Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! I guess I do own Hope though.

I also do realize how awfully long it took me to write this. Well actually, it took me five hours to finish, but I never had the time to write and had a tiny bit of writer's block. :/ Sorry for how long it took me guys, I have finals next week, so please cut me some slack! Christmas break is in a week though! Yay.

'Italics' Writing other than story

Today Hermione and I sat at the table for breakfast and watched as the owls flew in, much like a large avalanche. I was used to not getting owls by now, so I was surprised when I spotted Hedwig's white feathers, and she landed next to the marmalade.

She twittered at me happily, nipping my fingers. I smiled at her "Hi there Hedwig, what cha got for me?"

I grabbed the letter from her beak and she waited patiently for the reply. I handed her a piece of bacon before tarring open the scroll. In untidy scrawl was wrote:

Dear Hope,

I know you have some time after lunch before your flying lessons, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around two? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid.

I dug around in my bag and grabbed a quill. I wrote back 'yes please, see you later' on the back of the original letter. I handed it to Hedwig who immediately took off.

A shout was heard across the table from Neville "It's a Remembrall! Gran knows I forget if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red… oh."

I looked at Hermione and sighed "Yay… more lessons."

"I know!" Hermione nearly squealed "We've got Astronomy later too!"

"Yeah but at MIDNIGHT! I need my beauty sleep." I whined.

"Oh gosh–you're fine Hope."

"But at least we have flying lessons! I can't-" I stopped.

Fred Weasley took that moment to walk into the Great Hall, face slightly flushed. The hall hushed suddenly, eyes tracking him as he made his way towards me. He stopped right behind me, I turned to face him "Aw now don't you look dashing today."

Fred's once red/orange hair was now a thick ink black.

"Why!" Fred asked me loudly.

You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet.

"Why what?" I asked innocently.

"You dyed our hair! I remember it now, yesterday morning, you said you wanted to dye our hair to tell us apart!" Fred cried.

"I did didn't I." I tapped my chin thoughtfully.

"And it won't. Spell. Out!"

"I know! I used a secret spell." I winked at him.

"But- but-" Fred stuttered "We are the pranksters! Us! The Weasley Twins! We never get pranked back!"

"Technically you didn't get pranked BACK. You never pranked me, I just pranked you." I told them as if taking to a small child.

George Weasley walked in at that moment, a grin plastered to his face. His hair was now a bright blue, the same exact shade to match those beautiful clear eyes of his… Wait, beautiful? Where'd that come from?

He made his way over and sat down beside me "Welcome to the team Red."

I grinned at him "Really!? I get too?"

George nodded, piling eggs onto his plate "Yup."

Fred stared at his brother "George?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Wh-what?" Fred asked, still trying to process all of this.

"She asked the first day if we wanted an extra prankster. We dared her to show us what she's got. She pranked us. She got in."

Fred just shook his head in defeat, running his hand through ink black hair "Really Hope? Black? Of ALL colors, black."

I shrugged "I've always wondered what a Weasley would look with Potter black hair."

"Can you at least change it back?" He asked.

I shook my head, smiling at him mischievously "That I can't do my dear friend. Tis a prank and you shall wear it proudly. But don't worry, it'll fade to your ginger-ness by the end of the day."

"Better." George muttered from a mouthful of bacon.

I smiled at him sweetly "But I like your hair blue, matches your eyes!"

He laughed at me and shook his head in amusement. He grabbed his twin and sat him forcefully down on the bench, motioning at the empty plate beside him.

I looked at Hermione whose eyes twinkled with mirth "You done?"

I nod "Yeah, let's get to classes."

We both walked out of the hall as the rest of the students stared at us. The Weasley Twins have been pranked. By a little red-haired, first year girl, none the less.

CcCcCc

When the last lesson was over, the parchment and quills tossed into bags and ink bottles sealed and stowed away, we headed off to lunch. A few hastily ate sandwiches and several cookies later, we were on our way to see Hagrid. Me having to drag Hermione along, persisting she wasn't going to intrude.

Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest, A crossbow sat on the ground near his door. I knocked. Several booming barks and some scrambling from behind the door was heard before Hagrid's voice yelled "Back, Fang, back."

The door was pulled open and Hagrid's face was shown "Back, Fang."

Fang was an enormous black boarhound, tugging at the hand Hagrid had around his collar. When we entered, I noticed it was an only room house, hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling, a kettle atop a burning fire, and in the corner was a massive bed.

