I woke up the next morning and made my way down to the common room. When I arrived I saw everyone gathered around the notice board, and made my way over curiously.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Flying lessons start Thursday morning." Morag explained.

I nodded. Then looked at the announcement board and began to read.

First Year's will begin Flying Lessons Thursday morning under Madam Hooch's instruction. Student's will report at 11:am, and will share instruction with there fellow first year Hufflepuff's. Only school brooms will be allowed.

Professor F Flitwick.

I read the last part then sighed, Hufflepuff again?

"How hard is it to fly?" Lisa asked Anthony as I walked over to them.

"Not to hard, you just have to get used to it." He replied.

"Have you flown a lot?" I asked.

"Somewhat, though not nearly as much as some wizarding kids do, it never really was my cup of tea." He explained.

"What's going on?" Michael asked as he and Terry tiredly walked over to the board.

"Flying lesson's start Thursday." I answered, and the tired pair sprang into excitement. They raced to the board and read.

"Finally." Terry exclaimed.

"Something interesting." Michael added.

"These two on the other hand, are flying experts." Anthony added.

"Expert? That's a first." Padma teased.

"Hey." The boy's shouted in unison.

We made our way down to the great hall and sat down for breakfast. As we ate the morning mail swooped in. Uric, for only the second time, swooped down with mail. Judging by the Hogwarts crest, and the fact that me, Anthony, and Lisa had all got one, it wasn't hard to guess what it was.

"Did...did you three?" Padma asked in shock was we opened the letters.

Miss Potter.

Your Detention will be served with Professor Quirrell. Please report to his office tonight.

Professor F. Flitwick.

"I got McGonagall." Anthony groaned.

"Sprout." Lisa replied.

"Quirrell." I added.

"You three...got detention?" Michael asked shocked.

"What did you do?" Morag added.

"Uh..." Lisa replied.

"Well..." Anthony said, but couldn't think of anything else.

"No points where lost." I said trying to deflect.

"So it was you three?" We turned and saw a smirking Cho looking at us.

"Oh, hey Cho." I said stiffly.

"I had to be honest, I was expecting Michael and Terry..."

"Hey!" Michael exclaimed.

"Not fair." Terry added.

"...Did you three really try and mix a Bezoar Egg and Chimaera tears?" Cho asked.

At that the rest of the first years looked at us like we where crazy.

Cho gave a small laugh. "Happens every year. You should have seen last year. The common room was pink for a whole month." She said wincing. "Well, as long as you've three learned your lesson." She gave us a stern look, and we all nodded. "Good." She then turned back to Marietta and her other friends.

"You mixed Chimaera tears and a Bezoar egg?" Padma finally asked.

"Yes, it was..." Anthony began.

"A disaster." Lisa cut him off.

"Why?" Mandy asked.

"It was me. Remember last week, my obsession with Chimaera's?" Anthony asked.

"When you wouldn't stop talking about them?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, let's just say that morphed into something more."

"I'll say. "Morag replied.

"Gosh, getting a Detention less than two weeks in. Well, I hope it isn't to horrible." Padma told us while shaking her head.

Of the three of us, I was the least stressed about Detention. Even if Professor Quirrell was a little odd, it would still be better than having the stern Professor McGonagall, or the known struggle of helping Professor Sprout pull weeds out of the garden.

The worst part was trying to keep it from Harry, in part trying not to worry him, in part not to stress him out. And keeping it from him was not easy...

"Sarah!" Harry called in the entrance hall before lunch. I looked at Lisa and Anthony.

"You two go to lunch, I'll talk to him." I said, the pair nodded as I made my way over to Harry and Ron.

"Hey guys. How's it going?" I asked.

"Good." Harry replied.

"Thanks for the help on Binn's assignment." Ron added.

"No problem."

"I was wondering, what time is your flying lessons?" Harry asked me.

"Thursday morning, yours?"

"Thursday afternoon." Harry replied nervously.

"What's got you nervous?" I asked.

"Malfoy. He's been boasting every day about how good his is at flying. And now I have to share flying classes with him." Harry explained.

"You'll be fine." I tried to assure him.

"I just wish we could have had flying lesson's together, or potions, or anything. But for some reason we got the Slytherin's. It's just so frustrating." Harry sighed.

