"Do I have to?" James groaned. He was currently seated on the floor of the Gryffindor Common room. He was playing exploding snap with Fred and Albus. Rose glared down at him with disapproval. She placed her hands upon her hips. Al raised his eyebrows.

"It was your fault James." Scorpius reminded him, flipping through a Quidditch book he had borrowed from Al. He was sitting cross legged on the chair James was leaning his back against.

"It's my fault that I'm in detention. It's not my fault she is." Albus snorted.

"I hate to break it to you," He told his brother, "But it kinda is."

"She followed me! I never told her to. I even tried to get her to leave me alone."

"James." Rose's voice began to rise. "Apologize." She demanded.

James put his hand to his mouth in mock indignation. "Or what?" His eyes gleamed.

"Well…" Rose examined the watch on her wrist, "I was planning on finishing my letter to Aunt Ginny tonight… there are a lot of things that have happened today, things I think she would rather like to know about…" She tapped her finger against her chin. "Wouldn't you agree Al?"

"Fine, fine." James threw his cards on the ground. "I get it. I'll go apologize to that harpy, even if it was her fault."

He pulled himself up and dragged himself to the other side of the common room, where Sara was sitting alone, working on her essay.

"Uh… Sara?" James scratched his head sheepishly.

Sara grunted. She pushed a strand of her hair behind her ears. She hunched over, scribbling furiously over her piece of parchment. The tip of her quill broke off. Sara inhaled sharply, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to hold in her anger.

"I had something to say to you…" Sara lifted her head, a sunny, sarcastic smile filling her face.

"Well that's nice! Did you forget in the last 30 seconds?"

"Huh?"

"You said you had something to say."

"Uh, whatever. I wanted to say that I'm – "

"A git? A prat?" Sara suggested. "A pathetic jerk? A spineless snake? Need any more suggestions?"

"No. I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"Maybe you wanted to so you could get Rose off your back. But definitely not because you meant it."

"Look…I just thought…"

"Yeah, that's usually when things start to go wrong for you."

"I'm going to ignore that comment."

"Great. I'm going to ignore you. I hope you don't mind. But then again, you're used to people doing that." James clenched his fists.

"Oh, so we're describing your life now!"

"I wish! The day you start ignoring me is the day my dreams come true."

"Technically, it was your fault!" In the corner, Scorpius and Al exchanged an exasperated glance. Rose sighed, rubbing her temples. Fred grinned, pulling his legs up to his chest.

"Yes." Sara nodded her head slowly as if she was speaking to a child. "It was my fault you thought it would be a good idea to fill the entire corridor on the second floor with Cornish Pixies. I suppose it was also my fault you thought it would be a good idea to do it just as Professor Madgewick was walking down it!"

"You followed me! Look, I just came here to apologize!"

"Only because Rose threatened you! It hardly matters to you that it's your fault I'm in detention!"

"You can't seriously blame me for Madgewick being a deaf and unreasonable bat!"

"No. But I can blame you for doing something so moronically pig headed that even your namesakes would be disappointed!"

"I wouldn't have been caught if you hadn't followed me." Sara slammed her book shut.

"You're still not listening to me! I knew Professor Madgewick was going down that corridor! I heard her tell Professor Lindsey. That's what I was trying to tell you before you released them!"

"Oh, so you were trying to help me!" James snorted.

"Yes! But you refused to listen, because you're too much of an arrogant prick to see anything other than what you want to and hear anything above your own stupid voice that never shuts up!"

Fred sniggered.

"Why one earth would you try to get me out of trouble?"

"I don't know! I'm trying to figure out the same thing myself!"

"I don't believe you."

"Be my guest. I don't need to convince you of anything."

"Then why did you try to put all the blame on me when Professor Stonebrooke asked what happened?"

"Tried to put? It was the truth!"

"Why can't you just mind your own business?"

"It's called being responsible. I won't even bother trying to explain it, you won't understand."

"Next time, don't try to warn me!"

"Don't worry, I won't!"

"Good. And stay out of my life."

"I will. Unless you're ruining someone else's."

"What is that supposed to – "

"Hello James."

