Of course, it wasn't a dream. I woke up the next morning to find my roommates staring at each other with the same sad expressions on their faces as I'm sure I had. Normally we chatted about Witch Weekly or the newest kind of broomsticks that Quality Quidditch Supplies had in stock. But today… today was different. The only noise in the dormitory was the birds chirping outside as they woke up to what was probably a glorious day for them. For us, however… it was the first full day of hell on Earth.

Millie and Helen had woken up first, so they were the first to leave. Lanie and Shawnee exited soon after, heading down to the Great Hall for some breakfast, I presumed. Polly slipped out very quickly afterwards, no doubt following them. This left Lynne and I to walk down together, and my thoughts were so muddled that I would've gotten lost had it not been for quick-minded Lynne. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would've been to get lost on the way to the Great Hall as a fourth-year?

There were heaps of eggs, piles of toast, bowls of jam and platters of scones arranged in masses on the tables, but no one seemed to be touching the food except for a few hungry Hufflepuff first-years. As Headmaster Damien wasn't in the room, everyone's eyes seemed to be on the doors, flicking back and forth between the huge pair typically used for entering and the many side entrances. Finally, Professor Fourier- who was one of only four teachers in the Hall- stood up. "Eat," he intoned. "We mustn't starve to death on our first day of classes!" He tried to sound lighthearted and cheerful, but he sounded worried, like we would die in other ways. I hoped not.

So we dug halfheartedly into the food. I covered a scone in strawberry jam and nibbled unenthusiastically on it, and my friends seemed just as lackadaisical. Our Heads of House- Professor Fourier had been the Head of Ravenclaw House since my first year- passed out our schedules. As he reached my group of friends, he whispered, "Cheer up, girls. You have my class third tomorrow, and a double period last on Friday. I'll try to make it as normal as possible. Sound good?"

We all nodded- at least Professor Fourier hadn't changed at all- before he moved on down the table to hand out paper scrolls to a group of seventh-years. I saw Kitty Willis, Reuben Alfray and Zachary Henson, last year's Ravenclaw Quidditch team Chasers (and, for Kitty, Captain) accept their schedules, and Kitty caught my gaze. She smiled and wiggled her fingers a little, attracting the attention of Reuben and Zach. All three were blonde, with skin tones ranging from nearly as pale as me (Kitty) to golden brown (Zach), and occasionally people mistook them for siblings. They definitely acted like it, moving as one seamless team on and off the Quidditch pitch. Zach and Reuben joined Kitty in waving.

I scooted down to sit by them, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Hi, guys."

"Hi, Aly," Kitty greeted me cheerfully. Kitty was always smiling; in fact, I'd never seen her frowning or sad. Even when we lost a Quidditch match, she was always upbeat. "Nice to be back, huh?"

I swear all four of us were so silent that you could've heard a pin drop. To get off the subject, I said hurriedly, "How was your summer?"

Reuben grinned and answered first. "I went back to America." He had a thick Southern accent, with flat vowels and stretched-out consonants. "My mom was real happy to see me, and Sarah, too. She practic'ly squealed and squeezed me t' death."

I giggled a little. I had seen pictures of Sarah, a cute little nine-year-old bundle of energy with tufted blond pigtails, and although I'd never met Reuben's little sister I could clearly picture her hugging her seventeen-year-old brother tightly. "What about you, Zach?"

"Annie and I were happy to be home," he said gruffly. It wasn't that Zach was bad-tempered, he just had a very deep voice. "Annie especially, since it was her first summer home after a school year. Mum and Father were pleased to have us back. They were lonely with both of us gone."

Kitty sighed. "See, I don't have any sibling stories. I went home, I visited a few friends around Guildford and Woking, I went to Diagon Alley- oh!" She grinned at us. "Scratch that, I do have something to tell you! Guess who promised me a tryout after I graduate this year!"

"Who?" Zach and Reuben asked together.

Kitty grabbed one of their hands with each of hers and leaned forward eagerly. "Rylan Raynott."

"The captain of the Appleby Arrows?" I whispered quickly, astonished.

"The very one," Kitty replied happily.

"You're kidding," I whistled.

"Not at all," she said with a smile.

I got the feeling that she'd really meant only to tell Reuben and Zach- after all, they were her best friends and the three of them were practically inseparable- so I scooted back down the table to Lynne, Lanie and Shawnee just as the main doors burst open.

Immediately, a wave of silence swept over the room.

