Evie woke up early the next morning in her big four-poster bed in their dormitory. By the sound of it everyone else was still fast asleep. Yawning she rolled over onto her other side so as to be able to reach out for her watch on her beside table. 6am, she still had over an hour before she had to get up. Well she couldn't go back to sleep, not now that she was fully awake. Instead she open her bed curtains and reached out for her trunk. Quietly she pulled out her clothes and was dressed within minutes. Not long after that she found herself heading down the staircase towards the common room. She thought that maybe she could sit by the fire before breakfast for a few minutes to contemplate. Instead she found herself being welcomed by Laura and urged to sit with her for a while.

"Laura why are you up so early?"

"Early? This is the time I usually wake up"

"Oh ok then"

"Why are you awake now? Is anyone else up yet?"

"No just us and anyway I couldn't go back to sleep"

"Bummer!"

"Yeah I guess so"

"Evie do you think you could show me around a bit? We still have time don't we?"

"Well we've got at least an hour before we should come back so ok"

"Yay!" Laura danced around the room excitedly.

"Anything you want to see in particular?"

"Can I see the owlery? I want to see if Kree is back yet"

"Kree? Who's Kree?"

"He's my owl. Mum let me get him after I got my letter to come to Hogwarts"

"Well sure let's go then" Evie headed towards the portrait hole.

"Wait up!" Laura came running after her "Do you have an owl?"

"Yeah. I have a snowy white owl named Merlin"

"Wasn't Merlin a famous wizard from the tales of King Arthur?"

"Yes only they called them Druids in those days"

"Druids? Weird!"

"Not really, it's no different to calling them wizards"

"I never saw it like that"

"Many people don't so I wouldn't worry about it too much"

"So where is the owlery anyway?"

"Not too much farther"

"What are all the teachers here like?"

"Well Professor McGonagall teaches transfiguration. That's where you learn to transfigure matches into needles and that sort of thing. She's a bit stern but other than that she can be really nice."

"Aidan told me a bit about her in the holidays"

"There's Professor Flitwick for Charms. He's a really good teacher you'll like him. Hagrid teaches care of magical creatures. He's been known to introduce us to some pretty strange creatures but he wouldn't even hurt a fly. I'll take you to visit him in his hut sometime if you want?"

"Really? Wow! Cool! Has he ever shown you a unicorn?"

"Yes and lots of other creatures too"

"Cool!"

"There's also Professor Sinistra for astronomy. She's all right so long as you pay attention in her classes. Professor Sprout teaches Herbology. She's really knows her plants so you'll like her as well. Professor Potter teaches Defence against the Dark Arts"

"You mean Harry Potter don't you? The one who defeated You Know Who?"

"Yes the very same, he's a great Defence Against The Arts Teacher. Probably the best Defence teacher Hogwarts ever had"

Laura's eyes were nearly bulging out of her head "What about Snape?"

"Oh him. He teaches Potions. Be careful in his classes, he hates Gryffindors and he won't even think twice about taking points off you"

"He sounds as awful as Aidan said he was"

"Worse actually but don't worry about him too much. Dumbledore trusts him"

"Well then I won't worry about him" Laura was determined.

"Here we are" At once they entered owlery. A small dark owl flew down to rest on Laura's shoulder making the girl laugh. "Kree! Kree this is Evie" The owl lifted it's head up so that Evie was now staring into it's large amber eyes. Slowly it nodded and began to hoot happily. A nearby snowy white owl suddenly swooped down towards them to land on a nearby perch. Once it was settled Evie reached out a hand to stroke it's feathers. "Merlin this is Laura, she's new here so say hello"

At once the owl lowered it's head as a gesture of hello. Laura grinned. "Did you train him?"

"A little" she admitted, "He needed to know a few things so that his name would make sense"

"What else can he do?"

"Not much else. He does dance, talk and basic things like that mainly"

"He can talk?"

"He just hoots when you ask him to talk"

"Oh" Laura seemed disappointed "Oh well"

After rummaging through her pockets Evie found a couple of owl treats. She gave one to Merlin who again nodded but this time as though to say thankyou. The other she gave to Kree who unlike Merlin decided to just gobble his up in one big bite before Evie had even placed it before him. Laura was in shock. "Kree that was rude!"

"He doesn't know any better so it's ok."

"Still you're a greedy little thing aren't you" Kree looked at her as if to say "Who me?"

"We'd better go back" Evie looked at her watch "That is if you want to wash your hands for breakfast?"

"Yeah ok. Seeya Kree!" The bird gave her one last hoot before it flew back up into the rafters.

"You too Merlin, catch yourself some mice tonight ok?" Merlin nodded before joining Kree.

"I think they're friends already"

"Maybe" she had to agree with Laura.

"Well let's go back then."

"Alright come on. Let's leave."

The common room wasn't as empty as it had been the last time they were there. Several Gryffindors were already wide awake, sitting in the armchairs talking. Some of them looked up as Evie and Laura passed, occasionally smiling.

"Laura!" A first year girl came rushing out to greet her.

"Manda!" Laura waved "Manda this is Evie, I told you about her"

"Oh!" Manda looked shy "Hi!"

"Hello, Amanda is it?"

"Yes, Amanda Wallace."

"Nice to meet you."

Manda spoke in a very soft voice "You too."

"I'd better go see if any of the 3rd years are up yet."

"Ok I can wait here with Manda."

"Righty-o then!" Evie hurried up the girl's staircase towards her dormitory. On reaching the door she knocked quietly.

Char's voice answered "Door's open!"

"Just me" Evie opened the door. "Everyone else awake yet?"

"Nancy isn't and neither is Lessa. Cathy went to the bathroom to wake herself up."

"Hmm should we wake them all up or do we just leave them as they are?"

"Tough choice." Char finished brushing her hair. "I guess we should wake them."

"Alright, you take Nancy seeing as you're closer."

"Right."

Evie crept over to Lessa's bed. "Lessa are you awake yet?" There was no reply. "Ok then let's try this. AMI-LEE! What are you doing here?"

"WHAT? WHERE?" Lessa's head poked itself out of the curtains. Char started laughing.

"Sorry Lessa had to wake you up."

"But I want Ami!" Lessa started to sob.

"Well sorry, she isn't here."

"You're a liar Evie! You said she was here!"

"How can she be here when she's in America?"

"But you said she was here!"

"Only to wake you up silly!"

"Lessa climbed out from behind her bed curtains. "Well that was very nice!"

"Yes wasn't it" Evie looked across to see if Char had had any luck waking up Nancy. "Still asleep is she? Have you tried shaking her?"

"Um not yet, do you think I should?"

"Do you have any other choice? She can't be late to class!"

"Alright, here we go." Char gave Nancy's sleeping form a shake.

"But I don't want to get up now!" Nancy tried to turn over.

"Well you kind of have to, that is unless you want to be late?"

"Awwww!" Nancy sat up "That's not fair!"

"It never is." Muttered Evie.

"Well I think I'll head down to breakfast, you coming Evie?"

"Yeah coming Char" Evie followed her out of the room.