The Misadventures of the Lady Marauders

by Lady Marauders

Four apparently normal high school graduates accidentally suck themselves into the Harry Potter world, separated and at the mercy of various HP characters.

5. Finding Hogwarts

****************

Arnica

****************

I positively adore Seamus. When my story came gushing out in a flood of tears and sniffles he just passed me a cigarette, told me he always thought Sirius Black's case was too convenient, and offered me a space on his floor in his new flat.
" I just moved away from home." He says proudly, unlocking a small apartment which would be very shabby if not for the excellent decorating involved. The walls are hung with miniature tapestries and his furniture and decorations are an odd mix of oriental and Celtic. " My Da's an Auror and what with 'He-who-must-smell-like-cheese'." I snicker at him, following him down a small narrow hallway. " After the aurors, they put my younger sisters and brother in ministry, my parents in a safe house, and I'm hiding here. I'm babbling again, aren't I?" I grin at him.
" It's been almost two months since I heard anyone other than Sirius and myself. Babble as much as you like." He has the best smile. Bright and open and absolutely full of shit.
" So you're from a whole different version of Earth. And Everyone's a muggle there you say?" I shrug.
" It's not that we're not all muggles as much as there's nothing to separate people who would be from people who would be wizards..." I pass a wavy mirror and stop in shock. " Oh my god!" I put my hands up to my face and hair.
My hands trace along my cheek bones, almost startlingly prominent from where my face has lost the full moon roundness. I long ago gave up on trying to comb and keep my curly, kinky hair in a semblance of order and it has retaliated by spiraling into a collection of braids and dread-locks that hang in my face, dirty and dull. My pants cling desperately to my hips, held up by a fraying piece of rope and in the end, I'm a poster girl for desperation. I watch with detached horror as my hands ghost over my large rib cage and down over a shrunken stomach and flaring back over wide hips, falling alongside my long legs.
" What's wrong?" Seamus asks, perplexed.
" This isn't me." I whisper, looking at the strange woman in the mirror. The one with the figure I always wanted. The one that I don't want to see. "I don't really look like this you know." I reassure him. " I mean...I...I'm fat. I'm not... this isn't me and I don't look like this and my hair's not normally this tangled and..." Seamus rests a heavy hand on my shoulder.
" First off, with the exception of an amazing amount of dirt, I happen to think you look great. Secondly, even if you didn't look like this before, you really do now so if you want to go take a shower, my bath's right on the left there and I could get you some clothes to wear while I take care of yours..."
" Don't get rid of them!" I gasp. " These are my clothes from home!"
" I'm just gonna throw them in the laundry." He reassures me. " So here, go take yourself a very long bath," He steers me towards the bathroom, waving his wand and lighting the multitude of incense and candles around the white room. " There's a small stereo in the cupboard if you want music and towels in the closet there." I pull out my cd book, Seamus take my bag. " I'll be back in about half an hour." He promises. " Sounds like you've had a fuck all time of things. Try and relax."
I sink into the hot water of the bath. I showered and scrubbed for close to fifteen minutes before I decided that I was clean enough to tolerate being in a tub and now I roll my shoulders, sinking down into the bubbles. I haven't taken a bubble bath in forever and it feel so good that I close my eyes for a second to soak up the warmth, letting the music of Mythos and Lifehouse and anyone else on my cd flow through me.
" You alive in there?" I sit up suddenly in the chilled water, looking towards the bathroom door.
" I fell asleep." I call, standing up out of the tub, turning on the water quickly and rinsing the soap off my body and wrapping in a big fluffy white towel. Seamus spoils himself more than any straight man I've ever met. I open the door slightly and he's there with a collection of bags.
" Your clothes are still drying, so here's something for you to wear. I had to guess at the sizes." He prattles as he shoves the bags into my arms and hustles me towards his room. " Try them on, I can always return whatever doesn't fit."
" But.." He grins at me.
" Arnica, the last time I got to have free reign shopping for someone was over a year ago. Indulge me."
I lock the door and laugh as I put the bags down, looking through one of them. One bag is purely underwear. Bras and panties of varying colors and sizes. I go over towards the door.
" A bag of underwear for someone you don't know?" I call. " You're awfully interesting Seamus Finnigan!"
" Hey, would you rather go commando when you don't have to?" He calls. " Besides, it's a very small bag!" I put on a set and start shifting through the bags, slinging on a long, flowing black robe, pulling my shoulder length dreads back with an elastic. I come out and he grins. " You make a great witch. Did I get the right sizes?"
" Pretty much. Eights and tens fight fine." He nods.
" I had a girlfriend about your size." I yawn, trying not to look like I'm not falling asleep on my feet, which I am. " Tired?"
" Exhausted." I yawn. Seamus nods.
" You can grab the bed. I have a date. I make you push over when I get back." He turns and pauses. " You gonna be okay here by yourself?"
" I don't plan on being awake long enough to not be okay."
It's well into the afternoon sometime some other day when Seamus wakes me up from a screaming nightmare.
" You okay?" I have the vague impression that a few days have gone by and the half healed hickies on Seamus' neck just proves it. " What's wrong?"
:: There's a rip in the sky and I'm embedded in the ground, but this time I can't crawl out of the ground. It swallows me whole::
" Oh god." I lean forward, burying my head in my hands. " Don't I ever get a break." He rubs my back reassuringly.
" Sure you do. You just need to get your mind off things. You need to come out with me tonight. It'll make you forget about everything for a little bit." He slips out of bed and into a low pair of cargo shorts.
" How can I forget about all this! Jesus Seamus it's all my fault. That everyone's families probably think we're dead, that the ministry's gonna catch Sirius, and I'm just gonna go out tonight and forget all this?!"
" Come on now!" Seamus pulls me to my feet and then almost off them in his enthusiasm. " The ministry doesn't have him or a clue about where he is or they would have it splashed all over the Daily Prophet. I'm sure Sirius is laying low somewhere and that You need this night to relax!"
" Sure Seamus. And how are you going to help me relax?" I scoff. The bloody Irish bastard grins at me as if he had been planning this for days now, even though he's only known me a few days, most of which I spent sleeping.
" First, I'm gonna take you shopping and then," I don't trust the way his eyes light up. "I'm gonna take you dancing."
I sigh, looking around the dark, strobe filled room. The club teeters on the verge of gothic, but the beats are too rhythmic and makeup involved is too exotically colorful. It's a Wizard-jungle-salsa-rave and I'm comfortable in my leather skirt with the gold threads running through it and black silk shirt. My makeup is deep and I'm ancient eqyptianneogothic dom and Seamus is just...Classic. His boots a mass of leather, steel and zippers. A white silk and lace shirt and black vinyl pants and best of all, an old school robe, the sleeves ripped out and the crest on the front stylized. He gives the blonde at the door more than what he asked for our cover charge and it's only because I was watching his hand that I saw the bag slipped into his palm. He takes my hand and pulls me into the building and directly into the middle of the floor, handing me a small blue capsule. I lift an eyebrow as he swallows his.
" It's Snitch." He explains. " It's a lot like muggle "E" but better. The worst anyone's ever ended up after doing Snitch was once Fred Weasley ended up puking on George." I look down at it and shrug. He did warn me he intended for me to relax and forget about things tonight. I swallow the little blue pill.
I wake up sprawled across the floor in Seamus' flat. I open one eye slowly and see he's only made it into the kitchen before he passed out. I try and think back on how we even got home, but all I can remember is bits and pieces of the club. Staggering to my feet, I stumble over, jabbing Seamus in the ribs with my toe.
" Wake up Seamus!" I say loudly. " What day is it?"
" The first." He mutters, glancing through barely open eyes at the display on his clock.. We're both silent for a second. " Fuck!" He yelps, sitting straight up. " what time is it!?"
" Eight." I say, looking over at the clock on the wall.
" Fuckity fuck fuck fuck!" the irish boy mutters, jumping up. " He laced my shit! I can't believe we slept through two days!" He's running around the flat, waving his wand and frantically summoning things while I hop out of the club clothes and into a pair of short and a white shirt, shoving my other clothes on top of his and slamming his trunk closed. It's nice to have my bag feel so much lighter. " Shit! Call me a taxi or something!" I roll my eyes, resisting the urge to say 'you're a taxi' and pick up the phone, thumbing through the phone book quickly.
" Um, hi, we have a nine 'o' five train to catch At kings cross. Can you send a taxi to... Seamus, what's your address?"
" 1110 Melancourt."
" 1110 Melancourt? five minutes? Thanks." I grab up some of Seamus's things, helping him throw the last of his clothes in a bag. He's still wearing his makeup, but there's no time to wash it off, or even wash up. The grimace on his face means the same thought just crossed his mind as well.
" Oh well." He sighs. " There's a loo on the train! Come on!" We run out the door, lugging trunks and bags.
It's five minutes to nine when the cab screeches to a halt by kings cross and the driver helps unload the trunk none too gently. I'm only five minutes from getting on the train to Hogwarts...when I hear a deep familiar bark. I turn and it's Padfoot and around his neck is one of those stupid choke leads dogcatchers use. I take a step towards him.
" What in the bloody fuck are you doing?!" Seamus asks. " We're gonna miss the train!" I look longingly towards the gates before shrugging him lose.
" I was gonna walk anyway. I have to help Sirius, but if you see my friends, any of them...tell them I'm coming!" And I run across the street, scraping my knees as I hurl myself down on the pavement, across Padfoot like some modern day prima donna pocohantis and begin the best acting I've ever done. " Not my dog! Please don't take my dog!" I screech, drawing the attention of everyone walking by, " He was the last thing my m-m-mum ever gave me and I been looking all over for him and PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY DOG!" I howl, tears of frustration at missing my quickest way to my friends adding credibility to my performance. Around me a crowd of people have formed and they're all on my side, grumbling about the cruelty of taking my pet from me. Abashed, the dog keeper turns Sirius loose and without a word, I jump up and we dash as fast as we can into the train station, ignoring the shouts and cries of the guards and patrons. " It's three after nine and if I can just make it... The wall looms ahead of me thick and cement, and if I'm wrong this is gonna hurt like hell.
I slip right through it, stumbling and falling into a roll on the platform, my bag hitting me in the head. I sit up dazed as Sirius whines, licking my hand apologetically as the shiny red engine pulls away from the platform. I bury my head in his fur, rubbing it gently.
" 'Sokay Sirius." I mutter, standing up. " We planned on walking anyway. Come on. Let's get something to eat first." I dig out a few sickles and we head towards the small restaurant.

