A/N: Still looking for an artist that is willing to create a custom cover art for this piece! I'm not sure what kind of compensation you'd like (besides receiving credit for the work) but PM me if you would like to try your hand! While I would prefer the cover art to feature Harry and Kellen, I'd be willing to hand over total artistic control if you have something in mind. You're spending time to make this happen, so if something strikes you as being perfect for this piece, then by all means, let those creative juices flow! Conversely, if you know someone that specializes in custom cover art, please let me know through a comment or PM!

This is a full-length novel at this point and I don't think an avatar would do this one justice anymore... once again, thank you so much for your continued reading and support. I even welcome critical feedback, so long as there's something constructive about it (i.e. what would make it better, or if you would change something... just something other than simply saying "don't quit your day job").

The next morning at breakfast was quite awkward. Ana and Nova didn't even say "hello" to the boys at the Horned Serpent table; instead, they shot them a few disapproving glances every so often, but largely avoided eye contact with them. The silence was too much for them to bear; finally Harry spoke up to try to break the ice.

His eyes met Ana and Nova's with a pleading, apologetic glint. "You haven't said a word to us all morning... why are you so upset?"

Ana continued munching on her biscuits and gravy, while Nova looked at Harry, her lips moving as if she were to say something, but she merely shook her head and sighed.

"So we missed our second train, big deal," Kellen groaned. "We had to catch Chelsea's cat, fer corn sake... Chelsea would have been totally distraught if we didn't do something."

"You boys are reckless gits," sighed Nova. "We all heard you got detention tonight. I hope it's worth it."

"We didn't cost our house any points," Harry pointed out. "I just don't understand why you're this ticked off. We've never seen either of you like this... and honestly, it sucks!"

"You missed the Sorting Ceremony for one," Nova replied curtly. "And you missed the Start-of-Term Feast. You don't miss those - you just... don't."

"You can't be pissed off at us forever," Kellen murmured. "Chelsea's a very happy girl thanks to our efforts."

Ana bit her lip as she finally broke her silence. She shook her head, and mustered the slightest of smiles. "Nova and I were really, really looking forward to last night - not just because it's the start of the new term, but because we were going to spend the evening with the two of you. You both left us hanging last night... we were worried sick about you... what if you got lost, or hurt?"

"We're here now, that's the important thing," responded Harry. "Look, we didn't plan on missing the second train; it just sort of, erm... happened." His edge of his lips curved into a thin smile. "We were looking forward to being with you last night too... and I'm beyond sorry that we missed it. I hope you'll forgive us."

"We will, Harry," Nova said, the anger in her voice subsiding slightly. "We just need some time."

Kellen nodded. "Thank you, November. We'll give you both whatever space you need." He then stood up and whispered in Harry's ear. "We might as well get up, Harry. I'm pretty sure Chelsea would be more than happy to talk to us this morning." Harry nodded in agreement, and the two boys took their leave.

A minute later, they found Chelsea and Alexander seated at the Thunderbird table, still munching away on their biscuits. "Oh, hiya Harry and Kellen," Chelsea said in a cheerful tone.

"Good morning, you two," Harry replied softly.

"Why the long faces?" Chelsea asked. "You two don't seem to be yourselves this morning... did you get into an argument with Ana and Nova?"

"Not exactly," Harry replied. "They are rather disappointed in us though... we missed the second train last night as we rounded up your cat. Oh, and how is she doing, anyway?"

"She's in the dorm where she belongs," Chelsea murmured. "And thank you both for retrieving Felicity for me... you have no idea how much that means to me." She leaned over to give both Kellen and Harry quick pecks on the cheek.

"We got detention tonight for our efforts," sighed Kellen. "At least it's not anything ridiculous. We're going to assist Professor Goode in the astronomy tower before class tonight - we need to help her get everything set up before she teaches."

"That's not a bad punishment," Chelsea replied softly. "I mean, in a way, it's like having a double-period of class."

Harry nodded. "We kind of thought of it that way too... maybe we'll learn a thing or two before class starts, I'm sure she'd be happy to teach us a few things outside of the texts."

Chelsea smirked. "If you mind your manners and do what you're supposed to do, I don't see why she wouldn't do that, Potter." She grabbed a forkful of biscuit and swirled it in the gray sausage gravy in her bowl. She then turned to Kellen. "I know you were a very gifted student prior to Ilvermorny, Grimseth... how do you like Astronomy?"

"I love it," Kellen replied with a grin. "Then again, I love all of my classes here... but Astronomy is toward the top of my list because compared to other classes, it's more of an exact science and more readily translatable to no-maj courses. I mean, the stars, moons, and constellations are the exact same as the ones I studied in fifth grade."

