Victoire walked quickly through the corridors toward the common room in an attempt to get back as fast as possible after breakfast. It was Saturday and a welcomed day off was much needed. Most students had headed straight outside to spend their day; others had gone to the library and to their various common rooms since O.W.L and N.E.W.T exams started in just one week's time.

"Study hard," she said to the portrait of the fat lady before it swung open to let her pass through to the Gryffindor common room. It was quiet inside with most people's heads tucked inside books. One boy in particular literally had his head in his book seeing as he had fallen asleep on it.

She made a beeline straight for one of the empty arm chairs and plopped herself down. She reached into her bag and pulled out a letter she had received that morning from Ted. It had been a while since she had last heard from him and, upon recognizing his untidy script on the outside of the letter, her heart had leaped. She wasn't exactly sure why since she didn't expect it to say anything particularly exciting, but as she fidgeted with opening it, she hoped it would.

Vic,

Because it should be said, I'm so sorry this is so late. I'm a prat.

Thanks for the birthday greeting. It was good overall. I didn't get back from Russia until the day after, so I spent it over there, but me and a few of my coworkers had some fun celebrating. When I got back, Simon and some people insisted we go out; Harry and Ginny had a little thing for me with the kids; then my Grams made me a cake. Have I ever told you my Grams can't bake? Either way, I've done my fair share of celebrating. I think I can save some from this year and trade it in for next year.

It would have been fun if you could have been there. I'm holding you to your claims of getting me a present…Not that I care, but just because I think you'll forget. We'll see.

What day are you going to France? You'll have to let me—

"I'm not sure," said a loud voice that rang out over the common room, causing Victoire to look around the back of her chair to see where it was coming from. Colleen, Penelope, and Natalie had just entered. They were now being thrown several dirty looks from people trying to work, but the former two continued loudly talking all the way across the room until reaching a table within earshot of where Victoire was sitting.

"I think you're cute together," Penelope said, slightly lower than it had been before.

Victoire continued to watch them from her obscured spot where she was being hidden from view by the back of her armchair. Colleen was looking impressively put together today and seemed to have a glow of sorts about her. Natalie, however, seemed to have resumed her gloomy and quiet demeanor. They had sat for only a minute before and Natalie had already managed to pull out her work and engage herself in it.

"We are," Colleen said as Victoire leaned back in her chair to hide herself entirely. "I've been saying that for years."

"You're officially together, then?" Penelope asked.

"Why are you working on school work right now?" Colleen asked snottily. "What is that?"

"Potions," came Natalie's voice, but she'd stopped abruptly and in a more alarmed tone added, "What are you—?"

"Let me see that book." Colleen suddenly laughed at something, though Victoire didn't understand what. She could hear the sound of pages being turned rather quickly. She could hear Colleen mumbling something about needing a quill.

"What are you doing?!" Natalie repeated, just as Penelope offered a quill up. "You can't write in that. It's not even mine—"

"This will be hilarious," Colleen said, cutting her off.

Victoire couldn't help but wonder what was going on, but she didn't want to chance revealing herself by looking.

"Oh, lighten up," Colleen muttered. "You've been so annoying lately. I don't even know why we hang out with you."

"You're avoiding my question," Penelope said, laughing again. "Are you official?"

"I'm sure we would be if I asked him," Colleen said. "You've seen the way he and I have been together. I swear we're fooling around every other second of the day. He can't keep his hands to himself."

"I know he obviously enjoys all that," Penelope said. "I just wanted to know if it was—"

"You're too concerned with labels, Penny," she said. "I'm more relaxed about that sort of thing. Who likes to be tied down?" She chuckled a bit. "Have a look at what I wrote here."

"Don't act like you're not thrilled to have won him from—" Penelope stopped then suddenly started howling with laughter. "You can't write stuff like that. What if someone sees?"

"Shhhh…" Colleen said, still laughing. "And won him from whom? Little Miss Perfect?"

