Chapter 2

A few days later, Kat grinned as she recognized Tsunami's large horned owl Pumpkin coming towards her on the grounds; a letter tied to his foot. She held out one of her robed arms, and the bird landed gently upon it.

"Hi Pumpkin. Do you have a message for me?" she asked. Pumpkin hooted at her, holding out his talon. Kat untied the bow that held the message, grabbing the paper before it fell, then lifted the owl into flight again, where he soared up to Merlinarina's Owl House, as they called it. Kat looked down at the front of the letter, then smiled, noticing Tsunami's untidy scrawl.

She turned the envelope over to the back and slid it open, taking out the letter. She began to read over it, taking in every word.

'Dear Kat,'

It read,

'Hogwarts is actually better than it sounded. The castle in the brochure is nice and warm at night and we get four poster beds and the Quidditch teams actually have GIRLS on them! Can you believe it?! I'm so excited! Maybe I should try out for the Quidditch team. Do you think I could get a recommendation from Mrs. Frywether?

Anyway, we have houses with portraits to seal the entrances, just like at Merlinarina's, except it's divided into four houses instead of six. I'm in a house called Gryffindor, whose seal is a lion. I've meet some really neat people and made a couple friends. Most of them are boys, actually. The first two Fred and George Weasley, are two twin boys in my house. Fred is actually the first person I met at Hogwarts that wasn't a teacher. He found me talking to the wrong portrait. I was mortified! Anyway, after that, he introduced me to his brother George. They're identical down to the last freckle, I swear to god, though their auras are different. They've both got wavy red hair and are about the same height as Trunks. They break more rules in a week than I do in a month, and I'm having trouble keeping up with them. It's great fun though.

The other person Fred introduced me to is a boy named Lee Jordan. He's such a funny kid! He's African American. . . well I guess not African American but African British, a few inches shorter than Fred and George, everyone calls them the Weasley Twins, and he wears his hair in dreadlocks braids. He can find almost every secret way out of Hogwarts that there is. It's amazing! I won twenty sickles from him upon meeting him because I could tell Fred and George apart. . . okay, so I cheated a little and used their auras, but not like it's something I can control! Of course, since Trunks failed so miserably to teach me poker,'

Kat laughed at this, remembering the time Trunks had convinced Tsunami to try to learn poker. It had turned into a disaster, and by the end of it, if they had been betting money, Tsunami would've been twenty years in debt. She grinned back at the letter and continued reading.

'so I therefore lost all the twenty sickles I earned in an easy bet to a complex card game. Anyway, Fred and George also have a little brother named Ron, a little sister named Ginny, along with three older brothers, Percy, Bill and Charley. . . a bit too many boys if you ask me. Ron is in his fifth year at Hogwarts, while Ginny is in her fourth year at Hogwarts. I was also introduced to a girl, also in her fifth year, named Hermione Granger. She's really smart and is excellent at spells. She really doesn't like to break rules, and she always gets everything right, so we're basically polar opposites. It's not like we don't get along okay though. Third was a boy named Harry Potter. He was also in his fifth year at Hogwarts, and he had this funny lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. Hermione said I probably read about him in a book somewhere because he's in so many. . . why does his name sound so familiar? It's bugging me!'

Kat gaped at the words on the page. Harry Potter! The Harry Potter, the boy who lived! Of course Tsunami wouldn't remember, her parents were muggles!

'One person I met, I would call him a friend and an enemy at the same time.'

Kat drew her brows together in confusion. She read the words over again, as if it was a trick. "'A friend and an enemy at the same time?'" she asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

'His name is Draco Malfoy. Kat, you must keep this part of the letter in absolute confidentiality. No one must see it! No one! Here's the thing about Draco . . . the only way to put it is he's a sheep in wolf's clothing. On the outside he acts like a mean and nasty guy, though I know that he's such a sweet kid. His father, Lucius Malfoy, was one of the Death Eaters for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and everyone seems to thing he's gonna follow in his footsteps. Draco wants to be an aurorer though. . . he told me so. I don't think Draco really has a home life. . . and that worries me a little, but unthankfully, there's not a lot I can do about it. So basically he's being forced to be mean to people because his family tells him to. . . oh Kat, he's barely a year older than Yuki! It's just so horrible! I'm trying to find a way in which I can somehow find Lucius Malfoy out, just so Draco can be given a proper home. Unthankfully, a powerless, novice witch like me can do so little. . .

