversation with him. Although, as she examined him, something seemed off. He appeared a little frazzled, creasing on his forehead showcased worry as he kept shifting his gaze away from Ellora in front of him.

Calista shrugged to herself. "I guess he's harmless. But dumb as a rock and helpless with a wand."

"If social skills were a class, you'd get a Troll, Calista," Erin said. "Now act busy, Trelawney is coming."

Trelawney surged past them in her rubber sandals. She made her way across the classroom, satisfied to see the students "engrossed" in their activities. Maybe this would be the class that a true Seer would finally emerge from her large inventory of past students.

Coming towards Warren, he reached for his shoulder. Warren looked blankly up at the teacher as she shivered with the contact. Warren was close to rolling his eyes, since this was a common occurrence with the pair.

"And you, dear," Trelawney said to Edmund seated across from Warren. "What have you read from his palms?"

Edmund gulped. Being called in class always made him nervous, but Digination always made him more weary than most classes.

"Well," Edmund began as he traced down Warren's warm palm. "His lifeline is very strong. I think his trustline is weak, though. So that means he will have problems trusting people."

"Yes, yes," Trelawney hurried. "But what about the threats in his life?"

Edmund looked down at his palm. "I don't see any," he said.

Warren took back his palm. He knew Edmund was trying to be nice. Trelawney liked to see Warren as a bit of a pariah in the class, so he knew she would be extra dramatic with him. Based on the way Trelawney snatched his hand and scanned it like it, the hysterics would start in a second.

Sure enough, Trelawney shrieked like she caught a bug in her potato soup. Her mouthed leeched open and shut like a fish clamoring for water. She stared up at Warren, eyes wider than dinner plates as she stammered.

"You are in grave danger!"

Warren sighed. "Just like every year."

In fact, her pronouncements of Warren's impending doom were so routine, no students paid mind when she guffawed like a dying horse.

"My dear, you have a bad omen coming your way. One that can ruin your life."

I know. The next class, Warren thought to himself. Trelawney patted him on the back and promised to help protect him if at all possible. She twirled back towards the class and scattered away.

"She's not the most polite Seer of doom." Edmund said.

"Most aren't."

Edmund leaned forward and covered his mouth from vein of students on the other side of the room. "So what's the plan?"

Warren blinked. "Haven't thought about it. Honestly, it hasn't effected me yet too bad."

"But it's a problem," Edmund said. "I don't want to spend the year being haunted by strange feelings. It's like some weird string is being held in front of my face. And every time I tried to grab it, something is yanking it away."

Warren took a deep breath, trying his best to calm down. He knew losing his patience in class would do no favors for him. People talked about him a lot, and if word got about these strange connections, he may never have peace again.

"Wait until we find the others. Or hope it goes away."

Edmund sent Warren a worried expression. He blew out a long breath and cocked his head forward. "So I guess we should get to know each other then. If we're connected like this."

Warren crossed his arms. He raised his eyebrow.

Edmund cleared his throat and jumped his gaze to Warren's eyes. "It's not like we've ever conversed. You and I. So I guess my name is Edmund. I...have a cat named Azathoth. I-I brush my teeth on a regular basis. And...that's pretty much all there is to know about me. Your turn."

"I think we should skip this for now," Warren said. He crossed his muscles arms behind his head and leaned back. Once Trelawney was done with her daily dose of morbidity, she went off to harass other students and paid no attention to them. He leaned back in his silver seat and stared at the maroon ceiling above.

He himself had many doubts and questions. These strange emotions and feelings, it had to be from the object, didn't it? But what to make of the connection flowing between him and the random others? He knew little about any of this type of magic. Maybe they should tell a teacher. Worst case scenario, they would be called crazy and ignored. Then again, at Hogwarts, the lack of teacher meddling may be a plus.

There was also a sneaking suspicion. What if...what if it's what was taken from him? An old magical artifact found in Albania. He wondered to himself as his ring finger gave off a minuscule tremor. The nakedness of the finger chilled him as a small draft flowed through his clasp hands.

Regardless, it was nothing he could fix now. Maybe this doze would be more peaceful than the last. He slumped down, drifting to sleep. He sighed and closed his charcoal eyes.

Green eyes flung open.

A small shout erupted from Alistair as he shot up to a seated position. He gasped, pumping air into his mouth like a marathon runner blowing past a finish line. His heart thumped in his chest as adrenaline shimmied through his veins. A wild chill clogged down his back as he clutched his chest.

A dream. A nightmare. A whisper of something horrendous that happened. It felt so vague and so vivid at the same time.

"Hell's wrong with you?"

Alistair ignored Julian's cry as he stared back down at his hands. They were trembling. He tried to calm himself down, but the events that unfolded before his eyes shook him.

Alistair then flashed his gaze towards the base of the tree he was under. He had woken up next to Beatrice and Julian. They both stared at him. Beatrice scanned Alistair with strained curiosity. Julian frowned as he leaned on the tree. They were out in one of the fields by Hagrid's hut. In the middle of the meadow, the tree shaded them from the setting sun falling over the castle. It was a placid day outside of the castle. Their usual meeting spot underneath this specific tree was no shadowed by both the tree branches and the leaves that were transforming into a dying brown and orange crisps.

