( Sorry about not posting for a while. My computer isn't working right. I'm working on chapter 12 right now.)

It was nearing the end of November, and the first quiddich game of the season was quickly approaching. This meant that there was a new excitement in the air for the students. Extra training for the players, discussions on any new players, arguments over who would win, and don't forget, under the table bets on the winners of the first match. Ah, it seemed like the whole school was talking about quiddich. Especially because the first match was between the biggest quiddich rivals, Gryffindor and Slytherin. This usually meant that fights between the two houses often broke out in the halls. Dark snorted at the thought of it. Of course, she liked quiddich, but she also thought a lot of people over- reacted.

Dark picked at her breakfast. French toast, bacon, and corned beef hash. Dark groaned. She didn't really like french toast for some reason. She definitely didn't like bacon, either. And hash? She wasn't completely sure that they ate that in this country. It was something her brothers liked, so she had to get used to it, no matter how much it looked like dog food. It tasted ok, though. Pretty good for dog food.

After a few minutes, the swooshing of wings reached the the Great Hall. It was mail time. Dark was looking hopefully at the ceiling, and soon, two owls carrying a good sized container landed in front of her. The untied them from their burden, and let them finish off her hash. Apparently, owls liked the stuff regardless of it's appearence. After the owls flew off, Dark turned her attention to the ceramic container in front of her. There was a note on top of it.

" Dakota,

Sorry that this couldn't get here in time for Thanksgiving, but even a day late, enjoy!

With love, Mom and Dad. "

Dark smiled and opened the dish. Steam rose from it as well as the mouth wattering smell of her mother's cooking. Inside was a huge pile of mashed potatoes, some turkey, and stuffing. Everything was drenched in tons of gravy. She had almost forgot about Thanksgiving. Who could blame her though, nobody else in the school celebrated it. Oh well, being different sure had it's perks. She helped herself to her small feast, happy that she didn't eat much breakfast.

Before she went down to breakfast, she had chosen another task. "102. When he leans in to see the contents of your cauldron, whack him over the head, scream "Tag, you're it!" and dash out of the classroom, giggling."

It sounded like a fun chase. Also, she remembered that the task about dragging Harry to Snape's office said to make a habbit of it. Well, Harry was about due for another visit to his local Snape anyways. (Hee hee, get my funny? I said Snape in the place of Vet!.... ok, that wasn't funny. In fact, it might have been funny if I didn't try to explain my joke... I done bad =( )

Dark knew that they were making simple shrinking potions today in class. It was just for a review for N.E.W.T s Ugh, just the thought of those exams made Dark feel nervous. When you call a test "Nastily Exausting," It just sounds like it is going to be horrible. Dark thought that whoever was coming up with that name must have had creativity block. " Just like the author of this story!" Dark said, looking up.

Just then, Dark sprouted kitty ears. To a story, the author is the high athourity, so the characters better watch it, but then again, the author is the one who makes the characters say what they say, so in a way, I'd better watch it. I think?....INTERMISSION!

Since potions class was first today, Dark didn't have much time to think her task over. She'd just have to wing it. When she got to the classroom, she chose the seat closest to the door. Right until Professor Snape swept into the room, she had been looking at the path between her and the door. She planned her escape right down to how she'd open the door. When Snape arrived, she quickly turned around. This made Snape a bit suspicious. He's have to keep an eye on her.

Once instructions were on the board, Dark set to work. It was a fairly simple potion, so she got to finish it before Snape got to her. She turned off the flame beneath her cauldron. Maybe after she ran out of the class, he'd still check it. She doubted that, though. Then, Snape came walking by her caulldron. He stooped down a bit and looked in. Just as he was lifting his head, Dark took action. Whap!

" Tag! You're it!!!" Dark ran like hell out the door. hearing angry shouts a distance behind her.

Having a good distance from Snape, Dark turned a corner, and was able to find the statue she was looking for. It was a feirce looking horse that stood right below a small stone in the wall that stuck out. Dark had used this as an escape before, because in this part of the castle, there were big, ceiling beams. The height if them were just reachable if you climbed the statue and the wall. By the time Snape got to where she was, Dark was laying flat on a ceiling beam.