*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
Sarai, part 5
*****************************************************************

It seemed like no time before the end of summer had arrived and life in the Burrow was filled with last-minute packing and lost socks and put-off homework. But September 1st came, and despite Harry's lost Potion book (found in the attic with the ghoul), and Pig's almost-refusal to get into his cage, somehow we managed to make it to King's Cross in time to slip through the barrier to Platform 9 and 3/4. I didn't get to look around as much as I would have liked, because by then we had only fifteen minutes to get onto the train and find a compartment. We didn't have to look very hard, however, because we found Hermione Granger in the last compartment. We said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and began settling ourselves in for the ride amid introductions and explanations. Hermione was

I leaned my head against the window, smiling as Harry, Ron and Hermione began teasing each other about something. The station was emptying and the train blew its whistle as it prepared to leave. I looked toward the barrier and- to my shock- saw someone tumble through, followed by a large, black Newfoundland. I frowned, sitting up and trying to get a closer look at her- she looked familiar somehow, and I had a sneaking suspicion that I pushed away. The train lurched as it began moving and when she looked up, I gasped, my chest tightening in panic. "Arnica..." I breathed, rooted to the seat in shock.

"Arnica!"

Suddenly I jumped up, stumbling past Ron, and brushing his arm away as I tried to get to the isle. "Let me go!" I cried frantically and beginning to really panic. "Stop the train; let me go!" I tore away and ran for the back door- I don't know what I was thinking, but the only thing I knew was that Arnica was out there, on the platform, and not on the train with me. I had just grabbed hold of the door handle when someone- Ron, probably- grabbed me around the waist and hauled me away from the door. I barely registered what he was saying to me as I struggled free. "Let me go, damn it! That's Arnica- she's supposed to *be* here!! I have to help her! Stop the damn train!"

I managed to free myself from Ron's grip and lunged for the door again, only for him, Harry and a boy I hadn't met and didn't recognize to grab hold of me and keep me from Arnica. "Let me go!!" I screamed, hysterical and in the middle of a full-fledged panic attack. "You assholes, let go of me! I have to- Let go! Stop the train- do *something*! Let go!"

I broke away and made to open the door, but instead found myself watching the station- and Arnica- slide away from me faster and faster. My heart fell into the pit of my stomach and I felt my throat close up. I pressed my hands against the glass of the window, straining my eyes to try and see her, but the train had turned and I couldn't. I started shaking and whirled on Harry and Ron- the other boy had left- with angry tears stinging my eyes. I was suddenly angrier than I could ever remember being, and I could hardly manage to breathe. "What the *hell* did you do that for?!"

Ron frowned, looking worried, but I didn't register it. "Sarai... You were going to jump off the train."

"So?!" I cried, so angry I could hardly see straight. "You should have *let* me! Why didn't you stop the damn train?!"

"We couldn't," Harry said quietly. "You-"

"Stop it!" I shrieked, glaring furiously at him. "It's not fair! She was right there- Right There, damn it, and you stopped me! It wasn't supposed to be like this! She missed the fucking train and you stopped me!"

"Sarai..." Ron said, hesitantly approaching me. "Come on, think for a minute. You'd have hurt yourself, and missed the train, too."

