For the rest of 1992, Edel spent the days working on her holiday assignments and soon enough, New Years came and went smoothly.

The family spent it at home, ringing in the new year together and then as January 1st came in, Edel prepared for her journey back to Hogwarts, packing up her things and as she slept on the 2nd, her mind thought of mighty castles, flying cars and broomsticks and petrified students.

January 3rd, 1993.

"Alright Edel, you take care of yourself okay?"

Laurel smiled down at her daughter as they stood in front of 9, some families running through the barrier and a man, obviously a wizard with how oddly but fittingly dressed he was, watched and directed students and their parents through so as not to attract any muggles too closely.

Probably a great idea with how the wizarding world found it hard to blend in.

Edel nodded though she was bouncing on her feet.

"Yes mum… I will for the thousandth time!"

She whines slightly and Tony chuckled amused.

"Come on Laurel, just let her go. It's not like this is her first time."

"Yeah, and Luke and I are heading to the arcade later mum… we need to leave soon."

Louis grunted and Edel rolled her eyes.

Maybe she'd been too forward, thinking her brother was maturing.

Must have been a trick of her mind or something.

Laurel huffed at her son as she patted Edel's hair.

"Fine, fine… your poor mother's only being human. Just, send lots of letters, okay?'"

Edel nodded.

"Sure! But I need to go now mum! I have an important… thing, to do!"

Laurel narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Is there a boy I don't know about?"

"Mum!"

Edel shouted out indignantly though her cheeks reddened and Louis snickered while Tony laughed.

"Is it that Zahir fellow I hear about in your letters? Because—"

"Mum! I'm just 11! Ugh!"

"I know, but Thomas did tell me that magicals experienced puberty faster than us normal—"

"mum!"

"La, la, la, la, la, la, la… I can't hear you!"

Louis sang, his hand covering his ears and Tony laughed as Edel stared at her mother with an affronted face.

"Alright dear enough teasing."

Laurel smirked, hugging her daughter one last time.

"See you soon sweetie. And take care of yourself okay?"

Edel sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Bye Tony! See you Louis!"

She hugged Tony and he reciprocated and she playfully punched Louis who ruffled her hair rather harshly.

"Bye squirt."

With one last wave, the wizard by the entrance gave her a nod and she ran through the barrier, smiling as she spotted the Express again.

It was still as beautiful as she'd last seen it.

Gleaming red and honking as it prepared for it's journey to Hogwarts.

With an eager jiggle, Edel rushed towards the train, entering and looking through the compartment windows for any sign of her friends or familiar faces.

She spotted Anne in a compartment with an Hufflepuff girl whom she knew was as quiet as Anne herself from what Olive Jordan had told her.

Estelle something.

In another, she saw Vincent and Jamie with some other boys, playing wizards chess or laughing out boisterously.

A few compartments down, she passed one that had the platinum blonde girl in Ravenclaw in it.

Luna Lovegood.

From what Edel had seen, the girl was a slight oddity in how she acted.

She always seemed to be out of it and wore radish earrings and bottle cap necklaces, occasionally carrying about a weirdly shaped purple eyeglass and a magazine called the 'Quibbler'.

Edel rarely ever saw her in the company of others and put it down to the girl probably being a loner.

It also didn't help that the Ravenclaws didn't seem all too friendly with her from the weird looks and occasional sneers she'd seen from some of her housemates like Mildred Clayworth.

Mildred was an Half-blood like Edel and super annoying.

Edel had never talked to the blonde girl before nor had she ever been paired up with her in any class, mostly sticking to her Gryffindor housemates, but she'd exchanged the occasional greetings and smiles and waves with the girl so Edel didn't think she was that bad or anything.

Oh well, maybe she'd have the chance to talk to the girl some day.

Right now, she was super excited to be back in the Wizarding World and talk to her friends.

Finally, she found where they were.

A bit further to the back which was probably a good idea.

As soon as she opened the compartment, they turned to her and the Hogwarts Express honked loudly again as it prepared to leave.

"Edel!"

"Happy New Year!"

"Hey Edel!"

Edel beamed as she pulled her trunk in and Zahir stood up to help her like the gentleman that he was.

"Hey guys! It's so good to be back! How was the holiday?"

She asked as Zahir helped her put her trunk up and she thanked him, placing Midas' pet carrier on the side table and opening it and he let out a small displeased hiss before jumping on her lap, demanding scratches and relaxing.

May groaned.

