Kailor: Thank you all so much for the reviews! They keep me writing as much as the story does! So keep 'em coming! Always appreciated and all carefully read and remembered. I own nothing, ladeedah, you know the drill.

Harry woke early the next day. He was too excited to go back to sleep, so he dressed and hurried downstairs to the common room. Since the sun was just barely up, he was surprised to find Hermione and Padma were already there and sitting at a small table in the corner.

"Morning," he greeted them.

"Oh, good morning, Harry. Would you like to sit?" Hermione motioned to the chair next to her. He smiled and took the seat.

"Ready for classes?" Padma asked.

Harry shrugged. "I guess. Nervous though."

"Me too," Hermione said. "I overheard someone at the feast say that our first class is Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. I was talking to Roger last night and he said she's the toughest teacher at Hogwarts. Except for Professor Snape, maybe."

"Who's that?"

"The Potions master. They said he tends to favor his Slytherins, he's head of their house after all, and he is really strict."

Harry shrugged. "Guess we'll see when we have that class, yeah?"

When the rest of their house had started to stir, the trio headed down to the Great Hall. On the way, Hermione insisted on searching out their classrooms for the day so they would know where to go later. Harry didn't want to point out that, since the staircases moved randomly, it was probably pointless to try and locate the classes then.

The Great Hall was quiet, only a few early risers at each of the tables. Even some of the professors were absent. As Harry took his seat at the Ravenclaw table, a tiny professor with rather large ears, a wide grin, and a squeaky voice approached him. "Mr. Lachlan, your schedule. Miss Granger. Miss Patil." He handed each of them a piece of paper. "Welcome to Ravenclaw, children. I'm Professor Flitwick, your head of house and the Charms professor. If you have any questions, feel free to search me out. My office is on the third floor. Left hand side, obviously, as the right is restricted. My door is always open." He hurried along the table to talk to one of the older students just as Penny joined them. She took the seat beside Padma, across from Harry and Hermione.

"He means it when he says his door's always open," she said. "He's really great. If you ever go to him in a real state he'll bring out these delicious cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them tap dance. In fact, it's almost worth pretending you're in a real state just to see them jive."

Harry laughed, but before he could reply someone dropped into the seat beside him. "Mornin', brother. Miss me last night?"

"Hey, Ven," he said, allowing her to steal a bit of his bacon. "I did actually. It was weird sleeping alone. But then again, I still had most of the covers when I woke up so. Bonus."

"You two sleep together?" Padma asked, her eyebrows rising.

"We have for eleven years," Ven said. "Keeps our twin bond strong." She rubbed her eyes, yawning.

"You look like you barely slept." Harry filled his plate with pancakes and covered them in syrup, hoping the smell would wake his sister fully.

She did seem to perk up as he added a few blueberries to his plate. She started filling her own plate with food. "I slept. Just woke up far too early and couldn't get back to sleep." She paused in pouring syrup on her plate and groaned. "This school is already ruining me."

Llyr suddenly appeared, taking the seat on Padma's other side. Good morning, he signed.

"'Good' yourself," Ven huffed, stabbing her pancakes with far more vigor than was necessary.

"You two do realize this is the Ravenclaw table, don't you?" Penny asked, eyeing the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff that were helping themselves to breakfast.

Ven looked up at the older girl, silent for a moment. Then she gave her trademark crooked grin. "Yes, but the girls at our tables aren't nearly as pretty."

To Harry's surprise, Penny actually blushed. She coughed and turned back to her breakfast. "Well, I guess that's alright then."

Llyr waved a hand to get Harry's attention and signed, So what's your schedule today?

"Transfiguration first."

Me too, Llyr happily said.

"I'm sorry," Hermione cut in. "If you don't mind me asking, um-" She glanced from Llyr to Harry and back.

"Oh," Ven said, catching on before her brothers did. "Llyr isn't deaf. Or mute. He can talk. He just doesn't. So instead we sign with him. But he can hear you fine and he's a really good partner for charades."