"Fuck that!" I think I swore more in those few moments than I had in my entire life. "Then I'd've missed the train! But she-I-we-" I was hyperventilating, gasping for air and crying and desperate and furious and all I wanted to do was crawl into a corner and start bawling, but I was too mad. "*Twice*, damn it! *Twice*! It's not fair! We were supposed to be together now! We were never supposed to be apart!"

Ron touched my arm warily. "Sarai... It'll be all right."

I lost it then. I pulled my arm away and reached back and slapped him hard across the face, putting all my anger and frustration into it and not even thinking about what I was doing or who was watching or how I'd never hit anyone like that in my entire life. "Fuck you! It will *not* be all right! It's *not* all right, and it hasn't *been* all right since we left for that *damn* trip to New York. It was a *three day* trip, and it's almost been three *months*! And Arnica was *not* all right! You don't know her, she doesn't *look* like that! I don't know where she's been, or who she's been with, or what's happened to her, and she doesn't fucking *look* like that! She was so thin... It's not *fair*, damn it! She's supposed to okay; we're not supposed to be here. I was gonna meet them at school, so we could go *home*, but now Arnica's back there and not here and you stopped me! It's. Not. All. Right! I'm never going to-" I stopped, my throat closing as I looked at Ron.

My eyes widened as I realized what I had done, seeing the red mark on his face and the strange look he was wearing. I stared for a long moment before covering my face with my hands, and feeling my anger drain away. It left me shaking madly and before I knew it I was crying hysterically, feeling like I'd just lost everything and there was nothing I could do about it.

"I'm sorry," I muttered between sobs and gasps for breath. I looked up at him again, barely able to see because I was crying harder than I could remember crying in a long time. I felt guilty and desperate and I could hardly breath, but I buried my face again, and gasped out, "I-I didn't... I didn't mean to...I'm sorry, I-" I broke off with a sob, pressing my hands into my eyes. I sputtered incoherently a bit more before giving up and just sobbing, feeling like I was breaking in half.

I don't know how long I stood there crying, but suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped about a mile, looking up into Ron's eyes. He looked worried and apologetic, biting his lip uncertainly. I took several broken breaths before managing to get out another apology, but he shook his head and said quietly, "Don't. It's okay, really."

I shook my head, trying to tell him that it wasn't, but not able to get the words out. I wanted to try and get myself back under control, but I couldn't and trying just made it worse. I sobbed harder, hiding my face again and feeling my legs want to collapse under me, but I was startled when I felt him put his arms around me. I tried half-heartedly to pull away, but when he didn't let go, I leaned into him, grabbing his shirt in my fists and pressing my face into the crook of his neck.

After a while- I'm not sure how long- I managed to get myself under some semblance of control, and I pulled away from Ron, wiping my eyes when he let me go. I gave him a shaky half-smile that faded quickly when I saw the mark on his face. "I'm sorry," I said with a shuddering breath. "I didn't mean to... I wasn't thinking."

He smiled at me gently. "Don't worry, okay? It's not a big deal."

I wiped my face again, looking down at the floor and feeling myself begin to blush. Ron touched my arm and when I looked up, he hugged me quickly and then took my hand. "Come on, I think you should sit down."

I nodded silently and let him lead me back to our seats. I sank onto the seat between the window and Ron, and smiled sheepishly at Ginny, wiping my face hastily. She smiled back sympathetically.

"Where are Harry and Hermione?" I asked, trying to ignore how embarrassed I was.

Ginny smirked slightly. "They went to see why Seamus was wearing those weird clothes and that makeup."

I was confused for a moment. "Seamus..." I glanced at Ron. "That was Seamus?" I asked, remembering the other boy who'd kept me from jumping off the train.

Ron nodded and reached for a chocolate frog from among the goodies that had somehow appeared since we left the station. "Here," he said, handing it to me.

I accepted the chocolate and ate it distractedly, leaning against Ron's shoulder and staring out the window. *I can't believe she was right there... I miss her so much. Arnica, and Zoe and Aradia....* I shut my eyes and sighed slightly, holding off another breakdown only because I was so exhausted from my last one.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being jarred awake by Ron, who abruptly stood up. I dimly saw him shove a blonde boy out the door and slam it shut before plunking himself back down next to me angrily. I rubbed my eyes, sitting up fully and noticed that Harry and Hermione were back. "What's going on?"

"Malfoy," Ron grumbled angrily. "I swear, if he-"

"What?" Ginny asked, looking upset herself. "You can't do anything, Ron. You either, Harry. You heard Dumbledore last year- there can't be anymore fights."

* * * * *

The castle was huge. Bigger and more impressive even than the one in the poster on my wall at home. And real.

I stepped out of the carriage and just stood there gaping open-mouthed at the crown milling about before the steps to the largest and oddest-looking castle I'd ever imagined. I didn't have time to gawk, though, because Ron took my hand and we started weaving our way through the crowd.

"Come on," Ron said. "That's Dumbledore on the stairs. We'd better go see him."

Harry joined us and we made our way up the stairs rather quickly. Nervously, I followed them, but before we had reached the top, there was a shriek in the crowd behind us and I thought I heard my name. I turned and saw the crowd part a little and my stomach dropped right out from under me when I saw who was running toward the stairs.

"Aradia!" I cried, hurtling down the stairs, somehow managing not to fall on my face. I crashed into her, grabbing her in a tight hug and started sobbing and laughing at the same time. I'm sure we created quite a scene, crying and laughing and babbling away like we did, but we were too happy to care.

Someone had the good sense to take us to a little room where we could continue our reunion without the entire school. Trying to answer and ask questions at once, while trying to take in all Aradia was telling me (she'd spent the summer in Draco Malfoy's *closet*?), I babbled away about Ron and the Burrow and couldn't stop hugging her to make sure she was real.

I was just beginning to calm down when there were hurried footsteps in the hall and someone came flying into the room, crying our names. "Zoe!!" Aradia and I screamed, grabbing her as she flung her arms around us and it all began again.

I was so happy to see them, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry and so couldn't stop doing either. After missing Arnica on the train, I'd seriously begun to think I might never see any of them again, so even when someone came to tell us that we should clean ourselves up because we had to come out and be sorted (Zoe was an aide?), I only barely managed to pull myself together and wiped my face hastily, grinning like and idiot and not wanting to blink for fear they'd disappear.

We followed Zoe to the Great Hall- or, rather, clung to her as she took us there. The Great Hall was amazing- huge and imposing and full of people who turned to stare at us when we entered. I could feel myself turning red and gave Zoe a last hug as she was introduced as a teacher's aide and went to sit at the head table.

I had barely any time to collect myself before Aradia and I were introduced and I found myself being called forward to be sorted. I panicked, but walked nervously to the little stool and put the hat on my head.

"Aren't you a bit old for this?" I heard a voice in my ear say.

Well, you know..... I thought dejectedly, sighing slightly. Give me a break. I'm supposed to be going to college, not some wizarding school that's technically not supposed to exist. And it's not like I wanted this- I didn't even really want to go on that stupid trip.