"Ugh! It was so weird being back in the muggle world. And I realized I'm saying muggle now"

Edel brightened up at that.

"Yeah! Me too! It was… so odd!"

Winifred frowned slightly, her hair in an elaborate braid like last September as well. Probably her mother's doing.

"What else would you say?"

May shrugged.

"We did live in the muggle world after all… before that, it was just normal to us."

Edel nodded and Zahir shrugged.

"My holiday was okay. We had a big family Yules dinner. All the Shafiqs that is. It was slightly rowdy, grandfather is the eldest of his brothers but his mother's still alive, though she's really old. He has 4 other siblings who are married and have children and those children also have children too. And grandfather has 3 sons, Zayn's dad being the eldest and my dad being the second. The 3rd being 'eternally single' according to him anyways. But all in all, big family, not forgetting my mother's side too. When the Shafiqs get together, we're almost 25 in number… and probably still growing."

Edel and May stared at him in awe.

"Wow! That's a lot of Shafiqs."

Winifred snorts.

"You remember we go to school with the Weasleys. The Weasley siblings are 7 in number."

Edel choked.

"7 children?! Why?!"

"Were they trying to build a quidditch team or something?"

May snorts and Winifred giggles before sobering up.

"Maybe. I mean, Ginny's dad is an only child and over a decade ago, there was an outbreak of Dragon Pox amongst the old generation of the wizarding world and quite a lot of them died… maybe he's always wanted a big family."

Edel frowned.

Dragon Pox.

It idly made her wonder how her dad's parents also died.

If there had been an outbreak, it could have been how they died then.

Edel really needed to know more about her Hawthorne side.

Maybe during the coming holidays or something.

"Anyways, my holiday was slightly quiet. Christmas at home and my brother could make it too! Oh and I went for a Ball at the ministry for the New Years as my mother was invited. I think I saw your cousin there."

"Oh yeah. I heard about it. Grandfather had been invited but wasn't interested as he knew it was just Fudge trying to rally high standing purebloods to his side, the Shafiqs are part of the Sacred 28 so he probably wanted to meet the Lord of my house, but grandfather gave my uncle instead to go on his behalf."

"Fudge?"

May questioned and Edel giggled.

"Cornelius Fudge, May. He's the Minister for Magic. You'd do well to remember him at least."

May waved her off.

"Whatever. It's not like he's the Queen. The Queen is the Queen of the British Wizarding World too, right?"

She turned to Winifred and Zahir and it was Zahir who answered.

"Yeah, but she's just the ceremonial head. Fudge and the Wizengamot have the power. There's some sort of story on it. Dad used to tell me as a child. Apparently if there's a sort of emergency or catastrophe, then the Crown can intervene and make decisions over the Wizengamot and the Minister. Something about the Crown being blessed by Merlin before he vanished or something. No one knows if it's true of course so it's all fairytale."

Edel blinked.

"Well that sounds awesome. My holiday went fine, until extended families were involved. Let's just say they are people you never want to meet and leave it at that."

The others snort and then May talks.

"Mine was alright. My dad's younger brother had a December wedding and it took place on the 28th. It was nice since I got to stay at a resort owned by the bride's family. Mum says they're proud snobs and worries for the future of that marriage. From the small interaction I had with the bride, I have to say I agree with my mum. Oh, and thanks for the presents you guys! Especially you Winifred!"

She rummaged through her small bag and unfurled a quidditch poster for the British National Team, the players flying on broomsticks doing 5 seconds loops.

There was also a signature on it.

"Whose signature is that?"

Zahir questioned and May beamed with starry eyes.

"August Merrythought! I swear I just might marry your brother Winifred."

Said girl grimaced in disgust.

"Ew, he'll be turning 20 soon! Pedophilia is a thing in the magical world."

May waved her off.

"It's also a thing in the muggle world. I'm talking about the future here. Anyways, she also got me a Quidditch Weekly special Christmas edition! It has some interviews from some of the best British quidditch players in Britain in it!"

Edel oohed and ahhed as she went through the magazine, Zahir doing the same too.

"And I think August is also going to be signed on a 2 year contract for the time being with Puddlemere United as a chaser during the holidays!"

Winifred squealed excitedly and the others gasped, ignoring the train moving through vast greeneries.

"Really?? I thought he'd be practicing with the national team for the world cup next year."

Edel and May gasped excitedly.

"World cup?"

Winifred nods.