Jenna Finnegan stood in front of them. She giggled, holding her books close to her chest. "I had a question." She blushed, glancing up shyly to meet his eyes. She had adorned herself in the way several preteen girls aspiring to be future homecoming queens did - with nail polish whose color alternated on every finger and lots of tacky jewellery.

"What is it?" James asked kindly, not understanding the reasons this girl was approaching him. One that were immediately evident to every other girl in the room. Sara raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"Well…" She twirled a strand of her hair with her finger. "I needed some help." She giggled again.

"With what?"

"…Transfiguration." She shrugged helplessly, smiling sheepishly. "I'm so dumb."

"That's not true." Sara suddenly raised her head, concern filling her face. "Don't convince yourself of those things. Eventually, you'll begin to believe it."

Jenna ignored her. She batted her eyelashes and flipped her hair. She had not yet perfected the technique. It was not as subtle and elegant as she would soon learn it was supposed to be.

"I can help you." James shrugged. "But for once, Sara is right. You're not dumb."

"For once?" Sara muttered, "That's one way you can tell he doesn't pay attention during class."

"Thank you James!" Jenna squealed, grabbing his hand and pulling him away. She smiled triumphantly at Sara over her shoulder. Sara shook her head with genuine disappointment over what Jenna was doing.

Jenna and Sara had not started off on the right foot. What Sara considered a trivial waste of time, and what Jenna considered a bitter rivalry (Sara would say in anything except what mattered), had begun on the first day of first year.

Sara had taken the bed beside the window. She sat down and stared up through it, into the vast sky and the millions of stars sparkling like crystals within it, enchanted and in awe. She would spend the next seven years staring up at them, drawing inspiration from them when she lacked in it. Sara was a writer.

Jenna had marched in five minutes later, intimidating all the other girls. Sara had not noticed until Jenna was right in front of her.

"Oh!" Sara got off of the bed. "Hello." Sara tucked her hair behind her ears and extended her hand. "I'm Sara. What's your name?" Jenna ignored her.

"I want this bed."

"…Excuse me?"

"You're excused. This is my bed."

"Well… I was here first…"

"Then move."

"…um…No?"

Jenna leaned closer. The other girls had exchanged fearful glances.

"What do you mean, no?"

"In my experience, no is a very black and white term. It only really has one meaning."

"I said, this is my bed!" Jenna had snapped.

"Yeah, I heard you. I was just confused about why you would say something as dumb as that. That obviously isn't true."

Jenna huffed.

"Look," Sara tried to compromise, "How about I take the bed now, and we can switch after Christmas."

"No." Jenna stuck her chin out obnoxiously. "I want this bed." Sara's eyebrows shot up.

Jenna had believed that Sara Barjati would be an easy target to overpower. Sara refused to be underestimated, and was rather miffed Jenna had tried.

"Well," Sara leaned in even closer, to the point where their noses were almost touching, "You're not getting this bed."

Jenna's eyes narrowed.

"You don't want to get on my bad side."

"I'll decide that for myself. Though to be fair, I'm beginning to believe that's the only side you have."

Jenna gasped.

Another girl gave a short chuckle. Jenna whirled around and glared. She closed her mouth and they all looked away.

Jenna looked backed to Sara, whose arms were now crossed. Reluctantly, Jenna took the last remaining bed, near the door. She wrinkled her nose.

Sara had hoped that would be the end of it. But it turned out that Jenna had developed a resentment. Sara did not realize that Jenna had been gossiping and spreading lies about her until Transfiguration. After Sara had gained thirty points for Gryffindor and Professor Turning had left the room, Sara heard a group of girls start giggling from behind her. The all looked down when she turned backwards, exchanging knowing glances. Jenna was at the center, her eyes shining maliciously. Sara had enough experience to know when girls were insulting one another. It was a game Sara had always refused to participate in. She turned away slowly, and the laughter soon began again.

"Hey Jenna?" Jenna turned, her radiant smile hardening into a forced grimace.

"Yes, Sara." She sneered when she uttered the name.

"I was wondering if you had considered my offer." All of her friends were silent now, curious to know what Sara was talking about.

"What offer?"

"To take the bed by the window after Christmas. Since I claimed it before you entered the room, I think it's fair that I get it first. But I am more than willing for you to get a turn."

The other girls gaped.

