I was completely and totally relieved when I jumped onto the train heading for Hogwarts.

My mum had cried all over me on the platform, her mood at complete odds with yesterday, and Dad had given a HUGE lecture to Teddy about 'watching out for me' and 'informing him of my every move'.

Seriously. I think Teddy's working undercover for my father. How humiliating. Everyone had stared at us a fair bit, the big, red-headed emotional family waving their children good-bye. But I was used to that by now. And I was on a personal quest to find my friends. Teddy tagged along behind me but I attempted to ignore him and the giggling girls who were stalking him.

'Aw, c'mon Vic. As if I'd actually spy on you this year! You can take care of yourself.'

'It'd be nice if you had discovered that last year. Now I know how my Dad found out about Sam and that party.' I shot over my shoulder.

'But I know it now! It's in the past! Please Victoire!' I sighed, coming to a stop. His voice had gone whiny AND he'd used my first name. Unbeatable combination.

Teddy spun me around by my arms and smiled hesitantly. I noticed his eyes were a luminous green today. 'We good now?'

I nodded reluctantly.

He grinned. 'So I can turn around and tell those girls to shove off?' I laughed unwilling.

'Sure. Go ahead.' I replied, knowing he wouldn't. He winked at me and turned around.

'No offence or anything, but would you all go away? I'm trying to have a private moment with my girlfriend here.' My jaw dropped, as all the girls turned away in a huff after glaring at me. He looked back and winked again, and then strolled off.

'Teddy!' I exclaimed. He dismissed me with a wave of his hand. Well, now I was angry again. He can't just wave me off like that! It's rude! And I'll bet all of those snooty girls had just rushed off to tell all their friends about this development. I anticipated a lot of rumours over the next few weeks. I doubted anyone even knew Teddy and I weren't really related. Not by blood, anyway.

I began walking again, searching fruitlessly for Caity, Hannah and Steph, but I couldn't see them anywhere. Until I saw a strawberry blonde step out of the bathrooms right in front of me, fully decked out in her Hogwarts robes.

I grinned to myself and snuck up behind her. And jumped on her back. She shrieked and fell over. With me on top of her. Ow.

We landed hard on the ground and she rolled over, saw me looking bewildered and then burst out laughing. I joined her, ignoring the people stepping over us hesitantly.

We started breathing again eventually, and I helped Steph to her feet. She whacked me on the arm playfully.

'Don't ever do that again! We could've died!' Steph is a slight goody goody. She's a prefect, and a model student, two things which I have never achieved. But I hold no jealously. She works incredibly hard for every thing she gets.

She frowned at me, but I knew she didn't mean it. Her brown eyes held no trace of real anger. I continued grinning at her and her face cleared.

'We're in the end compartment.' She said, linking my arm through hers and levitating my trunk in front of us. 'What took you so long anyway?'

I snorted. 'Don't you remember on the platform last year? Mum was even worse today.'

Steph glanced at me with wide, doe eyes. 'Wow, I didn't think you could get any worse than that. She tried to strangle me last time.'

'Personally, I think it's put on. I bet she's relieved that she and Dad can finally have some 'alone time'.' I said with air quotes. Steph wrinkled her nose at me.

'Ew.'

I laughed at her disgust.

We came to stop at the end of the train, and turned into the compartment on the right, as opposed to several gawking second-year boys in the compartment on the left.

Oh honestly, you'd think they'd at least have the decency to pretend they weren't looking. You can't get more obvious than pressing your noses against the glass.

Steph walked in, and I followed her. I saw two girls sitting on opposite sides of the small space. Steph took the seat next to a petite girl with very dark, straight hair that ended around her shoulders and blue eyes. She smiled sweetly at me and I smiled back.

I took a seat next to Caity, who immediately turned and hugged me, obscuring my vision with piles of curly light blonde hair.

She pulled back, grinning, her bright green eyes shining excitedly.

'Guess what Toire?!' She exclaimed.

'We've decided not to greet each other anymore?!' I exclaimed back with mock enthusiasm. She frowned at me, but then her expression became excited again.

'He finally asked me out!'

I glanced quizzically at Hannah, who simply shrugged.

'Am I supposed to know who you're talking about?' I asked cautiously.

Caity rolled her eyes. 'Only the best looking guy in the whole of Hogwarts!'

I stared at her for a total of five seconds before she whacked me upside the back of my head.

'OW!

'C'mon Toire! I've only written you about three hundred letters on the subject!'

I sighed, thinking hard, and coming to only one conclusion. 'That Thomas guy?'

