Because she had so much to catch up on, Amalia found herself drowning herself in books at the library. Sometimes, she would even pull out a book that had nothing to do with what she was learning, only to make it seem like she was doing something of value. Reading the original Interview with the Vampire did not help her at all, however, as she found herself longing for the TV show version that would not exist for a while now.

True to her words, Lily did show up and helped her out, and Lily was kind about teaching, unlike Snape.

Ever since their divination lesson and the prank, Severus was cold. Frowsty even.

"I know that I should not listen to the book," Amalia let him do the bean cutting. "But could you at least tell me why?"

"The book isn't efficient," Severus snapped. "It's chemistry, in the long run. As much as I hate to admit it."
"Were you good at Chemistry?" she inquired, interested in the boy and his thoughts. There had to be more to the soon-to-be Death Eater, and maybe she would figure out how to make him not too much of a bully.

"I never had it," he frowned. "You learn that in sixth year, so I would have learnt it if I went to a Muggle school."

"Oh."

"... did you learn Chemistry?"

"Yes, I did," Amalia said. "Bio-chemistry, even. The worst kind."

He shrugged. "It's logical, isn't it?"

"Not to me!"
"If it makes you feel better, Bonham, you are not as bad at this as you think if you're approaching it like a Baker to Bread."

"Oh thank you for that compliment, Severus."

"It was not a compliment, but an observation. Now we're done for tonight –this potion is mediocre."

It was the best thing anyone said to her all week.

She eyed the notice on the Hufflepuff common room board one night while reading.

CHOIR RECRUITMENT - TRYOUTS THIS FRIDAY

It enticed her. Amalia needed a hobby while she was here to keep her sane. While not entirely athletically inclined – that honour goes to her siblings – she wasn't bad at some sports. But, Quidditch was just not for her. It looked too scary, and the one time she played muggle Quidditch, it felt ridiculous.

Amalia wanted a hobby, and truth be told, singing was one of the few things she could do besides acting. At least, she thinks she's good at acting. From her entire family, she was the only one who couldn't play an instrument well. She'd always wanted to learn how to play the guitar but didn't have the patience to do so. Her friends did, though, and she'd sit there and listen in on their playing. Sometimes, they'd give her a drum and let her sing along.

Singing would remind her of home, which might help her feel less lonely.

Amalia found herself looking through the music section at the library. She wanted a song that she could sing, and to her delight, many of the songs she found were the ones she already knew. There was Nora, Barbara Allen…

Someone tapped her on the back.

She came face to face with someone who looked vaguely familiar. His messy hair fell in his eyes, and he wore rounded glasses. He had deep brown eyes that stared at her curiously.

"May I help you?" she asked him.

"Why is Snivellus helping you with Potions?" he said. Amalia was taken aback.

"What happened to hello? How are you? Hi, I'm insert name." Amalia closed the songbook in her hand.

"Oh sorry. I'm James Potter. Pleased to meet you. Now tell me –why are you getting private lessons?"

"Because I suck at magic," Amalia answered honestly. She shouldn't have wondered why he looked familiar, but she didn't want to assume that any person she ran into was someone she knew from the novels. She held out a hand so that he could shake it. He ignored the handshake.

"Dumbeldore's niece sucks at magic? I doubt it," James shook his head. "But it's nice to finally meet you –Peter and Sirius have been going on and on…"

Her heart raced. "Why?"

James shrugged. "Just cause, you're new and a new prank target… no, I'm joking," he saw her face crestfallen and reassured her.

"What do you want?" Amalia repeated her question.

"Why would I want something?"
"I've heard stories, James. And you just walked up to me in a library –"

"SHHHH, keep it down!" someone said. "Madam Pince is looking."

"I just wanted to know one thing," he lowered his tone. "What are your intentions with Remus?"

"Huh?"

"You know, we saw you two walking down the corridor last week."

"We were just walking!"

"SHHHHHSS!"

She walked back. "Sorry, James. You have nothing to worry about. Bye!"

She nearly forgot to check out the library book, which only added to the sour mood she'd been in for the past fortnight. She practised the song while walking around the Lake, not wanting to disturb Fiona, Niamh, and Maisie. Not that they cared–many of the Hogwarts students stayed out of their dorms unless they needed to because, for some, it was uncomfortable to share a room with multiple people.

She met Remus again to help with Astronomy and told him about her run-in with James.

"Ah," Remus rubbed the back of his head. "I think they're just upset we haven't been talking a lot."

