Chapter Two

The mood in the compartment took a distinct upturn for the rest of the journey- especially so when the smiling Witch came by with her trolley full of food. The eight of them each spent a ridiculous amount of money, and then shared out the sweets and pasties between them. Kate held up a chocolate frog with a grin.

"That day after the OWLs finished was brilliant, wasn't it? Who knew an engorgement charm would work so well on a chocolate frog?" Kate grinned as she bit into it.

"Those photos of the Slytherins being chased by them are absolutely priceless!" laughed Ron, biting into a pumpkin pasty.

"I still can't believe that you got away with only a detention. Honestly, enchanting puddings to chase them out of the Great Hall and around the grounds, creating giant chocolate frogs and giving pepper imps wings and then making them ten feet tall..." Hermione rolled her eyes at everyone laughing and began reading a large spell book.

"Hermione, the detention was worth it," said Harry, smiling at the memories. "The only reason we didn't get points taken off as well is that McGonagall and Dumbledore were both laughing."

"Snape was furious, though," said Kate. "We were avoiding him as much as possible for a week afterwards."

"He was probably scared we'd do it to him as well," said Chris. "Everyone hurry up and finish eating, and then we can play cards and stuff, alright?"

The remaining journey was spent playing multiple games of Exploding Snap, as well as devising pranks they might be able to play during the coming year- pranks which got increasingly more complex and therefore more likely to get them expelled at the worst.

They would have forgotten to change into their robes had Hermione not reminded them, and the Prefects among them were pinning their badges to their robes when the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station at Hogsmeade in the early evening.

They quickly disembarked the train, waved hello to Hagrid and made their way to the Thestral-drawn carriages. The ride to the castle was short, and, despite the fact that it was their sixth year at school, they smiled as the familiar castle came into view, some of the windows flickering gently with candlelight. They left the carriages and made their way up the stone steps, eagerly anticipating the feast that awaited them. Kate collected the new common-room password from Professor Minerva McGonagall and then they entered the Great Hall, with the enchanted ceiling tonight reflecting the clear, starry sky, and took seats three-quarters of the way down the table.

The sorting ceremony soon was soon complete, Dumbledore gave a short welcome speech, and then they were able to tuck in.

Halfway through the chicken pie, Christopher posed a question which had been on the lips of several of them all the way through dinner. "What with all the danger that's around at the moment, do you think that they're going to patrol the corridors at night? You know, to stop the first years- well, to stop people wandering around?"

"Oh, I expect so," said Hermione. "Professor Dumbledore will probably ask the Prefects to help out."

"Do you think we'll be taught any extra defensive spells- just case we do encounter any danger?" asked Ginny, who to Molly Weasley's delight had been made a Prefect that year. "I know that Harry and Kate know quite a few already, but most of us could do with a few more to hand."

"I hope he does," said Kate. "Although, sometimes the simple spells are the most effective. Just remember what happened after the OWLs, the enchantments we used on the puddings were really very basic. A second-year could easily have done them, but they still caused tons of chaos."

The last morsels of their main course melted away, soon to be replaced by some sumptuous-looking puddings. Kate, Harry, and the rest of the group stole glances towards Albus Dumbledore, who gave them a very small wink and smile, and raised his goblet slightly towards them. Ron wordlessly looked at Hermione, who finally conceded that last summer's prank had, in fact, been very funny.

They stuffed themselves as full as they possibly could, devouring trifles, pies and tarts with great enthusiasm. As they finally melted away, Dumbledore stood, and silence fell immediately.

"Before you all make your way to your common rooms, I would like to introduce Professor Moonflower, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers. I trust you shall all make her feel very welcome indeed." Everyone cheered, and a fairly young woman stood up. She was wearing deep pink robes, and looked to be a good-natured teacher. Snape, sitting a few seats along from her, had a scowl on his face.

"Do you think he'll ever get to teach that subject?" asked Adam during the applause.

"Doubt it," said Ron, smirking.

Dumbledore raised his hands, and gradually everyone fell silent. "Now, I suggest that you all make your way to your common room. I am sure that you will all want to be well-rested for your first day of lessons tomorrow."

There was a surge towards the doors. Kate and Ron gathered the first-year Gryffindors and led them to the common room by the most direct route.

"Poppy seeds," said Kate to the portrait of the Fat Lady that guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. It swung open and Ron ushered the first years inside. They quickly showed them their dormitories, and then sat in armchairs by the fire, waiting for the rest of their friends.

They soon arrived, and they sat chatting idly for half an hour or so, before Professor McGonagall unexpectedly appeared. She called the group of eight over to her, as well as the other Prefects and some of the other fifth, sixth and seventh-years. They all sat down at tables, and the rest of the common room emptied quickly.

"Now, as you are aware, there is a lot of danger in our world at the moment." She adjusted her glasses. "Professor Dumbledore has decided that the Prefects should aid the teachers in patrolling the corridors in the evenings to ensure that no students are wandering around unnecessarily. Now, because of the size of the school, and the potential of the danger present, the Headmaster has chosen a few other students to help the Prefects in these duties." She peered around at the group of students. "You will be given a set area to patrol during a set time. If you catch anyone, then you will be allowed to deduct a house point. However, if you catch the same person or group of people more than once, you shall report them to their head of house. Is that understood?" The group nodded.

"Professor, how will the other houses know which of the non-Prefects are allowed out because of patrolling?"

"Wise question, Mr Potter. All of those on patrol duty, including Prefects, shall be given 'Patrol' badges. Are there anymore questions?" No one spoke. "You shall be notified of your times and areas during breakfast tomorrow morning. Patrolling will start tomorrow evening. Good night." She slipped from the common room. People broke back into their groups, chattering excitedly. The group of seven sixth-years and Ginny returned to their fireside seats, and carried out a long conversation about who might be patrolling where.

"Bet I get the dungeons," muttered Harry gloomily at the end of their conversation, before they went up to their bedrooms.

As Kate took off her glasses and drew the hangings around her in the darkened room, Kate couldn't help thinking about dinner that evening. Snape had worn a slightly uncomfortable expression on the couple of occasions that she had glanced towards the staff table, and he had quickly dropped his gaze. She hoped desperately that he didn't mention the events of the summer to any of his Slytherin students- or come to that, any other students in the school; she wasn't sure she was ready to have the whole school know that he had saved her life during the holidays.