Hi guys, sorry it has taken a while – I've been busy with holiday's, Olympic Fever and charity stuff and then I've been working on this for three days, just trying to get it to flow right. But I am back and hopefully I'll be able to update within the next two weeks.

This chapter is a little different as it is split between Hope's point of view and Violet's. Hope you all like it, I'm a little nervous about this one!

Thanks and enjoy

Disclaimer –Harry Potter isn't mine!

Hope's POV

Mia was awake…although I'd heard the words I wasn't able to fully register what that could mean. James however shot up from his position on the sofa.

'Mia is awake? When did this happen? How do you know? What has she said?' he questioned, his eyes meeting Roxanne's angry stare.

She narrowed her eyes at him before responding.

'It happened while you were off with Hope gallivanting around and I know because Neville came to find Hope….but seeing as how she wasn't here that was kind of impossible. And I don't know what Mia has said, obviously they want to speak to Hope about it personally you ninny. We'd probably all know by now if you had stopped to think about how worried we'd all be finding you both gone!'

'Oh get a grip Rox, Hope and I are perfectly capable of looking after ourselves – we don't need a bloody babysitter.' James snapped back at her.

The two of them were glaring at each other, both oozing pent up tension and frustration, which I think was aimed more at the situation I was in rather than at each other. It was just easier for them to take out their worry and concern on each other rather than show me they were nervous – even though I knew this was the real reason behind their bickering.

'What did Professor Longbottom say?' I asked just as Roxy was about to retaliate to James.

Letting out an angry sigh and shooting James one more angry glance she turned to me and showed me a small reassuring smile.

'Just that Mia was awake and that if we saw you we were to tell you to go directly to Sprout's office…'

'Right well I'd better go then.' I said, trying to smile reassuringly at the sea of concerned faces, although I was anything but confident about what might happen.

'I'll come with you and wait outside.' James said striding forward in a determined manner.

'No James honestly you don't have to do th-'

'Yes I do' he insisted.

I could tell by the look on his face that he was determined and in all honesty I knew having him with me when I found out what exactly had happened, even if he was waiting outside, would give me more courage to face whatever came my way. So I eventually nodded my agreement at him before turning and smiling once more at everyone else.

'Wish me luck' I muttered.

'Oh Hope you won't need it! Mia will be on your side, just like we are!' Roxanne said as she stepped forward and embraced me.

She then turned to James and said 'You better look after her Potter or you'll have me to deal with' and she poked him in the chest just to reiterate her point.

Ollie came forward and hugged me to, whispering that mum and dad were on their way as well. This more than anything reassured me that everything was going to be ok. My parents would fight tooth and nail to protect me, I knew that.

After Ollie let me go Fred stepped forward and gave me a quick hug, and then with that Potter and I stepped out of the portrait hole and were once again walking along the corridors together.

'It is going to be ok, isn't it?' I asked quietly as we walked.

James surprised me by reaching over and taking my hand with his, squeezing it lightly and saying, 'Of course it will be.'

I almost expected him to let go of my hand when he finished talking, but he didn't. He held onto it and showed no signs of letting go, which at this moment in time I was glad of. The reassurance it gave me helped to calm my racing heart.

'Thank you, for coming with me…' I muttered to break the silence and distract me from what might happen when I got to Sprout's office.

'Don't thank me Hope. I am part of the reason you're in this mess in the first place and I am going to do everything I can to try and help you…'

'It isn't your fault you know.' I said quietly as he squeezed my hand.

'You're too kind to me Hope – you know as well as I do that I play a part in this. You're the innocent one out of all this, and I should be reassuring you.' He replied as he shot me a weak half smile.

'You are James, just by being here.'

We reached Sprout's office and James gave my hand one more hard squeeze before smiling at me. He let my hand drop, sat down on the seat outside and said, 'I'm going to wait right here until you come out. I won't go anywhere no matter how long it takes – and I am here for you if you need me, just let me know.'

I smiled and with that I knocked on Sprout's door.

A muffled 'come in' came from the opposite side.

I entered the Headmistresses Office determinedly, reminding myself over and over again that I had done nothing wrong.

'Miss Wood…please do sit down.' Headmistress Sprout said as she gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

'How is Mia?' I asked as I sat down, wanting to know she was alright before I dealt with anything else.

Sprout looked at me for a long period of time, before smiling kindly at me and saying, 'Miss Lucas is alright and out of any danger. She is however groggy and disorientated – and there are lapses in her memory which are concerning both Madame Pomfrey and myself.'

I let a small breath. Mia was going to be ok, but there were issues with her memory…but then Sprout was smiling at me – that was a good sign, wasn't it?