"Why is that?"

Remus grimaced. "I haven't forgiven Sirius."

"It's... a tough thing to forgive," Amalia pointed out. "I mean, I haven't had a problem on that level. The only reason why I stopped talking with my best friend is because she stopped talking to me."

"That's upsetting," Remus commented. "Have you reached out again?"

Amalia sighed. She couldn't. She did invite her to the play she was supposed to be playing in, but given that she was in a different universe, that would be tough."

"I tried."

"Tell me how that goes, if it's ever resolved."

"Have you tried sitting down with Sirius?"

"Uh... no. He's always with James, and if James isn't there, Peter is. And I want to be alone with him for it. I know James was involved, all of them really, but it's between the two of us."

Amalia smiled at him sadly.

"And you're not in the same room this semester?"

"No... I asked to be moved."

Amalia opened her mouth but then closed it again. She wanted to protest, saying he needed his friends, especially on a full moon.

But officially, she wasn't supposed to know about it.

"That's a bit much. You've been friends for years."

Remus shrugged and went back to his homework. If there was one thing Remus was, it was stubborn.

Lily and Amalia sat in the Study Area, finishing the charms essay. This time, Clementine joined, along with Marlene. But Marlene did not have a lot of heart when it came to it. Parchment and books were strewn around as they reviewed assignments, exchanged notes, and bantered about their professors' quirks.

Amalia looked around the room. Lily was good at Charms and Defense, Marlene aced Magical Creatures and Herbology, while Clementine was good at Transfiguration…

"So," Amalia said, breaking the comfortable silence as she rolled up a completed essay, "I had an idea."

Marlene looked up, curious. "What kind of idea?"

Amalia smiled, leaning forward. "A study group. For the four of us. We're all great in different subjects, right? What if we helped each other out and spent time learning about the magical topics we're most passionate about?"

Lily's eyes lit up. "That's brilliant, Amalia! We could help each other keep up with everything, especially with all the workload this year."

Clementine, however, looked doubtful. "I don't know… I barely have time as it is, with Prefect duties and Quidditch practice. I don't want to commit to something else I can't keep up with."

Amalia gave her a reassuring smile. "I know you're busy, Clem. But Lily's a Prefect too, and I'm sure we could work around both your schedules. It doesn't have to be every day—maybe just once a week. We'd make it flexible."

Clementine bit her lip, thinking it over as Marlene chimed in enthusiastically. "I love it! And it's not just school stuff, right? We could each bring something we're obsessed with."

"Exactly!" Amalia said, excited now. She could use some people to bounce ideas off, especially once she starts looking at Arithmancy and Time. "And Clem, you could show us some of your Quidditch strategies—it's still magic, after all!"

"Plus, you know a ton about potions," Lily pointed out to Clementine with a smile. "And I could help with Defense and charms, maybe even some advanced spells."

Clementine looked around at her friends, caught between excitement and responsibility. "But it's our sixth year," she protested, albeit with less certainty. "If my grades slip, I could lose my chances of becoming Head Girl next year."

Lily gave her an encouraging smile. "You know we'd help keep you on track, Clem. If anything, this could be a chance for all of us to help each other achieve our goals. And if it means a lot of laughs and snacks along the way, well… even better."

Clementine sighed, her resolve weakening. "Alright," she finally said, smiling despite herself. "But only if we can meet after Quidditch practice. And if you promise not to let me fall behind on anything."

Amalia grinned. "Then it's settled."

"Well, then, let's start with what I am currently obsessed with," Marlene finally revealed what had her down: her last date.

Studying always turned into sharing snacks they'd smuggled from the Great Hall and gossiping about the latest Hogwarts drama.

"Look, I have assets but not the ones he wants," Marlene sighed. "What do I have to do to find someone that is good?"

Amalia snorted. She had a lot of fun listening in on people's love lives and commenting on it when they asked, mostly to distract from the fact that hers up until now had just been tragic. Twice in a row, she'd crushed on someone who was already in a relationship and the first time, when her crush had broken up with his girlfriend, he ended up falling for Amalia's former best friend. Then the next crush she had, it had been her crush falling in love with her older sister. And then the cycle repeated.

And the one time she'd fallen in love? You guessed it.

"How about you, Amalia?" Lily asked. The girls all looked at their new friend, who seemed to fumble.

"Uh…, I've never went on a date before."

"What?"

"Truth be told," Amalia looked down at her hands. "I've never even had a first kiss. Or anything of the sorts."
"No way!" Dorcas exclaimed.

