Serena

I was so excited! My own sister was in Gryffindor with me! In fact, I took this excitement with me in my heart as I followed Hermione and Fay down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Since the original classroom on the fourth floor was open again, due to Fluffy not being there, about half of our class was late.

I sat next to Hermione in the front row.

"Are you excited?" I asked. "Gilderoy Lockhart is teaching us!"

Hermione grinned. "The man's an absolute genius, according to his books! I can't wait to hear about the time he defeated the Banshee— and for him to teach us. Quirrell was alright, as far as teaching goes, but it will be nice to have a professor with experience."

"Besides, something wasn't quite right about Quirrell," I said, thinking of my vision that caused me to miss the big Quidditch game.

Then I felt like a ton of bricks had hit me right in the face.

I saw flashes of scenes of scales and water— a message written in blood— her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever— and then Lockheart casting a curse at Harry Potter— and Artemis with her eyes shut, deathly pale and covered in her own blood, casting a green curse.

"NO!" I shouted, and then I was in the present again.

"Serena?" Hermione was about to touch my arm when Ron intervened.

"No, you don't wake people from seeing trances!" Ron cried.

"A what?" Hermione echoed me.

"A seeing trance," Ron repeated, looking dumbfounded that the brightest witch in our year didn't know what that was. "True Seers have them— they can see the future, and they go into these trances. Waking them ends the vision. But they also get violent when they wake up too early."

I frowned. "I didn't know that."

"Don't know what?"

"That you should all take your seats and give it up for the amazing Gilderoy Lockhart!"

Ron hurried to his seat as the glamorous blond warlock entered the room, grinning in such a way as to show off every. Single. One. Of his. Teeth.

Combined with my weird vision— I wondered whether having Lockhart would be more of a curse than I'd previously thought.

Artemis

Quite soon, my own first Flying Lesson came up.

I'd never been on a broom before, but Serena and Alina assured me that I would be fine. After all, my own Flying Lessons couldn't possibly be as eventful as Serena's and Vega's. And Mum sometimes flew with me on her motorcycle.

I'd be fine.

Ginny Weasley was the first one down on the pitch. While she looked a bit nervous elsewhere, she seemed confident. Her stance was wider, and there was a ghost of a smile on her face. But there were circles under her eyes, and she was in a different set of robes than when I'd seen her earlier.

"Hey."

Ginny jumped, whirling around to see me and Clove.

"Sorry— I just thought— never mind that," she said hastily. "This will be fun. I used to pick the lock on my older brothers' broom shed and steal their brooms for a joyride when they weren't looking."

"At least you've had time to practice," Clove grumbled. "My dad didn't even know about the broomstick my mother left in the attic for me. And we live in a muggle town by the coast— full of tourists. I wouldn't have been able to fly it, even if I wanted to."

"Hear to that," I said. "Mum was never a good flier herself, so she wanted to wait until we were at Hogwarts. She was fine with our motorcycle, but we didn't have licenses. I bet if Dad were still around, he would have taught us. . . "

"No wonder your mum's a bad flier," a voice said behind me. "She was a mudblood— I don't know what the great Sirius Black would've seen in her."

I whirled around to see none other than Arwen Agravaine and Reyna Zabel, acting as if they were so tough, so bad. I clenched my fists.

"Leave her alone!" I cried. "Dad liked muggle things—"

Reyna laughed. Arwen smiled with false sympathy.

"Deny it all you want— the reason your father's locked up right now is because he was one of us, the truest servant of the Dark Lord," Arwen said. "Your sisters know the truth—"

"Vega knows the truth," I blurted out. "She's written to him! He said he didn't do it!"

"That's because he was like the Malfoys— started lying once he got caught," Arwen said. "He did noble deeds for the Dark Lord— but he failed him in the end, by denouncing him."

"My parents smiled when they were arrested, when their crimes were listed in front of the entire Wizengamot," Reyna said. "They did not try to lie their way out or fight it. They knew, like Bellatrix Lestrange, that the Dark Lord rewards the most faithful of his followers— the true believers."

"Ariel told us the truth," Arwen added.

"Ariel is a liar!"

"Ariel realizes the truth about her family, unlike her delusional baby sister," Arwen said. "She realizes that blood is important."

"That was exactly what the Death Eaters believed— they were wrong!" I shouted.

"No, they were right," Arwen said. She grinned so smugly, I couldn't help myself.

I lunged at her. I would've gotten a hit if it weren't for Clove and Ginny grabbing my arms, tugging me back.