"I wish we shared anything to." I replied.

"Then Malfoy talks about how I don't get anything from home, while everyday his oversized owl brings him goody's from home...that reminds me. What'd you get in the mail?"

"Huh?" I said trying to play dumb.

"I saw Uric bring you something. I was just wondering what it was?" He asked curiously

"Oh, nothing important...just some."

"Potter!" Draco's voice carried through the hall as he, Crabbe and Goyle approached. Harry's attention turned to him as he groaned.

"What Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

"Oh, I just saw you talking to your sister, and reasoned you where trying to get homework answers from her." Draco said smirking.

"Shove it Malfoy." Ron told him.

"I mean that's the only reasonable way either of you could have passed anything so far." Draco continued a sneer etched on his face.

Before Harry could respond, Professor Sprout entered the entrance hall, and stopped the encounter at once.

"Lunch, all of you." She ordered, and with a sneer Draco stormed off.

"See." Harry said shaking his head.

"I'm sorry...I best get going." I said, making sure he didn't remember the letter.

"Yeah, see you later." Harry said clearly annoyed.

At seven, the three of us split and head for our Detentions. I knocked on the door to Professor Quirrell office, and a stuttering voice answered.

"C...come in."

I opened the door and entered the office. In the center of the room sat a desk, in the corner of the room was large book case. Professor Quirrell sat at the desk. Looking nervous as usual.

" Ah Miss P...Potter." He greeted nervously.

"Professor." I replied politely.

"Up to no g...good aren't we p...potter." He joked and I shrugged.

"All in the name of academic pursuit Professor." I replied. He gave me a twitchy grin.

"I...indeed. Now tonight y...you will be s...sorting my e...essays by l...letter g...grade." He told me handing me a huge pile of graded essays.

"Of course sir." I replied taking the pile.

"I shall c...continue grading. See that f...filing cabinet?" He asked and I nodded. "They are m...marked with a l...letter grade. P...put the a...appropriate essay into the c...correct cabinet. U...understood?"

"Should be easy enough" I replied, as Professor Quirrell went back to grading.

I began to go through the essays. It was simple enough, put Exceed Expectations here, Troll there, Acceptable over there. Though it was dull, I was easy, and thinking back to Lisa, I was thankful.

"Let's see E goes here. T's in this drawer, O up here there." I thought to myself.

I read the next one, it wasn't graded? I looked at the paper confused. It was a essay on dangerous creatures.

An example of a dangerous creature is as follows.

Creature: Quirinus Quirrell

Cannot communicate (Stutters)

Habitat smells like Garlic.

Turban makes weird smell

Dangerously incompetent.

I read the essay disgusted, there was no name, only insult after insult directed at Professor Quirrell. I was once again reminded of the many times Dudley and his friends had bullied me.

"Miss P...potter?" Professor Quirrell voice surprised me as I looked up to see him. "You're detention is f...finished."

"Oh..."

"I'll t...take it from h...here." He told me, snatching away the paper and reading it, his face growing more twitchy with every word.

"H...Heh. Very...funny fourth y...years." He said shakily, then threw the paper into a pile in the corner. I noticed it had a lot of essays in it. "Must h...have missed i...it."

"Sir, whoever wrote that is horrible." I told him sadly.

"I...it's fine P...potter. Some a...adolescent's jokes d...don't affect m...me. N...now I w...would hate to t...take up any m...more of y...your evening." He replied, motioning to the door as it flew open.

I didn't leave, I grabbed a bunch of papers and began to read. All of them where insults, filled with the same sort of insults as the first one.

"Sir, how many of these do you get?" I asked sadly.

"Miss P...Potter, the j...jokes your s...schoolmates play o...on your P...Professors s...should be the least o...of your w...worries." He replied, the look on his face told a different story.

"But I do worry sir." I began as he looked up at me.

"W...why?" He asked, and I couldn't hold back.

"When I was Eight, my cousin Dudley had his friends send me Valentine cards. They said that I looked like a skeleton, and my clothes where ugly, and my hair was a mess. Then they spread them throughout the school and everyone was laughing at me." I began sadly,

"I'm s...sorry to h...hear that Miss P...potter." Professor Quirrell replied, looking at me with an...odd expression.

