Chapter 3

That night was the first night Harry had 'the dream' as he later began to call it. He woke in his bed, but the bed was much larger then when he had lain down. He stood naturally on all fours and padded to the edge of the bed before leaping to the floor and crossing to the door. Somehow he knew without seeing that he was a small black kitten. He didn't freak out, the form seemed as natural to him as his human one, and it certainly wasn't the weirdest dream he had ever had. He padded softly to the common room and found it empty save for Tonks.

The young ex-auror trainee immediately walked over and scooped him up before flopping into a cushy chair and stroking his fur lovingly. "You are so cute." She cooed softly as she stroked him.

'This is a rather nice dream…' Harry thought as Tonks lifted him before her face and stared into his green eyes.

"Such pretty eyes too…" She mused dreamily before setting him down. "Run along now. I need sleep for tomorrow."

Harry scampered back up to his dorm room and curled up on the pillow of his bed. His dream ended and he slept peacefully the rest of the night.

Slytherin dorm

Sonja slowly awoke to realize that she wasn't alone in her bed. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself face to face with a sleeping Bellatrix.

'Good thing these are only double rooms…' Sonja thought as she sighed. 'I hope that this is an effect of the bond and that she doesn't just do this to people.'

Sonja slowly tried to wriggle out of Bellatrix's grip to prepare for their first day of school, only to have the dark haired witch tighten her grip.

"Don…go…" Bellatrix sighed in her sleep. "Comfy…"

Sonja sighed once more as she gently shook the young witch awake. "Bella, it's time to get up. We have to get ready for breakfast." Sonja said as attempted once more to wiggle free.

Bellatrix groaned as she woke and sat up. "But I was having such a nice dream…" She said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Sonja, finally free, rolled out of bed and started dressing for the day. "You are so cuddly when you sleep. Kinda like this little fox I keep running into. She likes to curl up in my lap…" Bellatrix said causing Sonja to trip and fall as she pulled on her stockings. "Clumsy much?" Bellatrix asked as the thump of Sonja hitting the floor broke through her reminiscing.

"Get out of bed!" Sonja snapped, embarrassed. "We have to get down to the great hall to get our schedules."

"Fine, fine." Bellatrix said as she finally rolled out of bed and started dressing. "I think I like you better asleep." Bellatrix commented before getting nailed in the back of the head with a rolled pair of socks. "Alright! I'm almost done! You're so pushy in the mornings." Bellatrix continued as she slipped on her robes before getting nailed with another pair of socks.

The two witches slid into adjacent seats across from Tracy and Daphne, just in time for the great hall to go silent as Harry walked in with Tonks and Ron. The trio quickly sat at the Gryffindor table and proceeded to load plates with food. After several seconds, the chatter slowly returned to the hall as students began talking once more. Within minutes, the heads of house, were passing out class schedules.

Receiving theirs, the four girls from Slytherin immediately began comparing classes. "Huh. They're all the same." Sonja mused.

"They are until third year. All you get to take until then is core classes." Bellatrix said holding up her schedule. "Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and as a bonus, they teach everyone to fly a broom in first year."

"We get to learn to fly already?" Sonja asked. "I am so looking forward to that." She said, already thinking about trying out for the Quidditch team.

"Well you won't have to wait long, it's this afternoon." Daphne said, looking slightly green at the prospect of her feet leaving solid ground.

"Don't get too excited though." Bellatrix warned. "First years are never allowed to try out for the house teams. In fact it's been nearly a half century since a first year made one of the teams. Now let's see…" Bellatrix mused as she looked over her schedule. "First up today is potions with first year Gryffindors."

Potions was horrible. It was basically two hours of the instructor, Snape, showing how much he hated the Gryffindor house. He especially targeted the 'Gryffindor Golden Boy' as Snape called Harry, asking him several advanced questions, and taking points from his house when he didn't know the answers. All class, the greasy haired man played favorites; assisting Slytherin students and at best ignoring the Gryffindors, all the while taking every opportunity to snipe at Harry. Finally they left the class for the Great Hall and lunch.

"Blimey, I thought that class was never going to end." Ron exclaimed as he and Harry sat on either side of Tonks at the table.

"I swear if it didn't end when it did, I was going to hex that bloody fool into next week, teacher or not." Tonks growled as she stabbed her knife into the slice of roast on her plate. "Playing favorites like that. Who does he think he is? How does Dumbledore let that happen?"

"Well at least we have flying lessons next. That should be fun." Harry said. "Unfortunately it's with Slytherin house, but I hear Madame Hooch isn't bad."

"No she isn't." Ron replied. "Fred and George love her, but then again, they love anyone who laughs at their pranks."

"Well hurry up and eat." Tonks said as she polished off the food on her plate. "We have to get to class soon, and it's a bit of a walk to the courtyard this is going to be in."