"Why doesn't he talk?" Padma said, not directly addressing Llyr.

Harry and Ven shrugged and said together, "Never asked."

"And he's not dead either," Ven said, not unkindly. "Talk to him when you talk to him. He'll find a way to reply, even if you can't sign with him."

Padma looked at Llyr, her face saying she wasn't quite sure. Llyr smiled though. He put two fingers to his forehead, held them out towards her, then pointed to his chest. Then he held up his left hand, flat and straight up, and laid the index finger of his right on his left palm. He repeated that finger to palm, then moved his left hand into a slight 'y' shape and hooked his right index finger over the back of his thumb. His left hand moved back to being flat and he put his right index back on his palm, with the finger bent in half. Though this was very intricate, he did it so quickly that Padma could barely catch the individual movements.

After a few moments he repeated the entire process. Two times later, Padma said, "Are you telling me your name?"

Llyr nodded, grinning.

"Okay, so do it again." The dark-skinned girl turned completely in her seat, focusing on figuring out exactly what Llyr was saying. Hermione and Penny quickly leaned in, also concentrating hard on the small boy's hands.

Harry glanced at Ven. "Did you write to Leith and wish him a happy birthday?"

Something about Ven's grin told him she had wished him more than that. "I did. Just before I came down for breakfast. Have you?"

"Not yet."

"No worries then. I signed mine from both of us." Ven sighed, her eyes wistfully gazing at some distant point beyond the castle walls. "I just wish I could be there to see him open it."

"What'd you do to it?"

"I may or may not have added a little gift from the Weasley twins. And that gift may or may not turn into a hornet's nest when touched."

"Ven!" he said, but couldn't keep from grinning. That'd teach Leith to tattle on them. But he secretly planned to write his brother later tonight and give him a real birthday greeting from himself and Ven.

"We'd better get going to Transfiguration. We don't want to get lost on our first day," Hermione said, rising.

"I'll take you," Penny said, standing as well. "My class is on the same floor. Besides, I'm your Prefect."

Ven glanced over at the Gryffindor table, scowling. "Well what does that make Percy?"

They all turned to see what she was looking at. Neville Longbottom had approached the redhead, attempting to ask him a question. Percy, who kept casting glances at the Ravenclaw table, snapped something about Neville holding him up from his classes, and pushed past the boy.

Ven growled. "Seems our prefect is too busy. I'll answer Neville myself then." She paused. "Eh, where's the Charms classroom?"

"How do you know that's what he asked?" Penny said, glancing at Neville, who looked on the verge of tears.

"I heard him. Didn't you?" Before Penny could reply, Ven said, "Well, maybe I was listening closer. Anyways, where's it at?"

"Third floor. Across from the painting of Merwyn the Malicious."

"Thanks, Penny." With a wink, Ven was off. They watched her grab Neville's schoolbag and clap him on the shoulder before leading him out of the Great Hall.

"Your sister's...sweet," Pennys said, glancing at Harry and Llyr.

Harry grinned. "Don't let her hear you saying that. You'll ruin her reputation as a tough tomboy."

XXXXXXX

Penny dropped them off for Transfiguration and Harry quickly learned that Hermione had been right. Professor McGonagall was very strict. Her opening line was, "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." His heart nearly stopped when she followed it up with, "Mr. Lachlan, I need you to stay after class. Both of you, yes." Then she turned her desk into a pig and back.

Harry spent the class between Llyr and Hermione, trying to turn a match into a needle. Though Llyr didn't speak, he concentrated twice as hard as everyone else. By the end of class, Llyr's match had turned silver, Hermione's had gone silver and pointy, and Harry and Padma were left staring at matches. "Yours looks a bit lighter in color," Harry said, seeing Padma's disappointed look.

"And yours is thinner." Padma shrugged. "At least we did something."

When Professor McGonagall proudly showed off Hermione's match, Harry and Padma sighed.

As the students gathered their books, and Harry and Llyr moved closer to the professor's desk, Hermione caught Harry's arm. "We'll wait for you in the hallway."

