"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry!" Dumbledore said. All had just finished eating, first years had been sorted, and all that was left of the welcoming feast was Dumbledore's yearly speech. "This year we'll have a Christmas ball," After this excited voices rose and girls cheered. "And this year, as all others, the forest is out of bounds for students,"

Azka's heart sank, No way am I going to a ball, she thought. Not unless he asks me. He was, of course, Alex Rider. A nice boy by all standards, but had a very secretive side. Azka was sitting inn between Cady Hornby, a fellow Slytherin and also best friend, and Alex Rider.

Dora was sitting between Jenna and Hanna, all three talking actively about the upcoming ball.

"I say it'll be great," Jenna was saying, her black hair up in a pony tail. "We'll all have to think of something special, so that we are bound to get good dates and all that." Dora merely nodded; she was watching her twin, who looked like she was in a deep discussion with Alex and Cady.

"And the planning must start months before!" Hanna said. Her green eyes twinkling. "I can just see the snow falling from the ceiling, like a snow globe," She sighed, her eyes becoming glazed.

"Um... Hanna? We need you back in the daily life; you can drift off as soon as you tell us the password." Dora said, tapping her foot impatiently. Hanna had become prefect this year, so had Diana. But the rest hadn't. Not that Jenna or Azka had wanted to, they had been doing mischief the whole fourth year so that they wouldn't get picked.

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Azka was sitting on her bed, her head on her knees and Cady going on and on about why she should keep away from Alex.

"He's a mudblood! I don't even know why he got into Slytherin, he is so Hufflepuff material!" Cady said, sitting down beside Azka. "I know you like this guy, but you know how I feel about muggleborns!"

"I'm half muggle, you know," Azka said, temper rising. "And Alex is a sweet guy; he can pass off as a pure blood anytime! I know you thought he was pure blood until he started talking about how his father was an M16 agent and his mother a professional surfer."

"I know you are half-blood," Cady said in an exasperated voice. "But Alex doesn't even have a hint of wizard in him; well he is a wizard and all that, but apart from that!"

"Whatever," Azka said and closed the hangings around her bed, laying down and burrowing her head into her pillow.

"I'm sorry, but we have to watch out for them," Cady whispered, before silence rested in the room.

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Dora was already asleep, or Jenna thought. Not that Jenna cared; she'd talk to a wall without caring.

"Then it just came at her, teeth barred and low growl coming from it throat. It came at the girl, growl becoming ever more pronounced for each step it took. The girl noticed it at the last minute, before the puma flew at her, claws striking faster than lightning." Jenna was telling the others a ghost story...Well not ghost story, more like puma story.

"Aarrgghh!" Dora screamed, flying out from behind her hangings, right at where Jenna, Hanna and a new girl called Jess.

"Eeeekkk!!!" Jess screamed loudly, she grabbed a pillow and flung it at Dora in an attempt to rescue herself.

"That's your defense method?" Dora asked, turning herself from her stomach to her back. "Attack the attacker with a pillow?!"

"Well, I didn't really have time to think, now did I?" Jess defended herself. "And that was mean, scaring me like that!"

"Sorry, then" Dora said, picking herself up from the ground and climbing back into her bed. The other girls followed her example, rising from their chairs and heading for their beds.