'Yes! Well, he prefers Tom, actually, but isn't it great?! He asked me out!' I tuned out as Caity began to ramble on about Thomas, Or Tom as he prefers, and waited for the tell-tale rumble that would mean the train was finally pulling out of the station.

'So what's new with you?' Caity asked, slightly out of breath from her excitement.

I shrugged. 'Nothing really.'

'Oh c'mon Toire, you have to give me something!' Caity implored as the train began to pull out of the station.

'Umm...I did get a tattoo, if that counts. And by now half of the female population at Hogwarts thinks Teddy and I are dating.'

'Well, you guys do spend an extraordinary amount of time together.' Steph offered.

But Caity was gaping at me, completely ignoring Steph's statement. 'You got a tattoo!? Where?! Can I see it?'

I shrugged again and pulled my top down and swept my hair out of the way to reveal the mini wolf, howling at the moon. Caity moaned with something like longing.

'What does the wolf mean?' Hannah asked, looking slightly confused.

'Ted and I got them together in London. The wolf was 'something to remember him by'.'

Steph snorted. 'You're not going to forget him if he's around all the time, believe me. Which brings us back to your earlier statement, why do all the girls at Hogwarts think you're dating?'

I shook my head with irritation. 'Teddy told them we were. It was mostly to annoy the ones following us, but I bet they took it seriously.'

'That sucks.' Hannah commented sympathetically. 'Couldn't he have just told them to bugger off?'

'That's what I thought.' I sighed.

'Well, he is incredibly hot.' Caity said, as though that settled the matter.

'Seriously Caity, could you not say that ever again?' I asked, turning to look at her with a look of disgust on my face. 'I don't really want you going on about Teddy in the dorms tonight.'

'Well of course you don't.' She said in a matter of fact way. 'Because you're secretly just waiting for the opportunity to rip his pants off.'

I shrieked and looked around for something to throw at her. After all, it's practically incest! Well, not really, but you know what I mean! Thinking about Teddy, you know, like that, is just odd.

'Well, I'm not exactly sure about Toire and Ted, but I'm just looking forward to a year that isn't as hard as last.' Steph said.

'Yeah, the O.W.L's were pretty evil last year.' Hannah commented. 'I remember when we had to miss that party in the Common room to study because our final exam was the next day!'

'Yeah well, I never took Ancient Runes.' Caity said smugly.

'Well, yay for you.' Hannah grumbled.

Caity's grin widened. 'That party really was 'yay for me'.'

I shuddered. Caity glanced at me, looking like a Cheshire cat who'd had waaaaay too much catnip.

'Yeah, you remember that one, don't you Toire?'

I shook my head, trying to make the visual imagery I was receiving disappear. 'Please don't remind me. That was horrible.'

'Fun, though.'

Hannah looked at me curiously. 'You guys never said anything happened at that party.'

'Let's just say my cousin James also had fun.'

Steph gasped, looking at Caity in horror. 'You did something with the Second year!?'

Caity looked disgusted. 'No! I simply introduced him and my sister.'

Steph looked relieved. 'What does that have to do with you?'

'I'm a matchmaker, yes? I get great joy out of seeing my clients happy together.' Caity said proudly. I was still trying to stop thinking about my little cousin snogging the brains out of Bella Jackson. 'That and I hooked up with Brent Miller.'

'Wasn't that the one who was obsessed with Toire?' Hannah asked, looking at me.

'Well, yeah, but this was after that.'

'I still don't understand why you never went out with him.' Steph said to me.

I shrugged, but before I could answer Caity butted in. She's just like that. Not obnoxious, but very...opinionated.

'That's because she was into Ted, of course.'

'What is up with you and Teddy?!' I exclaimed. 'Get over it!'

Caity just smiled. 'Come on Toire. You turned down Brent. I didn't even turn down Brent.'

'I just wasn't into him like that.'

'Sure.' There was a thick edge of sarcasm in her voice.

I scowled at her.

'Moving on,' Hannah said hastily, 'What did you do this summer, Steph?'

'Well, you guys already know that we went to America.' She shrugged.

'Yeah...and...? What was it like?' I asked.

'Were there any cute boys?' Caity jumped in.

Steph wrinkled her nose. 'Well, I'm not sure. It was pretty cool, I guess, but it was kind of hot. And yes, Caity, there were some cute boys. Julie and Jamie had fun hitting on everyone, even though Julie has a boyfriend.' Julie and Jamie were Steph's older sisters. They were twins, and as different from Steph as it were possible to be.