'In regards to the accusations against you I am afraid things are still not completely clear. Miss Lucas cannot remember a lot of what happened before the fall, however she does remember you being there – and something regarding the two of you arranging to meet. She also believes you had turned and started to walk away from her before it happened, not to mention the way she loyally scoffed at the idea that you could hurt her – or indeed anyone. She thinks the most likely cause fall was tripping up, and she vigorously denies there was any fighting happening between you before it all happened. Unfortunately Miss Lucas does not remember seeing Miss De Champ at all during the incident nor did she hear any whisperings.' Headmistress Sprout explained.

'So where does that leave everything? I don't really understand?' I asked perplexed.

'I am afraid that is not very clear. For the moment we are still going to have to do a bit of investigation, which means we will require both your wand and Miss De Champs.'

'Our wands…why?'

'We need to check the spells the two of you have cast over the past few weeks. If you heard whispering then that could be an indication of something larger happening, and also we need to know that you yourself did not cast any spell to cause harm to Miss Lucas.'

'Sure…here' I said handing my wand over without so much as a second thought. I was innocent and I had no reason to worry about what they might find – every spell I've ever cast has been above board.

'Thank you. The test itself should not take long, we're just waiting for your parents and Miss De Champ's father to arrive and then we will test the wands. For the time being you are to head directly to Professor Longbottom's office and wait with him….I suppose since he is outside waiting for you Mr Potter can accompany you.' Sprout said.

How did she know James was outside? She couldn't have seen him from her position behind the desk…

'Umm ok, thank you.'

And with that, I stood and headed out to see Potter.

'What happened? Did Mia give you the all clear?' James asked, springing up the second the door opened and striding forward until her reached me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

'Ummm kind of. Her memory is foggy but she said she thinks she remembers me turning away from her. Apparently she also told them it was silly to imagine I could hurt anyone…'

'Well she's right, if Sprout or anyone else for that matter believes you'd hurt anyone then they're idiots.' James said rather hotly, before calming himself and asking what that meant for me.

I shrugged, 'Well they want to test my wand and Violet's wand to see if there were any suspicious spells cast around the time of Mia's fall…which obviously is fine with me. But they can't do it until I our families are here – I think so they can talk to us afterwards with adults there to speak on our behalf. So I'm to wait in Neville's office….do you want to wait with me?'

'Hope Katherine Wood…using a professors first name? What are we going to do with you?' James teased and winked at me before carrying on, 'I'd be honoured to wait with you…so long as that is ok?'

'Sprout said it would be and I can't see Professor Longbottom minding. Besides I'd like you to stay with me, at least until my parents get here.' I said.

James nodded before giving me a little push to get me walking.

Violet's POV

I can't believe this is happening…how could everything have backfired like this?

The spell I'd throw at Mia must have been incomplete – she might not remember me being there or my involvement in everything that has happened to her, but she apparently remembers that little bitch being nice to her.

And now because of that I am under suspicion and I've had to hand my wand over as well. Not that I am too worried about that, I mean I am not stupid enough to have used my regular every day wand while trying to use banned spell on my fellow students – my dad did teach me well after all – but I'm pretty sure I am going to be in trouble just for some of the more legal spells on my wand. Trying to hex Pippa into a pig for instance…

And of course dad is going to be thrilled at me – not. He's going to go crazy, tell me I've put the bigger picture in jeopardy, I can almost hear his lecture.

And while I am being given the third degree by my father and being put into detention by my professors little Miss Bloody Perfect Hope Wood will be getting off scott free – again. And she'll be off gallivanting with her friends and James, who would be with me right now if everything had worked out how dad and I planned it. This turn of events might even mean all that good groundwork I put into developing a 'friendship' with Michael will all have been for nothing, because he'll blatantly run back to his precious tart and start professing his love for her again.

Well fine, Hope might get away easily this time but next time I won't mess up – and she will be sorry she ever got in the way of my life.

Hope's POV

James and I didn't really speak that much during our time in Professor Longbottom's office. Instead I borrowed a book on healing plants from one of Neville's bookshelves, while James scribbled some ideas for quidditch plays on a piece of scrap paper. We sat next to each other though and one of his arms was draped round the back of my chair. It was nice and comforting…well sort of.

Mum and dad got there about half an hour later, both barging into the office without even knocking. After about five minutes of the three of us just hugging each other we broke apart and Potter stood up, looking sheepish and embarrassed as if he was intruding on a very private moment.

