Chapter Twenty-six: Goblets Up To the End of a Year

After just one more check up by Madam Pomfrey on the both of them, Hattie and Harry headed down to the feast. Hattie had insisted Hermione and Ron go on ahead of them as it was getting a bit late. Harry did the same, saying they'd be there soon. By the time she and her brother got to the Great Hall, it was already full. The Slytherin green and silver was up on full display. A huge banner hung behind the head table with their mascot. The clear winners of the House Cup by 46 points over the Ravenclaws. It would make them the House Cup winners for the seventh year in a row, as Draco had been much excited about as it grew closer to the end of the year.

Thinking of him, Hattie looked over to the Slytherin table. Straining his neck for a view over the taller and older students, Draco smiled back at her wave. There was a sudden buzz of talking and a loud commotion going off behind him from the Hufflepuff table at her wave.

"Hattie! You're here!"

An arm waved wildly back at her in the commotion. Her name echoed as she saw Cedric and Eric laughing, Hannah and Susan and Justin and all her other first year housemates streaming through the Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables, faces lit up and shouting as they ran to her. Harry shuffled close to her as they made their way over, his green eyes wide.

"Hattie!"

"You're back!"

"And Harry's out!"

"It's great to see you out of the wing!"

"Harry!"

"Awesome timing!"

"Just in time for the feast Harry."

"You're feeling better then Harry?" Hannah peered concernedly at him. "Good enough Madam Pomfrey released you?"

Fidgeting a bit, Harry nodded. "Yes. I'll just...get over to Gryffindor table. I guess? Ron's waving me over." Hattie looked over and spotted Ron easily. He was seated next to Seamus and Dean, Dean waved as well. Near them, Hattie caught sight of Hermione biting at her lip and Neville fidgeting, both shooting looks over at her. Hattie smiled. Then, hesitantly and uncertain, Harry asked her, "Do you...want me to tell Hermione or Neville anything?"

She looked back to her brother, back to Hermione and Neville, then back again to Harry. It wasn't really a hard answer. She wasn't going to hold it against them. "It's their fault, but they were only trying to help and they weren't wrong. I needed to get some proper rest. So, thank them. Their hearts were in the right place and it's not like any of us knew I'd have a bad nightmare since it was Dreamless Sleeping Draught. I just...really got my rest in with sleeping longer than it covers."

"Okay," Harry drew out the word. His lips pursed, the dislike showing on his face. "Yeah, but still...I would have known. I guess they know now... See you after the feast?"

Hattie nodded. Although, with Harry out of the Hospital Wing and the threat of what could be and who it was was over, she doubted she'd have nightmares tonight. Giving his hand a squeeze, she headed over to the opposite side of the Great Hall with the rest of the Hufflepuff first years. Cedric grinned at her as she sat and leaned over the table. "How'd officially getting my Transfiguration book for this year treat you?"

"Good. You gave it, gave it, right?"

Eric cracked out a noise, a sudden burst of laughter, hand hitting the table. And then he nudged and prodded at Cedric gleefully, pointing at Hattie. "Look at her, she already doesn't want to give it up."

Cedric snorted, nudging his friend back and winking over at Hattie. "Like it's any different than her stealing it from me in the commons. Except this time, yes. I gave it, gave it."

Hannah giggled, looking amused as Hattie beamed. "Good! It goes far more into the—"

Both the older boys broke into laughter.

"Well," Cedric chuckled. "At least I know you'll put it to good use."

The talk around the Great Hall died down. Dumbledore had arrived. "Another year gone," he said cheerfully to the hushed Great Hall. Everyone had turned in their seats, listening to the Headmaster. "And I must trouble you to an old man's wheezing waffle, before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been. Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were. You have the whole summer to make them nice and empty before next year starts."

Not likely if Hattie had much to do with it. She'd probably wind up making more notes of things to try with Potions class and have Hedwig mail Draco about them. Not to mention the things she and Hermione could possibly write back and forth about. Especially by the time they got the book list for next year. And there were always trips to the public library to find good books to read, probably winding up with making sure, as always, she chose some sort of fantasy adventure type book to read out loud to Dudley.

"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding. And the points stand thus. In fourth place, Gryffindor. With 312 points. In third, Hufflepuff, with 332. Ravenclaw has 426. And Slytherin, 472."

A storm of stomping and clapping went off next to Hufflepuff. Hattie clapped as well, mouth twitching as she looked over, spotting Draco who was pounding the table with his empty goblet, shouting with all the rest of Slytherin. Catching sight of her, he put a proud nose up in the air, chest puffed. She laughed. He was funny with his pride.

"Yes, yes. Well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account."

The Great Hall slowly fell silent.

Draco's goblet lowered, eyebrows furrowing down, then turned his grey eyes from her...to her brother on the other side of the Great Hall. His face slackened. And Hattie went wide eyed, spinning to look up at Dumbledore, whose gaze was decidedly situated on Gryffindor. The school year was over, Slytherin banners already up for the winners of the House Cup. She may not see the fuss to be had over the object, but the school year was over. Dumbledore had already seen Harry and the rest since the event, if any points were to be taken away, it would have been then. But with Dumbledore's smile, it was more like he was about ready to give points. That couldn't be right.