"Or do you still feel he same way you felt last night. That to share the bed would be… an insult to your pride or something?"

"You really offered that?" A curly haired Ravenclaw asked condescendingly. She had been very jealous had been able to answer questions she couldn't.

"Well yeah." Sara raised her eyebrows, "But I don't really see why you'd care that much about a random bed in Gryffindor tower."

Jenna was looking decidedly away.

"So?" Sara prodded.

"I'm fine." Jenna replied curtly. "You can take the bed."

"Alright." Sara shrugged casually. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Jenna's teeth were clenched.

"Okay. You're right – I'm making a big deal about it. It's just a random bed. It hardly matters." Sara shrugged.

Jenna's face had been sour.

"Because a random bed in Gryffindor tower is a rather silly thing to gossip and spread lies about. Wouldn't you agree?" Sara smiled sweetly.

Jenna coughed, not meeting anyone's eyes. "Of course."

To Sara's credit, she made effort to be kind to Jenna whenever she saw her after that. Sara did feel slightly bad about hurting someone, even if they very much deserved it. When some people started laughing at Jenna during lunch after that, Sara was the first to stop them. She was quick to reprimand anyone who mocked Jenna. She acquired respect from many because of this, but not from Jenna. Jenna eager to find fault in Sara, and possessed a childish jealousy over Sara's accomplishments.

It had taken the other girls a full day to realize Sara wanted nothing to do with their friendship. Jenna was a more enjoyable person to spend time with. Sara was perfectly content with remaining alone with her books, school, and writing. She was quick to voice her opinions, and was not intimidated by their annoyance when she did.

Now, watching Jenna's pathetic adoration, she felt both enjoyment when watching the stupidity, and annoyance over how she was portraying girls everywhere. Wasn't it funny how one girl often represented them all?

"Why do some girls do that?" She wondered aloud. Rose, Scorpius, Albus were now sitting beside her.

"Do what?" Scorpius asked.

"Make themselves less for a guy. Act less capable or less smart to pet a man's ego."

"They do that?" Albus laughed lightly.

"Duh." Rose snorted.

"Some men find it attractive. They like being in charge, and they like women who will make them feel that way, even if it's an over exaggerated inflation of their ego that they don't deserve."

"Should I be offended?" Fred asked.

"No. I said some men. Some men want it. Just like some women are willing to give it."

"I'd like to see men like that try it with our mums!" Albus laughed.

"I bet you a couple did. Bet they couldn't take their independence or intelligence for long."

"Of course." Rose glared at the ground. "Aunt Ginny and mum told me about being harassed at work, in both the Department of Magical Law and the Quidditch Pitch!"

"Imagine." Sara shook her head. "If two of the most famous and powerful women in the world can be harassed, imagine what it's like for other women with no power." She looked away angrily. "It's amazing in the wizarding world. Women have magic. Every last one of them can defend themselves. They can be just as powerful. But in the muggle world, in some places, it can be absolutely terrible. The discrimination and fear of rape. And imagine India, where a woman is raped every twenty minutes."

Rose examined Sara. Albus coughed.

"I feel like I should apologize."

"Why!" Sara was shocked. "There are 3.5 billion men in the world! Just because some of them discriminate, doesn't mean all of them to. And why would you ever feel the need to apologize for something you've never done."

"Stereotypes work against men too." Scorpius added softly, hating his own weakness.

"Of course they do." Sara kicked a sofa. "I don't think putting a group of people in a box they probably don't belong in ever helps anyone." She sighed. "If you lower your standards, no one's going to come and raise them for you. No one in the entire world will respect you if you don't respect yourself."

Scorpius smiled sardonically. "That's true. They either won't care –"

"Will be too scared to care – " Rose added.

"Think you're overreacting – " Albus whispered.

"- or will walk right over you." Sara finished. "You receive what you expect to receive, mainly because people are forced to give it to you."

Fred was talking to Professor Madgewick, and so wasn't at the Great Hall yet. Rose, Al and Scorpius were still at the Greenhouses. Sara was asking Professor Turning, the Transfiguration teacher, some questions. James stirred his bowl, bored. A boy in Albus and Scorpius's year slid into the seat across from him. He was wiping his eyes.

"What's wrong Nolan?" James was concerned.

