June 18th, 1994. Saturday.

Selena finally closed her trunk, the brass snaps shutting with a click. Sighing, she tapped her nails on the worn trunk lid. Stillness filled the space, a quiet that was rare to her now. She was the only one left in the Dorm. Alisson, Tess, Elizabeth, and Renee had already headed out. Picking up her messenger bag, Selena straightened her blue sweater. Crescent mewed from the floor, blinking his bright green eyes up at her. Selena smiled lightly, scooping him up to before she buried her nose in Crescent's silky fur. Picking up her trunk, she tugged it out of the room. Taking one final look back, Selena scanned the space. Light spilled in through the window, summer returning to the Scottish Highlands, illuminating the Dorms. The five beds all had their curtains open, no one sleeping in them tonight. It seemed so much emptier without her friends' laughter - she even missed Shorty a little bit. A few artifacts remained, proving that the girls had been there. Alisson's many Quidditch posters were still tacked to the wall, players flying on their brooms magically. Tess' Muggle photos of her family, frozen in time, were up as well.

Selena took a calming breath in through her nose. She'd be back. This wasn't goodbye forever. Silently, she shut that door, for the last time in a couple of months.

The Gryffindor went down the stone stairs, her boots scuffing each step, and took a minute to look around the Common Room. The scarlet-and-gold area was still piled with its normal comfy furniture, fire put out. The paintings in the room were moving, talking softly to one another. Breathing in the scent of pine, parchment, and mint, another faint smile come to her lips - a bittersweet faint smile. Her first year had come to close.

After Sirius Black had escaped, the next week had gone by in a blur. Yesterday, the students had all received their exam grades. Selena had gotten Exceeds Expectations on all her final exams, except for Potions (that was an Acceptable, which was acceptable) and an Outstanding in Transfiguration (which was entirely a surprise.) Danny and Elizabeth both got all Outstanding's, which was expected. Tess had been bemoaning the fact that she had received an Exceed's Expectations in Astronomy, which broke her list of Outstanding's. Renee, on the other hand, had been cheery over all her exam grades: one Outstanding (in History of Magic) four Exceeds Expectations, one Acceptable, and one Poor (also in Potions.) However, Renee claimed that the 'P' in Poor stood for Perfect.

Another faint smile tugged at the corners of Selena's lips. She would miss her friends. Of course she would write to them over the summer, but things still hadn't been cleared up with Wendy, Alisson, and Tess. She felt that she should forgive them, though. Their short fight had been six months ago. Six months of only short, clipped sentences with the other girls. Besides, it would be nice to finally have some more explanations as to why they believed what they did about Damon, aside from the whole Salazar Slytherin bit.

A ghost floated through one wall, hovering above the ground in a bluish mist before they vanished through another wall. Selena sighed, remembering that she and her pet cat were the only two living things in the room.

"Selena!"

Or not.

Selena turned around, lifting her gaze to the stone balcony between the Dorm Rooms. Annabeth stood at the top, peering down at the younger girl. Selena offered a hesitant smile. "Hey, Annabeth. Are you the last one leaving?"

Annabeth didn't reply, just watching Selena. The dark-haired witch noticed Annabeth's pet rat Cinnamon perched on her shoulder. Silence filled the Common Room once again, so still that Selena didn't even want to move. She could hear her heart beating instead. After what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds, Annabeth finally spoke. "I'm not leaving, actually. Not right now."

Selena's brows rose. What was Annabeth talking about? "You'll miss the Hogwarts Express-"

"I know," Annabeth interrupted. She shrugged softly, Cinnamon nuzzling her shoulder. "I stay here over the summer." She moved, vanishing. Within seconds, she emerged from the staircase, walking swiftly towards Selena, who nearly took a step back out of instinct.

Selena forced herself not to move instead, stroking Crescent's soft ears. This was Annabeth, her cousin - who hopefully wouldn't hex her. Selena swallowed. That whole cousin part was going to take some getting used to.

Annabeth paused in front of Selena. The redhead fisted her hands on her hips. She didn't smile, looking down her nose, sapphire eyes bright and scrutinizing. Then, "I wanted to say thanks. I owe you a lot."

