The grounds were already full of students rushing around, some reading textbooks and some chasing their uncontrollable animals around. Bartholomew was up in the Owlery with Zeus and Pippin, though I wasn't expecting any mail from any of my family, let alone my parents. I wouldn't be going back home for the holidays, I'd rather steer clear of my parents for a while. I doubt they'd even want to see me, and if they did, they wouldn't let me come back to Hogwarts. I knew Abi was going home in the holidays, as was Tiffany. Jake and Stanley were staying though. At least I wouldn't be alone in the holidays.

The three of us managed to find the Quidditch grounds, and found Madam Hooch talking to the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She dismissed them as she realised that we were standing there waiting to talk to her.

"First Years?" She asked, her hands on her hips. We nodded shyly, shuffling our feet a little. "Hmm, are you here to try out for the Quidditch team?" She smiled, as we nodded excitedly. "What house are you in? Ravenclaw? I see. Come with me, I'll introduce you to the Captain of the Ravenclaw team. You'll have to try out at trials first before you're considered for the team."

Madam Hooch walked briskly in front of us, and we struggled to keep up with her as she was going at such a fast pace. We reached a group of people in no time, and I figured that they were the Ravenclaw team.

"Anthony Burrell?" Madam Hooch said. A tall lanky boy with dark brown hair emerged from the group. He looked at us three and smiled.

"Newbies trying out for the team, huh?" He smiled. "No problem, we need a couple more on the team anyway. Tryouts are on Thursday at the Quidditch Pitch. See you there!" He waved to us and walked back to his group. Madam Hooch turned to us.

"Have you got brooms?" She asked, giving us a firm look. We all looked at each other and shook our heads. "No? Did your parents not buy you one at Diagon Alley? Goodness me, well.. here, come along with me to the broom cupboard and I'll sort you out with some contemporary ones for now. Ask your parents to buy you proper ones if you have any chance being on the team."

I ran p next to Madam Hooch. "Er, Madam Hooch? My parents are mu-"

"-Here's the cupboard. Take a broom each. They're not as good as they used to be.. they've been passed on a lot over the years." She interrupted, taking no notice of me. "Now run along."

We took our brooms and walked back to the common room. It seemed that nearly everyone was out on the grounds. Students were practicing magic, sunbathing or playing Quidditch. Jake, Stanley and I headed for the common room. I held back a bit.

"Aren't you coming, Hannah?" Jake said, realising that I had stopped. Stanley turned around.

"Er, no. You guys head up. I'm just going to get some air. I'll catch you guys later, I promise." I smiled and ran to the Owlery as fast as I could. I ran up the stone steps and into the room at the top of the staircase, checked if there was anyone around, and slumped down on the cold stone floor. Bartholomew hopped over to me and rubbed his head on my hand, as a sign of reassurance and comfort. A tear trickled down my cheek as I stroked his head with my finger. He closed his eyes in delight.

I don't even know why I came up here. I came to check on Bartholomew of course, but people usually come up here to send and receive mail. I have no one to send mail to. I couldn't send it to my parents. None of my friends at home would believe me, plus I couldn't send my friends mail because they're all muggles, and I would be threatening Hogwarts and the existence of magic if I did. The only friends I had here were Abi, Jake, Tiffany, Tilly and Stanley. Maybe that's all I needed. But I felt so alone. Like no one listened to me. I can't get a broom because my parents are muggles.

I sat up there for a while with Bartholomew, just sitting there in silence. I noticed it was getting dark, and I got up quickly because I would be caught and it was nearly time for supper. I said goodbye to Bartholomew, and I ran down the steps as fast as I could, nearly tripping and losing my footing a couple of times. I ran back to the castle and into the Great Hall, where everyone was enjoying dinner. I saw Tiffany, Stanley and Jake waving to me, and I walked over to sit with them as they had saved me a seat.

"Where have you been?" Tiffany said, frowning.

"We've been looking all over for you." Jake said. Stanley sat there with a worried expression.

