It got easier after the first day for Harry. After exploring in the morning, he would head down to the great hall for breakfast. Neville would usually meet him there with a grin while Ron would drag himself down a little while after. Hermione and Mara wouldn't arrive until later, Hermione usually looking disgruntled as she did so. Mara, of course, was not a morning person and usually arrived at the great hall looking like a zombie.

By the time of their first class, she usually woke up though. They learned that they pretty much had the same schedule every week. On Mondays, they had Double Transfiguration first thing with the Slytherins. Then Charms with the Ravenclaws later in the day. While Harry liked both of the classes well enough, Mara really proved her efficiency with Charms. She couldn't explain it but Ron swore to them that he saw her eyes glow.

Of course, whenever the subject was brought up, Hermione suddenly had her nose in a book or decided to head to the library, after she had found it the first day. Harry thought maybe she and Mara were having a row or something but decided not to pry. Girls can be scary when they are mad.

Defense against the dark arts was the biggest disappointment. Professor Quirrell was a stuttering mess whenever he spoke. Harry, annoyed at the lack of actual teaching, decided he would self-study defense this year. Though they did learn more about dark creatures and how to deal with them which was useful. Too bad they couldn't understand him most of the time.

On Tuesday, they had History of Magic which was taught by Professor Binns, a ghost who went to class one morning and left his body behind. All he seemed to talk about was the Goblin War and his voice was so boring doing it, most of the students just fell asleep beside Hermione of course who made sure to take extensive notes. She was annoyed when she noticed everyone else fell asleep.

"You have to admit, it's really boring, Hermione." Mara had tried to reason with her but Hermione didn't seem to care. She huffed and went back to the library. Her attitude was confusing because she was so different on the train with Harry. He thought maybe she was trying to prove herself but why be so rude to them about it?

Something else Harry noticed about Hermione was that she took everything said in books literally. She didn't mention anything to do with the Girl-who-lived title after the argument on the train but she was constantly quoting books she had read which made him wonder how she remembered it all. It was like she memorized them.

Herbology went well, probably because it was the only thing Neville had confidence in. Professor Sprout was a plump woman with a bright cheerful face and a kind disposition.

"Herbology is the study of magical and mundane plants and fungi."

She had led them to one of the many greenhouses where she showed them small green bushed with bright yellow thorns on them.

They learned about the spiky bush and how to destroy them and prevent them and then sent on their way.

They had astronomy at midnight on Wednesday. They were led up to the Astronomy tower, yawning and met their professor, Aurora Sinistra who was rather enthusiastic about the stars and planets. She taught them a bit before letting them go.

But the week was almost over, Harry thought, as he ate breakfast on Friday morning.

He had finished memorizing most of the school, the way to their classes and such and had drawn out a rather good map but due to the changing staircases, it was a rather poor way to get around, he admitted, eating a piece of bacon. He really wished he could find the marauders map.

"Morning, Harry." Harry awoke from his thoughts as Neville sat across from him, giving a loud yawn. Harry gave him a grin.

"Morning, Nev."

"What classes do we have today?" Neville yawned, piling his plate with food. Harry frowned. "Double Potions with the Slytherins."

Neville's eyes went wide as he gulped loudly. "O-oh."

Harry grimaced. He already knew that Snape was going to hate him, his dad already told him that but he hoped that Snape's friendship with his mother would at least curb some of the hatred. He also worried that Snape would pick on Mara because of her celebrity status though it hadn't been much of a problem.

Stares and Whispers mostly but nobody had directly spoken to Mara. Overall, it was a pretty good first week; Harry thought, despite some setbacks.

He was halfway through his breakfast when Hermione sat on the bench with a huff and an annoyed look. Mara sat beside her, groaning. He raised an eyebrow at the two.

"Something wrong?" He almost regretted asking when Hermione turned her glare on him. He raised his hands up in surrender and her face softened. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just…stressed." She sighed.

Before he could ask anything more, Ron was at the table and filling his plate with food. The four friends all grimaced as he stuffed his face.

"Honestly, Ronald. Didn't anyone teach you manners?" She huffed. As he murmured a reply that none of them could understand through his full mouth, Harry turned to Neville who looking paler than normal.

"What's wrong, Nev?" Harry asked, slightly concerned. It wasn't new that Neville was afraid or anxious about things but he hoped getting away from his grandmother would help him.

Neville flushed with the stares of Harry, Mara, and Hermione him. "I...uh...Well, I've heard that Professor Snape really hates Gryffindor and when I mess up, I could cause us a lot of house points." He muttered, his face turning glum.

Mara frowned. "You'll only mess up if you think you will, Neville. It's a self-defeatists attitude." She looked over at Harry to make sure she said that right and he rolled his eyes, giving a slight nod.

