Hermione took her job as prefect quite seriously, and when she heard her duties included helping the first-year students adjust to a new school, Harry and Ron were the ones who suffered. Hermione decided the best way to welcome the first-years to Hogwarts was by introducing them to older students, and as Harry and Ron were usually close by, their first week was spent shaking hands with countless first-years and learning a dozen new names every day.

"They're too short," groused Ron after another group of first-years had gone away. "I've got a crick in my neck from having to look down at all of them."

"There can't be this many first-years," Harry said, doing mental calculations. "I think we must've met some of them twice."

"Hi Ron, hi Harry!" said somebody behind them, and then repeated it twice. Harry wheeled and suddenly had triple vision. The first-year Giffard triplets beamed at him.

Ron groaned. "I told you, Harry! Three of the same!"

"That's not true, we're hardly the same at all," said one of the two boys.

"Only in looks," said the single girl.

Hermione came up behind the Giffards with Marcus McCabe and another Gryffindor first-year. "Harry and Ron, you can meet the Ravenclaws first of all. These are Eamonn and Declan Giffard."

The boys shook hands with Harry and Ron and then left for lunch.

The last triplet introduced herself. "I'm Niamh Giffard. I'm in Gryffindor like you." She pronounced her name "Neev", and had a thick Irish accent.

"My name's Darius Diggle, I'm delighted to meet you, truly," said the other Gryffindor. "I think you might have already met my uncle Daedalus in the Leaky Cauldron a while back, he talked of nothing else but Harry Potter all that summer."

Harry stifled a laugh as Darius' top hat fell off his head. "Yeah, Darius, I can see the family resemblance."

Marcus McCabe jumped in eagerly. "Niamh and Darius and I are aiming to be great friends just like you three, and we'll have loads of adventures exactly like you!"

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione. "There'll be no adventures while I'm a prefect."

Ron laughed out loud, then quickly turned it into a cough at a severe look from Hermione. Harry also doubted that Hermione could stop them from having adventures; in fact it was more than likely that she would join them, however unwillingly.

The group, now enlarged to six, made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. When he sat down, Harry's hip bone emitted a muffled squeak. The others stared at him.

"Sorry," Harry said, pink-faced as he removed his Hippogriff figurine from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"There's something you don't see every day," said Darius. "Where'd you get that?"

"It was a birthday gift," Harry said, petting the toy's head gently.

"Has it got a name?" teased Ron.

Harry was sheepish. "Talonius." Seeing Ron's raised eyebrows he went on hastily, "Well, I had to name it. I couldn't just keep saying 'You there'."

Later, while Harry was half-listening to Ron and Darius discussing the last weekend's Quidditch matches, he happened to glance across the Great Hall at the Slytherin table and was hit with realization. The others looked at him when his spoon clattered onto his plate.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"The Slytherins," Harry said. "There's only one Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, right? So they're learning the same things as us, only half their parents must be Death Eaters or former Death Eaters themselves!"

"You're right! How'll Lucius Malfoy react when his son tells him what we're studying?" Hermione exclaimed. "We're practically learning the history of the Malfoy family!"

Ron was undaunted. "I think Professor Figg can take care of those bloody Malfoys. Didn't you see what she did to that cat? Zap! Right off the face of the Earth. She looks like a really powerful witch. I bet Lucius Malfoy wouldn't stand a chance against her."

"Hello, little Gryffindors," George Weasley greeted the group as he and his twin Fred sat down by them. "Is Ickle Ronniekins telling a story?"

"Go on, Ronniekins, we're all ears," said Fred. "Hey, does anyone want a sweet?" he added, pulling a handful of wrapped candies from his pocket. Marcus started to reach for one.

"Don't eat it, Marcus," Niamh said suddenly, and Hermione pushed Fred's hand away.

"No, Marcus! In time you'll learn never to touch anything these two offer you. Oh, Fred, honestly, they're just first-years."

"We'll get one of you, yet," laughed George. "One of these days, when our dear little prefect isn't watching."

Niamh took a sweet and unwrapped it.

"Niamh, no! Don't eat that!" Harry said in alarm.

"I'm not, I'm just looking," said Niamh. " 'We're all ears,' hm? If I ate this, what would happen to my ears, exactly?"

"Ahhh, she's a clever one," said Fred. "You guessed the joke. Here, have a chocolate on the house."

"No thanks," Niamh said.

"Well then, c'mon Fred," said George, "we've got to go find Lee Jordan. Says he's found a new way into the kitchens."

"I don't believe him," said Fred, "we must've found 'em all," and the twins left the table.

"Brothers of yours?" Darius asked Ron.

"How many families have red hair freckles like that?" responded Ron, reaching for a custard tart.

"They're all right though," Harry said to Darius. "Just a bit joky, right Ron? Oh-" Harry suppressed laughter as he turned to face a large, angry- looking canary. Within a few seconds Ron had moulted back to his original form, but he kept his irate expression.

"Damned Canary Creams!" he blurted out, taking a fork and viciously stabbing the rest of the custard tarts, sitting innocently on their silver platter. "Those damn twins!"

"Oh, Ron," sighed Hermione, giggling, "you spend all that time with your brothers and you still haven't learned to spot the fake foods?"

"That was great!" Marcus enthused. "Harry, can you do that?"

A soft mocking drawl spoke up. "Weasley, you make a repugnant canary. But it's the best you've ever looked."

The six Gryffindors looked up to find Draco Malfoy standing close by, a smirk on his pale face. He was flanked by his thugs Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy laughed quietly, and Harry's hands clenched into fists.

"What a hideous bird you made!" Malfoy jeered. "The only uglier thing with feathers than a Weasley canary is a Hippogriff."

While Malfoy spoke Harry's Hippogriff figurine was stirring on the table, unnoticed by the obnoxious Slytherin, and as Malfoy's last word left his lips Talonius took off with a shrill screech. The miniature Hippogriff launched itself forward with immense wrath. It clawed at Malfoy, and both combatants were shrieking. Harry leaped up after it.

"Talonius, Talonius, come back! No, no!"

He managed at last to grab the little toy with both hands and stuffed it into the pocket of his robe.

For all its ferocity, Talonius had done little physical harm to Malfoy. Malfoy was fine, if a little shaken. But he was livid.

"You can't do this to me!" he shouted at Harry. By this time it seemed the whole student body had stopped eating and was watching the skirmish. "You tried to injure me, and you probably won't even get punished for it by the teachers, but I won't forget this. You'll be hearing from my father, Potter, just you wait!"

"Oh, I'm shaking," snapped Harry. "Do your worst."

Malfoy's eyes flashed, and his hand twitched. For a moment Harry thought Malfoy was going to attack him with a curse-but then Malfoy's hand dropped away from his pocket, and he stalked out of the Great Hall, Crabbe and Goyle lumbering after him.