An Owl with the Black Family Crest lands on the Malfoys' dining room table about a week after Bloom moved to Potter Hall, with a note attached to its leg. Narcissa reads it, then says "We've been formally invited to Potter Hall. The note also acts as a Portkey."

When Draco reads it, he nearly bursts out laughing - it's a mixture of Bloom's handwriting and a style similar to his mother's that can only be Sirius'. Bloom made a note at the bottom that said 'Hermione, Ron, his siblings, and his parents are coming over. NO FIGHTING BETWEEN FATHERS! PS. Remus and Sirius found the locket. And Sirius patched things up with Kreacher, more or less - turns out it was affecting him a lot, along with a potion he was forced to drink and not being able to fulfill Regulus Black's last wish to destroy the damned thing. Already destroyed it. Three down, three to go'

Just another instance of Bloom being so unapologetically herself - it's been crystal clear from year one she wasn't going to change who she was, and everybody else - student and professor alike - would just have to deal with it. Its a good thing 'deportment lessons' and etiquette lessons are mostly just how to give a good first impression when you walk into the room and how not to put your foot in your mouth in a social event as soon as you open it. Because Draco doubts very much she'd change at all if someone said she had to - at least, not without one incredible reason that counts as legitimate in her book.

He gives his mother a look that says he's taking the Portkey alone if he has to, and she sighs and says "Lucius, something tells me either we're going, or we'll be alone in the Manor for the day."

Lucius grumbles "If Arthur would let the feud lie, then so would I. He's the one that led three raids against us that year."

"Just keep it civil, Lucius."

Arthur and Molly immediately tense up when Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco walk into the foyer, but the younger Weasleys seem alright. The Twins do make veiled threats about Draco treating Bloom right - or else, though that part is not mentioned - and then Bloom walks in with a huge grin on her face. She gives the adults a glare and says "No fighting - I will lock you in a room with no wands to work it out if I have to."

Lucius holds his hands up in surrender, which seems to placate Arthur - it certainly changes Bloom's mood completely. Draco gets practically dragged into another room by the twins, and Bloom quietly asks "Marriage contracts are seriously still around?"

Draco nods, and says "They vary, to. Some are simple, the father only asking for a set amount for his daughter's hand in marriage. Others, though, are a lot more complicated - clauses to protect the daughter in the event of something happening, a divorce for instance." Bloom gives him a raised eyebrow that asks 'And this one?' Draco chuckles, and says "According to Father, Sirius had every clause put in he could think of before it was signed."

Bloom chuckles quietly, but then the moment's broken when one of the Twins says "Hey, lovebirds, the rest of us are right here, you know."

Bloom rolls her eyes, then says "Yeah, yeah, Fred. We know."

"How do you know I'm not George?"

"Simple. I put what I call a Tracker on you earlier. Little bit of harmless magic…just identifies you." The Twins' expressions are priceless, and Ginny bursts out laughing immediately.

Once Ginny's stopped laughing, Ron says "This place is massive! At least as big as…dang, I can't say it. Sirius' old home."

Bloom grins, and asks "Anyone up for exploring? Or…Hide and Seek?"

The Purebloods are all confused, but Bloom and Hermione explain - they all agree to it, as long as there's no magic involved.

Bloom immediately puts an index finger to her nose, yelling "Not it!" Hermione does so at once to, and Ginny catches on at once and copies them. The Twins are next, and then Draco's just a bit faster than Ron. Ron grumbles, but starts counting to fifty with his eyes closed.

Draco's found first, having been hiding behind some thick drapes - not that creative, honestly.

Hermione takes a little longer, having been hiding in a small cupboard that she barely fit in.

Fred and George split up and hide at opposite ends of the place, but eventually get found.

Bloom, though, she's the absolute hardest to find - they end up searching every cupboard, crawl space, under every piece of furniture she could remotely fit under - all nothing. The only reason they don't think she's got the Invisibility Cloak is because Sirius holds it up.