"Is that what we're calling her now?"

"No, we're calling her this," Colleen said as the sound of her quill furiously scribbling followed. She and Penelope laughed again. though this time they both made an effort to stifle their laughter in a desperate attempt to be quiet.

"Stop it!" said Natalie. "No one said you could write in that!"

The sound of shuffling and movement quickly joined Penelope and Colleen's giggles. Several seconds later, Victoire could see Natalie storming towards the portrait hole.

"Good," Colleen said. "I was wondering how to get her to go away."

"I know. She's so annoying," Penelope said. "We really should just tell her to stay away from us."

"We should. She's not worth keeping around anymore," Colleen said. "She's served her purpose. Although, I do like her doing my little odd jobs."

She and Penelope both laughed again; this time much quieter than before. Once their laughter died away it was silent for a few moments. Victoire strained her ears trying to hear if they were whispering or not. She had a feeling that they were still talking about her.

"And as if that little bitch ever really had a chance," Colleen mumbled. "Did you really ever think that she could pull him before I could?"

"I thought he could have gone either way for a minute there," Penelope said. "It seems like she just gave up."

"Because she knew she obviously couldn't win him over me," Colleen said. "He gave up on her first, though. I mean, perhaps a few months ago he may have been interested a little, but I knew by Valentine's Day that she didn't have a shot. After that Hogsmeade trip."

"He invited her to his party."

"He invited loads of people," Colleen snapped back. "He invited practically everyone. She was just one of many. He made his choice that night."

Victoire pursed her lips. Why were they talking about her? Didn't Colleen win this whole thing? Should she be off with Stuart if they were really together? Shouldn't they be getting off in some broom cupboard instead of sitting around the common room, talking about him and rehashing some old battle that Victoire didn't care about anymore? If she were honest, it all seemed rather pathetic.

"She's probably madly jealous," Penelope added. "I mean, she's fancied him for ages."

"Probably?" Colleen laughed. "You know she is. I haven't even seen them speak in who knows how long, so you know she's got to be devastated. She's completely avoiding him."

"Right…" Victoire whispered to herself before rolling her eyes.

"She probably cries herself to sleep," Penelope said with a short laugh that was abruptly cut short. "Oh, shhh…we have to be careful of what we say now."

"Why?"

Victoire wondered why as well, but glancing towards the portrait hole answered her question fast enough. Louis, Jack, and Whit had just walked in.

"Just keep your voice down," Colleen mumbled.

"Why does her brother have to be so fit?" Penelope mumbled. "Oh, the things I could do…"

Victoire screwed up her face upon hearing those words come from Penelope's mouth. She probably would have a similar reaction had anyone said the same thing about her little brother, but Penelope especially made her want to gag.

"Yeah, well, I told you that would never work itself out, what with him being Victoire's brother," Colleen said. "You didn't want to listen."

"Yeah, I know."

"Plus, he's a fifth-year," Colleen said.

"There's no one else left in sixth and seventh," Penelope said. "Between me, you, and Aspeth…"

Colleen suddenly laughed. "You have a point." She paused for a long moment. "I really don't want to study for Charms."

"I'm going to fail it anyway," Penelope said.

"Well, I'm not," Colleen said. "So, that means I have to. You can either shut up and help or go find someone else to bother."

"Can we at least study in the room?" Penelope asked. "I can never concentrate down here."

"Fine," she said. "As if it'll actually make a difference for you."

With that, Victoire heard them both shuffling around and chanced a glance towards the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitory. She saw the hem of one of their robes disappearing as she sat up straighter. She stood and made her way across the room.

"Where'd you come from?" Whit asked once Victoire slipped into a seat across from her. Her brother seemed almost as startled to see her sitting next to him.

"I was over there," she said. "Listening to a fascinating conversation between Colleen and Penelope."

"You were?" Whit asked. "I didn't see you with them."

