A/N: Sorry for the late chapter! I've been a bit busy. But here's chapter 3!

Disclaimer: I don't own HP or PJO.

Chapter 3

I fixed my tie and darted into the hall. I slid in next to Fred and asked,"Where's George?"

He pointed, and George sat next to me. "Crap, I'm trapped," I deadpanned.

"So, Lainey—"

"Oh Merlin's balls, you did not just call me that."

"Yes, Lainey, I did. Now, can you kick Malfoy's arse over there? He's being a prat."

I turned around to see Malfoy put a hand to his forehead and bend backward dramatically. The whole Slytherin table exploded with laughter.

"As much as I want to, I can't just bust him because that. And besides, I don't think you would ask anybody to do your dirty work."

"True."

"I don't know why he's acting like he didn't bat an eye at the dementor."

I heard a shriek. "Hey, Potter! Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooo!"

He sat next to George. "New third-year course schedules. What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy," Ron said, sitting next to Harry.

I turned around with George to see Malfoy faint again.

"That little git. He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself."

"You must've kicked him out, because when I was checking on the other compartments, I saw him shivering, curled up into ball." I whipped my head towards the Slytherins as a heard another bout of laughter.

"I wasn't too happy myself. They're horrible things, those dementors," George said.

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, did you?" Harry asked quietly.

"Forget it, Harry. Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been; he came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match. Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

I took a bite of my sausage and looked over at Fred. "What? Does Slytherin suck?" Obviously, I knew Slytherin sucked, but Melaina didn't know that.

"Very. Harry and Malfoy are both Seekers."

Turning to Harry, I said,"Harry, you have to win. You have to. Just... win."

"She's sounds like McGongall, doesn't she, George?"

I picked up a piece of cereal and tossed it at him. "Hey, I am very unique, okay? I am a snowflake. Delicate and pure... And whatnot."

"Sure," they said simultaneously. They started throwing cereal at me as a comeback.

"If you don't stop, I'm going to hex your balls off!"

"Yup, definitely delicate." I laughed. Feeling like I was being stared at, my eyes slid up to glance at the High Table. I looked away immediately when I saw Lupin's eyes. He could've been looking at Fred or George. Or Harry. Not me.I finished breakfast and hurried to Potions.

God, I hate Snape, I thought as I gathered ingredients from the cupboard. The Wolfsbane Potion is really complex, and he's letting us take a shot at it? Is he nuts?

I returned to the cauldron and spoke to my partner, Audrey Lance. "Um, do you want to cut the Mandrake or pluck the Wolfsbane petals?" She smiled at me, her auburn hair swishing around.

"Loosen up; I won't bite you. Melaina, you can pluck the leaves."

Even though she told me to relax, it was immensely awkward. I plucked exactly 17 petals and threw them in, one by one. After, I mixed clock-wise twice and counterclock-wise thrice.

I would tell you more about the potion making, but it would make you fall asleep faster than Binns droning on and on and on...

Anyways, we were done by the end of class, the potion looking bright green, like it was supposed to.

"Well, it looks good now... But, there's going to be plenty of time to mess that up." I laughed with Audrey as we walked out of class. The potion is going to take a week to complete, and we have to go to class at 2:00 AM tomorrow to add stuff.

"What are you going to do during break?" she asked.

"I don't know. Read?"

"You can hang out with me if you want." Her offer made me smile.

"Don't your other friends want to hang out with you?"

"Well, I have a lot of friends, but I don't really have any close friends."

"Okay, so you're telling me that you've been here for 7 years, but you don't have close friends?"

"No, I got here in my 4th year. Everyone already had their close-knit group, so I was basically alone."

"Okay... Well... what do you want to do?" I asked.

She thought for a moment, and then a big smile slowly spread across her face. "How about a game of Wizard's Chess?"

"Ugh! You win again!"

"Audrey, I've been playing all my life. It's called skill."

"Again! I will win against you at least once!"

"Good luck on that."

We played another game, me winning again. I heard three children climbing into the Gryffindor common room.

"He's going to die, Hermione! You saw the cup!"

"And it doesn't look like the Grim!"

"Wait, hold on," I said, abandoning our game. "Who's going to die?"

Audrey got up with me. "Who saw the Grim?"

"Harry's going to die! There was the Grim in his tea cup."

I rolled my eyes. "You were at Divination? Please, that's a load of rubbish!"

Hermione went to my side. "Thank you!"

"Trelawney always predicts a death omen for someone every year. In fact, my partner thought she had a Grim in her cup, but she's alive and healthy," Audrey added. Harry looked frustrated, probably tired of people saying he was going to die. Ron just looked disbelieving.

"Er..." Gosh, this place is full of awkward moments, isn't it? "Um... Want to join us?"

At lunch, Audrey said she had to go ask Professor McGonagall something and left early. Maybe I should go talk to Hagrid. I remembered Hagrid, and there's a big chance he remembers me. And I don't really need him calling me Celestia.

"Hey, Hagrid!" I found him with Buckbeak.

"Is tha' yeh, Celestia? I haven' seen yeh fer 4 years!" He gave me a big bear hug.

"H-Hagrid, I can't breath!"

"Er, sorry about tha'. What brings yeh ter Hogwarts?"

"Um... Yeah, about that... Um, you know Sirius Black is on the loose, right? Well, I'm here as Melaina Chang. Dumbledore knows. You can't tell anybody." So, yeah. I was rambling. Hey, I'm not good with words, so bugger off. "I'm here to protect Harry, you know?"

"Well, I'm glad tha' yeh're protectin' Harry. Yeh're someone I trust."

I nodded. "So, you're a professor now."

"I know! I'm excited ter teach all the third-years. I've got some Hippogriffs!"

"Oh, cool."

"Remember Aragog? His wife, Magog, died last year. He was so upset. Didn' eat fer a while."

"I'm sorry, Hagrid." I checked my watch. "Merlin's bullocks! I gotta get to DADA! Bye, Hagrid!"

"Bye, Cele- Er, Melaina!"

I entered the classroom and sat down in the 4th row, all the way to the right. I checked the clock in the classroom and realized I was 10 minutes early. My watch is so annoying. My fingers absentmindedly drummed the table as I waited. I stared out the window, waiting for someone to come in. I wonder what Stacey is doing. Probably painting a picture of a rainbow... Oh god. What if she sends me an Iris message? I'll be screwed! I need to—

"You're here early."

"Holy shit!" I nearly jumped out of my seat. My hand reached for my wand, but I realized it was just Professor Lupin. "I'm sorry! For cursing, I mean. It's a reflex."

He chuckled. "You scared me!" I said, blushing furiously.

"No need to be jumpy, Miss Chang. Who could it have been?"

"It could've been Sirius Black, for all we know."

He stopped smiling. I was afraid I said something wrong, so I changed subjects. "So, what are we learning today?" I put my bag next to my seat. I went to the front row and sat on the desk in front of his.

"Be patient, Miss Chang. I'm sure you can wait for 5 minutes."

I pouted, and he chuckled again. A few Slytherins entered, so I went back to my seat. It then hit me: I just flirted with my teacher.

It didn't count did it? No, just... just harmless conversation. Ha... hahaha... Yeah... Harmless conversation.

Right?