The road is dark

That's the first thing I notice, is how dark the road is. It seems quite unreasonable, it being pitch black. How late can it be, anyway?

Suddenly, a boy grabs my hand, and though he is only vaguely familiar, I trust him as he leads me down the street, crouching behind bushes and turning back to tell me to be quiet every now and then. His hand is sweaty, and when he finally lets go of my hand I realize how warm it had been, as well.

Glancing around the lawn he has lead me to, he stands straight, motioning for me to do the same. He's much taller than me, I realize, and I have to crane my neck back to meet his gaze. His hand, which is still sweaty, comes up to cradle my face, and he's staring into my eyes with an intensity I've never seen.

"Are you sure about this, Al," he asks in a deep accent I can't recognize, but I nod.

"I have to do it," I respond.

The boy nods before swooping down, capturing me in a deep kiss. His right hand, the one not cupping my face, pulls me closer to him, so I can feel his heartbeat in my own chest, and I'm surprised to find it beating so fast.

He pulls away as an indigo light flashes from the house in front of us, breathless but still clinging to me; but I shouldn't talk, my hands are wrapped around his neck and I don't plan on letting go anytime soon. Four more lights flashed in succession from the house, first a maroon, then a peach, followed by red, and finally silver.

"Ally, you need to go."

I nod, but move back in for another kiss. But he pulls away again.

"No, Ally, wake up."
"What," I question, my eyes still closed.

"WAKE UP!"
My eyes flutter open and I'm face-to-face with my pillow, which I have clutched in front of me. "Jay?"
"Yeah, sleeping beauty, time to get ready. Dad says you have to leave for the station in twenty minutes."

I peaked passed my pillow just in time to see my brother walking out of my room, still in his pajamas. I groaned as what he said hit me, SCHOOL! I had barely packed, not to mention I have no clue where the school supplies I had bought a month ago were.

But twenty minutes later and I'm smiling bracingly, my trunk clutched in one hand and my bag in the other. Sparrow slept soundly on the kitchen counter, where I had put him ten minutes ago because he was trying to eat my toast.

My father laughed, his brown eyes twinkling with joy as he looked me over, my hair knotted and messy under my signature hat and my breath still stinking of the hot chocolate that my father insisted I drink. Why? Because 'hot drinks make for a hardy woman.'

"So, how much will I be sending you this year?" He pulled me into a hug as my brother slid down the railing, grabbing my bag off of my shoulder and slipping in my toothbrush.
I laughed, "For once, not my toothbrush. Thanks Jay," I said, detaching from my father and reattaching to my brother.
He let a small laugh rise in his throat as he handed my bag to my dad, who took it along with my trunk to the front door, "No problem, Ally."
"Now Ally, I want you to work hard this year; this year is what really matters. I know I say that every year, but it's true every year." My father then broke into the 'work hard, play little' speech that he rattles off every year while I just sit there, nodding and sometimes getting into little wrestling matches with my brother.
"And don't get a boyfriend," my brother finished for my father, and I laughed at my father, who seemed taken aback by this new rule. Jay shrugged, "What? They'll distract her from her studies!"
My father rolled his eyes before drawing me into another bone-crushing hug, "You know the policy on boys, sweetie."
"Yes, daddy," I said, smiling up at him as I wriggled out of his grasp. "I have to go now or I'll miss the train."
My father smiled sadly, "I love you." I took a hold of my trunk and slung my messenger bag over my shoulder, nodding as he gave me some last minute advisories. "And don't be afraid to talk to people just because of your accent-"

I rolled my eyes, seven years and NOW he tells me to not be afraid of letting my accent show. You see, my family is British; always has been. But my father also loves America, so every summer, from the minute I get out of school to a week before I am due back at school I am in the good old U.S. of A.

And, since my mother literally apparated to the house on the beach, then immediately to the hospital to give birth to me, I grew up with the most Americanized accent as well.

"Good-bye, dad. Bye Jay," I said, rolling my eyes before making a kissing sound, "Sparrow?"