The hat laughed. "Yes, you did." After that, it was quiet a moment and I bit my lip nervously.

"Well, you are interesting. I've never before had to sort a mind that thinks it knows where it belongs."

What? Thinks? No! No thinking! I'm not thinking anything! I thought desperately, my hopes sinking.

The hat chuckled and then said "Hmmm.... Let's see here.... Loyal, even-tempered, a peace-maker..."

I sighed. I'm a Hufflepuff, aren't I? But I don't wanna be in Hufflepuff.... I began panicking slightly, thinking about how the only people I knew were in Gryffindor, and it was bad enough not being able to go home, but I had just found Zoe and Aradia, and Zoe wasn't even going to be in a house....

The hat laughed, again. I'm not that funny... "Yes, you are," it replied, amused. "And I happen to be quite fond of Hufflepuffs, but I don't know that a Hufflepuff could have gone on the adventure you've had and kept quite this sane."

No? I thought, hopefully.

"Hmmm.... No," the hat said slowly. "Besides, I think it might be best for you to stay in the familiar surroundings of GRYFFINDOR!"

Relieved, I took the hat off, smiled at Aradia and made my way to where I saw Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny sitting. Sinking into an empty seat, I smiled meekly at those who congratulated me, and turned to watch Aradia be sorted. The hat didn't take long before it shouted "Slytherin!" and my heart sunk. After all this time and Zoe, Aradia and I were *still* separated.... But I caught Zoë's eye and felt a huge weight lift off of me as she grinned at me. We weren't in a House together- but that was nothing after this summer. Arnica wasn't with us- yet. She would be. I suddenly felt like everything would work out.

***Zoe***

I thought he was going to help me. That's what he was supposed to do. The great Albus Dumbledore can't even get me my friends and send me home. Figures. What good is he then? And I wanted so much...

I miss them, you know? They're my best friends, and we went away to spend time with each other, and now we're split up. I have to go to college in two weeks now, and I don't even know how to get home, or if I'll actually get to my school, or when I'll get to see all my friends again. I know Aradia and Sarai are ok, because Dumbledore told me. He's been in touch with them, but I can't be. He thinks it will upset their fragile mental states. He's probably right, but I know Sarai. She'll be the most unstable. I missed her birthday… I wish I could have been there. Even if she is with the Weasleys, I bet she was sad, and I'm sorry.

I don't know where Arnica is at all. I only know she made it through alright. She was in Diagon Alley, with Sirius Black. I guess they caused a riot, but I don't know if they made it out alright. All I have is what Dumbledore's told me, and I guess he doesn't know everything. That's too bad, because I thought he did…

So I'm sitting up here, alone, on the top of the astronomy tower, thinking. I miss my friends, my home, my family, my car, my computer… Everything, I guess. I just want my life back. Fate sucks, you know? I never did anything to it, but here it is, biting me in the ass. I mean, shit. Remus thinks I'm taking it a bit too hard, but he doesn't really understand. He doesn't know what it's like to be comfortable one minute, to have an identity you're cool with, and all of a sudden it's gone. Poof. Like magic. Ha.

That's another thing I'm not too thrilled about. It was ok when I thought it would go away, but now I know that it won't. Not for a good long while, and all of a sudden, this whole random personal transfiguration thing is getting on my nerves. Yeah, sure I can control it, but that's not the point. The point is that I'm not supposed to be able to do it. Magic isn't supposed to exist. I shouldn't be able to be some weird freakish thing that is something one minute and something else the next. The world's not supposed to work that way. And, yeah, Remus says it's normal, but you know, it isn't normal for me.

I sigh. "I quit," I mutter, staring up into the night sky.

"You quit what?"

My head whips around and I yank out my wand from my back pocket. I'm about to curse the living daylights out of the person whose head is just now sticking up the trapdoor to the top of the astronomy tower when I notice exactly who it was that startled me. "Remus!" I gasp, tucking the wand back into my pocket and running my other hand through my hair in a nervous gesture. "I'm gonna kill you! Don't sneak up on me like that!" I shake my head and sit back down, heart still racing.

Remus sits down beside me. "What's wrong, Zoë?"

"Nothing," I murmur, not looking at him. "What makes you think there's something wrong?"

He shrugs and looks up at the night sky. "Oh, maybe it's that you've been up here for the past four hours, and you haven't come down for dinner."

"Not hungry," I mutter.

I can hear him raising his eyebrow. "Ha. The day you're not hungry at dinner time is the day I'll streak through the Great Hall on opening day."

I roll my eyes, standing up quickly and starting to pace. "Then you better get ready to be embarrassed, smart ass. Jesus!! Why the hell won't you people leave me alone! I'm fine! I'm not hungry, I'm not upset, I'm just fucking peachy! Now leave me alone!"

Remus stands up and grabs my arm. "No. Dammit Zoë, you need to stop moping! They're fine, you know they're fine. Dumbledore told you they're fine. You're going to see them in two bloody weeks!"

I glare at him, eyes narrowed. "No, Remus," I say darkly. "They are not fine. Did you know Sarai's birthday was yesterday? Yeah, that means my best friend was alone for her eighteenth birthday. And guess what, believe it or not, I actually miss my sister. We're close. We haven't been separated for more than two weeks in our entire lives! Yeah, I know we're both going away to college soon, but not yet. It wasn't supposed to be this soon. I don't even know what happened to Arnica. No one does, not even Dumbledore. She could be dead, for all I know. Honestly Remus, you think I can just get over this, that it's not that big a deal? It is, and I won't. Now leave me the fuck alone."

Remus blinks at me, and I can see anger rising in his eyes. His grip on my arm tightens, and I just have time to brace myself before he explodes. "At least you're going to see your friends again!! They're just a few miles away!! Mine are DEAD!! They were murdered, and when they died, I died. Sirius died. Their deaths destroyed lives, Zoë! Compared to that, this is just a short inconvenience!"

"Fuck you Remus!! At least you still had a world to turn to! At least your rules are still the same no matter what happened to James and Lily! You had your fucking family! You had other things to work towards and think about! All I can fucking do is sit here and wonder how they are and if Arnica's even alive! She's one of my best friends, Remus!! She was, like, the first person to know that I was gay, and she could be gone!"

I feel his muscles tense, and that's the last warning I have before I'm flat on my back, feeling like I just got hit with a battering ram in the face.

"Ahh… Shit…" I mutter, standing up slowly, making sure I'm still all in one piece.

Remus is standing in front of me, looking shocked and rubbing his fist. It takes me a minute to figure out what that means, and I can hear him starting to apologize.

