A/N: Sorry bout that... I guess I need to organise a bit better with my stories.

Here is the 'real' update.

Chapter 5: Best and the Brightest

I love Hogwarts.

It goes without saying, but it just has to be said anyway, I love Hogwarts.

The next day started off fine, the bed was extra comfy, I would have lay there all day if Hermione hadn't poked me off of it, okay, she just nagged, but it was almost as persistent.

The day consisted of Transfiguration, Charms and History of Magic, it made my head spin when we had to find our way around the school, and by we, I meant Harry and Ron as well, who were having the predicted relationship as in the book.

Luckily, we didn't go to the same place twice, as with my awesome memory, I could remember every wall pretending to be a door, every trick staircase and doorknobs we had to tickle, I'm sure that my brother would have commented by now that whoever designed the castle must have been a genius in defence against invaders, or barking mad.

When we did arrive at Transfiguration, which was like, ten minutes late, a cat sat on the mat- kidding, but Miss McGonagall was in her Animagus form, Ron said he was relieved that she wasn't there to get us in trouble, just when she turned human and gave us a strict glare, luckily, despite the shaky start, I managed to get on her good side.

"Of course, it will be a while before you transfigure anything to that level" she said after she turned the desk to a pig and back, "So of course we will start off small, Mr Longbottom, there should be a box of match's on the table next to you, pass them out if you would"

When they were passed out, we were told to turn it into a needle, within about two minutes, I managed to get it all silver and pointy.

"Very good Miss Joy" she congratulated me as she gave me a smile, "ten points to Gryffindor, you certainly outdone yourself here, for the rest of the period, try turning it back in to a match and then a needle again, it will help with how quickly you can transfigure an object"

I smiled again, as Harry looked pleased at me taking to the subject quickly, Ron in awe that it took me so quickly and a little jealously from Hermione, since she took three minutes to do it.

Needless to say, I was bored five minutes into doing the transfigure and untransfigure exercise, and my mind wandered off as I subconsciously waved my wand over my needle/matchstick, it wasn't until Harry elbowed me, did I realise I was turning it into a pencil, a piece of pipe cleaner, a kebab stick and even a stick insect.

McGonagall was really joyed (stupid puns) when I had shown so much potential for her class, and told me after class that I might have quite the future in the field.

Yay!

And then she gave me some more advanced books and asked me to look through them.

Aww...

Moving on, when we went to Charms, in which I remembered where where the corridor was since Filch was on our back of nearly entering the forbidden room, we were starting off with the softening charm, I made the rock I was practising on into a sponge immediately, since I practised it before, unfortunately, I sort of missed and made the desk under it collapse under its own weight, Mr Flitwick told me despite the work I had to do on control and aim, I was certainly enough on the power department.

Bin's was a drawling ghost who never realised he died yet, and teaches history, I have a sneaking suspicion I will be catching up on sleep in his classes after some late night adventures with the Golden Trio.

Not that they are much of a 'trio' right now, Hermione is all know-it-all, and Ron can't stand her, and Harry is the middle man trying to keep out of the way.

I however managed to keep a happy relationship with Mione, it consisted of her telling me off about the uniform, in which I pointed out Dumbledore said it was okay to show a little imagination, how we were both good at magic and her wanting to compare notes, and last of all, me teasing the ever loving life out of her.

Next subjects on the list for the other days of the week were DADA, Herbology and Astronomy.

Quirrell was doing the tremble and shake act to fool people and it took every ounce of my energy to not chuck a chair at the back of his head (and in turn hitting Voldemort's stupid face), so I just settled with making funny faces when his back was turned, I could hardly learn anything since he seemed to stutter whenever he discussed anything important (and any other time for that matter) but maybe that was his plan, to keep Harry dumb and all, who's knows, I just decided to read all course material for DADA for years one and two since the teachers on both were tossers.

Professor Sprout was a living plant herself, kinda fits her subject, she pulled us around the sweltering heat of the greenhouse and showed us a few exotic plants around the place, Harry said I was imagining things, but I was sure that the plant in the back was sizing me up for a meal, Sprout herself was cheerful and happy with us all, yet was firm around anyone fooling around, Neville loved the subject from the get-go.

It wasn't really a subject explained in depth in the books or the movies, or shows its useful for anything other than predictions, Astronomy was Aurora Sinistra, who was like an alternate version of McGonagall, only dark skinned, she even had the funny witch's hat which I though only McGonagall wore, after ranting in my mind at the copycat, we spent the morning looking at stars and planets through a telescope, I didn't know how the last one was possible, so I just labelled it as magic and moved on.

But then it came to Friday, I had circled the double period with skulls and cross bones for two reasons.

One, we were sharing it with the Slytherins.

Two, it was with Snape as the teacher.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like Snape, when he wasn't so scary at any rate, but the guy wouldn't let go of a childhood grudge, and took it out on the guys son, there are so many times I would glare at the books and shout 'GROW UP ALREADY!', and then Darren would walk by the door and say talking to yourself was the first sign of insanity so I had to cut mid rant.

Sure James was a jerk then, but who isn't once and a while when they are coming into their teens, and I think he paid for his mistakes by, oh I don't know, saving your life, and you know, DYING!

"...wish McGonagall favoured us" oh! I remember this... of course I remember, eidetic memory duh!

"And be as smug as the Slytherins are that Snape is backing them?" I asked Ron, he blanched as the words sank in,

"Uh... McGonagall's a fair teacher, the best kind" Ron said nervously, not wanting to have any connections with the serpents.

