The Ravenclaw common room had seen a lot of unfriendliness since Silverstone McLaren's true nature emerged. Most of the students wanted nothing to do with her, but every time she was there, she would be followed by other members of her gang. Some of them were admirers of her intelligence, whilst other followed her purely out of fear.

"I have done your homework for you McLaren" whimpered Dexter, the only chaser from last year's team who McLaren kept on. "Will it be to your standards?"

"I won't know that until I've marked it" replied McLaren. "It better not be a Troll Dexter. I don't want to demote you from chaser to practise dummy."

Trask and Redding, Ravenclaw's beaters were sniggering to themselves. Dexter gulped in fear. On the other side of the common room, the door the boys' dormitory opened, and a second year student wearing blue quiditch robes walked out.

"Ok Floyd" he spoke to himself. "You can do this. McLaren is just another student; she won't hurt me for just asking."

He began to walk over to her, but was suddenly pulled aside from two other students. Floyd recognised them from last year; Rosie-Dove and Collins, two of the chasers from last year.

"What are you doing dressed like that Floyd?" asked Rosie-Dove.

"I was going to ask McLaren when the quiditch try outs are on" replied Floyd. "I've been a big fan of quiditch all my life, I've always dreamed to play for my house…"

"Do you really think McLaren gives a damn about all that?" asked Collins. "Let me tell you what quiditch training with McLaren was like. No plan, no strategy, just do what you want for an hour, whilst she concentrates on her racing training."

"But you still won" Floyd pointed out.

"We won because McLaren played like a dirty pig" argued Rosie-Dove. "Trust me Floyd, you do not want to get involved with her."

"Honestly, she might use you as beater practise if you even ask" added Collins. "You're surname's Falcon isn't it?"

"Yes" Floyd admitted. "Floyd Falcon; Benedict is my brother."

"If Gryffindor gets on her bad side in any way, she will not hesitate hurting you" said Rosie-Dove. "You see that boy there?"

She pointed at a first year student, who was sitting on his own, and looked pale white.

"That's Isaac McLaggen" Collins explained.

"McLaren's brother?" asked Floyd.

"When he last saw his sister, she told him that if he got sorted into Ravenclaw, she would hurt him more than she hurt Bella last year" said Rosie-Dove. "McLaren poisoned Bella for over a week."

"What has this got to do with me?" demanded Floyd.

"You still don't get it?" exasperated Rosie-Dove. "McLaren will hurt you, if she thinks she can hurt Benedict."

"What on earth are you guys talking about?"

Floyd, Rosie-Dove and Collins turned around to see Silverstone McLaren and her beaters standing right next to them. Many of the other Ravenclaws including Isaac made a retreat to their dormitories.

"Nothing" squeaked Rosie-Dove, her face blushing.

"Really?" McLaren persisted. "Strange; I thought I heard my name mentioned a few times."

"I wanted to ask you about quiditch try-outs" replied Floyd.

"Falcon…" Collins hissed irritably.

"Why didn't you come straight to me then?" asked McLaren sweetly. "Don't tell me; the rejects stopped you, because they were jealous of being kicked off the team."

"You didn't kick us off, we quit" protested Rosie-Dove. "I don't want to fly for a team who thinks using human targets is a good idea for beater practise."

"Come with us boy" McLaren commanded. "And speaking of beater practise; I seem to recall your sister was sorted into Hufflepuff recently. I don't want to use her for practise; not before a few others at any rate."

Rosie-Dove shook her fists in rage, but eventually grabbed her books, and left for her own dormitory. Floyd didn't know what to say, but McLaren clicked her fingers, and her beaters grabbed him by the arms, and dragged him towards the rest of the gang.

"He feels a bit weedy" commented Trask.

"I can't feel any muscle either" replied Redding.

The two of them dumped Floyd in front of all the other gang members. They were all large, male, and in at least their fifth year. McLaren walked to the centre of the group. Floyd suddenly felt very small.

"Well Floyd" she said. "You wanted to ask me about quiditch try-outs."

"Y-yes miss" Floyd replied nervously. "I-I d-dreamed about being on the t-team all last year. I practised all through the summer. I wanted a chance to show how… how…" he didn't want to use the word good in front of a group of larger, older boys who would likely mock him. "How useful I could be to the team."

"We don't do try-outs" sneered Trask.

"McLaren puts whoever she wants on" said Redding.

"Oh…" Floyd muttered dishearteningly.

"That is not to say you have no chance" said McLaren. "It just means that I'll have to want you first."

"And how do I get wanted?" asked Floyd eagerly.

"Being completely loyal to me for a start" answered McLaren. "Especially in your case Falcon."

"What?" gasped Floyd.

"Your brother's in the Gryffindor team" explained Trask. "I'm not playing with someone who is on his side."

"Be gentle Trask" instructed McLaren. "None of us can choose our families. Jackson didn't choose to be a Lestrange and I didn't choose to have a brother. You understand me right Floyd."

"I…uh" mumbled Floyd.

