"Hey Harry, could you pass me the sausage?"

"Ron! That's your third helping!"

"I can't help it, Hermione, I'm hungry!"

Hermione shook her head as Harry passed Ron the plate of sausages next to him, but not before he took half the plate for himself.

"Boys," she muttered, snapping shut her copy of The Dispatch and opening The Daily Prophet.

"Why are you getting the American paper, Hermione?" asked Harry, spearing a sausage with his fork.

"I think it might be a good idea to keep up with what's happening over there. Taking out that school while all those people were there seems a little too coincidental to me."

"Dat's true, 'Ermione," Ron agreed, his mouth full.

"Ron, don't talk with your mouth full," Hermione said to him, scanning an article in the Daily Prophet. "Oh look, Harry's in the newspaper again."

"Imagine that," Harry said as he shrugged it off. "I wonder when they'll stop doing that. It's really annoying."

"What's he in it this time for?" Ron asked, loading up his plate again.

Hermione looked at Ron's plate with disgust. "Are you sure you're not a pig, Ron? That's your third plate."

"Come on Hermione, just tell me why he's in the paper this time."

"Fine. Let me see... oh! It's about the capture of all those Death Eaters before the end of term last year. You know what? I've been thinking why don't they just make up The Harry Potter Daily?" joked Hermione.

"Ha ha ha," scoffed Harry, pushing his now empty plate away from him. Leaning back a bit he said to them, "Did you guys notice how the American kids..."

"Didn't know who you are?" Ron finished.

"Yeah. It was weird. Nice... but weird."

"I don't know. Maybe that will be the first article in the Harry Potter Daily!" laughed Hermione.

"Harry Potter Daily? What's that?"

"Why would Harry need his own newspaper?"

Hermione turned around and saw Jessica and Cate walking over to them. Smiling, she said to them, "Good morning!"

"Yeah, what she said," Ron said as he plowed his way through the food on his plate.

Harry scooted over on the bench and this time, Jessica did sit down next to him. She went to reach for an apple out of one of the bowls and asked again, "Why would Harry need his own newspaper?"

"What? You're kidding right?" asked Ron, his eyebrows shooting up. "Don't tell me you don't know who he is!"

"Yeah. He's Harry Potter. Kid with glasses and in the same house as us. What else is there to know?" asked Cate, her face puzzled.

"You mean you really don't know?" shocked, Hermione just looked at the other two girls.

"Know what? DAMNIT! NOW I KNOW THIS ROBE IS TO BIG!" Jessica shook the arm of her robe that was now drenched in water. The goblet she'd knocked over reaching for her apple was rolling down the table.

"Here," offered Harry, handing her a napkin.

"Thanks. How do you guys manage these things? Ugh. That's it, it's coming off." Jessica stood abruptly, nearly knocking over another goblet. She quickly whipped off the black robe and set it down on the bench. Sitting back down she announced, "Much better."

"Ok, now that today's display of Moron Theatre is over, can someone please answer my question?" Cate asked again, giving her sister the apple that had rolled over to her side of the table.

"Well, I don't really know how to explain this..." Hermione stammered.

"When I was about a year old, this really bad wizard, Voldemort, came and killed my parents. When he tried to kill me, his spell backfired and gave me this scar," Harry explained quickly, pushing his hair off his forehead so Jessica and Cate could see the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

"So you're famous because you lived, and he died," asked Cate, taking a piece of toast off the serving tray.

"Well, he didn't really die. But at the end of our fourth year, he did somehow manage to get his body back," Ron finished for Harry.

"America has never heard of Vol- I mean You-Know-Who?" asked Hermione.

"Why do you call him You-Know-Who? Just use his name. But I guess either way he has a stupid name," stated Jessica right before she bit into her apple.

"The wizard community here refuses to use his name," Harry explained.

"Oh."

"So, why have you never heard of him?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Well, I guess about the same time you had your Psycho wizard, we had our own crazy sorceress. Jamie Dawson. Man she was about four cans short of a six pack from what we heard. No one knows why she all of a sudden went on a power trip, but she and her Shadows," noticing Ron's blank stare, Cate added, "Her followers were called Shadows. You never knew who was a Shadow or not. The Hunters really had to be on their toes."

"Hunters?" asked Harry.

"I think here you call them Aurors, if I'm correct," Jessica answered him, absently twirling a lock of purple hair around her index finger.

"Yeah..." Harry mumbled as he watched her. Not paying attention, he put his arm up on the table and rested his chin in his hand, not noticing the goblet of pumpkin juice. As he turned slightly to watch Jessica, his elbow shot out a bit to the side, knocking into the stem of the goblet, sending the goblet and it's orange contents spilling all over the table.

"AUGH!" Ron yelled, leaping back from the table, pumpkin juice running down the front of his robe.

"What the..." Cate said as she jerked back from the table, her white shirt spotting with orange.

Hermione kicked Harry in the shin under the table. "Wha...?" he stammered. Hermione pointed to Ron and Cate who were now trying to dab the spilled juice out of their clothing.