At the sight of the empty hall, Snape slowed his pace. Dark held her breath. Snape stopped.

" Hah!" He said. Dark's eyes grew with fear, but then narrowed with curiosity. He walked up to a suit of armor on the opposite side of the horse statue. Dark prayed that the suit couldn't talk. Nope, it didn't. Snape tapped the suit three times with his wand and the wall turned so it showed a small empty space. Dark never seen that one before. She had been showed so many hidden places by Fred and George, but not that one. It was a shame that Professor Snape knew about it. That made the whole thing useless. After a few minutes and cursewords, provided by Snape, the scowling man left, and Dark sat up. She decided to leap across the beams until she reached the staircase that lead towards the Gryffindor tower. That was where her transfiguration class was. Today they would be trying to find their inner animagus form. Dark was looking forward to this class. Dark got to the class early, because she had ran from potions before class was out. Dark was turning to get away from the tranfiguration classroom before she was caught, when she heard Professor McGonagall.

" Miss Smith? What are you doing here? You should be at your potions class." She said. Her voice, which was a bit stern, like always, didn't sound too angry.

Dark stopped dead in her tracks. She had to say someting. " Well, I uh... I left...early." She blushed, realizing how stupid she sounded. She had never been in trouble with her head of house, and was hoping that she wouldn't be. McGonagall looked at Dark.

" You just left?" She was confused.

" Yes, Profesor, something like that..." Dark didn't feel like going into depth with her story.

" Well, you have been acting a bit strangely lately, Miss Smith. I am starting to get a little worried. Anyways, since you're here early, you can help me set up for today's lesson. It's an important one."

" I know, Professor. I have been looking forward to it." Dark said. " And I hope you aren't that worried about me, I'm fine, honest." She added. She wasn't really sure if she was fine, though. She was wondering if she was nuts over how she felt towards Snape.

Dark followed McGonagall inside the classroom, and waited for instructon. Profesor McGonagall Showed her a pile of shallow stone basins. Dark was to put one at each desk. Once that was finished, McGonagall filled each basin with water from a silver pitcher. By the time everything was done, the bell rang, and son the room was filled with Gryffindors and Slytherins. Dark sat at her seat and listened to the Professor. The class was to concentrate on the water filled basins. Then think about themselves. The basin acted as some kind of mirror, Dark guessed. After studying their appearences, concentrating on their personality, they were to think over every animal possible. It was easier if you went in alphabetical order. Hopefully, after thinking about oneself, they would allready have a slight guess about what kind of animal they would be, but if not, that's where you start thinking of every possible animal.

The class sat thinking for about twenty minutes. It was almost completely silent. Dark was starting to think about what kind of animal she could be. She was kind of shy. How about a shy animal? a deer? She looked at her reflection as she thought this. Nothing happened. Wouldn't being a horse be cool? She was getting bored with thinking about herself and was just guessing now. Nope, still nothing but her face.

" I like foxes, " She thought to herself. " They are thought to be cunning, but they are pretty too. Especialy red foxes."

Suddenly, Dark's reflection shifted. Dark gasped, because in the basin there was the face of a red fox looking back at her. She looked down at her real nose. She still had a normal nose, but her reflection was not hers.

Soon more people seemed to have found their inner form. Dark could tell, because they either gasped or looked at their basins more intently. After everybody had found their form, which took a long time, Professor McGonagall spoke up.

" Very good. Now, for your assignment, read and outline chapter fifteen. It goes over transformation. It is due tomorrow. For our next class, the students who would like to become animagi (that's the plural form, right?) will be trying to transform. We might work on this all week. It takes a while to learn."

As class got out, The students were buzzing excitedly about their forms and if they wanted to become an animagus. Dark was feeling excited as well. She couldn't wait to tell her friends. She hurried off to class. She knew that it would take seemingly forever for it to end. She really wanted to get to lunch. Through class, she thought about her animagus form. She never thought she was cunning, but then again, she had been pulling off those tasks. She couldn't wait to be able to transform

( Thank you Liandora Tossbottle and Mourn-today for your reviews. They made me all happy-like. Now that I have the whole day-glo pink issue cleared up, i can sleep much easier and thanks Lisandora for those good ideas....Ok time to get writing)