A/N: I'd like to thank GlassSnowDrop and Pebbles827 for reviewing! It made my day :D

Also, Pebbles827, I'll try that from now on, thanks for the advice. It's hard to upload earlier, though, because I'm usually busy during the day and am only online at night. However, since it's the weekend, hopefully I'll be able to work on it in the day :)

Thanks again!

Saturday dawned too early. Ary had worked us to the bone the night before, and I was relieved to have a day of rest.

"Remind me to bless Eddie for dating Ary," I said to Jane as we made our way down to breakfast. "He needs to be canonized for dating her. If today wasn't their six month anniversary, I'd be doing laps!"

Jane laughed. "You know you love it."

I smiled. "I do. I really want to be a professional, you know." I stopped as I realized just what had flown out of my mouth. I clapped my hands to my face and groaned. I didn't tell anyone because it was just a daydream to me.

Jane squealed, and gave me a hug. "I've always thought so, too, but you seemed so set on being a reported. But you should do it! I would be your number one fan! You would be amazing. I know you can do it! You'd be the best seeker, better than Krum!"

I laughed, her enthusiasm making me giddy. "Not possible!"

We continued on our way down to meet Albus in the Great Hall, but now Jane was walking backwards facing me. She threw her arms up into the air. "I can see it now; your name in lights, and on the front page of every paper, Caroline 'Lightning' Benedetto! Your face plastered everywhere!" She stopped and grabbed my arm. "You would meet Tom Goldmeir!"

I laughed even harder, until a voice stopped me. "She wishes."

I flew around to face him. "James Potter, what the hell do you want?"

He was leaning against a wall, hidden partially by a suit of armor. He ignored my question. "The only thing you'd be a professional at, Yank, is a know-it-all."

I was furious, and disappointed. I hadn't talked to him in months, and now all he was doing was insulting me. I didn't know what I was hoping he'd do, but it definitely wasn't him being an ass. "Just because I study, doesn't mean I'm a know-it-all. Goddamn it, Potter, do you just hide in the shadows waiting to terrorize people?"

He laughed. "I've got better things to do with my time, unlike you."

Jane stepped in between us. "Leave her alone, James, you prat. We're busy." And with that, she grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"You always let your friends defend you, Yank?"

I flipped him off. "Grow up, Potter!" I shouted as we descended the stairs.

Jane huffed at me. "I dunno why you let him get to you."

I scowled. "He's a douche."

She suddenly giggled. "Are you ever going to use British slang instead of American?"

I smiled as we reached Albus. "Nope."

Jane was still laughing as she waved goodbye to us.

Albus and I walked around Hogsmeade slowly. We had spent a good deal of money at the bookstore, and were now window shopping. I threw my arms into the air. "Isn't the weather great, Al?"

He smiled. "It's amazing. The snow's melted and everything! It only took four months."

I frowned. "Three months too long."

We headed towards the castle. "One of the perks of living in England. I hear you're going back to the States, though?"

"Just for summer." I elbowed him playfully. "I'll still be back next year."

He laughed. "Great. Another pain in my arse to deal with."

I winked. "You'll thank me when you pass all your OWLs with flying colors."

He smiled. "I'm sure I will. I want to be an Auror, you know."

I looked at him carefully, and decided he would be a good one. "Any particular reason?"

He shrugged, and held the gates to Hogwarts open for me. "My dad's one, and so's my uncle. I think it's a great job."

I nodded. "Yeah, it's really noble of you. I think you'd be good."

He peeked at me from behind his bangs. "You joking?"

I shook my head, and frowned. "Not at all. Why?"

He sighed. "James thinks it's stupid. There's really nothing exciting about it anymore, not since Dad defeated Voldemort."

I grew angry again. "And what does James know? There are still bad wizards out there!" I restrained myself from calling James one of them.

Albus shrugged. "You're right, I suppose." He suddenly froze. "Um, I forgot something. In, um, Hogsmeade, let's go back!" He grabbed my arm and tried to force me to turn around.

"What did you –" I gasped, and saw what he had seen. There, under the oak tree, were Kyle and a blonde I didn't recognize making out. I whipped out my wand and started to stride over there.

"Lin, please!" Albus tried to restrain me. "You'll get in trouble."

"Damn it, Al, let me go!" I shouted as I finally came within earshot of Kyle and his 'study buddy'.

Albus got out his own wand. "Lin, I swear, he's not worth it."

"OI! RICHARDSON!" I roared as I approached him under the tree. "WHO'S THAT?"

He jumped back, and flicked his eyes from me, to the blonde in his arms. "Um, nobody?"

The blonde jumped up. She looked angry. "Who're you?" she demanded.

I snarled. "His girlfriend."

She paled. "Oh no, I didn't realize…" she paused and started crying, "I'm so sorry."

She ran passed me, and I recognized her as a chaser for Hufflepuff. I pointed my wand at Kyle. "So, was she helping you study, Kyle?"