"Nothing." The boy muttered.

"Oh come on! We're friends! You room with my brother. You can tell me."

"I'm so dumb."

"That's not true. It's only true if you want it to be."

"That's a stupid saying. It's not real."

"That's because it takes strength to believe in yourself. And most people aren't that strong. But you're a Gryffindor! You have strength in your soul! You are born with bravery in your heart!"

Nolan snorted. "Not according to Professor Madgewick. She says I'm hopeless."

"Nolan, if we began to believe everything Professor Madgewick said, we would think public hangings are an enjoyable pastime. Come on. Don't let that old bat get you down."

"I hate her."

"You speak for the masses Nolan." James began examining the rest of the people at the table. He caught sight of a girl with long, curly black hair.

Julianna was sitting alone on the edge of the table. She was a first year Gryffindor. Her shoulders hunched over. She was carefully putting grapes in her mouth, chewing them deliberately as she flipped the page of her book. James scrunched his eyebrows together. He tilted his head. He gestured for Nolan to follow him.

"Hello Julianna!" James plopped down on the seat beside her. She froze. Her eyes flew open. They were fixed on her book.

"How are you?" James asked cheerily, plucking a grape from her plate and popping it into his mouth.

"G-good." She replied. Nolan snickered. Her cheeks colored. James glared the younger boy.

"How was your day?"

"Al...al-alright."

"Just alright?" She gave a small jerk with her head in an attempt to nod.

"Well Nolan here didn't have the best day. The old bat Madgewick started insulting him."

"James Potter!" James imitated the woman's high pitched snarl. "Why are you turning my books into frogs?" James reverted back to his normal tone. "I told her I thought it would be nice for her to see what her children would have looked like if she had tricked someone into marrying her."

Nolan and Julianna both giggled. Soon, Nolan and James began imitating other people, each taking turns to guess. Julianna began laughing shyly behind her hands, wishing she could also open her mouth and let such cleverness flow from it.

"O-oh!" She giggled. "I-I h-have o-one."

"Let's hear it." James nodded kindly.

Julianna opened her mouth, but found herself unable to form coherent sentences.

Nolan sniggered. "I h-have a-another o-one." He imitated. "C-can y-you g-g-g-guess who i-it i-is?"

James chortled, not realizing this was no longer fun and enjoyable for the girl, whose face had crumbled. Her momentary hopes were dashed.

"I-I-I'm n-not s-sure." James grinned, thinking Julianna would more comfortable now that they were all joining in on her stutter. Julianna pursed lips, tightening her grip on her book.

Soon, more people gathered around, all doing their own impressions of her stutter. Some were so exaggerated and hilarious that the entire group, which had grown quite large, was thrown into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Julianna tried to smile and join in, but shame filled her body. She resented and blamed herself as she struggled to hold back tears.

"JAMES!" Sara shoved the other students aside, forcing her way to the center of the circle. She saw the wobbly smile on Julianna's face, and knew right away what had happened. "What are you doing?"

James rolled his eyes. "We're having fun Sara. I know the concept is foreign to you." The entire group laughed mockingly, adding their own jabs at the girl from India. Sara was undeterred.

"You're insulting her."

"N-no." Julianna chuckled shakily. "Th-they're not." She quickly grabbed her backs, saying she had a class to get to.

"Look what you did Sara?" James complained. "You made her feel bad. She wasn't embarrassed until you came along."

"James," Sara declared, "You are a first class git."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Julianna was the only girl in the washroom. The door of the cubicle was open. She was on the marble ground, sobbing into her hands.

"I'm u-u- use-useless." She gasped. "I-I d-d-don' b-b-belong in Gr-Gr-Gryff-ff—in-d-dor."

"That's not true." Sara sat on her knees beside her.

"E-eas-easy for yuh-y-you t-t-to sss-say." The girl looked away. "Y-you-you're n-not l-like m-m-me-e."

"I used to be." Sara said quietly. Julianna's eyes widened.

"Yuh-you?" She shook her head furiously, hiccupping as she did so. "Y-yur c-c-confident and s-s-s-sassy a-a-nd o-outsp-sp-spo-spoke-spoken…"

"No, I'm not. I pretend to be confident. I have to force myself to say what I think. In fact, you're way better than I used to be. Once, I couldn't talk to anyone. I couldn't look anyone in the face. I never said anything. Even when people insulted me. I didn't say anything when they made me do things I didn't want to do. They bullied me all the time, and I let them."

