The Entrance Hall was abuzz with activity when Pepper skipped down the stairs on Saturday morning. Or rather, Saturday afternoon. Pepper had overslept a bit, and she had woken to find the dorm room empty. She had dressed hurriedly in her Muggle clothes before running out of the room. Pepper figured that if she was quick enough, she might be able to grab a spot of lunch before she located Albus. The crowd between her and the Great Hall was making it difficult, however.

A huge crowd had gathered around one small corner of the hall. Students were pushing and shoving for a better view. Some were laughing, others looked angry, and some simply walked away in disgust. Pepper pushed her way past the kids in the back, but she still wasn't able to see over everyone's heads. She wormed her way around a tall Gryffindor boy she recognized from the common room and she was able to see what had everyone's attention.

A group of Slytherin boys, at least in their 6th year, stood with sneering expressions. One of them, a tall boy with greasy blonde hair, was holding aloft a small bag, extending his arm as high as it would reach. In front of him, a tiny first year jumped to reach her bag. It was Grape. There were tears pouring from her eyes and she was breathing in short, choked gasps as she leaped repeatedly for the bag. She was just out of range with every jump.

"Jump, mudblood," the Slytherin holding her bag, the leader, sneered. His buddies laughed behind him, cackling and gwuaffing. The other students around Pepper, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins alike, all stood, mortified at the scene before them. Not one of them moved.

"Cut it out!" Pepper shouted, bursting out of the crowd to stand defiantly in front of the Slytherin boy. She grabbed Grape by the shoulder and held her close to her. Grape was shivering, and she clutched Pepper's shirt as she cried. The boys laughed at the challenge.

"Look at this! We've got ourselves a brave little first year. Probably another piece of muggle filth," he jeered. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

Staring up at this bully, Pepper was filled with contempt for him and all of his simpleton friends. "It's Pepper Pyramus," she spat, putting the full weight of her speech behind the last name. She was right, he recognized the surname. A dim flicker of recognition, followed by fear, sparked in his eyes. Pepper heard whispers in the assembled crowd behind her.

"You're lying," the boy scoffed defiantly, but he didn't sound too sure. "The original family died out centuries ago."

Pepper smiled. "Did they? Give the bag back to my friend, and leave her the hell alone," Pepper threatened. She continued smiling despite her darkened tone, which she reckoned he would find unnerving. She saw his resolve falter for a minute, but there, in front of all his friends, he would have looked weak if he gave into her demands.

"I don't think so," he snarled.

"You're a butt trumpet." Pepper said calmly.

"A what!"

"A butt trumpet," she said cheerfully. "And a simpleton, and a gorilla, and a Neanderthal..."

"Say that to my face!" he spat, stepping forward menacingly. Pepper didn't flinch.

"Teddy, back off," a girl's voice spoke from behind Pepper. A short blonde girl with startlingly blue eyes stepped out of the crowd. Teddy - Pepper snickered at the name - looked somewhat startled to see her. "Go play outside or something, okay," the girl continued condescendingly. The boy looked almost ashamed of himself.

"Whatever," he grunted, tossing Grape's bag at her heavily. She caught it with both hands and held it close to her chest. The boy turned away, but looked back over his shoulder at Pepper, a snarl on his face. "You'd better watch yourself," he warned, before stalking off with his friends in the direction of the Black Lake.

"Boys will be boys," the blonde girl tutted. She reached out a hand for Pepper's. "I'm Mikaela. And the buffoon who tried to punch you was my brother, Theodore," she explained. Pepper remembered her, the girl whom she had ridden across the Lake with, the first night at Hogwarts. She was wearing robes inscribed with the Slytherin crest - a snake on a green and silver background.

"I'm Pepper, and this is Grape," Pepper introduced herself. Grape gave a little wave. "Thanks for lecturing your brother for us.

"No biggie. He's a brute. I can't stand him, "Mikaela smiled."Short of me telling Mom on him, he hates being told off by me in public. You'd better watch yourself though. He wouldn't hesitate to beat you to a pulp." she warned.

"I think I can handle it," Pepper grinned mischievously.

"I don't doubt it. I got your back," Mikaela waved goodbye and trotted off after her brother. Pepper took Grape by the hand and led her into the Great Hall. Thankfully, the remains of lunch were still laid out on the tables. Pepper ignored the looks from her fellow Gryffindors as she and Grape sat down at her House table.

"Are you okay?" Pepper asked. Grape nodded. She was still a little shaky, but her breathing was normal again. "I'll protect you, I promise." Grape smiled quietly. Pepper could tell that she was still a little unnerved from the whole experience. She would recover from it, given time. And Pepper would sleep with one eye open from now on. Teddy may be a simpleton, but she didn't doubt him when he warned her to watch her back.

"You were really brave, Pepper," Grape whispered quietly as she tucked into a handful of potato chips. Pepper smiled and hugged the little girl close to her. Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart, she thought to herself. She had never really thought of herself as being brave before. She was scared often, even if she didn't let it show. However, as Pepper looked at Grape, eating her lunch, praising Pepper for protecting her, she thought, Maybe I could try to be a little more brave. For you.

A/N - Another big 'Thank You' to everyone who has read and reviewed this. Also, not trying to sound like a PSA here, but bullying is a real problem in schools. I just wanted to pay tribute to bullying victims, and I especially want to thank all of the "Pepper's" out there, who refuse to be bystanders to this sort of thing. You're AWESOME, all of you.