'I guess my work here is done. I'll see you back in the common room later Wood…nice to see you Mrs Wood, Mr Wood.' He stammered

'Sure, thanks for staying with me James' I replied, smiling at him as he walked to the door.

'Sure thing.' He said as he nodded and then exited the room.

'Right well let's get this over with shall we.' my mum said as she put an arm around me.

Relief, that was all I could feel when Headmistress Sprout handed my wand back and told me I was officially no longer under suspicion and I could resume prefect duties and quidditch. Mum however seemed to feel nothing but anger.

'And what about the other girl, is any action going to be taken against her?' she demanded hotly.

'In terms of the incident surrounding Mia Lucas Violent De Champ's wand threw up nothing suspicious. There are however some concerns over some of the other spells she seems to have been casting with her wand, for which she will be disciplined, but in this instance there is nothing we can do-'

'What, you expect me to believe there is nothing you can do? What about the allegations she made against my daughter, can nothing be done about that?' mum shot back

'Katie, I know you are upset and angry at the situation, but as it is my hands are tied. With Mia's memory being as it is there is no way to prove that Violet's version of events didn't happen. I can't very well say it is alright to give Hope the benefit of the doubt and not extend the same curtsy to another student. Miss De Champ is a model student in terms of her extra-curricular activity and her grades, as is Hope. In fact until her wand revealed the hexes it did we had no more reason to question her behaviour than we did Hope's.' The Headmistress tried to explain.

'There must be another way to prove that she deliberately lied to damage my daughter's reputation though? What about truth serum?' Mum pushed once more, undeterred.

Sprout let out a weary sigh before saying, 'Please understand that while we take this matter most seriously, truth serum is only to be used in the most server of cases – as it is deemed an invasion of student privacy. And Violet De Champ's father is a very influential wizarding lawyer who has fought for justice on this very issue, so even if I believed that was the right course of action, which I don't, it would be virtually impossible for us to gain permission to do so.'

Mum sank back in her chair defeated and dad put his arm around her.

'I understand what you are saying, but can you offer me your personal assurance that you are going to do everything in your power to look out for my little girl and to keep Violet away from her?' Dad asked, clearly trying to stay the calm one out of my parents – but doing very little to hide his concern for me.

'Mr Wood…Oliver...I would hope that both you and Katie would know me well enough to know that the priority of my students is always top of my list. I assure you your daughter will be protected and treated fairly, and we will monitor her interaction with Miss De Champ closely from now on to avoid any more incidents like this.'

Dad nodded and my parents said goodbye to Headmistress Sprout as we stood. Just as we made it to the door I turned and asked whether I could see Mia now.

'She needs rest tonight, but I can see no reason why you should not visit her in the hospital wing tomorrow.' Sprout said smiling at me.

'Thank you' I said, before turning and following my parents outside.

Violet's POV

'How could you be so careless Violet. Do you care about how close you came to ruining everything we've worked for? Thank Merlin you had the sense to use your other wand for cursing that girl, or everything we've worked towards since you were a child would be over. ' Dad snapped as me as we exited the Heads Office.

'Yes of course I care dad, I honestly do, I just messed up. But dad if you understood just how awful this girl is-'

'Stop it Violet! I don't want to hear about your petty school rivalries. Your mission was clear, get close to the Potters' and Weasleys', find out what you could about the Wood children, and subtly try to distances them from their friends. And now look what you have done – you've alienated yourself from them. James Potter was supposed to be swooning all over you, but instead you've pushed him right into the arms of the Wood girl!'

'I know dad' I snapped, 'but you don't understand what she is like…the hold she has on him. Even when James and I were seeing each other he'd put her first-'

'That is another thing. I'm starting to feel like you have feelings for that boy Violet…'

'What daddy no! I would never betray you or the cause like that.'

'Then why go after the girl Violet, why all this hostility? I'm going to have to do so much damage control with the group tonight – they'll be wanting to punish you.' He said as he stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose, his anger ebbing away.

'I thought you and the group wanted the Woods' to suffer, didn't you say their mother needed to be distracted from that tonic she's been making?'

'Yes Violet but I didn't mean for you to go and pull a stunt like this! We have a plan for the mother, we just wanted you to subtly make the children outcasts. Look just go back to Slytherin and keep your head low for the rest of the year. We'll discuss another plan over the summer.' My father said, clearly tired of this conversation now.

I wanted to ask what he meant about having plans for Wood's mother, but I knew now wasn't the right time – not when he was angry and disappointed in me. So instead I did what was asked of me. I returned to my dorm, went to my room and lay awake for a long time wondering about what plans my father and the group had – and thinking about how I could bide my time until I was finally able to play a more important part in the plan.