"It's no use. I'm going to have to go change," Cate mumbled.

"Hang on, I'll walk with you. I'm going to have to change too," Ron called after her, throwing the napkin on the table. "Smooth move Harry," he muttered as he passed by.

"How did that happen?" Harry asked Hermione.

Hermione stifled a laugh. "You're kidding... oh... you really don't know..."

Dean and Seamus walked past them and Seamus leaned over and said in low voice into Harry's ear, "You sure know some good moves. Can I take lessons from you?"

"What are you talking about Seamus?"

"Harry, you were gaping at..." Hermione jerked her head in Jessica's direction. Jessica, on the other hand was still twirling her hair around her finger, but she was now reading over her class schedule. Once Hermione was assured that Harry knew what she was talking about, she continued," You weren't paying attention and knocked over Ron's goblet of Pumpkin juice."

Dean and Seamus began to laugh, snapping Jessica back to attention. "What did I miss?"

"Just the smooth stylings of our friend Harry here," laughed Dean as he and Seamus walked away.

"Huh? Where are Cate and Ron? Don't tell me she's made a move already..." Jessica asked, looking around for her sister.

"No... I guess I knocked some pumpkin juice on them. They went to go change," Harry answered her, the back of his neck getting red.

"Well, they better hurry up. Classes start soon," Hermione observed. "So what do we start the new term off with?"

Harry groaned. "Double potions with the Slytherins and Snape."

Jessica grinned widely. "Ooooooh, so my favorite group of people will be there, eh? Heh heh heh..."

Hermione looked at Jessica, stunned. Noticing Hermione's stare, Jessica quickly added, "I'm being sarcastic. Isn't Snape the head of that house of jerks?"

"Yeah, he favors them," Harry told her, pushing anything he could knock over away from him.

"We'll see." Jessica answered him, shoving her schedule back into her pocket.

"Isn't Trinkets advanced in potion making?" Hermione asked eagerly. Realizing what she said, she clamped her hand over her mouth. Jessica stood up and gave Hermione a small, reassuring smile.

"It's ok if you ask about the school. We'll have to deal with the questions eventually. Plus I know most people won't say anything in bad taste."

"I wish that didn't happen," Hermione told her solemnly.

"I wish a lot of things, but it won't do any good now," Jessica stood up from the table and picked up her black robe. Putting it on, she answered Hermione. "I guess Trinkets was advanced in potion making. We had some excellent teachers. One even worked for the Magical Administration. I think she even worked for the C.E.O. of Magic, Rayelle Masons."

"C.E.O?" Harry asked, standing up and grabbing his books.

"Yeah, don't ask me. I think it sounds stupid too, but you know us americans. We have to do everything different."

Jessica reached for her books, but Harry grabbed hers too. Giving Harry a confused look, he answered simply, "I know how you walk in that robe. This way if you trip you won't have lethal objects of doom to launch at poor unsuspecting students."

"I'd only launch them at pompous blonde jerks who think we should lie down on the ground and let him walk on our backs," she said with a smile.

"Wouldn't he enjoy that," Hermione agreed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Oh yes. Let's get the fun train on the road," Jessica said, walking towards the main door of the great hall. Just as the three of them walked out, they ran into Ron and Cate coming down the stairs.

"I really wish we'd get another Potions teacher," Harry said to Jessica and Hermione as he put both books under his arm.

"I really can carry that," Jessica said to him.

"I stand by my previous statement," Harry joked.

"Well if you're sure..."

"Harry's a big strong boy, he can handle it," quipped Hermione. "Since you're being so chivalrous," Hermione took her large backpack and put it on Harry's other arm. "Thanks Harry, you truly are a gentleman."

"Urk.." Harry staggered a bit under the massive weight of Hermione's bag. "Sure... No problem..."

Jessica and Hermione began to giggle as Harry fumbled around the corridors with all their books. "Harry, I'm kidding, I'll carry my own bag," Hermione laughed. Harry waved her off.

"It's ok, I got it."

"Ok..." Hermione said in a sing songy voice.

"I sure hope we don't have to go up any stairs," Jessica laughed, watching Harry struggle with all the books out of the corner of her eye.

"No. We're heading towards the Dungeons."

"Well at least it's all downhill from here."

"I sure hope your sister and Ron make it to potions on time,"

"Me too. Though letting Cate be alone with Ron may be a bad move."

Hermione laughed as the three of them made their way to the dungeons. Once they were within sight of the classroom, Hermione spun around and took her bag off Harry's shoulder.

"You didn't have to carry them you know," Hermione said to him in a low voice.

"It's ok," he told her.

"Uh huh. Trying to prove your macho-ness to the girl who's caught your fancy?" she teased.

"Um..." Harry turned bright red.

"Is this it?" Jessica asked from the doorway.

"Yeah, this is it," Harry said quickly, making his way to her quickly, avoiding Hermione's smug smile.

"Do we just sit anywhere?" Jessica whispered to Harry.

"Yeah, you can sit by me and Hermione. Since Ron and Cate aren't here yet. Plus with how the Slytherin's are glaring at you, it might be better if you stuck by us."