"Y-yur l-l-lying."

"No I'm not."

"R-really?"

"Yes. There's nothing wrong with being an introvert. With wanting to be on your own more than other people. I don't like spending time with other people that much. You just have to believe that what you are enough for yourself. That's you aren't any less because it's different."

"I-I-I c-c-can't b-be th-that."

"Yes you can." Sara grabbed Julianna's hands and pressed them to her chest. "It's hard. But you can, and you will. You are a true Gryffindor, more than Nolan or James will ever be. You are so, so brave Julianna. Just as brave as Harry Potter."

"D-don't be s-s-stupid. H-harry P-p-potter i-is – "

"How am I being stupid?" Sara demanded. "There is no one act that bravery is confined to. Bravery is doing things despite your fears. It is attempting to conquer them no matter how difficult that is. Harry Potter did that when he fought Voldemort. But you are doing that too. Every minute of every day. You should be proud of yourself."

Julianna shook her head while coughing.

"I'm not backing down Julianna Cadwell." Sara smiled, gently raising the girl's chin with her fingertips, "You are brave. You, just like him, are facing your fears. That takes strength."

"I-I'm sitting in t-the b-bathroom, c-crying a-and I-I s-still can't s-stop s—s-ssstuttering!" She yelled, smacking the marble wall. "I h-hate it! I h-hate m-myself!"

"Crying doesn't mean you're weak." Sara whispered. "Crying is what makes you human. What matters is whether you keep going. Not giving up even when you have every reason to."

"I am g-giving up!" Julianna pushed Sara away. She grabbed her bag and ran out of the washroom.

"No you're not." Sara whispered. "You won't let yourself, and I'll make sure of that."

Sara was seething. She was incensed. Apoplectic. Enraged.

And the person who was the cause of that, was the same person Professor Slughorn had decided he would pair up with Sara for a Potions project.

Sara had taken the matter into her own hands, and had finished most of it before James had sauntered into the common room.

"So… we should get started I guess." Sara didn't even look up.

"I already did." Her tone was hard, and James could not for the life of him fathom why.

"Ok…well, good for you." He shifted his weight on his feet, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "What have you done?"

"I finished the first ten steps." She carefully examined the pieces she had cut meticulously.

"Oh!" James's eyes widened. "You finished most of it. I could have helped."

"If that's what helps you sleep at night. But you probably wouldn't have been able to do much but get in my way." Sara muttered. Sara was shocked at her own uncharacteristically offensive words. She usually only insulted James in retaliation to his jokes. But she never, in her life, purposely tried to put someone down. But she kept remembering Julianna standing at the center of the circle of jeering, mocking faces. Sara could only watch as they crushed whatever confidence and hope for herself Julianna had left into dust. Their laughter surrounding her... overwhelming her. Deep in her heart, she knew James had not meant to hurt the girl. But she was furious that he had been so blind to the pain he had caused Julianna. And Sara already knew what it was like to be so scared, and so alone while trying to face that fear. She knew what it was like to be mocked for something you couldn't help, for something you were trying to fight. She knew what it was like when no one would stand up for you. She had that vowed she would never let someone walk over her, and had sworn she would never fail to defend someone else who was being walked over.

"That was uncalled for." James's eyes narrowed.

"You can think whatever you want to think." Sara snapped. "I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise."

"What is up with you?"

"Nothing."

"Obviously." He muttered, dropping his bag unto the floor and falling unto the couch. Sara wrinkled her nose, eyeing the loosely draped tie around his neck. "Well, we still have to do the report together."

"Wonderful! You remembered a homework assignment for once!"

"Thanks." He snorted. "I was feeling pretty proud myself." Fred was on his stomach on a nearby sofa, reading a Quidditch book. He smirked at James, who rolled his eyes.

'Kill me now.' James mouthed to his cousin.

"I saw that." Sara carefully stirred the potion three times clockwise, once counter clockwise, completing the final step.

"Wow! You mean for once, you actually noticed how annoying someone finds you! I was beginning to believe you were blind!"