A new class was set up this year for the 4th-7th years. It's a class where you're paired with a member of the "opposite sex", as Professor Lockhart calls it, and then you have to practically live with the person night and day, around the clock. Unthankfully, I had to be put with the most the most arrogant, egotistical, annoying, rude, stupid, idiotic person you could ever meet. God! He annoys the hell out of me! Just because he's a beater for the Ravenclaw team he's all Mr. High-and-Mighty! Stupid twit! It's like he expects me to get down and kiss his shoes or something! Ya right! Dream on Mr. Hotshot- Ravenclaw- Beater- Boy! I don't know how long I can put up with him. I hate him and I hope to associate with him as little as possible.

Well, that just about covers it. So, how are things going at Merlinarina's? Anything interesting happening that I'm missing?'

'No.' thought Kat. 'This school's as boring as ever.'

'Send me Pumpkin with your reply as soon as possible!

Love from Tsunami.

P.S.- Tell Yuki to see if he can find any of the Whizzing Whirls. . . I want to show them to Fred and George.'

Kat laughed at the last line. It was doubtful that Yuki Nudelman had any of his sister's invention at all, for his mother had taken them away after she'd found out that he and his sister had invented them, then sold them for money over the summer. Mrs. Nudelman had a ferocious temper that was not to be crossed, but when it was, it was hell to pay. It was one of those times. Kat grinned and folded the note, pocketing it. She turned back to Merlinarina's and walked back into the school to write Tsunami a reply.

--- ~* ~*

The air was thick with owls as they flew into the Great Hall. Tsunami grinned as she spotted Pumpkin swoop down with three letters and drop them on the table. "Hi baby." she said affectionately, scratching the large owl on the chest. Pumpkin cooed with pleasure, then bent down and picked up a piece of toast, then setting it in front of Tsunami. Tsunami shook her head, then picked up the piece of toast, buttering it lightly, then setting it on a napkin in front of Pumpkin. "There, happy?" she asked. Pumpkin hooted then began to nibble on the buttered toast.

"Are you sure that's good for him?" Fred asked.

"No. I sometimes give it to him as a treat anyway, though." Tsunami explained. She picked up the three letters, her face instantly lighting up. "Alright!" she exclaimed. "They remembered to write to me!"

"Who?" George asked through a mouthful of bacon.

"Kat, Trunks, and Yuki!" Tsunami exclaimed, opening the first letter, which was in a magenta envelope that seemed to be stuffed full of other things besides just a letter.

"Who are they?" Fred asked, taking a sip of his orange juice.

"My friends from Merlinarina's, and Yuki's my little brother." Tsunami told them happily, beginning to read the letter. She skimmed the letter, occasionally giggling or shaking her head in the middle of the letter. Finally she folded the letter and picked up the envelope. "Still totally oblivious." she stated, shaking her head.

"Oblivious to what?" Lee asked, putting the rest of the bacon on his plate in his mouth.

"Well, Trunks has this huge crush on Kat, but she is totally oblivious to it. It's kinda sad.no matter how many times I tell her he has a crush on her; she always brushes me off. Kind of a hopeless case." Tsunami finally put the letter back into the envelope after pulling out all sorts of trinkets and treats. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pepper Imps, Chocoballs, Miss Mary's Sugar Quills, and Martie's Sherbert balls. Stickers with moving wands, cats, owls, frogs, quills, and Tsunami's favorite band, "The Warlocks". She opened a bag of Pepper Imps, then held it out for Fred, Lee and George.

"Thanks." George said, taking a Pepper Imp. "So, aren't you going to read the other two?"

