The calendar had turned to September, marking an end to Hogwarts summer break. Frisk was woken up early to go through her trunk two more times to make sure all her robes were packed, her academical supplies had been secured, and everything from board games to the magic-accepting phones she got for Christmas last year had been packed away.

While Asgore and the kids were assembling their luggage, Toriel was making blueberry pancakes served with a side of crispy bacon. "We're going to miss you all, you know. It doesn't get any easier doing this the second time, or the third," Asgore told them. This not-revelation caused the three of them to flush pink. Frisk had to assume it was true for Asriel too, but he showed his embarrassment in other ways.

The ministry car arrived promptly at nine AM, a silver Toyota Avalon, pretty much a standard sedan on the outside. On the inside, though, it could fit everybody and everything they needed to bring. All in a vehicle that was slightly smaller than Papyrus's convertible. The whole "bigger on the inside" thing took some getting used to. With one last look at the home they wouldn't see until near Christmas, they piled into the car.

"You know, Frisk," Chara said as they buckled themselves in. "What did you choose as your second elective? I don't think you ever told us." The ministry wizard started the car, and they began head towards London.

"Arithmancy," Frisk said. "Mostly because I had to pick something. Non-magical human studies sounds more practical, but I don't need it. I grew up without magic. I mean, even monsters homes aren't that different than some of the foster homes I saw."

"Just tell us what you think of it," Asriel said, grinning at her. "So we know whether we should take it or not."

"I was really hoping that Mom would get the job of teaching soul magic," Frisk admitted. "That's something I would have liked to learn."

"Just because I am not teaching does not mean you cannot learn," Toriel said reprovingly. "I am sure we can find some books from the old underground library."

"Librarby," Asriel said, his grin growing wider.

"Library," repeated Toriel, trying hard not to smile herself. "I wish you had said something sooner, we could be sending them to school with you. But no matter. We will send them to you with the first owl."

It wasn't that far from their home on the outskirts of Devonshire to London, and all too soon, they had arrived at the station. The monsters had to wear cloaks with disillusionment charms on them again, and still were escorted directly by the ministry to the barrier separating King's Cross proper with Platform 9 and Three Quarters. Not that this bothered anyone, it meant Frisk could have her parents present to say goodbye. It was a far cry from the suspicion that the ministry had for the monsters in her first year.

They bumped into the Creeveys almost immediately. "Hey Dennis," Chara said, waving. Dennis, if Frisk remembered correctly, was in her siblings' year. His older brother Colin was a year ahead of Frisk, and went nowhere without his camera.

"Oh! Hey Chara, Asriel! Colin, look!" Dennis called back, pointing. "Have a good summer?" he said as they got closer. The parents of the two Creeveys did a double take as they saw Asgore and Toriel, but managed wry grins. "Colin, why don't you get a picture of them!"

"Colin," said Mr. Creevey said gently as Colin quickly pulled his camera out. "What have we said about taking pictures?"

"Oh," Colin said. "Uh, Mister, Miss, Dreemurr? Would you mind if I took a picture of all of you together?"

"He just likes taking pictures," Frisk said as her parents shared a surprise glance. "I think he's taken a photo of everyone in our house in one time or another."

"Well, I guess that would be okay," Toriel said, smiling. "Let's go over to the wall here, get out of the way. You can be on the left Frisk, Chara on the Right, and Asriel in the middle? Don't squeeze too much in Asgore!"

There was a bit more scrunching and grumbling, Chara didn't particularly like having her picture taken by anyone, but eventually they lined up so Colin could get his photo. They talked a bit more with the Mr. and Mrs. Creevey. As Frisk understood it, a single wizard child from non-magical parents was uncommon, bordering on rare. Two such wizard children in one family was practically unheard of.

"Toriel," Mrs. Creevey said. "Do you mind if I ask a personal question?" She lowered her voice to a quiet tone, barely heard over the noise of the crowd. "Do you feel comfortable sending your children to Hogwarts, after what happened to Cedric?"

Mr. Creevey instantly stiffened, and it looked like Colin and Dennis were just about ready to bolt towards the train. Frisk felt her heart break a little. If only...

"As much as I ever have," Toriel said. "You got the same letter about Cedric we did, I imagine. I don't think anyone is going to lay siege to Hogwarts. It's still probably the safest place in the magical world after the ministry itself. At the very least, there will be no Tri-Wizard tournament to provide cover for them this year. They'll be fine, Mrs. Creevey."

"I just hope your right. It's scary to think about," she told them, trying to smile, and not quite succeeding. "I just don't want something to happen and not be able to protect them. I mean, I don't know what I would do anyway. This magic is..." she fumbled the train of thought and tried again. "How do you protect someone from something you don't understand?"

"I can relate," Asgore rumbled. "We don't have human magic either." He looked speculative for a moment. "Would you like to meet in Diagon alley after the train leaves and talk about it? We can have lunch at Grillby's."

Mr. Creevey was taken by surprise. "I think me and my wife would like that a lot, sir."

The train's whistle blew. "But, there's something we have to do, first," Toriel said. With that, the Dreemurr's headed for the train, to exchange final hugs, promises to both be safe, and to write the moment they got to the Gryffindor common room.

