Hi everybody, I'm so sorry for the extra long wait for this chapter. I am literally so busy right now I can hardly breathe. Luckily I had a stroke of what the frnch call a certain...I don't know what and I had to write this chapter. Forgive any mistakes, I was typing in a hurry. I hope you like it anyway.

Much love and awesomeness!

Enjoy.

Chapter 7

Fifth Year

Bella pushed her way through the crowd wheeling her trunk behind her. She had finally kissed her parents goodbye before going through the barrier, despite her mother's clinging. Today was the start of her fifth year at Hogwarts and after five years of attending the school Bella was certain that this year would be as amazing as all the others had been.

"Beeeelllllllaaaa!" came a loud squeal and then Bella was suddenly trapped in a vice grip by one of her best friends, Alice Brandon.

"Alice!" Bella said returning the hug enthusiastically, "it's so good to see you again!"

Alice had not actually grown that much since Bella had first met her. She stood at about 4'10 and with her short spiky hair, pale skin and mischievous ways, she's earned herself the nickname of 'Pixie'.

"Bella, you can't imagine!" Alice sighed finally releasing her, "this summer was so...Ugh!"

"And what made it so 'Ugh!'?" Bella laughed as Alice began to lead her towards the empty compartment she had found.

"Didn't I mention her in my letters?" Alice asked as she helped Bella hoist her trunk into a free space.

"Er, no, what are you talking about?"

"She's sooooo annoying Bella!" Alice cried, "And she was always there!"

"Who was?" Bella asked with raised eyebrows.

"Tanya Denali!"

Bella frowned. "Who's that, and why would she be at your house all the time?" she asked slightly amused, "wait, is she related to Kate, from the year beneath us?"

"Yeah, she's Kate's American cousin," Alice nodded as she and Bella hopped back off the train and onto the bustling platform again. "Her family's just moved here over the summer and her parents are old friends with mine and Edward's parents so they were constantly hanging out together...Anyway, Tanya is...irritating, she has an annoying laugh and says words wrong and giggles like crazy if Edward so much as looks at her."

"Oh," Bella said, her thoughts immediately focusing on the last point. Ever since she'd met Edward she'd liked as something more than simply a friend and as she'd gotten older that affection had simply grown with her. However, as she suffered from chronic shyness she'd never worked up the courage to tell him how she felt. Of course she wasn't the only girl at Hogwarts who had noticed Edward, he was very handsome and charming and sweet and played chaser on the quidditch team. She knew that one day some other girl would catch his eye and she'd never have a chance, so the mention of this new girl worried Bella a little.

"Is she pretty?" Bella asked finally.

"Oh, I guess," Alice wrinkled her nose, "I suppose you'll see soon enough, she must be around here somewhere."

"What?"

"Oh yeah, even more annoyingly, she's coming to Hogwarts!" Alice groaned, "I hope she's not in Gryffindor."

Before Bella could respond to this she was swept up into the air by a pair of huge arms.

"Emmett!" she squealed squirming as he laughed. Emmett had certainly grown since first year, he was actually the tallest in their year. Not only was he tall, but he was big too, stocky, firm and strong, he made a pretty fine beater for the Gryffindor team. Still, as intimidating as he might look, Emmett was really just a big teddy bear. He was one of the sweetest and most playful people that Bella ever met. She'd never seen him lose his temper, well, except with Rosalie Hale...But that was another matter.

"W'sup Belly!" Emmett said finally letting Bella down, only to lean forward and poke Alice in the stomach, "and you too 'Pixie'!"

"Don't call me that!" Alice said playfully hitting at him.

"Hey, that's what you get for calling me Eddie all the time," another voice said laughingly from behind Emmett. Bella looked around him to see a smiling Edward and Jasper. Edward had grown alot too, he was tall but lankier that Emmett, built for speed which was good for a chaser. He still had the same untameable bronze hair and sparkling emerald green eyes which Bella adored. Everytime she saw him her heart skipped a beat and she felt a little dizzy, but in the good way. Apart from Alice and Rose, Edward was her best friend.

"Hi Bella," Edward said coming forward to give her a warm hug. Bella breathed in the scent of him as quickly as she could. He always smelt like a combination of honey and lilac.

"Hi Edward," She smiled at him, "good summer?"

"Yeah, it was pretty good, " he grinned, "yours?"