"You have ketchup on your tie." Sara retorted. She launched into her outline and plan for the written component for the project. She explained all the extra things she wanted them to do for it.

"Don't you think it would be easier to just – "

"Yes. It would take half the time. But it would only be half as good."

"It's unnecessary Sara!"

"Fine." Sara plucked the papers from his hands and tucked it under her arm. "I'll do it myself." James leapt to his feet, tripping as he tried to block her path.

"I never said that!"

"Don't worry, I'll put your name on it."

"No! I'd never do that! You just want an excuse to hate me."

"Trust me James. At this point, I don't need any excuses."

"Hey!" Fred was now playing with a rubber band. "You guys do know this gets boring after the first few hundred times, right?"

"Oh yes." Sara sneered. "And your entertainment is our primary concern."

"Why are you being such a control freak?" James growled.

"If I'm willing to do it all for you, and get a good mark, why do you care?"

"I'm not as bad of a person as you think I am."

"Are you sure?" Sara laughed cynically. "Because recently, I've begun to believe you're worse."

"You have no right to say that!" James snapped back, shocked by the sharpness of her words. "I am a good person!" He glared at her ferociously, not blinking. Sara didn't back away. She didn't even flinch. She took a step forward, until their noses were almost touching.

"Oh really?" She tilted her head, sneering.

"Yes! Better than you at least. But then again, being better than you might not be worth much." Sara brought her hands up to her hips.

"What about when you were teasing Julianna in front of the entire Gryffindor table?"

"That was just a bit of fun! She didn't mind."

"Yes she did! She was just hiding it."

"How do you know?"

"I was with her when she was sobbing in the washroom and insulting herself."

James's jaw dropped. "what? But… no one else noticed!"

"Most people don't care enough to. Especially when everyone around them sees no problem with it." Sara bristled. Her eyes were blazing. "She's terribly shy. She feels embarrassed whenever someone talks to her. And there you were – insulting her in front of almost thirty people!"

James was shocked. He stepped back, worried. "Are… are you sure?" Sara exhaled with frustration.

"After," She remarked coldly, "She said she hated herself and was giving up."

"You're lying!" Sara's jaw dropped. It was a well known fact that Sara was one of the most honest, trustworthy, and righteous girls most would ever meet.

"And what would I get out of that? It's not like you listen to me when I'm right, much less if I was making it up!"

James was now pale. Fred raised his head, his brow also creased.

"And the thing is," Sara's voice began to rise, "Is that you are actually one of the few people everyone else listens to. They look at you when they don't know what to do. They trust your judgements, your decisions. They like who you get along with, and dislike the people you don't. If you saw nothing wrong with insulting a girl who has a stutter and severe self esteem issues, they certainly wouldn't!"

"I…" James's breathing quickened. "I… I did that?" His voice had become weak.

Sara's face did not soften. "Yes."

"Where can I find her?"

"The library maybe. Why?"

James was already gone.

Julianna was walking out of the library. When she saw James, she lowered her head and tried to hurry away in the opposite direction. James intercepted. His face crumpled when he saw that her eyes and nose were red.

"I'm… I'm so sorry."

"Oh." She tightened the grip on her bag until her hands were white. Her neck began to glow. Her eyes began to blink rapidly. "It…" She took a deep breath. "I- It's…it's f-fine." She squeezed her eyes shut, lowering her head.

"I hurt you." She tried to shake her head, but she was shivering too hard.

"I hurt you." James repeated, his heart sinking deeper. Only know he registered the panicked look in her eyes, her trembling as she attempted a shaky laugh which should have been impossible to fool anyone. "I can't believe I did that to you." He pushed his hair back in frustration. She glanced upwards softly. She didn't say anything else.

"I'm so, so sorry."

"It d-doesn't m-matter." She reassured him quickly. "I… I d-don't care."

"Yes it does." James stepped forward, grabbing her hand.

"Julianna," He began earnestly. "You are an incredible person."

"P-please. D-don't l-lie."

"I'm not! It sounds stupid, but I thought you would feel better if you saw that none of us cared about your stutter. I thought you would feel good laughing about it with us."

Julianna sighed.