"Oh, God, Zoë… I'm…"

I don't let him finish. "You fucking prick!" I jump at him, knocking him to the ground, and calling him everything but a child of God. I don't know what's happening anymore. We're rolling around, and I'm fighting as dirty as I know how. I'm biting, scratching, kicking and hitting, but then, so's he. I think I'm winning, because I manage to land a fist on some piece of flesh almost every swing, but I can't tell. He's landing a few good punches of his own. I grab something and twist, hard, and it's followed by a satisfying snapping noise, and Remus screams, but neither of us stops.

It's not until we're so tired and spent from fighting and screaming that we fall apart, lying on our backs and staring at the sky. I still want to hurt him, make him feel as lonely and scared as I feel, but I don't have the energy to punch him anymore. Staring up at the sky, I use my last weapon, the last thing I have to hurt him.

"You know what, Remus?" I ask, panting.

"What?"

"Sirius was in that riot too." I hear a sharp intake of breath that tells me my words did as they were intended to do. I hurt him.

"I know." The words are almost drowned out by a long exhale, like he doesn't want to breathe anymore, and I know he knows how I feel. I'm not sorry yet, but I know I will be. I don't care though.

"Have you heard from him since the riot?" I know I'm rubbing salt now, but I still don't care.

"No."

"I'm sorry." But I'm not, really, and I think he knows it.

"Right."

I don't know how long we lay on the roof like that. Maybe hours. Probably. The moon is high in the night sky before either of us tries to say anything.

I open my mouth to say something, maybe that I'm sorry, even though I'm not sure that I am yet, but he interrupts me.

"I'm sorry, Zoë," he says quietly.

I look over at him. "Yeah. Me too." And I am, really. Not sorry about hitting him, because I still think he deserved it, but I'm sorry I was so awful about Sirius. My best friend is missing, but Sirius is his soul mate.

We're still lying here, and I don't think we're going to get up, and we're not really talking, but it's comfortable now. Almost like I could go to sleep and not be afraid he'd well… do something evil. Yeah. We're better off than we were a few hours ago. I yawn, and I can hear him laugh, but I don't really care. I smile and wiggle carefully (did he really manage to hit me that much?) and painfully over so that I can rest my head on his stomach: much more comfortable than the cold stone floor of the astronomy tower. My head bobs a little as he laughs silently and puts his left arm under his own head.

And that's how we stay all night. Finally, the sun starts to come up, and we both know we need to go in, if for no other reason than to have Madame Pomfrey patch us up. We are in a sorry state.

I roll into a standing position, and offer Remus my hands to help him up. He grins and pulls himself up using only his left hand, holding his right hand against his chest, not moving it. I look at him curiously. "What's wrong with your right hand?"

He grimaces. "Um… I think you broke it…"

"Oh… That was the twisting, popping, screaming, sequence we had back there…" I grin. "You deserved it."

He shrugs. "Maybe."

I take his arm, and we lean on each other all the way down the stairs of the tower, and to the hospital wing. I knock on the door to the infirmary, and soon, Madame Pomfrey opens it, peering out at us from under the mass of curlers on her head. "Yes?" She asks sleepily.

"Um…" I begin. "We, well, kinda got into a bit of a fight…"

She rolls her eyes and steps aside to allow us to enter. "Come in," she mutters.

Remus and I shuffle in, heads hanging like bad children who've just been chided by their parents. Madame Pomfrey tosses me an ice pack to hold over my swollen eye before turning her attention to Remus' wrist, which, now that I look at it, is at a rather odd angle. She pulls a large roll of fabric from a cupboard and sets it beside where Remus rests on one of the hospital beds. Gently, she takes his wrist and brings it towards her. She looks at him sympathetically. "Now, this is going to hurt a bit…" Before he has a chance to take his hand from her fingers, she sets the bone.

"Ah! Fuck!" Remus yells, trying to pull his hand back. The woman holds it in a vice grip, and grabs the roll of fabric still sitting placidly on the bed. She wraps it quickly around his arm and hand, and with a wave of her wand, it becomes that solid cast material that all muggle casts are made of. Similar to the one I had, actually, when I broke my ankle. And I thought she could heal injuries by potions and wands, and stuff… I sigh. Nothing here is like I expected it.

Remus seems to have expected something different as well, because he's watching Madame Pomfrey like she's actually just playing a joke on him. "Are you serious?" he asks. "I thought we were just doing this to the students…"

She glances at him severely. "No, Remus, I believe we decided to treat all fighting with basic, non-magical remedies, in order to stamp it out. Am I correct?"

"Well, yes, but… I'm a professor! I'll need my right hand to write, to smoke, to drink coffee… I shouldn't have told you about the whole smoking thing, huh?"

The look on her face tells me that he's absolutely right, and that she really didn't wan to hear that he was smoking. "I don't really care what you need your right hand for, Mr. Lupin," she says crisply. I giggle, thinking of some of the things he might want his right hand for. She glares at me quickly before continuing. "You should have thought of that before you decided to get into a fist-fight with your TA. It's not my problem. Now, do either of you have any more serious injuries?"

After a quick checking over, she sends us on our way, armed only with ice and band-aids.

Remus glares at me as we walk together down the hall towards the teachers' sleeping quarters. "This is all your fault, you know."

I turn to him. "My fault? How is this my fault?"

"You wouldn't come down to supper," he accuses.

I shrug. "That doesn't mean you had to hit me."

"But you said-"

"You wouldn't leave me alone." I interrupt. "And please, Remus, let's not start this all over again. Fuck your other wrist, this time I'll break your nose."

He nods. "Right. Well." He looks at the door in front of me. "Goodnight, then."

"Night, Remus." I turn my back to him and let myself into the room I've claimed as my own, shutting the door behind me. After the night I just had, I think I'll sleep the day out. Without bothering to change into my pajamas, I fall into bed and close my eyes. Before I have time to think of one of the stories I usually tell myself while trying to sleep, I'm out.

*

"Arnica!" I call. She's floating away from me, and I'm chasing after her. "Hey, wait!"

She smiles vaguely and waves at me in a sort of distracted way, as though she doesn't even recognize me. She turns around in her pumpkin and starts talking to the people sitting behind her.

"Guys!" I yell. It's Aradia and Sarai she's talking to! "Guys, wait up! Hey! Where are you going?" The two of them wave at me over Arnica's shoulder and turn back to their conversation. "Oh fuck no," I mutter. "You guys are not getting away from me now. You're too fucking close…" I start running towards them, but they're going too fast, I can't catch them. No matter how fast I run, I won't be able to fly up to meet them. I stop, staring after them, but now there are more pumpkins, and they're starting to go slower. I think, maybe, if I hop one of the pumpkins, I might be able to catch up to them. I grab onto a pumpkin, if I hold on tight enough, I know I'll be able to float up to them, and talk and hug, and god I miss them…

I'm starting to slip. Fuck. I hold on tighter, and there's a popping noise. I look up at I start to fall, and James, my fish, is looking down at me in disapproval. "Honestly, Zoë," he says in a voice that sounds much like Remus'. "You don't know how to fly. You shouldn't try it if you don't' know how." He flips out his fins and starts flying towards their pumpkin.