"Now there is nothing wrong with that," Lily defended. "Look at me, I haven't gone on a date either."

"But you had your first kiss in Kindergarten."

"Does that really count?"

"And people –Severus and James to name a few – have tried to pursue you," Amalia pointed out. "I've never had that, actually."
"I'm sure someone has but hasn't told you," Lily said apologetically. " But you're not missing out. Trust me."

Amalia hated it when people said that. Oh, this thing that everyone is experiencing is nothing bad to miss out on. But she looked around the people in their year, the amount of couples that would sit with their partners, people who held hands all the time.

How would she know she wasn't missing out if she didn't know it was something to not miss out on?

"But what would you like?" Clementine asked curiously, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"My turn for what?" Amalia asked, raising an eyebrow as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"To tell us your type in men," Marlene replied with a wicked grin, leaning forward. "Or women.."

"Oh," Amalia stammered, cheeks heating as the girls turned to her expectantly. She hadn't really given it much thought—her focus was on her studies and settling into Hogwarts, after all. But the girls didn't seem like they'd be letting her off the hook. She constantly found herself in this situation, and when she was younger she just picked someone randomly.

"Oh, c'mon, Mals," Marlene teased, nudging her shoulder. "Just a little description! What catches your eye?"

Amalia bit her lip, glancing around as if hoping an answer might magically appear. "I don't know. Maybe… someone kind?" she said tentatively, her friends' eyes lighting up.

Lily leaned in closer, smirking. "Go on. Kind in what way?"

"Just… gentle, you know? Someone who's understanding and sees things deeply," Amalia said slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. She thought of the boy she had a crush on in her universe… or rather, the boy she'd loved.

"And, um, maybe someone with a calm energy. Like they'd rather be reading or having a meaningful conversation than, I don't know, dueling or stirring up trouble."

The girls exchanged knowing glances, suppressing their smiles.

"Sounds a bit familiar," Lily said slyly, while Marlene stifled a giggle.

"What about looks?" Marlene pressed, her eyes sparkling. "Tall? Dark hair? Mysterious?"

Amalia shrugged. "I guess I wouldn't mind if he's a bit tall… and I think dark hair is nice. But that doesn't matter as much. It's more about…warmth. You know, someone who just feels safe to be around. I like them soft – interpret that any way you want."

"Mm-hmm," Clementine chimed in, nodding conspiratorially. "So, someone who's always looking out for his friends, patient, maybe even a little bookish?"

"Definitely," Amalia said, feeling her cheeks warm even more. "And he probably wouldn't be flashy or loud. The last person I liked was a little bit too logical for me. He'd just be kind and steady, maybe a bit… thoughtful?"

The girls burst into laughter, and Amalia looked around, startled. "What? What's so funny?"

Lily shook her head, grinning. "Oh, nothing at all, Amalia. It's just that your type sounds, well, familiar."

Amalia tilted her head, confused. "It does?"

"Yes, Mals," Clementine said, barely holding back a smirk. "You basically just described Remus Lupin."

Amalia's eyes went wide, her heart giving a little unexpected flip. "Remus? I… no, I wasn't thinking of him at all!"

But the girls only laughed harder, exchanging knowing glances.

"Sure, sure," Marlene teased. "But I will have to disappoint you… Remus and Dorcas are kind of a thing."

"Oh?" The name told her nothing, but that was a given. Amalia felt a little bit disappointed at that statement. Of course, she would like someone who liked someone else.

"But I'll tell you what," Clementine added. "Hogsmeade Weekend, I'll set you up with a friend of mine. He's sweet, and I can vouch for him. You don't have to do anything. It doesn't have to be weird. If you're okay with it."

Amalia thought of it. She didn't feel the need to be with someone; she just felt lonely at times. But, if it was being offered so kindly, she might as well.

"Alright," she nodded. "Now, who wants to talk about Transfiguration?"

The Hogsmeade weekend came, and Amalia was feeling a little bit better. She was finally on top of school work, and managed to finish a third-year Transfiguration mock exam. McGonagall had praised her, and that small encouragement made her happy. She'd ran up to Lily and Remus, who were on Prefect duty, and they turned a blind eye to the fact that she was outside past curfew.

"What do I wear?" Amalia asked, looking through her wardrobe. She had a couple of things, and of course she still had the costume from the play that she could refurbish.