He didn't see too much of Benedict since arriving to Hogwarts last year, but that was mainly down to being a Ravenclaw, and Benedict being a Gryffindor. He still loved his brother, and the two almost never argued. McLaren seemed to have sensed his discomfort, and giggled to herself.

"Don't worry Floyd" she said reassuringly. "I have nothing on Benedict. I find James Potter more fun anyway."

"That's good" muttered Floyd.

"If quiditch talent runs through the family blood, then I see no reason why you shouldn't have a shot" McLaren continued. "But like I told you earlier; you need to prove your loyalty to me."

"How do I do that?" asked Floyd.

McLaren walked over to Floyd, then grabbed his head, and pulled it so that the side of his skull was touching McLaren's nose. Floyd briefly wondered whether she was going to kiss him, but then she began whispering in his ear so quietly, only himself could hear it.

"What?" he shrieked. "That's crazy."

"You asked" sighed McLaren.

"If I do that, I'll get expelled" Floyd protested.

"You won't" McLaren said calmly. "Minerva isn't thick, she'll know that I put you up to it."

"And what if I don't go ahead with it?" demanded Floyd.

"Then I'll just get someone else to do it, and you won't have a place on the quiditch team" McLaren answered. "Friday evening at six o'clock, I will be passing by the boys' bathroom with Potter and friends; if I like what I see, then you're in."

Floyd was then grabbed from behind by Trask, and he was dragged back to his dormitory. He lay down on his bed and pondered. On the one hand, if he followed McLaren's orders, he will be severely punished. On the other hand, it was always his life's dream to play quiditch.

"Darren, you're supposed to be writing with a quill and parchment" sighed Professor Vale, the Potions teacher.

"Another bloody teacher who's forgotten that we don't live in medieval times anymore" insulted Darren. "Yeah, I think I'll stick to the pen and paper thanks."

"Detention Darren" said Professor Vale, though there wasn't much conviction to her words.

Darren upheld his promise of not going to his detention with Professor McGonagall, and the second years first week back has been made far more difficult because of his disruptions. James barely learnt anything during his first week, due to the teachers spending so much time and energy having to argue with Darren. In Defence Against The Dark Arts, Professor Bones and Darren got into a huge shouting match almost the moment the lesson started, and didn't end until it was time to pack away.

Currently, the second years were tasked in creating an Anti-Sweat Potion. The substance in everyone's cauldrons should be pink, and should smell of lavenders. Darren's however was brown, and smelt like rotten food.

"No, no, no, no" he screeched. "I did everything perfectly, I followed the instructions to the letter."

"You probably didn't put the flubberworm tongue in at the right time" explained Aoiffe, not wanting yet another lesson ruined by Darren's tantrums. "You need to put it in when the…"

"I don't need your help" Darren barked back.

"Crawford" scolded Professor Vale. "Aoiffe is trying to help you."

"I did it right" Darren protested. "The potion just won't turn pink is all."

He then grabbed a goblet from a nearby shelf, and scooped up some of his potion.

"Darren, no…" Professor Vale called out, but it was too late.

Darren drunk the entire goblet in one sip. Ten seconds later, he was forced to vomit right back into the cauldron. Some of the class including Bella laughed at the sight of Darren constantly throwing up. Considering that he was the one who gave her the Cockroach Dagger poison the year before, James could not blame Bella for taking satisfaction over Darren's humiliation.

"You silly boy" muttered Professor Vale, as she force fed Darren an antidote.

"Why?" Darren asked himself, after regaining some composure. "Why am always bad at this."

"It's because you're no good at magic, and you know it" answered Violet unkindly.

Before Professor Vale could stop him, Darren lunged at Violet, and kicked her cauldron over. Her incomplete potion spilt all over the floor.

"Looks like both of us are failing today" Darren spat, before storming out of the classroom, slamming the door behind him.

"Thank heavens it's Friday" moaned Jackson.

"I don't know how much more of Darren I can take" muttered Bella.

"Only Herbology to go" sighed James. "Professor Longbottom knows Darren better than anyone else, so hopefully we can actually learn something."

On route, they passed by the hourglasses that indicated where all the houses stood in the House Cup. Despite Darren's continuous bad behaviour, Gryffindor currently had a slim lead over Slytherin.

"I'm guessing that the teachers aren't bothering to take points off Darren, now they know he doesn't care about the House Cup" commented Jackson.

The second years all lined up outside Greenhouse One, which was where they always studied during Herbology classes. This time though, Professor Longbottom opened the door to Greenhouse Three, and invited them all inside.

"Ooh" Bella said enthusiastically. "Greenhouse Three is where they keep the more dangerous plants."

"Maybe we can feed Darren to one of them" joked Jackson.

"I'm happy to see that we have full attendance" declared Longbottom.

James initially thought that it was a rudimentary statement to make, but upon thinking about it, Darren turning up to any lesson wasn't a guarantee anymore.

"First of all, how many of you haven't got a copy of Magical Gardening For Beginners Volume Two?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Darren. So far, he didn't have any of the new books that they were told to buy for the new year.

