A/n: Special thanks to sunsethill and Nevermorea for taking the time to review!

sunsethill, I have actually at times wondered why Harry wouldn't have sent a message with Hedwig… you know apart from being a panic twelve-year old. And in this, I really wanted to give the twins a logical reason, for why they didn't just send an owl.

October 1992

Tracey had grown, where Violet had not. That was perhaps, the very first thing Violet noticed about her friend, who now stood a good six inches taller than Violet where before Violet would have put Tracey at being a mere two inches or three taller than herself. But not just in height, had her friend seemed to grow. Violet was certain that she could see an almost visible swell in her friend's robes, even in spite of the baggy Slytherin sweater and her school robes.

However, Violet hadn't really spent much time ruminating on her friend's changes, as she spent rather more time trying to field Tracey's question about why she had or hadn't written, and the fact that she hadn't actually received any of Tracey's letters. Then explaining how she'd even gotten to school, and the subsequent detentions she had received from Snape along with her brother ("That just serves you right… It's just common sense not to get in a car with a twelve-year-old behind the wheel, especially a car that flies! You're lucky you didn't get expelled!" Tracey had lectured, all the while her eyes flicked over Violet, as if assessing that her friend really was all in one piece.)

Luckily though, after Tracey had let off some of the steam, they'd both settled back into their friendship, the other hardly leaving the other's presence. Even when all Tracey wanted to do was read in peace, and Violet wanted to listen to the Wizard Wireless on Tracey's radio, and was asking Tracey incessantly about everything she heard and did not understand.

Detentions with Snape, weren't as bad as Violet, or particularly Harry, dreaded they would be. For most of the week, Snape had them cleaning cauldrons, though he allowed them work together, so long as they kept any of their talking to a minimum. Though Violet had the sneaking suspicion that he was trying to catch them letting something slip about their journey to Hogwarts.

"Why are you staring at me?" Harry asked tiredly during one of those particular cleaning sessions, when Violet had gotten tired of scrubbing and was rotating her shoulder to work out some of the stiffness and gotten distracted staring at her brother.

"I was just thinking, how much fun it would have been if you'd been born a girl too. In fact, your hair is getting shaggy enough… it's almost as long as mine. Maybe I should just start calling you Harriet," Violet had explained quite sincerely, reaching a hand out to Harry's locks and running her fingers through his soft, thick hair.

"Oh, sod off," Harry muttered under his breath and shoving his sister's hand away while Violet giggled whole-heartedly. "You look much more like a boy than I look like a girl. Maybe we should call you George instead of Georgiana."

Violet scowled at Harry then, her lips pouting slightly. She really hated her middle name. It was bad enough her first name already sounded like that of an old lady. To have been stuck with Georgiana… it was like her parents wanted her to never have a romantic life.

"Shut up, Harriet."

XxX

Relatively speaking, September very quickly turned into October without too much incident for Violet. But as the first month of school had progressed, Violet found herself fervently hoping for the year to be over.

As if it wasn't bad enough to have Draco being an even bigger prat to her than he used to be ("I think he's just jealous I stole his daddy's precious attention from him for five minutes," Violet had explained to Tracey with a roll of her eyes) there was also, unfortunately, Lockhart.

Violet wasn't entirely sure whether she was more amused, or annoyed by the man's antics.

"I mean… narcissism of that scale while being so oblivious… it's brilliant. He's like…. the world's best clown," Violet had marveled as she and Tracey had exited their first Defense class.

"He's not oblivious. He just ignores what people say to him if they aren't showering him with praise and adoration," Tracey had responded, tiredly scrubbing at her eyes and before rubbing her temples.

Unfortunately for Violet, Lockhart's antics quickly lost their charms. Especially when she considered how much attention Lockhart seemed to pay to her brother. And that she herself often found herself the subject of a lot of his unwanted attention.

Happy at first to play along with the maddening man, Violet didn't have the patience to keep up the sycophant charade for long.

"I have to give it to Draco. I don't know how he doesn't choke on his own tongue when he spouts over flattering tripe," Violet grimaced in late September, once she finally managed to shake Lockhart, who'd held her up on the way to Charms. She was glad Tracey had opted to wait for her, even if it meant that they would both be late for Charms now.

"Draco had the benefit of a Pureblood education. They learn to kiss arse from the crib," Tracey had responded dully, even as she grabbed Violet by the wrist and started rushing to their destination.

"Could it just be an act?" Violet finally asked in early October, having spent far too much time in the last week of September, watching and studying Lockhart.

"What?" Tracey asked as they sat together at the Slytherin table eating dinner.

"His narcissistic, selective-obtuse-ness?" Violet responded… flailing her fork and accidentally flicking potatoes at Pansy in the process. Pansy, who immediately started to screech in Violet's direction, though Violet was ignoring her, much to Pansy's increasing annoyance.

"Why are you so concerned with Lockhart? You don't fancy him, do you?" Tracey asked quietly, turning to look down at Violet with mixed concern and disgust.

