XII. Baffling

To frustrate or confound, thwart by creating confusion or bewilderment.

The day has finally come, the day students return to Hogwarts. Jayla feels excited but worries about her Mum's vision from a few weeks ago. She gets up from bed, quickly making it before getting dressed, and spots Hades fast asleep in her new little bed. Jayla got it for her on the cat's first birthday last week, now being a full-grown adult but hardly acts like it all the time.

Jayla packs the last of her things, including the new decorations for the dorm room, toiletries and Hades' toys. The young Heiress lets the feline sleeps as she gets everything ready and hears little feet running toward her room. The door suddenly slams open, startling Hades awake and causing her to jump out of bed to see Jayla's younger siblings. "Jay, tell them to stop doing that. I'll have grey hairs before long!" Hades complains, making Jayla laugh at her before turning to her siblings.

"Mase, Yazz, that's the third time this week. You've got to knock or not slam the door. You're scaring poor Hades." Jayla warns them, making them hang their heads in shame.

"Sorry, Jayjay." Mason mumbles.

"Sorry, Lala." Yazmin apologises, making Jayla smiles at their apology and looks down at Hades, who sits in front of them, waiting for their apology.

"Sorry, Hades." They apologise, hanging their heads.

"Apology accepted." Hades agrees, nodding at the young Heiress.

"Hades accepts. Now. Can you help me with my bags?" Jayla asks them, and Yazmin eagerly picks up Hades' new pet carrier, who slips inside. Mason picks up her shoulder bag, and the Heiress takes her trunk downstairs, where their parents are waiting for them with Mr Goodman and the car.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The car journey to King's Cross Station is uncomfortable, with Jayla's siblings clinging to her arms with vice-like grips. Though Sophia isn't as bad as last time, she will still miss her daughter. The Darkmore family make it half an hour earlier, and Jayla runs through the barrier with Yazmin on the front of her trolley and Mason beside her. Sophia and Daniel go behind them as the children make their way to the luggage compartment, handing over the large and heavy white trunk to the train attendant, who greets them with a kind smile. Jayla keeps hold of Hades' pet carrier and shoulder bag when she hears someone shout her name. "Jayla!" Hermione shouts, running toward her best friend. "There you are!" The young Heiress turns around to see her best friend and Muggle parents behind her. The best friends hug each other, though it wasn't long since they'd seen each other last.

"Come on, girls, get aboard." Daniel tells them, and Jayla hugs her family one last time.

"'I'll miss you all." Jayla smiles and goes to step onto the train with Hermione, but Sophia stops her.

"Jayla. Please, no more looking for trouble." Sophia pleads with her.

"I will. I promise." She replies and gives her mother one last hug before boarding the train, the girls find their compartment and sit by the window, waving goodbye to their families and waiting for the boys, but the train whistle blows, signalling their departure.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Just before the train whistle sounds, Arthur parts his Ford Anglia outside King's Cross Station as numerous people walk past the large family. Harry looks around, feeling excited to return to Hogwarts, and he spots a formal-looking car in front with an older man sitting in the driver's seat, seeming to be waiting for someone. Ron pulls his friend along as the rest of the Weasley family rush inside the crowded station.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The Weasley family and Harry desperately run inside the station to catch the Hogwarts Express before it leaves. "10:58. Come on, come on!" Arthur yells over the loud bustling platform.

"Train will be leaving any moment!" Molly exclaims, dragging her daughter along, not wanting her to get lost in the crowd.

"Fred, George, Percy, you first!" He orders his sons, and Fred pushes his cart through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾, followed by Percy and George.

"Okay." She encourages her daughter, smiling and patting Ginny on the back, who pushes her cart at a run through the wall. Molly and Arthur watch their only daughter with a smile.

"After you, dear," Mr Weasley says, allowing his wife to walk through the barrier, both disappearing immediately following her.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Molly finds Ginny gawking at the bright red train. "Come on, Ginny. We'll get you a seat. Hurry!" She nudges her daughter closer, letting the girl get on the train while Arthur takes her things to the luggage department with the boys, but there's no sign of Harry or Ron. Molly walks along the platform, trying to find some familiar faces and comes across the Darkmore and Granger family.