"No." Tsunami answered, shrugging. "They always puts joke spells of some sort on their letters, so I'm going to wait until we get back to my dorm." Suddenly, George gave a muffled gasp of shock, and Fred, Lee and Tsunami turned to look at him. He was fanning his mouth with a napkin while thick black smoke was coming out of his mouth. Tsunami winced. "I guess I should've warned you. You shouldn't have Pepper Imps unless you like really hot stuff. Sorry 'bout that." Fred, on the other hand, was trying to hide his laughter behind his hand. He wasn't succeeding.

"He's a volcano!" he exclaimed.

"George, I don't think Dumbledore gave you permission to smoke in the Great Hall." Lee grinned. George glared daggers at the two as he downed his fifth glass of pumpkin juice.

"I . . . hate . . .you . . . both!" he finally managed. His mouth had mostly stopped smoking, though he did spit out a black smoke ring every now and then.

--- ~* ~*

"I'm sure she's an aurasee." Hermione stated. She pulled a book out of her bag and opened it to a marked page in front of the two boys. "See, look." Hermione pointed out.

"It says here, 'Aurasees are creatures, usually humans, who are able to see the fabled energy crackling around a person that tells about them. Aurasees are very sensitive and are quick to be loyal and quick to hate all that are hateful and mean to those they are loyal to. They are very determined, and though not very good at most types of magic, are mostly skilled in dueling magic and memory charms. Their stature tends to be slightly short . . . '"

Everyone glanced at Tsunami, who was pouring another glass of pumpkin juice, for George had accidentally drunken hers in his hurry. "Well . . . I guess she is a little short." Ron admitted. "But she is pretty." Hermione glared at him and hit him on the arm. "What? I may be married, but that doesn't mean I can't look!"

"Anyway . . . 'Their stature tends to be slightly short, though this doesn't dwarf their fierce temper when let loose. Footnote: Aurasees cannot see their aura or the aura of the people they care the most about. Example: Family and spouses.'"

"Does it say anything more about auras?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Hermione answered. "Let me check the index." Hermione flipped to the back of the book. "Aflats . . . akahurts . . .anlats . . . astyup . . . aha! Auras! Page 56." Hermione flipped to the page in the book, then began to read out loud.

"An aura is the mythical energy that crackles around a person, telling their age, personality, likes, dislikes, and various other things, including certain things in their past that have "shaped" who they are in the present." Hermione read. "Only certain people can see this fabled energy, called aurasees. For more information on the aurasee, see page 124."

Hermione closed the book with a snap, almost catching Harry's nose. Ron was leaning over her shoulder, and he was getting a little too close for comfort. For some strange reason, it was making her tingle . . .

She shook off the feeling quickly, putting the book back in her bag. She sat down hurriedly, almost knocking Ron over. She saw Harry stifle a laugh with his hand, and glared at him, flushing a dull red. Ron sat down in his chair next to her, looking slightly bewildered.

"Pretty weird how you didn't get a partner, eh Harry?" Ron asked.

"Ya." Harry agreed. "McGonagall will probably give me one today though."

"I wonder who she'll pair you with." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Oh, if I'm lucky probably one of the Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff-"

"Potter! Come with me!" It was McGonagall. She came striding up to them, he hair in the usual tight bun, though she seemed a tad bit worried. Harry stood, picking up a pumpkin muffin.

"What is it Professor?" he asked.

"You'll see. Come with me. I would like to see you in my office." Harry turned to Ron and Hermione and shrugged, but Hermione missed it, for she was studying Tsunami closely. Ron turned to Hermione and was about to say something when she suddenly spun around to face him.

"She saw me." she hissed.

"What?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Tsunami saw me looking at her." Hermione said in a slightly panicked tone.

"Oh, calm down." Ron told her, smiling. "I don't think she knows why you were staring at her." Hermione stared at him, and she felt herself relax. Why had she never noticed his smile before? She even found herself smiling back.

"You're right Ron. I'm being silly." Hermione agreed. Ron looked shocked. "Now, what class do we have first?"

--- ~* ~*

"Professor McGonagall, may I ask what this is about?" Harry asked as he followed McGonagall down the long halls.

"I am assigning you your partner for the project, Potter. I hope you don't mind having a partner one year younger than you." McGonagall told him.

