"Come on Vera! I actually want to eat breakfast, you know," Hermione called to her from the dorm room.

"I'm coming," Vera said as she walked out of the bathroom with wet hair. "Don't go getting your panties in a twist, Herms."

She took out her wand and pointed to her head. There was a flash of purple light, and then her hair was dry and curly, as usual. "Okay, let's go."

They walked down to the common room together where they met up with Ron and Harry.

"Wow, Vera your hair looks great today," Harry said to her as they waited for one of the staircases to come their way.

"Harry, this is how my hair looks everyday," Vera said, laughing softly.

"Oh, er, right."

Vera smiled and walked down the stairs after Hermione and Ron. Once in the Great Hall, she immediately received a package from her eagle owl, Alec.

"Thanks, Alec," Vera said as she fed him the crust of her toast. He flew off and she turned to her package, wondering what it was. There was no card, but she had a feeling it was from her father. She pulled off the ribbon and the lid to reveal a beautiful necklace. It was a teardrop-shaped emerald surrounded by seven small diamonds. "Wow."

She couldn't believe it. This was the best gift she'd ever gotten, and it wasn't even her birthday or Christmas.

"Who got you that Vera?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"My dad," Vera said quietly as she admired the thoughtful gift. She pulled back her hair and clasped the chain around her neck.

"Well, we better get to class," Harry said as he swallowed his last bit of fried egg.

They left the Great Hall and were about to start up the stairs when a voice called to them from across the entrance hall.

"Oi, Potter! How's that nose of yours looking?"

Harry stopped right there on the stairs. Vera whipped around and saw Malfoy at the foot of the stairs flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy Parkinson and Nicole Langston stood close by. All of them laughed maniacally at Malfoy's remark.

"Not as bad as yours is about to look," Vera snapped through gritted teeth.

"Wow, Potter. I knew you were a whimp, but having a girl fight your battles for you?" Crabbe and Goyle smirked while Pansy and Nicole almost collapsed with laughter.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron said.

"Weaselby too, Potter?"

Suddenly, Harry made a quick grab for his wand. Before Malfoy could even wipe the smirk off his face, he was blasted backwards. He stood up quickly, pulling out his own wand. Slashing it through the air, a bright flash like lightening streaked across the short distance between them, leaving a thin gash on Harry's cheek.

Vera lost control. She pulled out her wand and let out a stream of spells directly at Malfoy while Harry and Ron dueled with Crabbe and Goyle, who were trying uselessly to stop her. By then they had attracted a large crowd. Just as Vera was about to send a Bat-Boggey jinx Malfoy's way, a loud bang rang out through the hall. Professor Dumbledore had his wand pointed in the air and a stony look on his face.

"You six, come with me."

Vera knew she was in for it.

I just had to let him get to me, nice going Guinevere! she thought to herself as the six of them trudged up to the Headmaster's office.

When they had all entered the office, Dumbledore conjured up chairs for them all. Soon Professors McGonagall and Snape entered the room.

"Oh, how did I know it was you, Potter," McGonagall said, exasperated.

"Well, I'm sure you know what is coming to all of you?" Dumbledore said. There was no twinkle in his eye.

"A months worth of detentions and letters home to our parents," Vera and Harry said in unison.

"Too right you are, Potter," Snape said with a sneer.

Dumbledore told them their detention duties and that their parents would all be hearing about their "disorderly conduct".

The six of them left the office, Ron, Harry, and Vera all giving the others dirty looks. They had missed their first class, so they walked toward the Gryffindor common room for a break period with a dark cloud over their heads. Ron and Vera knew they were done for once their parents got wind of this; Harry seemed barely effected since the Dursley's could care less about him.

"Vera, thanks for what you did back there. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, though," he said.

"Harry, I got to teach Malfoy a lesson. Don't be sorry," Vera said with a wicked smirk on her face.

"Are you afraid what your father will say?"

"Yeah, but how bad could it be?"