He gave her a grateful smile and watched her leave with Padma. Once the room was cleared, Professor McGonagall shut the door and rounded on them. "Calm down, boys. You are not in trouble." Harry noticed Llyr had been fidgeting as much as he was. "I am simply informing you that the two of you, as well as your older brother and sister, are to report to my office tonight at eight to discuss their...condition. Do not bring friends. If you inform your prefects, they will escort you, but I'm sure I do not need to impress upon the both of you how important discretion is." She waited for them to nod. "Good. Now hurry along."

Llyr gladly headed for the door, but Harry paused, waiting until he was alone with the stern-looking witch. "Um, Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Lachlan?"

"Before I left for Hogwarts, my mum and da told me to make sure I tell you thank you."

The room was suddenly very quiet. Professor McGonagall had stopped straightening the papers on her desk and was peering over her glasses at him. He felt his face heating up. For a moment he was sure he knew what that muggle saying, "A bug under a microscope" really meant. Then McGonagall said, "Not to seem unappreciative, but what exactly am I being thanked for?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. They just told me to tell you that."

Professor McGonagall grunted and resumed fixing the papers on her desk, letting her gaze drop. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

"You are welcome, Harry."

He stopped, looking back. For a brief moment, he was sure he saw Professor McGonagall smile. Or at least her lips didn't look quite a thin as before.

"Give Lyall and Faolan my regards and assure them that I intend to visit this summer. You may go, Mr. Lachlan. It won't do to be late to one of your classes on the first day."

XXXXXXX

Their next class was History of Magic with Professor Binns, the only ghost professor in Hogwarts. Harry was thrilled to find out that they were paired with the Gryffindors for this class and quickly found a seat beside Ven. At the next table over, Hermione and Padma sat, prepared to take notes. But Harry's excitement quickly faded as the class began.

Twenty minutes in, Professor Binns' dry voice worked its own magic and Ven's head dropped right into her text book. Padma was completely zoned out, staring at the chalkboard behind Binns and occasionally blinking slowly. Harry took as many notes as he could, then turned to finding ways to stay awake. He tried pinching himself every now and then, but that wasn't working. He sat up straight and rolled his shoulders a few times, but that only worked for a few seconds each time. Finally he settled for crossing his legs under the desk and bouncing them. That seemed to keep him alert enough that he wouldn't pass out.

Beside him, Hermione was determinedly taking notes the whole class.

When Binns finally finished, Harry woke Ven-("Whozat? What's happenin'? Where am I?") and joined Hermione and Padma for the stroll outside to the Herbology greenhouses. Professor Sprout, the dumpy little witch that taught them, was vastly more engaging than Binns. The only bad thing about this class was that they were with the Slytherins. Harry had heard many rumors about the house of snake, but he was unpleasantly surprised when the blonde boy he had noticed from the Sorting started to speak.

"-And that Longbottom. Truly, I thought stupidity could only go so far. And Weasley! I can't believe he's even here. I didn't think his parents had anything else to sell off to put their kids in school! My father always said they were a disgrace to wizards everywhere."

The two large boys that flanked the blonde guffawed. Harry found himself strongly wanting to turn and punch the lot of them. Hermione, also hearing them, pulled Harry over to a station far from the Slytherins.

"Who do they think they are?" Harry gritted out. "Talking about Neville and Ron like that!"

"Draco Malfoy," Hermione said.

"You know him?" He felt himself grimace at this. He had heard his father mention the Malfoy family. A bunch of pure-blood lovers.

"Of course not," she said. "But I read somewhere that he would be here this year. His father is on the board of governors for Hogwarts. He looks a lot like the picture I saw of Lucius Malfoy. I can't think of who else he would be."

"Well I don't like him," Harry said, trying to focus on Professor Sprout as she started the class.

Hermione didn't say anything, but he knew she felt the same.

When class ended, Harry purposely made sure he reached the door at the same time as Malfoy. With his shoulder tucked in, he rammed Malfoy a bit harder than he should have. The blonde boy fell back against his cronies, spluttering curse words. "Watch where you're going, boy!"

