Perhaps the hardest part about keeping her new knowledge of the third floor corridor secret from Harry (and Ron, she added as an afterthought) was the fact that she had met Albus Dumbledore, their Headmaster and known wizarding hero. She remembered Harry's first chocolate frog, the card of which portrayed Albus Dumbledore to them for the first time on the Hogwarts Express. They hadn't asked Professor Snape about him at all during their short time together in Diagon Alley, but Magnolia at least learned quickly (mostly from Hermione) about his feats, including his famous battle against Grindewald, a dark wizard of the 20th century. History of Magic classes hadn't made it to that point in history yet, but according to Hermione, Grindewald held prejudiced views against Muggles, and had intended to uproot the wizarding world from secrecy into regency - But Dumbledore stopped him before his plan came to fruition.

She wondered what was hidden in the vault, now in Hogwarts. What is the deadly thing Dumbledore had warned them of, that first night, on par with the Forbidden Forest? What kind of value did such a thing have that it was worth keeping in a school for safekeeping? And was it really safe keeping it around when there were students all around it? It wasn't as though the third floor was barred off. Anyone could just...

Magnolia shook the thoughts away. It was the morning after warning Professor Quirrell and meeting Headmaster Dumbledore, and she had flying lessons to get to. She wasn't bad, even was quite good, but she didn't need these thoughts distracting her when they were headed thirty feet into the air. She shuddered at the thought, remembering hearing about Neville Longbottom's fall. She may not have been scared of heights, but that didn't mean she wasn't an extremely safe flyer.

She stabbed her flapjacks with a fork and chewed as Susan and Hannah chatted excitably about their previous charms lesson, in which they learned their first charm, Wingardium Leviosa. Magnolia, along with Ernie and Justin, had managed to make their feathers quite a few feet up. She wondered where the Gryffindors were on in the lesson plan and stabbed her flapjacks again with more gusto.

Why did she have to be in Hufflepuff?

" You managed to perform the spell, didn't you, Magnolia?" Asked Susan. " What did you do different?"

" Just what Flitwick said," answered the girl. " Swish and flick."

Hermione had probably gotten it on the first try... Ron was her partner, so he probably got it soon after... Harry -

She frowned. She'd never spent so long without Harry. She always knew what was up with him, but here at Hogwarts, she had no idea how he was doing with his magic. He was always brilliant in school (except for maths), but that didn't translate into the wizarding world. She knew he was great at flying - Good enough to join the Gryffindor team. But they'd only just started their charms work... Herbology, they were both decent at, but they didn't really perform magic there... Potions was challenging for them both, but luckily they'd read their textbooks fervently since learning of Professor Snape's frame of mind when it came to the subject (they both shared a want to impress the rude, sardonic man who saved them from the Dursley's), and transfiguration, well, it wasn't that hard to turn your match into a needle. Hermione had gotten it on her first day, and Harry and Ron were quick to follow after some homework, as was she. They'd moved on to beetles and buttons, and she hadn't thought yet to ask - She was interrupted by something in her peripheral vision. Ugh.

She wished that Zacharias Smith would stop staring at her scar.

The boy seemed to notice he'd been caught, and broke into a grin before returning to his conversation with Cedric Diggory. She glared at him a while longer before returning to her conversation with her fellow first years.

" If you ask me, the bloke fancies you," whispered Ernie Macmillan. Magnolia choked.

" Don't be stupid, Ernie," said Susan. She turned to Magnolia. " I bet you're real tired of that, eh?"

" Tired of what, being the most popular girl in school?" Drawled Ernie. Magnolia turned her hateful gaze to him. She wondered offhandedly if it was this thoughtlessness that led to her and Harry's social successes. The thought made her very, very sad. She knew she would want to be friends with Hermione no matter what... She liked to think it was the same vice versa.

" Use your brain, Ern," said Justin, more amicably than Magnolia would have herself. " Would you want that to be you?"

" I'd have nightmares," agreed Hannah. Susan nodded strongly, Mm-hmming in agreement.