My cat shot out of the kitchen, leaping onto the top of my trunk and then onto my shoulder. And with a loud crack and the unpleasant feeling of apparation, I was at Platform 9 ¾, the train whistle nearly scaring me off balance.

I hurried onto the train, pushing through overly-excited second years and first years in mid-panic attack. I then threw my stuff into the first empty compartment and set off again through the train in hopes of finding my friends.

Success could be found around ten minutes later, when I followed the loud laugh that I recognized to be Siren's. "Hey," I called as I threw open the door.
"Al," Siren called, tackling me back into the hallway and pinning me against the wall.
I laughed, "Siren!"
"Excuse me?" A deep Scottish accent called in my ear, and it was then that I realized that the wall was moving.
"Siren," I slapped her arm, "Genius." I turned, breaking her grasp on me and taking a step away from the boy I had slammed into the wall, meaning to apologize before my breath caught in my throat.

This man was, to say the least, GORGEOUS. And I found it strange that I only felt a tiny bit of recognition, though I'm pretty up to date about everyone and what they've been up to. I also found it kind of weird that he seemed to be just a few years older than me, definitely not old enough to be a professor.

"Sorry," I finally mumbled as the man rushed away, brushing off his shoulders.
Once he was out of earshot, Siren gripped my arm, almost falling to the ground she was laughing so hard, "OH MY GOD!"

Normally, this is the point where I would join her on the ground, collapsing into a mound of giggles and tears and stomach cramps from laughing too hard. But I could still make out the faintest outline of the man's broad shoulders before he turned into a compartment.

I smiled, though, as I looked down at my best friend, her face flushed from laughing so hard at her blunder, "Siren, you've lost your mind."
"You drove me crazy, not my fault," she responded as she half-walked, half-crawled back into the compartment.

I took my seat as I followed her in, smiling at my friends as they tried to scoot around and make room. There is the problem with these trains; they don't take into account the groups of friends who exceed four people, as we do.

I finally gave up trying to squeeze in between Siren and Penny and sat on the ground, leaning against the wall and drawing my legs up to my chin, "So, how was everyone's summer?"

That was all we needed to get a conversation going. Everyone was talking to each other, all of the sudden, and what one person had to say was always more important than what the other did, so it wasn't long before we were all shouting and laughing, making quite a ruckus.

We jumped when someone banged at our compartment door, but it was Susan who finally answered, "Yes?"
Professor Wiggins stuck his head in the door, glaring at each of us in turn before whispering his message, "You five are so loud that you'll wake the dead. And why are there five of you?"

We all looked around at each other in turn for a moment before shrugging.

"You, Darling, stand up, you're coming with me."
"Why, professor, I don't think pet names are really all that appropriate," I heard a Scottish accent call from outside, and the door opened fully to reveal the man from before, "You, there, what is your name?"
He was staring right at me, but I, for whatever reason, was not quite sure he was talking to me, "Me?"
He smiled, "Yes, you."
"Darling, sir, Aletta Darling."
"There, you see, if you don't know her name... Darling?"
I blushed, "Yes sir."
"Well, err, carry on, then," he said, the faintest pink tinting his cheeks as he closed the compartment door, saving me from any disciplinary action that could be taken by Professor Wiggins, who did I mention despises me? He despises everyone, really, even people in his own house. Makes me almost miss Snape.

As soon as we heard the pair's footsteps fade away, everyone else burst out laughing.

"Me?" Willow mimicked before breaking into another fit of giggles.
"Aw, Ally, you're so smart! Playing it sweet for the new teacher!"
"It's the Ravenclaw in her, makes her ingratiate herself!"
"Careful there, Willow, don't use such big words!"
"Hey," said Siren, noticing my lack of laughter, "You okay?"
"Huh," I said, coming out of my zone-fest.
"You feeling okay, Al? You didn't laugh in the hallway when we ran into the guy, though I think it was highly amusing, and now you're all not confident and zoney."
"I think Aly is in love," Willow crooned, smiling evilly at me.
I rolled my eyes and let me head fall back, "Oh God, help me."
"Aly," Ginny Weasly questioned, leaning in through the door.
Well, if she's what you got... "Yes, Ginny?"
"You're needed in the Prefects train," she responded, smiling lightly at me, "Forget the meeting?"
I blushed as I stood, slipping by her into the hallway, "Thanks, Gin."

