It took a little over a week, but sure enough Victoire had got the exact response she has expected from Ted. She smiled to herself as she read the letter back to herself in the middle of her morning Transfiguration lesson. Professor Ivanson was busy reviewing the more advanced stages human transfiguration theory that they had learned before Christmas holidays in an attempt to refresh the class. Luckily, he was paying more attention to the blackboard than Victoire.

"And of course you must concentrate," Ivanson said as he pointed his wand towards a large banner above the board with the phrase, 'You must concentrate' written across it in large letters. "I've been telling all of you this since your first year. It only becomes more important the more advanced the magic becomes…"

Victoire glanced back down at her letter. Transfiguration was never her favorite subject, or her easiest, but she felt that she had understood the principles the first time through well enough to tune out the review. This was mostly because she had something worthwhile to distract her.

Vic-

You did that on purpose… Well, just for that, I'm actually going to give you advice. I don't know who this guy is (who is it?) but I promise you that he's asking you in the hopes that he can touch you inappropriately. There's no such thing as any boy asking you to do anything without thinking that. That's reason enough for you to stay away from whoever the wanker is (which I bet he is having seen the boys you usually go after).

Hope that helps.

Look two paragraphs already (and yes, the second one counts). I saw Simon the other day and he asked about you and sends his love. He's got a girlfriend now, so he may actually be over you. I'll believe it when I see it. It was bound to happen one day, though. He looks all official when he's in his ministry garb. You'd get a laugh out of it, so you'll have to come and have a look.

Oh, and my presentation went well. I forgot to tell you that. It actually went amazingly well, which means more work for me. Now instead of having to answer to one person, I get to answer to six. You're probably very jealous.

Hope all is well,

Ted

She laughed to herself as she glanced up at Ivanson. He was trying to re-explain a concept to Alex Wood that he wasn't grasping. She took the opportunity to reach into her bag and pull out another sheet of parchment. She casually set it on her desk before setting to work on a response.

Ted,

It certainly took you long enough! I suppose I can overlook that since you actually filled an entire sheet of parchment. That must have taken you hours! Tell Simon I send my love as well and that I'm happy for him. You can also tell him I'm sorry he has to wear such a ridiculous robes to work, but that I would still like to see it and have a laugh with you. Perhaps you should leave that last part out?

Congratulations on work! And to think, none of us thought you would amount to much. Haha. I'm kidding of course. Honestly though, I'm very proud and even a little (a very little) jealous. That's only because I wish I was done with school already and working on my own already. Bah.

Also, why do you automatically assume that a boy would just want to fool around? Perhaps he just enjoys my company? I mean, by your logic, what does that make you? You most certainly have asked me to hang out in the past, so that makes you either a liar or a pervert. Now which one is it? Decisions, decisions.

It's Stuart Reynolds, by the way. I'm sure you're rolling your eyes as you read that. Hopefully the next time I write to you, I'll be able to give you some more interesting news on me and him, but unfortunately, we've barely spoken since I last wrote. Were you the one who told me that inter-house relationships never work and were a waste of time? I'll have to prove you wrong!

"I want you all to make a review sheet for this information," Ivanson's voice called out as Victoire made an attempt to shield her note. "I can't stress to you how important this is for your N.E.W.T.s. Now one last thing before I dismiss you for the day…"

She slowly pulled the letter back out to quickly finish it before the lesson ended.

Ivanson is babbling as I write this. I think I can safely say that this is my least favorite class. Anyway, you had better keep writing and distracting me. It's the only thing saving me from complete and utter boredom.

With Love xoxo-

Victoire Weasley

She stared at the letter. Why she had signed it with her last name she didn't know, but she chuckled to herself and quickly scanned it once more when the bell rang. Ivanson was yelling that he would be checking review sheets next class as Victoire folded up the letter and placed it inside of her bag next to the letter she had written her parents.

"I'm think I'm going to nap before lunch," Whit said as she met Victoire at the front of the Transfiguration room. "I'm exhausted, and I've got Care of Magical Creature this afternoon and I like to make sure I'm alert for that class." She made a face. "Especially since I never know what exactly Professor Hagrid is going to pull on us."

"I'm going to run to the owlery," Victoire said. "I've got some letters I'd like to send."