"Don't mention it," Selena replied, a relieved smile scrawling across her lips. She glanced down at Annabeth's steel-toed, black boots. "Um... so, you aren't going to stay with Siri- uh, your father?"

"No," Annabeth answered, moving a hand to fiddle with the heart locket around her neck. She didn't give away any emotion, but Selena could see something flicker through the girl's eyes. Whether it was joy or sorrow or both, she couldn't tell. "He's going into hiding... I can't know where. For his safety, and my own. Harry doesn't know either." She drew in a deep breath, giving a real, genuine smile. "But he's alive. You kept your word. You could have turned him or me in, but you didn't. Seriously, thank you, Selena."

Selena blushed happily, ducking her head.

"I'm beginning to think I was wrong about you," Annabeth said, tilting her head. "You aren't quite the twit I took you for."

"Er... thank you?" Selena glanced up, laughing a bit despite herself.

Annabeth flashed another smile, a grin this time, the happiness touching her eyes. "Yeah, you're welcome. I hope you have a good summer, by the way. Don't do anything stupid."

Selena figured that was as close to a genuine compliment as Annabeth would get. "So... um, are we supposed to hug now or something?"

"Don't push it, Malast," Annabeth answered, raising an eyebrow. However, the grin still plastered on her face made Selena smile as well.

She bobbed her head. "Well, I hope you have a good summer too. Don't destroy Hogwarts while we're gone. I'll see you later, Annabeth Kathrina Rose Black."

Annabeth nearly laughed that time, probably remembering just as Selena was the first time they were introduced as Annabeth leapt from a tree beside the Black Lake. Taking a step back, Cinnamon squeaking, Annabeth gave a wave. Just as she turned, she spun abruptly back, startling Selena. "Wait, one more thing." She fiddled with the charm bracelet on her wrist, the little charms catching the light in sparkles. Unclipping one of the charms, she handed it to Selena. "Here. You can keep this. As a final thanks."

Selena took the charm gingerly, admiring it in the palm of her pale hand. It was a hippogriff, wings unfurled in mid-flight. Happiness fluttered in her stomach, the gesture touching. "Thank you, Annabeth." Taking the gift, she clipped it onto her own ever-present bracelet, listening to all the charms chime musically.

When she looked up, Annabeth was already heading up the stairs back to her Dorm.

Finally deciding to go, Selena took a long breath. Memories flooded into her head like a film. Playing Gobstones with Renee, and screaming when it squirted water all over her face; when Sir Cadogan had taken over the post of their Gryffindor Tower portrait, and was hopping in fury when Sasha called him two ounces of insanity; when they all had snuck off to Hogsmeade with The Marauder's Map, feeling the village snow on her eyelashes; throwing apple slices at the Slytherin table with her friends, and getting detention; the night before at the End-of-Term Feast, where all the rubies in the Gryffindor hourglass declared them the winners of the House Cup, and when the scarlet banners unfurled and the Gryffindor table cheered loudest in the Great Hall.

Forcing herself to walk out, Selena moved down the moving staircases to the Entrance Hall. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she stepped out the doors and merged with the threads of kids all heading down out of Hogwarts Castle. Students were walking, chattering loudly in the sunny day, all going to Hogsmeade Station.

Smiling to herself, Selena walked down the path before arriving at the shimmering Hogwarts Express, steam billowing from the engine. She stepped onto the train as the doors shut, the last of the kids getting on the train from the platform. Walking through the hall, it was quickly emptying as students were finding compartments. Down near the end, she saw one that looked empty. Glimpsing inside the window, she saw the familiar face of a friend. Damon. Smiling again, Selena saw that he was looking down at a book, focusing on the pages. Squinting, she could make out the words The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe written in fancy gold script on the cover.

"Narnia?" Selena whispered to herself, the book familiar. She hadn't read it, but she knew that the novel was popular. After watching him read for couple of seconds, she reached for the door handle.

"Hey, Damon. What are you reading?" she asked quickly as she opened the compartment.