"Ginny!" Jayla calls out through the open window, having spotted the family of redheads running across the platform. "Mrs Weasley, Ginny can stay with us!"

"Thank you." Molly beams and helps Ginny onto the train. The young girl jogs to join the girls inside the compartment, happy to see some familiar faces that aren't her brothers.

"Thank you," Ginny mutters, sitting next to Hermione.

"Course. Where are Harry and Ron?" Hermione asks, looking at Ginny, who shrugs. Jayla shares a look of worry with her best friend, wondering where the boys could be.

"We should wait a little longer. We'll go look for them." Jayla suggests, looking at the girls.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Meanwhile, on the other side of the barrier, Harry and Ron stand with their trolleys about to go through. "Let's go," Harry says to his best friend, who nods, and the two boys push their carts directly at the wall. However, instead of passing through the Magical barrier, the boys crash into the brick wall, falling onto the ground, losing control of their cart as they try not to hit each other and fall over. Hearing the crash, a station agent stops talking to a woman and approaches the boys as they reach their feet, groaning from their bump into the ground.

"Oi! What do you two think you're doing?" The man snaps at them, stepping in front of the boys.

"Sorry. Lo-Lost control of the trolley," Harry lies, and the agent shakes his head, muttering to himself, walking away. "Why can't we get through?" The raven-haired boy glances at Ron.

"I don't know," Ron replies, touching the wall with his hand, discovering the bricks are solid. "The gateway's sealed itself for some reason." Harry touches the wall, too, to see the barrier is closed.

"The train leaves at exactly 11:00. We've missed it!" He exclaims, hearing a nearby clock chime and turns around to see it reading 11 o'clock precisely.

"Harry… if we can't get through, maybe Mum and Dad can't get back," The redheaded boy freaks out, glancing at the same clock in horror and turning back to his friend.

"Maybe we should just go and wait by the car," The ravenette suggests, trying to devise a plan for their dilemma.

"The car…" Ron mutters, coming up with a horrible idea, and Harry glances at him, wondering what he's got in mind.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Harry and Ron leave the station to the front, where the Ford Anglia is parked, and the redhead gets into the driver's seat. "This is mad. We can't drive to Hogwarts." Harry argues.

"Who says we're driving?" Ron questions, grinning.

"You don't mean - Ron, no." He groans, thinking of all the bad things that can happen.

"Look, who knows when Mum and Dad will get back. And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage Wizards are allowed to use Magic if it's an absolute emergency. At least that's what Fred and George always say…" The redhead reasons, trying to assure his friend.

"Something tells me we're going to regret this." The raven-haired boy replies and gets into the car with Ron, who taps his wand on the dashboard, and the Ford Anglia bursts to life. "No offence, Ron, but are you sure you know how to fly this?"

"No problem," Ron shifts the gear, lifting it off the ground, and the car jolts. "There. See. Now I reckon all we have to do is find the Hogwarts Express and follow it. Simple." Harry nods, not entirely convinced, and peers out the window. Down below, two Muggles stare at them in disbelief.

"Uh, Ron. I should tell you. Most Muggles aren't accustomed to seeing a flying car." Harry warns him, looking back at his friend.

"Right." He mutter,s pressing a tiny silver button on the dash, and the car disappears, leaving baffled pedestrians below.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

In the cloudly, stunningly green Scotland, the Ford Anglia's engine puttering softly when a loud pop comes from the car, and it reappears. Ron jabs the silver button, but nothing happens. "Uh oh. The Invisibility Booster must be faulty," Ron groans as the car glides above the ground, trying to find the train tracks. "Any sign of the train?"

"There! Up ahead! Look…" Harry announces, pointing ahead at the steep bridge, and single train tracks appear.

"Brilliant," He beams, shifting the gear, and glides until the car is only a few feet above the tracks. The boys peer ahead, looking for the train. "It must be around here someplace."

"Do you hear that?" The ravenette questions, and they finally register where the sound is coming from, glancing at each other, and turning back to see the train closing in on the rear window. The boys scream in fear, and Ron spins the wheel, putting his foot on the gas and whipping the car out of the train's path. The vehicle wobbles side to side, toppling upside down briefly before tilting onto its side.