"Um . . . is it someone I know?" Harry asked.

"You should know her, yes." McGonagall told her. She opened the door to her office, and Harry stepped in after her. He was shocked and surprised to see a red bundle of hair the same shade as Ron's standing sheepishly in the middle of McGonagall's office.

"Ginny?" he exclaimed.

"I'm really sorry about this, Harry." she told him. "You see, I wasn't assigned a partner, so I talked to McGonagall about it, and she said you were the only extra person who didn't have a partner and-"

"It's alright Gin." Harry interrupted, noticing her hands becoming entwined in themselves because of their nervousness. "I'm glad my partner is someone I know." Ginny flushed slightly, though not as much as she did as when she was younger.

She changed a lot from last year, Harry noticed. Her hair had been cut so it was down to her shoulders, and it curled slightly towards her neck at the bottom. Her brown eyes sparkled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, while her thin but elegant-looking hands were now clasped in front of her. She had, while Ron hadn't, inherited her father's height, and was now about a 5' 5", up to his nose. Her chest had developed nicely, and Harry mentally kicked himself for noticing before turning to McGonagall as she spoke.

"I take it you'll be just fine Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes Professor." Harry replied.

"Good." McGonagall replied. She handed Harry a sheet of paper with a key taped onto it. Printed on it were a hall number, portrait description, and a password. "Your stuff will be moved there by lunch. You may return to your breakfast now."

"Thank you Professor." Ginny told her, still a little nervous.

"Alright then, Gin." Harry told her, and Ginny turned to look at him. "Ready to go back to the Great Hall?" Ginny nodded, her blush having receded.

"Ready when you are." she told him.

"Off you go then." McGonagall told them, and the two students left, shutting the door behind them.

--- ~ * ~ *

"Hey Harry! What did McGonagall want?" Ron asked, when Harry strolled up to the table, Ginny in tow.

"Oh, she just was assigning me a partner for the project." Harry told him nonchalantly, sitting down in his usual seat across from him. Ron looked quizzically at Ginny when she sat down next to him. She avoided his gaze.

"So . . ." Hermione said slowly.

"So what?" Harry asked.

"Who is it?" Ron blurted. Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Ginny was quicker.

"It's me, Ron." Ginny told him. Ron's mouth dropped open.

"What?" he exclaimed, shooting out of his chair. The rest of the table turned and stared. "Has McGonagall gone insane?"

"What's wrong with it?" Harry asked in apparent confusion. He didn't really mind it. It's not like he was planning to kiss her or anything . . . or was he?

Harry mentally slapped himself. 'Hello! Reality check! This is my best friend's younger sister!' he thought. 'What am I thinking?' Harry hadn't noticed that Ron had begun to stutter, searching for a reason to go straight to McGonagall and retaliate.

"Don't worry Ron. I won't let anything happen to her. I promise." Harry told him, when he finally noticed what was going on, and Ron stopped stuttering and sat down, though he still looked a bit disgruntled.

"So, where are you staying?" Hermione asked. Harry drew the paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. Hermione looked it over, delight showing on her face. "Oh Ron!" she exclaimed. "They're right across the hall from us!" Ron raised an eyebrow, and Harry grinned.

"There, you see Ron. Now you can keep an eye on Ginny anyway." Harry told him. 'Well . . .that means I won't be able to make a move on her or anything . . .' Harry blinked and resisted the urge to do a Dobby, which consisted of banging one's head on the closest thing in reach, which at the moment happened to be a pitcher of pumpkin juice. That would be very messy indeed. 'What the hell am I thinking?' Harry thought to himself. 'She's like a little sister . . .isn't she? I don't want her as my girlfriend . . . do I? Make a move on her . . . would I do something like that? I guess I would . . . no I wouldn't! What am I thinking? Well . . . she is getting pretty . . .'

"Yow!" Harry yelped, as Hermione kicked him in the shin under the table. "What the-" he asked, but was silenced, as Hermione motioned with her head from Ginny to him, then raised her eyebrows up and down once or twice. Harry colored, then glared at her.

"Harry, why are you all red?" Ron asked.