"I figured that would appeal to you," giggled Chelsea. "I've always been fascinated by the cosmos... before I found out that I was a witch, I spent many clear nights looking outside in our family's telescope. It's a pretty powerful one at that - it's really amazing looking at the moon up close and personal. Sometimes, we can even make out the rings of Saturn!"

"I've always wanted a telescope," grumbled Kellen. "I mean, a quality one. I got a mounted one for my ninth birthday that's all right, but it's really not much more powerful than a good set of binoculars."

Chelsea nodded. "Did you ever want to be an astronaut, at least before you learned of your magical gifts?"

"A little bit, but I prefer to study the very nature of the cosmos rather than exploring them first-hand," Kellen replied. "If I was destined for a no-maj life, I'd be perfectly content studying cosmology and astrophysics. I've always admired Professors Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking, they're definitely the foremost names of modern no-maj astronomy and astrophysics. And there's a gentleman named Neil DeGrasse Tyson... I've read some of his works as a graduate student at Columbia University. He'll be a force to be reckoned with in the field of astrophysics as well... no pun intended." He tried to stifle a chuckle.

Chelsea giggled and flashed a bright smile at Kellen. "I've heard of both Sagan and Hawking... and truth be told, Kellen... you're every bit as brilliant as those two scientists. I'm not exaggerating - your intelligence is very much on the level as Einstein. And you'd be such a good scientist because if you were to write books on stars and galaxies, you'd write it in a way that less-gifted people would be able to easily understand. You're so, so good at taking something complex and explaining it to the lay person that they can understand it without thinking their intelligence has been insulted. That might be the trait I admire about you more than anything."

Kellen's cheeks and ears turned a deep shade of pink. "You're not the first person who said that."

"Which is further proof that it's true, and you're so, so lucky that you have your gifts. I do envy you a little bit," sighed Chelsea.

"I'm grateful that I have them, yes," Kellen confirmed. "And while I am aware of my heightened intelligence, I try not to make a big deal about it because I'm really not 'better' than anyone else. I'm not a very social person, for example, and I would say someone with a hundred friends is just as blessed as I am, but just in a different way." He smiled. "And I prefer to use my gifts to help others out... I've helped Harry study last year, for example... and not only that, but I've also shown him how to study. We still get together for projects or exams of course, but he doesn't need my help nearly as much for regular assignments... I'm very proud of him."

"And I will always remember last year in Transfiguration... I had a horrible attitude that day, I remember that so clearly, and I still feel awful for trying to push you away," replied Chelsea. "Yet you persisted... you genuinely wanted to show me how to turn that matchstick into a needle. I might have figured it out without you, but it would have taken hours rather than mere minutes. Even that Granger girl that followed you around like a little lost puppy last April doesn't have that sort of aptitude, and the goods she has upstairs put mine to shame!" She arched an eyebrow. "So the two of you met up at that new Mall of America in the Twin Cities a couple of weeks ago. How did you like it?"

"It was a lot of fun," replied Kellen. "It was nice seeing her outside of school... just being children for a little while, you know?"

"I totally get it," Chelsea giggled. "I know she fancies you... I don't know what it is about you, Grimseth... but you're a living tractor beam when it comes to British girls! Nova, Granger, and even Daphne seemed to be fascinated with you..."

"His mum - and my foster mum - is a native Londoner," Harry clarified. "That might have something to do with it. He does have some rather British mannerisms. Even Nova thinks he acts more English than I do sometimes, and I'm fully English! He's not even half - he's got some Scottish in him too!"

"I'm more Scottish than English, I think," said Kellen glibly. "But that's just nitpicking."

"Oh, speaking of Daphne... did you write to her last night?" Harry asked. "I know that you haven't really corresponded with her over the summer as she lives with a magical family somewhere in Great Britain, and you don't have a personal owl..."

Chelsea smiled. "I sure did, Potter. I wrote her a really long letter going over what I did last summer... it took three pieces of parchment. I felt so bad that I didn't get a chance to communicate with her during the summer break, so I did what I had to do so I could make up for the lost time. One of the school owls picked up the stack of papers and is en route to Hogwarts as we speak. I know she'll be excited to hear from me... I know we're not as close as Grimseth and Granger are, but she's still my friend, and we still got along just fine when she visited. I would love to see her again, she's a very nice girl. She told me all sorts of really neat stories about what it's like growing up in a magical family, and in turn, I told her what it's like growing up in a non-magical household. She really seemed to be curious."

"Other than getting a personal owl, you might want to ask Professor Goode or your house head for some advice on how to maintain contact with Daphne during your breaks," suggested Harry. "I know Daphne didn't forget about you, but I'm sure that she would have preferred that you two were able to communicate at least once or twice a month during the summer."