The Ford Anglia jets under the bridge, and Harry slides across his seat into the door and out, dangling upside down from the open door. He watches the Hogwarts Express zip past and even glimpses at Neville and Seamus with their mouths open in astonishment. "Take my hand!" Ron yells, and Harry grips deadly tight onto his friend's hand, eying the train steaming far below, scared of the sheer drop, feeling his fingers beginning to loosen. "Hold on!"

"I'm trying!" Harry shouts back. "Your hand's all sweaty!" The young Weasley son strainingly yanks his friend inside, levelling off the car. Harry falls heavily into his seat and buckles his seat belt, wishing he'd put it on, to begin with. "I think we found the train."

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

2 hours into the journey to Hogwarts, the girls have searched the whole train twice and sit in their compartment now with Ginny, who browses her school books. "Looks like there's another bookworm in this compartment." Jayla jokes as Hades curls into her lap, purring. "Having a nice nap, there are we Hades?" The feline looks up at her owner with golden eyes.

"Of course, you're very comfy." Hades teases, making Jayla giggle at her cheek.

"I know I'm comfy, but maybe your bed is too." She teases her back, and the cat purrs some more in protest.

"Why are you talking to your cat?" Ginny asks, making the young Heiress look up at her.

"Because I can. See, the Malfoy females get a little extra Magic. We have unique gifts tailored to us." The two-toned-haired girl explains, and the young girl seems to take it better than her brother. The girls are interrupted when there's a loud knocking on the compartment door, making Hermione groan, and she opens the door to see Neville and Seamus out of breath.

"We just saw a flying car!" Seamus exclaims, and the girls look at each other, groaning, hoping it isn't the boys.

"I'm going to kill them." Jayla groans, looking out the window, trying to glimpse the car but sees nothing outside.

"The school year hasn't even started, and they're already getting into trouble." Hermione mutters, making the boys laugh.

"That's just like them." Seamus jokes.

"It's not funny." Jayla warns them. "If they lose us House points before the year starts. I'm going to make sure they regret it."

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

After dark, the Hogwarts Express pulls into Hogsmeade Station, and Jayla pulls Hermione and Ginny along the platform, spotting Hagrid at the end and takes the young ginger girl over with the rest of the first years. "We'll see you at the Gryffindor table." Jayla assures her.

"Thank you." Ginny mutters, smiling at them.

"Good luck. Have some fun on the Black Lake. You might see the Giant Squid." She jokes, trying to calm the girl's nerves. "You'll do great. I promise." She leaves the first years and walks off with Hermione, spotting Neville and Dean, walking to join Seamus. Jayla runs to catch up with them needing to find Harry and Ron. "Boys!" She calls to them, making them stop and turn around to see her and Hermione jogging over to them.

"Hey, again, Jayla, Hermione, where are Harry and Ron?" Seamus asks the girls, and she sighs in disappointment.

"I was hoping you'd seem them. We couldn't find them on the train. Where could they be?" The young Heiress wonders as they walk to the carriages with the rest of the students. "Are you sure it was a flying car you saw?"

"Yeah. Definitely." Neville nods.

"Did you see a ginger and black haired boy in there?" Jayla inquires and sees them share a look. "I'm gonna kill them when I see those boys."

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The Ford Anglia flies down toward Hogwarts castle as Ron steers them into view, and Harry can't help but smile. "Welcome home, Harry." Ron smiles at his friend, but it stops when the car begins groaning.

"Just out of interest, Ron. Have you ever landed a car before?" Harry wonders, looking at him in worry.

"Well… no. But, until a few hours ago, I'd never taken off in one either." He replies, and the car lurches into a nosedive as the engine gives out. "Uh oh." The car pitches through the night, and Ron tries bringing it up, but it keeps hurtling madly toward the castle wall. "IT'S NOT WORKING!"