"Oh don't worry, I just went for a walk." I lied, stuffing my face with chicken so I wouldn't have to talk.

Tiffany looked at me. "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?" She said, placing a hand on my shoulder. Jake and Stanley looked at me.

I looked at them. "No," I lied again, keeping my head down. "I told you, I'm fine."

They didn't bother me after that. They talked amongst themselves, but I could feel Stanley's eyes on me. They knew something was up, but I wasn't in the position to tell them about it.

Dessert was finished, and everyone went back to their dorms until curfew. The four of us sat around the fireplace, talking about the lessons at Hogwarts.

"D'you reckon we have to take every single subject?" Jake moaned, slumping in his chair.

"We have to take Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology." Tiffany said, proud that she could memorise them all. "I'm looking forward to Herbology. I talked to Professor Sprout today and got a head start on the first lesson. She's giving me tutored lessons."

"I'm looking forward to Astronomy," I said, trying to get involved in the conversation so the others wouldn't ask what was wrong with me. "I like learning about how the planets move and the constellations."

"Defence Against the Dark Arts for me." Jake said, smirking.

"And me," Stanley said, smiling. "And Astronomy."

"Get in there, Hannah," Tiffany nudged me with her elbow and I glared at her. She looked at her watch and then back to us. "It's past curfew, we'd better get to our dorms. Come on."

The four of us trudged upstairs, said goodnight to each other, and went into our separate dorms. Tiffany and I got dressed into our nightclothes, and climbed into bed.

Minutes went by, and I sat there looking at the ceiling and the decoration on the curtains on my poster bed. I couldn't sleep. I had too much in my head. I swivelled out of bed, slipped on my slippers, and crept out of the dormitory, leaving Tiffany and the girls. I walked downstairs, as quietly as I could, and sat on the sofa in front of the roaring fire.

I heard footsteps coming from behind me and I turned around sharply to see Stanley in the stone doorway at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the dorms.

"Oh," I said, turning around. "You scared me. I thought you were a prefect or something."

He came and sat next to me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. Could you not sleep either?" He asked, looking at me.

I shook my head and sighed. "No."

We spent a minute in silence before he spoke.

"What was wrong with you today? You seemed really upset and distant. Do you want to talk about it?" He said, turning his body to face mine.

I kept staring at the fire. "Its nothing. Really."

"Please tell me. Maybe I can help."

I turned to look at him, his eyes pleading. I sighed and turned to face him, crossing my legs over on the sofa. "Madam Hooch said that our parents needed to buy us brooms."

"That's what you're upset about?" Stanley chuckled.

"I wasn't finished. Madam Hooch said that our parents needed to buy us brooms. My parents are muggles. I'm a muggle born. Mud-blood. Whatever you want to call it. My parents didn't let me go here. I ran away."

Stanley looked bewildered. "You ran away?"

I nodded, tears starting to form in my eyes. "They found the letter and told me I wasn't going. I knew I had to go. So I ran away. I haven't heard anything from them since. The last thing I told them was.. that I hated them." I started to sob. "And now I won't make the Ravenclaw Quidditch team because I don't have a good broom and I won't be able to go to Hogsmeade because I need a parent or guardian to sign it.. and I know my parents won't sign it.." I threw my head into my hands and cried even harder. Stanley moved closer to me on the sofa and put his arms around me. He stroked my head and rocked me back and forth.

"Shh, Hannah, it's fine," He said. "I don't understand why you didn't tell me this before. But I'm glad you did. It doesn't matter that you don't have your own broom; you'll still make the team. I know you will."

I looked up at him, my bottom lip quivering. "Y-you think so?"

He smiled at me. "I know so. You shouldn't worry, when you have nothing to worry about. Come on, let's get you to bed. You're just overtired." Stanley walked with me up to the girl's dormitory room, his arm still around me. I turned to look at him, giving him a small smile.

"Thank you." I said, taking his hand and squeezing it.

He smiled back at me and returned the squeeze, and watched me as I went into the room and shut the door. I breathed a sigh of happiness and relief, and climbed back into bed, falling into sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.