"I wasn't. I was sitting near them. They had no idea I was there. Since they seem to have nothing better to do with their lives, they talk about everyone else."

"Did they say anything good?"

"Oh, just about how I must be insanely jealous that Colleen and Stuart are now together," she said coldly. "How I probably cry myself to sleep at night and that I never really had a shot anyway."

"You don't cry yourself to sleep do you?" Louis asked.

Victoire glared at him before she shook her head and turned back towards Whit. "So, no. Nothing new."

"You didn't say anything to them?" she asked.

"They're not worth it," she said. "Let them think I'm jealous."

"Are you?" Louis asked.

"I was the one who turned Stuart away," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

He seemed surprised to hear that. "I thought you were in love with him and had been for ages?"

"Love is hardly the term," she muttered. "Anyway, I found myself over him after he drunkenly snogged Colleen."

"Yikes," Jack said as he made a face.

"At least you took the high road," Whit added with a smile.

"Yeah…" she said. "As much as it pains me. It would have been nice for her to not get what she wanted, though. For once."

"Especially after all the dirty tricks she pulled on us," Whit said.

"What dirty tricks?" Jack asked. "What'd she do?"

Whit and Victoire exchanged looks. They still hadn't told Jack that they were convinced it had been Colleen behind the letter he had received several months ago. Victoire didn't see why there was any reason to keep it a secret any longer, though. She shrugged at Whit, as if signaling that they might as well tell him.

"For one," Whit began, "do you remember the elusive mystery note?"

"Yeah…" he sai. Louis had stopped what he was doing to listen.

"Well, Vic and I figured out that it was from..."

She trailed off as the portrait hole swung open and in marched Dominique on some sort of tirade. She was fuming and half the common room was now looking in her direction as she abruptly focused on Victoire.

For a moment, Victoire wondered what she'd done and what she was about to hear, though all she got as Dominique approached was her Potions' notebook tossed at her.

"Look!" she practically yelled. "Look what she did! And you told me to be nice to her!"

Victoire briefly looked down at the book in question before looking back at her sister, confused at what the big deal was. Both Sarah and Natalie had entered the room behind her and started toward them. Louis, Jack and Whit were also all staring at the notebook.

"Open it," demanded Dominique.

Victoire did as she was told, only to find graffiti and scribbles all over the first page. And the second page. And the third...

Whit's jaw had dropped as Jack's eyes widened. Louis looked up at Dominique. "Who did this?"

"Who do you think ?" she said just as Sarah appeared at her side. Natalie had hung back quite a ways, as if hesitating to come any closer.

"She said she didn't do it," Sarah said.

"Oh, of course she said she didn't," Dominique said. "Suddenly you believe everything she says?"

Victoire sat motionless, still staring down at pages of graffiti. Someone had scribbled all sorts of horrible and profane words and messages all over the pages. They'd called Victoire every name she could possibly ever think of; even some she'd never heard. She flipped through several of the pages seeing that the graffiti spanned over almost half of her notes from her fifth year.

"I didn't," Natalie stammered. "Victoire, I really didn't."

"Oh, shut up," Dominique said as she glared at her. "Why don't you stop pretending you're not an evil cow like the rest of them?"

"Why would I do that?" Natalie asked, her voice sounding rather petrified.

"Because you're mental," Louis said, glaring at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I can't believe…" Whit said quietly, attempting to read everything from across the table.

"I don't even know what that's supposed to mean," Victoire said as she flipped her book upside down to read one particular jab.

"That one's popular with Muggles," said Jack. "You don't want to know."

"Piss off," Louis said to Natalie, causing the tears to suddenly start falling down her cheeks. "And stop crying because you got caught."

"How you thought you wouldn't have got caught is beyond me," Dominique added.

"I didn't do it," Natalie said.

"Who did it, then?" Whit asked.

Natalie sniffled, but said nothing. She looked almost afraid to speak.