"I'll see you in Charms, then," Whit said with a wave before the two went their separate ways with Victoire heading off towards the owlery. The hike up to the in the West Tower tended to wind her on a good day, let alone a day where she had decided to carry her heavy school bag along with her. By the last spiral staircase, she was cursing herself for not bothering to drop her bag off as she wiped several beads of sweat off of her forehead. She pushed open the door and felt a cool draft upsweep her hair. Several owls screeched and hooted at the newest arrival as she tried her best not to slip in the owl droppings that covered the floor.

"Here we are," she said, taking down an alert looking tawny owl that belonged to the school. She attached the letter she had written to Ted to its leg and sent it off. She watched it fly away for several moments before glancing around the circular walls for Hensley. He was usually always here unless she or Dominique had sent him out. On very rare occasions, Louis would use him.

"Drat…" she said with an annoyed sigh as she realized that Hensley was in fact missing from amongst the owls. She looked back at the school owls and found a large barn one whom she decided was suitable enough. She tied the letter she had written to her parents to its leg and watched as the owl hesitated for a few moments before flying out into the chilly morning.

She watched this one fly away for much longer as it slowly became smaller and smaller against the horizon. She glanced down at the hem of her robes and made sure they were hiked up enough to not track through the bird and rodent remains as she side stepped her way towards the door. Right as she laid her hand on the knob, it opened.

"Oh, watch out!" Victoire called so that the person wouldn't swing the door back and hit her.

"Victoire," said Colleen, appearing just on the other side with a letter in hand.

"Colleen," Victoire said, stopping in her tracks.

They both stared at each other for what seemed like a long moment, right until Colleen walked further into the owlery and straight over to a small gray owl. Victoire chose to not further the encounter any more than she had to and made her way towards the exit.

"I heard you fancy Stuart," Colleen said as she began attaching a letter to her owl's long leg.

"From me most likely," Victoire muttered, stopping once again. "I've been telling you that for three years now."

Colleen didn't look at her. She seemed to be struggling with attaching her letter. "I heard he asked you to Hogsmeade."

Victoire stared at her. The only person she had even mentioned that to was Whit, and she knew she hadn't told anyone. How on earth did Colleen know about that?

"Stuart told me," she added.

Victoire's heart skipped. She was almost tempted to press her further for what exactly he had said, but she had to remind herself who she was speaking to.

"You know," Colleen continued, "I'm tired of the fighting."

Victoire tilted her head to the side and wondered if she had misunderstood her. "Sorry?"

"I'm tired of the fighting," she repeated. "It seems like everything in my life is a fight."

Victoire said nothing, but that wasn't because of lack of something to say on the matter. She bit her tongue.

"My parents are getting divorced," Colleen said. "Daddy's met someone new."

Victoire watched her, unsure of what to do. She had a strong desire to run towards the door and get out while she could, but a very small part of her suddenly felt a sense of pity for Colleen.

"He and mum haven't been getting along for a year now," she continued, now staring out the window. "Lots of fighting and we all knew he was cheating on her. It was inevitable."

"Um, sorry?" Victoire said.

She sighed. "They've been pulling me into the middle of it and trying to make me pick sides."

"That's awful," Victoire offered. For all her horrible traits, Colleen was still human and probably somewhere had feelings. Victoire couldn't pin point where, but she was sure they were somewhere deep down inside.

"I'd like to be friends again," she continued, "but I know that's not exactly something you're too keen on." She looked at her. "Fine. Whatever. But that doesn't mean we can't stop with the ridiculous arguments."

"I agree," she said, still wondering what was she was playing at.

"I want to call a sort of truce," she said before she sent her owl out of a window and watched as it flew away. "I won't bother you and you won't bother me."

Victoire laughed. "So, you're not thinking up some hot little rumor in your head right now about how I've shagged Merlin himself?"

"I don't even know why I ever started that Tom Haines rumor to begin with," she said with a wave of her hand. "I was probably bored and annoyed with you."

Victoire's mouth tensed. "Well, that makes it all better, then," she muttered.

"I told you that I'm not asking to be the best of friends," she said coldly. "I'm asking that we can coexist without me constantly worrying about what you're planning to do. I have my parents and N.E.W.T.s and more important things to worry about."