True enough, when the three of them had walked through the door, every Slytherin sixth year had intense glares of hate focused on Jessica. Ignoring them, she whipped her blonde and purple hair over her shoulder and began to walk across the room to a empty table.

"Hold it," an angry voice said to her.

Turning around, Jessica came face to face with an extremely pissed off Malfoy.

"Not you again. I thought you'd know better by now than to pick a fight with me," Jessica said to him in a cold voice.

"That little stunt you pulled yesterday? No one gets away with doing that to me!"

"Um... Ass face, do I have to remind you that I DID?"

"Such vulgarity. Of course, you american wankers never did show much respect to authority."

"How are YOU superior to ME?"

"For one, I'm a pure-blood..."

"You mean you're family's full of incest and kissing cousins?" Jessica interrupted her temper boiling again. "Everyone knows there are only four pureblood families now. And to stay a "pureblood" you need to marry between those families. I'm surprised none of you are retarded or anything!"

"No one speaks to Draco Malfoy that way! You'd do best to curb your tongue you jumped up mudblood!"

All the Gryffindors in the room gasped at Malfoy's insult. Harry quickly walked forward and pulled Jessica away.

"Ignore him, he's all talk," Harry told her, taking her arm.

"Well, this is fitting. Of course the American reject will get involved with Saint Potter."

"Why don't you cram it Malfoy?"

Malfoy looked over at Neville, who had quickly shoved his chair back and was on his feet. He glared at Malfoy with incredible distaste.

"Oh boy. This will be good. Longbottom seems to have grown a spine over the summer holidays."

"Well maybe you should have grown a brain," Jessica snapped at Malfoy.

"Well well well," a cold voice said from behind Jessica.

"Oh hell," Harry mumbled. Malfoy stepped back from Jessica and a slow smile spread across his face.

"Now you and your stupid house are going to get it," Malfoy said to Jessica with amusement.

Glaring at Malfoy again, she slowly turned towards the new voice. Once she'd turned around completely, she found herself face to face with Severus Snape.

"I see. This explains it all. The new Gryffindor. Well, at least one of them. Since you obviously didn't learn any manners at that school of yours, ten points will be deducted from Gryffindor for you outright rudeness to others in this class."

Snape barely finished speaking before Ron and Cate came barging through the doorway.

"Are we late?" panted Cate as Ron bent over and placed his hands on his knees, attempting to catch his breath.

"Ten more points from Gryffindor. Apparently Trinket's didn't teach punctuality either."

Ron glanced up at Snape and groaned. "What a way to start of the new term..."

"Now that the show is over, everyone take your seats. On the board is the list of ingredients you will need for today's assignment."

Snape waved his wand at the blackboard and ingredients and instructions appeared on the board in yellowish chalk.

"You have one and a half hours. I suggest you get started now." Snape swept his voluminous robes around him and made his way back to his desk. Once Snape was out of earshot, Jessica began to snicker.

"What's so funny? Trying to loose us more points?" Hermione hissed at her as she began to set up her work station.

"No. We made this potion two years ago. I can do this in my sleep." Cate answered for her sister. Looking around they noticed the only empty space was next to Malfoy. Groaning the two of them set up next to him and quickly began to gather the ingredients needed for the potion. Annoyed, Malfoy glanced over at the two of them and saw that neither Jessica nor Cate had even glanced at the blackboard. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the two of them cut ingredients and sprinkle them into the simmering cauldron.

Glancing up, Jessica caught Malfoy watching them and she said coldly, "You know, you only have an hour left to make this potion. First time making it is difficult. Why don't you quit watching us and do it? That is, of course, if you have the mental capabilities to do the work."

Harry and Ron snorted with laughter from behind Malfoy. "Yeah Malfoy. Get to work. We don't want Snape's favorite student to fail do we?"

"Shut your mouth Potter. I'll get this done before you do."

"Uh huh. Riiiiiiiight."

Malfoy turned back towards his own cauldron and noticed that Jessica and Cate were already simmering their potion. He felt a swift and violent stab of hot anger. How dare they finish before him? He was the best in this class. Not them. He quickly got to work on adding his ingredients, determined to finish before Jessica and Cate.

"Draco," Pansy whispered from his left. "Don't rush this potion. It's very dangerous."

"If those american wankers can do it, so can I."

"But... Draco, they've been making this since their fourth year."

"So?"

"Just be careful. As much as I'd love for you to wipe those smiles off their faces, if you make this wrong, it'll hurt you."

"I'm not going to be one-upped by a couple of homeless, schoolless, classless half-breeds!"

"Remember Draco, I warned you."

Jessica and Cate sat back in their chairs as they waited for their potion to finish simmering. Draco glared at them from the table next to them and began to drop in his ingredients. Pansy still had a worried look on her face and soon Snape saw it. Sweeping up out of his chair, he crossed over the room in remarkable speed. He managed to make it to Draco's cauldron just as it started to billow out black noxious smoke. Just as it began to hiss, Snape whipped out his wand and tapped the cauldron, making it disappear.