"Make yerselves at home." Said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight for Hermione and licked her hand.

"This is Hermione." I told Hagrid, who had started to pour boiling water into a teapot and setting rock cakes onto a plate.

He glanced up "Why ello Hermione."

Hermione smiled shyly "Hello Hagrid."

Hermione and I pretended to enjoy the rock cakes, which were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke your teeth, as we explained our first week of school. Fang keeping his head on my knee, drooling all over my skirt.

We were both delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch 'that old git'.

"And as fer tha' cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her ta Fang. D'yeh know, every time I get up ter the school, she follows me everywhere. Can't get rid of her, Filch puts her up ter it."

I told Hagrid about Snape's lessons and his drilling on me and Harry, but he simply told me that Snape liked hardly any of his students.

I frowned "But he really seems to hate us Hagrid!"

"Rubbish! Why should he?" Hagrid asked, quite not meeting my eyes. He turned to Hermione "So yer parents are muggles? Dent-er-denterists?"

"Dentists." Hermione pronounced, then began to explain seeing Hagrid's confused look "They're,"

I couldn't help that think Hagrid changed the subject on purpose. I picked up a piece of paper near me, it was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.

I remembered Ron mentioning to us that someone had tried to break into Gringotts, but had never mentioned the date.

I stared at Hagrid "Hagrid! The Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Now I knew that Hagrid deliberately didn't look into my eyes. He grunted and offered me another rock cake. I reread the story 'The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day'. Hagrid had emptied vault 713, if you call grabbing a small brown package emptying. Was that what the thieves were looking for? If Headmaster Dumbles wanted it, it must be important.

Hermione and I said our goodbyes around three, our pockets weighed down with rock cakes we couldn't refuse, heading towards the Quidditch pitch for flying lessons. Tea with Hagrid had given me lots to think about. Had Hagrid gotten the package just in time? Where was it now? And what was Hagrid hiding from me about Snape?

CcCcCc

Even I could tell Quidditch was a big deal, even if I was raised by Muggles. Draco Malfoy boasted stories of him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. Seamus Finnigan said he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around his countryside home. Ronald Weasley would tell people he had almost hit a hang glider on his Brother Charlie's old broom. Even Harry Potter had mentioned in Defense Against the Dark Arts how he'd grown up on a broom. Everyone from wizard families talked about Quidditch constantly.

Though most witches and wizards favored the flying sport, there were some that tended to want their feet firmly on the ground. Neville Longbottom for instance had never been allowed on a broom, his grandmother deeming it unsafe, though I'm sure it's more to the fact that the boy has an extraordinary amount of accidents on his record already. But in his opinion, there's no finer place than the ground. Hermione was also nervous about flying and we both know, no matter how many books she reads on flying, it will never fully prep her for the real thing.

The sky was clear with a light breeze, stands of my hair flying in my face. I spat out a piece that had landed in my mouth "Yuck."

Hermione looked at me "Oh look, all of the Slytherins are already here."

"Suck ups." I muttered.

The Slytherins were grouped around the grass, along with twenty school broomsticks, which like the twins said, where crooked and rumpled. Slowly but surely the rest of the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins made their way towards us and we all surrounded the teacher, Madam Hooch, who was a short woman who had gray hair and yellow eyes.

"Well what are you all waiting for? Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She barked.

Ron stood to Hermione's left while I took her right, Harry standing on the other side of me. I sent him a half-smile which he returned.

"Stick your right hand over your broom and say 'up'." She commanded.

"UP." Everyone shouted.

My broom shot up into my hand right away, so did Harry's, and a few others. Hermione's flopped over limply while Neville's hadn't even moved. Madam Hooch showed us how to mount our brooms without falling off the end and walked up and down the line readjusting grips. I smirked when I heard her tell Malfoy he had been doing it wrong for years. Harry looked at me "Finally something pretty boy can't do right."

"To right my friend, to right." I agreed. Wait, did I just call him my friend? Was he even?

Harry seemed to ignore it for the most part and kept on listening to Madam Hooch's instructions.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." She told us "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle—three—two—"

Neville had left the ground before the whistle had even touch Madam Hooch's lips. "Come back boy!" She cried, but Neville was shooting straight upward. You could see his scared white face look down at the ground and watched as he slid off the broom sideways.

WHAM— and he slammed into the unforgiving earth. His broom started to lazily drift toward the forbidden forest.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face white as well "Broken wrist. Come on boy, it's alright up you get."

