"I can't believe it! Where on Earth did you get such a complicated potion?" Hermione marveled after her friend's sudden outburst.
"Fred," Ron muttered guiltily, picking up the chess pieces that fell to the floor.
"Impressive… But you can't just spike Harry's drink! And if anything was going on Dumbledore would know, I'm sure."
"Well at least I know nobody kidnapped Harry and is shaving his head for potion. At least I can't say that a stranger is sleeping in my dorm..."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny."
Ron put away the chessboard and went into his own bed, glaring at the gently rising figure that was supposedly his best friend.
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Jamie woke up early purely out of excitement and couldn't go back to sleep. She got dressed quickly and put on Harry's watch indicating it was just past seven o'clock and went down to the Great Hall alone.
There wasn't any food on the plates yet but there were still a couple people there. There were some kids from younger years, perhaps a couple first-year Hufflepuffs and third-year Ravenclaws barely speckling the Hall, and Jamie recognized Malfoy, Hermione and Professor Snape, each sitting alone at their respectful tables.
Jamie sighed and sat as far away as possible as Hermione (because she knew she'd probably have to talk and she didn't particularly feel like it) and ended up nearest the teachers' table. She pulled out her Potions' book out of her bag and started reading intently.
"So, Harry, it's Friday today," Hermione came and sat across from Jamie.
"I know."
"Looking forward to tonight?"
Jamie shrugged.
Hermione laughed. "Reading your Potions' book again?"
"Yea… It's the only book I had access to this summer, and it's pretty interesting." Jamie made up quietly.
"Maybe Ron should go without anything but a schoolbook this summer, he might learn something for a change!"
"We'll have to mention that to Mrs. Weasley," Jamie said, laughing. Her inner voice rolled its eyes. 'I forgive too fast.'
After breakfast including a very tired-looking Ron, they headed to Transfiguration. She was so excited! She just couldn't pay attention – everything went in one ear and out the other.
And finally, after a disastrous Charms class including an inch-high Flitwick and a 10-foot-high Neville thanks to shrinking and growing charms that went off-target, it was suppertime.
"Bloody hell, Harry! That was brilliant! Mind you, Neville almost fell on me when he tripped, but it was bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.
"At least I can do the spells… I just have to worry about my aim."
After an excruciatingly long dinner, Jamie finally got to head to Dumbledore's office, convincing Ron and Hermione to wait in the common room.
"Chiclets," she told the gargoyle.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, come in," Dumbledore greeted. Snape was there too.
"This is when I was supposed to come, isn't it?" Jamie asked, eyeing Snape suspiciously.
"Don't worry. I'm leaving." Snape said coldly and left.
"I've heard that Harry Potter has changed quite a bit over the summer." Dumbledore said, smiling, twinkle present in his eye.
"Yea, he only had access to his Potions' book during the summer and has been reading it ever since," Jamie responded shyly, looking at her fingers, now feminine with nice nails. Jamie was Jamie again.
"May I ask why you've been in the library constantly in the past week?"
"Ron put a potion in my drink a few days ago… I wanted to find out what it was." She replied, looking anywhere but the Headmaster.
"And, what was it?"
"The antidote for Polyjuice Potion," she said, finally looking at Dumbledore. "Completely flawless, too!"
The old wizard just nodded and said, "Some of your possessions have been flooed here by your mother. I hope everything works out."
Jamie gathered all her things and changed in the bathroom. She admired her body, her dirty blond hair and even her hazel eyes in the mirror, deciding never to take her appearance for granted again. She liked how her jeans caressed her body instead of hanging there, loose and baggy, and how her shirt was long and camo green instead of Harry's overlarge gray shirts he got from Dudley.
Carefully and softly, she entered the Gryffindor common room. The very crowded Gryffindor common room. Luckily, she spotted Hermione and Ron doing homework nearby.
Remembering that she has never met them, she tapped on Ron's shoulder and said, "Excuse me, but are your names Hermione and Ron?"
"Yes, we are, you must be Jamie," Hermione greeted warmly. Ron just waved while smiling a goofy smile. Jamie took the seat offered to her.
"Harry told me to see you guys first," Jamie said warily.
"Yep, it's no problem. So… tell us a bit about yourself." Ron said.
"Well, I'm 16, and I was going to a muggle school before. I just live with my mom, a muggle, and I just found out I'm a witch, so it's very strange to me." She was just bending the truth a little; no need to lie completely.
"How did you find out?" Ron asked.
"Made a few disappearing acts and got back at my enemies accidentally, so when Dumbledore came to talk to me I believed him completely. Too bad I go on vacation every summer and leave my friend behind to pick up the mail. She's so unreliable, only keeps bills and stuff."
"You go on vacation the entire summer?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, all my mum's relatives live in Canada, so we go there to visit all summer every summer. It's the only time we see them, not that Mum has that many siblings, but it's still nice."
"Are we the only people you know at Hogwarts, then?" Ron asked.
"So far, yep. I haven't even seen anyone else in the corridors."
"Well I'm sure you'll see lots of people tomorrow at breakfast," Hermione said cheerily.
"Where will I stay tonight?" Jamie asked.
"You want me to show you my dormitory? There's plenty of room – we're only three girls." Hermione suggested.
"Do you like chess? We can play a quick game if you'd like before going upstairs." Ron offered.
"It's a little late… Maybe another time, Ron," Jamie said with a nice smile.
Hermione led Jamie up to the dormitory, where the scent of nail polish and scented bubble bath was overpowering. There were magazines strewn on the floor and Lavender and Parvati were reading some on one of the beds.
"Hermione, we were wondering when you'd show, you missed some great celeb news, and this is Jamie, right, welcome to the best dormitory you'll see anywhere!" Lavender said in one breath.
"I'm Parvati, and these are my three best friends: Lavender, Hermione – you met her of course – and Twist magazine!" she said, holding up and fawning over the newest edition of Twist magazine with Panic! At The Disco on the cover.
"Panic! At The Disco! Oh. My. Gawd. I haven't gotten this issue!" Jamie exclaimed. These girls were a little like her friends, but hers laughed more and made better jokes.
"What bubble bath did you use?" Hermione asked, smelling the air.
"I really needed green tea today, trust me! It was an emergency!" Lavender explained.
"Oh no, what happened?" both Hermione and Jamie asked. They both sat on the nearest bed and talked 'till pretty late that night before they all decided to actually sleep in their sleeping bags just for fun like a sleepover. Jamie didn't want to be Harry in only two days.