"It was okay," Bella shrugged, "but I missed all you guys."

"Aww, Bella, getting soppy on us?" Jasper joked.

Jasper was lean but hard looking. Something about him, and Bella had never quite figured out what it was, made him seem dangerous. In reality he was a very warm and friendly guy once you got to know him. He seemed quiet but if he liked you he would reveal his hilarious side and Bella often found herself in stitches when he hanged around him. Jasper also had a little air of rebellion about him.

Bella also knew that his father was strict and Jasper had always longed to break away from his restrictions. That's why he kept his honey blonde hair long and had gotten his right ear pierced last summer, he knew his Dad wouldn't like it. When Alice had finally gotten over Professor Jameson, realising it was a lost cause, she had turned her affections to Jasper. Bella suspected it was his slightly bad boy image.

"Oh hush!" Alice said jokingly, "you know you missed all of us too!"

"Hey don't you guys think you're forgetting someone?"

"Rose!" Bella said turning and hugging her other bestfriend. Alie launched herself into hug causing the other two girls to stumble slightly and the three of them erupted in giggles.

Rose had gotten even more beautiful as she'd gotten older. She was everything Bella had always wished she was, tall, blonde and curvy. With her long legs, golden hair and violet eyes, by the time she was fourteen guys from fourth year and up had begun to take notice of Rosalie. The only thing that kept them away was the fact that, except from with her friends, Rose was known s being an ice princess.

From what she'd revealed to Bella and Alice, it was pretty clear that her family life was terrible, particularly in regard to her relationship with her father. Talking about her family was the only thing that made Rosalie's tough exterior crack, revealing the heart broken little girl inside. Bella had only glimpsed that side of Rosalie a few times since she'd know her. Apart from Alice and Bella, Rose was pretty friendly with Edward and Jasper but for some reason she and Emmett loved to pick on eachother. They simply didn't get along, no matter what. They tolerated each other for their friends' sakes but it was clear that they got on eachother's nerves. Bella had never understood why.

"So, why is everyone just standing around here?" Rosalie asked after she'd greeted Jasper and Edward as well, purposely ignoring Emmett, "didn't find a free compartment?"

"As a matter of fact, we did Hale, " Emmett said before anyone could say anything, "ever consider that we might've been waiting for you, what was the hold up anyway?"

"Er, none of your business McCarty," Rose said frostily, "besides, I really doubt that you were really waiting for me."

"You don't know anything," Emmett muttered looking away from her.

"Anyway," Alice said brightly, "we have got a compartment so let get onboard eh?"

Just as they were clambering onboard Bella suddenly remembered something important.

"Um, guys?" she started, "I have a confession to make."

Everyone turned to stare at her with varying degrees of worry on their faces.

Bella stuck her hand into her jeans pocket and grasped the tiny object inside. Slowly pulling it out to reveal a shiny gold 'P' in the palm of her hand.

Bella grimaced as she took in her friends' expressions. Emmett and Jasper looked disgusted, Alice shocked, Rosalie was smirking and Edward looked...Oddly relieved...

He sighed out loud. Plunging his hand into the pocket of his own jeans he too retrieved a gold 'P'.

"Thank Merlin," he smiled reassuringly at Bella, "I'm not alone."

"Edward!" Emmett gasped in alarm, "how could you!"

"Yeah," Jasper eyed the prefect badge distastefully, "give it back."

"I can't give it back!" Edward said snatching his hand away as Emmett attempted to poke the badge with the tip of his wand, "My mum was well pleased and...Well, it's not so bad...Is it?"

Emmett and Jasper merely looked at him as if he'd gone mad.

"Why didn't either of you tell me anything!" Alice demanded, "This is important news!"

"I wasn't sure how you lot would take it," Bella said stowing the badge away once more, "apparently the answer is, 'not well'."

"Hey, I think it's great," Rosalie said.

"Thanks Rose," Edward said, narrowing his eyes at Emmett and Jasper who were shaking their heads in disappointment, "atleast someone here appreciates the honour of being chosen as a prefect."

"I wasn't saying that," Rosalie laughed,even as she threw an arm around Bella's shoulders, "I'm just glad it wasn't me!"

Bella scowled at her and rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. She didn't know what McGonagall was playing at but it was certainly going to be an interesting year.

Ok, so how did I do?

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