-CHAPTER FOUR-

A Rivalry Begins

The next day, Harry felt as happy as if exams had been cancelled. Being back at Hogwarts did that to him. The four long, oak, house tables were filled with bowls of pour, plates of toast, eggs and bacon and the other usuals.

Harry and Ron sat across from Hermoine, who was using hand to eat her breakfast, and the other to hold her copy of Defending Against Dark Arts.

"I wonder who'll teach it this time," Said Ron through a mouthful of porridge. "The job really is cursed,"

Frowning, Harry looked up from his plate. "I thought it was going to be Mad Eye. He was here yesterday wasn't he?"

Ron shrugged, and looking at the Monday column of his timetable. "We've got it second, so I suppose we'll find out then. In the morning, we've got Potions with Slytherin... Defence against the Dark Arts..with... Damn it, we're still with Slytherin," Ron continued on, rattling off their schedule but Harry wasn't listening.

He watched as a blond Gryffindor by the name of Alexa Shermwood step into the Great Hall. Beside her, stood the brunette for the Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley, Amy. She gave the slightest look up to the enchanted, gloomy ceiling (grey clouds hovered above) then looked to the Gryffindor table.

To Harry's surprise, Alexa sat down next to Fred and George. Alexa said something, although Harry couldn't hear very well. But he did hear one word for sure, Quidditch.

"But if you're taking Wood's place as Keeper, whose going to be Captain?" Asked George as he buttered his toast.

"McGonagall isn't sure yet, I guess. She hasn't said anymore to me. Has she said anything to you Skye?" Alexa spoke to another blond who was sitting a little further down the table. It was Skye Dumbledore (who up until then, Harry had not even seen), she nodded then took a sip of her drink.

"First practice is later this week. Crack of daylight. We're going to be training more, harder and better. Like Wood says, 'If you don't plan to fail at the House Cup, don't fail to plan,"

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundreds of owls came soaring through the open windows, carrying the morning mail. The owls soared above searching for their respective people.

An old, large owl flew over top Neville Longbottom and dropped a parcel where his plate had been only moments ago. Neville always forgot something at home, and so no one was surprised at the size of his parcel. Errol appeared dropping off a letter for the Weasleys, and Hermoine's copy of the Daily Prophet was plopped into her lap. An eagle owl swooped down and sat down in front of Skye. She took the dark green envelope from the owl, petted it gently, and then it was off.

Across the hall Malfoy's owl presented him with the usual load of sweets from home. Harry fought off the sinking feeling of disappointment, and stared down at his cold, murky porridge. Only then did he notice he wasn't the only one who hadn't received any owls. Down the table Amy Elddir sat patiently, staring into her own bowl of cold porridge.

*

Another typical Potions class.... Down in the depths of the Hogwarts, in the coldest part of the whole castle. Harry hated Potions, even more than Divination. Why couldn't he be in Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid now? Although Gryffindor was stuck with Slytherin for each of the classes, at least they were outside for one of the classes. Harry glanced over to desk next to his. Amy sat next to Alexa, who in turn sat next to Skye. For years to come, Harry would never know how he had never noticed the quiet brunette before.

"Potter!" Said Snape sharply. Harry nearly jumped out of his seat, and looked to the teacher. "What are the key ingredients in the Draught of the Living Dead potion?"

Harry side glanced at Ron who looked stumbled, but both Hermoine and Skye's hands had shot into the air. The two girls exchanged a wary glance for a moment, and then returned their attention to the Professor.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry, and he watched grimly as Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Miss Dumbledore?"

"Asphodel and wormwood, Professor,"

"Correct. Five points from Gryffindor,"

Voices of the shocked Gryffindors rushed the room from while the Slytherins snickered.

"But sir," Said Alexa. "Skye got the question right," Gryffindors nodded in agreement.

"That maybe be so Miss Shermwood," Said Snape. "But Potter did not know the answer,"

Things didn't go any better for the Gryffindors as the class continued. For every question both Hermoine and Skye would stick up their hand, and it quickly became a battle for the two of them. Slytherins seemed to be having a good time watching the two girls struggle to be chosen to answer even the simplest questions.

"Snape's specifically not pickin' them," Said Ron in a hushed voice as they were being paired off to work at cauldrons. "So that we either get it wrong, or Slytherin gets it right!"

"Today we will use Sillotoph in a simple potion. Does anyone know what it's used for?" Snape seemed aggravated when only Hermoine and Skye raised their hands. "Dumbledore?"

"Sillotoph, is a derivation of aconite, other wise known as monkshood or wolfsbane," Hermoine glared over at the blond, clearly unhappy she hadn't been chosen to answer a single question all class, Skye simply grinned impishly in return.

Chapter 5:  Amy Elddir and the Aitruses