"UP! UP!" Harry shouts at Ron as he tries shifting desperately, and the Ford Anglia finally lurches up, barely clearing the castle wall. Harry and Ron exchange a look of relief, but it doesn't last as the car groans again, lurching downward. "MIND THAT TREE!" Ron keeps trying to shift the wheel, but nothing happens, and down below, a giant willow tree looms. "TURN! TURN!" Harry reaches for the steering wheel to help him, but it's useless as the car heads straight for the Whomping Willow. Ron whips out his wand and whacks it against the dashboard in desperation.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Ron chants desperately, but his wand snaps in two before he or Harry can say anything, and they crash into the tree. The ravenette blinks in surprise as they hang dizzily, balancing on the highest limb. "My wand! Look at my wand!"

"Be thankful it's not your neck," Harry argues when a loud thump comes from his door as something heavy hits it, sending a shudder through the car.

"What's happening?" He asks in fright, and they slowly look up in disbelief, watching one of the tree branches pull back, curling into itself before lashing forward like a giant fist. The boys scream in fear as the car tilts crazily within the the tree branches and slides backwards, free-falling through the air and landing on the lower limbs. "What kind of tree is this?" The redhead asks, but before Harry can answer, the Whomping Willow begins pummelling the car from all sides, tossing the boys about inside. The tree's limbs shatter the side windows, denting the roof above their heads, and the car drops again. The Ford Anglia slams heavily to the ground, and the tree's lower branches instantly shoot through the front and rear windows, shaking the car back and forth.

The boys scream again as the Whomping Willow pitches the car into the air and slams it down again, bobbing on its squealing shocks, and the engine gurgles back to life. Harry peers up through the shattered windscreen to see the willow's branches ready for one last punishing blow. "Reverse! Reverse!" Harry cries out, and Ron shifts the car into reverse, backing away from the willow as fast as he can as the tree slaps the ground. The doors of the Ford Anglia fly open once safely clear of the Whomping Willow, and the seats eject Ron and Harry. The boys land on the grass, and their trunks fly out the back window from the boot and Hedwig's cage rockets. The owl flaps herself into the night to safety. The car's taillights blaze angrily at the boys before speeding away, fishtailing into the Dark Forest.

"Dad's going to kill me." Ron grans, turning to see the Whomping Willow assuming its natural form with a tremendous outcry.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Jayla and Hermione finally arrive at Hogwarts, still trying to find Harry and Ron among the other students, but there's no luck. Jayla huff as she walks into the Great Hall and sits with the Weasley twin opposite Hermione and the other second years, waiting for the doors to open with Professor McGonagall to walk inside with the first years. "Fred, have you seen your brother?" She asks him, looking at them, seeing his shocked face, and she figures it must have been Harry and Ron in the flying car.

"No. I thought he was with you," Fred replies, sharing a look with his twin when they hear the doors open and chattering from the first-year students, looking around the Great Hall in wonder.

"Did we look that amazed when we walked in?" Jayla jokes, smirking as Professor McGonagall stands at the front, unrolling the parchment with the names and begins sorting the students into their Houses, but the young Heiress notices Mr Filch whispering to Professor Snape before the Potions Master slips out of the Great Hall unnoticed by the others.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron safely walk into the Entrance Hall with their belongings and pets, seeing the rest of the students' things and placing theirs with them carefully. Harry spots Hades and strokes her head through the window of her pet carrier as she meows in greeting. "See you, Hedwig, Hades!" He waves them goodbye before ascending the stairs. "So a House-elf shows up in my bedroom, we can't get through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾, we almost get killed by a tree… clearly someone doesn't want me here this year." He guesses, reaching the top of the stairs, and coming face-to-face with the caretaker, Argus Filch and his pet cat, Mrs Norris.

"Well, take a good look, lads. This night might well be the last you spend in this castle." Filch smiles menacingly at the boys, who glance at each other nervously. "Oh, dear, we are in trouble." The man smiles devilishly, leading them down into the dungeon.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Filch leads Harry and Ron down to Professor Snape's office, finding the Potions Master at his desk and looking at the Daily Prophet. Snape whips around to see the two troublemakers holding the newspaper article about their flying car at King's Cross Station. "You were seen by no less than seven Muggles!" He snaps furiously, throwing the newspaper aside and glaring at the boys. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? You have risked the exposure of our world. Not to mention the damage you inflicted on the Whomping Willow that's been on these grounds since before you were born!"

"Honestly, Professor Snape, I think it did more damage to us." Ron argues lightly, looking nervously at the man.