"It was stupid, I know," James continued, "I'm so, so sorry. You know, I wouldn't be able to be half as strong as you. None of us would be."

"P-please. L-leave m-me a-alone." She wanted to leave, and was already beginning to cry. She was too scared to break away. Slowly, James let go of her hand. She tripped as she began to run. She ignored James's attempts to help her up. Soon, she was gone.

"She's convinced herself she is weak." Sara was at James's side, her eyes were filled with anger at the world for letting this happen.

"No she didn't." James said. "I did."

Sara looked up at his face, which was now as hard and impassive as hers. James pushed past her. She was left to watch his restless, retreating figure. His head was filled with fury directed completely at himself.

The atmosphere grew tense as May approached. People began to become angry, upset, and the distinctions between houses became as prominent and apparent as ever.

On Saturday, the morning before the annual Remembrance Ceremony, Scorpius was walking down one of the halls alone. Cold, empty white sunlight poured through the windows, making him shiver. As he passed by a broom cupboard, he heard a sound. He carefully approached the door and quietly opened it.

On the floor was a twenty – two year old girl. She was clutching a picture frame, her knuckles white. Her head snapped up when she heard the door creak open. Her eyes were bloodshot. Water ran down her nose, unto her lips. She gasped, choking upon her tears.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Scorpius stumbled backwards. "I didn't mean to…"

The girl shoved the photograph into her bag. She hastily wiped the tears from her eyes. They were a light green – the color of dying grass. She furiously raked her hands through her tangled blonde hair, before abandoning her attempts to appear presentable. She quickly pushed herself up, wobbling on her feet as she did so.

"Are you alright?" Scorpius stepped forward, his hand outstretched. The girl hid her face behind her arm, shrinking away. She suddenly pushed Scorpius to the side, pausing for a moment before sprinting out the doorway.

"Hey!" Scorpius called after the girl. "Wait!" She turned around the corner, and Scorpius couldn't find her after that.

He later learned she was Charity Burbage's only daughter, who had been a couple years old when her mother was killed.

XXXXXXXX

Professor Lindsey's lips were tightly pursed. She stared stoically into the distance, her arms crossed against her chest. Professor Longbottom's wife gripped his arm tightly, burying her head into his shoulder. He held her desperately, crying into her golden hair. Professor Madgewick's face was fixed into a furious sneer. She glared at the Slytherin table for the entire time.

Teddy stood to the side. His hair was light brown like his father's. His face was heart shaped like his mother's. His eyes were squeezed shut and he breathed heavily through his nose. Victoire held his hand and rubbed circles on his back.

George ran out in the middle of the ceremony, his face damp with tears, his fist shoved in his mouth in an attempt silence the heartbroken sobs. Angelina quickly got up, ready to hurry after him. Percy grabbed her arm. He said a few words to her in a hushed whisper, before sprinting after his brother in her place.

Dennis Creevey's hands shook as he lifted his camera. He lowered it again, biting into his lips so hard they began to bleed.

Lavender Brown stood to the side, her scarred face glowing under the light of the candles. Her arms were wrapped around her daughter Jenna's. Seamus's hand was on her shoulder.

Fleur was tracing her finger over her husband's scars, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Harry went up to give his annual speech. Ron and Hermione stood on his either side. His soft, strong words here a pillar most held unto as he spoke.

Somebody kicked Scorpius's foot from behind. Scorpius ignored it. Someone pinched his arm. Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut. He knew it was Aiden Corner, whose parents stood on the side. Aiden looked back to his father, Micheal Corner, who gave his son a tiny nod. Marietta Edgecombe, his wife, wrinkled her nose with disgust at the sight of Scorpius's blond hair.

Scorpius had lost Al and Rose in the crowd. Suddenly, a man dressed in tattered, dirty rags stumbled up to him. He grabbed Scorpius's arm and twisted it. He squeezed it, ignoring Scorpius's gasp of pain. He yanked the twelve-year-old boy closer, and pressed his face close, so Scorpius could smell the alcohol on the man's breath.

"How dare you even come here." The man hissed. He dug his nails deeper into Scorpius's skin.

"Oi!" Ronald Weasley marched up to the man, grabbing him and pulling him off of Scorpius. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Harry was behind him, glaring fiercely.

