I slept late the next day. It was fortunate for me that it was Saturday. If it had been a weekday I would have been skinned alive by my teachers.

Lifting my exhausted head from my pillow, I remembered it was the weekend and drifted back into slumber.

An hour or so later I awoke again. Still groggy, I rolled over, saw my calendar hanging up by my bed, and sat bolt up right. My Birthday! How could I have forgotten? Completely awake now, I shot out of bed, and fell over.

The floor rushed up to meet me, and I let out an "Oof!" as the hard surface knocked the wind out of me. Sitting up, I untangled myself from the sheets. I had probably gotten myself tangled up last night. After I had returned to my bed I had tossed and turned for hours, the same question going around and around in my head: Should I tell someone about the potion? On one hand, it would be nice to have someone to come with me when I went into the forest. On the other hand, if I told the wrong person, they would tell a teacher, and all my hard work would be confiscated. In the end I had decided to ask Saul. Saul was an annoying idiot who had had a crush on me since I was thirteen. Strong, stuck-up, and a master of jinxes, Saul was the perfect person to ask. He could take care of himself, defend me if anything happened, and on top of that he was kind of cute. (He had been on my possible boyfriends list before I met Dylan). What's more, he would be too scared to tell anyone what I was up to for fear of ruining any chance he had of being close to me. Yah, I would ask Saul, and after I did I would-

"Orchid?"

I spun around to see who had called my name, got tangled in the sheets, and fell over, again.

"Oh, Orchid, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were already up, I…"

I rolled over to see Lark's concerned face above me.

" S'okay Lark." I mumbled groggily

"I really am sorry." Said Lark, and pulled me to my feet. "But you'll just love what- well, you'll see. They sent me in to wake you up. I'll see you down stairs!" I looked down at myself. It was only then that I realized that I was still in my P.J.s.

After Lark left, I hurried to my dresser and pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark green silk shirt with the words "Griffindoors are losers" printed on the back in silver. I few years ago I had designed those shirts myself, and sold them to my fellow Slytherins, earning about a hundred galleons. I was known throughout Slytherin for the clothes I had designed. I pulled a brush through my hair, gave myself a once over in the mirror –checking to make sure my hair didn't look totally bad-. Deciding I looked passable, I headed downstairs to the common room. When I got down I saw several huge piles of presents, and around them were most of my friends including Dylan (who was much more than just a friend). Attached onto the mantle piece with what I suspected to be one of Katie's famous sticking charms was a small banner with the words 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY ORCHID' printed in large letters that flashed silver and gold.

Surprised and delighted, I rapidly descended the steps and hurried to join the crowd of friends gathered at the bottom of the stairs.

The morning passed in a blur. Amid a crowd of friends I opened my presents, thanking everyone profusely for everything I received. Among all the stuff people gave me, my favorites were a silver necklace studded with small, beautifully shaped emeralds, from Dylan, A small crystal ball about the size of a large marble that gave light only when I told it to, from my parents, a gift certificate to Zonkos joke shop, from Ann, and a box labled 'Madam Mary's Makeup of Illusion' Which, for five hours, created the illusion that I was in a nice looking outfit with matching makeup, from my sister. The rest of the morning I chatted with various friends and did 'stuff' with Dylan.

During the afternoon the party died down. I had thought I had missed Saul, but as I headed toward the girls dormitory I spotted him. Saul was just about to walk out of the common room when I called to him

"Hey, Saul!" He turned around, saw who had called his name, and did a double take. Slightly annoyed, (What was the big deal after all?) I called again

"Saul, could you come over here for a moment?"

Quickly collecting himself, he strode over to where I was standing, hastily tucking something into his pocket as he went.

"What is it?" he asked, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

I took a deep breath. "Saul, you have to promise me first that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

He thought for a while, then said "Okay, but what-"

I interrupted him "And you have to promise to believe me."

"Alright, but-"

"And not to think I'm crazy?"

"OKAY!" he yelled "BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT THE HECK YOU WANT ME TO DO!"

Almost everyone in the common room turned to look at us. I sighed. This was not going to be easy.

"Saul, would you please keep your voice down?"

He looked Irritated, and slightly embarrassed.

"Okay" he finally said "but first you need to tell me what's going on."

I waited till the usual buzz and chatter of the common room resumed then said

"Saul, I need your help."

Saul looked slightly surprised "What do you want my help with?" he asked

"I…I want you to go into the forest with me" I said quietly "sort of as back up, in case…you know… something happens."

"Why." he said bluntly, more like a statement then a question

"I want to turn into a Thestral" I whispered so quietly that I thought I would have to repeat myself, but he heard.

"You what?" he asked sharply, grabbing my arm

I took a deep breath, and, whispering all the while, told him everything. I knew I was taking a big risk, telling him all I had done, all I had hoped for. But at the same time, I had the feeling that he wouldn't refuse me if I played my cards right.

When I was done he only had one question

"Why didn't you tell Dylan?"

Was he jealous?

"There was no way I could trust him" I whispered in a seductive voice "I needed to tell someone I knew wouldn't betray me, someone I could depend on, someone who would protect me… someone like you."

Saul looked surprised, then pleased, then slightly suspicious.

"And Dylan...?"

"Dylan couldn't think to save his own skin, not to mention fight." I replied in a contemptuous voice, hoping I hadn't overdone it.

"When should I meet you?" he asked, apparently Pacified

"Tonight." I replied "nine o clock, just outside the entrance hall.

"I'll be there." he said

I gave him my most winning smile and practically skipped up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. I was so good at lying!

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