Victoire made a face. "You didn't seem to care too much when I was about to sit for my O.W.L.s and was dealing with everyone whispering about me and Tom."

"I said I was sorry for that."

"Actually, you didn't."

She frowned. "Well, then I'm sorry."

"Right..." Victoire said, feeling as if there was really nothing left to be said. She grabbed at the door when one last thought crossed her mind. "The truth is Colleen, you don't have to worry about me planning anything because I don't enjoy playing your games."

"I wanted you to know," Colleen said, ad if ignoring Victoire all together, "that even though it seems that Stuart may be particularly interested in you now, I'm not going to stop trying to change his mind."

She sighed. "Of course you're not..."

"But I'm not going to stoop to dirty tricks against you to get him," she added. "I think that's fair."

Victoire didn't trust her tone, but realized she was no worse off than she was without her making the claim. She might as well agree to it. "Fine."

"So, we have a truce?"

"If it makes you feel better."

She smiled. "I'm glad."

"Sure," Victoire muttered, unable to think of anything more to say. Instead of trying to come up with anything further, she turned and started making her way back downstairs. She didn't even want to question Colleen's sudden change of heart because the truth was she didn't believe a word that came out of her mouth. In fact, she was now more apprehensive of what was going to happen than she had been before.

"Go Ravenclaw!" someone yelled in the entrance hall as everyone piled outside of the castle the following morning. It was the first Quidditch match of the new school year, and a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of every day school life and problems - even if it was dreary and rainy outside. Best yet, it was Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw, a match that Victoire had been anticipating for some time now.

"Boo!" some other people yelled through the screams of agreement. "Gryffindor!"

"Wait until you're outside!" commanded Professor Ivanson as he noticed several people pushing and shoving. "And horseplay will result in a loss of points for your house!"

"Ah, Quidditch matches," Louis said once they'd finally made it outside into the open air. "They always brings out the best in people."

"If by best you mean worst," Whit said, adjusting her Gryffindor scarf around her neck so that it hanging down the length of her front. "All the houses get along until the day of a match, then the next thing you know people are fighting and shoving and beating each other up."

"Whit's not a big fan," Victoire said to her brother. "In fact, this is your...what? fourth match?"

"This year?" he asked.

"Ever," Whit corrected as they followed the masses towards the pitch.

"Ever?" he asked, his eyes practically jumping out of his head. "What else is there to do during them?"

"Study," she said, "nap, enjoy an empty common room. You name it."

"I can't believe that," he said, shaking his head. "So wait, why come to this one?"

"Why do you think?" Victoire asked with a knowing smile as the image of Jack Ians popped into her thoughts. Given that Whit suddenly sighed and blushed, it was clear that Victoire wasn't the only one now thinking about Jack.

Louis looked as if he had to think about that for a moment before a long, "Ohhhhhhhhhhh…" escaped him. He suddenly started laughing.

"It's a bit more interesting when she's got someone to watch," Victoire teased, watching as Whit's cheeks turned redder and redder. She made a point to look in the opposite direction.

"Aww," Louis said, now joining in with his sister's teasing. "Jack will be so happy to hear you came just for him!"

"You two are definitely related," Whit said dryly.

"It's fun because you get so bent out of shape." She grabbed Whit by the arm and playfully shook her. "We're just teasing."

"Yeah, it's all in good fun," Louis added.

She shook her head. "I'm glad you all take pleasure in my embarrassment."

"What's to be embarrassed about?" Louis asked. "You fancy Jack, he fancies you. Enjoy it."

"Wait, did he say he fancies her?" Victoire asked.

"That's not my place to say," Louis said before he suddenly looked ahead and noticed some of his friends. He waved before taking several steps forward. "But do you really think he doesn't?"

"I don't know," Whit said lamely.

"He asked you if you were coming today, didn't he?" Louis asked as he started to jog a few more steps ahead before he turned and started walking backwards.

She nodded.

"Wait, he did?" Victoire asked. "Why am I just hearing this?"

"Well," Louis continued, ignoring his sister and addressing Whit, "he's never done that before." He paused thoughtfully. "Then again, he's never had to ask because everyone else always comes to the matches anyway."