"Um, you know, I just forgot something in the dormitory. I'll be right back." Harry said quickly, shooting up from his chair and scooting out of the Great Hall almost as fast as his legs could carry him. Hermione swallowed a laugh as Ron looked after him quizzically.

"Wonder what that was about . . ." Ron said slowly.

"Who knows!" Hermione grinned, but as she looked at her watch, her smile died. "Oh darn! I'm late!" She began to rise, putting things in her bag.

"Hermione, we still have thirty minutes until class, and it takes us five minutes to get there." Ron told her, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I know, but I need to look at something in the library for that werewolf report for Professor Resquena." Hermione said.

"Hermione, that stupid Defense Against the Dark Arts report isn't due for another three weeks, and it's only 8 inches of parchment!" Ron said.

"So, just because I want to get a head start-" Hermione began to protested, but Ron interrupted.

"Hermione, a head start for most people is two or three days in advance, not two or three weeks. You're pushing yourself to hard." Ron told her. Before Hermione opened her mouth to object, but before she could get anything out, Ron continued. "Don't think Harry and I don't see the dark circles under your eyes. Don't think we don't notice how you practically fall asleep in Professor McGonagall's class. Don't think we don't notice how much you've been yawning lately."

"I don't y . . .y . . .yawn." Hermione yawned. Ron raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, shut up."

"Hermione, do sit down." Ginny agreed. "We are worried about you."

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll sleep in this weekend." Hermione told them.

"No you won't." Ron announced, and Hermione turned to glare at him. "You'll find another excuse to get up earily and by 7:30 on Saturday we'll find you in the library working on a report that probably isn't due until the Wednesday of the next two weeks." Hermione opened her mouth again to protest, but was cut of yet again as Ron interrupted. "And don't tell me you won't because I know you wi-" the end of his exclamation died off as one of the pretty Ravenclaw 7th years strolled past.

He apparently seemed to forget all about the argument he was having with Hermione as he watched the girl stroll past. When she was finally out of site, he turned back. "Now, as I was saying-" he stopped as he realized Hermione wasn't there anymore. "Where did she go? I wasn't done arguing with her!" Ginny shot him a withering look.

"Well Ron, if you stop in the middle of a sentence of an argument with one girl to go give googly eyes to another that doesn't even notice you, the first is going to do one of the following: A.) Get very pissed off at you and leave. B.) Hate your guts and not talk to you until you apologize. C.) Get incredibly jealous. Or D.) All of the above." Ginny told him, ticking each of the options off on her fingers.

"And Hermione has . . ." Ron asked slowly. Ginny rolled her eyes in exasperation, as though the answer was obvious (though it would be to everyone else except Ron).

"Chosen option D." Ginny told him in an annoyed voice, as if stating the obvious.

"Shit." Ron muttered. He knew what that resulted in if he didn't go after her and straighten things out. He picked up his already packed bag and raced out of the Great Hall. Ginny shook her head.

"Ron, you really need to work on your girl skills." she sighed. "Otherwise, Hermione's gonna be getting this jealous all the time."

--- ~* ~*

"Stupid Ron! Stupid, stupid Ron!" Hermione growled, dashing away a few tears.

"Now that we've established that I'm a stupid git, can we talk?" Ron asked, running up to her.

"No." Hermione said bluntly, turning into an open classroom, then slamming the door and locking it. Ron tried the handle, and after finding it locked, resorted to banging on the door.

"Hermione!" he shouted. "Let me in!"

"Forget it!" Hermione yelled back over her shoulder at the door she was leaning against. She heard Ron mutter something about being stupid, then heard him mutter something that sounded strangely like "Alohomora!" Before she had time to react, the lock gave a 'click', and the door swung open, sending Hermione sprawling backwards. Thanks to his quick reflexes, Hermione didn't hit the floor, but instead she found herself in Ron's strong arms, that strange and confusing tingling spreading again. Ron himself looked slightly flustered.

"There. Are you ready to talk now?" he asked in a slightly disgruntled voice.