Damon jerked his head up, dropped his book, and said "Selena!" as he stood up. Standing too quickly, he hit his head on the metal rack that held his luggage, which unhinged and fell. He toppled to the floor as a large trunk collapsed on top of him.

"I picked the right time to show up!" cried a voice. Selena turned around and saw Renee grinning at Damon and her, honey eyes glowing.

"I uh- I was just..." Damon said in a hoarse voice, lifting the trunk off of himself. His blond fringe drooped into his eyes as he stood up.

Selena bent down and picked up the book. Damon went red and he looked at his feet as Selena read the title again. Looking up, she stared at Damon curiously. Then back down at the page. Then back at Damon. She moved and sat down (settling Crescent beside herself on the cushion and her luggage on the floor) as Renee walked in and began to hang the rack back up.

"Damon... you like a Muggle book?" Selena asked, smiling mischievously.

"It's uh- a uh- no. Why... why would you think that?" he said in a scratchy voice, looking uncomfortable.

"I thought you only associated with wizarding communities. And look - Muggle book. The pictures don't move." Selena turned the book around and showed the drawing of a lion that was mid-roar with two girls standing beside him.

Renee gasped and dropped the trunk she was putting back up onto the rack. The trunk hit Damon on the head again with a thump that made Selena cringe. Damon grimaced and began to rub where the trunk had hit him. Renee jumped down from the bench and snatched the book from Selena's hands, staring at it. "Ooh... You know, I prefer The Tales of Beedle and the Bard, but this one is a favorite of mine too. Lucy is so cool!"

Selena continued to stare at Damon. "You like Muggle books?"

Damon opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed. "Yes... I er... I play video games, too."

Selena grinned whilst Renee was flipping through the Narnia book as if it had every answer to every question.

"Next year, bring some of your Muggle video games. I won't say a word to Dumbledore," Renee said, hugging the book to her chest.

Selena started to laugh, the Renee did, and then Damon even cracked up.

This is a perfect end to a perfect year... Selena thought. And she was right...

This was a perfect end to her first year at Hogwarts.

And imagine the Harry Potter music playing that they always do at the end! (It really pulls it together! ;D Haha)

I feel like dancing! I'm so happy! I can't wait to start Selena's second year and I loved writing about her first year! I just can't picture it's over.

Great ending? Shall we applaud? Thank you! Thank you! Yes!

Thanks to all of you, this has been so much fun to write! Thank you SOOOO much for your support and I can't wait to start their second years! A lot more drama, Wendy & Alisson & Tess, Voldemort, and much more! Relationships too! How will Harry and Annabeth uphold their relationship? Dosen't Harry ask Cho?

Also, I'm still depending on if I should allow Selena, Renee, and all them 2nd years to have a date at the dance. They're only 12 after all. Of course, Ginny was only 13.

So, if you want them too... I already know someone for Renee, Hazel, Rolf, Neil, and Angela, but that's it. I have an idea for Selena, but I don't think I'll do that. It's going to be a surprise who Selena ends up with. Some people say Ray and some say Damon. Who shall it be? Hmmm? So, yes. If you want to have your character have a date to the Yule Ball next year, TELL ME! It can't be Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Viktor, Cedric, Fleur, Cho, or Neville. Anyone else though!

Well, I can't wait to write the next one, and if you had any other characters besides that one, or I saw new ones, they will be in the next book. =D

I am not changing stories by the way. It's still this one. However, I am offering a contest. You can some up with a title and I'll see whose I like best, and I'll give you credit in the description! Yay! I may also come up with one for myself, but that's not likely.

So, yes. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE MORE! I can't wait. Thanks again, it means so much! Reveiw please! Thanks!

Bye! Ciao! Au Revoir! Bonjour! Farewell! PEACE!

~Meghan

P.S. Also, can you all tell me your characters' Boggarts? They'll be needed for the next year! Thanks!

P.S.S. I'll do 2 updates before I post the next year! So, any questions? I will clear them up! Bye! Thanks again!

4/15/17: Just realized that I've been writing all the dates in American format... nice. Also, it's the day before Easter! So, happy early Easter from the future, Past Me! And whoever is reading this!