Violet wanted to twist her own face in disgust and refute it (Because in spite of his good looks, Lockhart was an completely inept idiot). But she wasn't exactly going to spout that she was just worried that Lockhart could be Voldemort in disguise again, or another of his followers… or even perhaps a pedophile interested in her brother.

"No," Violet responded, her voice still sounding far too emphatic for her liking. "I'm just… wondering about him. I don't know how anyone so ridiculous could exist. It has to be some sort of psychological anomaly. It's fascinating."

At that moment, Violet realized that she was staring at Lockhart again and shifted when she felt a heated gaze on her.

Turning to look in the direction she felt the gaze from, she found Snape's eyes zeroed in on her and scowling. Immediately, at the thought that she'd been caught staring at the golden, pompous prat by Snape of all people, she felt her cheeks flush bright red and averted her gaze.

Oh, I hope he doesn't think I fancy that idiot, Violet thought as her cheeks burned and she started to shove food in her mouth, trying to distract herself. Not even sure why she cared if Snape thought she fancied anyone so stupid.

XxX

October didn't vary greatly from September, but somehow seemed to Violet, to pass much faster.

Perhaps because apart from spending a lot of time with Tracey, she also found herself often, at least on weekends, spending time with her brother and his friends. A development that was at times annoying, as Violet wasn't terribly fond of either Hermione or Ron… but considering it meant she got to spend time with her brother, she supposed she should just grit her teeth and bear it.

"You don't think it's ridiculous… the amount of practice your Captain has you doing… in the rain?" Violet asked late Saturday evening, as she and Tracey were getting ready to depart from the library, where they had been ensconced away with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Harry rolled his eyes, perhaps thinking that like with the issue of Lockhart, that Violet was being overprotective and ridiculous as they stepped out into the hallway. Tracey was hanging back momentarily, still caught up in an argument with Hermione over a disagreement they had concerning their Potions homework.

"It's fine… I'm fine. I haven't even gotten sick."

Violet stare at Harry, her pointed emerald eyes staring at him as if she thought her were dull… or had been hit too many times in the head by a bludger.

"Just because you haven't gotten a cold, doesn't mean your body isn't fatigued," Violet responded with a roll of her eyes.

Harry in turn, also rolled his eyes. "Stop being such a worry-wort. I can take care of myself."

"No you can't," Violet deadpanned, even as she thought of all the times that Harry had failed to properly take care of himself out of carelessness or naivety. That wasn't including the moment his heroic-antics made him completely disregard his self-preservation instincts.

"Just go back to Slytherin," Harry said in both exasperation and fondness as he gently prodded his sister in the direction towards the staircase.

"Fine. But this isn't the end of it… Harriet," Violet responded as she started to walk away, only lowering her voice slightly when she called him by a girl's name. Something she'd taken to doing when they were alone rather often, as it really seemed to bug him, giggling at the face Harry made at her while Tracey finished up with Hermione and moved to catch up to Violet.

They were only halfway down the hallway when Violet noticed that Tracey seemed to be vibrating beside her. Turning towards her friend, Violet wondered if she'd ever seen Tracey look as annoyed as she looked in that moment.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked, wondering what had just happened and why her friend so suddenly appeared irked.

Tracey shook herself, seemingly trying to shake off the feelings inspired by her debate with Granger.

"She's just… infuriating. So stubborn and…" Tracey paused, raking a hand through her dark-auburn hair and pushing up her glasses, lost for words for the bushy-haired wonder of Gryffindor. "Professor Snape's right about her being an insufferable know-it-all."

Violet didn't respond to Tracey, merely nodded her head. She wasn't sure either what it was about Hermione Granger, but she certainly seemed to rub people the wrong way.

"Well you could have easily ignored her, like I mostly do," Violet said with a shrug of her shoulders while mounting the stairs and heading towards the dungeons.

In all the time that Violet had actually spent around the female Gryffindor, Violet found that it was always better to avoid Hermione. She wasn't rude to Hermione, but she did tend to keep her interactions with a girl to a minimum and she certainly didn't engage her in conversations which she knew would only end in argument.

"I didn't want to intrude on your time with your brother… I know how much that means to you and that you don't have a lot of time with him during the school year," Tracey said with a shrug of her shoulders, causing Violet to turn to look at her with warmth expanding in her chest. "Anyway… I guess between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Hermione is less aggravating."

"True," Violet responded with a shrug of her shoulders, as Ron was still very prejudiced against Slytherin and tended to still put his foot in his mouth. "But he can be funny at times… I'm not sure Hermione even has a sense of-"

They were just passing up the second floor when Violet paused and turned her head, her skin erupting in goose-pimples as she heard a cold, strange voice.

"What is it?" Tracey asked pausing as well and turning to look up at her friend who was staring off down the corridor, wondering why she hadn't finished her statement and stopped walking.

"I thought I heard something," Violet said with a furrow of her brow, rubbing her arms unconsciously. Straining her ears for a moment longer, she then shook her head, thinking that perhaps it had just been her imagination or something, as she couldn't hear anything. "I guess not," Violet said with a shrug of her shoulders, and they continued down the stairs towards the dungeons.