"Foolish boy!" Snape hissed at Draco. "Don't you know how volatile this potion is? How dare you try to hurry your way through it!"

Draco opened his mouth to protest, but Snape cut him off angrily. "I know you were trying to keep up with the new students, but even I'm aware of the fact they have two more years of experience making this potion and all the others we're going to learn this year. If that's one thing Trinket's Academy did right, it was the potions classes."

Pointing his wand to the blackboard, Snape made Draco's name appear and a large zero next to it. Rounding back on the boy, Snape glared at him even harder. "Due to your... inability to follow simple instructions, I am going to deduct ten points from Slytherin."

Everyone gasped. They'd never heard Snape deduct points from his own house before. Spinning around to face the rest of the class, Snape said to them all in a cold, even tone, "Yes, I will deduct points from my own house. That is the level of highly dangerous, complicated potions we will be dealing with this year. Anyone else caught showboating like Mr. Malfoy here, will be thrown out of this class and not allowed back in."

A hissing followed by a couple loud pops came from the cauldron in front of Jessica and Cate. Jumping up out of their chairs, they quickly ladled a bit of the potion into the silver flasks in each of their hands. Writing their names on the flasks, they both walked to Snape's desk and set them on the wooden surface.

Brushing her hands off on her robe, Jessica asked Snape, "Here's the finished potion Professor Snape. Is there anything else you want us to do?"

Clenching his teeth, Snape told the two of them, "No. Take your seats and read the chapter on truth potions."

Jessica's hand shot in the air. Snape glared at her and hissed through gritted teeth, "What do you want now?"

"We've already done this. Last year at Trinkets..."

Snape cut her off with an angry flick of his hand. "Miss Zeigler. I'm fully aware that you're well beyond my class. But I'll be the judge of whether or not you're done with truth potions."

"We've made Vertiserum."

Every head in the class snapped towards them. Cate was sitting at the desk, her face buried in her hands. Jessica was now on her feet, her arms crossed, facing Snape almost defiantly.

Harry watched in awe as Snape shakily sucked in his breath and held Jessica's gaze. He swore Snape looked a bit... scared of her. Harry also noticed Snape looked a bit... pale.

He knows something, Harry thought to himself. But what?

The air in the classroom was thick with tension. No one blinked as they watched Snape and Jessica stare each other down. Eyes swung from one to the other, waiting to see who would crack first.

"I said sit down Miss Zeigler. If you and your sister are so inclined to, you may go help some of the others that are having a higher level of difficulty. Might I suggest Mr. Longbottom?"

Jessica glanced back over her shoulder and saw Neville shaking in his seat. When she glanced back at Snape, she saw that he was walking back to his desk. Glaring at the back of his head and sticking her tongue out at him, she nudged Cate and the two of them made their way to the back of the classroom, making a beeline for Neville.

"Hey Neville, don't worry. We'll help you get this right," Cate said to him in a low voice, patting his arm.

"Yep. We'll make sure you ace this one," Jessica agreed.

Behind Harry, Hermione leaned forward so her head was right in between him and Ron.

"Did you SEE that? I've never seen Snape afraid of ANYTHING!"

Ron sat still for a moment, going over the events in his head. Biting down on the nib of his quill, he glanced back at Hermione and agreed.

"I think there's something going on that we students don't know about. That's just too bizarre."

"I agree with Ron. Something just doesn't add up."

Leaning back, Hermione nodded. "It's not just their advancement in this class either. Weird things have been happening since the Trinket's kids came to the school."

"ENOUGH TALKING!" Snape bellowed from his desk.

Harry glanced back to where Neville was sitting, a Zeigler sister on each side of him. Neville looked a bit pink in the face and seemed to be a bit nervous about both of them helping him.

Seamus gave a short laugh and leaned over to Dean and said under his breath, "It looks like Longbottom doesn't know what to do with two pretty girls!"

Rolling her eyes, Jessica leaned over and said into Seamus's ear, "You wouldn't know what to do with one if she fell in your lap with an instruction manual."

Dean's face began to turn a shade of purple due to his efforts to hold back the laughter. Jessica winked at Seamus and leaned back in her seat. Hermione gave a stifled giggle as well. Next to Harry, Ron just shook his head and began trying to figure out the potion. A quarter of an hour later, Harry still found himself struggling with the difficulty of the complex truth potion. A tap on his shoulder startled him. Looking up he saw Jessica standing over his shoulder.

"You look like you could use a hand," she offered, dragging a chair up next to his.

"Yes, please," he managed to choke out.

"Ok, number one. Relax. I don't think Professor Snape expects you all to get it right the first time. I did what Malfoy nearly did and gassed everyone out of the school. Our potions teacher may have been brilliant, but she didn't really pay attention to the... ah... troublemakers?" Jessica giggled at the memory and pulled her wand out of her pocket and set it on the desk in front of her.

"You? A troublemaker? I don't believe it," Harry joked, finishing cutting up the leeches for the potion.

"I know, I'm so sweet and innocent right?"