Hattie looked about the Great Hall. All the students all had looks of confusion on their faces as well. Their eyes went up to the Slytherin banners. Mouths murmured to each other. What was going on?

"Ah-hem. I have a few last minute points to dish out," Dumbledore announced. "Let me see. Yes. First, to Mister Ronald Weasley."

Everyone turned to stare. Ron's face went purple under the attention, hunching down in his seat.

"For the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house 50 points."

Gryffindor loudly cheered. Percy could be heard above the noise, celebrating his brother and shouting across the Great Hall about Ron. Ron sunk farther down in his seat, ears red as his lips went up to a smile at the praise. Clapping for Gryffindor, Hermione's face had paled as she stared at Dumbledore. Hattie looked to her brother. Harry's green eyes were downright huge, visibly trying to inch down and back in his seat, terrified and looking ready to bolt. Concerned, but not really knowing what she could really do to stop the situation, Hattie shrugged a helpless shoulder at him.

"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger. For the face of cool logic in the face of fire, I aware Gryffindor House 50 points."

Applause broke out again from the Gryffindor table. With a burst of red to her face that seemed both upset and embarrassed, Hermione buried her head onto the table, under her arms. Hattie's hands clenched under the table. "Has something like this," she managed out, "ever happened after the end of the year tests?"

Not looking very pleased by all this either, Cedric answered. "Before the feast? Yes. My first year. But never at the feast when the banners are up and everyone is ready to leave." Woodenly, his hands moved, much like the rest of Hufflepuff table. Those of Ravenclaw table beside Gryffindor had a smattering of clapping, seeming to appear excited by all this, heads moving between Gryffindor table and the Slytherin table. The Slytherins weren't clapping at all, but looking slowly more and more furious by the changing points.

"Third, to Mister Harry Potter." The room went deadly quiet and she saw her brother trying to pull back even more, green eyes wide. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points."

From those who could add up, there was shouting about how Gryffindor was up 160 points, tying Slytherins for first. There was excitement, a chance for a house to take the House Cup from Slytherin. That it'd be the first time in seven years that Slytherin house would not have the Cup. That the Gryffindors could take it from Slytherin.

And then Dumbledore's gaze shifted, Slytherins breathing the smallest sigh of relief to last minute points being done, even if a tie, before the Headmaster's gaze went to the Hufflepuff table. Hattie's fists clenched tighter under the table. Dumbledore's gaze settled onto Hannah. Gasping, she ducked down, shaking her head in refusal. Between Hattie and Susan, Justin and Ernie, they pulled in close to shield her from view.

"Fourthly, to Miss Hannah Abbott." There was a muffled noise and the Hufflepuffs all looked up to Dumbledore, stonefaced. "For recalling the first use of the levitation spell and using it to great effect, I award Hufflepuff 50 points."

There was applause from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, Hattie could see Harry giving her and their table the same look she'd been giving him a few minutes ago. Celebration at Hufflepuff table was far more muted. It wasn't so much the points, but the timing of it that rankled. Slytherin table was deadly silent as this happened. Some of their faces looked a bit sympathetic, as due to being the table next to Hufflepuff, they could see Hannah's tears and pink face, as well as hear her sobs to the attention and points. Several Hufflepuffs clapped for her, applauding the points she earned, their words of congratulations coming out rather stiffly. Hattie and Susan rubbed at Hannah's back.

"To Miss Hattie Potter."

Filled with a want to burst up and shout against the Headmaster, she tapped it down, biting her lips tightly together as she glared up at him, fists clenching again. For all she was a Hufflepuff who enjoyed Draco's sneaky means to mess with Hermione during their competitions and the like, Hattie did not approve this. Slytherin had already earned the House Cup. It was already accepted that they won it. Dumbledore may be enjoying the dramatics and emotional roller coaster, but all of these points, if he really needed to hand them out, should have already been handed out. It was upsetting others.

"For the creative use of transfiguration to handle an unusual situation, 50 points to Hufflepuff. For thinking ahead on behalf of others, putting plans into place to assure safety if it came to the worst, I award Miss Hattie Potter together with Miss Hannah Abbott, as well as Mister Justin Finch-Fletchley and Miss Susan Bones each 10 points, for a total of 40 points to Hufflepuff."

Slytherin was looking mutinous, ready to shout at the injustice. In just a few short moments, Gryffindor had been given enough to tie for first with them, celebrating the last minute points loudly. In a few moments more, Hufflepuff had been given enough points to tie as well, mouths pursed shut. Following the greater applause from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw was a hasty retreat of sound as the other two houses noticed the expressions of the Hufflepuffs who had just been given rights to tie with first place Slytherin as well. The Great Hall was beginning to look awkward. Off settled, students were fidgeting in seats and on the edge of them to what the Headmaster would say next, looking up to him. The slight scattering of applause from the Hufflepuff table for those points eased more than a few shoulders, looks of relief passing across student faces.