"Then after school that day, Dudley and his friends chased me and Harry to a local park. I couldn't run as fast as Harry and they caught me without Harry noticing. For the next twenty minutes they told me I would never be anything, that no one would help me, that no one would ever care." I continued, and I could feel small trickle of tears sliding down my cheeks.

Professor Quirrell looked at me speechless, as I continued.

"Finally, Harry noticed I hadn't run off with him. So he came back and distracted the boys, they ran after him and I managed to slip away. And I realized that no matter what those boy's said, I'd always have someone, I'd always have Harry."

"W...what are y...you getting at M...Miss P...Potter?" He asked.

"What I'm trying to say. It doesn't matter that if you're a Professor or not, what those kids are doing is bullying and wrong. It bothers me...and I just want you to know. It's all rubbish. Bullies opinions don't matter." I told him firmly.

"D...don't worry M...Miss P...Potter. Like I s...said, I w...won't let s...some adolescent j...jokes a...affect me." He assured me, and I nodded.

"Good, just wanted to make sure sir. And know that some of us do appreciate you, and your lessons. " I said as I turned for the door.

"Your C...cousin's and h...is f...friends shouldn't h...have done t...that e...either." He said before I walked out the door.

"They do a lot of thing's they shouldn't sir...well good night." I replied.

"Good n...night Miss P...potter." He replied, as I turned and walked out the door.

The door slammed shut and Quirinus Quirrell sat in his office in silent reflection. The twin sister of his masters sworn enemy, Sarah Potter, had now on two separate occasions been sorrowful of the actions of others against him, the first time anyone was.

All through school he was a social outcast, overshadowed by his insufferable year mate Gilderoy Lockhart, Bullied relentlessly for his awkward social skills.

Then he was denied the position of Defense, forced to work a Muggle studies Professor for years until finally taking a year long sabbatical to "get field experience. No one knew his true purpose we to find the long thought dead Dark Lord. To finally get some recognition and respect.

Finally after searching for months, he found him. The source of power he long craved, the attention he had long deserved, the knowledge he long sought. He had tried to capture him, but his master's power was to strong, and so he did the only available option, servitude.

Then the stone had been moved, and now was well guarded, and his master was growing impatient. And now, to top it all off, the Potter girl was being kind to him, getting her year mates to not tease him for his nerves, and stutter.

For the first time in his life, someone was trying to help him.

And now he was conflicted...

If only slightly.

"Don't get cold feet now Quirinus." His masters voice echoed through the room.

"Of course not master, my loyalties are to you. And you alone." He replied nervously.

"Ah, but I see your thoughts. You are growing to...care for the Potter girl." His master said surely.

"Never master."

"Don't lie!" He replied, as a huge burst of pain spread originating from the back of his head spread throughout his body.

"Okay...I find her bearable."

"Bearable? I do not need to remind you she is the twin sister of my sworn enemy!"

"It will not affect our plans. I already have the troll, all that's left to do is unleash it during a time when everyone is in a single location."

"The Halloween feast, the anniversary of my defeat." His lord said in contempt.

"And the day of your return to power." Quirrell responded.

"If you do not mess it up, and that still doesn't resolve our current issue of the Potter girl.."

"If you wish, I will end her right now." Quirrell offered.

"No! You fool, I have plans involving her when I return. She will live, that just begs the question... we could use this to our advantage." His master said.

"Advantage my lord?" Quirrell asked.

"You shall use her kindness against her."

"What is your will?"

"Get close to the girl. Find out where she and her brother our kept, what type of skills each of them possess, so when my return is complete, I shall know my enemy's abilities. Understood?" He asked aggressively.

"Yes my lord."

"You better, for your sake."

I arrived back in the common room and saw that Lisa and Anthony had also finished and where sitting in the armchairs. I made my way over and saw that Lisa was trying to get dirt out of her fingernails, while Anthony read quietly. When Lisa noticed me she sighed tiredly.

"I had to pluck, every weed in the greenhouse for Two hours." She said, then gave Anthony a pointed glance.

"Like I've said multiple times, you didn't have to help." He said shrugging and going back to his book. Lisa gave an annoyed growl, before turning back to me.