"But I couldn't even do most of the lessons. I couldn't change my match at all. Maybe I am a squib." He frowned, his self-doubt taking over.

Harry grinned. "We know you're not a squib, Neville. Remember Mara's ninth birthday party?"

Mara burst into giggles while Neville blushed.

"What happened at the party?" Ron asked, curious, finished with his breakfast. Hermione looked intrigued too.

Mara burst into more giggles so Harry explained. "Well, that was the last party where reporters were allowed. There was this one reporter, Rita Skeeter, she was crowding the three of us and started asking some really cruel questions and Neville got really mad because the next thing I knew, there's a burst of magic from Neville and the cake exploded all over the guests."

Mara quieted her giggles enough to tell them "I had frosting in my hair for two days after."

"It was an accident!" Neville protested, his face pink as they all laughed.

"How long have you guys known each other?" Hermione inquired curiously. Mara frowned thinking back. "Well, our mum's were best friends so I think we've just always known each other. Mum says she and Nev's mum used to set up play dates before..." She trailed off and her eyes flickered to her plate.

Hermione opened her mouth to inquire but Harry quickly shook his head as Neville looked at his plate, his face unreadable.

Hermione dropped the line of questioning.

Hermione looked a bit freaked out when hundreds of owls came flying into the great hall, delivering mail. Having grown used to this, the other four weren't really affected but a lot of the muggleborns were confused about their mail delivery system.

Sophie Roper had screamed on the first day and Dean Thomas has cursed when Ron's old owl crashed into the breakfast table.

Harry quickly spotted his mum's brown spectacled owl and the letter tied to its leg. It quickly landed neatly on Mara's shoulder and held out its leg expectantly. Mara smiled and gave the letter to harry to read before feeding the bird some bacon.

Harry read the letter quietly.

Dear Harry and Mara,

We're so proud that you both got sorted into Gryffindor. Your father is over the moon but we would've been happy with any house. I am a bit disappointed that I only got a letter once this week from your sister, Harry. You haven't written at all or used your journal.

Harry winced as he could feel the irritation from just her written words.

Don't worry about Professor Snape. We had our differences but he is a good person deep down. I am surprised he is a professor though, he never really liked teaching but I guess things change. How are you two doing in your classes? You've both been doing your homework right? I will not hesitate to send you a howler if I find out you haven't been keeping up on it.

I miss you both so much. The house is so much emptier with you gone. I barely managed to keep Tilly from sending you a care package. She misses you both so much.

Please write to me or your father when you can. We miss you.

Love,

Your mother

Harry smiled as he made a mental note to write to his mother that night. He frowned, as he didn't want to send Aura to deliver letters, seeing as she was so young and still healing from her injuries. His eyes lit up as he remembered the journal he got from Emilia. He had been so busy the first week he completely forgot about it. He made a mental note to write in the journal later tonight.

/

Harry wasn't surprised to find out that Professor Snape hated him as much as he thought he would but it was disappointing.

If it wasn't for the dungeons being cold by themselves, Snape's attitude made it even colder.

Of course, Harry already had a short temper so when he tried to embarrass his sister, he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Our new celebrity." Snape had glowered down at Mara who only shrunk in her seat to hide from his piercing gaze. Snape's beginning speech shut up the room but more out of fear than respect, unlike McGonagall who definitely had the latter.

"Potter!" This time Snape had directed his anger at him. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry was pretty sure this was not a first-year question but he did know that wormwood was normally used only in sleeping potions.

"A sleeping potion, sir." He answered, not entirely confident but not willing to give Snape the satisfaction. As Snape glowered down at him, Harry began to think that his dad was right; Snape really was a greasy git.

It also didn't help that from beside him, Hermione's arm was raised into the air so high, she was almost lifted off her seat.

Snape sneered before turning to Mara. "Miss Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Mara's eyes went wide with panic, her eyes traveling everywhere. "Well?" Snape snapped at her.

"The ingredient cabinet?" Mara answered, giving a panicked smile. Several people snickered from behind them.

Harry nearly facepalmed on the desk. Snape gave them a snarl. "A point from Gryffindor for your cheek, girl." He turned back to Harry, looking even angrier than before and Harry silently cursed Mara's loud mouth.

"Potter, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" He snarled.

Hermione stood up at this, her arm stretched to the ceiling as high as it could go.

Harry faltered at this. He certainly didn't know but wolfsbane was mainly used in the Wolfsbane potion he knew, thanks to his Uncle moony. They weren't even supposed to learn about that until the third year, Harry thought angrily. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mara's flushed face and her sinking into her seat. Harry felt his temper rise.

"I don't know, sir." Harry answered but his anger got the better of him as he bit out "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

Snape's eyes turned darker as he growled. He could hear a few people laughing and Seamus winked at him from across the room. Mara's lips pressed together to prevent a smile.