"I am if you let go of me." Hermione said, in a voice nastier than she intended. Ron looked hurt, and began to step back, when his foot caught on one of the cobblestones in the hallway, and he tripped, sprawling, taking Hermione down with him.

'Shit.' Was all Ron could think as he stared into the hazel eyes above him. Hermione had somehow happened to become sprawled on top of him, and now here they were, practically pressed up against one another, their faces less then a centimeter away, and their noses practically touching. 'Close enough to kiss . . .' Ron thought. 'Though she'd probably rather slug me then kiss me.'

"Uh . . ." Hermione ventured.

"Erm . . ." Ron stuttered, his ears beginning to redden.

"Ya know . . . if you guys were a couple years older, this would look really bad." an amused, American voice came from above them. Ron and Hermione practically flew from the floor like someone had put bluebell flames right under the seats of their pants. Hermione's face looked like a tomato, and Ron's ears were the same color as the strawberry jam they'd spread on their toast this morning.

Fred and George were staring at him with a mixture of interest and worry; Fred's partner, Rachel Tifen, a Chaser for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and George's partner, Sarah Marach, the Captain and Keeper of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, were looking at them quizzically. Tsunami was looking at them with amusement (she was the one who'd made the comment) and Tsunami's partner, Mondo Sullivan, a beater for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, had one eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Out of curiosity . . .what is going on?" Fred, or was it George, (Hermione couldn't tell) asked.

"Good question George." Tsunami agreed, confirming that Hermione had been wrong in her guess. "What IS going on here?"

"Uh . . .well . . .you see . . ." Ron said uneasily.

"Um . . .we were having an argument and I was just coming back to apologize." Hermione made up quickly. She turned to Ron, who looked slightly stunned. "I'm sorry about walking away like that Ron, I'll try not to do it again." Ron blinked, and Hermione glared at him.

"Oh ya! Uh . . .sure Hermione. Thanks for apologizing." Ron said after a brief pause.

"Well, now that we got that settled . . ." Mondo said. He turned to Tsunami "As I was saying . . .can I copy your homework?"

"I already told you no, hotshot!" Tsunami growled at him. "Go get one of your little groupies to do it for you!"

"I don't have any groupies!" Mondo wined.

"Bull! Get off my back! I'm not letting you copy my homework just because you're too busy strutting around Hogwarts to do your own, hotshot!" Tsunami told him, getting more and more annoyed.

"But Tsunami . . ." Mondo moaned.

"Don't 'But Tsunami' me!" Tsunami snarled, glaring at him. She opened her mouth to verbally abuse him more when another voice spoke up, stopping her.

"Hey Noodles." a smarmy voice called. Tsunami turned slowly. She knew who it was.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked nastily. Draco Malfoy was standing triumphantly in the hall with Pansy Parkinson, his girlfriend and partner, along with the short and stout Crabbe, who's partner was a tall and bony Slytherin named Danielle Welch, and tall and demeaning Goyle, who's partner was a beefy Slytherin girl named Millicent Bartwarter.

"I challenge you to a duel. Midnight in the west hall." Malfoy told her. Tsunami smiled and her eyes lighted. How she loved to duel.

"You're on, Malfoy." she agreed. Malfoy looked behind him at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Goyle's my second," he stated, turning back to her. "Who's yours?" Tsunami turned, looking at the faces watching her exchange with Malfoy curiously. There were Fred, George, Rachel, Sarah, Hermione, Ron and Mondo.

'Well . . .' she thought. 'It can't be someone Draco knows well because then they'll get suspicious . . . so it'll have to be . . .'

"Mondo." Tsunami stated, turning back to Malfoy. "Mondo's my second."

"What?" Mondo screeched.

"What's the matter hotshot? You scared?" she asked mockingly.

"Me? Scared?" Mondo asked, glaring at her. "I'm not scared of a silly little duel."

"Then there should be no problem. See you in the west hall at midnight Malfoy. I will take great pleasure in reducing you into a pile of dust." Tsunami stated turning and dragging Mondo towards their next class, leaving the rest of her classmates and friends staring after her quick departure in puzzlement.

"What was that about?" Mondo asked, once they were far enough away. Tsunami shrugged, trying to look casual.