"What'd you do?" She asked, still digging in her finger nails.

"Sorted essays." I replied, and she rolled her eyes.

"Lucky." She joked.

"What about you Anthony?" I asked him.

"McGonagall gave me a big speech about how lucky I was she wasn't my head of house, that I'd have lost at least twenty points. Then I had to go through her entire filing cabinet, and make sure everything was in order."

"So, in other words, she was McGonagall?" I asked smirking, and he nodded.

"Basically. Still, it was better than pulling weeds." He said giving Lisa a glance.

"Sprout seems friendly enough, but her Detention's are the worst. Two hours just pulling weeds, then there where the worms I had to watch out for."

"Worms?" I asked.

"Good for the soil." Lisa said doing a Sprout impersonation.

"Well, at least you didn't have Filch." I said, trying not to laugh at her mini rant.

"I wish I had." She said scowling, then went to her nails.

"Who's ready to fly?" Michael asked excitedly as we made our way towards the grounds Thursday morning.

"I've been waiting for this since I arrived." Terry replied eagerly.

"I just hope the brooms are in okay condition." Anthony said.

We made out of the castle and into warm morning sun and arrived at the training grounds. The area was a flat lawn, and you could see the forbidden forest in the distance. Two rows of brooms sat still on the ground, all of them looking somewhat dated.

The Hufflepuff's arrived a few minutes later, followed by the flying instructor Madam Hooch.

"Let's get this started. Everyone by a broom at once!" The Yellow eyed, and short greyed haired women commanded.

We all did as she said. I stood between Lisa and Padma, while across from me was Zacharias Smith, who looked at me...oddly.

"Now, everyone put there right hand over the broom. Then shout up!" She instructed.

We all did as she said, and to my surprise, my broom shot up at once. I was the only people, I looked around and saw Michael get his on the second try, Terry on his forth, Anthony seventh, Poor Lisa had to say up fifteen times.

I noticed that Zacharias broom had come to him on his second try, but I mostly noticed that he seemed to be...annoyed.

When everyone had brooms in hand Madam Hooch began instructing. First she showed us how to not fall of the back of a broom, then she went around and corrected everyone grip. Finally, she had us mount our brooms.

"I'm going to blow my whistle. Once I do you will kick off from the ground as hard as you can. Make sure your brooms stay even, lift into the air for a couple of seconds, finally lower yourself by leaning forward. On my whistle, in three...two...one"

We all did as she said and, to my surprise, my broom graciously lifted into the air. I then leaned forward and headed back down. Everyone else did the same and Madam Hooch gave a curt nod.

"Well done. Now we shall begin flying in laps. Everyone line with your housemates, parallel to the other house."

We all lined up in the order we had been standing, then Madam Hooch continued.

"Each of you will do a lap around the lawn. Ravenclaw's go left, Hufflepuff's right. Understood?" We all nodded. "Good."

She blew her whistle as Michael, and Susan Bones began there laps, then Terry and Justin Finch-Fletchley, and so on until it got to me and Zacharias Smith. I mounted my broom excited to finally get to fly. As soon as the whistle sound I was off, and it was better than anything I could possibly imagine.

The wind flew through my hair, the smell of cut grass, and the feeling of flight formed a triad of joy. And I was saddened when I completed the lap and I had to land.

"You did amazing. "Anthony told me as I walked over to everyone who had completed there lap.

"Did I?" I asked.

"Yes. You looked like a Quidditch star out there." Michael added, patting me on the shoulder.

"You must be over over exaggerating" I replied, sure I hadn't done that good.

"But you did. Heck, next year you should try out for the team." Terry told me eagerly.

"You really thank so?" I asked the pair.

"We know so." They both replied.

Lisa did her lap next, and then walked over to us. For a first timer she had done decent as well, but it wasn't her lap she wanted to talk about.

"What's up with Smith?" She asked as she entered the group.

"What do you mean?" Anthony asked.

"Look at the Hufflepuff's, subtlety." She warned.

We all did and though most of them where chatting normally, Zacharias Smith, was glaring at us...at me?

"He's been looking at you this whole time." Lisa said, and I remembered to before my flight. He'd been looking at me strangely this whole time, and now he looked...angry?

"Why?" I whispered.