"Not to worry Darren" said Longbottom warmly. "You can have my old copy here."

"I had to spend all my allowance money on those books" Jackson complained under his breath. "And he gets one free by being a right prat."

"Today we are going to be doing a practical lesson" explained Longbottom. "How many of you know what mandrakes are?"

Everyone apart from Darren put up their hands. The events of the Chamber of Secrets were so well known to the wizarding world, it was hard not to know what a mandrake does.

"I see that some of you enjoyed doing some out of lesson research" grinned Longbottom. "Right class, today we will learning how to transfer mandrakes from one pot to another; a very important task for wizards and witches who work on these farms."

"I don't even know what a mandrake is" complained Darren.

"We will be conducting the task in pairs" said Longbottom. "Darren, since you haven't heard of a mandrake before, you can work with me."

Professor Longbottom then got out a box of earmuffs that came in a variety of different colours.

"Make sure your earmuffs match the same colour as your partner's" said Longbottom. "Since there are eleven of us total, one of the teams will have to be a three. Once all your earmuffs are on, turn to page fifty six, and follow the instructions."

It was obvious to everyone that the team of three would be James, Jackson and Bella. They all selected the red earmuffs and placed them over their ears. James couldn't hear anything; it was if he turned completely deaf.

"Good lord" he muttered to himself.

"Wait, did you just speak?" gasped Bella.

"Yeah" murmured James. "Wait, I just heard you too."

"It seems that we can only hear people who wear the same colour earmuffs" deduced Jackson. "First lesson we get some peace and quiet, and it's the mandrake class of all things."

James opened his copy of Magical Gardening For Beginners, and read out the list of instructions to Jackson and Bella.

"First thing we need to do is to fill the new pot full of soil" he said.

Bella and Jackson began grabbing fistfuls of soil, and began dropping it into the new pot.

"You know James, this would be a lot easier, if you joined in as well" complained Jackson.

"Somebody has to read the instructions" grinned James, not wanting to get dirt all over his new robes.

Whilst Jackson and Bella were moaning about having to do all the physical labour, James observed what Longbottom and Darren were doing. James couldn't hear either of them, since they were both wearing blue earmuffs, but it looked as if Longbottom was very patiently going through the instructions with Darren, with him nodding every few seconds or so.

At the end of the lesson, everybody was able to get their mandrakes into their new pots. Most of the students were able to do it reasonably comfortably, but Darren looked like he was in a wrestling match with his mandrake, and finished the process with three bitten fingers.

"You all did really well" praised Professor Longbottom. "Some of you had an easier time than others, but all of you got your mandrakes in their pots. Five points to Gryffindor for each team."

James took a quick glance at Darren, whose lips twitched slightly. They were the first points he had ever earned as a Hogwarts student. As the class was dismissed, Darren left the class quietly, without shouting, complaining, knocking things over, or even insulting anyone. He merely gathered up his things, and left.

"Maybe there's hope for you yet Darren" muttered James.

When the final bell for the week rang, the first year Ravenclaws burst out of the Charms classroom ecstatic that they can sit back and relax for the next two days, homework notwithstanding. Isaac McLaggen however was by far the slowest out of all of them. He just wasn't as excited as his classmates were.

His first week had proven very difficult for him. He had hoped that when McLaren told him that she didn't want him in Ravenclaw, she was merely bluffing, but the numerus glares she made towards him afterwards spoke otherwise. He also remembered the threat she made to him, if he made it into Ravenclaw, and that scared him a bit. Cormac sent him a letter that morning, when he heard that he was sorted.

Dear Isaac

We are so delighted that you were sorted into Ravenclaw. You just need to ignore what Silverton told you, that was just her trying to sound tough. In reality, she loves you very much, and would never let anything happen to you

But Isaac wasn't one hundred percent confident in his father's words. It was true that McLaren hadn't harmed him yet, but she hasn't made any attempt to talk to him either. So far she behaved as if he didn't exist. It was possible that some of the first years were threatened though, since none of them were interested in being friends with him; always disappearing whenever he walks up to them.

"Hey Isaac" Floyd Falcon called out from the Transfiguration.

"Huh?" muttered Isaac, not used to being talked to by another student. "Oh, Hi."

"How was your first week?" asked Floyd.

"Difficult" replied Isaac. "The lessons are hard, I have a load of homework, and barely anyone will talk to me."

"Well, I'm talking to you now" said Floyd.

"I know" said Isaac. "Thanks."

"Do you not have any friends Isaac?" asked Floyd.

"I… uh…" murmured Isaac.

He didn't want to answer the question; answering honestly would just be confessing to being a loser.

"I understand" said Floyd. "Well, I'll be our friend Isaac".

"Really" replied Isaac. "But you're older than me."

"They say that age is but a number" said Floyd, his face blushing slightly. "Come with me, I know a great place to help out with your homework."

Isaac followed him, delighted that he finally met someone who he could be friends with. He was just confused as to why Floyd's face was turning redder and redder the more they walked.