"I get it," Whit said. "I'm the freak who doesn't like Quidditch."

"True," he said before he started to walk off to catch up with his friends. "But think of it this way, he still wanted to make sure you were coming." He smiled. "I'm not saying anything, but I'm just saying..."

With that, he ran off to catch his friends.

"What on earth does that mean?" Whit asked.

"I think he likes to pretend he's elusive," Victoire said as she shook her head. "When in all reality he just comes off as daft." She swatted Whit. "And you didn't tell me Jack asked you to come."

"I didn't think it was significant," she said. "Should I have?"

Victoire gawked at her. "Of course it is! He wanted to know if you were going to be here to watch him."

She shrugged. "I suppose I just don't pick up on these sorts of things."

"You must think I'm mental, then," she said. "I come to you trying to examine every move Stuart makes."

"I just figured you got excited about it," she said as they entered the Quidditch stadium and proceeded to make their way up into the stands. "That you enjoyed talking about him."

"I do," she said, "but it's more because I want your opinion so that that I don't go mental and over think things."

"Do you think I'm mental because I don't do that?" Whit asked. "Because I never even think about asking."

"You don't need to if you really don't think it matters," Victoire said, making her way through the crowds to get to a seat. "But at the same time, the fact that you're blatantly ignoring clear signals from him shows that you may need more guidance that you think."

"So, you over think things and I under think them?"

"Sounds like it," she said before she took a seat near the top.

"Our powers combined could equal one rationally minded person, then." Whit joked once she sat down next to her.

"There's no such thing as rational when it comes to this sort of thing," Victoire said, just as people started cheering louder and louder all around her.

"You'll have to explain a few things to me," Whit said as they both joined the crowd and stood as the players took the field.

"We're the scarlet and gold team," Victoire joked.

Whit made a face. "I'm not that bad."

"You know the basic gist of Quidditch though, right?" she asked. "The Chasers have to get the Quaffle through…"

"Is the Quaffle the ball?"

"The big one," Victoire said, now pointing to the referee who was currently holding it and marching to the center of the field. "They need to get that ball through those hoops for ten points."

"Okay," she said. "And the Beaters, they knock around that other mad little ball and try to stop the other players from doing their job. It's the Bludger, right?"

Victoire smiled. "See, you know more than you think."

She smiled meekly. "When Jack told me he was a Beater, I made the mistake of asking him what that meant. I think he thought I was mental for not knowing, but he explained it anyway. It's an awfully violent position."

"A violent position that Jack's pretty good at," Victoire said, right as the Quaffle was suddenly released and the players scattered after it.

"So, Stuart is a Keeper, right?" Whit asked as she scanned the sky towards the Ravenclaw end of the field.

"I sure hope so," Victoire said with a dreamy smile. Whit looked at her with a confused expression, having clearly missed the pun. "I mean, yes…" she corrected before she cast a glance at the Ravenclaw goal posts. Stuart was bobbing in the air, watching the action take place on the other end of the pitch. She could barely see him, but she knew he probably looked adorable. "Stuart's good, but Ravenclaw's Chasers-with the exception of maybe one-are rubbish. So, while he'll be able to do a decent job defending us, their Chasers probably won't be able to score much. Not against Adams."

"And then what position does Dominique play?" Whit asked as she craned her neck up high into the sky to she her circling the pitch.

"Seeker," she said. "She catches the Snitch and the game's over."

"So, why doesn't she just catch the Snitch now?"

"Because it hasn't appeared yet."

"I'm not even going to ask," Whit muttered before she was interrupted by the Gryffindor fans' wild cheers. They had just scored on Stuart.

"And that's ten points for Gryffindor!" shouted the announcer as Victoire watched Jack hit a Bludger square into Henry Davies side. He doubled over his broom.

"A hard hit on Davies courtesy of Ians," the announcer said. "He looks like he's in pain, but still holding on!"

"That's a good thing, right?" Whit asked.

"Not for Henry Davies," Victoire said as she watched Ravenclaw turn over the Quaffle to Gryffindor and send it speeding back down to make the score. The Gryffindor side started cheering wildly again, all while jumping up and down in the stands ferociously.

"How long do these things usually go for?" Whit asked.