"To them as well as Miss Megan Jones, Miss Sally-Anne Perks." Dumbledore's gaze shifted back to Gryffindor table, smiling, easily ignoring the uneasiness around the Great Hall. "To Mister Dean Thomas, Mister Finnigan, Mister Jordan, and Misters Percy, Fred, and George Weasley. For the group effort across house lines of drawing the situation to the attention of professors, looking out for their fellow students. I award 10 points to each house involved."

With that, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff took the lead, Gryffindor table letting out several loud whoops.

"Ah," Dumbledore suddenly said. He turned to Slytherin table with a smile. As though the whole table was not bulging and red faced with rage at him for these last minute biased points to houses other than theirs, making sure they lost the House Cup, making little of the points and place they earned all during the proper school year. "As well as to Slytherin house with Mister Draco Malfoy."

There was a sudden explosion of noise, Slytherin letting out a huge stampede of feet and pounding of hands on the table. Those close to Draco smiled and beamed and loudly praised him, patting him on the back and motioning him to stand for the moment. Hattie clapped too, hands high above her head. Hannah, Justin, and several others from Hufflepuff clapped along with the Slytherins as well. Puffed up and soaking up the attention of his house, Draco happened to glance over and startled a bit at the sight of them, his smiling mouth opening in wonder. His cheeks went slightly pink and then his nose went up in the air, drawing himself fully up as his house continued cheering, glad to be back in their first place. Even if it was a shared one now.

Dumbledore raised his hand, causing the room to go silent. "Lastly, there are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to our friends. I therefore, award 10 points to Mister Neville Longbottom."

Gryffindor house exploded. The sheer noise was sure to be heard throughout the castle. There were students jumping up and screaming, reveling in the fact Gryffindor had won with those last points. Neville, white faced and wide eyed, had sunk down and been buried under multiple Gryffindors. Near him, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all stood up cheering. Her brother nudged Ron, a smile on his face as he pointed over to Draco. Both of them grinned widely. Hattie looked to Draco, who looked utterly stunned and horrified, still standing from when he'd gotten 10 points awarded to Slytherin house.

With how Harry got on with Draco, Ron's feelings toward Slytherin, and Hermione having the academic competitions with Draco all year...Hattie could understand why even if she didn't like it. With how she disliked Draco and Slytherin house, Susan was applauding Gryffindor for the win, but even she was not cheering all that loudly. Ravenclaws were celebrating and Slytherins were sitting there in shock, but it was a mixed reaction at Hufflepuff table. Hattie knew many had the same feelings as Susan with Slytherin house and they honestly wanted to applaud those who were given points, so they did, applauding along with Ravenclaw for the given points and Gryffindor's win over Slytherin. But there was some disgruntled faces at how this came about as they applauded.

"Which means," Dumbledore cried out over the storm of applause. "We need a little change in decoration."

He clapped his hands and the banners across the Great Hall switched from the Slytherin green and silver to the Gryffindor scarlet and gold. The Slytherin serpent changed to the Gryffindor Lion. Hattie happened to glance behind Dumbledore then and winced, noticing Professor Snape giving a congratulatory shake with Professor McGonagall's hand with a horrible forced smile. And then saw the Potions Professor look right over at her brother, looking none to pleased with Harry. Harry's smile faded and he shied backwards into the celebrating Gryffindor crowd, green eyes flicking back across the Great Hall. She smiled at him, gave a scribbling motion through the air, got a smile back out of him, and then shrugged. There wasn't much Harry or she could do about the last minute points given.

But there was a bit of something. Hattie turned to Hannah. "Mind doing a charm for me?" Hannah's head moved up from where she had it buried under her arms. To her goblet, Hattie pointed a finger at it. "A color changing one?" Blinking a bit, confused, Hannah then perked up with a smile, pulling out her wand to do her own goblet along with Hattie's. Eric noticed, pointing it out with fresh liveliness. Up and down the Hufflepuff table, colors changed, suddenly full of green and silver goblets.

And the goblets raised up in the direction of Slytherin table.

Stunned, slowly, most of Slytherin table's own goblets raised back up at Hufflepuff. A few changed their goblets to yellows and blacks. And while it didn't change the last minute points given, Hattie smiled. It felt better. To acknowledge Slytherin for their hard work during the whole school year in some way, even if it wasn't the House Cup Slytherin wanted and thought was theirs.

Exam marks came swiftly after the end of the year feast. First thing the following morning. Susan was pleased the waiting of getting those results was over and with that, her first year at Hogwarts was truly done. Even if she was keeping her sights pealed for any incoming antics from the Weasley twins across the Great Hall. Hattie and Hannah shared a look, giggling and laughing at her eating her breakfast in quick bursts, her head constantly shooting up and over in checking where they were.

Justin grinned too, then wider as he received his results, glad to see he passed with marks he liked. He was now trying to get Ernie to celebrate with him. Being very serious, Ernie tried to focus on the takeaway of his end of the year results and what areas to seek improvement in for the following year. With his Potions result being the lowest, Acceptable rather than Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding, he congratulated Hattie and declared they must study together more often next year all in the same breath. Startled, Hattie looked up from her own results and hesitantly reminded him of how much of a problem it'd been when she did that, that she was frequent in mixing what was taught and what Draco and she figured to work better.

