Most of the Ravenclaws were disgusted with Silverstone McLaren's quiditch tactics. Rosie-Dove and Collins, two of Ravenclaw's chasers ran up to James as he finally left the Hospital Wing.

"McLaren never told us about what she was going to do to you" Rosie-Dove explained. "I swear to you, I am going to quit my position on the team. I'm not going to play for someone who thinks beating up a first year, snapping their broom and humiliating them afterwards is a good idea."

The following morning during breakfast gave Ravenclaws an even greater shock, as they saw just how many points McLaren lost them. At first they thought that it was just an overreaction over what she did to James, but Patricia Muggs soon let everyone know exactly how long McLaren was playing Gryffindor.

"I can't believe this" moaned a Ravenclaw prefect. "I worked damn hard this year to score as much house points that I did; and now McLaren has flushed all of that down the toilet so she could win her Quiditch Cup."

Everyone glared at McLaren as she entered the Great Hall. Trask and Redding were beside her, staring threateningly at people who looked tempted to curse her.

"I think this morning we need to share our sympathies for those students in Ravenclaw, who had worked so hard to try and win the House Cup" Professor McGonagall announced as McLaren sat down at her seat. "It is very disheartening to see so many people's efforts be wasted due to one person's selfishness."

McLaren didn't speak, or even look at McGonagall; but she raised her hand at her, and pulled an obscene finger gesture. Professor McGonagall ignored her, but many others gossiped to one another over McLaren's attitude.

"Going to war with McGonagall is suicide" gasped Nigel Thomas.

"How the hell is she not getting expelled" said an aghast Hyacinth.

"So the rumours are true" murmured Jackson Lestrange. "McLaren was the one who caused all of our problems."

"Almost certainly because of that Kevin Bletchley character" snarled Sebastian. "This was Slytherin's plan all along; brainwash an innocent Ravenclaw to do their dirty work."

"Apart from the fact that McLaren admitted she only dated Bletchley so she could use him to throw their quiditch match" added James. "McLaren confessed to it whilst you were still trying to hold the fort."

Sebastian's effort to limit the score proved fruitless. Even though Rosie-Dove and Collins refused to play in disgust, McLaren substituted them out. As of lunch time that day, the Golden Snitch still hadn't been caught, meaning that the match hadn't ended yet. When the final bell rung, James noticed Dexter and the two substitute chasers walk towards the quiditch pitch. He followed them to discover that McLaren had them score even more goals in the unguarded Gryffindor hoops, giving Ravenclaw even more points. James wished he could go out and catch the Golden Snitch to put the Ravenclaw chasers out of their misery; however he still had no broom, and the Ravenclaw beaters were both flying around the pitch with their clubs in hand. James suspected that they were under orders by McLaren to break every bone in his body, if he dared to catch the Snitch before her. He left back to the castle, but before he reached the main entrance, he bumped into Kevin Bletchley.

"Hey Potter" he greeted him in a more civil manner than what he was used to.

"Oh, Hi Bletchley" James replied.

"I was sorry to see what happened to you" Bletchley continued.

"Thanks" said James. "I'm sorry to hear that McLaren only dated you to…"

"I was a complete idiot" Bletchley admitted. "That woman got her head into both of us."

"Definitely" agreed James.

For the first time since they've met, James and Bletchley left on good terms. When he reached the Gryffindor Common Room, James saw Aoiffe berating the Fat Lady over allowing McLaren inside.

"She knew the password" the Fat Lady explained herself.

"But she clearly wasn't a Gryffindor" argued Aoiffe.

"But she knew the password" the Fat Lady persisted.

"You could've at least told us that you let McLaren in, during the middle of the night" snapped Aoiffe.

"You never asked" the Fat Lady said nonchalantly.

"Dragon's snout" James gave out the password, and the portrait opened up.

James walked inside, where he saw that the arguing didn't end with Aoiffe and the Fat Lady. Sebastian Gorren and Jackson Lestrange where bickering with each other next to the fireplace.

"So let me get this straight" Jackson snarled. "The Ravenclaw captain confessed to beating up Potter, because you didn't have a substitute seeker; yet you still say you wouldn't have me on the team in hindsight."

"Damn right" Sebastian said confidently. "Unlike some people, I stick to my principles."

"What are your principles?" Jackson asked sarcastically. "That you need to block the best players from making the team?"

"That I put players in my team who are good people who have moral standards" barked Sebastian. "I do not have murderers on my team."

"Well clearly I'm wrong" Jackson muttered bitterly. "Your principles include being an idiot as well."