" I do have nightmares," said Magnolia, immediately wishing she hadn't. That was nobody's business but hers and her brothers - Luckily, her fellow Puffs had the decency to not look pitiful, but understanding, nodding at her solemnly. Even Ernie.

" Sorry, Po - Magnolia," he said. Magnolia couldn't help it. She smiled at him, forgiving what he said quickly.

She was in a good mood, after all. Even though she was sitting at the Hufflepuff table, conversations flowed as easily with them as they did with her and Harry's mutual friends. Magnolia had learned both Susan and Hannah were more understanding of her position than she'd believed her first morning of Hogwarts. They'd never spoken of her behind her back since (at least not when she was around to hear it), and proved to be the kind of people that Magnolia was much less afraid of being around. Patient and loyal, just like how Hufflepuff's were described. Susan even clapped in front of a classmates face when she'd recognized Magnolia was being stared at again. Magnolia couldn't hold a grudge, she figured some days ago, after Sidney had convinced her not to leave the Hufflepuff first years to themselves. After all, hadn't Hermione been starstruck herself? And Ron?

She didn't want to throw away these potential friendships, which surprised her. She'd only ever really needed Harry. But now that she had a taste of friendship, the real, loyal kind, she wasn't willing to let go of it.

" A picture will last longer," she snapped to Zacharias upon catching him again. He laughed, obnoxiously, and Cedric snapped his fingers in front of Smith's face, urging him to continue their Quidditch conversation. Susan rolled her eyes at them, trying to offer another annoyed look, a condolence measure, towards Magnolia, but the girl was already distracted again.

God, flying lessons.

Harry hadn't realized in his eleven years of living with Magnolia how much he'd miss her when she'd be gone. Sure, he had many weeks in absence of her when it came to the Dursleys - punishments came as often as breakfast - but he'd never spent an entire month without her in his class, or eating meals with her as seldom as he did now (he mentally imagined what hex Sidney had experienced from a Gryffindor, the way she seemed to hate Magnolia sitting with them, days without her chipper 'Goodmorning's and nights without her chatting with him through the walls.

He never realized quite how harrowing his life with the Dursley's was. He'd have to reflect on that later.

But moreover, he never realized how much he just... liked his sisters company. He liked hearing her mumble as they did their homework together, in their afterschool hours, he liked to hear her savage opinions on bullies like Dudley, he liked sharing his own sassy quips with only her to hear them, to understand him as deeply as she did.

Ron was a wonderful roommates, and this often took his mind off of things, but eating Breakfast now with a strangely quiet Hermione and an excited Ron chattering about Quidditch, seeing his sister from across the Great Hall and not being able to catch her eye, he wondered if she missed him just the same.

His eyes cast to the professor's table, and he caught Quirrell, staring ahead as he'd been this entire meal, and got the strange feeling he may be staring at the same person Harry was thinking of...

He stabbed his fried potatoes and nodded at Ron's question, whatever it was.

" I suppose it could be both," said Ron thoughtfully.

" Huh?" Asked Harry, stirred from his thoughts. " What?"

" You know," said Ron, dropping his voice into a whisper. " The thing hidden in the third floor corridor."

" Oh... What did you say it could be?" Harry asked, confused.

" Have you been paying attention?" Asked Ron, looking amused.

" No," admit Harry.

" He said it could be valuable or dangerous," Hermione snapped suddenly, surprising both Harry and Ron.

" What are you so angry for?" Ron asked.

" Slept in," Hermione mumbled, looking through her schoolbag, probably for homework.

" No you didn't, you came out same time as us," Ron said, amused once more.

" Slept late, then," said Hermione, still foraging in her bag.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said,

HARRY POTTER

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE. It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor M. McGonagall

Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.

" A Nimbus Two Thousand!" The redhead moaned enviously. " I've never even touched one." Meanwhile, Hermione pretended not to notice the broom at all, busying herself with orange juice.

" Come on, let's go check it out," said Ron, not taking notice of her.

They left the Hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first lesson, but halfway across the Entrance Hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

" That's a broomstick," he said hotly, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. " You'll be for it this time, Potter, first-years aren't allowed them."