He slowly got up. "Look, Lin, it didn't mean anything. I just got… carried away."

I smiled. "Oh, that's all. Well, then." He started to relax. Big mistake. I approached him and put my hands on his shoulders. I smiled sweetly, and then kneed him where it would hurt. He groaned and crumpled to the ground. "Then this is me getting carried away. LANGLOCK."

Kyle made a gagging sound. Albus tried to pull me away again. "Lin!" he warned.

"Not finished," I muttered. Levicorpus. I had found the spell in the library, and still wasn't sure what it did.

I giggled when Kyle was swung upwards, hanging upside down from an ankle by an invisible thread. "Lin!" Albus pleaded. "You've had your fun! McGonagall will kill you!"

"One more! Melofors!" I was extremely pleased with my handiwork. Kyle's head was now encased in a pumpkin. I smiled down at Albus. "Ready to go?"

Albus was as pale a sheet. "Yeah," he whispered. "Let's run!"

We rushed into the Great Hall. We were early for dinner. Albus seemed a little relieved to be inside, though. I patted him on the back. "Oh, Al, you're such a goody-two-shoes. Don't worry, though. If McGonagall finds out, I'll take the punishment. After all, it was my fault. You didn't do anything."

He nodded, and looked better. I spotted Rose, studying as per usual. Tears started to prick my eyes as I remembered the times I had spent with Kyle in here, but I shoved them away. My adrenaline rush was keeping me going. "Come on. Dinner starts in 10 minutes. Let's get a head start on those books we picked up."

We sat down and started reading after saying hi to Rose. She just absentmindedly murmured and continued chewing on her thumb nail. I was so caught up in my reading, I didn't notice the tears running from my eyes. After 5 minutes of silence, Jane came running up to me. "Did you hear?" she asked breathlessly.

"Hear what?" I murmured as I flipped a page.

"Kyle, your boyfriend, is hanging upside down by the oak tree with a pumpkin for a head!" She slammed her hands on the table.

I looked up at her calmly. She gasped as she saw my face, and I frowned. "Oh, that. I think it'll be at least another ten minutes before he's on the ground, though the pumpkin should be harder to get rid of." I paused, noticing how her eyes were filled with worry. "What's the matter ?

"Caroline." She shoved the book out of my hands and took them in her own.

"What?" I was growing more concerned now.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. "Why have you been crying?"

Albus heard this and looked at me. He gasped and laid his book down. "Linny," he softly said.

"I haven't been crying." I touched my cheeks, expecting them to be dry, but they weren't. My eyes teared up again. "I caught him making out with that blonde chaser on the Hufflepuff team," I explained quietly. I stood up and started to go as the tears began flowing more quickly.

Jane stopped me as she grasped my waist and held onto me protectively. "Did you hex him?"

"Three times, and she kneed him." Albus patted my back.

"Serves him right," she said with a smile. But then she quickly glared at Albus. "And you let her come into the Great Hall afterwards?"

Albus looked at her nervously. "I thought she was okay!"

Jane just threw him a look. "You are such a boy." She huffed and grabbed me. "We're going upstairs. Save us some food."

She kept one arm wrapped around me and patted me consolingly on the back as we made our way up to the common room. I sniffled. "I really liked him."

She nodded. "I know. But he's a prat, and you deserve better."

I started to cry harder as I leaned on her. "I should've done more to him."

Jane snorted. "Oh, we'll take care of that, believe me. I'll coax Marcus into sending a few bludgers his way tomorrow."

"Oh, Ary's going to kill me!" I wailed. "How am I going to play like this?"

"Typical female." I heard a voice behind me snort. "Your time of the month again, Yank?"

I whirled around and pointed my wand at Potter. "If you care for your safety I suggest you leave me alone." I hate the way my voice shook with tears.

James just smirked. "Poor little Yank can't deal with her hormones. How sad."

"THAT'S IT!" I screamed. "LANG-"

"Expelliarmus!" Jane's voice rang out. I jolted, and silently cried as she nimbly caught my wand. I made no move to get it back, because I knew she was right. "Potter. I suggest you leave, or I'll hex you. Linny, you're already toeing the line. Come on." She caught hold of my hand and led me away.

"Wait! McCoy!" Potter ran after us.

Jane turned and pointed her wand at him. "I mean it Potter. This isn't the time, or the place. Leave."

He could hear the cold resolve in her voice and slowly backed away and ran in the opposite direction.

I fell asleep as soon as I hit the pillow, but it was a restless sort of sleep. Georgie and Carly rushed in and woke me, only to have Jane explain to them quietly what had happened. I then vaguely heard Ary come by and ask if I thought I could play against Ravenclaw the next day. I thought I was dreaming, but I said yes anyway. Finally, as if she had sensed I couldn't really fall asleep, Jane crawled into bed with me and started to sing. With that, I passed out for good for the rest of the night.