Harry nearly snorted with laughter but managed not to. With Jessica's help, he barely managed to finish the potion on time. "Thanks," he said to her after he dropped the silver flask onto Snape's desk with the others.

"No problem. I always help out friends," she said as she leaned back in her chair, tipping it back onto its hind legs. Only once did she nearly loose her balance, but she was able to steady herself in time.

"So, what's next?" Ron asked his surrounding Gryffindors.

"Care of Magical Creatures I think," answered Cate, rummaging around for her schedule.

"Where's your timetable? It should be on that," Hermione said to Cate.

"Timetable?" Jessica asked with confusion.

"You know what a timetable is don't you?" Ron asked.

"We know our times tables," Cate retorted a bit hotly.

"Yeah. Five times five is twenty five," said Jessica.

"And nine times four is thirty six," followed Cate.

"And six times six is thirty six."

"And nine times nine is eighty one."

"And three times four is twelve."

"And five times two is ten."

"That one's easy."

"Not for you. You still have to count on your fingers."

"I DO NOT!"

"Jessica you liar! I just saw you counting on your fingers!"

"Nuh uh."

Stepping in, Harry said loudly, "That's not what we're talking about."

Stopping in mid-fight, the two girls looked at Harry and Cate blurted out, "Well then what were you talking about?"

Holding up his schedule, Harry said, "This is a timetable."

"OH! You mean a schedule!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Weirdo's," Ron muttered.

"I know you are but what am I?" Jessica shot back, right before her sister elbowed her in the stomach. "Owww..." she groaned as Hermione led the way to Hagrid's hut for their next class.

"Is this just Gryffindors, or is it with another house?" Cate asked Harry.

Groaning, Harry said to her, "This one is with the Slytherins as well."

"Well doesn't that suck," Jessica grumbled as she nearly lost her balance. Nearly getting nailed with her textbooks, Harry once again took her books.

When she opened her mouth to protest, Harry said quickly, "I stand by previous statements."

"What happened before?" Cate asked, raising an eyebrow.

Walking behind Ron, Harry and Jessica, Hermione filled Cate in on the events that occurred after she and Ron had left the great hall that morning. A thoughtful look fell across Cate's face. Jessica had once again removed her slightly too large robe and was dragging it along by the hood, the rest of the robe, trailing behind her on the ground. It was then everyone noticed that she wasn't wearing the standard white knee socks, but black and purple striped tights with a pair of platform mary janes.

Shaking her head at her sister's weird fashion sense, Cate caught Hermione's eye and the two of them just shrugged.

"This may be a stab in the dark, but does Harry have a thing for my sister?" Cate asked.

"How about another stab in the dark, do you have a thing for Ron?" Hermione asked easily.

"That's not a problem is it? I mean, you two..."

"We're not together if that's what you're asking. I have a boyfriend that lives in Bulgaria."

Cate whistled. "That's quite a distance. But you never answered my question."

Hermione fidgeted a bit. She didn't want to betray Harry's trust, but if Cate was already picking up on it...

"Ok, here's the deal. I won't confirm or deny it. Whatever Harry's told me stays with me. I'm not into gossiping."

"Fair enough," smiled Cate already knowing the answer.

"What class are we headed to?"

Jessica's voice floated back to Cate and Hermione. Snatching a pine cone up of the ground, Cate playfully tossed it at the back of her sister's head. It made a soft thunking noise as it made contact. Spinning around, Jessica shot Cate the glare of death.

"What was THAT for?" she demanded.

"For asking stupid questions Jess," Cate giggled. Jessica began a retort but was cut off by Hermione.

"We're here."

"We're where? This looks like someone's house..." mumbled Jessica, glancing around with slight apprehension.

"Yeah, where are we?" asked Cate as she took in the sight of Hagrid's hut.

" 'Arry, Ron, 'Ermione!" came a joyful, yet thunderous voice. Jessica and Cate's eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they caught their first glimpse of their next Professor, Rubeus Hagrid.

"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, Hermione rushing forward to hug the half giant.

"Eh've missed yeh to 'Ermione," Hagrid said to her after she let go.

"Hey Hagrid! Meet our new friends," said Ron, grinning up at Hagrid.

"Uh..." Jessica said as her eyes reached up to Hagrid's face. Cate didn't say anything as she struggled to compose herself.

"Yeh must be the new Gryffindors, 'Ate and Jessica. Nice to meet yeh," he said warmly to them, holding out his large hand. Cate reached forward first.

"Yeah, I'm Cate," she managed meekly. When Jessica continued to gape at him, Cate elbowed her.

"OW! Geez Cate! That one HURT!" she moaned as she rubbed her ribcage where she'd gotten elbowed.

"Ah yes. Yeh are Jessica," Hagrid said in a slightly more serious tone. "Eh've heard about deh hex yeh used on Malfoy on the voyage here."

"Stupid jerk deserved worse," she muttered, crossing her arms. "And now I hear I have yet ANOTHER class with that pompous jackass."

