I opened my eyes just as Hermione was about to shake me awake.

"Oh! Good morning Cassie." She retracted her arm.

"Morning Herm." I sat up and stretched my arms over my shoulder.

"Did you put a blanket around me last night?" She asked.

"I did, I woke in the middle of the night and saw that you weren't up in your bed so I went downstairs to check on you. I found you on the table surrounded by your books so I put a blanket on you." I stood up and slid on my skirt under my night dress and proceeded to get ready for the day.

"Oh, thank you." She said as she also got into a fresh uniform.

"Welcome." I shrugged as I scratched Ariel's ears.

"Hermione?" I asked as I waited for her to put on her shoes.

"Hmm?" She looked up.

"Do you have a childhood toy?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against her bed post.

"I do, it's embarssing really." She blushed and looked back down to her feet.

"What is it?" I sat down next to her.

"It... It was a worm, with a muggle graduation cap and little bow tie around it's neck." She didn't look at me.

"What was its name?" I smiled at the thought with little Hermione walking around holding a green worm.

"Mr. Wormy." She mumbled.

"That's sweet." I nudged her.

"You think so?" She looked at me with her hair covering her face.

"Yeah, I don't remember if I even had a childhood toy." I shrugged, standing up and pulling her up with me.

"Mine was a little stuffed dog, I named it Muffin." Lavenders voice said from the other side of the room.

"I have a cat, I named her Snowball." Parvati pulled out a little ratty stuffed cat.

"You actually brought it with you?" I smiled at her.

"I did... I was too nervous not too, and with Padma being in a different house, well it helps me sleep at night." Parvati rubbed her head sheepishly.

"I brought mine too!" Lavender pulled out a dirty golden puppy animal.

The two of the started to gush about the others animal as Hermione showed me a worn green worm that was hidden under her pillow.

"That's really nice." I grinned at Hermione as we walked down the stairs to the common room.

"What about yours?" She asked as Ron and Harry left before us.

"I don't know... I think I had a dream about a gray stuffed animal with a eagle head. But instead of saying something like Mr. Birdy, or Big Bird, or something like that; I called it 'Hippo.' I shrugged to her.

"Really?" She tilted her head.

"Yeah, I haven't a clue if it was something random or if I used to have a childhood toy." I explained as we walked down the stairs, Ron pulling Harry away as fast as he can.

"Ronald is being rude." Hermione sniffed.

"WE MET AT MADAME MILKINS!" I shouted, snapping my fingers and pointing at her.

"What?!" Hermione yelped, jumping away from me in fright.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I couldn't remember where we met but now I do, we met at Madame Milken's Robe shop." I said excitedly.

"I knew that, did you really forget?" She asked as we walked into the great hall.

"It was a busy day." I admitted to her.

"It was wasn't?" She nodded as we walked down to the great hall for breakfast.

When we entered the hall, the plates were already full of different foods and the owls had started to drop off the morning mail.

"Cassie! You have two letters!" Harry waved my envelopes in the air for me to see.

"Ginny and Charlotte must've written back!" I skipped over to the boys.

"Who's Charlotte?" Hermione asked as we sat down.

"She's the woman who takes care of the orphanage I live in." I answered as she started to fill up our plates.

"I thought you lived in a foster house?" Harry asked, swallowing some orange juice.

"It's technically an orphanage, but sometimes we get foster kids and parents rotating around." I explained as I nodded my thanks to Hermione and opened the letter from Charlotte first.

'Cassie,

It's so good to hear that you've integrated so well into Hogwarts!

You're friends with Harry Potter? My aren't you a lucky one. His mom was actually friends with yours! Karen and Lilly were inseparable during their time at the school. They both were in Gryffindor, remember?

By the way, this owl is beautiful!

Write back soon!

Charlotte

P.s. Sorry about the short response!'

"Harry do you know what your mum's name was?" I asked as I finished reading my letter.

"I'm pretty sure it was Lily Evans' but I'm not positive, why?" He asked, finishing off his toast.

"I think our moms were best friends." I held out the letter for him to read.

"What?" He asked, grabbing the letter and reading it quickly.

"Really?" Hermione asked, reaching for the letter.

"Keep your grubbing hands off." Ron growled at her.

"Hermione, let Harry read it first, okay?" I put a hand on her shoulder, not wanting them to fight.

"Okay..." She nodded, going back to eating her food.

"All Charlotte said was they were inseparable here and that they were in Gryffindor. Does she know anything else?" Harry asked quietly, handing the letter back to me and looking at me with something in his eye.

"I don't know... I could ask her." I answered, handing the letter for Hermione to read.

"Please?" He asked, picking up his fork to eat his food.

"Sure." I nodded, opening up Ginny's letter.

'Cassie! I'm so glad you remembered me! YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH THE HARRY POTTER?! You have no idea how lucky you are, is he cute? Is he as nice as everyone says he is? Is his scar actually the shape of a thunderbolt? I have so many questions for him!

For Christmas? You don't have to get me anything, what do you mean you'll be staying at Hogwarts? Won't you be going back to visit your family? I thought Charlotte was your aunt or something like that? The twins would probably just want something from Zonko's, that's a prank shop in Hogsmeade. Percy would probably want more ink bottles or some quills. He's really into his school work.

Just give Ron some food, I'm sure that's all he gets anyway. Mum says that you're sweet for asking about everyone and what to give them for Christmas.

Write back soon!

Ginny.'

"Looks like Harry has a fan." I smiled as I handed the letter to him to read.

Harry blushed at Ginny's hand writing and quickly handed me the letter back.

"Ron, what do you like?" I turned to him, putting my letters away in my bag.

"What do you mean?" He asked just as he was about to stuff his mouth with bacon.

"What are your hobbies?" I picked up my fork and started to eat some eggs.

"I play wizards chess mostly." He shrugged.

"What's wizards chess?" Harry and I both asked.

"Blimey, you don't know what wizards chess is?" He asked, swallowing his bacon half chewed.

"I know what chess is." I looked at Harry who nodded in agreement.

"I'll have to show it to you one of these days." Ron nodded to himself as he stuffed his face once again.

I giggled at his noises while Hermione scoffed in disgust.