"He's a twelve year old boy!" Harry snapped. "He had nothing to do with anything that happened 20 years ago!" The man's eyes glittered with animalistic insanity. He waved his finger wildly.

"It's their fault." He hollered.

Hermione was at Scorpius's side.

"Amos, stop this! You're better than this. You've been drinking!"

The man whirled around and spit. The warm, sticky saliva landed on Scorpius's nose. It slowly trickled down. Harry and Ron pulled him away. All Scorpius saw was the man's singleminded fury, all directed at him.

"He wasn't a bad man. He isn't." Hermione put her arm around Scorpius's shoulder. She shook her head in resignation. "His wife died last year." Hermione remarked sadly. "She was the one that kept him going after their son Cedric died. You can't even recognize him these days."

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Al stood outside the hospital wing, watching Madam Pomfrey.

She moved from one place to another, picking things up for a couple seconds before putting them. She straightened pillows and smoothed down the sheets on the bed. She whipped out her wand, casting enchantments that seemed to have little affect on the already pristine Hospital Wing.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Al approached the woman with hesitation, intimidated by her impassive face and

"Yes?" She snapped. "Are you hurt?"

"Um… no."

"Then what are you doing here? This is the Hospital Wing, not the Common Room for goodness sake!" Madam Pomfrey rubbed her wrinkled face. Her eyes were sunken and buried beneath bags. Wisps of gray hair escaped her bun, which she pushed aside in irritation. Exhaustion clung to her weary body. She looked as if she was on the verge of collapsing, and was focusing all her remaining strength in hiding the fact from everyone else.

"I… I just…I…"

"Please Albus…" She sighed, leaning her weight against the cabinet. "If you're not hurt…"

"I'll leave!" Albus reassured her immediately. He quickly turned and ran from the Wing. He stopped when he reached the doorway. He turned slowly.

"You're going to sleep now though, right?" Madam Pomfrey squeezed her eyes shut.

"Maybe." She replied.

"But you're tired! You need rest! You need to – "

"Please Albus!" Al nodded hastily and ran out. From the corner of his eye, he saw her sinking into one of the beds, her face buried in her hands.

Afterwards, the three of them lay on the Quidditch pitch. They lay in a circle, their heads together at it's center. They were sucking on bars of chocolate as they talked. The sweetness melted on their tongues. The moonlight streamed over their faces. Countless stars shimmered above them in the sky.

"Aries." Rose pointed.

"Perseus." Al mentioned.

"Cannis Major." Scorpius added.

"The Big Dipper."

"Casseopia."

"Orion." Scorpius chuckled.

"My entire family's in the sky. I'm staring up at my ancestors."

"There's Sirius." Al grinned.

"The brightest star in the sky." Rose whispered.

"Andromeda." Scorpius crossed his arms, shivering as a gust of wind flew over them.

Albus propped himself up unto his elbows. He squinted.

"There's Bellatrix."

"It means Female Warrior."

"She really took that to heart."

"There's Draco."

"It means dragon." Scorpius laughed softly, remembering his father's slumped shoulders, his face buried in his hands, his hair almost white in the darkness.

"And Scorpius." Rose grinned, pointing upwards.

He groaned. "I can't believe I'm named after a scorpion in the sky."

"You know," Al tilted his head and squinted. "It looks a bit more like a leaning palm tree than a scorpion."

"That's really comforting Al. I'm named after a palm tree in the sky."

"I don't know why you're complaining. I'm named after a greasy git who bullied my family for seven years."

"He did save their lives in the end."

"Yeah, I guess. But he's still greasy. And he's still a git."

In the distance, Ron, Harry, and Hermione stood together on one of the towers. They watched over their children.

Thank you so much! I passed 50 reviews. Thanks for all your support!

I hope you enjoyed seeing more of Sara and James. Please don't take their confrontation as veiled passion, or as romantic. James genuinely did something mean with good intentions, and Sara was making sure he understood. Don't blame him too much.

I am aiming for 65 reviews, and it would be great if you could help me. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

PS. I'm from India, so some things I mention through Sara are from personal experience and through my eyes. Just thought you should know.

Also, first year is over!

Lastly, Please tell me whether or not you like Sara and James - I am very curious.