Courtyard

The two houses stood facing one another, each student standing next to a broom. Madame Hooch stood at one end of the double line.

"Now on my word, each of you will hold your hand out over your broom and say 'Up.' Be sure that you mean it, otherwise the broom won't respond." She explained before holding her hand out over her own broom and saying the command, causing the broom to spring up into her hand. "Ready? Now." She said.

As one, all the students said up. Some were more successful at getting their brooms to respond then others. Harry's jumped to his hand immediately and vibrated as if excited. Sonja and Bellatrix both had their brooms leap straight to their hands, as did Malfoy, who wore a superior smirk at his success. Tonks and Ron both got their brooms to raise to their hands, but it was a bit sluggish.

Once all the students had a broom in hand, Madame Hooch began again. "Now, on my whistle, I want each of you to kick off the ground, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly to come back down." She explained as she pulled a silver whistle from her pocket and hung it around her neck on a lanyard. As she brought it up to her lips, a surprised exclamation brought everyone's attention to Neville, who was slowly floating off the ground. "Mr. Longbottom! Come back down immediately!" Madame Hooch exclaimed as Neville continued to rise slowly. He got up to about ten feet before he lost his balance and slid off the broom to one side, landing in a heap. He stood slowly, cradling his wrist.

"Oh dear." Madame Hooch said as she rushed over and inspected his wrist. "It's broken. Come with me." Madame Hooch said as she supported Neville and led him away. She stopped and turned back. "And everyone stay on the ground until I get back. If I catch one broom in the air when I return, the rider will be on the way home before they can say quidditch." She finished before leading Neville away.

"Look!" Malfoy exclaimed as he rushed over to where Neville had landed and snatched something off the ground. "The fat slob dropped his rememberall." He said as he held it up.

"Give it to me Malfoy." Harry said as he walked over and held out his hand.

"I think I'll leave it someplace for him to find." Malfoy said with a sneer. "Like the top of a tree." He finished as he kicked off the ground and soared away.

Harry mounted his broom and made to follow, only to have Hermoine step in front of him. "Stop." She said. "First off, you could get in trouble, and secondly, you don't even know how to…" She would have continued but Harry kicked off the ground and soared over her. "What an idiot." Hermoine said as she shook her head.

Harry wobbled in the air for the first couple seconds, but rapidly caught his balance as his slim stature and quick reflexes lent themselves handily to the task at hand. "Give it here Malfoy or I'll knock you off that broom!" Harry shouted as he pulled up level with the blonde ponce.

"Try it Potter!" Malfoy shouted back.

Harry shot forward like a spear, only to have Malfoy barrel roll to avoid him. While he was upside down, Draco saw Sonja streaking towards him from the ground. He spun one hundred eighty degrees as he righted himself to avoid her charge, leaving him facing two riders vice one.

"What are you doing Uchiha?" Draco spat.

"Trying to salvage what little respect our house still has before pricks like you completely wipe it out." Sonja replied as she drifted farther from Harry attempting to force Draco to only face one of them.

"You'll pay for that!" Draco shouted as he shot toward Sonja, who rolled to avoid his initial charge before shooting off with Draco hot on her tail.

Harry followed at a slower pace, biding his time until he could make a play for Neville's rememberall.

The three first years zipped through the towers of Hogwarts, buzzing by windows with the grace of a midair ballet.

McGonagall looked up from grading papers just in time to see them shoot past her office window. She lunged from her chair and threw the window open to watch. Just as she did, Malfoy finally caught up to Sonja.

He looped above her and stomped down on her shoulder, sending her careening toward the wall of a nearby tower. The young witch, kicked her broom out from under her to clear her legs before she hit the wall. Holding her borrowed broom in her left hand, she took several running steps up the wall before launching herself into a backflip over Malfoy. The blonde haired Slytherin stared in shock for a moment before he thought to check on where Harry was. He glanced back to see the black haired Gryffindor speeding towards him.

Determined not to allow Harry to win, Draco cocked his arm back and threw the rememberall as hard as he could toward the castle.

Harry poured on an extra burst of speed as he saw Malfoy throw the little ball, streaking towards the wall so fast the world blurred around him. He caught the little ball inches from McGonagall's open window and flipped his broom around gracefully, bringing him to a complete stop with his back to the window. He smiled happily as he glided back to the other students slowly.

Elsewhere

Sonja groaned as she pushed herself off the ground with her left hand, her right arm hanging useless from where Malfoy had dislocated her shoulder. She glared down at the offending appendage before reaching up to reset the joint.

"Are you alright Uchiha?" A familiar voice behind her asked. Sonja turned to find herself facing the head of her house. "If memory serves, Madame Hooch told you specifically to remain grounded until she returned."

"My apologies sir." Sonja said, attempting to remain respectful as she lowered her left arm. "I was attempting to stop Malfoy from bringing disgrace to our house with his petty antics."