Hagrid raised a bushy eyebrow. Obviously Malfoy had already made yet another enemy, a powerful enemy. Before Harry or Hermione could ask him why he got serious all of a sudden, he herded them along the path into the Forbidden Forest. "Well, we better be off to teh rest of teh class."

"No one answered my question," Jessica said again, trying not to trip over tree roots.

"Care of Magical Creatures, Jess" Ron answered as he ducked under a low branch.

"Oh. Ok. Well this will be Cate's favorite cla... OOF!"

Harry and Cate spun around to see Jessica sprawled on the ground, her right foot hooked under a partially viewed tree root. Cate tried to suppress her laughter as Hagrid rushed to help her up.

Ron rolled his eyes and said, "I guess it's a good thing Harry's carrying her books."

"Yeh are now?" Hagrid shot Harry a knowing smile.

Harry knew his face was probably getting red and said quickly, "Well you've just seen how she walks."

"I'm right here you know."

Cate laughed out loud and re-assured her sister, "We love you Jess."

"Right."

"Ooooo!" Cate exclaimed as they reached the clearing. The Hippogriff's from Hagrid's first lesson were lying contentedly in the late morning sun.

"And here we go," Jessica announced.

"You guys have seen Hippogriff's? REAL ones? Holy Cow! Oh my gosh! Was that a Unicorn I saw in the forest?" Cate continued to squeal.

"Harry's gotten to ride a Hippogriff," Ron told her. Cate's jaw dropped open and she began to pelt Harry with questions as they made their way to the rest of the class.

"All right, yeh all here? Now then, today's lesson will be a practical one. I'm sure you all remember these." Hagrid opened the crate next to him and pulled out a few creatures that looked like fat shoelaces.

"These were useless the first time we studied them," Draco snarled at his surrounding Slytherins.

"Flobberworms." Cate announced. "Don't those need to stay in water and filter feed through their skin?" Ignoring Draco's comment she looked at Hagrid, waiting for an answer.

"Well, look here. Someone who knows more that Granger," Pansy snickered from the other side of the crate. Her friends began to laugh.

"Well I really didn't need to know how to keep these things alive," Draco drawled, bored.

Cate glanced down at the ground, unwanted tears beginning to pool in her eyes. Ron and Dean stepped in front of her so none of the Slytherin's would be able to see her if she did begin to cry. Hagrid was getting ready to tell Malfoy to quit talking when Jessica marched over to him.

Sensing what she was going to do, Crabbe and Goyle stepped in front of Malfoy, flexing their muscles, trying to look threatening.

"Do you really think you scare me? Get out of my way," Jessica snapped at the two of them, pushing past them with little effort. Marching up to Malfoy, she grabbed his shirt, physically lifting him up the ground by and inch or so and got in his face.

"Just because you lack the ability to retain information and have this compulsive need to be a raging jackass, doesn't mean we're going to let it fly anymore. Maybe instead of trying to make yourself better by cutting others down, you should try to crack a book and learn something. But then that would take some effort wouldn't it?"

Releasing him, Malfoy fell backwards, landing on the ground on his butt. He swore he saw fire flashing in her eyes. The air around them suddenly took on a heavy, oppressing feeling.

"You've been warned," she told him before she headed back to her sister.

"Jess, as much as I appreciate you sticking up for me, let's try NOT to get you expelled on your first day here," Cate whispered.

"Fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms, glaring at the other Slytherin students.

Hagrid cleared his throat loudly. "Eh, Jessica, can yeh do meh a favor? I left some lesson aides in Dumbledore's office. Could yeh get them fer meh?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "Sure. Whatever."

Hagrid quickly scrawled a note to Professor Dumbledore. Sealing it shut, he handed it to Jessica. She began to walk up the path to the school, but hurried back to where Harry was standing.

"Hey Harry, I'll take my books. Just in case I don't come back."

"Don't be silly," Hermione said in a sniffy voice. "They're not going to expel you over something like that."

"I know they won't. I know why Hagrid's sending me to Dumbledore. Don't worry about it," Jessica told them. Taking her books from Harry's outstretched arms, she cheekily blew a kiss to the rest of the class and disappeared into the woods.

The rest of the class passed by in a blur for Harry. He was too distracted by daydreaming about Jessica beating up Malfoy and what it would be like to date her. Harry did recall a few moments, but mostly it was just Cate answering all of Hagrid's questions before he was done asking them.

"Teacher's pet," Pansy hissed at her after the lesson ended. Cate just glared at Pansy as she and a gang of Slytherin girls passed them.

Turning her back on them, Cate said in a loud voice to Ron and Harry, "It seems that Pansy would WANT to know about animals, considering she looks like a dog."

Pansy spun around, her face contorted with rage. Walking quickly back to her, Pansy yelled, "What did you say to me?"

Feigning a look of innocence, Cate opened her eyes up wide and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you sure you're not hearing things."

"You said I looked like a dog! NO ONE talks to me like that!"

"Well someone has a mighty high opinion of herself."

"That's it! Let's see how brave you are without your sister here to protect you!"