"Silence!" Snape sneers, crawling around his desk toward them. "I assure you… that was you in Slytherin, and your fate rested with me; the both of you would be on the train home tonight! As it is."

"They are not." Dumbledore interrupts, walking into the room with Professor McGonagall, making the room's occupants turn toward the doorway to see the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. Both of them looked sternly at the group.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." Harry greets them, glancing at the Professors.

"Headmaster, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. As such…" Severus reports, looking at the elderly man.

"I'm well aware of our bylaws, Severus, having written more than a few myself. However, as Head of Gryffindor House, it is for Professor McGonagall to determine to appropriate action." He replies, cutting the strict Postions Master off.

"We'll go and get our stuff." Ron says, hanging his head in shame and goes to leave with Harry.

"What are you talking about, Mr Weasley?" McGonagall inquires, looking at the young boys.

"Well, you're going to expel us, aren't you?" He asks her.

"Not today, Mr Weasley. But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to your families tonight. And you will both receive detention." She informs them, and the boys turn back to Snape, who casts a glare of pure venom at the two second-year boys.

"And now I suggest that we all return to the feast. There is a delicious-looking custard tart that I am most anxious to sample." Dumbledore remarks, and McGonagall exits the office with him, and Snape follows with a disapproving facial expression. The boys pass Filch, and Harry notices an envelope on the floor and picks it up to see it's addressed to the caretaker, and it seems to be about the basics of Magic.

"Eh, Mr Filch, you dropped this," Harry mutters, and Filch eyes the envelope before grabbing it and stuffing it into his pocket while looking flabbergasted. The ravenette pushes Ron away, wanting out of the office as quickly as possible to join Professor McGonagall.

"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding." McGonagall comments.

"Not much." Ron replies, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve. "Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted -."

"The Sorting Ceremony is over." She informs them. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."

"Oh, good." He nods.

"And speaking of Gryffindor -." The Head of Gryffindor House says sharply, but Harry cuts her off.

"Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so - so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it - should it?" Harry finishes, watching her anxiously, and she gives him a piercing look for interrupting her, but he is sure she is almost smiling. Her mouth looks less thin, anyway.

"I will not take any points from Gryffindor," McGonagall says, and his heart lightens considerably. "But you will both get a detention." It's better than Harry was expecting. As for Dumbledore's writing to the Durselys, that is nothing. Harry knows they'll be disappointed that the Whomping Willow didn't squash him flat. Professor McGonagall raises her wand, pointing at Snape's desk, and a large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appear with a pop. "You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory. I must also return to the feast." Ron gives a long, low whistle when the door closes behind her.

"I thought we'd had it." Ron sighs, grabbing a sandwich.

"So did I." Harry replies, taking one, too.

"Can you believe our luck, though?" He questions thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times, and no Muggle ever saw them." He swallows and takes another bite. "Why couldn't we get through the barrier?" Harry shrugs, unsure himself.

"We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," Harry warns him, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we couldn've gone up to the feast…."

"She didn't want us showing off." He replies sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car." Once the boys finish their sandwiches as the plate refills, they leave the office, treading the familiar path to the Gryffindor Tower.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

"Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?" The twins joke, and Ron goes scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Harry can see one person who looks unhappy. Percy is visibly over the heads of some excited first years, and he seems to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudges Ron in the ribs, nodding in Percy's direction. Ron gets the point at once.

"Got to get upstairs - bit tired," Ron says, and the two start pushing toward the door on the other side of the room, which leads to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Halfway through the feast, the boys are still nowhere to be seen, and even Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall have vanished, but Jayla makes sure Ginny is okay, letting her sit between her and Fred. "Where the hell could they be?" Jayla mutters, eating.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The castle is quiet as it seems the feast is over as Harry and Ron walk past the muttering portraits and creaking suits of armour. They climb the narrow flight of stone steps until, at last, they reach the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower is hidden behind an oil painting of a woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" She demands as they approach.

"Er…" Harry mutters, not knowing the new year's password or having not yet met a Gryffindor Prefect. Still, help comes almost immediately as they hear hurrying feet behind them and turn to see Hermione and Jayla dashing toward them.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumours - someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!" Hermione rambles while Jayla stares at them, unhappy.

