Episode Fourteen

Part One

The term started up again and soon the corridors were filled to brimming with students bustling to get to class. Gwen started the new year with a very fresh approach. She belonged here, she had belonged here all her life. Now it was time to show everyone that she belonged here.

She worked extra hard on her weak spots, namely Potions. She even studied in the subjects she was naturally good at, Charms and Transfiguration. Soon she was impressing even Snape (which was a miracle considering that he'd never paid her any mind before). Gwen was definitely going to make top marks if she didn't burn herself out.

She still had the idea of introducing herself to Gabby, Chris and Graves but she wasn't sure how to go about it. But Gwen had forgotten about her faerie luck. Sometimes if you wanted something badly enough it just came to you.

A tall, gaunt 7th year boy bumped into her on her way to watch Harry play Quidditch against Hufflepuff.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean to…" She stopped immediately. She was face to face with Corwin Graves.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" He said.

            "Um... I'm Guenivere."

            "Corwin."

            "They all call me Gwen."

            "They call me Graves."

            They smiled at each other. Graves couldn't place it but he had the strangest feeling that he knew her from somewhere. Gwen was staring and she was trying really hard to stop. She was so flustered she hardly noticed that Graves was staring too.

            "I swear I know you from somewhere." He said after a lengthy pause.

            "I was thinking the same thing." She said with a smile that nearly stopped his heart from beating.

            "Maybe we could sit together at lunch sometime. What house are you in?"

            "I'm a Gryffindor." She said quietly.

            "Slytherin." He said, almost ashamed for her sake.

            "Well, we could still have lunch." She said.

            "That would be really nice. I'll see you later Gwen." He winked and took off towards the field at a sprint.

Part Two

            Meeting Gabby, or Gabrielle as she liked to be called at Hogwarts took a little more work than meeting Graves. She was a 5th year Ravenclaw and Gwen rarely had contact with anyone from that house. Sometimes she just didn't like the house system. It kept you from meeting so many other people.

            But she persevered. She spoke to Professor McGonagall about getting the girl's schedule and her godmother was more than willing to help her. She smiled ruefully as she handed Gwen a slip of parchment with her soft swirling writing scrawled on it. "Do not abuse this."

            "Of course not Professor McGonagall."

            "You can call me Aunt Minerva when we are alone and out of the classroom setting Guenivere. I've spoken with your mother and I now know everything you know."

            Gwen smiled and wrapped her godmother in a surprising hug. "Thank you Aunt Minerva." She almost giggled at the sound of it. With the schedule firmly in her grasp she stalked after Gabby for days before an opportunity presented itself.

            Gabrielle had dropped her bag in the hallway tussle after Friday Potions lesson. Everyone was in such an excitement because the Dueling Club had been re-activated and was meeting in the Great Hall. Gabby's books went tumbling about everywhere and students were slipping over them. Gwen rushed over to help her.

            "Oh thank you." Gabrielle breathed. "It's so hard to get people to pay attention to you around here if you're a Ravenclaw."

            Gwen laughed. Even her mother's made up Rowling books had said as much. She never spent much writing time on the quick-witted Ravenclaws. "Well, some of us pay closer attention." She said as she helped corral the other girl's books back into her bag.

            "Thanks. I'm Gabrielle."

            "Guenivere LeFey."

            "Beautiful name."

            "Thanks. Most people just call me Gwen though."

            "They used to call me Gabby, but I just grew out of it. I prefer Gabrielle."

            "Very respectable." Gwen said with one of her winning smiles.

            Gabrielle extended her hand to shake. When they touched there was an electric shock.

"It's Electric." Gwen laughed.

"What's that?"

"It's Electric? It's a ridiculous muggle song called the Electric Slide and everyone does this thing." She said while pantomiming the motions with her arms.

Gabrielle laughed. "It's Electric."

Part Three

            Chris was the easiest of all three of them to meet. Gryffindor shared Herbology lessons with Hufflepuff. It was only a matter of time before they were working at the same pot and chatting it up like they use to in Gwen's dreams.

            It felt so good to have her friends back in her life. Even though they weren't aware of the extensive history they had shared in Gwen's head there was that same kind of chemistry. It was as if the bonds, even though imaginary were so strong that she needed only to remind her friends of their presence.

            Some of the other Gryffindor's were a little scandalized over her relationship with Graves. They couldn't bear one of their brightest to be hanging out with a Slytherin, even if he was the nicest Slytherin out of the whole lot. Regardless, the days that followed were some of the best of Gwen's life.

            She couldn't think on those times without smiling. She was surprised when she got all three of them to sit together to watch a Quidditch match. They were a full representation of the houses sitting in a little clump high up in the stands. All of them were cheering for Harry except for Graves (which was acceptable since Gryffindor was playing Slytherin that afternoon; it was almost blasphemy if you didn't cheer for your own house team).

            Graves found he liked Chris's off the wall sense of humor. Gabrielle found that she had much in common history wise with Chris. They had grown up rather close to each other in muggle communities and knew many of the same people. Gwen smiled that everything was falling into place. She could have the best of both worlds. Her friends were here at Hogwarts and back together as if they'd always belonged together, thanks to her perseverance.