He left for his dormitory, as Sebastian swore at him in retaliation. James could not see how anyone could dislike Jackson at this point. When McLaren and her accomplice were responsible for the Traitor of Gryffindor acts, how anyone could dislike Jackson for it was insane to him.

"This just came from your owl" announced Darren Crawford.

"What?" James murmured. "Oh, thanks Darren."

James was given a letter, where based on its handwriting; it appeared to have been sent by his father. James immediately ran up to his dormitory and opened it up. He was half interested but half embarrassed to see what his dad had to say about the quiditch match.

Hi James

I heard from Professor Longbottom exactly what happened to you during your quiditch match against Ravenclaw. All of us at home were truly shocked to hear the details. Remember what I told you though before you got on board that train; I've been there before. Firstly, don't let McLaren get to you. I understand that beating you up then kissing you was probably embarrassing for you, but if you let her take over you, you'll never be able to stand up to her. Ignore McLaren for now; let the teachers punish her. Your revenge will come next year, where I'm sure Gryffindor will crush McLaren and her squad.

I'm sorry if this letter is coming across as uncaring, like I'm just coldly demanding that you just get over everything; but I genuinely know what it's like to be the centre of attention in a negative way. As Auntie Hermione kept on telling me back then, the best way to deal with it though is to ignore it. Advice which I almost never took admittedly, but it's for that reason why I want you to follow it. You may want to aspire to become me James, but I aspire you to be better than me. Focus on the end of year and your exams, then by that point everyone would have forgotten about what McLaren did.

Love Dad.

P.S. Uncle Ron told me that you should see the whole experience as a useful learning aid for when you eventually get yourself a girlfriend. Aunt Hermione gave him one of those special glares, but my first kiss was totally awkward, so when your time comes, you have no excuse.

James couldn't help but laugh at the last sentence that his dad wrote. His laughter attracted the attention of Jackson Lestrange, whom until he had made himself known, James had forgotten he was there.

"What are you laughing about?" he asked.

"Here" James chuckled, handing Jackson the letter.

Jackson read through the letter, then handed it back, though not before giving off a small smirk.

"I suppose there's a rose in every thorn bush" he said.

"But that's putting pressure on me now" James joked. "When I get my first girlfriend now, I'll have to make sure they react to me kissing them perfectly."

"Well of you need any advice, I'm always available" offered Jackson.

"You've had a girlfriend?" James asked suspiciously.

"Not a serious one" Jackson replied. "We never snogged or anything like that, but we kissed."

"Lucky devil" James remarked.

The two of them talked about girls, then continued talking about their various experiences at Hogwarts. Jackson would boast about his academic success, but he was significantly less condescending as he was in the past. When the time finally came for everyone to go to sleep, James was content in knowing that he had his least hostile conversation with Jackson, since they first met on the Hogwarts Express.

Months have passed since James was beaten by the Ravenclaw beaters. The Traitor of Gryffindor's identity was still no closer to being worked out. Between Benedict's threat, and McLaren's confession, he appeared to have given up on causing any more havoc. Despite everything though, Sebastian Gorren was still convinced that it was all part of a conspiracy started by the Slytherins.

"You still don't get it" Patricia exasperated. "McLaren was helping the Traitor of Gryffindor so that she could mess with our heads, and make us easier to beat."

"I'm still not convinced" Sebastian continued. "Once I've proven that Lestrange is the one behind everything, then it will all make sense."

Quiditch training was no longer any fun for James. For one, he was always reminded of what McLaren did to him by the fact that the poor Ravenclaw chasers were still forced by McLaren to spend all their time after school, throwing the Quaffle in the hoops again and again. This also meant that whenever a team wanted to practise, they had to share the pitch with the same active Ravenclaw players. To the surprise of no one, the Ravenclaw beaters Trask and Redding would make surprise appearances whenever it was Gryffindor's turn to share the pitch.

"Just let him catch the Snitch already" James heard Tulip argue with Trask one day. "Your poor chasers are being tortured by this."

"McLaren will catch the Snitch once she's satisfied" Trask replied.

"And if you try and stop them from doing their jobs, we'll both smash Potter's skull in with our clubs" Redding added. "As per McLaren's orders of course."

"You'll get detention for that" Benedict argued. "Possibly expulsion."

"Anything for McLaren" Trask snarled.