"Well, we haven't been expelled." Harry assures her, glancing at Jayla's unnerving silence.

"You're not telling us you did fly here?" She says, sounding as severe as Professor McGonagall.

"Skip the lecture," Ron groans impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's "wattlebird"," Jayla answers, deadly, "but that's not the point -." However, her words are cut short as the portrait of the fat lady swings open, and there is a sudden storm of clapping. It looks as though the whole of Gryffindor House is still awake, packing into the circular Common Room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reach through the portrait hole to pull the boys inside, leaving the girls to scramble in after them.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

"Brilliant!" Lee Jordan yells. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years -."

"Good for you," A fifth-year congratulates them, and Harry looks at them, wondering who they are, having never spoken to them. Someone pats him on the back as though he's just won a marathon; Fred and George push their way to the front of the crowd.

"Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?" The twins joke, and Ron goes scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Harry can see one person who looks unhappy. Percy is visibly over the heads of some excited first years, and he seems to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudges Ron in the ribs, nodding in Percy's direction. Ron gets the point at once.

"Got to get upstairs - bit tired," Ron says, and the two boys start pushing toward the door on the other side of the room, which leads to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.

"Fine. You need to get a good nights sleep before classes tomorrow," Jayla agrees, nodding and sitting down in the armchair by the fireplace. "You'd better. I'm very disappointed in you both."

"Sorry, Jayla." The boys grumble, making the others in the Common Room laugh, and Ginny looks at them from within the crowd, smiling, glad she knows the girl, that she has someone to look out for her. "Good night, boys. Oh, and Ron, Ginny's in our room. We'll look after her." She assures him.

"Thanks." Ron smiles, and they head to their dorms for a good night's sleep. Harry and Ron manage to get to the other side of the Common Room, still having their backs slapped, and gain the peace of the staircase.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The boys hurry upstairs, right to the top, and at last reach the door of their old dormitory, which now has a sign saying "SECOND YEARS". They enter their room with their names on it to see the familiar, circular room with five four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Their trunks have been brought up for them and stand at the ends of their beds. Ron grins guiltily at Harry. "I know I shouldn't've enjoyed that or anything, but…." The dormitory door flies open, and in comes the other room residents, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom.

"Unbelievable!" Seamus beams at them.

"Cool." Dean grins.

"Amazing." Neville says, awestruck. Harry can't help it. He grins, too.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The next day, Jayla wakes to the shrill beeping from Hermione's new alarm clock on her bedside table, waking the rest of the girls for the first day of the school year. Jayla gets out of bed, cleaning herself up before changing into her uniform with the other girls and sees Ginny struggling with her tie and walks over, helping her with it, making the younger smile at the Heiress. "Thanks. I'm so nervous." Ginny mutters, and Jayla glances at Parvati and Hermione, who give her a look.

"It's okay. We all were too. Just stick with us if you need anything. We'll head down to breakfast, then take you to your next lesson." Jayla assures the girl.

"You don't have to -." She protests, but the young Heiress shakes her head, and they grab their bags.

"Come on, Gin, let's head off." Parvati cuts her off, smiling at her. "If you can't do your tie. Do what I do. Leave it tied up." The girls leave their dorm room with the other students, heading for breakfast.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

In the Great Hall, the food lays out with everyone looking sleepy, miserable or excited. Jayla finds Harry and Ron looking rather sluggish as the redhead stuffs his face, encouraging Harry to eat, who agrees reluctantly. She sits beside Harry, and Hermione sits opposite them with Ginny. "Merlin, you're disgusting, Ron," Hermione complains, scrunching her nose up, grossed out. Jayla places scrambled eggs onto her plate when Professor McGonagall walks along the table handing out the timetables to each student.

"Miss Darkmore. You're extra lesson has been approved." McGonagall announces, surprising the others.

"Thank you." Jayla smiles, looking through her timetable, smiling at the lesson plan, peeking at Ginny's as she looks through her own, taking it from her and nods, memorising it quickly. "We'll take you to Charms, which is a little bit of a walk from DADA, but we'll make it." She comments, and the boys look at them, confused.