Harry rolled his eyes at the both of us and we went on our way to the dungeons.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron swore as he almost stepped on a large spider, "why the heck do we need to take Potions here, this place gives the the creeps"

"That's because some ingredients in potions are sensitive to both heat and light, they are kept here so they don't lose their effectiveness" A familiar bossy voice said, we turned around to see our favourite rule lover.

"Mione!" I shouted and ran over to her, glomping her with a hug that would make Hagrid proud.

"Ah! P-Pamela" she waved her hands for a futile chance to get out of my death grip before I let her go myself.

She huffed, a little red faced in embarrassment for my hug loving way.

Ron looked annoyed at Hermione for being a know-it-all, while Harry gave the 'You are way too happy for your own good' look.

After that, we found Snape's classroom and took our seats, there he sat, with all of his glory, with a permanent frown on his face.

When everyone arrived he ticked down the register.

"Joy?" he enquired as he got to mine.

"Righ' here!" I called from next to Mione, trying to look more comfortable than I appeared.

He actually looked up at me, and I am sure the sweat on the back of my neck froze.

He looked me over, taking in my features and then his mouth turned into a sneer.

Luckily he said nothing else while he continued with the register. I know thats going to bite me in the behind later.

Snape acted the same as he did when Harry was first in his class, except that I decided to raise my hand with Hermione but with less enthusiasm and I let it drop after he ignored us the second time.

After the lesson of Potions in theory and brewing them (I found that my cooking expertise translated well into the field) I happily turned in my cure for boils potion and skipped my way to the exit.

Thank god.

But then, the gods of... Karma? I don't know, saw fit for me to trip over a loose cobblestone and have my books fall to the floor, this attracted Snape's attention as I quickly picked them up.

"...Ms Joy, what are you wearing" the cold voice behind me was the same as before, but now I was sure that this time my blood went Arctic on me.

Curse my need to break the uniform.

And it was obvious that Snape was searching for a reason to dock some points, other than that I was in Gryffindor, I knew it was going to happen eventually, with being a friend of Harry's who would be a magnet for trouble.

I mean seriously, who in the hell has to fight a three headed dog, a troll and Mouldy-wart's all in the same year?

Harry freaking Potter that's who. Anyway, back to the current problem.

"Well" I say, as my emotions took to a 180 cheery voice, "I checked the rules and it said nothing of the sort about making alterations to the uniform, so I took to it"

He then appears startled slightly at my positive attitude, before looking moody again. "That is still no excuse to strutting around like the school is a muggle fashion show" It wasn't like I was striking poses... yet, "And also it does not mean you can give me cheek Ms Joy"

Oh no, this is going down hill fast. "W-well" I say, my composure cracking slightly, "Uh, Professor, can I call I call you Prof?"

"No" was the cold reply.

"Uh, how about Snape?"

"No" this time to volcano I-am-going-to-melt-your-face-off point.

Desperately I try to draw his attention away from point docking angry thoughts. "H-Ha well its just, you know, I'm not really the formal type, can't I give you a nickname; like Snap? Serve? S-man? Sev?"

His face immediately tightened.

Well thats strange, I wonder why- OH HELL! I just said Sev, Lily's nickname for him.

"A-aaaa" I was imagining major warning signs blinking in my HUD by now. "You know what, forget it, I say give respect were respect is due, and I mean, teacher-student I totally get it and-

"Just" he says, cutting me off from my rambling, "go, I can't be bothered dealing with you right now" he then faced the other way without another word and walked into his office, before shutting the door quietly.

Um... I'm confused, was that good or bad.

With one last look at where Snape had just left, I pick-up the last book I dropped and left.

Its going to be real awkward next day we have Potions, or not, I don't know with Snape.

"..."

"..."

"Yer got nothin' ter worry abou' yer know, Fang's just a big softy"

This is coming from the guy who has Cerberus, a dragon, a giant arachnid, a temperamental hippogriff and a maybe his half brother giant as the range of 'not so harmless' And I would face any of them, maybe even at the same time, as long as I would be in a different room as Fang.

It was the size of my freaking bed!

"It's okay, don't mind her" Harry says, as I back away from the giant dog (stupid puns) "she just always has had a fear of large dogs"

"T-thank you for m-my well-being!" I whisper shouted back, it was looking at me...

"Well tha' is a shame" Hagrid said in sympathy for my lack-of-love-for-things-that-would-gobble-me-with- one-bite.

"Well anyway, Snape is being a complete tosser" Ron said as he rubbed his sore jaw after taking a rather strong bite of rock cake, or rather tried to at any rate.

"And he seems to really hate me" Harry commented. "Rubbish! Why should he?" Hagrid avoided eye contact, suspicious...

"Woof" barked Fang.

Eeeeek!

"Uh, so I heard young Pam is one o' the top students in firs' year" he changed the subject now, surprisingly to me.

"Yeah, she already knows most of the first year stuff, if not all" Harry says as he sips from the oversized chipped tea cups on the table, "Uh, she also taught me a few things too, before I came to Hogwarts"

Hagrid looked curious, "Huh? But I though' yeh didn' know about the wizardin' world?"

"Well I didn't know it was magic, all she said was that we were special, yet again, I guess I should have guessed when we were saying magical worlds and things started flying around the room"

Ron snorted, "Couldn't guess from that Harry?" "Hey! I was six when we started, and I just stopped questioning her because she wouldn't explain"

…he's coming closer...

Then Harry saw the article from the newspaper.

"Hagrid! The Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might have been happening while we were there"

...closer...

"Don' worry yerself abou' that, it has nothin' to do with us, those Goblin's need to swea' every now and then anyway, one speed only my backside"

...

"CAN SOMEONE HELP ME HERE!" I yelled, backed in the corner by the boar hound, which was now sampling my face for dessert.

On a side-note, I wonder what is taking DD so long?