Caity sighed. 'I wish I had come. I would have joined in.' Hannah laughed at her.

'Honestly Caity, you probably spent time hitting on every boy you could find this summer anyway.' She said.

'There were some cute muggles down at the village, but I have Tom now, so yeah.' She spoke as though she and Tom were soul mates, as though they were meant for each other, and had been together for a very long time, with no intention of ever separating. Caity was like that sometimes. She's boy-obsessed, and can be theatrical. That's what makes up who she is though, her ability to over-dramatise simply anything. Hannah's a little quieter, more sweet and (let's face it) just nicer.

We soon started up a game of Exploding Snap, our old standby when it comes to boredom on the Hogwarts Express, until we were interrupted by the lady who came around and sold sweets. Steph is a major chocolate junkie and bought about ten Chocolate frogs, while Caity went for Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and Hannah splurged on Cauldron Cakes. I was about to buy some Liquorice Wands when someone butted in before me.

I frowned at Brandon, but he only grinned in response. 'Sorry Toire, but, you know, got mouths to feed back on the home front.'

I rolled my eyes at him. While he waited for the lady to hand him his extensive order, he spiked up his brown hair even more. 'Could you stop doing that?!' I exclaimed. 'Doesn't it ever irritate you?'

'Not at all Toire. Just like you have your little obsessions, such as me, I have my hair.' Brandon and I have this little game going on. He insists that I'm obsessed with him and that's why I'm always around, and I say that he's a stalker and should be arrested. Or punished by the caretaker.

'Oi! Brandon! Could you hurry it up with the food please?' I looked up at the familiar voice.

'Teddy if you're so hungry you should get your own food.' I told him. He came to stand by Brandon to help carry the piles of sweets being shoved into his hands by the over worked trolley lady.

'Aw c'mon Vic, Brandon offered his services, and who am I to refuse such a heartfelt and sincere offer?'

I rolled my eyes at him. 'Get over yourself.'

Teddy grinned wolfishly. 'Never.'

And with that final word, he and Brandon strolled off, Brandon giving me a wink as he went.

'Was that that absolutely adorable Curtis guy who is also totally obsessed with you?' Caity questioned once I had bought my Liquorice Wands and returned to inside the compartment.

'Yes, as a matter of fact it was, and once again, for the millionth time, we're friends.' I answered exasperatedly.

Steph chose that opportune moment to make her sentiments known. 'I think he likes you too Toire.'

'He's Teddy's friend! Even if he did like me he would never do anything about it.' I said, hoping they would just drop the matter. Friends can be rather annoying at times. Maybe I should become a loner?

'Does that mean you want him to? Do you like him?' Hannah questioned me.

'Argh!' I exclaimed. 'Why do we always end up talking about my love life!? There is nothing going on between me and Brandon, me and Teddy, me and Brent, or me and any other guy!'

Hannah smiled apologetically. 'Sorry Toire, but it isn't as though any of us have interesting love lives.'

Caity glowered at her.

'I mean, ' She amended hastily, 'That you're the only one who isn't in a relationship and has options.' Caity seemed appeased.

Since I successfully put a stop to the unfair inquiries about my love life, we spent the rest of the train ride chatting idly and playing a few more games of Exploding Snap. When it began to get dark, we were forced to change out of our muggle clothes and into our plain, black school robes. All except for Steph, who was already in her robes, being the prefect that she is. I patted my owl, Sebastian, goodbye before stepping out the compartment and out onto Hogsmeade station, where it had just began to sprinkle with the first drops of rain.

All of the black-robed students were rushing towards the front doors to the castle. Steph said goodbye to us and went to help Hagrid organise the frightened-looking first years into lines, and to check that there was no one left on the train before it pulled out of the station and rode off to some unknown part of England.

Hannah, Caity and I joined the mob and barely had to walk to get up to the castle; we were just pushed along by everyone else. It was rather fun, actually. Like a ride at a theme park. Until someone stepped on my toe and Hannah pulled out her wand and told him to watch where he was going. Hannah may be sweet and quiet but mess with her or her friends and she'll curse you into oblivion. It's quite scary, actually. Like a harmless butterfly turning savage and trying to kill humanity.

It was warmer once we reached the great hall. The candles were lit and everyone was calming down from their frenzied stampede to get to shelter before the rain started pelting down hard. And it seemed like it had, judging from the sounds of the droplets hitting the roof and the enchanted ceiling looking like a monsoon was starting.