It was enough that Frisk was pretty sure that Asriel's ears were turning red enough to be seen through his fur.

Dragging their trunks, they climbed aboard the train. Chara and Asriel bumped into someone they knew almost immediately, a red haired girl in a smart blue shirt and skirt combination. "Hey, Mafalda," Chara said. "We solved one of the puzzles with her last term," she told Frisk. "Have a good summer?"

"I did," Mafalda said excitedly. "And..." she began.

"Hey, we're going to grab a compartment," Colin said, "Why don't you join us? There's not many of them of them left empty."

"I'm going to find Steven, Luna, and Ginny," Frisk told them. "Go ahead, I'll catch up with you two later," so saying, she headed deeper in the train. She finally found Luna, and Ginny towards the back of the train. To her surprise, Harry was there as well, and Luna had a copy of the quibbler, which she was reading upside down, which wasn't as great a surprise.

"We're saving seats for Ron and Hermione," Ginny explained. "But it's okay, Frisk. There's still room for a few more."

Frisk looked at her, than at Harry. The older boy looked inscrutable, but he finally shrugged, and Frisk took that as an invitation to sit down with them. "Have a good summer?"

"I did, Ginny, thank you."

The trip to Hogwarts was surprisingly eventful. Neville stopped in, showing off a gift he'd gotten for his birthday, his Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Which, as far as Frisk could tell, the material they made dungbombs from. It blasted a sap that was among the worst things that Frisk had ever smelled, managing to hit Harry and Frisk in large amounts. "Sorry," Neville said, helping Ginny to clean it off with a Scourgify charm before pocketing his toad and hurrying off again. An older Ravenclaw stopped in while they were doing it, that Luna identified later as Cho Chang (and Cedric's former girlfriend, so that was even worse).

Opal and Steven swung into the compartment to borrow the missing students seats for a little bit, and they discussed what they'd done on holiday.

"Well, if anyone was going to take up muggle self defense," Ginny said, grinning at Opal, "It would be you. Just don't expect me to want to try it out myself."

"It'd be good for you," Opal protested. She seemed about to say something else, but her eyes darted to Harry for a moment, and swallowed her words. "What about you, Steven? Good summer?"

Frisk's potion partner from Slytherin shrugged. "Honestly, it was kind of boring. Read a lot. People were trying to politic my parents, but they weren't having it. So we didn't go out much."

"What's that?" Ginny asked.

"My Dad is the Wizengamot." That got everyone's attention. "He was at you trial, he voted not guilty. But there was pressure on him from certain members of the ministry before hand," Steven said quietly. That was sobering. "What about you, Ginny?" Steven asked, forcing a bit of cheer into his voice. "Good summer?"

"Yeah, it was alright. I had a good time," Ginny said. "I've been practicing quidditch," she admitted. "I want to try out for the house team next year, as a chaser, when Angelina graduates."

"You'll be up against Asriel, and maybe Chara," Frisk told her. "Dad thinks it'd be a great idea to get involved in sports, though he doesn't push it on me."

Opal didn't respond right away, her eyes were closed. "Oh, I'm sorry Opal," Ginny said. "Did... did you still want to try out for the team?"

Opal, already in her Hufflepuff robes, opened her eyes to stare out the window. Then sighed. "I think so. I was going to try out as a beater, even if we need a seeker now. I think he would have wanted me... well, I mean I know he would have wanted us to keep going."

"You're right," Harry said. "Cedric was a great bloke. I still have nightmares about what happened."

Opal turned around so quickly that it gave Frisk a bit of a jump scare. "What did happen, Harry? Please, I'd really like to know." It really wasn't Frisk's place to say, but she remembered how much pressure Hogwarts could put on a person when students knew there was a story to tell. It might be better just to get it out of the way.

Harry looked ashamed. "I'd really rather not talk about it, Opal," he began, before he was saved by Hermione and Ron walking in.

"Where were you two?" Opal asked.

"We were at the front of the train for a prefect meeting," Hermione told her.

"Oh, congratulations," said Frisk, and everyone echoed the sentiment. "I know you'll make good prefects," she said, smiling. But with the pair of them back, the compartment was a little too full for anyone's taste. So Steven and Opal said their fairwells and went back to sit elsewhere.

With the newly badged Prefects back, there was a discussion of who, among the new fifth years, had become prefects. Most of them were people Frisk hadn't heard of. But there was one she knew kind of well, Draco Malfoy. When his name came up, Harry gave Frisk a rather hard look. It made Frisk uncomfortable, her sister had the name Malfoy at birth, if he was going to give her that look, how was he going to treat Chara? It certainly didn't get any better when Draco invaded their box, lording his prefect badge over Harry. And why were Harry and Hermione exchanging nervous glances afterward? What had Draco said that had gotten under their skin?

"I meant to ask, Frisk, you were attacked by dementors too?" Hermione asked as the sun began to sink lower. "That's what Harry said at the trial."
Frisk confirmed this, and told her story.