"Can't put her on the spot like that," Dominique muttered. "She can't think of someone else to blame fast enough."

"I didn't do it," Natalie repeated, but both Dominique and Louis rolled their eyes. Victoire couldn't help but think it was sweet that both her brother and sister were standing here on her behalf yelling at who they thought had written these terrible things about her. She, however, knew better.

"She didn't do it," Victoire said, throwing the book down onto the center of the table.

Everyone, particularly Louis and Dominique, rounded on her. Dominique's mouth dropped in an attempt to protest as Natalie continued to tremble.

"Colleen and Penelope did."

"How do you—?" Dominique began.

She stood and made her way around the table towards Natalie. "They just did it, didn't they? Just now? Right over there at that table?"

Natalie nodded. "I was afraid if I said something—"

Victoire nodded. "I know." She turned back to everyone else. "I could hear them doing something that they found funny while I was listening in on their conversation. This must be it." She turned back towards Natalie. "You told them to stop. I heard you."

"I didn't want you to think I did it," she said through heavy breathing. "I think Colleen saw your name and she and Penelope just started writing all over it. I'm so sorry."

"Well, you kept them from destroying the whole thing," Victoire said. "So, thanks for that."

She managed a small smile. Victoire took a step back towards the table where both Dominique and Louis were watching her. Louis took an exaggerated breath before he pulled the notebook back toward him to scan it for himself. Victoire's eyes met Dominique's.

"So, Colleen did this?" Dominique asked, shaking her head and looking over her brother's shoulder at the book.

"And Penelope," Victoire added. "Let's not forget about her." She lowered her voice so that only Dominique and Louis could hear her. "I really appreciate you two sticking up for me, but don't you think—" She nodded towards Natalie who still hadn't moved from where she had been standing. "I mean, she looks like she's about to crack."

It was in instances like this where one could tell that Dominique and Louis were twins. In almost identical manners they looked at Natalie, tilted their heads ever so slightly to the right, and sighed.

"Sorry," Louis mumbled first before turning his attention back to the book.

"Sorry for accusing you," Dominique said. "But you can obviously see why I would."

Natalie nodded as if she understood. She seemed eager to not be a suspect anymore.

"So, those horrible twats did this?" Dominique mumbled.

Victoire watched her sister. "It's stupid. Just forget about it. I'm sure with a charm or two I can take all of this off—"

"No, this is bullshit," Dominique said. "Why on earth do they take pleasure in doing this to you? First that rumor last year, all of the bitchy comments, and now this."

"Oh, there's been more," Whit mumbled.

Victoire shot her a silencing look. Now was not the time. Not when Dominique was working herself up like this. Dominique had no filter; she had no restraint. It was the reason she rarely told Dominique anything when it came to those girls.

"What else has there been?" Dominique demanded.

"I…" Whit stammered slowly. She was looking around at all the faces that were now staring at her before she settled on Jack's. He seemed as curious as Dominique was for answers.

"Did she have something to do with that note Jack got?" Louis asked. "You were just about to tell us. We had just been talking about her."

Whit nodded, still looking at Jack.

"You knew and you didn't tell me?" he asked.

"We're not positive."

"But at the same time we are," Victoire added. "We think she wrote it to screw with you two so that when Whit came to me upset, I would have abandoned my date with Stuart for her."

"And you did do that, didn't you?" Louis asked. "I remember seeing him there. And you left."

"It obviously worked."

"So, she tried to…" Jack said as his tone grew annoyed. "She did ruin my plans for her own bloody game."

Whit laid a reassuring hand on his arm. "It doesn't matter," she said. "We worked it out."

"It's the fact that she's absolutely evil and would do something like that," Dominique said in a disgusted tone. "How manipulative can you get?"

"She made me break up with you," Natalie blurted out suddenly, still standing several feet away from the group. Everyone turned to look at her. She was staring at Louis.