"What's going on?" Ron asks, and Jayla huffs at his naivety.

"We're being good friends and taking your SISTER to her first class. Is that a problem?" The young Heiress asks him, and he shrugs. "You can come with us if you want?" He looks at Harry. "You don't want to get into trouble for being late to class again, do you?" Ginny giggles, and Jayla looks at her and Hermione.

"That won't happen. We know the way now." Harry argues, and she stares at them and checks the time on her pocket watch.

"Well, I guess we'll see you five minutes into the class then." Jayla teases them, getting up from her seat with the girls and walking out to the Charm's classroom.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The class sit in their first Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and Jayla sits next to Hermione at the front because of who the stupid new Professor is, and she has to say she is not enjoying it whatsoever. The door opens to the office up the stone steps, making the young Heiress jump out of her thoughts as he finally steps out with a stupid grin. "Let me introduce you to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher… met Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Defense League, and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at him." Lockhart laughs, and Jayla rolls her eyes at him with all the boys in the class.

"Are you sure?" Jayla mutters under her breath, but Hermione still hears her as she nudges her best friend's shoulder.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books. Well done. Now, I thought we'd start today with a little quiz." Gilderoy says, picking up a bunch of parchment with a big cheesy grin on his stupid face. Jayla looks behind her at Harry and Ron, sharing a look with them. "Nothing to worry about. Just to check how well you've read them." He hands them over to Hermione, who gushes over her wannabe idol, and the young Heiress looks through the questions, shaking her head. What a waste of time.

"Look at these questions. They're all about him." Ron whispers to Harry.

"What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?" Harry whispers back, reading the questions.

"What is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?" He reads another question aloud.

"When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be? That's my favourite." Jayla whispers, looking over her shoulder at the boys as Lockhart finishes handing the quiz out and stands at the front of the class. "You have 30 minutes. Start… now." The students pick up their quills and begin writing. "What a waste of Photographic Memory." She grumbles and answers all the questions.

The time ends, and Lockhart sits at his desk after making Susan Bone go around the room, picking up the quiz papers. The DADA Professor looks through the quizzes, marking them as the class remains silent, waiting for him to say something. "Hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac," Lockhart says, growing upset. "But Miss Granger and Miss Darkmore knew that my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions. Good girls." He winks at them, making Jayla shiver in her head with disgust.

"I hate my brain," Jayla mumbles under her breath when the bell tolls, meaning the end of class, and she quickly jumps from her desk and is about to leave when Lockhart calls out her name.

"Miss Darkmore. I saw that you knew every question. Well done. 15 points to Gryffindor." Gilderoy says, and she nods in thanks before walking out of the classroom.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Jayla steps out of the classroom into the corridor to find her friends standing outside, waiting for her, and she gives a violent shiver, making Harry and Ron laugh as they walk to their next class with Professor McGonagall.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

Jayla thinks the lessons feel longer than before, as there are three classes in a row before lunch, and the Golden Quartet sits in the Great Hall again. Ron continuously stuffs his face, and Jayla glances at Ginny, seeing her happily socialising with her classmates. The young Heiress remembers their timetable by heart and knows they have History of Magic and Charms lessons next. "Hey, Harry, when are the tryouts for Quidditch?" Jayla asks him, making him look up from his sandwich, looking at her across the table.

"Why?" Harry asks her.

"Because I want to try out for the team." She replies, and he looks down the table at Oliver Wood a few seats down, talking to Fred and George, probably about the only thing they have in common. Quidditch.

"I think it's next week." He answers.

"Cool. I heard a Chaser position is open because Katie Bell broke her arm over the summer." The young Heiress replies, pointing to the girl with her arm in a cast and sling.

"I forgot you even played Quidditch," Ron remarks from beside her.

"Close your mouth when your eating." Jayla scolds him. "Us Darkmores learn to play early. My Dad was a Beater and Captain back in Livermorny." She looks at him, seeing him nod. "I could teach you if you'd like, Ron. I'm taking extra flying lessons this year."

"I know how to play." He protests, making her laugh at him, puffing his chest out, trying to seem hard, and the time comes for them to leave for History of Magic.

"Come on, you two, we can't be late for class." Hermione tells the boys, getting up and leaving the Great Hall.