"I wonder if they were the same dementors," Hermione mused. "Any idea if they were sent or if they were rogues?"

"Dad was going to look into that," Frisk said, "With Madam Bones. But I've not heard anything." The train rolled on.

Luna dropped her copy of The Quibbler at one point, and the three older students had a bit of a laugh over some of the things that had printed this month, only for Frisk and Ginny to both defend their friend. The weather was murky as they got into Hogsmeade. The students wandered out one at a time to change into their robes.

Ron and Hermione left the compartment first, apparently, they were supposed to be on the watch if anything went wrong. Ginny left just ahead of Frisk, with Harry staring open mouthed at something out the window. "You okay, Harry?" Frisk asked.

"I think so?" Harry said as they exited the carriages, Luna carrying Ron's new owl. Then he approached the carriages, and grabbed at Ron's arm. "No, you can see them right?"

"See what, Harry?" Ron replied blankly. Harry let him go, and Ron climbed into the carriage.

"I've always been able to see them," Luna said, smiling her smile at Harry. "You're just as sane as I am."

"He can see what?" Frisk said, blankly. "Is there some reason people can't see those winged skeletal horses?" But the question went unanswered, and Frisk hurried to find a carriage with an open seat.

For a change, Frisk was relaxed as she sat down about midway up the Gryffindor table on side of the hall. She wasn't facing the sorting. She didn't have siblings who were about to get sorted and had nightmares of ending up in Slytherin. She could simply enjoy the sorting, and enjoy the feast afterward.

Chara and Asriel sat down next to her, clearly thinking similar thoughts. Dennis was on their other side, just as excited as he was last year. "Hey, where's Hagrid?" Dennis asked, causing the entire section to look up towards the staff table. He was pretty obviously missing. It would have been easier to overlook a mountain the miss Hagrid at the staff table.

"Miss Grubbly-Plank is here," Ginny told them, sitting a bit down the other way. "I saw her at the train station. She covered for Hagrid last term for a bit. But I don't know where that means he is."

Frisk frowned. Other members of Gryffindor had spoken highly of Professor Hagrid, and she'd the chance to meet him once in her first year. It was one of the reasons she'd elected to take Care of Magical Creatures. It didn't change her decision, but she did wonder what had happened. That's when she saw the person who had joined the staff table.

She poked Asriel hard enough that he gave a yipe. "That's her, remember? She was at the announcement that you were going to be allowed to carry a wand," Frisk said, pointing at short, semi-squat woman who resembled nothing more than a froggit in a bright, medicine pink cardigan. "She was at Harry's trial, too. She tried to call into question me saying what happened."

They were interrupted from this discussion by the arrival of Professor McGonagall, the new first year students, and the sorting hat. Which, as it had Frisk's previous two years, broke into song.

"That was some warning, wasn't it?" Asriel asked afterward.

"I thought it was pretty good advice, actually," Frisk responded, before McGonagall stared out into the speaking students in the great hall, silencing all of them.

After the sorting, Dumbledore basically refused to give a speech, and instead invited them to eat. And frankly, after that train ride, Frisk was famished. After the food came the start of term notices and announcements, the Dark Forest was out of bounds – as usual. Mr. Filch had a reminder there was no magic to be used to in the corridors. And there was two staff changes to announce.

Frisk, and probably most of the hall, had already guessed what those two changes was. Though he announced that Professor Grubbly-Plank would be 'Taking Care' of Care of Magical Creatures, which wasn't the same way the he introduced Ms. Umbridge.

What Frisk wasn't prepared for was the new professor's speech. Prof. Umbridge seemed to be saying a lot without actually saying anything. Frisk, in fact, felt her focus slipping, something that usually only happened in History of Magic. In fact, her mind had so wandered that it took Asriel poking her to realize Chara was trying to get her attention.

"Progress for progress's sake must be stopped?" Chara repeated, her eyes narrowed. "She's not actually talking about Asriel, is she?"

"She can't have meant that, not really," Frisk said. "I mean, Asriel has the support of the ministry, right?" But her mind was snapped to the present, and she focused on the rest of the speech, which really did have some uncomfortable tones to it.

"I don't know what she did mean, then," Chara said, as they were about to head up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. "Has Dumbledore changed something else that the ministry is upset with?"

"Wait," Frisk said, interrupting the thought. She fished a bag out of her pocket. The bag contained two separate plastic bags, containing both cookies and cat treats, and a note on the outside. "I want to put this on Mr. Filch's door before we go up. They detoured towards the caretaker's office.

"Didn't you try this once before?" Asriel asked. "In your first year? I remember you saying something about it."

"I did. But I'm not ready to stop trying," Frisk said, as Asriel and Chara exchanged a knowing look. "But, well, as for the ministry, maybe it has to do with Harry's trial, or his claim that the big V is back," she suggested. "The minister was really unhappy with the way he started preparing for a return to war. Uh..." she stared at up at the portrait of the Fat Lady. "I don't suppose anyone caught the password."

A/N: Sorry about the long time between updates. It's not as easy as the first book. But there's a subplot I really want to get to, so I promise I'll keep working at it.
And as always, thanks for reading! - TZ