Headmaster Damien stood regally at the entrance, staring out at us. His black hair was combed back and he seemed paler than I had ever seen him. He strode down the middle aisle, looking straight ahead as if we were beneath his notice, then claimed his seat and ate.

He ate, and ate, and ate. He shoveled food into his mouth like he hadn't had a meal in days. Eggs, toast, muffins, preserves, fruit- if it was within arm's reach, he ate it. Finally, when he was finished, he stood back up again and shouted, "Well? Get to your classes!"

We all scurried off like frightened rats. I saw some people grabbing muffins and toast as they ran, no doubt for friends who hadn't woken up early enough for breakfast. According to my schedule, my first class was Herbology, so I sprinted to the greenhouses in front of Lynne, Lanie, Shawnee, Millie, and Helen. Somehow, though, Polly got there before me. She was waiting half-hidden behind a bush with big pink rhododendrons dangling from its branches, her books piled high in her bag. It was new- pale blue with embroidery that looked like ivy winding its way up the strap, and it was pretty. I opened my mouth to compliment her on it, but something smashed into my temple and my head snapped to the side. My reflexes kicked in and I reached up and snatched a Snitch out of the air, holding my temple with my other hand. I turned quickly, but I was dizzy and the world spun around me. When I had regained my normal sight, I looked up to see a pack of boys and girls in black robes with bright red accents.

The Gryffindors had arrived.

One of the boys stepped forward. He was tall- probably an inch taller than me- and he'd definitely shot up since I'd last seen him. He had spiky light brown hair and bright turquoise-blue eyes that sparkled with a mischievous light.

"Hey, Aly," he chuckled, holding out his hand. "C'n I have that?"

I glared at him, still rubbing the side of my head. "How about an I'm sorry, Nick? That hurt!" But I handed over the Snitch. I knew why he wanted it so badly- Nick Justice lived to play Quidditch, and he was the Seeker from last year's Gryffindor team. He was definitely a good player, and he rarely ever lost a match- mostly because he worshipped Quidditch.

He took the Snitch back. "Thanks. And I'm sorry." He grinned. "A little bit."

The boys split off from the girls, going to catch up with the pod of Ravenclaw boys who had just arrived. Some of the Gryffindor girls- the crowd who had been super-popular since the moment they stepped into Hogwarts' ancient halls- stood a ways away from us, giggling about something (probably the boys). The group was made up of flirty Elysa Scrope, quiet Lorie Braithnoch, pretty Asians Juliet Livesey and Liana Joulon, cynical Sami Wright, and finally queen bee Lea Henshawe, who twirled her blonde hair around one finger. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to the three girls who remained in front of me- Tamsin Kay, Melissa Webb and Lyndsay Winters.

Melissa's best friends were both Hufflepuffs, so they weren't around, and so she and Tamsin stood together talking, but Lyndsay had been one of my best friends since first year. She also got along very well with Lanie, Shawnee, Lynne, Rossalene and Brooklyn, which made for a very nice little friend group. She was a Scottish girl with a penchant for wearing wide cloth headbands that held back her abundant waves of bronzed brown hair. At that time her headband was a dark creamy color patterned with vines of light and dark greens, and it worked well with her bright smile.

"'Ello, Aly, Lanie, Shawnee, Lynne," she greeted us in her ever-present thick accent. She always said my name more like al-eh than al-ee, but I didn't mind. "'Ow was yer summer?"

"All right," I said at the same time that Lynne shrugged and Lanie answered, "Pretty good." Shawnee didn't say anything at all; she was staring off into the distance. Occasionally she'd do that- slip into thought and daydream for a few minutes. It was a habit for her, and nobody bothered her for it.

"How was yours, Lyndsay?" Lynne inquired politely.

Lyndsay beamed. "Ah went home tae Broxburn. 'Twas nice seein' Mum and Da, an' Vince was missin' his Muggle friends, he was. 'E spent th' whole summer roamin' the neighborhood wi' Kyle, th' boy from next door. An' I read an' studied an'- did ye get mah owls, Lynne?"

"No," Lynne said with an apologetic shrug. "Sorry- a couple of Beauxbatons witches put up charms around the school so that no owls could get there over the summer, and since I live so close…"

"No harm done, lassie," Lyndsay grinned. "Ah understand."

"Ladies, gentlemen," called a strong, deep male voice. "Gather round, please, and form a line… we'll be working in Greenhouse Three again this year."