Pansy lunged at Cate, taking both of them to the ground. Pinning Cate to the ground, Pansy lifted her arm up and brought it down quickly, trying to punch her in the face. Cate moved fast and dodged the blow, flipping Pansy onto her side, face down into the dirt. Standing up quickly, Cate flipped her hair out of her face while Pansy stumbled to her feet. Once again Pansy lunged at Cate, but this time, Cate easily dodged it, bringing her knee up sharply into Pansy's stomach.

Stunned, Pansy's eyes got wide and she sank to her knees. Struggling for breath, she brought her eyes up to Cate's face, anger blazing in her eyes.

"Don't think you've won Zeigler. This is FAR from over."

"I'm scared. Really." Cate said dryly. "And about my sister? Who do you think taught me how to fight? I don't need magic to beat you."

A couple of Slytherin girls rushed forward to help Pansy off the ground. With one on each side, Pansy began to make her way back to the Slytherin dungeons.

Sighing, Cate said to the other remaining Gryffindors, "I'm bored. Let's go to lunch." Mouths agape, Dean, Seamus, and Neville rushed after Cate, followed closely by Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"Whoa. I think I'm in love," Ron declared dramatically, clutching his heart with his hand.

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled," Hermione said to him.

They were still laughing about how Pansy fell to the ground when they entered the Great Hall. Jessica was sitting at the Gryffindor table with a bunch of lower year boys who were all gazing at her with goofy love struck looks on their faces. She kept throwing them weird looks and was relieved when Cate and her friends walked through the doors. Standing up quickly, she accidentally knocked a tray of sandwiches onto the floor.

"Damnit," she grumbled. Looking back up she began waving at the others. "Hey guys! Over here!"

"Oh my god. Did you SEE her face?" Dean laughed.

"I wish I had a camera!" exclaimed Lavender.

"What? What did I miss?" whined Jessica, grabbing onto Harry's arm. "Tell me!"

"Pansy insulted your sister then when Cate said something back, Pansy tried to beat her up and Cate ended up kicking her butt," Harry told her, still smiling at the memory.

"Way to go CATE!" Jessica exclaimed, grabbing her sister around the neck and giving her a hug.

"Jess, please let me go. I can't breathe," chocked Cate. Still feeling giddy, Jessica grabbed the next closest person to her and hugged them in the same way.

"Jess... breathing, that's a good thing," Herminoe choked.

"Hey Jessica, Harry wants to have the life choked out of him," Seamus joked from behind Ron.

"Shut up you idiots," Ron said to them. "Let Harry spit his own game."

"I'm hungry," Jessica announced out of nowhere, sitting down at the table. Everyone else followed suit. Soon the air was filled with conversation and laughter. Midway through the meal, Karen, another Trinkets transfer student, came over and plopped herself next to Hermione. Almost immediately, Colleen was next to her.

"Cate," Karen said in a serious tone.

"Jess," Colleen said in a similar voice.

"Karen," Cate said with confusion.

"Colleen," Jessica said with boredom.

"What's this we hear about you two getting into a fight? Ok, Jess we're not surprised about, that's a everyday occurrence. But Cate? Someone must have really pissed you off," said Karen, leaning bit a back on the bench.

"Hey! I don't get into fights every day!" Jessica protested.

"No... you have. Since coming here that is," Harry corrected. Jessica retaliated to the comment by giving him a playful shove.

"Really. I'm not some psychopathic person who lives to beat people up. He just... PISSES me off!" Jessica exclaimed, wringing her napkin like it was Draco's neck.

"He probably likes you," Colleen joked, then began laughing. Jessica had a look of absolute horror on her face.

"EW!" she screeched.

Everyone at the table began to laugh. Jessica began to make gagging noises and faces like she was going to throw up. Glancing over at the Slytherin table, they noticed that Draco and Pansy, plus their followers were absent from the table.

Colleen noticed it and jerked her thumb at the Slytherin table. "It seems they're off licking their wounds."

"They're probably planning a retaliation," Neville said as he sat down next to her.

Colleen smiled at Neville and said, "Hey."

"Uh... hi," he answered back, slightly confused. For the rest of the meal the Gryffindors and Trinket transfer students began speculating about how Draco was going to retaliate to that days' embarrassment.

"He not only owes you for getting in his face, but there was that whole fiasco in Potions," Hermione brought up.

"Yippee," Jessica said dryly, making a twirling motion with her index finger.

"Colleen! Leave Neville alone!" Cate said, throwing her napkin at Colleen. "You're scaring the poor boy."

"Aw man! Even Neville's got a girl now Dean," Seamus groaned.

"What?" Neville said, shocked. Looking around, he saw everyone laughing and he felt his face go red.

"He's so CUTE when he blushes!" exclaimed Colleen.

"Poor Neville!" Cate laughed. "He doesn't know what's going to hit him."

"Don't worry Neville," Jessica said to him from across the table. "Colleen isn't as strange as us."

"Yeah, I wasn't dropped on my head as an infant," Colleen quipped.

"As much as I hate to break this up," Hermione said, looking at her watch. "Lunch is over. It's time for our next class."

