P.S. This story was written with help from my friend Claire. Thanks, Claire—I couldn't have done it without you!!

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Chapter One (The Announcement)…

"I think I'm coming down with a cold," said Hermione, sniffing and reaching for a napkin.

"Ask Madam Pomfrey for a Pepperup Potion!" said Harry concernedly.

"No, it's not that bad," she replied, "it's just a c—"

But then she stopped. "Guys, shh! Dumbledore's making an announcement."

Sure enough, the headmaster was standing up. Hermione pressed her finger to her lips, sniffed again, reached for another napkin, and then sat upright.

Harry, Ron, and Andrea, Harry's long-lost sister, looked at each other for a minute, shrugged, and listened too.

"I have a very important announcement to make," Dumbledore said.

Malfoy sniggered, but Dumbledore wasn't listening.

"We're going to have a little bit of a field trip," he said. "It's more of a test. I'm sure you all are going to pass it fine. Minerva…explain?"

"Thank you, Albus," said Professor McGonagall, standing up. "This is going to be a test of your wits in the outdoors without magic. It is to teach you what life is like for Muggles. The fifth years will be put into teams of twos and threes and set out in the wilderness for two days. On the evening of the second day, Hagrid will pick you up. Since you will be in an environment controlled by the school, no serious harm will befall you. If nothing goes wrong, we will be continuing this next year.

"You will need to give your parent or guardian a permission form to sign to say you can go on this field trip. You must send it to them by owl, since the mailman doesn't come here. The trip will be in seven days, so I daresay that will be enough time. After the trip is done, you will have a day off from your studies, a day of rest, if you will."

There was whispering among the students, but then Dumbledore raised his arms for silence, and the school shut up.

"Thank you, Minerva," said Dumbledore gracefully, and he said to the students, "Now, kindly continue eating your dinner."

"That sounds like a great learning experience," said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but it sounds dangerous," Ron replied.

"Oh, Ronnie," Andrea said. "I hope I'm on a team with you!"

"Don't be silly, Andrea, they won't be putting us in coed teams," Hermione scoffed, watching as two of her three best friends started to kiss again. Ron and Andrea had been going out for a long time—ever since Harry's first year, they had known how much they loved each other. Harry was going with Hermione, too, but they didn't kiss quite as much. Hermione turned to Harry. "Do you think it sounds fun?"

"Sort of," he said, continuing his dinner.

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When dinner was over, and the students were filing out of the hall, the Heads of Houses handed out the permission slips to the students. As McGonagall handed out a permission slip to Hermione, Andrea, Harry, and Ron each, Hermione was talking to Andrea about how educational this was going to be, Ron was sighing, but Harry was watching Malfoy. He heard Malfoy say to Crabbe and Goyle, as Snape shoved a permission slip into his hands, "I can't believe he's making us go on this trip. It's Dumbledore's dumbest idea yet. My father will never let me go on this trip…"

"Really, Malfoy?" said Harry loudly. "Afraid of roughing it?"

"NO!" Malfoy said angrily.

"Well, then you should send that permission slip right away," Ron told him, joining in.

"I don't NEED to!" said Malfoy. "I could survive in the wilderness for ten days with my hands tied behind my back!"

"Here, then," said Andrea. She grabbed Malfoy's permission slip and filled it out, trying to make her handwriting as boyish as possible.

"This is what I'm writing," she said. "Here's a note at the bottom. 'Dear Father and Mother, I am not afraid of roughing it in the wilderness. I sent this permission slip right away! I could survive in the wilderness for ten days with my hands behind my back. Make sure you sign this permission slip so I can go on the survival trip. Love, your little boy, Draco.'

"See?" she said. "I already did it for you!"

"HEY!" screamed Malfoy. "GIVE THAT BACK, POTTER!"

"Here, Hedwig!" called Harry. "Here!"

Hermione pulled some Owl Treats out of her bag. "Here, Hedwig! Harry has some nice Owl Treats for you and Pigwidgeon!"

Some seconds passed. Then, Hedwig and Pigwidgeon came flying into the corridor leading out of the Great Hall, obviously led there by the Owl Treats.

Harry let Hedwig perch on Hermione's arm (Hermione was the one feeding Hedwig the Owl Treats) and Pigwidgeon twittered around Ron's head.

"Here!" yelled Ron. "Just EAT them!"

"Okay. Anyway," said Andrea, "I definitely don't want you to have to go to the trouble of sending this letter to your parents, Malfoy…so why don't I just send it?"

"NO! LET ME SEND IT!!!"

"Too late," said Harry in a satisfied tone of voice. "Hedwig, try to find Malfoy's manor. Can you do that for us?"

Hedwig clicked her beak and pecked Harry's finger affectionately, and then off she flew into the sky, Malfoy howling with rage.