XxX

"I don't think I can eat another bite," Tracey groaned, pushing away her plate while Violet continued to look around the Great Hall.

"I haven't seen Harry," Violet said with a frown, unable to enjoy the Halloween festivities ever since she noticed her brother was missing. She'd only gotten halfway through her meal before she noticed.

She'd begun looking towards the entrance to the Great Hall after that, and periodically checking the Gryffindor table, just in case she'd missed his entrance. As the meals of those around them seemed to wind down and the chatter increased, she'd begun to worry that something might be wrong with her brother.

"Do you want to go look for him? Maybe, he's lost track of time and is being sequestered in the library by Granger," Tracey responded, her statement ending with a roll of her eyes even as she tried to set Violet's mind at ease.

"All right, let's go. And maybe help me grab some food for Harry," Violet said as she got up and started to load up her hands and arms. Tracey followed suit and it wasn't long before they were making their way out of the Great Hall.

"Hey Potter! Where do you think you're going?" Draco Malfoy called out. Violet was tempted to turn around and throw a choco-ball at Draco, but restrained herself. Or rather, she let Tracey restrain her by grabbing her by the arm, moving all her own treats to one arm in order to steer Violet out of the Great Hall.

"You shouldn't let him goad you so easily," Tracey said as they crossed the Entrance Hall quickly and started to climb the stairs, careful not to drop any of the sweets they were loaded with.

"Well he's been especially trying lately and I don't know how much longer I can restrain myself!"

"Well… try."

"I do!" Violet retorted, shooting a brief glare sideways at her friend. "But there's only so much-"

Violet stopped once more, and tilted her head. Distantly, she was sure she could hear that same cold voice she'd thought she'd heard before… but if it was speaking, she could not distinguish the words.

"Vio-"

"Shhh!"

"What?" Tracey asked, lowering her voice to a whisper as she seemed to realize that her friend was listening intently to something.

Violet didn't respond right away as she climbed the last few steps to the second floor landing and leaned forward in an attempt to listen with Tracey following close behind.

"I hear something… like someone talking," Violet spoke, her voice also a low whisper as she tried to make out the words the cold and strange voice was saying. But the voice sounded so distant, so far away and had a strange quality to it… almost as if it were echoing.

"I don't hear anything," Tracey piped up, standing closer to Violet, both girls having the eery sensation of the hair at the back of their neck standing on end.

"I think it's coming from down there," Violet said, still talking in quiet tones, and pointing in the direction she was sure the voice was coming from… seemingly getting louder.

"I still don't-"

Violet drifted forward, not paying Tracey too much mind as she tried to listen intently, unable to help the strong sense of curiosity she felt towards the words that she could not understand, and the voice she was apparently hearing that Tracey could not.

Was she losing her mind? Or was her sense of hearing simply sharper than Tracey's, Violet wondered as she quickly walked down the hallway, certain that the voice was getting louder. Only suddenly, the sound of the voice seemed to be drowned up by the loud and rapid steps of several people running up the hall.

In confusion, Violet watched as her brother, Hermione and Ron all suddenly turned the corner at the end of the hall and started to come running.

"What the- ?"

"Did you hear it?" Harry asked, his breath panting as he started to slow his gait, seemingly the first to notice Violet and Tracey at the end of the Hall.

"I thought I heard a strange voice… but I couldn't hear what it was saying," Violet called back as she started to walk towards her brother so that they could meet in the middle of the Hallway, her eyes focused on her brother and his now confused friends.

Before Harry or anyone else could say anything, Tracey gave a sudden, loud gasp.

"Look!" Hermione cried, her hands coming up to cover her mouth as she seemed to notice whatever it was that had cause Tracey to drop her armful of food which splashed on the floor.

Turning back around to look at what she had missed and momentarily ignoring the water at her feet, Violet stared with wide eyes at the painted wall and though the words meant nothing to Violet, she couldn't help her stomach flipping at the sight beneath.

"Is that Mrs. Norris?" Violet asked, even as Harry crept closer to get a better look at the cat dangling from the sconce. "Is she dead?"

"We should go," Tracey suddenly whispered, tugging on Violet's arm. Violet looked around then, as if suddenly noticing just where the five of them were standing, and what could happen if they were seen.

"Harry! We need to go," she called urgently, suddenly surging forward and grabbing her brother by the arm, tugging him back.

"But shouldn't we-"

"Violet's right, we really don't want to be caught here," Ron was saying, but it was already too late. Suddenly, the eerie silence of the corridor, was rapidly being filled by the sounds of bounding steps.

"Crap!" Violet cursed, as the hall suddenly became flooded and for a moment as she looked at all the stunned and alarmed faces, she couldn't help focusing on the sudden surge of Draco Malfoy from the group. She was sure she wouldn't ever forget the suddenly eager and glee-ful flush that suffused his cheeks as he took in the scene. Or the way a malicious grin split his face as he spoke.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

TBC…

A/n: Please review!