Ebony opened her eyes sleepily, dismayed to find that it was still dark. She rolled over to go back to sleep and lay for what felt like an hour. Finding she couldn't get back to sleep she sat up and looked at the clock by her bedside 2:10 flashed back at her and she groaned quietly. She looked enviously over at the gently rising and falling form of lily in the opposite bed. She clambered out onto the stone floor and bit her lip as she felt the coldness on her feet, she tiptoed to the window and gazed out into the calm of night. Her eyes flicked from the groundsman's hut to the walloping willow then she felt her eyes draw to the tower opposite. With a start she saw a pale figure in the window, she couldn't see his face but she had the uncomfortable feeling he was watching her, she drew back apprehensively and slid back into her bed. As she was drifting off she realised with growing uneasiness that it was one of the boy's dorms.

Morning came and Lily opened her eyes to greet the sunlight and sat up. She yawned and looked over at Ebony who was sat on the edge of her bed with a strange look on her face.

" You alright?"

She asked getting out of bed and walking over to sit by her.

"Yeah…just had a-a weird…dream last night. Yea a weird dream."

She nodded satisfied and turned to Lily.

"Shall we go to breakfast?"

"Give me two minutes."

Precisely two minutes later the two girls headed to the hall for breakfast. As they were leaving the boys entered, sleepily rubbing there eyes and shielding them from the sunlight that was filtering through the clouds on the ceiling.

An hour later Lily and Ebony and most of their classmates stood outside the potions dungeon awaiting the start of the lesson.

"Don't look now," muttered Lily, "but Severus is coming over."

Ebony rolled her eyes and smiled as a familiar greasy head came into view.

"Hi Severus."

"Hello Ebony, how was your summer?"

She shrugged,

"meh….alright. yours?"

"awful. Looking forward to our first potions lesson as fifth years?"

"desperately"

She answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. He frowned at her but was cut short of replying when the teacher arrived. Proffesor Slughorn beamed at his new students and opened the door to let them into the classroom. James, Sirius and Remus arrived breathless as the students were filing through, closely followed by a very red Peter.

"Late for first lesson. Not a very good start."

Muttered Ebony shaking her head.

"I'd say it was a fantastic start wouldn't you Prongs?"

"Indeed Padfoot."

She smiled still shaking her head and took a seat next to Lily at a bench second from the back and the boys took the one behind them.

"Now students today we will be learning about antidotes."

A majority of the class groaned.

"Turn to pages 4 and 5 and read them before we continue please."

Before long a piece of paper hit Ebony on the back and she bent down to pick it up. Unscrewing it she read the message scrawled in black ink.

Doesn't this guy, James informs me his name is Slugman oh my mistake Slughorn, well doesn't he have a big nose? I can see all his nostril hairs from here.

S.B

Ebony snorted but quickly turned it into a cough as Slughorn looked up at her. She glanced at Sirius and James who were in silent hysterics behind her, grinned and picked up her quill.

I like Slugman better and yes he does indeed have a big nose. Do you think he realises he could blow out all these windows with a single sneeze? It's a hazard if you ask me. Check out is tiny ears too, no wonder he can't hear you two back there.

E.S

When Slughorn wasn't looking she threw the paper back over her shoulder and waited until she heard a stifled guffaw before she returned to her reading.

"Something funny mister Black"

Sirius coughed and hid the paper in his bag.

"No Sir, I was just commenting to James here about how useful these antidotes are. I mean curing all those poisoned people and stuff."

"Hmm…well please appreciate the usefulness of potions in silent for now thank you." With those words the bell rang and there was a squeaking of stools as the students bent to put their books away.

"Homework is to read to page 7 and write a short essay on the uses of antidotes."

The students groaned at the thought of homework and proceeded to file out of the classroom.

"Well that was an insightful lesson"
Commented Sirius as they exited the classroom,

"Too right Padfoot, my brain just swells with the knowledge I just learnt."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Snivellus book had greasy spots all over it his nose was so close to the page."

"Shut up Black"

Growled Snape as he pushed past heading to his next lesson.

"oo-er."

They chided as he turned the corner, laughing him down the corridor.

"Grow up"

Lily reprimanded shaking her head disapprovingly at them. Ebony smothered a grin and nodded in agreement with Lily. They strode off for herbology, out of the large oak doors. James sighed and gazed after Lily,

"She'd be prefect if she could take a joke"

He commented whistfully and Sirius nodded staring at the doors which they had just departed through.

"Perfect…"