"Yeah. Every 4 years. He got a one year contract with said Puddlemere after graduation and did really well and that was why he was recommended to the National team, even though he's still a reserve there for now. Guess they want him back."

She smirked with a smug look and Zahir rolled his eyes amused.

"You should see how smug you are even though you're not your brother."

Winifred smirked unconcerned.

"I can use his name to brag anyways."

They all chuckle and it's quiet for a moment before Zahir claps.

"Oh! I almost forgot! I talked to my grandfather and asked him all about basilisks!"

That immediately got their attention.

"So, I think he was pretty much concerned that I was asking about those deadly creatures until I promised him I wouldn't try to create them."

Zahir added amused and the girls snort.

"I mean, you can't blame him. Giant snakes that can kill with just their eyes… yeah, no."

Winifred shudders slightly and Zahir continues.

"He said it's true that not much is known about them, but there have been rumors around the world for decades and centuries about the beings and what they're capable of. Some say touching their skin alone without protection is dangerous as it's poisonous. Also, hearing their hisses and snarls is so gut wrenching that it basically freezes their prey and makes it easier for them to be caught. And then…"

He smirks, leaning in and making the others do the same.

"Looking them in the eyes through a reflective surface turns the victim to stone."

The girls gasp at that.

"Petrification… like Colin and that Hufflepuff boy."

Edel whispered and Zahir nodded somberly.

Winifred shudders in fear as she hugs herself.

"So, is that it?... Is that what is really attacking the students? And more importantly, do the professors know??"

Zahir shrugs.

"I mean, like I said, no one knows much about basilisks so… we could be wrong though… basilisks are HUGE. How is it moving around the castle without anyone catching any sight of it?"

"We'll just have to research it. And find ways to protect ourselves. As well as carry reflective items like mirrors around us."

Zahir wrinkles his nose.

"I dunno…"

Edel glared at him.

"Better to be safe than sorry! I mean… if we're going to be technical about it, Colin probably saw it through his camera."

May's eyes widened at that.

"Oh yeah!! And didn't you say the Hufflepuff boy had been found behind Nearly Headless Nick? He probably looked through him at the snake."

"God I hope we're seriously wrong about this."

Winifred mumbled under her breath but Edel got more excited.

"Oh come on Winifred! What if we're right?! We could be awarded when we bring our proof to the school!"

Winifred gave her a look.

"Oh? And what proof do we have exactly?? We've been doing guess work all this while, we have no papers of proof whatsoever. Oh, and don't forget it was said that Hagrid opened the chamber 50 years ago. We haven't asked him what he thinks, or who Tom Riddle is… or Myrtle Warren! We have so many loose ends here!"

Edel frowned.

Winifred was right.

Hagrid.

Tom Riddle.

Myrtle Warren.

Who exactly were they?

Maybe Elora could help her out with the last two.

She'd ask her when they got settled in Hogwarts again.

She looked back up at her friends.

"Okay. We'll discuss more on this later. Did you guys see the paper on Christmas?? Everyone knows about Harry Potter being a Parselmouth, and they think he's going dark or something!"

Zahir shrugged.

"Can't really blame them."

Edel raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't he the wizarding world's savior though?"

Winifred shrugged.

"Maybe. But no one knows where he was until he showed up last year apparently. There was a whole article on him in the papers, speculating where he had been hidden. Some say Dumbledore raised him."

"I heard from some boys that he was raised by muggles."

Zahir added and the girls turned to him.

"Really?... Well it'll explain his weird dress sense."

May admitted and Edel snickered while Winifred nods.

"Yes. Muggles have a very odd dress sense."

May and Edel exchange looks before Edel voiced their thoughts to the girl.

"I think it should be the other way around about Wizards. You all dress so oddly when in the presence of muggles it's a bit funny to watch. Especially some who brought their kids to the express from the outside. You should have seen the color riots."

She snickered.

Just then, the trolley lady walked passed and stopped at their compartment door, opening it.

"Anything off the trolley dears?"

They immediately stood up, crowding outside the compartment as they chose what to get and as they settled back in, they chattered about everything from classes to other friends to Hogwarts food, and that evening, as they rode to Hogwarts with the carriage and Edel sported the school from afar, she beamed.

It was good to be back.

So they're back in school, and a couple of things have been brought to their attention also.

Much more investigative work for them to deal with and in the following chapters we see them search for more answers.

I had to put a little teasing between Edel and her mum. There will be no little kids romance in this story and even after, the pairings will not be as straightforward. But hope you look forward to the next chapter, thank you!