"I knew it," Victoire said to Whit. "I knew it."

"What?" Dominique asked. "How did she make you?"

Natalie was taking short breaths as she approached the table. She was looking directly at Louis as she spoke. "I had always wanted to be friends with them, you know. I thought they liked me, but now I know they were just using me. They started being friendly with me and we were hanging out and they suddenly started telling me that I shouldn't see you anymore. They were just telling me things—things I started to believe. Then the next thing I know they said I had to break up with you if I wanted to be friends with them. Something about how I was too close to Victoire through you, and they couldn't trust me if I was dating her brother."

"Too close to me?" Victoire asked. "What does that even mean? Am I an enemy spy or something?"

"I didn't know," Natalie said to her. "She really can manipulate people."

"I know," she said with a sad smile before she turned and looked at her brother. He was staring down at her notebook, but she had a feeling he wasn't reading it.

"I protested," Natalie continued, "because I really did care about you Louis, but then they said that they'd let me in on too much and if I didn't do it, they'd start spreading rumors about me."

"They are good at that," Victoire said.

"So I did," she said as tears welled up in her eyes again. "And then I found out that they really just wanted me to do it because Penelope fancied you and—" She looked away and sniffled once more. Everyone looked back towards Louis, who was still focusing on the notebook in front of him.

"What a twisted bitch," Dominique said in a barely audible whisper. "She's made a sport out of hurting my brother and sister."

"I don't doubt that she would have eventually made her way to you," Victoire joked. For some reason, all of this information coming out into the open made her happy, as if she wasn't mad or paranoid for thinking that Colleen really had been doing something all along.

"Let her," Dominique said with a menacing expression as she slowly shook her head. "I've told her off before, I'll do it again."

"Well, it's safe to say that if anything strange happens, it's probably Colleen's doing," Whit said, joining in on Victoire good mood. Jack, Louis, and Dominique didn't seem to share their sentiments.

"What the hell did I ever do to her?" Jack said.

"You fraternized with the enemy," Victoire joked. Whit laughed, but Jack didn't. He almost looked as annoyed as Dominique.

"Of course this all has to come out right before exams," Sarah said, reminding everyone of her presence.

"She's right," Victoire said. "All of you, it's not worth getting upset about with your O.W.L.s coming up. Take it from one of Colleen's favorite punching bags."

"You can say that after this?" Louis asked. He pushed her notebook back at her. "Some of this stuff is disgusting, Vic. If I see Colleen or Penelope—"

"Lou," she said. "You won't. This is my problem."

"They fucked with me, too," he said loudly. "And my friends and my sister. No one says this shit about my sister!"

"I'm with Lou on this," Dominique said, crossing her arms.

"Both of you need to relax," Victoire said. "I love that you're there for me, but you've really got to just let this be—"

"Speak of the devil," Jack said.

Victoire turned to follow his gaze. It was at that moment that Colleen and Penelope were both making their way down the stairs from the girls' dormitory; laughing loudly. Louis stood as Dominique took a few steps forward, but Victoire shot out and grabbed at her brother's arm since he was closest to her.

"Lou! Nic!" she said as Jack and Whit stood, too. Whit stood because she seemed afraid of what was about to happen and Jack was eyeing Louis to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Dominique had already managed to cross half the room.

"You're both worthless pieces of shit!" Dominique yelled as Victoire let go of Louis and darted across the room towards her sister.

"What in the...?" Colleen said. The entire room had turned to see what was going on.

"You heard me!" Dominique yelled. "What is wrong with you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Colleen asked almost nervously. Penelope had taken a few steps back. Dominique was by no means a large girl, but she was as tough as they came. Years of obsessive Quidditch had taught her that.

"You fucked with my friends and my family in an attempt to make everyone else as miserable as you are!" she yelled once Victoire stepped next to her. "And the things you said about my sister are absolutely appalling, not to mention utter bollocks!"