"It's just a wizard's duel." she stated.

"Bull." Mondo stated. "Something's going on," Tsunami began to look uncomfortable. Mondo now had the upper hand. "And if I'm gonna participate in this duel, you're gonna tell me what it is. Otherwise, you're gonna find yourself a new second."

"Fine then." Tsunami stated, smiling up at him. "I'll just have to tell them that the brave Mondo Sullivan, Mr. Hotshot-Ravenclaw-Beater chickened out." She quickened her pace, determined to leave him in the dust, but her short-legged walk was no match for Mondo's long stride. He grabbed her arm, stopping her in the hall.

"You wouldn't dare." he hissed. Tsunami smirked. She had the upper hand now.

"Want to bet me?" she asked.

"Then maybe I should just tell Fred and George that you're up to something, huh? How about if I tell Ron and, what's that girl's name, Hermione, too?" Tsunami paled. The tides had been turned once again. The upper hand had been returned to Mondo now. "Do you think they'd like that Tsunami? If I told them that you and Malfoy are up to something? Oh look, here they come now." And indeed they did. Fred, George, Sarah, and Rachel were heading along the hall toward them, chatting merrily. "It's your choice Tsunami." Tsunami glared at him again, now looking more worried than ever. She pushed the stray strand of hair hanging in her face back behind her ear nervously, but as usual, it just fell back into place.

"Fine, hotshot." she finally agreed, as Lee and his partner Katie Bell joined them. "What do you want?"

"Well, first things first." Mondo said, releasing her and straightening away from her. "Stop calling me 'hotshot' or any of those other annoying names you've cooked up for me."

"Alright ho-. . .Sullivan." Tsunami amended, sighing with annoyance. Mondo grinned down at her.

"And don't always look like your being put through torture! You look prettier when you smile." Mondo told her, giving her a friendly light punch in the arm. Tsunami stopped and stared at him in amazement as though she'd never seen anything like him. He'd just blackmailed her into corner, and now she would probably have to do both his and her homework for the rest of the year, and her he was telling her to smile more because it made her look pretty. Mondo didn't seem to notice her apparent confusion, and continued on into the classroom.

"What's the matter Tsunami? You look like you're trying to figure out a tough OWLs problem." George joked, as he, Lee, Fred, and their partners finally arrived. Tsunami shook her head, and smiled, finally relaxing for one of the first times since breakfast.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking, that's all!" she told him.

"Once in a life time occurrence." Lee joked. Tsunami raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ya, ya. Har de har har." Tsunami told him, tugging on one of his dreadlocks. "Can we go to class now? Please? It starts in two minutes."

"Since when has being on time to class been so important to you?" Fred asked. Tsunami shrugged, grinning cheerily.

"Dunno. Thought it might be fun to try one time. Come on boys! Let's give it a go!" With that, Tsunami turned and strode into the classroom. The three boys looked at each other in apparent confusion, then shrugged, following their friend into their classroom.

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

Preview of the Next Chapter:

Malfoy tapped his foot on the hard stone of the corridor. "Where is that stupid mudblood? She's late!" Malfoy growled, tapping his foot. He hated to admit it, but he was nervous. What if something went wrong and someone got hurt? What would happen then?

"Oh don't get your undies in a bundle, Malfoy. I'm right here." Tsunami stated, stepping out of the shadows with Mondo right behind her. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her arrogantly and drew out his wand. Tsunami's eyes narrowed as she pulled out her own wand as well.

"Ready to be made a fool of, Noodles?" Malfoy asked.

"You wish Malfoy." Tsunami hissed. The two put the wands perpendicular to the floor, reluctantly bowed, then turned and began to walk.

"1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .4 . . . " Goyle counted off their steps as they walked away from each other. "5. . . 6. . . 7. . ." She caught Mondo's eye for a split second, and he gave her a brief wink. "8. . .9. . .uh. . . what comes after nine?" Goyle asked Malfoy quizzically. Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Ten, you stupid git." he growled.

"Right!" Goyle agreed. "10!" Tsunami and Malfoy turned, their wands raised, and cast their spells . . .