Alistair licked his parched lips. He snagged his breath before regaining use of his tongue. How could he explain what he witnessed?

"I...I...uh..."

"You're crying," Beatrice said.

The Slytherin Laid his fingers by his cheeks. Normally taut and tanned, they felt cold to his touch as droplets of saline rolled down his face. He smeared the tears away and examined the residue on his fingers, as if he could not believe it. His face reddened, both from the slight swelling of the tears but also the embarrassment of crying out in public.

"Why-why am I...?"

"Alistair?"

"I feel...really bad," Alistair said as he sniffled.

"Why are you crying?" Julian asked.

"I...had a dream."

"Okay, Julian doesn't need to hear about your dreams, Alistair," Beatrice joked to lighten the mood.

"I'm mature," Julian said. "I can handle it."

"Something happened," Alistair croaked out. "Something really weird, like I had just lost something really important. Something I don't want to live without. It was like I had something taken from me, and the hurt of losing it. It was eating away at me. "

"What was it?"

"I wish I knew," Alistair spoke. "But I don't think this is random. There's something I need to do." Staring out at the meadows around him, the day was as peaceful as ever. Not a cloud nor insect polluted the bright sky above. The whistle of trees dancing in the light breeze filled the air as the grass sashayed beneath them. Alistair felt the blades scratching at his robes as he gripped the cool earth. Dirt would clump under his fingernails, but he did not care about that right now.

"Just chill out, Alistair," Beatrice said as she took a box of Bertie Botts from her wool book bag. Cracking it open, she threw one into her mouth. "Whatever it is, it isn't real. And if you wanna find that treasure, just get some people to help."

Alistair pondered the words to himself. It almost felt like he was another person before he woke up, and now he was unsure if what was going through him was due to the treasure awaiting in the halls of Hogwarts or something else. There was a connection that was wrapping itself around him and another student. However, he had a sneaking suspicion that Aisen was not the only one involved in this situation. There were others, and he needed to find out who. An invisible force was pushing him to meet them. However, an even stronger force took hold of his nerves like a vice grip. He needed to find this treasure. It was a sudden urge, almost as if his life depended on it.

Despite this, he had yet to tell anyone else about his contact with Aisen. The Gryffindor had promised to keep him updated, but Alistair had been in a daze the whole day. Even Ellora, who had been suggesting techniques on winning over Calista, had noticed how he appeared worried. It did not help that Professor Trelawney also predicted his impending doom, something he was a little more keen on believing. It was confusing Alistair to no end.

"You know what," Alistair said. He wiped away the tears from his eyes and gave off an unsure smile. "It's probably nothing to deal with right now."

Beatrice and Julian stared at him, as if they did not believe his words. Alistair himself did not believe them. He was truly concerned about things now. This year was supposed to be easy. Show up Robbie in Quidditch and find some females to satisfy his needs. Already, things had become overcomplicated.

"I bet hitting on Calista would cheer you up," Beatrice said. "Why don't you try that?"

Thinking about Calista appeared to put Alistair at ease. However, he felt a small storm still bubbling up in his stomach. He needed to distract himself, so he chuckled and slumped back onto the tree next to Beatrice. Julian sat criss-crossed on the floor as he practiced a spell on a blade of grass.

The day continued to roll by as he calmed down and closed his eyes again. Perhaps the fiery girl from Ravenclaw could make him feel better emotionally. He had known her for a grand total of two days, but there was something special about her. The drive to get the treasure helped, but beyond that there was something else. She was a girl who seemed to have power and resolve. She was confident, and she was a person to work for to be in a relationship. It helped that she was stunning to look at as well; her piercing blue eyes adding to her appeal.

But then, Alistair frowned. How did she fall into all of this? He had touched her, but felt less of a connection than Aisen. Maybe she was not mentally linked to what was happening. What if he told her about the incident with Aisen? She would certainly be interested. Perhaps if he helped her, she would be more interested in him as a person.

Alistair smiled to himself as he cocked his head back. Yes, she would be his soon. She was just a person he would have to work for. In the meantime, he needed to relax. Calisa, and the treasure, could wait a few hours.

Welcome back everybody! I missed you all. I apologize this one took a little time. However, I have been moving, and I needed to settle in a little before things got hectic. We all need a release from day-to-day life, so I hope this can help.

But please review and tell me about the chapter! What is going on? Is any plotting that you know of happening? What was up with the weird dream? Tell me about the characters and dialogue? Is it entertaining? Is there anything you want to see?

I do have one request. I love the cover art for this fic. It's the poster to the film Trainspotting. A great movie! That being said, I am looking for something a little more original. Maybe some art of one of the characters. Let me know if you know anyone that can help with that!

Please let me know what you think! You are the reason I do this, so every extra word on every extra review motivates me all the way!

Thank you. See you soon!