"But you scored Outstanding in it," he replied manner of factly. "I can apply myself and learn what you have to say of the dos and don'ts well enough not to mix them. Besides, I'm willing to bet you scored top of the first years for Potions. Or just behind Malfoy."

She blinked at the way Ernie stated that so plainly. "Maybe," she allowed. She folded and tucked her results away. "But I didn't score top of the class for Potions. But...I kind of already knew who scored top for a couple classes thanks to Draco keeping track of Hermione's scores." Ignoring the one from Transfiguration, she turned and smiled at Hannah, who went pink in the face, pulling her own results even closer to her chest.

Suddenly grinning, Justin tugged the results from her, then cheered and slapped her across the back. "All right! Bullseye Abbott strikes again!"

Heading across the Great Hall, Hattie went to see how Harry did. Both he and Ron were surprised and pleased to see they'd passed with good marks. Hermione, of course, had the best grades of all the first years. She'd gone pink in the face and then smiled, congratulatorily at the table. Laughing, Hattie leaned over to look her in the face. "Happy about winning over Draco?"

Hermione's head shot up at Hattie and she nodded, pleased with herself. "So much for him trying to psych me out about the scores outside the staff room," Hermione said with relish. Then, hesitatingly, she nibbled at her lips. "Do you think it was close? That I remain competition?"

Neville laughed with Hattie, both of them nodding and Hermione beamed, a gleam in her eye. "Good."

Ron groaned. "You're not really going to keep that going next year with him, are you?"

"And why not? It's a great motivator and he's just as invested in our academic competitions, brings up questions and ideas that I may not have thought of and different reasonings. Not to mention...I don't really mind when he tries to sneak in wizarding world specific questions about how or why things are done. It's fascinating to find out more of a different kind of...living? Culture? Especially in one that I technically am part of now. Even if I think he sometimes just does it for Hattie. It seems more a bonus to try annoying and upsetting me about non-school subject topics."

"I think...from something my gran mentioned in a letter," Neville started saying into the silence following Hermione's words. Ron was busy goggling at Hermione and Harry just shook his head at Hermione and Hattie, not looking too surprised by this. "That he might have really been bothered by that. She wrote about it being brought up by someone from the Board of Governors and asked if I could ask a, er, ask around to others if it was true the class was not in the Hogwarts curriculum."

"Ugh, like we need any more classes," Ron complained.

Hattie and Harry grinned at each other and laughed. Ron scowled at them, nose wrinkling. Harry nudged his mate. "You wouldn't have to take it, remember Ron? You already know all the stuff that'd be in it. Right?"

Ron's face cleared and brightened. "Oh right!" And then his ears went red as they all laughed at his excitement about that reminder.

"How'd you do Neville?"

Neville shrugged, ducking his head down a bit at Hattie's question. The others turned concerned, worried about his scores. "Scrapped through," he mumbled. "Thanks to Herbology. Didn't do too terrible at the written exam for Potions, not as bad as I thought I would. For most of the written exams really. Probably thanks to all those academic competitions and study group nights..."

"Excellent! Well done Neville," Harry congratulated him with a smile.

And Neville's round face pinked as he mumbled again. "It's no big deal. I just passed. Like anyone else."

"Yeah, but you really get Herbology," Harry said. Hattie grinned as Neville went pinker. "Bet you got some of the highest marks in it, maybe even top."

"N-n-no! I really didn't do that well," Neville protested. At their expectant looks, he continued softly, mumbling his score. "Just...just 111..."

He trailed off as there were choruses of how good that was, to be scoring over a hundred for any class.

"Overheard at the Ravenclaw table when I passed by, that Morag was top for Herbology," Hattie brought up. "With 114 points. So you were close Neville. Sounds like Terry got top for Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were trying to figure out who got top scores for the other classes when I walked by."

Breathing out, the pink faded from Neville's face as Hattie shifted the focus away from him. Her brother laughed and she looked to him. Harry grinned, green eyes glinting mischievously. "I think I can guess who got top in Transfiguration. And Potions?" He added in hopefully, glancing over to the Slytherin table for Draco, then back to her, his face falling a bit at her head shake.

Ron snorted. "I'm just hoping Goyle is left back."

"That's not nice."

"Really Ronald?"

But both him and her brother leaned, looking for Gregory Goyle at the Slytherin table. Harry pointed the boy out and Ron let out a disappointed sigh. "You can't have everything in life."

Hermione rolled her eyes up. "Poor you. Honestly."

Harry shrugged, looking more amused about Hermione's reaction than being truly disappointed about Gregory passing. He turned back to Hattie. "Bet you scored even higher than primary, probably up there right under Hermione."

Hattie shrugged, then looked to Hermione.

"Well, I didn't score the top in any of the classes," Hermione admitted. "That's pretty impressive, Hattie. My total score was 49 points over, 649. I'm just really pleased I went over the 100 point mark for all of them. It doesn't really say who came closest behind me, but I expect you did rather well too."