James didn't want to think what McLaren did to aspire such loyalty in her thuggish beaters, but most training sessions are spent trying to actively avoid the Golden Snitch as much as possible. As he still needed a broomstick, he had to borrow Victorie Weasley's Comet Twelve Forty, which was a broom barely quick enough for keepers to use. Most of his time spent in training was spent trying to avoid the Golden Snitch as much as possible, as every time he flew close to it, Trask and Redding would be onto him like hunting dogs ripping apart their prey.

However life off the quiditch pitch has improved substantially. Now Jackson Lestrange was no longer acting arrogant and cocky, he has become a lot more pleasant to the point where he began helping his fellow Gryffindors with their exam preparation.

"No, no, no" Jackson criticised Darren, after the latter attempted the Lumos spell. "You don't need to wave your wand like a sword when casting Lumos. You need to be more…"

"Delicate" Darren finished off Jackson's sentence. "Yeah, yeah, yeah; Professor Flitwick, Professor Longbottom and you are all telling me the same thing."

"But it's true" said Jackson.

Darren scowled, and tried casting Lumos again; somehow waving his wand even more erratically than before. James remembered that learning Lumos was their first ever Hogwarts lesson, and Darren was the only student not to cast it at all. James could see small improvements in that there was a small speck of light at the end of Darren's wand; but it was a lot dimmer than what everyone else did on that first day.

Aunt Hermione had sent him a book of useful revision tips, but James never read a single page, and instead gave the book to Darren. On the week leading up to their exams, Darren spent all his free time studying the book, hoping that it would make him a master wizard in just a few days.

"I really hope he manages it" said Bella the night before their first exam. "He's been struggling so much, ever since the beginning."

"I don't know where he's going wrong" James said quietly, as Darren was reading Hermione's revision book one last time.

"I guess magic just comes more easily to some people than it does for others" guessed Bella.

The first day of exams consisted of Charms and Potions. In Charms, Jackson was able to perform all the spells flawlessly, whilst everyone else suffered from varying degrees of difficulty. James reckoned he performed half the spells correctly, but he knew he definitely casted the Dancing Charm wrong, as when he casted it on Bella, she stood perfectly still and began reciting opera. Darren was the only person in the room who didn't burst into laughter. He failed to cast any of his spells. Even though he casted a very dim Lumos just days ago, somehow his wand movement has become as erratic as it has ever been.

"Well done everyone" Professor Flitwick congratulated the class after the exam had finished. "But remember, this was only the beginning; you have to keep up the hard work for all your other classes."

"The sooner this week ends, the better" Darren muttered.

Unfortunately for Darren, his exams did not get any better for him. In Potions, when asked to concoct a rather pleasant smelling pink Smell Nice Potion, his black potion smelt so bad, it completely overpowered all the other students' work.

"I can't tell how well I did, because all I could smell was Darren's" moaned Violet, after the exam was finished.

On Thursday, the class had their Herbology exam with Professor Longbottom. In it, they were tasked with making a blue apple tree grow a metre, as quickly as they could. To the surprise of no one, Jackson got his to the appropriate length in no time at all, and that whilst everyone else were patiently waiting for their trees to reach the appropriate height, Darren's tree had yet to burst out of the soil.

"Just hurry up" Darren screamed, as the second to last student was about to finish the exam.

"Darren, calm down" ordered Professor Longbottom. "You still have twenty minutes to go."

All everyone else could do was sit in silence, and watch Darren become more and more erratic as his tree continued to remain beneath the soil. As the final seconds ticked down, Darren let out one final scream, and dug through the soil in order to get his seed back.

"Why didn't you grow, you useless thing?" he roared.

"Darren, stay behind after class" said Longbottom sternly.

Everyone else was allowed to leave. Most of them were happy that they passed the exam, but all of them were distressed over Darren's continued failures.

"I saw him cast the instant growth charm on the seed before he planted it" Jackson explained. "It was nowhere close to being cast correctly; I would have told him if we were allowed to talk."

James didn't see Darren again for the rest of the day. He was at least glad for him that their final day consisted of History of Magic. Whilst to James, the subject was by far the most boring to sit through, it was the only one that involved no practical magic at all.

"I really hope Darren's prepared for it" he told Bella.

"Shouldn't he be back by now?" Bella asked, and glanced at the common room's clock. "It's almost dark."

"I saw him exercising in the Castle Grounds" replied Jackson. "Hagrid asked him how he was, but he didn't answer back."

When Darren finally did return back to the common room, he was still completely red, and didn't bother talking to anyone. The following morning, Darren continued his silence, and did not utter a word throughout breakfast. James could tell he was fully focused on the exam. Realistically, it was his only chance to pass any of them; as everyone secretly knew Darren had no chance of passing Transfiguration.