"James!" I yell. I've landed now, and I'm watching Aradia and Sarai wave at my fish. He looks back at me in annoyance.

"Yes?"

"Can't you give me a ride up? I miss them!" He shrugs in that way that only fish can do.

"Sounds like a personal problem." He swim/flies off into the sky, which seems to be changing colors like a Snood background, and jumps into the pumpkin with my friends and my sister. I sit on the ground and watch as they drift farther and farther away from me, towards the one point of light in that weirdly changing night sky - I know what it is. The star of summer, the Dog Star. Sirius. They're gone.

*

"What time is it?"

Remus looks up at me and rolls his eyes. "Zoë, it is not time for the students to arrive yet. They will not arrive until at least dinner time, and dinner comes late. You know all of these things."

"But Remus…" I'm starting to whine, but I can't help it. "Today! At least Aradia and Sarai! Today! I'll see them today!" I don't' even realize I've said this out loud until Remus starts to laugh.

"Sit down, Zoë," he orders. I do, but only long enough to jump back up again. He sighs and lights a cigarette. I'm just sane enough to realize that he's gotten really good at using his left hand for these daily tasks. "Zoë. Sit."

I sit. It's almost like his smoking calms me down, because I'm able to concentrate on the lesson we're working out for a whole twenty minutes. Then I'm up and pacing again. "Remus, what time is it?"

He rolls his eyes, and lights another cigarette. Frowning, he pulls it away from his mouth. He shakes his head. "Zoë, you drive me to smoking."

I grin. "That's bull. You smoke cause you can't get it second-hand anymore."

He shrugs. "Maybe." He takes a drag off the cigarette, and I take in the second-hand smoke. Ack, I've had a second-hand habit for a while, but it's really rearing its head here. It's a wonder I haven't actually started smoking myself. "Look, Zoë." Hearing my name snaps me back to reality.

"Yes, Remus?"

"Take the rest of the day off. You're really not going to be much use planning lessons in this state. Take a nap. It'll help the time pass faster."

"Thanks, Remus." I grab a couple of books and tuck them under my arm before heading off to my room. I won't be able to nap. I know I can't nap. I miss them, and I'm too fucking excited to sleep. I open my first book. I really can't believe they managed to teach me so much in such a short time. Sure, they're the greatest magical teaching minds in England, but still… The fact that I can even understand this stuff will never cease to amaze me.

I read all afternoon. It's a distraction, and a damn good one. Otherwise I'd've thrown myself off the astronomy tower once I left Remus' office. I just keep it up, one page after another, 'til I finish the book, and then I start a new one. I do eventually fall asleep, but by that time, the sun is already starting to go down, and I know that if I have to look at one more word I'll go as crazy as, well… someone crazy, alright! Don't push me! Thankfully, I don't dream.

I wake up to Remus opening my door. It's dark now, and I think I hear him say something about a feast, Aradia, and Sarai, and I'm up. The books on my bed fly in a hundred different directions as I jump up and dash to the door. I don't even think that it might be rude, I just shove Remus out of my way and start tearing down staircases. I hear him yell after me… something about the practical studies classroom at the base of the Great Staircase, and I know where I'm going, and all I can think about is my sister, and my friend, and I'm there.

I throw open the door and right in the middle of a room similar to my high school physics teacher's class room, I see them. "Aradia! Sarai!" I yell. I'm crying, and we're hugging, and it's ok. I know it. Arnica will be alright, and they're alright, and everything's fine. I don't know how long we're in there, clinging to each other and sobbing, but eventually Remus walks in and tells us gently that we're needed in the Great Hall. They need to be sorted, and I need to be introduced to the students as an aide.

I nod to Remus, and start to lead my twin and my friend to the Great Hall. I think I'm babbling like a dumb tour guide, but I don't really care. They're here, and I'm here, and it's good.

I have to leave them at the doors. I hug my Aradia and Sarai one last time before taking my seat at the head table beside Remus. I barely hear Dumbledore tell the other students that he has to sort a couple of seventh years, I'm too busy watching the looks on their faces. They've been through so much. They couldn't really be separated now, could they? Sarai steps to the front of the room and pulls the Sorting Hat around her ears. It takes a few moments, speaking to her I think, and eventually yells out "GRYFFINDOR!"

She pulls off the hat, looking somewhat relieved. I'm not. Not yet. I have to know what's going to happen to Aradia. My sister goes to the hat, sits down, and puts it on. I wait, hoping beyond hope that it won't separate them. "SLYTHERIN!" the hat yells. Sarai pales, and I know she was hoping for the same thing as me. I catch her eye. * No, * I say with my gaze. * This is nothing. You know that. We are not going to separate, now. * She smiles, shakily, and I grin at her. It's gonna be fine.

*****************

Aradia

*****************

I opened my eyes, blinking against the bright sunlight. I groaned as I rolled over. It must be nearly time to get up. Lucius would be in any minute to wake me up.

Sure enough, as I was sitting up, Lucius opened the door.

"Good, you're up. What do you want for breakfast?" I frowned. He knew I never ate breakfast. I hadn't since I had been there.

"I'll just get some juice when I go down. I'm not really hungry. I'm still really not a breakfast girl." He looked disapproving.

"I just thought I'd offer, considering you are going to Hogwarts this morning. I thought you might change your mind. Well, get up anyway. It's time for you to get ready." He left the room quickly. I almost had the impression that he was mad at me, but I pushed the thought aside and headed for the bathroom.

After my shower, I put on my Muggle clothes. After a month of wearing only the robes that I had been given, it felt almost unnatural to put on my favorite red skirt and my black halter-top.

I checked again, making sure that I had packed all my school stuff. We had gone back to Diagon Alley a few days after the day that the riot had taken place. We had gotten the rest of Draco's and my school stuff. Lucius had come this time, seeming to want to ensure the safety of his heir, and, I suppose, me.

I was relieved that we would be getting away from the Malfoy manor for a little while. Lucius was really starting to get creepy.

I looked one last time at my packed room and went downstairs to sit with the Malfoys while the adults ate breakfast. (Draco, like me, was not a big breakfast eater.)

To my immense surprise, as I came into the massive dining room, I saw Draco sitting with his parents, eating an omelet.

"Good morning, Aradia." Narcissa greeted me, not even bothering to look up from her newspaper. "I trust you slept well."

"Of course, as usual." I sat down quietly next to Draco. In seconds, I was bored, and I looked over at what Draco was eating. It was a mushroom omelet. I was even more surprised. Draco hated mushrooms, and eggs, for that matter.

"Hmm, those must be some mushrooms, huh, Draco." He smiled at me, the lazy smile he only wore when his parents were around.

"You can't even imagine." He never lost his lazy smile. That should have been my first clue.

"It smells really good. Can I try some?" Draco smirked.