It was Professor Longbottom, an older man with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes. He had been one of Harry Potter's friends, back over fifty years ago, so he was regarded by Hogwarts students as our local celebrity. We would've loved him anyway, though. He was easily one of the nicest teachers there, preceded only by Professor Fourier and (formerly) Headmaster Damien, back when he was only the kind and eccentric Astronomy professor who enjoyed collecting antiques. We all followed his instructions and formed a large line beside him, smiles involuntarily touching our faces while we filed one by one into Greenhouse Three.

Professor Longbottom said hello to each of us as we passed. "…hello, Shawnee, off in one of the abysses of thought again, I see- Lanie, did you read those books I recommended for you over the summer? Lyndsay Winters, are the vines on that headband patterned off of what I think they are?"

"Are ye thinkin' o' Devil's Snare vines?" Lyndsay, whose love for Herbology was only surpassed by her love for Quidditch, inquired with a broad smile. "Because if ye are, ye're right!"

Professor Longbottom nodded knowingly, returning Lyndsay's smile. "I rather approve of that headband, then. Aly, you look ill! Are you all right?"

I bit my lip, indeed feeling a bit sick all of a sudden. How could they be discussing something as normal as a vine-patterned headband when a seemingly tyrannical Headmaster had taken over the school the night before, threatened to kill us all, and then pretended it was a joke? I could already tell this year was going to be anything but normal- so how could people pretend it was just another regular year at Hogwarts?

Although, thinking back… each year hadn't exactly been the paradise my parents had described time and again when I was younger. Evil spirits, deadly games, and I wasn't even going to think about my third year. So maybe this year was going to be typical- for me, at least.

But I nodded. "Yes, sir. Just a bit-" I searched for an excuse that could warrant my looking ill- "tired."

The corners of his lips twitched up in a pitying half-smile. "I can understand that. Last night was…" He took a deep breath. "Well, why don't you go inside and pick out a spot."

I followed his instructions, finding a seat next to Lanie. Soon after, Professor Longbottom entered and cleared his throat, silencing us with a simple cough, and began.

"Now, I'm aware that your schedules are a bit changed around this year." He gestured to the Ravenclaw side of the greenhouse. "Ravenclaws, you had my class with the Slytherins last year-" he turned his gaze to Nick, Lyndsay and the rest of the Lions- "and Gryffindors, you were with the Hufflepuffs. Well, as you're aware, this year is not going to be ordinary. All of your schedules have been switched up this year, for apparently no reason. Luckily, you're all at the same place in my curriculum- as you should be." He pointed to different areas of the classroom, listing the plants as he did so. "This year we'll be reviewing the properties of wolfsbane, fluxweed, and moly; revising the handling of Spiky Bushes and the Devil's Snare; learning about bobotuber pus and how to collect it; writing papers on the effects of plants such as gillyweed; studying charms such as the Fire-Making Spell, which I know you have already done but our new Headmaster has ordered revision of, and the Herbivicus Charm; and examining plants like the Venomous Tentacula."

Gasps ripped through the room, and Lyndsay raised her hand. "Er- Professor Longbottom? En't that a plant f' the sixth-year classes?"

Professor Longbottom sighed, looking more defeated than I'd ever seen him. "Yes, it is, Lyndsay. Again, Headmaster Kayash has ordered some… changes… to this year's curriculum. That is one of them- teaching younger students the more dangerous lessons. I can't say I approve, but it's hardly my place to speak."

I'd nearly forgotten that Headmaster Damien had a last name- Damien Kayash. He'd been Sorted into Slytherin in the late 2010's, as I'd learned when a few of my friends and I looked up all the teachers in the library last year. We'd agreed that Headmaster Damien- Professor Damien at the time- was like Brooklyn, one of the really nice Slytherins. How wrong we'd been.

I zoned out for the rest of the class. It was mostly Professor Longbottom explaining what we were going to do over the next year and answering questions about the changed curriculum. When the lesson was over, I slipped out the door along with the crush of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws and headed for the Astronomy classroom.

Occasionally our Astronomy lesson was in an actual classroom, so I wasn't surprised to see Classroom 12 written on my schedule. However, I shouldn't have been surprised to see the teacher's desk occupied by a tall, sturdy woman with blonde hair that curled stiffly inwards at her shoulders. She had broad shoulders and looked more like a professional Beater than an Astronomy professor, and she fixed me with a steely blue gaze. "Sit in your chair, don't linger in the doorway."

