"So you ready for next weekend? Full moon's coming up and it'd be nice to get out of this damn castle," I asked Remus after lunch. We were on our way to Defense and I had avoided James ever since potions ended, not wanting to talk about the blonde girl seated beside my brother.

"Yeah man, but you know how it is. If I could choose this and not be forced to it would be a hell of a lot easier. And I wish you, James, and Peter didn't have to see me like that. Thank Merlin for Wolfsbane or you guys could have ended up as a snack for the beast." Remus is always like that. Whenever we talk about the werewolf it is always "the beast", as if it wasn't a part of him. Although I can't blame the guy for not liking the hand that was dealt to him. I am like that when it comes to talk of home and Reg. But I can say that while I had a bad hand, I've seen worse in Remus.

"Well mate, I don't think James or Pete would be very appetizing, I mean, you've smelled them. Unless Eau de Funk appeals to you, I think they're safe." I said as we strolled through the door laughing.

"Who do you think it'll be this year?" Remus whispered. It was a good question. Hogwarts hadn't been able to keep a Defense against the Dark Arts teacher since 1945 when Professor Merrythought taught it. Last year was the worst; Professor Hook was terrified of sudden noises so just closing a book made her jump. So, naturally, the entire class spent the year slamming books and we didn't learn a thing. She left just before O.W.L's after having an emotional breakdown during a class, and we spent the rest of the year getting looked after by Filch.

"I dunno mate, but whoever it is better not be crazy. My marks are low enough as it is" I replied quickly as we took our seats. James wasn't in this class, he had Herbology with Hufflepuff, and so it was just me and Remus. Which is good because with James I never seem to get anything done, but with Remus I do. It's not like I'm dumb or anything, I just don't usually pay attention.

Remus and I take our seats and open our textbooks to the page number written on the board. Yet again we start the year off learning about safety and when to use defensive spells. I don't even know why that stuff is even in the textbook. You'd think that by 6th year people would be able to remember the safety measures and when it is appropriate to use them. It can't be that hard to figure out, it's mostly common sense.

When we finish the section there is still no sign of our teacher. Half of the class is talking and making noise. Some people are still reading. A couple have left class. And the girl behind me is asking Remus if we should go find a professor to figure out where our professor has slipped off to.

Just as she stand up to leave the door to the professor's private office bursts open and out walks the oldest woman I have ever seen in my life.

"Merlin how is that lady even still alive? She looks ancient." Remus whispered to me. I grinned. He was right this woman couldn't have been 4 feet tall and was covered in wrinkles. Her hair was white and she had little silver spectacles. She looked older than Dumbledore, and he was pretty old. And right behind our new professor walked the blonde girl from Potions. Just My Shitty Luck. Damn, I felt so stupid after giving that note to James. Yea I've had a few girlfriends and a lot of offers for shags but I'm usually real quiet about the girls I go after. James is my best mate, but I don't even tell him about my time with girls. Saying that I was going to find out who she is my have seemed innocent to him but what I was thinking after I gave him the note definitely was not.

Blondie took a seat in the back of the classroom and Professor What's-Her-Name walked to the front of the class.

"Hello class. My name is Professor Collins. I heard that last year you had a little trouble with your Defense against the Dark Arts teacher so I came to Hogwarts," she introduced herself in a strong voice, not at all what I expected judging by her appearance "This year you will be learning several useful skills such as non verbal spells, and you will even be attempting to conjure a Patronus. Every day you will be given a chapter in your textbook to read, we will discuss what you read, and then put it to practice. Is that understood?" she paused "Very well. Let's get started."

I had a free period after Defense so I made my way to the library alone, lost in my thoughts. Today hasn't really been that bad, if you don't count being stuck with Slytherins for most of the day and seeing some girl you don't even know everywhere. The new professor, Professor Collins, is actually pretty funny and is really relaxed. But still, there were bad parts too. Its hard to escape your own thoughts and that's where my day usually goes downhill. I'll be safe from my thoughts in the library where I can sit down in one of the big chairs hidden throughout the library, nose tucked inside the pages of a textbook. I don't usually read, but James is in the hospital wing after putting his finger in a Mandrake's mouth and needs a few stitches. Without him my source of entertainment is gone, so really what else can I occupy myself with. Peter? Nah, he's too jumpy. Remus went off to talk to Slughorn about Wolfsbane for this weekend.