"Sure, omelets for everyone." Lucius and Narcissa looked at us, seeming amused. That should have been my second clue. Narcissa never bothered to look up from whatever she was reading unless there was something really interesting going on. I ignored them and grabbed Draco's fork. I took a bite of the omelet.

Suddenly, I felt light-headed. It was an incredibly unpleasant experience. I felt like I had just donated a pint of blood. I heard myself swearing. Narcissa and Lucius looked vaguely alarmed.

"What the fuck was in that omelet?" I tried to shake off the feeling of light-headedness. It didn't work. It was, however, starting to become an almost pleasant experience. I was seeing everything through a faintly pink buzz. I took some more. The Malfoys laughed or smiled tolerantly at me.

"This omelet is full of magic mushrooms." Draco began. "They help me with the motion sickness. We'll both be on the train all day, and if I don't want to get horribly sick, I have some of these magic mushrooms. The only way they are tolerable is in an omelet. Unfortunately, I'm not quite myself when I eat them. I apologize in advance for whatever I do under the influence." Draco smiled at me in that way that made my knees weak.

He took his fork back from me and finished his breakfast.

"Are you kids ready?" Lucius looked at us, questioning. We nodded, and he led us out the door. We climbed into the back of a dark blue car and sped off. Our things had already been brought out to the car, and our owls were hooting quietly beside us. While we were at Diagon alley, the Malfoys had bought ma an owl, even though I had tried to stop them. They seemed to want to make me feel like part of their evil family. Yeah, right.

I stayed silent through the long ride to the train station. My head was still swimming. I felt numb. I felt like I had at that coven meeting in freshman year when I'd already been sick and then drank some wine. But without the nausea.

I think Draco must have understood how I felt. He put an arm around me. I think he was either protecting me from what, I'm not entirely sure. It was nice, though.

I don't really remember what Lucius and Narcissa had said as they dropped us off, but they left quickly, leaving Draco and I at platform 10. I checked my watch. We had about a half hour to spare.

Draco winked at me, grinning impishly at me.

"I thought they'd never leave!" Together we laughed. For some reason, this had been really funny. People were looking at us, obviously wondering who we were and what was wrong, but we ignored them.

I was just happy that I was at last free from the tyranny that I had dealt with since the moment I had walked into the house, living in Draco's closet. We linked our arms and danced our way to the barrier. I stopped before the very solid looking brick barrier, uncertain.

Draco put his arm around me. "Close your eyes, Aradia." I did as he had asked. He put an arm around my waist. We walked around for a little while, my eyes closed. At last, Draco said, "Oh, by the way, you can open your eyes now."

When I did, I was totally unprepared for the sights that met my eyes. It was as busy as Diagon alley had been, but this time, the place was swarming with students. There were students of all ages, from 10 years old to people my age. The closest thing I could think of was like trying to get to the parking lot at GHS, but about 10 times worse, and in a smaller place. I could hardly see the scarlet of the train through the sea of people.

Draco pulled a dazed me through the crowds towards the train. The crowd separated, letting us through. It was actually pretty easy to do. Most of the people were still saying goodbyes to families, so the train was still pretty empty. We quickly found a seat in the middle of the train.

I tossed my stuff in the place above our seats. I sat down, looking at Draco, feeling dizzy and light-headed. Draco threw his bags easily up next to mine. He sat down next to me. He put his arm around me, over my shoulders. It was a nice feeling, his arm holding me down so I didn't float off the planet. And I didn't feel like I was being crowded too much. That was nice too.

I looked out the window, enjoying the silence and serenity of our little world, watching the turbulent uproar of the world outside. The crowds thinned. Students began to board the train; parents began to leave. There was a horn to announce that the train was about to leave. That's when I saw them.

There was a boy, wearing what looked like some interesting makeup. He was running towards the train. Next to him was a girl. She was tall, with dark hair and skin. Her face looked like Arnica… but it couldn't have been. Arnica wasn't that thin, and she never ran, never… but… She stopped her run, taking an agonized look first behind her, then at the train. The boy she was with got on, but she started to run in the other direction, towards a large, black dog.

I leapt from my warm seat next to Draco. He looked startled, but I didn't have time to think about that. I opened the window, throwing myself halfway out in one lunge. It didn't seem to matter anymore if I ever got to Hogwarts. Because there was Arnica, and she wasn't coming.

I tried to scramble out the open window, but I felt something grab my legs. That something pulled me back in the window. I fought him, but he was much, much stronger. Her held me hard as I tried to go back to that window. I couldn't escape.

The train moved faster, speeding away from the station, away from Arnica.

"Okay, now, sit down, now." Draco tried to push me down into the seat. "Never do that again." There was a commanding tone in Draco's voice that I didn't like.

"Don't you ever, ever tell me what to do." I glared at him, putting all the affection I felt for him aside.

He raised his eyebrows, mildly impressed, but mostly disdainful. I didn't like that arrogant look on his face. I felt a strong urge to slap it off.

"No, Draco, for once, you will listen to me." I knew I was being a little unfair, but I kept going. "I have been away from my friends, my family for an entire summer. I have lived in your closet for most of that time. I'm tired. I'm homesick. I just saw a friend of mine, and she didn't get on the train. If only I had gotten to her, everything would have been all right." I drew a shuddering breath, tears streaming down my face.

"That was Arnica. Arnica always makes everything okay. She has, I don't know, something that could have made it all better, fixed everything. And I miss her, and my twin sister, Zoe, and I miss Sarai. I wanted to get off the train. I wanted to go see Arnica, and if I had it would be all better by now, but you stopped me. You stopped me!" I couldn't go on. I was crying too hard.

Draco's former arrogance melted away, as if it had never even been there. He took me into his arms and just held me. I cried for about a half hour. It seemed like forever. When no more tears would come, I looked up at Draco. Somehow we had ended up sitting, me on his lap. I forced a laugh.

"It's been a long time since I had a breakdown. I guess it was about time for one." He laughed as I laughed, wiping my eyes and getting off his lap, sitting next to him. He put his arm back around me.

"So, are you feeling better?" I nodded.

"I think I'll take a nap. Maybe get rested and refreshed before I get to a new school. Could you do me a favor?" Draco nodded. "Be nice, at least for this train ride, and leave everyone alone. It would make me feel better if you did." He nodded again, silent.

"Okay. Thank you. I'm going to sleep now." I curled up on the seat, resting my head on Draco's lap. He began to gently stroke my hair. I fell asleep almost as soon as my eyes closed.

* * * * *

The soft click of the door shutting woke me up from my deep sleep. I sat up, realizing that Draco's lap was no longer cushioning my head. I saw Draco standing at the door. He looked vaguely unfocused. I realized that he was still high off the mushrooms, and that my head was totally clear.

"Where did you go?" I looked at him, praying that he hadn't broken his promise to me. Praying that his leaving had been innocent.

"I, um, went to get some candy." He smiled smoothly, not missing a beat.

