Alli continued through the corridors with her map in front of her. She had just reached the second floor, when she saw Professor McGonagall strolling towards her.

"Miss Potter, shouldn't you be in class?" said Professor McGonagall, sternly.

"Um, yes, actually," said Alli, quietly. She reached into her bag and pulled out her class schedule. "Whoever did my schedule put me in Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Snape, but when I went there, he told me to get out because I didn't know what O.W.L.s were, or something? I was told it's some standardized exam that I'm supposed to take and I don't even know what those are. Like, we didn't do those at my other school, at least not for this year. And-"

McGonagall held up a hand to shush her.

"I placed you in that class because, based on the transcripts we received, you are at that level in the subject."

"Well, can you tell Professor Snape that 'cause he just embarrassed me in front of the entire class," Alli said crossing her arms.

"I will speak with him," McGonagall answered.

"Okay, so where do I go for right now?" Alli asked. "'Cause I'm supposed to be in that class."

"You may come with me, Miss Potter."

Alli followed McGonagall all the way back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Professor Snape was in the middle of his lecture when they entered.

"Professor, wondering if I might have a word," McGonagall announced. Alli crossed her arms over her chest and placed a smirk on her face looking directly at Snape.

"Class is dismissed," Snape told the class.

"But, Professor, we haven't finished the lecture," Hermione replied in shock.

"Class dismissed," Snape repeated. As the class packed up and left, Snape met with McGonagall in the doorway. "You asked to speak with me?"

"Yeah, about my schedule," Alli interrupted still glaring at her professor. Snape looked at her with an expression of utter hatred.

"I have reviewed Miss Potter's transcripts from the school she had been attended in the United States. I believe she is at the correct level of education to continue in your class, Professor Snape. As headmistress, I give her permission to attend for the term," McGongall told Snape.

"Very well," said Snape.

"You are free to go to your next class, Miss Potter," McGonagall told Alli. Alli nodded once. She turned on her heel and walked away.

Asshole, Alli thought to herself. She took a look at her schedule.

"Lunch, then Potions with Slughorn," Alli muttered to herself.

By the time Alli arrived in the Great Hall for lunch, it was already packed with students digging into the delicious food that covered the tables. Alli noticed Draco sitting with a few others whom she recognized at the boys she had met on the carriages.

"Hey, Draco," said Alli, sitting down across from him. The three other boys and Draco ended their conversation, abruptly, and focused their attention on Alli. "What's up?" she asked.

Draco shrugged in response. He placed his arms on the table and looked away. Silence followed as Alli grabbed a sandwich that looked similar to a BLT from one of the many platters. She took off the top piece of bread and then began picking off the lettuce and tomato as she made conversation.

"What's your next class?" Alli asked.

"Potions," Draco told her nonchalantly.

"Hey, me too!" Alli exclaimed, "Who do you have?"

"The only Potions Master at the school, Potter," Goyle replied with disdain.

"How was I supposed to know there was only one?" Alli snapped.

"Told you Americans were idiots," Goyle said to Crabbe.

"Um, excuse me?" said Alli, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, Potter? Did you want to say something?" Goyle asked, looking down at her. Crabbe snickered. Draco stayed silent.

"Do you have a problem? 'Cause I can fix that in a fucking heartbeat," Alli snapped, pulling her wand from her pocket.

"Whoa," Crabbe laughed, "That sure was threatening."

Draco continued to sit there, not saying a word.

"Are you going to do anything?" Alli said to Draco, angrily.

"Leave her alone, Goyle," said Draco.

"Or, what?" Goyle asked.

"Or his father will curse your father," Crabbe told him sarcastically. Both of them laughed. Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed Alli's hand.

"Come on, Alli," said Draco. He pulled her away and out of the Great Hall. Alli yanked her hand out of his grip.

"What the hell was that?" Alli growled.

"It wasn't me that said those things to you," Draco told her.

"Well, you could have said something!" Alli argued.

"I did," Draco retorted.

"Yeah, after I asked you to!" yelled Alli, "Like, really? You aren't going to stand up for me?"

"I still said something to him."

Alli crossed her arms and huffed, annoyed. Draco didn't say anything else.

"Are you going to apologize or just stand there?" asked Alli, raising her eyebrows.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Alli."

"Fine, if you're not going to stand up for me then maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore," said Alli, angrily.

"Friends?" Draco laughed, sarcastically, "We're a bit more than friends, don't you think?"

"No," Alli said stubbornly.

"Oh, I think we are," Draco said in a quiet voice. He took a step closer to her. Alli stepped back.

"Well, if you aren't going to stand up for me when I need it, then no. We aren't anything," said Alli.