I hastened to the seat she gestured to, which was right next to the seat of Katy Beaurepaire. I'd never had Astronomy with the Slytherins before, only the Hufflepuffs, so I didn't know how good my partner would be. In Astronomy class, I'd never worked on dual star charts with anyone but Ella Nguyen, and plus I'd rarely talked to Katy before. But Brooklyn slept in the bed right next to Katy's during the school year, and she always spoke rather highly of all five of her roommates, so I figured Katy would be all right. Plus, rumor had it that Katy had scored the highest Astronomy exam grade in all of the second year two years before.

So I was her partner. I could live with that.

As soon as it was time for class to start- I mean the very second it was time for class to start- the blonde woman snapped to. She turned quickly and rapped on the desk. "Quiet down now, quiet down!"

Immediately, we did as she'd asked, shutting our mouths and facing her silently. She nodded strictly. "Good to know this is a good class. Those second-years are absolutely rowdy. Do be a better lot than they were. For I am warning you-" her icy eyes roved over us, meeting my green gaze for a fraction of an instant- "I am not a soft-willed teacher."

I caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. It was Brooklyn, raising her hand- figures. "Excuse me, ma'am, but aren't you going to tell us your name?"

The woman pursed her lips. "I am Professor Kristie Turner, Professor Turner to you, Miss-"

"Brooklyn Vawdrey," Brooklyn said.

Professor Turner nodded shortly. "Miss Vawdrey. Now-"

"Why do we have Astronomy here?" piped up a voice. This time, it was Helen, her hand having shot up into the air. "Instead of tonight in the tower, like it is usually?"

Professor Turner just pressed her lips into an even tighter, thinner line. "What is your name?"

"Helen MacDougal," Helen answered.

"Miss MacDougal," Professor Turner said, "if our new and g-good-" (she stumbled over the word good, making me believe that there was some hope in her after all)- "Headmaster decides to not let his students out in the dead of night when they might catch cold, it is not my place to question it. Now, if there are no more questions, we shall proceed to the lesson."

"A lesson?" whispered a boy's voice behind me. I recognized it as Eli Lupin's voice. Chancing a quick glance behind me, I was surprised to see that his hair was back to its normal brilliant white. "It's only the first day!"

Professor Turner appeared to have heard, but she ignored the voice and rapped again on her desk. "If everyone will promptly take out their copies of Astronomy in the Wizarding World by Linwood B. Leventhorpe and turn to page one. Who can read the introduction for me? How about you in the front row with the blond hair, what's your name?"

"Katy Beaurepaire," Katy said with just the right amount of meekness and sarcasm.

If Professor Turner had caught on to Katy's rather rude tone, she didn't let it show. "Miss Beaurepaire, go ahead and read the introduction."

Katy sighed but dutifully began to read, "Astronomy is a complex thing that is not to be classified as a subject, as it is much more than can be simply taught…"

By what was nearly the end of the lesson, I felt like I did at the end of a double History of Magic period. Astronomy had always been kind of fun- pointing out the stars, looking up the old Greek wizards' tales behind the names of the constellations, and filling in charts with Ella- but this year was already proving to be very boring. And only one class had passed!

I heard a strangled noise from behind me, and then Eli's voice. "Ma'am- Professor Turner? I'm feeling ill." And he did look rather green. I squinted at his floppy white hair. Was it my imagination, or was it turning just the slightest tinge of orange?

Professor Turner frowned strictly at him- something that was beginning to become a habit with her- but waved her hand dismissively. "You may go to the hospital wing, Mr. Lupin." Her face softened just a bit. "Feel better."

He nodded, looking like he was about to throw up, and scurried for the door. I'm pretty sure I was the only one watching when, the instant before he disappeared behind the doorframe, his hair turned bright orange.

I blinked hard. What was up with Eli? His hair spontaneously changing colors? Now I knew it wasn't dye. Something was wrong-

"Miss Salinger!" snapped Professor Turner. "Do stop staring after Mr. Lupin and read the next paragraph!"

My next class was Care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself paired up with Kayla Strait. She'd been the Hufflepuff Keeper the year before, and she was a sturdy girl who wasn't afraid of much. I had a distinct feeling she'd be useful during class.

Just like in Herbology, I found that the curriculum for the coming year held more than was typically used in fourth-year lessons. Hippogriffs? Shrakes? Both were normally used in sixth- to seventh-year classes. But I sighed and put up with it. If people only two years older than me could cope with them, so could I.