Hermione mutters "You've got to be kidding me…I suppose she'd have quite a bit of experience hiding…"

Ron gets a look of realization on his face, and asks "'Mione, remember Bloom's story of how Hagrid found her and brought her to Diagon Alley?"

"Yeah, the Dursleys had packed up and moved out to that lighthouse on a rock somewhere, and Hagrid came and took her away. Why?"

"Remember where she hid when he walked in?" Hermione's expression turns dumbstruck for a minute, then she facepalms hard and says "Check all the fireplaces, guys. She can hide in them. Lit or not."

Draco's just passing a small fireplace when he sees some dust trickling down - bingo. He can't see anything when he looks up, right up until he shines a Lumos from his wand - Bloom's supporting her weight by her arms and legs, holding herself up in the chimney by her own strength. When she sees the light shining up, she looks down and says "Hey…"

"You picked one heck of a hiding spot. You know that?"

Bloom grins and nods, saying "I figured. Had to clean out the chimney back at Four Privet Drive enough times that I've had plenty of practice. Though, the soot in this one is….achoo!" That sneeze unbalances her, and Draco quickly pulls his head out before she comes crashing down on him - luckily, the fireplace is currently empty. So, she only comes down with a massive thud, instead of landing on logs or a grate.

Bloom groans and rubs her back, muttering "Ouch, not my best landing…"

Draco chuckles, pulling her up to her feet and wiping at a streak of soot on her cheek, and says "I've seen worse in Quidditch, you know."

Fred and George ruin the moment, just like Dumbledore did back at Malfoy Manor, when they suddenly Apparate in and one says "Break it up, you two!"

"No unsupervised snogging, you know!"

"Bloom, what happened to you?"

"You look like you got attacked by a Soot monster!"

Bloom shrugs, then says "I've faced down much worse than a bit of soot, you know."

"Yeah, we know. Ron told us. Acromantula colony."

"Quirrellmort."

"Were-Lupin."

"Tom himself in the Graveyard."

"Your Aunt."

"Your Uncle."

Bloom's look turns dark at that, and they quickly turn to Dueling circuits - that brightens Bloom's mood again, and Draco chimes in with a glare at the Twins directed behind Bloom's back. Bloom's always been good at spellwork, anything that requires a wand. Especially Charms.

She's good at every class, but she's got a particular flair in Charms - it's no secret that she's Flitwick's most promising student. She can Transfigure things like its nothing, its true, and she can prepare ingredients faster than most everyone else in the Double Potions class, but she seems to really love Charms and DADA - as far as Draco can figure out, she not only loves doing magic but also learned to love defending herself. Makes enough sense, honestly.

The very thought of facing Bloom in a professional duel - where anything up to Unforgivables can be allowed - makes him want to throw his wand down at once and surrender. He tried that once in second year, and she flattened him like a pancake with just a few spells.

One of the Twins asks "Malfoy, you alright?"

"Look a bit peaky there."

Draco nods, and says "Just trying to imagine being on the other end of a duel with Bloom. I can't imagine surviving that."

AN: Hey, everyone! Here's the next chapter, as promised! I've got class soon, so I'll make this quick - I know, it sucks, but that's life for ya. To end any confusion before it really begins, yes, Bloom is living with Sirius and Remus at Potter Hall.

Yes, they destroyed Slytherin's Locket - which Kreacher was very happy about, who was being very badly affected by a combination of the Potion Voldemort forced him to drink, the locket's influence on him, and not being able to fulfill Regulus' last wish. In short, he was being driven insane due to the wishes while being affected by the Horcrux - not a good combination. Anyone who's read or seen HP7 knows an active Horcrux affects someone's personality negatively.

And, yes, Bloom's being trained by Sirius and Remus off-screen - given the DADA professors they've had, its not very surprising that an ex-Auror and a former DADA professor, the only good one they ever had up to this point, would insist on teaching her.

Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming every week! Reviews are much loved!

PS. I need name ideas for the DA. Because it won't be called 'Dumbledore's Army' for sure. Right now, I'm at 'Hogwarts United' - if anyone has a better name, please share.