Not really remembering the exact scores to add them up in her head, Hattie pulled out her results to add them up. "Well, not bad I guess. Only about 10 points under you. Not sure how my Charms score was more than Defense, other than due to Hannah."

"Only by 10 points?" Hermione's eyes had lit up at this. "Can I compare? I can't really compare and talk things over with these boys."

Ron scowled automatically. "Hey!"

Confused and a bit amused at Hermione's excitement to do this, Hattie chuckled and passed her results over. "Go ahead."

"Your History score was higher? I suppose that figures, with what Justin mentioned about Ernie and Kevin," she mused as she scanned over both their results. "Potions and Transfiguration were more than mine. And, your Defense score is quite a bit—wait a minute!"

Frazzled hair went up, brown eyes wide as Hermione pressed in close, mouth gapping in utter befuddlement. "Hattie! You scored full points for a complete 120 in Transfiguration!?"

"She did?" Harry let out a shout, reaching out for the results to see for himself. His green eyes sparkled up at her, pride on his face. "Hattie, this is brilliant!"

Neville nodded his head in agreement.

"Brilliant!" Fred popped up from down the table, goblet up. "Our little terrific rugrat!"

George stood up beside him, his own goblet tossed up into the air, beaming. "Outstanding!"

"Lavatory legend," they chorused. Many heads turned between them, confusion on their faces at the last part, which the older Weasley twins looked fairly pleased over. Hattie and her brother laughed. She snagged Harry's goblet off the table and raised it back at them. They hooted and thrust theirs toward her before taking drinks. Taking the toast, Hattie did the same, laughing into the goblet at the pair.

"Well, that answers that one for sure. I was correct. Hattie received top marks in Transfiguration."

The group of them turned to Ravenclaw table behind them to see Terry Boot, several of the other first year Ravenclaws around him writing it down.

"What about Potions?" Terry's friend Anthony asked over at them curiously. Hattie shook her head. "Must be someone from the Slytherin and Gryffindor class."

"Hattie teams up with Malfoy in the Official Potions Study Group with the upper years," Terry said to the rest. It sounded like he'd said it before with how the faces of those Ravenclaws scrunched up in distaste and a few rolled eyes.

"So you said before. And not to mention with saying how it had to be Abbott for Charms with that overly loud and distracting study group you do with them." The girl Hattie recognized as Isobel MacDougal huffed at Terry, rolling her eyes. Somehow, it was surprising that her and the reserved Morag were cousins, but Isobel had been like this during all their Potions and Flying classes. Always seeming to have a chip on her shoulder about something or other since the beginning with missing the Sorting Ceremony at the start of the year, thanks to outside forces leading to her missing the Hogwarts Express. Isobel turned to look at all the other first years. "Anyone have any idea for History?"

"I think Entwhistle and MacMillian in Hufflepuff start up arguments with Professor Binns," brought up Lisa Turpin. Padma nodded thoughtfully beside her, turning to look over at the Hufflepuff table. "Maybe one of them?"

Terry turned back to Hattie. She shook her head. "Just Hannah with Charms from Hufflepuff. That's the only one I know for top scores. Other than overhearing when I walked by about you getting top for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Morag for Herbology. Congratulations to you both."

He smiled at that. "Thanks. Oh hey, what did you wind up getting for Potions Hattie?"

She glanced back to Harry's hands and, abashed, he thrust her exam results back out and into her hands. "Sorry Hattie. I got excited."

"I thought that was all scrambled eggs." He snorted and mouthed 'not funny' at her. Grinning, she looked back for her score and then to Terry. "I got 14 points over, 114 total."

Impressed, he nodded. "Nice." Terry turned back to Ravenclaw table, who were already writing that down and muttering about someone getting that high and how much higher could the top scorer be and who it could be.

Except Morag MacDougal. She tucked her dark strands behind an ear, sneaking a glance over. Sue Li beside her gave her a nudge. "Thanks Hattie. Um, you too?"

"Thanks."

Suddenly after that, it seemed, wardrobes were empty and trunks were packed. They were just a short ways away from leaving. For all the students to head back home. To them returning to the Dursleys. Hattie was looking forward to talking to Dudley outside of their letters from the year and to seeing Aunt Petunia. Uncle Vernon was a different matter. But Harry was absolutely dragging his feet about having to head back, voicing why they couldn't just stay here during the summer break too. It got him a few to gape at him, stunned, save for Ron who merely patted him on his shoulder.

"Can't be all that bad. Besides, you'll have something to look forward to. You've got to come over to the Burrow and visit me."

And Harry brightened at that. "Really? You want to invite me to your house?"

"Er, well, yeah, of course." Ron's ears and back of neck had gone red at Harry's awed face. "You're my mate after all. You...you want to come, right? I mean, you don't have to if—"

"Brilliant! Of course I want to visit you Ron."

"And I'll write," Hannah said. She peered over to Hattie and to Susan. "Figure out a time that works for you to possibly come to my house?"