"Really?" He nodded. "So where is it?" He looked confused. I began again, more slowly. "If you left me to go get some candy, then where is that candy that you went to get?" He nodded and smiled greasily again, reminding me very much of a politician.

"I already ate it. I thought I'd give you some time to sleep, rest off the effects of breakfast. So I wandered around the train for a little while. I had a couple chocolate frogs. I visited with Crabbe and Goyle for a bit. And here I am." He smiled again. "Oh, and, by the way, you might want to get changed. We'll be getting to school any time now." He pulled a bag down from the space above our heads and pulled a black robe from it.

I rolled my eyes and got up, getting down my own bag and pulling my own robe from it. Draco left wordlessly to get changed, letting me have this space to change in.

I closed the door, charming it so that it would stay locked until I took it off. I wanted a little while to think. I changed into my flowing black wizard's robes as I fumed.

He'd broken his promise to me. I knew it. He had gone and bugged Harry and Ron and Goddess knew who else. All while I was sleeping peacefully in here.

"How could he?!" I found myself speaking out loud, yelling at the person who wasn't even there. I paced in helpless rage. I stopped in my pacing and threw my skirt and top into one of my bags. I didn't bother to fold them, just balled them, throwing them in. I sat down in the seat and took a few breaths to calm myself down a bit.

When I was rational again, I thought for a minute. He really couldn't help it, could he? Not only was it his habit to do this, but he was also under the influence of drugs that had made me try to jump out the window of a moving train. I almost smiled to myself. And he had apologized beforehand for how he would act. I unlocked the door again.

The train had already begun to slow down when Draco returned to me again.

"Well, here we are." He laughed at me as I reached for my baggage. "Leave all your things. They will be brought to your room for you." I nodded, feeling nervousness come over me.

"Okay, then, let's go." I had tried to sound brave, but my voice sounded a little shaky, even to me. Draco took my hand and kidded it.

"You'll be fine, Aradia. Just relax." He kept hold of my hand as we walked through the moonlight to a carriage. I was amazed to find that there really was nothing pulling the carriage. I had begun to actually feel confident as we started out. Then I saw he castle.

It was so big that it was scary. It was a real castle. It was no longer just a picture from a movie or an image from a book. It was real. I had the sudden urge to turn back and run and hide in the train. Instead, I just held Draco's hand a little tighter. He smiled, understanding.

We rode silently, watching the already huge castle grow bigger, blocking the moon as it tried to rise higher in the sky. After what felt like hours, the horseless carriages jolted to a stop.

Draco pulled me out of the carriage, as if I wouldn't have come on my own. We walked into the huge crowd of people. Draco kept hold of my hand as he tried to fight his way to the castle itself, where a very old man with a very long beard and glasses stood.

I kept my eyes on the man as we slowly fought our way through. As I watched, a red haired guy climbed the stairs. I realized that this must be a Weasley. He was walking behind a short guy with black hair and glasses. I found myself looking for that scar that would have identified him to me as Harry Potter. Bringing up the rear, behind the Weasley was a girl I would have known anywhere.

I let out a piercing scream and started to claw my way through the crowd. I had let go of Draco's hand. The crowd parted a little, surprised at the girl screaming and fighting to get through. I threw myself forward, and the crowd began to split.

I heard another scream, but I ignored it, not even looking up from the ground as I ran. I didn't even see Sarai running towards me until we crashed together in a massive hug.

For the second time that day, I began to cry. The difference between this time and the last time was that this time I was crying for joy.

I dimly heard a male voice say, "Welcome to Hogwarts."

I found myself babbling, trying to talk about my long summer with the Malfoys while listening to Sarai babble about her golden times at the Burrow.

Somehow in all this confusion, I found myself herded into a room that looked an awful lot like Mr. Crowley's room at GHS. By now, Sarai and I had calmed down enough to make some sense.

"I missed you so much! Have you seen any of the others?" I shook my head. "I saw you once and Arnica outside that train, but I haven't spoken to anyone except you, now. Have you?"

Sarai wasn't given time to answer. Instead, another girl came flying into the room. For a brief, irrational moment, I thought that we were being attacked by… someone.

"Aradia! Sarai!" I recognized the face and the voice of my twin as she grabbed Zoe and me into another huge hug.

"Zoe!" Sarai and I shrieked in unison. I felt myself crying again for the third time that day.

We began to babble again, but we were soon interrupted by a very severe looking woman with black hair and little round glasses.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need the three of you in the Great Hall. Zoe, you need to be introduced as Professor Lupin's student aide. You two need to be sorted. That is, if you are interested in being students here." She looked us over and sighed. I felt like I was being examined by Narcissa. "I'll give you one minute to make yourselves presentable. After that, Zoe, I think you can manage to lead them to the Great Hall." The woman left us alone.

I saw a mirror in the corner of the room. I went to it, looking at my reflection. I cupped my hands, calling some water forth so I could slick down my unruly hair a little. I splashed my face with the cold water, trying to remove the signs that I'd been crying. I dried up the water with a little fire before it could touch the floor. I dried my face with the hem of my robes.

I looked at my reflection again. I was almost presentable. I'm sure that the Malfoys would not agree, but they weren't here to worry about just now. I turned to the others.

"Ready?"

Zoe led us to the Great Hall. I was amazed at how, well, big it was. When we walked into the room, every pair of eyes turned towards us. I could dimly make out Draco sitting at a table with two huge guys that reminded me of football players.

"Okay." The woman who had to be professor McGonagall began to give announcements. "You may recognize Professor Lupin. He will be again filling the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. He also has a new teacher's assistant. Her name is Zoe Shields." Zoe hugged us one last time and went to sit next to a man who I guessed was Professor Lupin.

"And we have two new seventh year students this year. Sarai Hansen and Aradia Harmon. As they are new to Hogwarts, they will be sorted now." She held out the hat. "Sarai Hansen."

All of the people in the room watched Sarai as she walked to the stool. She sat down and put the tattered hat on her head. Her eyes were closed. I could imagine that she was thinking something along the lines of "Not Hufflepuff!" I smiled, remembering all the times we had discussed the Hogwarts four.

In seconds, though, the hat called out, "Gryffindor!" Sarai smiled and got up gracefully, leaving the hat and going to sit with Ron and Harry and a few other people.

"Aradia Harmon." I was almost surprised to hear my own name called. I felt my legs carrying me to the stool. I could feel every eye looking at me. I sat on the stool, pretending that I wasn't feeling nervous or self-conscious. I put the ancient hat on my head.

Hmmm… You have a good mind here, but then, you knew that, didn't you. A little cocky, aren't you. And you're pretty loyal too… But no, I'm not going to put you in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. You need to be in the same house as… Well, you can't have it all, you know. So, here's the dilemma. Do I put you in Gryffindor with your friend, or the sinister Slytherin with… Him? I almost laughed at the mock dark tone the hat had adopted.

Well, there won't be much of a difference soon, so I guess I'll give you to SLYTHERIN for now.