"Sorry, didn't see you there," Harry said, not trying to sound like he meant it.

Malfoy glared at him, adjusting his robes. "Who are you?" Then he snorted. "Though I'm not sure I need to ask. Your hair's red and you purposely ran into me. You must be a Weasley. I didn't hear two of you get Sorted last night."

"Actually my name's Lachlan. But while we're guessing, let's see. Blonde. Arrogant. Too dumb to get your guess right. Oh, you must be a Malfoy."

Malfoy's face flushed and he took a threatening step toward Harry. Professor Sprout appeared at Harry's elbow right that moment. "Problem here, boys?"

"Lachlan here just insulted my family, Professor."

Professor Sprout nodded. "I see. But I believe I heard you insulting the Weasley family just before that. So I'll call this one even. Off you go. Dinner doesn't wait."

XXXXXXX

When they got to dinner, Harry left Hermione and Padma at the Ravenclaw table. He headed straight to Ven and sat down. "I met some bloke named Malfoy today."

"Did you?" she said lightly, as if she didn't hear the anger in his voice. "New friend?"

"The prat was insulting Neville and Ron. Da was right. Stuck-up prick runs in the family."

"What about me?" Ron said, taking the seat on Ven's other side.

Harry explained to him and Ven what he had overheard during Herbology. Ron's face darkened the moment he said Malfoy's name. "His dad is always making snide remarks about us. My dad works at the ministry, so he hears a lot of stuff. Malfoy's a-" He used a word that made Ven choke on her food, laughing. "So he thinks my family's trash, does he? He'll get what's coming to him. Thanks for sticking up for us." Ron smiled and Harry returned it, nodding.

"You're my friend," he said. "Ven would have done the same."

"I would have broken his face," Ven muttered. "But I'm the violent twin, yeah?"

XXXXXXX

After dinner Harry went back to the Ravenclaw common room and listened to Hermione and Padma discuss their first day of classes. At seven thirty he excused himself, saying he had to go send his brother a letter. He actually did send Leith a real birthday letter with Hedwig, then made his way to Professor McGonagall's office. Penny had offered to escort him, but he told her that he could find it so long as he knew about where it was. He had been wrong.

At ten past eight he finally heard Professor McGonagall's voice from a nearby room. He knocked on the door and she let him in. "Good of you to join us, Mr. Lachlan. Next time, do be on time. Though I can't really be too harsh on you, since you are not the only one late."

Ven, Albion, and Llyr were already there, sitting before the professor's desk. He frowned. "Are we expecting someone else, Professor?"

"Yes, but they will be along shortly, I'm sure. Take a seat." And she waved her wand, conjuring a chair from midair between Ven and Albion. Harry sat. "As you know, with your family's special circumstances, allowances have to be made." Professor McGonagall took her seat behind the desk. "It is very irregular for..."

"Werewolves," Ven supplied, smiling.

Professor McGonagall nodded, glancing around like she thought someone may overhear. "Yes, werewolves, Miss Lachlan. It is very irregular for werewolves to be admitted to Hogwarts, much less a family of them. Even more less natural born werewolves. We have only had two such students in the past. One was long before my time and the other was quite recent compared. The first to attend was unable to complete his schooling. The second graduated with very high marks. An exemplary student. However, with this student there were certain advantages he had that the first did not. And these advantages are being extended to you." She nodded to Albion. "Perhaps Albion has already informed you, but I felt it best to have this little meeting anyways."

"He said something about a tree," Ven said.

"Yes. The Whomping Willow. That was one of the advantages our last student had. We planted the tree the year he came to Hogwarts. You can't miss it if you are out on the grounds. But it is meant to keep people away, because beneath it is the entrance to a tunnel that leads to Hogsmeade. More specifically, it leads into the Shrieking Shack."

Harry remembered reading about the Shrieking Shack before. It was said to be haunted-so haunted that no one ventured near enough to prove or disprove that theory. It was a common tale that people used to hear screams and crashes from the building, then it went silent and had stayed that way for nearly a decade.