"Just us girls?" Susan did a glance over to Hattie and her mouth quirked. "No troll grade magnitude problems, just lazy summer fun? Sounds good to me."

Hattie laughed. "Like a dog." And Hannah burst into giggles, Justin cracking up at Susan's long suffering sigh.

"A dog?" Harry glanced between them. Ron, Hermione, and Neville looked confused as well to the laughter. "Do you have a dog?"

Hannah shook her head. "No."

"See, it's just, Susan's like a dog with a bone in her jokes about friends with Hattie getting dangerous creatures," Justin piped in. "A troll for Hermione, a dragon with—"

"And the cerebus," Harry added in, interrupting. He snorted, covering his mouth with his hand. "But that's been with all of us and...I'm sorry Susan for laughing. Hattie, not funny."

His halfway covered chortles belied him though and Susan sighed. "It's fine Harry. I kind of do keep bringing it up... At least it's not the worst joke off my last name."

There was laughter behind them. They turned, seeing George and Fred. "Sounds like the best joke," Fred said with a cheeky grin. George shot her a thumbs up, then his thumb jutted back. Just behind them was Cedric and Eric laughing as well.

"Have good summers, see you all again next year," Cedric said. Eric grinned broadly beside him, hand going out and motioning to Hannah. Hand going to her wrist, she pulled off a spare ponytail holder and gave it to him. Gleefully, he thanked her and put his hair up into the messy bun, sighing and smiling at his blond strands up and out of his face. Cedric shook his head at Eric. "Sorry about him."

Hannah ducked her head down. "It's fine. I have plenty more at home."

"And you try to make my third year Transfiguration book last," he chided at Hattie.

"No promises!"

"Get going pretty boy!"

Laughing at Fred, Cedric waved and him and Eric strode past them, quickly reaching the knit of older Hufflepuffs up ahead. Eric glanced back though, grinning and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Can't wait to see you and your Slytherin's weird friendship lasting! His reactions around you are funny!"

"There's something we can agree on," Fred said with a solemn nod.

Trying to get the smile off her face, Hattie copied his solemn nod, but laughed anyway. George laughed, his nod far less solemn than Fred. "From the time we've seen you near him," he said.

"Little mini Malfoy does act quite funny indeed."

"Your antics to throw him off balance are gold." George winked at her and took the note a scowling Filch was passing to all the students going past, as they all headed out of Hogwarts. Fred took one too, both of them saluting the Caretaker. Flitch growled at the pair and proceeded to shove the note into the rest of their hands as they went by.

"They are, aren't they?" Harry agreed with them, laughing over at Hattie. She huffed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. The times her brother came off as not minding Draco were the times he found amusement in her humor and how baffled Draco got around it. "You should have seen what Hattie did when we first met Ma—"

"We're not allowed to use magic over the holidays?" Hermione asked, a bit agasp at being informed this in a note. "But what about keeping up with what we've learned this year and practicing?"

Ron snorted. "You would think about schoolwork."

"It's to give our magic a break, to build reserves back up," Neville spoke up. "Since...we're still kids."

Abashed, Hermione's mouth parted. "Oh right. I...forgot."

"You? Forgot something? Let me write down the date. Hermione Granger admitted to forgetting something."

Hermione shot Ron a glare.

"I always hope they'll forget to give us these," commented Fred sadly.

"I'm not," Ron said. "There's enough weird noises and smells coming out of your room."

His older brothers leaned down over him. The grins on their faces weren't of the pleasant sort. Suddenly panicked, Ron stumbled back and away from them.

"Good holidays Ronniekins," they chimed. "See you at home."

And with that, George and Fred strode off ahead of them, calling out to Lee Jordan. Wide eyed, Ron watched them go. The rest of them turned to him, various reactions to what just happened between the Weasley brothers.

"Well," Harry said with a look of amusement on his face. "That sounds..."

"Terrifying," Ron squeaked out.

Susan sniffed. "As long as they've forgotten about the promise to us and trying to pull something now that our first year is over, I'm good. Don't look at me like that. They're your brothers. I'm sure you can deal with them."

They took the boats back across the lake, boarded the Hogwarts Express with waves, Hagrid giving a loud and blubbering farewell to them. There was no way to really fit all of them into the same train compartment, so they split up and put their things in two compartments. Hattie took one with Hannah, Susan, and Justin. Ernie found them a bit after they got settled and somehow, he got his stuff squeezed in and took a seat next to Justin. Harry took another compartment with Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Throughout the ride, they kept going back and forth, the doors open so they could shout back and forth, talking and laughing as the countryside passed by.

Dean and Seamus stopped by to say goodbye and wish them a good holiday. "Already told Malfoy I'd be practicing over the holidays," Dean informed Hattie with a competitive glint in his eyes. "I'll get more past him than you did next year. Just you wait and see."