"Hmm?" Clementine looked up from her Quidditch magazine. "Oh, don't worry too much about what you look – is that a... strawberry crotched headscarf?"

Clementine picked it out of Amalia's trunk, holding it up. Then, she eyed the pair of stays.

"This looks amazing," Clementine's eyes went shiny. "I've always wanted one – really well-made ones, but my mum won't let me go to the dressers to get some made... can I try?"

Amalia smiled and laced it up for Clementine to wear.

"It's from a play I was doing before I came here," Amalia explained. "And I, get ready for this, played a witch. This style in particular is from the Tudor period. There was a really beautiful, orange and blue one..."

"I think this color fits you better," Clementine pointed out. "But at least I know we have the same clothing size."
"It surprises me, weirdly," Amalia noted. Clementine was smaller in stature, but they were around the same height, and Clementine's muscle mass made her similar to Amalia. There had been numerous times when people thought Amalia was Clementine, but now that Clementine had cut her hair short, people stopped mistaking them.

"Wear it to your date," Clementine said. "I think it'd look cute with the skirt."

Amalia discovered the village while she waited for whomever Clementine had set her up with. They had Quidditch practice, or something like that, so she found herself wandering the village a bit more.

She'd promised to meet Clementine down at Hog's Head—out of all the places in the village! It took a while to find it, and she ended up having to ask a couple of people for directions, all of whom were hesitant.

"Lass, sure you don't want to go by the Three Broomsticks instead? It's not that cheery of a pub."

From how they were talking about it, she assumed it was a crack kitchen. But it was simply run-down. Amalia walked in, pulled her cloak around her closer.

"What can I get ye?" the bartender at the pub asked. "And I don't sell firewhisky to minors, no matter what those ruffians tell you."

"I'm just waiting here for a friend, I'll take some pumpkin juice, if you have some."

"Apple Cider? Haven't heard that in a bit," he went to the back and came back with a fresh bottle. She was glad he didn't think about pouring it into a glass. The glasses weren't looking all too kind.

"Say…" Amalia looked up at the bartender, who seemed sceptical. His face was familiar to her. The hook of the nose, the rise of the eyebrow…

Oh right. This guy was supposed to be her father.

"You're my kid?" he asked. Dumbledore told her that he had informed Abeforth about the events, but it never occurred to Dumbledore for them to meet.

"Seems so," Amalia drank more of the cider. He studied her and then let out a sound.

"Well, it could be worse. You don't expect me to do anything, do ya?"

Amalia shook her head. "Not at all, sir."

"Sir," he mocked. "I don't know what you two are up to, but trust me, kid, you don't want to be in the crossfires of your uncle when you do."

"I don't have a choice in that."

"Tell me, are you good at school?"

"No."

"Are you good at anything?"

"Nothing of academic relevance, I like theatre."

"Then you'll do just fine as my kid," he nodded and pointed his chin behind her. "Your friend is here."

Clementine walked in, looking around concerned.

"I told you only in front, you didn't need to go in."

She pointed to the barkeeper.

"Dad."

"Ah, hello Mr. Bonham!"

He shook his head. "Have fun, kid."

He walked away, paying attention to other patrons.

She laughed nervously. "Uhm… was that right?"
Amalia cracked a smile. "Don't worry, he won't bite."

They walked outside together. A tall figure waited by the door.

"Hasan, this is Amalia," Clementine said, flashing her the encouraging look of a matchmaker. "Amalia, meet Hasan—Gryffindor's top Chaser."

Amalia looked up, and her eyes met Hasan's dark, steady gaze. He had an intensity to him, a quiet depth that seemed at odds with the raucous Gryffindors she'd grown used to. His strong jaw and sharp cheekbones lent him a certain sternness, softened only slightly by his calm expression. For a moment, he simply observed her, taking in her presence with a kind of restrained curiosity.

"Nice to meet you," Amalia offered, her voice firm despite the quizzical tilt in her brow.

Hasan nodded, a slight crease forming in his forehead as if he was considering his words carefully. "Amalia. Clementine's told me a bit about you." His tone was measured, warm enough to be polite but guarded, as though he was holding something back. "You're Dumbledore's niece, right?"

The mention of her cover story drew a tight smile from Amalia. "So they say," she replied, her tone deliberately neutral. "And you're the one who gives Clementine a run for her money?"

Hasan chuckled, the sound low and brief. "Or tries to. Not an easy job." He glanced at Clementine, who rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Right, well, now that this is done," Clementine says happily. "Why don't you two kids hangout?"