"This is where you will go during the full moon," Professor McGonagall continued, cutting into his line of thought. "Madam Pomfrey or myself will escort you down to the tree every full moon at exactly six. You will not be late. We will give you access to the tunnel and you will follow it to the shack. When morning comes and you have changed back, you will return to the entrance here and wait for one of us to come and collect you."

"The other advantage you will have is-" But a soft knock on the door interrupted her. She stood. "Come in."

The door opened and another professor stepped in, his long black robes sweeping silently over the threshold. The man was hook-nosed and sallow-skinned with greasy black hair and black eyes. "Forgive my lateness, Professor McGonagall," he started, stepping closer. "But I was just-"

He stuttered to a halt in his words and his movement, his eyes on Harry. A strange mixture of emotions crossed his face: recognition and confusion were the most evident, but something that looked almost like fear made Harry blink. When he did, it was like the moment between them had ended. The professor cleared his throat and continued to Professor McGonagall's desk. "I was just held up by Peeves. He was trying to destroy one of the tapestries in the entrance hall." His voice didn't seem quite so sinister now and he fixed his gaze on McGonagall, not even glancing at the other Lachlan's present.

"Perfect timing, actually, Severus. I was just getting into your part in all of this. Children, meet Professor Snape, our Potions master. He is the other advantage you will have."

The kids eyed up the professor, not sure they were happy with this advantage.

"When the last werewolf student was here, the Wolfsbane potion was still in the making. As you know, it is now complete, but takes a master potion brewer to make. Your mother has been practicing that particular potion for a long time now and has learned it inside and out. Professor Snape, here, is even better than her. He will prepare the potion for you every full moon and you will be required to report to him the morning before you turn. He will administer the potion and that will allow you to keep your minds when you are in wolf form. Know that this is not only for your protection, but for the safety of everyone here. So do not take this lightly. When you are to report to Professor Snape, you will. When you are to report to the Whomping Willow, you will. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor," they chorused, Llyr nodding vigorously.

"Good. Unless any of you have questions, you are dismissed. I will alert you again when the full moon draws near."

Harry rose, glancing at the dark-haired professor. For the briefest of moments, their eyes met again, and the man turned away quickly. Harry followed his siblings out of the office.

Llyr, Ven, and Albion all turned to him the moment the door closed. Llyr held up a finger and ticked it side to side.

"Yeah, I'm with Llyr. Just, what?" Ven said.

"Do you know him?" Albion cut in.

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "I've never seen him before in my life."

"Well, it looked like he knew you," Albion said. Ven glanced at the door they had just left, frowning.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know."

XXXXXXX

The next day started much the same as the first. Harry found himself awake early, joined Hermione and Padma, and went down to breakfast. Penny, Ven, and Llyr were once again there. Llyr spent the time teaching the three Ravenclaw girls the alphabet in sign language.

From there they went to their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with the Gryffindors. Harry and Ven had spent much of the summer eagerly anticipating this class, but were sorely disappointed. Professor Quirrel, a pale young man with a turban and a strange odor, seemed to be completely terrified of his own subject. At one point Ven leaned into Harry and whispered, "Do you think they offer a Defense Against Quirrel's Smell class?"

Harry snorted, which made Quirrel jump and trip over his own feet.

They met the Hufflepuffs for their second class, Charms, and it was not what Harry had expected. Unlike Professor McGonagall, Flitwick had them take notes the entire first day. Harry and Llyr took notes when they felt it was important, Padma rarely wrote anything down, and Hermione scribbled furiously, obviously trying to get every word Flitwick said.

They met up with Ven again for Potions. Harry was a little worried about coming face to face with Professor Snape again, but he squared his shoulders and followed the rest of the Ravenclaw first years down to the dungeons. Their classroom was cold and damp and Harry could barely keep his eyes off the pickled...things floating in jars around the room.