"What's next?" Ron asked, shoving another sandwich into his mouth.

"History of Magic," she answered.

"I don't have that down," Cate answered.

"Neither do I," murmured Jessica.

"Let me see your schedule," Karen said to Cate, snatching it out of her hand. Looking it over, she handed it back and said, "I think us transfers are supposed to meet Professor Dumbledore for the rest of the day."

"I wonder why," Hermione said.

"I know why," Jessica answered.

"Why?" Colleen asked.

"I guess last year the sixth years had tests called O.W.L's. We don't' have those tests at Trinkets. I guess this is a cram session for our own testing."

"Have fun," Ron said dryly, recalling his own O.W.L's.

"Well we better be off," Cate said to her fellow transfers.

"See ya later," Karen said, waving at everyone.

"Bye Neville," Colleen giggled.

"Uh... bye," he stammered back.

"We'll catch up with you guys later in the common room," Jessica told Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Later!" Ron said.

The four girls made their way out of the Great Hall, shoving each other around and nearly taking out a large group of fourth year students.

"Well then boys. Shall we be off?" asked Hermoine.

"Guess so," said Neville.

Trudging along the hallways, the sixth year Gryffindor class reluctantly made their way into the History of Magic classroom. This was by far their most boring class, and everyone wondered why they still had to take it. Much to their surprise, Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic wasn't there. It was an older woman with white hair that reached down to the floor.

Making their way to their seats, there was a lot of whispering in the class. No one knew who this woman was or why she was even there. Smiling at the class, she held up her hands for silence.

"Please students, take your seats."

Everyone quieted down and took their seats. Immediately Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"Yes?" the woman asked.

"Are we going to need to take notes?"

Smiling, she shook her head no. "This is purely an informational class only. Now that you're all settled in your seats, let me introduce myself. My name is Wendy Trinket."

"You founded the academy in america," Neville blurted out.

"Yes Mr. Longbottom. I did. I also had the opportunity to meet your parents. But that was a long time ago."

Neville bit his lip at the mention of his parents. Just last year he'd admitted his parents had been tortured into insanity by Voldemort's Death Eaters.

"I'm here to give you all some background on your new classmates, as well as enlighten you on schools in other countries. As Mr. Longbottom pointed out, I founded and ran the Trinket's Academy of Magic. Our students hailed from all over America as well as the occasional foreign exchange student. Our school was set apart by there rest of the wizarding world by one thing. Our school was the only one that could properly train and prepare a Sorcerer or a Sorceress."

"Those don't exist. My parents said so," Parvati said, one eyebrow raised suspiciously.

"They do exist Miss Patil. They are just very rare. I myself am a sorceress."

Excited murmuring began to fill the classroom.

"Is it true you don't need a wand?" asked Hermione.

"That's very true. Witches and Wizards need wands to accomplish magic. But a sorcerer or a sorceress has magic actually inside them. During the training years, they use a wand to help harness and focus their magic. Traditionally in the sixth year, they are gradually taken off the wand so they can learn to use their magic unfiltered."

"Cool!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Now, I'm sure you're all very well knowledgeable about The Dark Lord and his followers. You may also know that our students don't know much about him, or about the history of Mr. Potter. There's a reason for that. While your families were fighting against the Dark Lord, we had our own Sorceress with the same ideas. Her name was Jaime Dawson. She very much rivals your Dark Lord in cruelties and mad desire for more power. She had her own followers too."

"Shadows," murmured Hermione. Noticing Wendy's gaze on her, she added quickly, "Jessica and Cate told us a very brief history of these events. You also had your Dark Wizard and Dark Witch catchers called Hunters, right?"

"Yes. What you all know as Aurors are called Hunters in America. Your Death Eaters are our equivalent of Shadows."

"Did she die?" asked Lavender.

"No one knows what happened to her. As fast as she rose in power, she fell. Not to long after your Dark Lord either."

"Wow," sighed Ron. "I thought we had it bad."

"Now students, I'm not telling you all this to scare you. Your Headmaster and I agree it would be beneficial to all of you to understand where my students come from."

Snickering, Dean asked, "Were Cate and Jessica like this there too?"

Laughing, Wendy said with her eyes twinkling, "Yes. Yes they were. Though I believe they're holding back here somewhat. But once they are comfortable, they'll just be more amusing."

"That's hard to believe," Hermione said to Ron. Ron just laughed and leaned back in his seat.

"I won't bore you anymore with the history of American magic, but if any of you want to know more, I'll be staying here for a few days. I'm just helping Professor Dumbledore coordinate a few things."

"I think she's here to help with their O.W.L testing," whispered Hermione.

"That's probably true," Harry whispered back.

Glancing up at the clock, Wendy clapped her hands and announced, "Well, it's about that time children. Enjoy the rest of your day and remember any questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

Signaling the end of class, everyone began to rush out of their seats and out the door. Looking back at Wendy, Harry noticed how sad she looked as she gazed around the room. As he walked out the door, he saw her sit at the desk and begin to cry. Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder and joined by Ron, the three of them began to make their way to their next class.