Ron couldn't resist it.

" It's not any old broomstick," he said. " It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. " Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus." 'What would you know about it, Weasley you couldn't afford half the handle,' Malfoy snapped back. " I suppose you and your brothers have to save up, twig by twig.' Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

" Not arguing, I hope, boys?" He squeaked.

" Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

" Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. " Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

" A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir,' said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. " And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.

" Oh, how I love friendships that transcend houses," sighed Professor Flitwick dreamily, tuttering as he walked by. " Good day, Miss Granger!"

" Good day," piped Hermione, who they hadn't noticed was following them at their heels.

Malfoy turned to Harry, pale face red and eyebrows furrowed together. " Royal Potter here gets a broomstick for breaking the rules. Don't suppose you'll make a habit of that? Famous Potter, the star of Hogwarts?" He scoffed. " Guess that's better off than your Puff sister. Where is she, by the way? Crying cuz she hasn't got the brawn to be with her loser friends?"

" Lot braver than you are in the air," said Harry, glaring at his nemesis. " Suppose you've gained some, with your muscle behind you."

Crabbe (Goyle?) cracked his knuckles.

" I could take you any time, any where," said Draco.

" Prove it," said Ron, chest puffed. Malfoy smirked.

" A wizards duel. Here at midnight."

Harry opened his mouth, but Hermione beat him to it.

" I've got it on good ears that you've been conniving, trying to get Harry to meet you somewhere at night," said Hermione, meeting Harry at the front lines. " The Slytherin Prefects aren't standing for it, though. And if you think I'll let Harry fall for that one, you're less bright than your fellow Slytherins."

" Mind your business," spat Malfoy. " You filthy mudblood."

Ron tackled Malfoy there, and Harry's eyes widened, and Hermione shrieked, and as he was grabbed Ron's shoulders to pull him up, Goyle (Crabbe?) punched him in the face, and it wasn't until another outcry that everyone stopped moving, except Hermione, desperately pulling Ron off of the blonde brat under him.

" Mr Weasley! What are you doing?" Professor McGonagall demanded, shaking with rage.

" Getting back at this prick," said Ron, struggling out of Hermione's arms, face red with fury, but not stooping to attack again.

" Mr Weasley! Language!" Said Professor McGonagall. " I am absolutely disgusted! Never, in all my years... A muggle's brawl in the Great Hall?"

" Perhaps, Professor McGonagall," said Professor Snape, who was behind her, peering suspiciously at the boys and Hermione. " It was a matter of... House pride?" He framed it as a question, only minutely asking what had provoked Ron.

" It wasn't," spat Ron. " He called Hermione a mudblood, professor."

Professor Snape rose a brow as Professor McGonagall began to shout at Malfoy, lioness-like, leaving Harry and Hermione quite scared.

Professor McGonagall took a breath in respite, glaring between the students. " Ten points from Slytherin and Gryffindor. I am disgusted with both of your behaviors. You will be serving detention with me - tonight, up until the week ends." Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Harry elbowed him harshly. Professor Snape, meanwhile, was asking around the room for witnesses.

" It was Malfoy, sir," piped up a girl Harry recognized from Herbology. " It's exactly as they said. He - " She caught Crabbe or Goyles glare and blushed, peeping up and looking at the floor. Snape eyed her strangely, not noticing this latter detail, before turning to a Gryffindor Harry shared a room with, Neville Longbottom. He widened his eyes at the round-faced boy, trying to somehow tell him to tell Snape something - But he didn't need to.

" I heard Malfoy try to start a wizards duel, and when Hermione told him it wasn't allowed, he called her a - a you-know-what."

McGonagall's eyebrow twitched. " A wizards duel?"

" No way," said Malfoy. " I didn't say any such thing. He's just - "

" Perhaps it is time to involve Veritaserum, Professor McGonagall," said Professor Snape. McGonagall's face blanched.

" Really... On students... First years! On our first semester! Never heard of any such thing... Come on then, all of you. To my office. Now."