I hope you like this chapter! I stood up late trying to finish writing this! Thanks to everyone who favorited/reviewed/subscribed/read my story. It means SO much to me! Oh and you guys did it! 104 reviews! Thanks so much! Without further ado, chapter 26!

Mum,

I swear! I will try to so my best. School has just been so hectic and it's all because of these stupid O.W.L's.

Everyone is doing fine, they'll be happy to know you asked.

Quidditch is going good. I've been working on some new scoring techniques and stuff. Trials are coming up.

No, I DO NOT have a boyfriend. Even though I know you are teasing, please stop. It isn't funny.

It's hard enough to find a friend that's not related, or a family friend or whatnot. I hate when kids just sit down and talk about me as if they know me. I don't even know my roommates that well! That bugs me. All I'm asking for is one person who can look past my last name and see who I am on the inside.

What do you think I should do?

Rox

P.S Have fun in Brazil! And tell dad to have fun in Australia! Souvenirs for Fred and I ARE NOT optional.

"So, I was thinking, that all of us Gryffindor girls should get together on Tuesdays and Thursdays and study for our upcoming O.W.L's." Jacqueline Finnegan said, sitting on her four-poster bed.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea! We can meet during lunch, after dinner." Kayla Cunningham added.

"I'm going to need all of the studying I can get, because if I fail, my parents will go absolutely mental!" Georgia Finch-Fletchly exclaimed, not bothering to look up from her copy of Teen Witch Weekly.

"See, we can just play off of each other's strengths." Jacqueline then looked at Kayla. "Kayla, you're really good in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures,"

She turned to Georgia. "Georgia, you are really, really good in Astronomy and Charms!"

"That last History of Magic test was really hard, but you got the highest grade in the class, Ellie!" She says, looking right at me. "You have a real flair for potions as well!" she added.

Jacqueline gets up from her bed, and walks towards the middle of the room. "And my strongest subjects are Divination and Transfiguration! If we all work toget-"

"Well, what about Defense?" I ask.

"Well, nobody here is that great in that class, so I guess we'll have to wing it when we get to that portion of the test." Jacqueline sates.

"Well, what about Roxanne? She's really good in Defense Against The Dark Arts. Why can't she be in our study group?" I ask, looking for someone to understand where I'm coming from.

"Ellie, how many times do we have to tell you, we don't associate with her." Georgia put down the magazine and walked over to Ellie's bed and sat down next to her.

"I know you're a muggle-born and you don't understand the Wizarding World Social Hierarchy just yet, but Roxanne is a member of the Weasley family, and the Weasley's and the Potter's are as close to royalty as you can get." Kayla clarified.

"And you don't want to get all tangled up in their little world. Roxanne is filthy rich! Why would she want to spend her time with people who aren't on the same level as her?" Georgia added.

"But she seems so nice!" I threw out there, but I had no takers.

"Ellie, do yourself a favor and stay away from her. Girls like her are nothing but bad news. Look at Estelle Zabini and Gemma Nott. You do not want to be frineds with people like that. The only thing they'll contribue to the group is drama." Jacqueline said, emotionless.

"Another thing to take into consideration, is that her dad brings in billions of galleons a day. Regardless of how bad she does on the test, it won't even matter. She has gold on top of a golden surname. There's no job she can't possibly can't buy herself into." Kayla stated.

"But she doesn't have to be all rich and snobby, does she? She could be the nicest person in the world and we'd never get the chance to find out if that were true?" I yelled, Jacqueline started to say something, but I continued anyway.

"For four years, I've listened to everything you had to say about her without question, and for four years, I've seen her come into our dormitory, very quietly, then disappear behind the curtains of her four-poster bed."

I'm furious; I get up off the bed and make my way towards the door. All eyes are on me.

"Maybe before you judge someone, and call them shallow, you should check yourselves first." And on that note, I was off.

I ran down the stairs into the common room, where I felt the tears start to form in my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, as to avoid unwanted attention.

As I made my way out of the portrait hole, I couldn't help but think how much I have in common with Roxanne, even though I haven't met her personally.

Before Hogwarts, I always was the most teased girl at my primary school. Everyone thought so lowly of my family and I. My parents can't afford to buy my and my six other siblings new clothes. I mostly wear my older sisters' hand-me-downs, and my brother, being the only boy, will usually get clothes from my dad.

In primary school, the mean boys in my class would tease me about how poor my family was. The girls would never invite me to their tea parties, or sleepovers because they saw me as dirty, and smelly, considering my family lived and worked on our farm.

But I was far from dirty and smelly and gross. The room I shared with my sister was a bright shade of pink. I loved frill and lace. I had about a billion stuffed animals, and I loved when my family had formal dinners, so I could dress up.