Colleen laughed a little. It was certainly a patronizing laugh, but nowhere near confident.

"I'd bet," Dominique continued, "that the only way you could have possibly known that many ways to call someone a whore would be that you've heard it said that many times to you!" She glanced around the room. "Which comes as a surprise to no one."

A general murmur of shock and excitement circulated throughout the common room as some people laughed and others inhaled sharply. Some people turned their chairs around to get a better view.

"Oh, you're one to talk you stupid little girl," Colleen spat. "And I use girl liberally. Have you ever even heard of a hairbrush? Perhaps attempting to not look like a boy?"

Victoire could see Louis make a movement towards them, but Jack restrained him.

"Fuck off, you jealous cow," Dominique said with a roll of her eyes. "If you want to go, let's go. I've been game to have it out with you for years now."

Colleen did not look like she wanted to go and she certainly wasn't game for a fight. Colleen was words and insults; Dominique was fists and curses. It was something Colleen was well aware of.

She instead turned away from Dominique and glared at Victoire. "Sending your haggard little sister over here to fight your battles?"

"What battle is that exactly?" Victoire asked. "The one you've convinced yourself we're having in your head?"

"You're so jealous of me. It's disgusting."

"She's jealous of you?" Dominique laughed. "Have you ever looked at yourself next to her?"

"You'd love it if I was jealous of you, wouldn't you?" Victoire said. "It's sad that that's what drives you."

"I won Stuart," she said, "and you can't stand to see it."

"Oh, that's obviously why I'm angry," Victoire said sarcastically. "It has nothing to do with the fact that you destroyed my notes by covering it with whatever your particular pet name of the week is. Do tell me, which one is Stuart partial to?"

Colleen laughed. "Jealousy is not becoming on you, Vicki."

"YOU CAN HAVE HIM!" she yelled. "I've moved on! I've found someone new! Believe it or not, I don't give a shit about what or who you're doing, so you can leave me alone!"

"Better not tell her who the new boy is, Vic," Dominique said as she stared Colleen down. "Because then she'll want him only because you do. All she ever wants is what you have. She's obsessed with you."

"You're both pathetic," Colleen said as she turned to walk out. "Sad and pathetic."

"I'd rather be that than you," Dominique mumbled as several people around the common room laughed. She turned to smile at Victoire when a flash of red light suddenly cut through the air barely missing Dominique.

Several people gasped while one girl screamed. Victoire and Dominique immediately reached for their wands as they turned and saw Colleen pointing hers directly at the pair of them. All three of them stood there, wands drawn at each other.

"You really shouldn't have missed," Dominique said as she suddenly yelled "Stupefy!" just as Colleen did. Colleen managed to only barely catch Dominique's spell against her robes, slashing a hole straight through them. Dominique, however, caught it full on in the chest and doubled over onto the ground.

"Expelliarmus!" Victoire yelled as Colleen's wand flew out her hand and bounced towards the wall.

She immediately knelt down next to her sister as several other people started flocking around her.

"She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut!" Colleen yelled.

Victoire suddenly felt her blood start to boil with anger. She stood up from her sister and in an instant pointed her want directly at Colleen. "Stupefy!"

Red light flashed and Colleen fell to the floor with a very loud thump. Victoire turned her attention back towards her sister. Louis and Jack were both trying to revive her as they pulled her into a sitting position.

"She'll be okay," Whit said from nearby, her voice anxious. "She's just been stunned. Someone should take her to the hospital wing."

"Come on, Jack," Louis said as he grabbed his sister under one arm; Jack grabbed the other. Louis gave Victoire a half nervous, half proud smile as he passed by her and led Dominique out of the portrait hole. Penelope was now leaning over Colleen trying to get her up as well.

Victoire turned towards Whit, who was staring at her in a dazed sort of way. "I can't believe that just happened."

"I can," Victoire said, slightly out of breath. She smiled a little. "It was a long time coming."