The next person to arrive was Ainsley Cochlain.

Ainsley arrived with her wand at the ready in her right hand and when she spotted the three people she didn't recognize, she snuck upon them from behind, pointed her wand over their heads, and cried, "Confettiicus Fallicus!"

Next nanosecond, Jennifer, Jessica, and Julia found themselves showered by red and green confetti.

"PRANKED!" exclaimed Ainsley from behind as the J Club girls grinned and giggled.

Turning around in their seats, Jennifer, Jessica, and Julia saw Ainsley grinning and giggling herself.

"You must be Ainsley Cochlain," cooed Jennifer, "Devon, Todd, Miles, and Gary have told us about you and how you are a bit of a prankster!"

"I just looked for the three people I didn't recognize and knew they were the J Club girls," smirked Ainsley, "It was fun to prank you three for the first time. Which of you is which though?"

Jennifer, Jessica, and Julia all identified themselves and Jennifer piped up, "We like pranks too, though we like to pull them infrequently to catch our "victims" of guard."

"Who are the most frequent targets of the J Club girls' pranks?" inquired Ainsley.

"Historically, each other," admitted Jessica, "But more recently, Todd, Miles, and Gary."

"Their willingness to be on the receiving end of our pranks and be good sports about it has been a major catalyst in our blossoming friendship with them," beamed Julia.

"You know," said Miles thoughtfully, "The J Club girls often compliment Todd, Gary, and me for being good sports about being on the receiving end of their pranks. But the great thing about it is that we actually enjoy being pranked by the J Club Girls."

"And it seems like they enjoyed being pranked by me as well," observed Ainsley, "Seeing as they grinned and giggled as much as I did."

"It's important to understand," interjected Gary, "That the J Club Girls do follow certain rules when pranking, "One of their biggest rules of pranking is to avoid any pranks that would permanently damage someone's personal property. For example, they would NEVER draw on someone's favorite shoes in permanent ink or anything like that."

"For the most part," added Todd, "They also restrict themselves to pranks that are short lasting where the effects can be gone after a few minutes and a few nanoseconds. For example, they would never sneak someone itching powder that would last, say, seventy two hours."

"They really do keep it low key and lighthearted," confirmed Devon, who had recently gotten to know the J Club girls himself, "Much like you, Ainsley. Ice cubes down the back from behind, dropping water balloons, pranks involving balloon bits or confetti, silly stuff like that."

"I think the J Club girls and I are going to get on like a house of cards on fire," declared Ainsley cheerfully.

"Ainsley is a very talented witch with a wand in her hand," said Samantha kindly, "Only Lily is better at Charms in my year."

"True," smiled Ainsley, "Although most of the pranks I do don't require magic. I could have dumped a bag of confetti on the J Club Girls from behind and it wouldn't have been that much different, That's what the J Club girls have to do with their pranks seeing as they are muggles."

Jennifer, Jessica, and Julia nodded in confirmation. Though none of them were jealous. They were at peace with their lot in life as muggles and found it "cool" to see witches and wizards perform "fun" kinds of spells of magic.

"I see you are also in the Christmas spirit, Ainsley, " smiled Samantha, "Seeing as you made the confetti red and green. It'll go quite well with the chairs here when Jennifer, Jessica, and Julia have brushed it off themselves."

"Exactly, Samantha," replied Ainsley brightly, "It's absolutely awesome how we can spend Christmas Vacation together with all our friends here AND have our parents still be able to see us over Christmas Vacation. It's literally the best of both worlds."

"Exactly, " agreed Samantha, "That's the nice thing about this place being so big with the ability to be made bigger. And it is my absolute pleasure to have you all here for Christmas Vacation. "

"And it's our pleasure to come here," spoke a new voice.

Rachel Robins had just arrived.

"Hi, Rachel," smiled Samantha, and she proceeded to introduce the J Club girls and Rachel to each other.

"You all know how Devon is about being first," said Samanta matter of factly, "But after him, I decided that those not currently attending Hogwarts would come here first. The six muggles and the two currently either attending or working at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing."

"You know," mused Rachel, "Even as someone who genuinely enjoys my work, Christmas Vacation is coming at a very good time for me. I need a break from the more serious environment of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing."

"So do I," nodded Ainsley, "This is a great opportunity to relax, refresh, and reset before the next semester begins."

"The current Hogwarts students who are members of the now Circle of Twenty Three shall start arriving in a few minutes and a few nanoseconds."

"How do you like being a Hogwarts student?" Jennifer grilled Samantha.

"I've made some great friends and had some great experiences at Hogwarts," acknowledged Samantha, "My parents were pissed when I first went away to Hogwarts because of how far from home it is. But the reality of the matter is that there are no magical schools for witches and wizards in my homeland of Arizona, my mom and dad are muggles and therefore could not homeschool me in magic, and I needed to be trained in magic so that I could learn to control my magic. Due to the combination of those three factors, I had to leave Arizona to be educated in the Magical Arts and that's just the way it is no matter much mom and dad hated it."

"It's like Gandalf says in The Lord of the Rings," reasoned Rachel, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. We get dealt certain hands in life and have to deal with them. Sometimes you're holding a sixteen and the dealer's up card is a ten. I say it's better to hit than to surrender."

"My parents have become more at peace with my status as a Hogwarts student over time," said Samantha matter of factly, "Though they still wish that there was a school of magic for witches and wizards in Arizona. Speaking of Hogwarts, the first of the current Hogwarts students are about due to arrive here."

A shout out to the following members who have added Lily Luna Potter and the New Era of Hogwarts to their favorites and/or follows lists since the last update:

Tegusis

Much love from Arizona for all the support. Love you all-Michael. :)