"Like Professor Binns will even notice if we did turn up late." Jayla jokes, and they laugh, heading to the most boring class there is at Hogwarts.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

The Golden Quartet sit in History of Magic at the back of the class, reading from their books, though Jayla is doodling in her notebook as Professor Binns lectures, boring most of the class. Hermione nudges her best friend's arm, making her snap up, seeing the ghost teacher staring at her. "Yes, Professor?" Jayla says, looking at him and hiding her drawings.

"What year was the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards founded?" Professor Binns asks the young Heiress.

"Medieval times." She answers jokingly, making the class laugh. "Sorry sir. 1209, sir."

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑵

"For a first day, it wasn't too bad," Ron comments, sitting for dinner in the Great Hall again with the others. "Though Lockhart was a joke."

"Yeah, you weren't late to a single class today. Big improvement from last year, but still." Jayla jokes and looks at Hermione, who seems a little lost, playing with her food. "Mione? You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just have this feeling like something bad is going to happen." Hermione replies, and the young Heiress nods, feeling the same since her Mum's vision.

"We'll work it out. We always do." Harry assures her, and she nods, returning to eating dinner.

"Yeah. If not. We can blame it on that dummy Lockhart." Jayla mutters, earning a glare from his biggest fan. "Oh, don't give me that. What kind of lesson was that? A quiz about him? Merlin, give me strength." The boys chuckle, earning a glare their way.


Breakfast between 7:30 am - 9:00 am.
Lessons are 1 hour long.
10-minute breaks between classes.
Lunch between 12:00 am - 13:30 pm
Break between 14:30 pm - 15:30 pm
Dinner between 16:30 pm - 18:30 pm
Curfew at 19:00 pm

MONDAY
1st Period: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Defence Against the Dark Arts - Classroom 3C (Professor Lockhart)
2nd Period: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Transfiguration - Classroom 1B (Professor McGonagall)
3rd Period: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
History of Magic - Classroom 4F (Professor Binns)
4th Period: 13:30 pm - 14:30 pm
Charms - Classroom 2E (Professor Flitwick)
5th Period: 15:30 pm - 16:30 pm
Flying - Training Grounds (Madam Hooch)

TUESDAY
1st Period: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Herbology - Greenhouse Two (Professor Sprout)
2nd Period: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Herbology - Greenhouse Two (Professor Sprout)
3rd Period: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transfiguration - Classroom 1B (Professor McGonagall)
4th Period: 13:30 pm - 14:30 pm
Defence Against the Dark Arts - Classroom 3C (Professor Lockhart)
5th Period: 15:30 pm - 16:30 pm
Free Study Period - Study Area (Professor McGonagall)

WEDNESDAY
1st Period: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Defence Against the Dark Arts - Classroom 3C (Professor Lockhart)
2nd Period: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Transfiguration - Classroom 1B (Professor McGonagall)
3rd Period: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Potions - Potions Classroom (Professor Snape)
4th Period: 13:30 pm - 14:30 pm
History of Magic - Classroom 4F (Professor Binns)
5th Period: 15:30 pm - 16:30 pm
Charms - Classroom 2E (Professor Flitwick)

THURSDAY
1st Period: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Transfiguration - Classroom 1B (Professor McGonagall)
2nd Period: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Charms - Classroom 2E (Professor Flitwick)
3rd Period: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
History of Magic - Classroom 4F (Professor Binns)
4th Period: 13:30 pm - 14:30 pm
Potions - Potions Classroom (Professor Snape)
5th Period: 15:30 pm - 16:30 pm
Potions - Dungeon Five (Professor Snape)

FRIDAY
1st Period: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Charms - Classroom 2E (Professor Flitwick)
2nd Period: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Potions - Dungeon Five (Professor Snape)
3rd Period: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Herbology - Classroom 102
4th Period: 13:30 pm - 14:30 pm
Defence Against the Dark Arts - Classroom 3C (Professor Lockhart)
5th Period: 15:30 pm - 16:30 pm
Free Study Period - Study Area (Professor McGonagall)
6th Period: 00:00 am - 1:00 am
Astronomy - Astronomy Tower (Professor Sinistra)