Upon reaching the platform, it took a while for everyone to get out. Neville shyly pulled out the camera he'd brought back after the winter holidays for an updated picture of him and Hattie and Harry. Susan got the attention of a woman with short grey hair and a monocle, quickly introduced the serious woman as Madam Amelia Bones, her aunt, and then asked her aunt to take a picture of all of them. Giving Susan a steely gaze for the demand, Amelia Bones took the camera from Neville's grasp when Susan lowered her head, and took the picture for them. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you with what Susan has written about," she said in a booming voice. Her gaze hovered a bit over them and then she told Susan to say her goodbyes to her friends, stepping off to the side.

"A pleasure?" Hattie said, amused. Everyone was giving Susan startled looks her aunt's kind words.

Her brother appeared more amused than her. "What exactly did you tell your aunt about us and how the year has been going? A pleasure? You complain every chance you get."

"I do not. I can be positive if I want to. It's just the amount of trouble and, oh, I'll say it again even if Hattie's going to make that joke, and all the troll grade magnitude issues you two get involved in makes it extremely difficult, insisting on doing things no sane person would willingly want to do. Of course I complain and think of the worst!"

"Like that card you left me when I was in the Hospital Wing?"

Susan flushed. "Well." She turned her head and muttered. "You woke up, didn't you?"

And with that, Susan took off toward her aunt, the two of them disappearing through the crowd.

Spotting his gran looking on impatiently nearby, Neville hurried to make sure Trevor was still safe in his clutches, waving back as he rushed over to her. Hattie stared a bit. Was that a stuffed vulture sitting on his gran's shoulder? Hannah gasped quietly. "Oh, there's my parents waiting over there. I'll be sure to mail you over the summer, figure out a time when it's good to come over for..." She trailed off, turning about to look at where Hattie was looking. "Um, Hermione, I can mail you about that too. Really make it all us girls?"

Brown eyes went wide. "Really?"

Hannah nodded. "Yes, it'll be fun. See you soon."

Stunned, Hermione remained silent as she walked with them to the barrier to the platform. A guard stood by it, having people go across in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention. Hattie fixed her hold on her things, glancing over to check on Hedwig with Harry.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron turning to Harry. Then jolted and turned to Hattie, then Hermione. "Both of you too. I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry. "I'll need something to look forward to."

"Better than being around Uncle Vernon all that time," Hattie agreed. "Even if I'm looking forward to—"

"Dudley," her brother said with a roll of his eyes. "I know, I know. Ugh. I'm not."

"I know, I know," Hattie repeated back with her own eye roll. He snorted, bumping his shoulder into hers.

People jostled them as they made their way over to the gateway back to the muggle world. Some called out to them as they passed. Like Terry Boot.

"Looking forward to next year and continuing our hypotheses and experiments!"

Both Hattie and Hermione waved back at him. "Me too," Hermione called back.

"So long Hattie!"

"See you Harry!"

"Have a good holiday Hattie!"

"Bye Potters!"

"Until next year Harry!"

"Still famous," said Ron with a grin beside Harry.

"Not where we're going. I promise you," Harry said.

Catching sight of a familiar head of platinum blond hair through the crowds, Hattie called out across loudly enough to catch attention. "Bye Draco! Have a good summer holiday!" The head spun and she saw him looking, wide grey eyes spotting her easily enough with the crowds pausing to look at who yelled and then to who she was yelling at. A similar head of long platinum hair tucked neatly back with a fancy hair ribbon turned too, as well as a lady with her own long blonde hair, likely Draco's parents, who appeared taken aback in a bad way at her yelling. His mum seemed just a bit more curious while his dad looked clearly affronted. Draco's head swiveled up to them, then went back to her with his eyes narrowing, nose going up. Laughing, Hattie measured from her nose and then toward him with her hand. His lips cracked into a smile at it, then he was striding back and past his parents.

"Malfoy," Harry grumbled as he watched the boy leave. "That's just like him, to not even say goodbye. I don't get how you can still like him. It's Malfoy."

"Yep. That's Draco for you," Hattie said cheerfully. Draco was funny like that, being of two minds in how he reacted, making him more interesting and fun to mess with at times.

Hermione shrugged and nodded, agreeing with them.

"Let's go."

Harry and Ron broke into a run toward the gateway. As soon as they went through, Hermione turned to Hattie. "You and Hannah don't have to be nice with inviting me to join the two of you and Susan. I'll understand. The three of you are probably closer with sharing the same—"

"We're friends," Hattie said simply. "And we all get along with study groups and the wand experiments and academic competitions. Hannah invited you because she wanted to. Hannah's like that, you know? Besides, this way we can all get to know each other better without worrying about classes and have fun at the same time."

"All... Alright." A little smile cracked through Hermione's downcast worry. "Okay. It's just, honestly, the school year was nice with having friends for the first time, I was kind of afraid to hope it'd last into the summer too. Almost too good to be true. Or, it felt like it."

"Next," the guard called out. His dark gaze fell on them. "You two, step forward."

"Did you think I wasn't going to write you during the summer about fun facts? And all the ridiculous outrageous things? Especially after we get the book list for next year?"

Hermione's smile grew and she shook her head. "You better write Hattie."

"Of course! Let's go!"

Impatient, the guard waved. Together, they ran through the gateway and to the other side. A question greeted them.

"Ready are you?"