Ginny tossed her red hair over her shoulder and looked around her shoulder frantically.

"Luna! I can't hold her!"

A petite girl with silvery hair and large colorful glasses too big for her face skipped over, as if in a dream, with no urgency, as if she didn't notice that I was about to pulverize one of her classmates.

"I can see that the nargles seem to like you," Her Irish accent was strangely lilting and calm.

"I don't care, let me go, let me at her!"

Reyna and Arwen just kept laughing, till all I could see was red.

"Oops."

I then slipped on mud—where there wasn't any before. Arwen and Reyna flounced away, and I was lying there.

"Here, let me help." A boy with sandy hair in Slytherin robes reached out a hand to me.

"I'd rather die," I spat, getting up on my own. My cheeks turned bright red— I was completely humiliated. I couldn't think straight.

He retracted his hand, and his hazel eyes turned quite cold, like chips of eyes. "Be like that, then."

"Fine." I'm even more embarrassed to admit that I stuck my tongue out.

"Fine."

Later, I sat in the courtyard with Clove and Ginny, discussing the first Defense lesson.

"Isn't Lockhart just dreamy?" Ginny squealed.

"Yes! He's so handsome. How is he not married?" I questioned.

"Maybe because no one looks good enough for him." Ginny shrugged.

"You two are disgusting." Clove rolls her eyes playfully.

"Clove, don't you think you looks a little handsome?" I demanded. Really, how can anyone say otherwise?

"No!" Clove exclaimed.

"Do you at least like him as a teacher?" Ginny asked.

"No! The first quiz was just about him!" Clove cried, exasperated.

"Who's your favorite teacher then? Mine's obviously Lockhart," I said.

"Me too," Ginny agreed, turning red.

"Professor McGonagall." Clove's voice was firm as she looked away.

I shrugged, thinking about it. I guess McGonagall was alright. Most teachers were. They taught the subjects really well, which was great. Even Snape could teach well. While Lockhart was my favorite teacher, my favorite subject had to be Transfiguration.

Or flying. If flying could count as a subject, I'd choose flying. I wonder if I'd ever make the team one day? Madam Hooch was, while she was strict, an overall good teacher.

Alina

I sat on a window ledge reading Year Four Charms by: Lindsay Levy. Charms was one of my favorite lessons and I was rather excited to start this year. Next year would be O.W.L.s, then time for Advanced Charms! I hope I could make it to Year Six.

I heard footsteps, and looked up to see none other than Tristram— alone.

I sat up straighter. "Tristram! How are you? I know I got your letters, but it wasn't the same without you!"

Where did this side of me come out? I'd been a pure academic just before. I'd never had time for boys. But suddenly, when I was around this one, it was like I was home.

''I've been good," he said, sitting beside me. "My little brother's doing alright. And Isolde will be coming next year, she's my little sister. And how are you?

"We managed not to die."

He smiled. "I guess it had to be better than being here."

I shrugged, looking out at the window as I drew my knees to my chest.

"Hey, I got you something," Tristram said. "Well, I made you something.'' He reached into his pocket to reveal a black velvet box. He held it out to me, and I took, a slight blush on my cheeks.

''You didn't have to do anything!'' I said.

''I wanted to do something for you, after last year," he confessed. "I worked on it when I wasn't watching my little brother and sister."

I opened the box to see a silver necklace. On it was a single charm. A wand. Upon closer inspection I realized that it was the exact replica of my wand.

I tilted my head to the side at him. "The craftsmanship— it's incredible. Thank you."

He smiled. "I was worried you might not like it."

"Well, I do."

He turned a little pink, and flattened his hair.

"Stop that, you look handsome." I felt rather bold, saying so.

He smiled just a little bit brighter, his cheeks pinker.

For a moment, I wasn't responsible Alina, hardworking student, or Alina the Victim. I was Alina the girl.

He slowly rose. "I wish I could stay, but I've got to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Unfortunately."

"Don't you like the new teacher?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Something's not right about him."

"He's handsome." I sighed.

Immediately, sadness seemed to sweep over Tristram's features. He turned to leave, but I quickly took his hand, pulling him back to me.

"I'm sorry— I'm not under any love spells," I said. "Sorry, if it worried you—"

"No, no, I'm sorry," he said. "You should be free to think people handsome and pretty. And if I'm pushing all this too fast after what happened with Gwydion—"

I placed my hand on his cheek, and he leaned in ever-so-slightly.

"Thank you."

Even those two words couldn't express the full depth of my gratitude.