Ven tapped a jar that held what looked horribly like a tiny human skull with runes carved all over and one bright blue eye still intact, floating in the eye socket. "Hey. Hey, Harry. Doesn't this look like Uncle Moody?"

"Take your seats," a soft voice said from the back. When the class had settled, Professor Snape swept to the front and began to call roll. When he reached Harry's name, he paused for a brief moment, glancing up. Harry caught his look, but clenched his jaw, holding it. Snape went back to the roll. When he was done he addressed the room. His voice was quiet, but like Professor McGonagall, he commanded attention. He began to speak about the "beauty and art" of Potions, mentioning "bottling fame" and "brewing glory". Under her breath, Ven hissed, "I just want to bottle a good hair day."

"Mr. Lachlan," Snape said, turning to him. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air, Padma began flipping through her book, and Ven grabbed her quill. After a second of scribbling, she held up a piece of parchment that said, "I've no idea". Harry glared at her. Then he looked back at Snape. "Uh, the Draught of the Living Dead, right?"

Ven dropped her parchment and her jaw.

One of Snape's thin eyebrows rose. "And where would you look to find a bezoar?"

"Your closet, probably." Harry had to try not to laugh at Ven's face. "But originally, from the stomach of a goat, I think. And it will save you from most poisons, yeah?"

Snape crossed his arms, stepping right up to Harry's desk. "And...what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"They're the same thing, aren't they? And they also go by aconite?"

The class was silent. Snape was silent. Then-"Next time you give an answer, don't phrase it as a question, Mr. Lachlan. Especially if it is correct. Fifteen points to Ravenclaw, five for each question." He stood. The class stared at him, shocked. "Well? Why aren't you all writing this down?"

There was a mad scrambling for quills and parchment. A few minutes later he had them start on a potion to cure boils. Ven and Harry partnered up, but Harry found it hard to concentrate on making the potion while Ven was staring at him. "What?" he said, turning to face her.

"You got points off Snape." She blinked as if she couldn't believe what she'd just said. "People said Snape NEVER gives points to anyone but Slytherin. Plus, you knew all that stuff. How'd you know all that stuff?"

Harry shrugged. "I was reading the Potions book last week. That's all."

Ven shook her head. "Maybe you are the smart twin. Thank Dagda I got the good looks then."

When the class was over Snape released them, taking a sample of each of their potions. Harry packed his bag and shouldered it, turning to leave. "Lachlan. If I could have a moment?"

Ven and Harry both paused in the doorway.

"Mr. Lachlan, I meant."

Ven raised an eyebrow at her brother and left with Hermione and Padma. When the dungeon was empty again, Snape offered Harry a seat at one of the tables. Harry sat. Snape sat in front of him, folding his hands in his lap. Harry felt his palms getting sweaty as he waited for the older man to talk. Was he in trouble for being a bit of a smartass with his answers? For about a minute, Snape just looked at him and Harry had the oddest feeling the man was trying to read his mind. Then suddenly, Snape said, "Your parents aren't related to the Evans family, are they?"

This was certainly not what Harry had been expecting. "No. Not that I know of. My da's family goes back really far and they're all Lachlans. And my mum's family was a lot like that. But they were the McLeods. No Evans."

Snape nodded. "I'm sorry, but your eyes...they just reminded me of someone I knew once. I thought maybe...perhaps a cousin..." He suddenly seemed to realize he'd said too much and he stood. "Forget that, Lachlan. Call it mild curiosity. Go on."

Harry made his way up to the Great Hall and dropped into the seat beside Hermione. "What did Professor Snape want?" she asked, offering him a plate of steaming potatoes.

"Yeah, what did he want?" Ven said, appearing at Penny's side.

"He just asked if I was related to the Evans family." Harry took the potatoes. "I told him no and he just pretty much said, 'Okay I thought maybe you were cousins or something', and sent me on my way."

Ven questioned him some more, getting the entire conversation, word-for-word, from him. When she was satisfied she said, "Well, that was weird."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, already forgetting the odd confrontation with the dark Potions master. "Pass the turkey."

Kailor: As always, please review! Thank you for reading!