Our last class of the day was Study of Ancient Runes. Well, I say our, but only three fourth-year Ravenclaws took the class- me, Eric Montgomery- a shy and monotonous boy who'd dated Brooklyn the previous year- and Will Greene, my rival. Everyone else took Divination (which I always considered frivolous and unnecessary) except for Lanie, who was in Arithmancy. I walked into the classroom, followed by the two boys, and spotted Brooklyn from across the classroom. At least that hadn't changed. Brooklyn and I would always be Ancient Runes partners.

As usual, Professor Ross-Campbell was strict and sharp. However, after putting up with Professor Turner for a class, I began to appreciate Professor Ross-Campbell. She was very set in her ways, yes, but kindly so.

Eli Lupin was normally in our class as well, but the lesson started and he was not there. I murmured the story of his orange hair to Brooklyn, who had been in the classroom but had not seen it, and she looked concerned. "I wonder what's wrong with him."

"Yeah," I agreed.

"I might go visit him after class."

"I'll come with you," I offered.

But there was no need. Eli, his hair the normal white, slipped into class with fifteen minutes left. He didn't look sick anymore, as Brooklyn pointed out. In fact, he threw himself into Ancient Egyptian runes with a vigor. We tried to approach him after class, but he hurried away with his friends.

Dinner was just as awkward and silent as breakfast, but the Ravenclaw commons were alive as ever afterwards. Someone put on music by an oldies band called The Weird Sisters, and as Myron Wagtail crooned the refrain of "Magic Works" everyone caught up or danced a little. I talked with the Chaser trio for a little while, then moved to sit alone by the dying fire in the fire pit as the final words of the song echoed through the room.

And don't believe that magic can die

No, no, no, this magic can't die

So dance your final dance

Cause this is your final chance

The song finished and the famous beginning bars to "Do The Hippogriff" played in quick succession. Half of the Ravenclaw population- mainly the first- and second-years- swarmed the cleared-off space that had been transformed into a mini dance floor. Among the dancers I spotted Annie Henson and Nellie Fleetwood- Zach's little sister and one of her best friends. A seventh-year near them walked away to greet a friend, revealing Raj Knivetton, the third in their little group and the only boy. Raj was ever-cheerful and always wore a brilliant smile. He, Annie and Nellie belted out what was probably their favorite line in "Do The Hippogriff": Put your hands up in the air / like an ogre, who just don't care. They collapsed laughing into one another, and I smiled. The last in their little group- Sunny Liripine, also a second-year- was probably sitting lonely in the Hufflepuff common room. Last year you'd often been able to find her in the Ravenclaw commons, but it was a different Hogwarts then.

The common room door opened and everyone froze. The only sound was the music, which suddenly seemed to play louder:

Oh! Can you dance like a hippogriff?

Na na na ma ma ny na na ny na

Flyin' off from a cliff

Na na na ma ma ny na na ny na

Professor Fourier strode to the desk that held the ancient magical record player and switched it off, removing the record. He held it up. "Whose is this?"

Sophie Jordan, a meek and artistic third-year girl who was a direct descendant of Harry Potter's friend Lee Jordan, raised her hand and claimed the record, sliding it into her oversized bag that was stained with paint.

Professor Fourier sighed and looked at all of us with sad eyes. "I know you all have to catch up on one another's summers, but it isn't wise to have a party tonight." Then, so as not to scare anyone too much, he added, "It's late and you should all be in bed."

Then he turned and stepped out, his cloak swirling behind him.

We all trickled towards the doors that led to our dorms- boys to the left, girls to the right. A prefect herded a group of first-year boys who'd tried to stay behind- I recognized a few from the Sorting- towards their door. Zach and Reuben formed a wall behind them, finishing the female Prefect's job. She followed me in, talking animatedly to one of her friends about how fun yet tiring being Prefect was.

Everyone but Millie and Helen were in the dorm already, but they entered soon after me. Their twin cats, Mary (Millie's) and Carrie (Helen's) raced to greet them like they'd been gone for years. Peltie was obviously in the Owlery, but I contented myself with petting Mary, who was the bigger of the two tabbies. Finally we were all ready for bed, but everyone but Polly and Helen stayed up reading books. I was on Chapter Six of my old copy of Numerology and Grammatica, the old Arithmancy textbook from the previous year (I'd taken Arithmancy for three months last year), when I fell asleep.

Happy Fourth of July, to my fellow Americans, and I'm sorry I took so long in posting! I'm on vacation so you won't hear from me for a few days, though.