She smiled and she and I continued to make light conversation as we made our way through the train, stopping for a moment to buy sweets from the Trolley. I bought her a chocolate frog to make up for forgetting the Prefects Meeting and as a sort of apology. Everyone had been so sure that she'd be Head Girl and I couldn't help but be embarrassed that I had taken the title from her, especially since she obviously was more serious about it than I was.

But then again, who wants to be so serious? This is my last year of school, and I've spent the last six years of my life here trying to break the stereotype that Ravenclaws are boring and geeky. Can't I live up the fruits of my labor a little?

"Ah, finally, our two leading ladies grace us with their presence."
"Shut up, Tom," Ginny spat back as she took her designated seat next to the newest Gryffindor prefect, who looked positively terrified. She smiled encouragingly at the young girl and introduced herself quietly as Tom, the head boy and prefect from Slytherin, slipped a file across the table to me.
I caught it and flipped it open, starting to read with authority, "Right, letter from the Headmistress: To all seventh years, we would like to remind you that although some of you may be an adult legally, you are still under Hogwarts rule. This means to keep your hormones in check. Any student found in the midst of sexual activity will be promptly disciplined and possible expelled. A list of the approved conduct of students will please be posted on the Common Room Boards."
"Nervous," I heard Tom sneer as he stood next to me, sorting quickly through his own papers for a moment before handing out the list for posting.
I glanced up at him, shaking my hair out of my eyes, "What have I got to be nervous about? Sharing a dorm with you will be very unattractive cake."
"Yank," he responded, glaring at me before continuing with his first announcement.
I rolled my eyes and whispered as I looked over my next announcement, "Oh, this WILL be fun." I then continued with my announcement, growing more confused as I read it and wondering why I was getting all the sex announcements. "Another letter from the Headmistress: Students are to be reminded that relations with a teacher are intolerable. Prefects are asked to keep a special eye on their older students and to please patrol the outside of the castle more closely, especially the Quidditch Pitch." My brows furrowed as I slipped the announcement behind my others, "Cause you know, Professor Wiggins is just so sexy."
Everyone laughed, but it cut off as I heard a throat clear behind me. "Miss Darling?"
"Why, Professor Wiggins, fancy meeting you here," I said, turning and leaning against the table.

My smile was quite obviously forced, but Tom was beaming next to me, overly proud to be in the presence of the teacher who loved him. Remember when I said Professor Wiggins hated everyone? Well, Tom is an exception. Professor Wiggins thinks of Tom as a prodigy, a star among many dull, dull planets. Which just makes the lot of us feel great, by the way.

The professor scowled at me before continuing, "McGonagall wanted me to make sure you had the password to the Head's room."
I smiled as I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket, "Check."
"And Tom," Professor Wiggins smiled, turning to my partner for the year, "You have it as well?"
Tom smiled, standing up straight as if making me seem shorter somehow made him special, "Yes I do, Professor."
"Good boy," the Professor said, clapping him on the shoulder. He then turned to me disdainfully, "Darling, where is your uniform?"
I sighed, "In my trunk."
"And where is your trunk?"
"In a compartment, sir."
"Ten points off for not having on your uniform." And with that, he turned and left.
I sighed and turned back to the table, my arms tensed from holding back the urge to kill my Potions master. I waited until I heard the door close before speaking again, "Roberts, what is my name?"
The sixth year Ravenclaw prefect smiled as he recited the answer, "Aletta Darling."
"Ten points for not being an idiot," I said, smirking to myself. I then continued to whisper, "Yes, this will be fun indeed."