"I don't know, when you were flying he was up there to. He looked at you the whole time." Lisa explained.

"He's just jealous that his flying was clearly inferior." Michael said surely.

I looked over and he noticed me, and turned away, whispering something to Ernest Macmillan.

"Weird..."

"Well done everyone, well done." Madam Hooch's words interrupted my thoughts as we all turned back to her. "Remember, balance and grip are all keys to good flying. Both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw house get five points. Dismissed."

"Sarah!" Harry's voice called to me just before dinner. I turned and saw him make his way up to me, a huge grin on his face.

"Hey Harry." I replied. "You look to be in a good mood."

"I am. Listen can I talk to you...alone." He said giving Anthony and Lisa a quick glance.

"Why?" I asked

"It's...I need to tell you something. But no one else can know." He tried to explain.

I looked to my housemates and shrugged. They gave me a understanding looks.

"See you at dinner." Anthony said as he and Lisa left, leaving just me and Harry.

"What's is it?" I asked curiously.

"Listen before I say, you have to promise not to tell anyone." Harry said in a serious tone.

"I promise." I replied, wondering what kind of secret Harry kept.

"I'm on the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Harry said, and I looked at him then laughed.

"Ha, Ha. Good one Harry." I said patting his shoulder. Harry didn't laugh.

"No, I'm serious." He replied, and the way he was looking at me...this was no joke.

"What? How? First years never make the teams?" I asked in shock.

"It's a long story..." Harry began.

"Do tell." I replied.

"During flying lessons Neville, you know Neville right?"

"I've met him once or twice." I replied.

"Well Neville fell of his broom and broke his wrist."

I winced. "Ooh. Is he okay?" I asked.

"He's still in the hospital wing. Anyways when he did he dropped a Remembrall his gran had sent him, Malfoy scooped it up."

"How does this lead to being on the Quidditch team?"

"I'm getting there. So I told Malfoy to give it back, and he took of in the air with it, wanting to hide it somewhere. I went after him, and without Crabbe and Goyle Malfoy got nervous."

"What did he do?"

"He threw it, and I went after and caught it." Harry said beaming.

"That sound's impressive."

"That's not the best part, Professor McGonagall saw me dive for the Remembrall, I thought I was done for. But instead she had me introduced to Oliver Wood, our Quidditch captain, and said she'd found a seeker."

"Seeker?" I asked, knowing it was the most important position on the team.

"Yeah, isn't it great Sarah?" He asked excitedly.

"It is until you play Ravenclaw." I replied giving him a small smirk.

"Speaking of which, you will keep this a secret." He asked worriedly.

"Seeing as we don't play until June I don't see why it matters..." I began but Harry's pleading look got to me. "Fine." I conceded.

"Good, it took a lot to convince Wood to even let me tell you." Harry said relived.

"Just be careful, Quidditch can be a very violent sport." I warned, remembering stories Michael and Terry had told me.

"I will."

We made our way into the great hall for dinner and split off. As I sat down, I noticed Harry began to tell Ron, while Fred and George went over to, I assume, congratulate him.

"What'd he want?" Lisa asked me.

"Why the secrecy?" Anthony added.

"Harry's told me something, but he's asked me to keep it secret." I said as truthfully as I could. The pair looked at me curiously, but let it slide. "You'll find out in due time." I added.

"Does it have to do with Malfoy?" Anthony asked. I looked at him in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because Malfoy is at the Gryffindor table, and your brother doesn't look to happy about it."

I turned around and saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle had made there way to the Gryffindor table.

"No...I mean kind of. Harry and Draco have been going at it since day one, Draco's actions did have a part in what Harry told me."

"Now I'm really curious?" Lisa looked at me begging.

"I really can't. Harry made me promise. Like I said, you'll figure out in due time."

"Has your brother and Malfoy really been going at it this whole time?" Anthony asked.

"All the time, I've heard from Harry how much of a brat Draco is, and I've heard from Draco how much of a fool Harry is, and that I should not make his mistakes. I've decided not to touch that mess with a ten foot pole." I said firmly.

"Typical Gryffindor, Slytherin Rivalry." Anthony said shaking his head.

"How they start so young." Lisa joked, causing the three of us burst into laughter.