Draco leaned in closer as if he were thinking of kissing her. Instead, he said, "Fine. If that's how it is, then so be it."

He brushed her shoulder with his own as he walked away. Alli tilted her head back and groaned.

Despite the fact that she didn't care for the particular subject of Potions, Alli found that she liked Professor Slughorn as a teacher. Slughorn had directed the class to brew a very difficult potion called the Draught of Living Death. Alli had read over the brewing instructions and decided that this was officially the most difficult potion she had ever seen. The time flew by rather quickly, however, as Alli struggled with the potion-making. By the time class was over, not one students had managed to brew a perfect concoction. Once Slughorn had dismissed the class, Alli picked up her bag and was halfway out of the doorway when Professor Slughorn called her name.

"Miss Potter?" said Professor Slughorn. Alli turned around.

"Yes, Professor?" Alli replied, walking over to meet him.

"I noticed you were having difficulty with brewing today," Slughorn told her.

"Everyone was having difficulty with brewing today," Alli replied bluntly. Slughorn did not answer her immediately. Then, he gave her a small smile.

"I give the occasional supper party for those students who are exceptional in my eyes," Slughorn told her, "You are cordially invited to join me and those others who stand out from the rest."

"Um, thank you," said Alli, slowly, "I guess I can come, but I don't understand why you think I'm exceptional if I can't manage to brew the first potion we were assigned... especially when you just told me I'm not very good at it."

"You have done other exceptional things in your life, Miss Potter," Slughorn said with a smile,

"How do you-"

"You survived just as Harry did. I have to invite the Girl-Who-Lived to my supper party, don't you agree?" said Slughorn.

"Yeah," Alli said, slowly, "sure. I'll be there."

Her mind was preoccupied on how Slughorn knew about her past, so the rest of the first day rolled by quickly for Alli. After dinner, she entered the Slytherin Common Room and nearly ran directly into Draco. He caught her by her shoulders.

"Watch it," Draco said to her. Alli moved out of his touch and glared at him. "You're still angry with me?" said Draco with a smirk. Alli pursed her lips in reply. Draco frowned, and then obviously brushed it off because he walked away from her without another word and an emotionless expression.

When Alli entered her dormitory, Ashley was sitting cross-legged on her bed. She looked up from her homework and greeted Alli with a small smile.

"How was your first day of term?" Ashley asked her, nonchalantly, looking back down at her studies. Alli sat on the edge of her own bed and crossed her arms.

"It was okay," Alli replied.

"Mmm," said Ashley, "A letter arrived for you. It's on your bedside table."

Alli spotted the envelope with her name scripted on the front. She slid her finger along the edge to open it and pulled out a delicate parchment.

Miss Potter,

I cordially invite you to an exclusive supper party that I hold for exceptional students such as yourself. Those who have proved themselves worthy and important to me. The party will be held in my classroom on this evening, 6 September at 5 o'clock.

Sincerely,

Professor Horace Slughorn

"Weird," Alli muttered. Ashley looked up.

"Is something curious?" she asked.

"It's weird," Alli repeated. "I'm not curious about anything. It's just weird."

"Your lack of proper English is slightly unsettling," Ashley snickered.

"Um, what you just said made absolutely no sense," Alli said, "Curious is a verb, not an adjective."

"It's both," Ashley argued, "Besides, England invented the language, that's why it's called English."

"Whatever," said Alli with a wave of her hand.

"So, I win?" Ashley asked.

"No, I just refuse to argue with you over stupid shit like 'proper English,'" Alli mimicked in a British accent. Ashley rolled her eyes.

"So, what's weird?" asked Ashley, with emphasis on that particular word.

"This is an invitation for a stupid dinner thing that Slughorn is putting on, but like, he already told me about it after class."

"Well, maybe, he had sent them out before he told you?" Ashley suggested, "Or, he thought you may have forgotten?"

"Maybe," said Alli. She threw the invitation down on her bedside table. "Whatever. It looks like I'm going to this dumb party thing," she said. Alli glanced at the clock on her nightstand and her eyes widened at the time. "Shit, it's already 5:30!"

Alli threw open the door to her wardrobe and shuffled through her clothes. She finally decided on a simple, pale-pink dress that hugged her waist and flowed out from her hips to just above her knee. She threw it on and straightened out the clear, ruffled fabric underneath the skirt so it puffed out just perfectly. She fastened around her neck, a beautiful pearl necklace. Then, quickly ran a brush through her dark-brown hair and pulled it half-up. She touched up her makeup, slipped her feet into some gold heels, and was out the door in a hurry.