"Hand me the necklace, I'll help you put it on."

I turned, pulling my dark hair out of the way, giving him a coy glance. I felt like I was in control. I felt safe around him.

He clipped it around my neck before burying his face in my shoulder. I ran my hands through his hair, smiling.

Oh, I was luckiest girl in the world.

Vega

I was relieved for a Hogsmeade weekend— almost. I was finally allowed to go, no more sneaking around.

That is, I would be, if it weren't for Sam Khan.

As I put on my casual cloak, a lovely green, I couldn't help but think of how the Khan family seemed to be the source of at least seventy percent of my problems.

But nonetheless, I still wanted to go to Hogsmeade to get away from the school, after Halloween. I couldn't stand being in the common room and seeing my little sister with Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, and their entire group.

My baby sister was turning into a monster, and there was nothing I could do to stop her. Every time I wanted to speak up, I could feel her slap on my cheek again, and I would remember why I insisted to Alina that I would not be responsible for Ariel anymore.

These dark thoughts swirling in my mind, I continued into Hogsmeade. Cho and her friends were supposed to be waiting with me in the Three Broomsticks. But on the way, I saw a new bookshop and I just had to stop and take a look.

Because I was stopped in the center of the street, however, I think I seemed approachable to him.

I saw Sam Khan approaching out of the corner of my eye, and started to walk down to the Three Broomsticks.

"Vega, wait up!"

I started walking faster.

"Come on, Black, it's me!"

That caused a few shoppers to stop and stare, but I just shoved my hands deeper into my pockets and kept my head down.

Then he grabbed my arm, and I whirled around to give him a piece of my mind.

"Vega, please," he said. "I don't want to be angry anymore."

"That's too bad," I said in as icy a tone as I could manage. "I still do."

"Why?"

His question threw me off-guard, and I could only stand there, spluttering and turning redder by the minute.

"You think I'm just some naive idiot who can be tricked and can't be trusted to make decisions for myself," I finally managed. "Why would I stay friends with you, if you think so little of me?"

"I was wrong," Sam admitted. "I was so afraid. . . I didn't realize that it would cause me to lose a good friend. You're fiery and stubborn, not weak and naive. But also, you see good where no one else does. And sometimes I wonder if that's because it's really there or because you want it to be there."

"So do you trust me now?"

My words hung in the air like the snowflakes do during the winter— which this was not. It was still fall, when passionate things die. But death in autumn can lead to oblivion or rebirth in the winter.

He chose rebirth.

"Of course."

So we walked together, through the leaf-littered street, holding hands with the promise that we would try again when the snow came in.

Alina

As we worked later into the night, Helena drew the curtains around my bed so we could continue studying for our OWLs by wandlight. I know we still had a year to go, but experts say that fourth-year is critical to get started then.

"You know, we've been friends for four years now, and I cannot say that I know your family all that well," I said.

"Well, they don't prefer going to the Scottish school because it's sponsored by the Brits," Helena said, some hesitance in her voice. She set aside her book. "You know about the Troubles in Ireland, right?"

"I've heard of them."

"Well, it's a bloody nightmare," Helena said. "And in the magical part of Ireland, it's even worse. Because some of us, like me, are Pagans. We celebrate the druid culture of our ancestors. Bloody Protestants and Catholics don't care for that much at all."

"I never knew," I admitted.

"Well, it's not like you'd have to." She looked idly at the books, but her eyes were someplace faraway. "You had enough going on as a lass. I had my own troubles, seeing fighting in the streets. Me brother killed me other older brother. I didn't know either all that well, they were both born nearly twenty years ago, when my parents were first wed."

"I can't imagine it, my own sister trying to kill another sister."

"Can you?"

I realized that Helena had seen how far Serena and Ariel were pulling apart, how alienated from one another they had become.

"You don't think that Serena—"

Helena raised her eyebrows. "You think this is about Serena and Ariel?"

"You haven't noticed—"

"No, you haven't noticed— Vega is afraid of Ariel," Helena said. "And Ariel hates Vega."

"What?"

"Alina, you might not know about my family, but you don't know as much as you think about your own," Helena said.

I opened my mouth to protest, but then realized she was right. I hung my head in shame.

"Vega hates me too."

"Because you haven't tried to understand her," Helena said. "I know what you think about your dad. But maybe it's time to get another point of view."

"Maybe."

I met her light brown eyes. "I'm lucky you're here to keep me grounded."

"Someone has to." She grinned mischievously. "Come on, let's finish studying so we can both get some sleep."