She turned to us "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. (Someone muttered Quidditch which was responded with a few snickers.) Come on dear."

I shook my head "Poor guy."

But Malfoy had other ideas, as soon as they were out of earshot, had burst out laughing. Most of the Slytherins joining in. "Did you see his face, the great lump?"

"Shut up Malfoy." I snapped.

"Ooh sticking up for Longbottom?" Said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Potter."

"Look!" Malfoy exclaimed, lurching forward and grabbing something from the grass "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

Harry sighed "Come on Draco, give it here."

"Oh come on Potter, just having a bit of fun." Malfoy smirked "I think I'll play a little game with Longbottom. Hide-and-seek? I could put it up in a tree?"

"Malfoy." Harry started only to have Malfoy jump on his broom and shoot to the topmost branches of a nearby oak. Malfoy called down "Come and get it Potter."

Harry went to grab his broom and was about to mount when I grabbed his wrist and hissed "Don't you dare. Malfoy's just baiting you, we can magic the Remembrall down. Besides, if anything, you'll be the one who gets in trouble. Madam Hooch could walk out any second."

Our emerald eyes locked and we shared a moment of silence before he lightly shrugged my hand off and shoot off. He soared towards Malfoy, emitting whoops from the boys and gasps from the girls. He sharply turned towards Malfoy "Come on Draco. Besides, no Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck."

Malfoy frowned "Catch it if you can then!" He threw the glass ball into the air and streaked toward the ground.

Harry's eyes tracked the ball and he shot after it, hand leaning out to grab the ball determinedly in his grasp. He did a graceful loop in the air before landing lightly on the ground, tossing the ball from hand to hand, watching Malfoy with a grin.

"HARRY POTTER!"

We all winced, a kid muttered 'dammit, who was keeping watch?'

"Just because you're our new celebrity…" Snape drawled as he made his way towards us. "Doesn't mean you can disobey the rules."

"It wasn't his fault Professor." A Gryffindor just defended a Slytherin.

"Be quiet, Miss Patil."

"But Malfoy—"

"That's enough Mr. Weasley." And another Gryffindor. "Follow me now Potter."

Harry was smirking at Malfoy still, though he was just caught breaking a rule by the most hated professor at Hogwarts. He turned to wink at me, tossing me the Remembrall, as he followed the professor. I caught the ball effortlessly, still watching the retreating Slytherin.

Then, everything catching up to me, I twisted on my heel and slammed my fist into the face of one Draco Malfoy. Something I've wanted to do since I've met him.

CcCcCc

I sat in Professor McGonagall's office, twitching my leg nervously. She stared down at me from behind her glasses, leaning her rump against her desk. She watched me as I looked around her office, and held my gaze when I finally turned to her innocently.

"Miss Potter, do you know why you're in my office right now?" She began.

I smiled even more innocently, curling a strand of hair behind my ear "Not really Professor."

"You punched Mr. Malfoy in the face." She told me mildly.

I frowned "Yeah—but he took Neville's Remembrall and then got Ha- Potter in trouble because of it."

"I must assure you all Mr. Potter got was a mild detention." She informed me "Which you will be serving with him by the way. As for Mr. Longbottom's Remembrall, you could have gone to a teacher for help."

I sighed "Yeah I know, that's what I told Potter too, but by then he would have either broken it or lost it."

McGonagall frowned at me.

"Besides," I pressed "when Neville fell of the broom and all… Malfoy laughed… at him." I didn't realize where I was going with that protest, but it came out sounding weak and pathetic. "Oh whatever! I punched him! End of story."

"Violence is never the answer Miss Potter."

"Well in that moment of my life, it was." I shot back.

Professor McGonagall sniffed disapprovingly at me "Well Miss Potter you have four days detention with Filch," I blanched "along with fifty points taken from Gryffindor for attacking another student."

"Well is Malfoy at least getting punished!" I asked slightly outraged.

McGonagall just gave me a pointed stare "You may leave now Miss Potter, your detention starts tomorrow night."

I grumbled 'good bye' and walked out of her room dragging my feet, slamming the door with more force than I had intended. McGonagall reopened the door and glared at me. I smiled at her weakly, shrugging "Oops. Sorry."

First week of school and I already have my first weeks' worth of detention, first 'flying' lesson, made some friends, gained some enemies and learned that punching students will get you a weeks' worth of detention and the docking of fifty house points. I guess I just have to be sneakier next time. Or maybe I need to learn how to punch harder. Either way, it was defiantly worth it.