You guys should feel lucky, because I had written something very different a long time ago and if I had kept with the old storyline I would have soiled everything. I'm so sorry about not updating for so long!

Thank you guys so much for the positive feedback as well.

When I awoke the commons were buzzing with excitement. People were congratulating Fred, James, and Albus on something and the room was filled with the excitement of the third years that get to go to Hogsmeade. I rushed over to Dominique.

"What's going on? What happened?" I asked her.

"I'm not sure, but one could guess," she shrugged. What have my brothers done this time? I shrugged back. Fin and I headed down to breakfast where we got a clear look at what had transpired. Over half of the Slytherin boys were covered in Fred's special orange goop. Malfoy had it worst. The bright orange stuff was all over the left side of his face and half of his pale hair was now orange with the stuff.

"Eww, what is that?" Fin asked, disgusted.

"It's my cousin Fred's special invention. The orange goo is magical and only sticks to humans. It's really hard to get off. It comes in tiny parcels that explode the junk when touched by human skin," I explained.

"How come it only sticks to human skin?" she asked me.

"Well, there was this one time when it was in its testing phase Albus's ferret, Eowyn, bumped a parcel. The poor girl was covered in the stuff and Albus was completely batty with anger. Fred felt awful and he didn't want anything like that to happen again, and he didn't want to get a poor unsuspecting house elf or something. So he made it only stick to humans."

"Wow… it must be fun to have a family like that," she joked. I laughed.

"One time when they were testing it they put some in my cousin Molly's shampoo. Good Godric, she was mad. They got in sooo much trouble," I smiled, remembering the time.

"Have I met your cousin Molly?" She asked thoughtfully.

"No, she graduated last year. My cousin and her sister, Lucy, is a fifth year, but you wouldn't have met her either. She is a Ravenclaw," I explained, "Lucy is cool, but Molly is a very rule following person. She is quite dull to spend time with, but Lucy is fun." Fin craned her neck to see the Ravenclaw table. This was the farthest from us, with the Slytherin table in the way.

"Which one is she?" Fin asked. I did my best to point her out.

"She has the short brown hair with the pink in it," I pointed.

"I don't see her," Fin said, exasperated. I took a deep breath.

"Hey Lucy!" I shouted really loudly, causing the Slytherins to stare. She looked up, her sharp blue eyes searching. She saw me and waved. I waved back violently. She laughed and then went about her own business.

"Now I see her," Fin laughed, "So do you guys have a thing with dying your hair in your family?" I stared at her for a long time trying to figure out who she was talking about.

"Teddy, the guy who lives with you," she specified.

"Oh! No, no, no!" I laughed, "Did I forget to tell you?"

"Uh… Tell me what?"

"Teddy is a metamorphmagus," I explained. Fin's eyes went wide.

"Really? There is a real live metamorphmagus in your family?" She said with awe.

"Yep," I smiled at the fact that she had said "family".

"Wait, is Lucy a metamorph?"

"Oh no, Lucy just likes to dye her hair," I paused, "She's a bit of a rebel."

"Oh, I get it." We both laughed. Hugo plopped down next to us, rubbing his groggy blue eyes.

"What'd I miss?" He asked with a big yawn.

"Nothing much, sleepyhead," I teased.

"Lily was just telling me about your family," Fin told him.

"Yeah, well my family better bring me back some chocoballs from Honeydukes," he announced, scooping some yogurt onto his plate. Hugo sure loves his chocolate, especially the muggle kind.

"I'm going to go for a walk!" I told them and stood up.

"I'll come with you," Fin offered.

"You don't need to," I said, "Spend some time with your brother."

"Yeah, I will. Well, see you later then."

"Yeah see ya."

"Baw," Hugo said through a mouthful of pumpkin bread. One could only assume he said "Bye". I stopped back into the commons and grabbed a jacket. It's starting to get a lot colder outside.

The air was as brisk as my pace as I hurried towards the forest. I glanced over my shoulder and slipped into the trees. I rushed toward where the clearing had been. I wonder why the cat had lead me there in the first place. It couldn't have been a coincidence, could it?

Suddenly, I hear a loud snap and a giggle off to my left. The clearing could wait, I decided after a moment's consideration. I hurried toward the noise. Soon, I burst into a different clearing to find an extremely surprised looking Katherine. Her long blonde hair was tucked behind her ears and she was holding a dead rat in her hands.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" She asked, slightly frightened.

"Me? What am I doing here?! I could ask you the same thing, and what in the name of Merlin's pants are you doing with a dead rat?!" She sighed quietly.

"It's for the thestrals," she nearly whimpered.

"Thestrals?" As soon as I said it I felt something nudge my arm. I turned quickly, but nothing was there.

"They are kind of like horses," she started to explain meekly.

"I know what they are, but… you can see them?"

"Yes," she answered simply. She held the dead rat out to something only she could see and I watched with avid fascination as it disappeared.

"Katherine?"

"Yeah?"

"I really don't mean to be rude, but…"

"You want to know who I saw die?" I swallowed.

"Um, yeah. As long as you don't mind. It's perfectly fine if you don't want to though. I completely understand. I'm just curious, that's all," I stammered.

"It's fine," she said softly, "Both my mum and my dad. They died in an accident a few years back. They were both alchemists, but something went wrong in an experiment and… I live with my aunt now. She's awfully nice, but I miss them terribly."

"Oh Katherine, I'm so sorry," I whispered.

"I-I'm going to go now. Bye Lily."

"Bye," I said under my breath as I saw her run through the forest. Poor Katherine, it's no wonder that she doesn't say much. I put out my hand, palm out, and a bony muzzle nudged my palm. I reached my other hand out and felt what I assumed was its cheek.

"You're not as scary as the stories say," I said softly. It nuzzled my hand in response. A second thestral brushed my shoulder.

"I wish I could see you guys," I said, and the thestrals froze. I realized what I just implied.

"No, I don't wish I could see you. I-I hope I never have to witness death. I didn't mean that. I just," I rambled. The thestrals were making a chuffing sound, which I soon realized was laughing. I laughed too.

"You guys can understand, yet people think you're just animals, or worse, bad omens. It's not fair," I shook my head. My stomach rumbled and I realized I'd been out for hours, which meant once again I didn't have time to go to the mysterious clearing. I sighed and headed back to Hogwarts, calling a goodbye to the thestrals. I have the extra credit thing with Flitwick after supper, so I can't come back tonight either. It's just how my luck would have it.

I stopped at the edge of the forest and glanced back. Something orange flashed in the corner of my vision. Looking closer, I saw nothing in the darkness. I brushed it off as a piece of hair drifting into my vision and sprinted towards Hogwarts.

Please don't forget to REVIEW.

I always appreciate feedback, I'm sorry for not being able to write very often any more. I will try to be better about it.

With love,

Kip