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly," Chelsea replied. She giggled. "And for what it's worth, Professor Goode is also my house head."

"She is a former Thunderbird herself, so that doesn't surprise me," replied Kellen.

"You two seem to spend more time with Professor Goode than your own head-of-house," said Chelsea. "Professor Frye, right?"

"Yeah, she's my head of house," confirmed Kellen. "She's also my coach for the Quiz Bowl. Speaking of which, I know I'm going to have to visit her, or Professor Goode this week about signing up for it again. I like my chances of making the team, of course, but I still have to audition for it..."

"And quidditch tryouts are coming up too," added Harry. "Like Kellen, I have to show up for the tryouts - they won't just hand me the Seeker position even though we went undefeated and won the Quidditch Cup last term." Kellen clapped Harry heartily on the shoulder. "I know you'll make it, Harry. Nova and Ana are shoo-ins too, I think."

"Are you going to try out, Grimseth?" asked Chelsea. "I know quidditch interests you..."

Kellen shook his head 'no'. "Not this year. I think I'm going to focus on the school choir this year in addition to the quiz bowl team... Quidditch is fun, but I like having a little bit of free time, you know?"

"And by 'free time', that means you holing yourself up in the library and reading every volume cover-to-cover... for pleasure," teased Chelsea. "I don't even see you in the library, but I know you're there, hidden behind those tall stacks of books in the back corner!"

Harry stifled a chuckle, knowing full well how accurate Chelsea's assessment of Kellen really was. "You could try out for keeper next year... Mitch Huber has this year and next, and we'll need a replacement after that. I think you'd be a terrific one, Kellen. Maybe spend a year as his understudy?"

"I was thinking that myself," replied Kellen. "I guess after he graduates, Nova might be the next Horned Serpent captain? Wouldn't that be something?"

"Quite possibly," Harry said with a nod. "And I'm pretty sure she's also going to be a trustee. The way she looked after you and me last year? She has a very caring personality... she's the perfect "big sister" figure for underclassmen."

A few moments later, dozens of students got up from their tables and grabbed their bags and began making their way to the first class of the new term. Harry, Kellen and Chelsea grabbed their bags as well and began making their way out of the great hall.

"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts first this time," Harry said, looking at his schedule. "I wonder how that's going to go this time, with all these weird books they made us get this time."

"It doesn't look like we'll be seatmates this time, boys," Chelsea said with a note of resignation in her voice. "I have History of Magic - double period, followed by Transfiguration."

"We have a double period of DADA, then Herbology," Harry said. "Then we have lunch, followed by a free period, and then a double Charms period."

Chelsea exhaled a sigh of relief. "Oh good, we have Charms together at least. That's not bad."

"I didn't really care much for Charms at first last year because we didn't really practice many spells; we focused more on the theory portion. But thankfully it picked up, and it's become another one of my favorite classes," Kellen said.

"Is there a class of yours that isn't one of your favorites?" chuckled Harry.

Kellen guffawed. "You know what Harry? I think you got me there. I like all of them, really."

"If what Daphne and Hermione said were true, you might not like them nearly as much if we had gone to Hogwarts instead..."

"Oh, Daphne told me some horror stories from some of her classes last year," groaned Chelsea. "Defense was a joke, History was beyond boring, and Potions has a bully for a teacher... I think we should count ourselves lucky that we have the teachers that we have!"

Harry and Kellen nodded in unison. They stopped near a drinking fountain adjacent to a grandiose flight of stairs in the long first-floor corridor

"All right, Chelsea. I s'pose we'll see each other at lunch, and again in Charms. Good luck in History and Herbology," Harry said with a wave and a smile.

"Enjoy Defense and Transfiguration, Harry and Kellen," Chelsea replied as she waved back. "You'll have to tell me how they go!" She slung her backpack over both her shoulders and held her morning texts to her chest as she looked ready to march off to Professor Esposito's classroom.

"You'll have to do the same," Harry chuckled. "Oh, before you go - would it be okay if we met you directly at the Thunderbird table for lunch today? We promised Ana and Nova that we'd give them a little space, they're still a little miffed that we didn't join them last night."

"That's fine, Potter," Chelsea replied with a grin. "See you and Grimseth at our table for lunch. Bye now!" She threw the boys a quick smirk and turned heel, her perfectly-braided copper pigtails flopped as she proceeded to Professor Esposito's classroom.

"All right, dude," Kellen said as he and Harry began making their way upstairs to Professor Madigan's classroom. "Let's see what old Madigan has in store for us today..."