And the first thing Hattie saw was Uncle Vernon, his eyes bulging at seeing her and Hermione suddenly there. He was a bit purple in the face, still had the mustache, and as large as ever. Looking furious, his eyes flicked onto the cage Harry held that had Hedwig, then glancing around all the other people on the platform walking by noticing the owl. Uncle Vernon. Same as ever. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley.

Dudley's terrified eyes moved from Harry and brightened at seeing Hattie.

"You must be Harry's family," said Mrs. Weasley. George and Fred stepped up beside their mother, eyeing the Dursleys with interest, Percy stepping up as well, but he was eyeing not the Dursleys, but the twins suspiciously. Behind them, it looked as though Ron's younger sister was trying to jump and get a good look past all of them, but failing to get around George and Fred's hands pushing her back.

"In a manner of speaking," Uncle Vernon responded. "Hurry up boy. We haven't got all day girl."

He walked away. Harry peered at where Vernon was going, but stayed where he was at. Aunt Petunia glanced Hattie and Harry over quickly, then steered Dudley to follow Uncle Vernon. Dragging his feet, Dudley twisted his head about to stare curiously at Hermione beside Hattie, his eyebrows furrowing down in looking across the whole group of them still standing there. Aunt Petunia pressed him forward.

"We've only got a couple minutes before they're gone," Hattie said. She turned back to Hermione. "I'll mail you. You have a good holiday Hermione."

"See you over the summer then," Harry added in.

"Hope you have a good holiday," said Hermione. She looked uncertain, eyes going over to Uncle Vernon, appearing shocked.

"Oh, I will," said Harry. They looked surprised at the grin spreading on his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer."

"Boys!" Hattie complained loudly.

"Morons," he said the same time she did, grinning at her. "So? Serves him right."

"I'm with Harry," Fred said.

"But I think I'd have more fun with the bigger one," George followed up with.

The two looked at each other and then to Hattie and Harry, nodded decisively. "Right!"

"Boys!" Mrs. Weasley scolded them. "I won't be having any of that! Stay put right here! You two dears better hurry along now."

"See?" Harry said as they hurried along, waving back to the group behind them. "Even Fred and George agree. You got to admit, it'll be more fun if the Dursleys don't know that little detail."

"Aunt Petunia will. Remember?"

He shrugged, still grinning. "Things can change. Come on Thunder!"

"Flashy idiot."

"Lightning," he corrected.

"Fine." Hattie laughed. "Lightning Harry."

"And thunderous Hattie to the skies!"

Read, enjoy, and please review.

Thanks to Wolfs child for reviewing.

AN: This is crazy. So long. It's not like I'm getting crazy amount of attention for it. But that's fine. Because I've had fun in writing this expanding on the world and characters, it's kept me going back to adding on more and more. Which is something impressive. Considering how long I've slowly but steadily worked on it. Year One has come to an end.

Thank you to all who've stopped to read all this. And the work I put in it. I really wasn't expecting too many to read it as it's a writing of doing the Harry-has-a-sister trope thing, even if I'm using that to expand (really expand with this word count) on the world and characters already there. So really, I thank every person who's taken their time to check this out and read it. Even more to those follows, more to the favorites, and to those who took the time to write on my writing...on this story. Thank you.

As it's been a project to grow the world, I've done a lot of detail fun behind the scenes. Such as the grading scales. I also went to the trouble of doing final exam results for all the kids (the first years anyway). Did lots of fun math to figure out what came across as 'natural' in all the last minute points Dumbledore does. There's a class list I wrote out and figured at the start, facts and tidbits of all the students in Harry's class. As well as some of the other years. Speaking, er, kind of, on class list of students, I spent quite some time scanning the books and information online, sketching out and shifting things around to create an entire class schedule. So, I have created my own Hogwarts class schedule for every year and house and class to use for myself. Including the times for those official class study halls. Several characters, I've gone and taken personality tests 'as them' or how I write them, thus piled up the results and descriptions for those personality marks. I've had way too much fun with all the detail stuff in this story.

I had a whole thing typed out, going into detail fun and explanations of why, to celebrate finishing up Year One. But figured most people don't want to read through all of that. So I removed that. Still...for a bit of detail fun...

For the ones wondering like the Ravenclaws, here are the top scorers.
Charms - Hannah Abbott (120)
Defense Against the Dark Arts - Terry Boot (111)
Herbology - Morag MacDougal (114)
History - Blaise Zabini (108)
Potions - Draco Malfoy (115)
Transfiguration - Hattie Potter (120)

Bullseye Abbott indeed Justin.

To a detail during Year One that was missed from notice. Or fully noticing anyway. Harry+gang missed or ignored details through the book such as Quirrell being knocked over when Hermione set the fire, he sees things through his own lens and he's only 11 after all, but it also happened to Hattie. Harry noticed Snape around more often before his second Quidditch match. And Hattie noticed and was glad to not see Quirrell as much during this colder time of moving around the castle too. Completely missing that the two were related. That Professor Snape was making sure, at all the times he could and was able to, that Quirrell didn't have any chances.

Anyway. That's the end of Year One.