Everyone else is studying. I don't get why teachers give out so much homework on the first day. I mean - Wham.

I collapse on the floor head throbbing as I realize someone just hit me with the door to the library. I feel light hands on my forehead but keep my eyes closed torn between praying this is a nightmare and hoping no one else saw. I feel something warm trickle down the side of my face and vaguely recognize the feeling of bleeding.

I crack open my eyes just a tiny bit and snap them closed as I groaned. Why her? Of all people in this damn castle she has to be the person to hit me with a door, knock me flat on my ass, and make me bleed? Wow I'm a real macho ladies man now, huh?

"Dammit. I'm so sorry please open your eyes. Merlin why'd I not see him. I'm so sorry," she kept up her rambling but I paid no mind to the words she said. I listened to the way she said them. Her voice was full of worry and concern that I've never heard before, much less ever had directed at me. Like she actually cared.

And the thought of that humiliated me. And that humiliation made anger course through my veins. I opened my eyes and sat up, ignoring the spinning of my head or the black dots dancing in front of my eyes.

"Watch it will you." I snapped. She seemed flustered by my tone and momentarily angry, but then a look of total patience came over her face and I felt like an ass. Which pissed me off even more.

"Just let me take care of your head. Its bleeding." she said quietly, as if she were talking to a child, reaching for me at the same time.

"Never mind my head just get your damn hands off of me," I said, shoving her hands away from my head and forcing myself to stand up. "Just watch where you're going." I growled turning around.

"Ok," she said so quietly I almost didn't hear it. I looked back for a moment and took in the sight of her on her knees with her hands in her lap and a sorry expression on her face.

I've always known I had a temper but I've usually been able to control it, but seeing her there like that brought out more anger and I knew immediately that I was never mad at her. I had no right to be. I wasn't paying attention and had gotten mad at someone I don't even know because I was embarrassed. And when I let my anger travel through my mouth, I had pissed myself off even more. I felt like a total ass now but there was nothing to be done. It's not exactly easy to apologize in that situation. For me it's not easy to apologize at all.

I give her a sorry smile and she nods to me as if she read my thoughts about being angry at myself.

I turn and head in the direction of my common room. My head isn't bleeding enough to go to the hospital wing, and besides, I'm good with healing spells.

Back in the common room Lily is making a fuss over James, and he sure is milking the whole injured thing. The funny part is that his bandages make it look a lot worse than it really is. He only needed four stitches, but Madam Pomfrey wrapped up his whole finger. What I want to know is what gave my best mate the brilliant idea of putting his finger in the mouth of a grown mandrake.

Then Gideon comes in through the portrait dragging an unhappy looking Arthur Weasley through the entrance by the ear. It reminds me of what Mrs. Potter did to James last Christmas when she caught him snooping through our presents on Christmas Eve. The poor bloke couldn't help it though. He found two broom boxes in the trash they day before and knew they were for us.

Gideon dragged Arthur to where we were sitting and pulled two chairs over.

"I just caught this bloke snogging my sister on the third floor." He growled obviously unhappy about it "I want to show him all the people who will light his ass on fire if he ever hurts her. So I want you to raise you hand if you would do so to protect Molly." All hands shot up, even a reluctant Lily. We were all laughing except Gid who was obviously very serious about his threat. I was too. And I knew James was on board with it. Molly was like a sister to us.

It was Arthur's face we were laughing at. Poor bloke looked like he had just seen his short life flash before his eyes, he probably did. Too bad he didn't know, like all of us at the table, that the only way Gideon and Fabian would ever be okay with Arthur's relationship with Molly is if Arthur stood up to the Prewitt brothers. That's the kind of commitment they wanted to see from any bloke who wanted to be with Molly, which want a small thing because neither of the Prewitt brothers could be classified as anything but huge.

We were still laughing when Gideon dragged Arthur through the portrait hole, probably to deliver him back to a angry Molly. It didn't matter; she would get over it and go back to adoring her brothers in no time at all. I guess that's what a family is. The thought saddens me immensely. I have never had a real family. I feel a pang of jealousy for Molly. She probably never realized how priceless that kind of love is. If I had it I would never let it go. I don't think I could if I tried.

Hey guys! I just couldn't stop writing. I think I might be getting better at this dialogue thing.

Comment please!