"Great," Fred said as him, Alexandra, Alanna, James, and Louis entered the common room after coming back from the welcoming feast. "I completely forgot. I've got to finish up that Ancient Runes assignment for tomorrow!"

"Why didn't you do it over holiday?" Rose asked, coming through the portrait door behind them, along with Albus.

"Homework on a holiday?" James frowned, looking absolutely disgusted. "That's perhaps the most ridiculous thing I've heard you say, Rosie."

Rose shook her head and headed up to her dormitory.

Fred turned to Alanna. "Can't I just have a look at yours? I won't copy; I'll just use it to get a general idea."

"Oh, all right," she sighed, opening her bag. "But only because if I don't, you'll never get it done."

"Very true," Fred nodded, taking the parchment from Alanna. "Thanks a bunch."

"Should we head up to bed?" Alanna asked Alexandra.

"I suppose," she nodded. She was feeling rather tired after the feast.

"Good luck with your homework, Fred," Alexandra said as her and Alanna climbed up the staircase.

Grace and Tiffany were still downstairs at the feast, so they had the dormitory all to themselves.

"I never got a chance to ask you how your holiday was," Alanna said, yawning as she pulled back the curtains of her four-poster bed.

"It was…fine," Alexandra said reluctantly, trying not to think about how she stole her mother's necklace from Harry's desk. "How about yours?"

"It was fine too," she shrugged. "My mum wasn't home much, so I had to watch my sisters and help out with all the cleaning…I barely had time to finish my homework."

"That's too bad," Alexandra said sympathetically.

"I'm sorry," Alanna sighed. "I feel so bad complaining to you about this…I know that your mum left, and here I am going on and on about mine."

"Don't worry about it," she said quickly. "Really, I don't mind."

Alanna smiled. "G'night, Alexandra."

Alexandra climbed into her own bed, but she couldn't fall asleep, even though only a few minutes ago, she had been exhausted.

Would Alanna be as sympathetic towards Alexandra if she knew that her mother wasn't really absent from her life, and was, in fact, a wanted witch instead?

Alexandra buried her head in her pillow. Somehow, she didn't think her reaction would be quite the same…

…

"McGonagall will have yer head if she finds out you snuck through the Shrieking Shack to get into here," Hagrid said, pouring Harry a cup of mead.

"You're not going to turn me over, are you?" Harry grinned.

"You know bloody well I won't," Hagrid said, sitting down at the table across from Harry.

"Where's Fang?"

"Sleeping in the pumpkin patch. I think he likes the smell out there."

There was a knock at the door.

"Hagrid, it's me," voice called from outside.

Hagrid strode over to the door and opened it, and Neville stepped in.

"Hey there, Harry," he said, pulling off his cloak.

"Good to see you again, Nev," Harry said. "How's Herbology going?"

"Same as always," he replied. "Although your son has succeeded in breaking no less than 46 pots since the start of the year."

"Which son?" Harry asked. "Or, wait, I don't need to ask."

"Sort of reminds me of myself in Divination," Neville said, sitting down at table as Hagrid got out another glass. "Must've gone though a gross of teacups…"

"So what was so important that you had ter sneak into the school in the middle of the night to talk to us?" Hagrid asked, taking a swig of his drink.

"I have a sort of…favor to ask you," Harry said.

"What sort of favor?" Neville asked suspiciously.

Harry took a deep breath. "You know about Claridina's son by now, I assume?"

"Kingsley's told us, yes," Neville nodded. "About his relation to Voldemort, right?"

"Right," Harry said. "And you know that the Ministry can't have Aurors shadowing a minor without warranted proof of illegal activity, right?"

"Where are you going with this, Harry?" Hagrid frowned.

"I need you two to keep an eye on her son for me," Harry said.

"Harry, we-" Neville started.

"You don't need to follow him 24/7," Harry said quickly. "Just sort of watch him at meals and see if he sneaks off, and maybe after lessons…things like that."

Neville sat in contemplation for a moment before he let out a deep breath. "Alright. I'll help you."

"Excellent, thank you, Neville." He turned to Hagrid.

"It won't be too easy fer me, Harry," Hagrid said. "What with me size and all, I'm not exactly cut out fer spy work…but I'll give it my best shot."

"You're really helping me out here," Harry said gratefully. "I get the feeling this kid's up to something. I just need to catch him at it."