The evening started off as it did every year; the new first years were sorted, looking pale and anxious, and McGonagall addressed us quickly before we all settled down to the magnificent welcome feast. I was happy to be back, don't get me wrong. But it didn't seem as exciting as usual. Everything was exactly the same. Nothing had changed, and another year was going to commence exactly as it did last year. With me being asked out by Veela-obsessed boys and Caity chasing them all around the castle after I turned them down. You'd think it would bother her, but she just says that it's the perfect time to strike, while they're all hurt and feeling down about themselves.

I must've been frowning pretty hard, thinking about the monotony.

'Toire? What's wrong?' Hannah, bless her gentle soul, was looking at me with concern.

I shrugged. 'Nothing, I'm fine. I guess I'm not really in the mood for potatoes.' I pushed them to one side of the plate and, aware of Hannah's perceptive gaze, I began on my carrots. She turned away from me, and I allowed myself a bit more scowling time.

'Vic, darling heart, whatever is the matter?' I grinned, my mood abruptly lifting as Teddy shoved me to one side to let him and Brandon sit down.

'Did I give you permission to sit there?' I demanded playfully.

Teddy gave me the perfected puppy-dog face. 'Well, no, but there's no where else and do you really want me and Brandon sitting on the floor?'

I laughed as his sad doe eyes became more apparent and he pouted. Brandon nudged him in the ribs.

'Ted, mate, don't act like such a girl. Be a man!'

'What, like you? Need I remind you of that absolutely hilarious incident back in fourth year when you dressed up like a--'

'Alright, alright! Be a girl all you want, I won't stop you.'

'That's all I ask.' Teddy turned back to me.

'You see, Vic? How we handled that situation? Now what would you call that?'

'Blackmail?' I suggested.

'Compromise, actually, but blackmail works too.' He smiled at me. 'Have you seen any Weasley cousins running around getting themselves into trouble yet?'

I shrugged. 'Roxy let off a Dungbomb under some Slytherins chair.'

Teddy laughed. 'Good girl. Did you see Lu's sorting?'

'No, Teddy, I completely missed my own brother's Sorting.' I said sarcastically.

A look of mild surprise crossed his face. 'I keep forgetting you guys are brother and sister. You're so...different.'

'In what way?' I demanded.

'You're more annoying than him.'

I frowned, and flicked a carrot his way. He dodged it, unfortunately. Stupid Quidditch reflexes.

In fact I had payed close attention to Lu's Sorting. He hadn't looked that much different to all the other first years, actually. He and Dobby had been standing next to each other, both looking absolutely terrified. I was kind of afraid that when Professor Flitwick, the Deputy Headmaster, called his name he would have peed on his brand new robes. But he restrained himself, and I don't think I've ever been prouder of him. Both he and Dobby had been sorted into Gryffindor. I swear, soon we're going to rule this house. Everyone will either be a Weasley, related to a Weasley, or close friends with a Weasley.

'Ah, don't fret Ted, Toire can't be that annoying. She's not insane either, just scarily attracted to me.' Brandon said to Teddy.

'You wish.' I answered immediately.

'Yes, I do.' he said, winking at me. I saw Caity look meaningfully at me, which I ignored.

One thing I couldn't ignore was the blatant difference in Teddy. Sure, this was how I knew him seventy five percent of the time, but I much preferred when he wasn't trying to impress anyone. Here, he was too...cocky.

My point is illustrated by him winking at a fifth year three seats down just now.

He's such a stupid git sometimes. But maybe he can't even control it. I know the stories of his parents frightened him before he came to Hogwarts. Well, mostly just his Dad. Remus Lupin was a werewolf, and I knew Teddy was afraid of being ridiculed and teased, maybe even being an outsider with no friends. Yeah right, as if anyone would not want to befriend Ted.

So I guess he made himself to be cooler than he really was. Which isn't very cool. He's got the nice and sweet part down pat, but he really needs to work on his actual coolness factor. Perhaps it's simply the people he hangs around. Brandon may be nice, but he's very cocky and can even be a little rude. But he's nice. Poor Ted and his not-actual coolness.

And so the night continued.

I laughed at the antics of Teddy and Brandon and determinedly ignored everyone whenever some prissy girl walked up to us and started gushing over their Quidditch skills, or how wonderful or smart they were. Some of them were so blatantly obvious that I wondered if they were even trying to be subtle.

It was sort boring, the everyday banter that I was so used to.

And then it hit me. I was over all the crap. Things were going to change this year. Whether by choice or not, they were definitely going to change.