Not that any of the girls at school knew that.

Accidental magic didn't help my case either.

When Professor Longbottom showed up at my house on my eleventh birthday, I saw Hogwarts as a second chance, a new start. Where people were welcoming and friendly and open-minded.

Or so I thought.

Seeing how my dormmates treat Roxanne, reminds me of how my classmates treated me, back in primary school, and treating Roxanne like that made me no better than all of them.

I'm walking down the crowded corridor, no; sprinting would be a better word. I feel completely guilty, about believing all the lies they fed me, for not forming my own opinions. I really just wish, I wish I could run in to her and apologize, and get the chance to really meet her.

Little did I know, I had literally, ran into her.

"Sorry! I am so, so, sorry!" I said. We were sprawled on the floor in a sea of parchment, quills, and books, ones she must have been carrying.

"No, no! It's my fault! I couldn't see over this giant stack of books my cousin wanted me to check out." She said, quickly throwing the parchment and quills into her messenger bag, then restacking her books.

I help her gather all of the items, when suddenly a large crowd of people starts to surround us. I lifted up one of the pieces of parchment on the ground, only to find her glasses.

"Roxanne, your glasses." I handed them to her.

She took them, put them back on her face and starts to stand back up. "Oh, thanks." She says.

After picking up all of her things, she starts to walk away.

And I just stood there.

Like an idiot.

Ellie! What is your problem! You wanted to apologize! You had the perfect opportunity to talk to her, and you blew it! Go and get her. Summon up all of that Gryffindor courage! I think.

"Roxanne! Err…wait up!" I call and jog towards her. She stops and turns towards me.

"Did I drop something else?" She asked.

"No, it's, it's not that. I…em…" I stuttered. Come on Ellie! Don't make a fool out of yourself!

"Let me help you with those. They look awfully heavy." I reach out and take three of her six books.

As we walk back towards Gryffindor Tower, I avoid the stares by passing students.

"Why…why do you want to help me?" She asked hesitantly. "You've ignored me for four years. What makes today any different?"

"I'm tired of letting the opinions of the other kids cloud my own. If it's okay with you, I'd like to get to know you better." I finally explain.

We've reached the portrait hole, and she looks at me.

"Wow. I…I dunno what to say." She takes in a deep breath. "No."

"Good! I'm so glad you want to be my frie- did you just say no?" I stood there and gaped.

She was quiet, just staring me straight in the eye, emotionless expression.

But then, she busts out laughing.

Laughing.

LAUGHING.

And I'm just standing there, like an idiot.

Mouth all open and such.

Through fits of laughter, she says, "If you're going to be my friend, you're going to need to grow a funny bone!"

"So…so, you want to be friends? Like, for real?" I ask.

"Yeah, for sure!" Roxanne smiles.

Roxanne gives The Fat Lady the password, and we walk inside. We put the books in what fellow Gryffindors deemed 'The Weasley Corner', and sat down on the couch.

"You know, you're the first person to ever ask to be my friend." She said.

"Really?" I asked. "I'd assume that someone as famous as you would have tons of people begging to hang out with you."

"Not really. I just think that they see how snobbish all of the other girls with wealthy parents act, and they assume I act like that too." She explained.

"Well, actually talking to you, I can see you're not snobbish at all. Sorry for judging you earlier." I apologized.

"No problem. We're human, it's in our nature to judge."

"Here we are talking like long-lost friends, and you probably don't know who I am. I'm-" I started.

"Isn't it Ella?"

"Ellison, but you can call me, Ellie. Everyone calls me Ellie. Ellison Goulding."

As soon as I say my last name, Roxanne smile falls.

"Are you related to Alexander Goulding? In Ravenclaw House?"

"Yep. Know it all, my brother is."

She looks uneasy. Damn it! What did I say?

"Yeah, everyone talks so highly of him. He looks like a very nice guy."

I shrugged. "Yeah, as long as he's not annoying me or any of my other sisters."

We quickly stopped talking about my brother.

Very weird thing to talk about.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." I said.

"Me too, Ellie. Me too." She replied.

Dear Roxanne,

Your mum and I just got your letter. We are both really happy that you made a new friend. Your mum was going off about how melodramatic you can be sometimes, but we both knew you had it in you. From the girls who picked on you when you're younger, and the girls who pretended to be your friends not too long ago, we knew as parents you were going to have problems with making friends.

But you being you, you go and make your weaknesses your strengths. Pretty soon, I promise love, that all of those mean people will see what fools they were, ever turning you down. You are such a beautiful girl (I mean, young woman) and I can't wait for the world to see you as I do.

Yours truly,

Dad

George neatly folded and sealed the letter and stuffed it into his desk drawer, amongst the hundred others.

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