"Sit down." He snapped at the flushed Hermione who immediately obeyed. "Another point for your cheek, Potter and for your information, asphodel and wormwood indeed make a sleeping potion but it is so powerful it is known as the draught of living death. A Bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant which also goes by the name of Aconite. Copy that down, all of you!" He snapped before storming away.

Things didn't improve from there when they were put into partners; Harry luckily got Ron while Mara sat with Neville. Harry and Ron managed to get the potion done, trying to ignore Snape's constantly berating but he mostly saved that for Mara and Neville, who were both getting more and more nervous as it went on.

"Wait, don't add the quills yet." Harry heard Mara hiss quietly next to them. Harry looked from the corner of his eye as Mara prevented what could've been a disaster. Both she and Neville looked stressed. It wasn't long until he heard yet another commotion.

"Idiots!" Snape growled as he stalked to Mara and Neville's cauldron which wasn't the right color at all. "Wrong! Too many dried nettles and snake fangs and your potion turns toxic! It's unusable!" He growled.

He quickly flicked his wand and their potion vanished and both Mara and Neville stood there looking near tears.

"You, Potter!" Both he and Mara jumped but Snape's angry gaze landed on Harry. "Why didn't you tell them they added too much? Thought it would make you look good if they got it wrong? That's another point you lost for Gryffindor. Three you and your sister have lost for Gryffindor just today."

Harry was about to retort, his mind only focused on the unfairness of the situation and his sister's watering eyes when Ron kicked him from behind their stools.

He shot Harry a warning look. "Don't. Snape can be would real nasty, my brothers told me." Harry relented but the rest of the ten minutes of class, Harry refused to do anything but glare at Snape and shoot worrying looks at his sister.

As they left the dungeons, both Mara and Neville's spirits seemed to be drained. Harry sighed before dragging his sister and friend towards Hagrid's hut. He had sent them a letter earlier in the week asking them to come over. Hermione declined, instead deciding to head to the library.

Their spirits lifted the farther they were from the dungeons and soon Mara was excitedly chatting to them as they headed to Hagrid's Hut.

Hagrid lived on the edge of the forbidden forest and when they knocked on the door, there were scrambling noises and loud barking before Hagrid opened the door with a large smile.

"Back, Fang." But Fang dashed out into the open and into Mara who laughed happily as she played with the boarhound.

Harry rolled his eyes.

'How can you play with that mangy beast?' He heard from behind him and blinked at the sudden arrival of Breena.

He felt happiness rise in his chest and looked at the trees and quickly spotted Aura with her golden feathers. She gracefully few off the trees and landed on his shoulder, quickly nuzzling his neck.

She sent him pictures of the forest and he grinned before turning to Hagrid who looked intrigued by the new arrivals.

"I don't think I've ever seen any of them around before, they yours?" He asked. Breena flicked her tail as Hagrid cooed her forward. Both Harry and Mara were surprised when she immediately did so, rubbing around his ankles.

"Well, she's certainly friendly." Hagrid chuckled. "Well come on in, all of ya."

Harry looked at Neville who glumly followed him inside.

As the group settled themselves inside the cozy hut, Hagrid gave them a plate of rock cakes and a large teapot of watery tea. "This is Ron and Neville." Harry pointed out.

Hagrid scrutinized Neville for a second before nodding. "Longbottom, eh? I remember your folks well, Frank loved talking to me about creatures and Alice and Lily were always tied to the hip." Neville looked delighted to hear about his parents and Harry grinned.

When they told him about the lesson with Snape, he brushed it off and refused to comment, not meeting Mara or Harry's eyes.

The meeting went well except for when Harry spotted a newspaper with the large headline "GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST" which made Harry nearly drop the paper out of shock.

Nobody had ever broken into Gringotts and as he read it, he wondered why someone would break in on his and Mara's birthday and leave empty-handed. He also wondered why Hagrid still had the paper from July 31st laying out in the open.

"Harry?" He passed the paper to Mara as Hagrid and Ron talked about his brother, Charlie and his work with dragons.

"I've always wanted a dragon, amazing creatures they are. But with the laws..." Hagrid grumbled.

Ron nodded understandingly. Harry shared a look with Mara as he could tell they were both thinkings of whom on earth could possibly break into Gringotts without getting caught.

"Hagrid, do you know anything about this break-in?" Harry asked. Hagrid pointedly avoided his eyes as he offered Neville another rock cake, which he politely declined.

They walked back to the castle for dinner later, with no answers but knowing that Hagrid knew something about the break-in. Mara sent him a warning look before they left and he got the message.

Leave it alone.

But Harry's eyes strayed to the newspaper one more time before they walked away, something weighing him down and he was pretty sure it wasn't the rock cakes he stuck in his pockets.