Snape drew his wand, causing Sonja to shy back slightly. "Relax Uchiha. I'm just going to fix that shoulder." He said as he tapped her shoulder with his wand, causing it to pop back into place painlessly. "Now come with me."

Courtyard

The rest of the class cheered as Harry drifted to the ground holding Neville's rememberall aloft. He smiled widely and soaked in the praise for several seconds before he spotted McGonagall striding across the grass towards them with her mouth set in a grim line.

"Bugger." Harry muttered.

"Mister Potter. Come with me now." McGonagall said once she reached the class.

"Professor, it wasn't…" Tonks began.

Whatever she was going to say was lost when McGonagall cut her off. "This is not your issue Miss Tonks. Mister Potter, if you would?" She said as she turned and began to walk away with Harry right behind her, looking for all the world as if someone had shot his dog.

Later

Tonks and Ron looked up as Harry joined them at dinner wearing a huge grin.

"Well someone looks like the cat that ate the canary. Spill." Tonks said flatly.

"McGonagall was impressed by my flying today. She recommended that Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor quidditch captain, recruit me for a seeker." Harry said happily.

"Oh my god." Ron said reverently. "You must be the youngest seeker in a…"

"Century." Harry finished. "Professor McGonagall told me." Harry said with a grin. "I even get to go to Diagon alley with her this weekend to pick out my broom. I have to pay for it of course, but that's a small price to pay." Harry finished.

Little did he know there was a similar conversation going on at the Slytherin table.

"Snape wants you to be the seeker for the house team?" Bellatrix asked stunned.

Sonja shrugged as she piled meat and cheese on a slice of bread to make a sandwich. "Yeah. I don't get it much either. First years aren't even allowed brooms aren't we?"

"Normally no. But if Snape wants you to play, they might make an exception." Daphne said.

"They already have." Sonja replied. "I'm not the only first year seeker this year. Harry Potter made the Gryffindor team. Both of us are going with McGonagall to purchase brooms this weekend."

"Well with the way you two flew today, that should make the first Slytherin Gryffindor game very interesting." Tracy commented.

"I don't think I can beat him." Sonja said through a mouthful of food.

"What? You outflew everyone in the sky in class."Daphne said. "If Malfoy hadn't cheated like he did, I dare say you could have taken the rememberall yourself."

"But Harry was holding back." Sonja said as she swallowed her bite of sandwich. "He's almost afraid of showing people up; and polite to a fault. It's almost like he expects to get hit for being better then people." Sonja said as she set her food back on her plate. "But I could tell. The first time we see him really lose himself in the game, it will be a special thing. Don't blink when it happens. Especially if I'm up there too. That will be a match to watch." Sonja finished without a hint of arrogance.

As she leaned back down to return to eating, Daphne looked over her at the Ravenclaw table to see Jet seated next to the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw, seemingly talking to her. "Hey Sonja, since when can Jet hear the Grey Lady?" Daphne asked. "That was one of her mysteries is that no one could understand what she said."

"I don't know, but I can hear her just fine, she just never says anything to me, so I haven't said anything back. You really can't hear her?" Sonja replied as she looked over her shoulder.

Saxyguy – This seems like a good place to end it. And Oh Nos! Snape is nice to Sonja! Could this mean he manages to redeem himself? You won't know till later! The following is a short aside, showing when Jet meets the Grey Lady.

Omake

Jet sat in the library, pouring over his charms homework. He had already compiled a list of questions that he needed to answer in order to effectively write the paper he had been assigned by Professor Flitwick. As had become the norm over the day, the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw floated over his shoulder, reading his paper. "Why do you never speak?" He asked suddenly as he scratched out the answer to his first question.

The Gray Lady didn't reply to his question, instead continuing to read. "You're looking in the wrong book." She whispered. Without a word, Jet closed the book he was reading and slid another out from the pile. "Third chapter." She said as Jet flipped through the book.

Jet suddenly slapped the book shut. "Lady Ravenclaw, I understand that you are trying to help, but with all due respect, please allow me to do my own homework." Jet said as he turned and looked at the translucent ghost behind him.

Rowana gasped and covered her mouth as her face flushed a lighter gray. "You can hear me?" She asked in shock.

"Yeah? Can't everyone?" Jet asked curiously.

"No. No one has ever responded to a thing I've said before." Rowana replied as she slowly returned to her normal color. "Only the other ghosts. I'm terribly sorry about that. It just makes me feel like I'm more connected to the world around me if I talk, even if no one listens."

"I have a question though." Jet said. "What is your name? We only know you as the Grey Lady…"

"I am Rowana Ravenclaw, one of the four founders of Hogwarts." Rowana replied softly. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise" Jet said. "At least you have someone to talk to now." Jet said, upbeat.

Saxyguy – There we go. I actually have plans for Rowana later. Big plans, but you'll have to wait to find out.