"It could be five minutes, it could be five hours."

"Five hours?" Whit said, her face almost horrified.

"It could go five days, even," Victoire said. "But they never let it get that long here at school."

Whit didn't seem the slightest bit excited at the prospect of a five hour game, but lucky for her the Snitch was caught a half hour later by the Ravenclaw Seeker to the make the final score Ravenclaw 170- Gryffindor 220.

"But why did he catch it if he knew they were going to lose?" Whit yelled over the loud cheers that echoed all the way back towards the castle.

"Because he didn't want us to get it," Victoire yelled back. "Or perhaps he just wanted to end the game and put them out of their misery. They only scored two goals!"

"The Ravenclaw team didn't look happy," she said as they jogged up the hill back to the castle.

"Yeah, I don't think now is the right time to tell Stuart if was a nice effort," Victoire said with a glance over her shoulder. "We might as well enjoy our win."

By the time Victoire and Whit had returned to the common room, it was already loud and alive with celebration. People were cheering and chanting and laughing as someone started shooting red sparks out of the tip of their wand. Soon enough, an entire crowd of people were doing the same thing and running madly around the common room, creating a blur of color and noise.

"We won!" James Potter called to Victoire as she walked past him and tousled his hair affectionately. He and his friends were positively giddy and were taking turns jumping off the sofa trying to see who could get the most height.

"Hey!" said Louis, who had come over to where Victoire and Whit had just found seats. "Great match, huh?"

"Sure," Whit said with a shrug. "I guess so."

"Did you see Jack?" Louis asked, nudging her several times in the arm. "He was bloody brilliant. That hit on Davies…! That stupid git deserved it."

"That was my favorite part," Louis's friend, Flynn, said as he and two girls appeared next to him, all of their faces painted in scarlet and gold. "Jack is sick!"

"Is he?" Whit asked with a confused smile directed at Victoire. She simply shrugged and smiled back.

"Rotten luck that Dominique couldn't catch the snitch though," said a girl named Eleanor.

"I'll be giving her hell for that," Louis said, shaking his head. "It was right in front of her face!"

"Go easy on her," Victoire said. "You know how hard she is on herself after matches. Quidditch is life to her."

"Hey, let's sneak down to the kitchens," Flynn said as he hit Louis. "We'll get some food for everyone."

"Do it!" one of the girls said as she eyed Louis excitedly.

"Fine, fine," he said to the girls. "You'll need to come, too, because we'll need more hands if we want to get a lot…" He and his friends suddenly turned away as he finished making their plans.

"After a match is always fun," Victoire said, observing everyone around the room.

"Oh yeah," Whit said sarcastically. "It's wonderful seeing everyone go bloody insane."

"It's in good fun, though," she said before she noticed Colleen and Penelope huddled together across the room and whispering with Natalie Young of all people. Victoire couldn't help but watch as Natalie's face practically screamed excited energy for being included in by Colleen and Penelope.

"Odd."

"What is?" Whit asked.

Victoire pointed, and Whit followed her finger. At that exact moment, all three girls giggled loudly as Colleen and Penelope suddenly stood. Natalie followed a moment later, and soon all three of them were walking towards the portrait hole.

Whit turned back as gave Victoire a peculiar look. "They're suddenly friends?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"They did have to fill that vacant spot you created," she joked. "I heard that if Colleen doesn't have two people standing on either side of her for support, she collapses under the weight of her enormous head."

Victoire slowly smiled, but didn't laugh. Her mind was too busy wondering why Colleen and Penelope would want anything to do with Natalie. She remembered Natalie expressing an interest in wanting to be their friend, but that was when she was younger and didn't know any better. Not now, though.

"It's probably something to do with makeup and hair," Whit added. "Plus, maybe it's a sign that she really is moving on by finding new people to bother and leaving you alone."

"Yeah…" Victoire said, still feeling slightly unsettled. "Maybe."

"Plus, if Natalie wants to be their friend, let her. If she's dumb enough to get herself into that mess after you warned her-"

"It's not that easy sometimes," she said. "It's one of those situations where unless you were there and really know, it's always a novelty."

"I wasn't there and I know."

Victoire grinned. "We don't all have the common sense you do. Some of us do make mistakes."