On the morning of Elena's thirteenth birthday, Joanna and Riley sneakily enter their little sister's room. Joanna is holding a muffin with a candle in it, and Riley is holding several presents that are balanced precariously in her arms.

"On three," Joanna whispers.

Riley nods.

"One," Joanna says. "Two. Three!"

"Happy birthday!" They chorus as they jump onto Elena's bed.

Elena sits bolt upright and nearly headbutts Riley.

"What the hell?!" Elena all but yells. Then she notices what her sisters are holding and laughs. "You know, you could have woken me up a little more gently. It is, after all, my birthday."

Riley smirks. "What's the fun in that?"

Joanna hands the muffin to Elena, who immediately blows out the candle.

"Mmmm, blueberry," Elena hums as she takes a bite out of the muffin. "My favorite. You two are the best."

"We know," Riley and Joanna chorus. Then they all burst into laughter.

~3~

August thirty-first comes all too soon. Elena already has all of her things packed, so all she has to do is say goodbye to her sisters, promising to write them at least once a week because, according to Riley, Elena didn't write to them nearly enough last year.

Andromeda, Tonks, and Fifi are all standing and waiting for Elena when she arrives at the Leaky Cauldron.

"I want the three of you back here by ten. No excuses," Andromeda states. She then walks away and goes up to her room.

The three girls link arms and go barrelling into Diagon Alley, babbling about their summer as they go.

~3~

"I want to go to the Magical Menagerie quickly," Elena says as they pass by the store.

"Why? You already have a pet," Fifi says.

"I want to get an owl for Riley and Joanna so that they can send me letters whenever they want instead of having to wait for when I send Snow with a letter."

They all enter the store. As Elena whistles the tune Snape did two years ago, Fifi looks at the cats, and Tonks goes over to get some more rabbit care items.

There are so many different breeds of owls, ranging from hatchlings to elders. Elena notices a spotted owl at the edge of the group, and it seems to be skittish and timid. Elena slowly moves over to it, but it hops away.

"It's alright," Elena coos.

She holds out her hand. The owl sniffs it uncertainly, looks up at her, then rubs her head against Elena's hand. Elena gingerly scoops the owl into her hands.

"You're a sweet little thing, aren't you? Riley and Joanna will absolutely adore you. And I think I'll name you Feather."

With the owl on her shoulder, Elena walks over to Fifi. "Are you seriously considering getting a pet?"

Fifi nods. "Yeah, I think so."

"Just don't get a cat, please. Snuffles gets nervous enough around Snow, so I don't want him to get too afraid," Tonks says as she joins them, her arms laden with items.

"If I were to get a cat, it would be well behaved. Besides, the only time Snuffles would see the cat is when we're on the Hogwarts Express."

"Still, he's my precious bun-bun, and I don't want anything to happen to him."

Fifi rolls her eyes. "I promise you, Tonks, that when I get my cat, Snuffles will never see hide nor hair of him."

Tonks growls and storms out of the store, Elena following closely behind.

"I know what you're going to say, so you don't have to say it," Tonks grumbles.

"You're going to listen to me, whether you like it or not. I defended your getting a pet last year to Fifi, so I'm going to do the same for her. It's her right to get a cat if she wants to."

Tonks shrugs. "That's fair."

"What is with all of this iciness between the two of you?"

"Everything has to be perfect for her, and she is such a stickler for rules. I guess I'm just a little frustrated, but I'm sure I'll get over it."

"You'd better. I don't like being in the middle of all of this."

"I will. Eventually."

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, whiz chick."

Elena throws her arm around Tonks's shoulders. "And anything for you, bestie."

~3~

Early the next morning, Andromeda wakes the three girls.

"Come on, you three. I need to have you at the Hogwarts Express in an hour."

Elena, with a bright smile on her face, immediately jumps out of bed, Fifi stirs and groggily gets up, and Tonks buries her head deeper under the pillow, mumbling, "Five more minutes."

"Up and at 'em, Tonksy wonksy!" Elena enthuses as she pulls the covers off of a shivering Tonks.

"I suggest, if you want to remain un-jinxed, that you let me sleep," Tonks grumbles.

"Someone's a little cranky this morning," Elena says with a fake pout. "It's a bright and beautiful morning, but you're missing out on it."

"Good."

Elena scowls. "Alright, grouchy puss. You're getting out of bed right now, or I will dump a pail of water on you."

Tonks cracks a single eye open. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Tonks considers her options for a moment, wondering if she could jinx Elena and still get some more sleep without getting water dumped on her, but she ultimately gets up and starts getting ready for the day ahead of her.

~3~

The three girls and Andromeda run into the Weasley family on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Mrs. Weasley gives them each a hug. Charlie stands at his mother's side, slightly embarrassed.

"How are you three doing? I've heard you've been getting into quite a bit of mischief at Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley says with a hint of disapproval.

"Mum," Charlie groans. "Don't reprimand my friends."

Tonks and Elena cover their mouths to stifle their giggles, while Phoenix looks at them with displeasure.

"I'm not reprimanding them. I'm merely pointing out a fact."

"You are reprimanding them."

Andromeda steps up behind her daughter, placing her hands on Tonks's shoulders. "I agree with Mrs. Weasley. They should try harder to not get into so much trouble."

"Yeah. Like that's going to happen," Tonks says sarcastically.

"My darling, you need to learn to hold that wicked tongue of yours," Andromeda admonishes.

"I like my wicked tongue as it is, thank you."

Elena and Charlie both burst out laughing, but they stop when they see Fifi's harsh glare.

"Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks! I thought I raised you better than to talk back to me."

"Apparently not."

Thankfully, the train whistle blows, saving them all from further embarrassment. Elena, Tonks, Charlie, and Phoenix all rush away and board the train, Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda staring after them.

~3~

Elena, Tonks, and Fifi all make their way down to their first lesson of the term, which happens to be Herbology, early the next morning.

"So, rumor has it that today we're going to be working with dried nettles," Tonks says, breaking their comfortable silence.

Fifi looks suspicious. "Who told you that?"

"The fourth-years."

Fifi rolls her eyes. "They were also the ones who convinced you that Professor Snape's Patronus is a snake. I would take whatever they say with a grain of salt."

"I'm still convinced his Patronus is a snake; I mean, have you met the man? He's a snake himself," Tonks says.

"My point exactly. You're too naive and gullible, Tonks."

"Leave her alone, Fifi," Elena states as she wraps an arm around Tonks's shoulders. "There's no need for you to be so harsh."

Fifi sighs. "You're right. I'm sorry, Tonks. I just don't want you to be taken advantage of."

Tonks shrugs. "No worries. Thanks for having my back, Fifs."

The three girls make it to Greenhouse Three with five minutes to spare, so they use that time to gather the items Professor Sprout has written on the board. It turns out that the fourth-years were right- they really are working with dried nettles today.

Professor Sprout clears her throat and taps the glass wall with her wand. "Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Professor Sprout," everyone choruses.

"Today, as you all may have guessed, we will be working with dried nettles. I want you all to be very careful while you work with these delicate plants; Professor Snape needs these in pristine shape. Now, watch me."

Sprout begins to show them what to do, then dismisses them to do the same.

As Tonks starts (not so gently) working with her plant, Elena catches something moving within Tonks's pot.

"Hang on a second, Tonks. I think there's something in your dried nettle."

"What could possibly be-"

A boggart of a werewolf suddenly jumps out from the pot into Tonks's face. Tonks screams and stumbles backward until her bottom hits the edge of a table.

Everyone in the greenhouse turns to look at the commotion.

Tonks tries to hit the boggart with a spell, but she's shaking so badly that she can barely hold her wand.

Elena springs forward, her wand at the ready. "Riddikulus!"

The boggart leaps off Tonks and in front of Professor Sprout, changing forms as it goes so that it is now Lord Voldemort. Professor Sprout performs some kind of advanced spell that makes the boggart disappear. After that, she rushes over to Tonks, who is shaking violently and is as pale as a full moon.

"My word, Miss Tonks! It was only a boggart," Sprout says. "Well, seeing as you are pretty shaken up, I'm sending you to the Infirmary. Miss Davies, will you please escort her there?"

"Of course, Professor."

Elena helps Tonks stand up, then gently guides her up to the castle, through the corridors, and into the Infirmary.

Tonks is still quite pale, but she's looking better now that she's out of reach of the boggart.

"Promise me you won't mention this to anyone," Tonks whispers, her voice shaky.

"I promise. I will never let anyone think poorly of my best friend," Elena states resolutely.

"Thank you, Elena. It means more to me than you will ever know." Tonks gives Elena an awkward side-hug.

~3~

By the next morning, word has been spread (by Rita Skeeter, no doubt) of Tonks's encounter with the boggart. Elena's had it with the girl, so at lunch, she storms over to the Slytherin table to give Rita a piece of her mind. Fifi, Tonks, and Charlie follow after her, all of them trying to get her to stop.

"Don't do this, Elena," Tonks says urgently. "It's okay."

"It's not okay," Elena growls. "She needs to be put into her place."

"Agreed, but this isn't the way to do it."

"I'm with Tonks," Fifi states.

Elena ignores them and stomps over to Rita.

"How dare you!" Elena shouts, causing everyone within earshot to look at her. "You do not make fun of someone because of their fears! Do you know how cruel that is? How would you like it if someone used your worst fear against you?"

Rita turns around to face Elena, a wicked smirk on her face. "My, my, look who's got themself a personal guard. You've obviously lost your touch, Nymphadora- you used to always settle your fights on your own."

Tonks's hair flashes a bright, furious red. Charlie and Fifi grab her arms to keep her from physically going after Rita.

"At least I have the guts to stand up for the people who mean the most to me, unlike you," Tonks hisses. "You were a coward then, and you're a coward now."

Rita pales. "What happened at camp was not my fault, and you know it, Nymphadora!"

"Really? Because, as I remember it, you were the one who-"

Stepping up behind the group, Snape asks, "What is going on over here?"

"Nothing, Professor," Elena, Tonks, Charlie, and Fifi all chorus.

Snape looks at Rita. "Is this true, Miss Skeeter?"

"Actually, Professor," Rita starts, but a quick glance at Tonks makes her stop. "Everything is just fine. Just a lively quidditch discussion."

Snape raises an eyebrow, but he walks away from them all the same.

"Thank you, Rita," Tonks mumbles.

"Don't thank me. You'll get what's coming to you." She gets up and walks out of the Great Hall without another word.

The four friends make their way to their separate tables, unsure what to make of Rita's ominous threat.

A/N I'm so sorry this chapter wasn't as long as usual, but I hope y'all liked it! I probably won't be able to update again for a couple of weeks, so I apologize in advance! Happy Thanksgiving to all of y'all who celebrate it!

As usual, I would love to hear y'all's ideas, theories, and comments! If you have any ideas for pranks the troublemakers could pull, I would love to hear them! Until next time, my lovelies!