"Quills at the ready" Professor Binns instructed, when the exam time finally came. "And begin."

James read the list of questions, and sighed with relief. The test looked far easier than everyone feared. He had no doubt that he would be able to at least achieve an acceptable grade.

"No, no, no, no" roared Darren.

"No talking during the test please Crawford" scolded Professor Binns.

"This test is impossible" Darren complained. "How is anyone supposed to know any of these answers?"

Everyone else looked at one another in either shock or dismay. James could tell by everyone's facial reactions, that they all though the test was easy as well.

"Wait outside the classroom Crawford" ordered Binns. "I'll speak to you after the exam has ended."

Darren got up from his seat, but before leaving the classroom for good, he knocked over the stack of exam papers that were placed on Binns' desk.

"Hey, come back here" Binns called out to Darren.

Darren ignored him, leaving the classroom and slamming the door on his way out. James completed the exam fairly comfortably, but instead of checking his answers, he spent the time he had left wondering what Darren did so wrong to not have a clue on such an easy exam. He got his answer at lunchtime, when he saw Professor Longbottom escort Darren to the Staff Room.

"I overheard Darren yelling at Professor Longbottom again" Jackson explained. "Over Christmas, he gave Darren some practise tests for History of Magic, and Darren was using them to revise. The problem is that those practise tests were designed for six year olds."

The final exam was Transfiguration. Everyone was under no illusion that Professor Thicknesse would make his test in any way fair. He had even suggested the week before that he would include some spells he didn't teach in order to make sure everyone was revising.

"Get into a line" Thicknesse ordered. "You will all take it in turns to cast a spell. After your singular attempt, you will return to the back of the line, and you will wait until we move on to the next spell."

Everyone all lined up in single file. Thicknesse waved his wand, and a list of twenty spells appeared on the blackboard. As James suspected, about half of them were ones that Thicknesse had never taught them.

"Travis Gant, you're up first."

Gant walked up to the front, and successfully turned his needle into a pincushion. James knew that this was a fairly simple charm, and would be as easy as Thicknesse's test would get. He sighed with relief when he casted his spell correctly. Darren however predictably failed to even make his needle twitch.

"Why?" he moaned to himself.

"This is absolutely pathetic" Thicknesse declared.

James realised that Thicknesse was genuinely angry. Darren had struggled badly with all his exams, yet the teachers all tried to be patient with him.

"How so sir?" Darren asked through gritted teeth.

"We have been here an entire year, yet you haven't shown any progress at all since we arrived" Thicknesse replied. "Transfiguring a needle into a pincushion is the most simplistic spell I could possibly have given you. God knows what will happen when we start next year, and you're still stuck doing the most basic spell."

"Maybe if I had a teacher who was good at his job, I wouldn't be in this position" Darren snarled.

Most of the students winced. They all knew that starting an argument with Professor Thicknesse could only result in trouble.

"Detention Gorren" Thicknesse announced. "Detention for failing to keep your friend in check."

"Give me your wand" Darren demanded.

"I'm sorry?" muttered Violet.

"I said give me your wand" Darren screamed.

He snatched the wand out of Violet's hand, and began shouting the incantation again and again and again. The needle though remained as sharp and metallic as it ever was.

"What the heavens are you doing?" shouted Thicknesse.

"I just want to cast this stupid spell" Darren screamed.

"Get out of my classroom Crawford" Thicknesse ordered. "I'll deal with you later."

Instead of obeying Thicknesse's orders, Darren screamed and leapt towards him. Thicknesse must have been taken by surprise, as Darren had knocked him down to the floor.

"Darren, no" Bella yelled.

Darren climbed on top of Thicknesse, and began punching him in the head several times. Dranzebar Lang and Travis Gant were quickly onto him though, and pulled him off. Despite being freed from Darren's assault, Thicknesse remained motionless.

"Let me go" Darren screamed. "He has it coming to him."

"I think he's knocked out" assessed Hyacinth. "I'll go and get Madame Pomfrey."

"Why did you do that?" James asked. "We're all going to be in trouble when he wakes up."

"I thought I sent a message to him when I first got here" Darren growled. "When I trashed this stupid place up, I thought I made it pretty clear that I hated him."

"When you trashed this place up?" James gasped, before realising the full context of what Darren was saying.

"Oh my…" Bella muttered.

"Does this mean that…" Jackson muttered.

"Darren, you're the Traitor of Gryffindor?"