I keep wanting to edit old chapters I've posted. I look at them and go ew. I sometimes think I should write it all and have it finished before posting it...

Any way have fun with this new chapter!


December 2006

Kiara started her prefect rounds after helping Remus, passing by a few students and sending them back to their dormitories. She wandered back to the pile of barrels and stepped into her common room a little after midnight, ready to get the little sleep she could. Her body felt heavy and she cursed herself for waking up early to finish an extra potion. As she drifted past the couch Kiara heard quiet sniffles. She sighed, ignoring her tiredness and walking towards the first year huddled in a ball.

"Do you need anything?" she asked, kneeling in front of the child.

"No!" The scared girl said, attempting to wipe her face of tears.

"Not even a tart? I had one saved from dinner but I can't eat it alone."

She pulled a tart out of her bag, saved for moments like these. She canceled its stasis charm and let the smell of peaches flood the room. She broke the tart in half and reached over to the girl.

"I guess." She reached towards the tart with a trembling arm.

"Thank you. My tart would probably go bad if you didn't help me eat it."

The little girl nodded and started nibbling the pastry. Kiara smiled and sat next to her looking at the fire and eating her half. She could hear the first year's crying slow and Kiara started humming a song that she would sing for the younger campers when they had trouble sleeping.

All that was left of the tart were a few crumbs on the girl's fingers and she drifted off to sleep. Kiara smiled and pulled a blanket over the girl. Looking over her sleeping features, Kiara remembered her from the first day of school. The girl looked so scared but excited that day. She had stood at the front of the children, her bright eyes scanning everything around her.

September 2006

Kiara and her fellow prefects had paired up and taken ten students on a tour of the castle for their first day of school. She gazed over the little heads of the eleven year olds as Ben Anderson explained to them how their schedule worked. Her eyes had caught on a few that seemed more jittery than normal and she put them on her mental list of students to check up on. She couldn't believe she was a prefect. When her letter came during summer with a prefect badge tucked in the envelope she had dropped it. Will had barely managed to grab it before it fell. Her entire cabin had celebrated that night.

She focused back on her job. It was the first day of school and every year the prefects would help the first years learn their way around the school. Before they left the entrance hall, she walked to the front of the group. "I know you all know this by now, but as your prefects you can come to us for any problems you face during the entirety of your schooling here at Hogwarts. If one of us is busy we will direct you to another prefect. Are there any questions before we start?"

The kids shuffled their feet and avoided her eyes.

"Any questions you have will help everyone. If you aren't comfortable asking in the group you can find me during the tour."

She looked over the crowd one more time before spotting a small hand reach above the crowd. She smiled and nodded at the child giving her the boost to speak out.

"What happens if we get lost?" her small voice squeaked.

They had probably been scared by the third years. They always seemed to go through a phase where they liked to terrify the younger years.

"What is your name?" Kiara asked, trying to make the girl more comfortable.

"Isabella Jones."

"Isabella, it's very hard to get lost in the castle. Hogwarts will get you to where you need to be, and in the unlikely chance that you do get mixed up, you can always ask a painting or a suit of armor if there is no one else." She waited for more questions to arise but the silence was only broken by the slide of shoes.

Ben clapped his hands and announced, "We are going to start out by going through the path most of you will take tomorrow to your classes."

As the tour moved on Kiara headed towards the back of the group letting Ben take lead while she helped individual kids. She remembered how terrifying it was to be surrounded by a new world without her family nearby. She tried to meet at least every first year in their group once so they knew her better and would feel more comfortable coming to her for help. She knew that they would face problems, especially the ones who had never been away from their family, but she wished they didn't have to.

– o – ️ – o –

The rest of the tour went as well as it could. They showed the kids their classrooms and where to go during their breaks before ending the tour in the Hufflepuff common room. They met up with the other groups and supervised the students as they shared what they had learned with the rest of the kids before heading to lunch.

Eliott Harris, a 7th year prefect, stopped the mass of children, "Before we leave, know that your guides for today will be your mentor and advocate throughout your years at Hogwarts. We will stop for you to have lunch before you head off to your afternoon classes."

He looked back at the Hufflepuff prefects for anything else to say.

Kiara stepped forward. "Remember that in Hufflepuff we are all your family and are always here for you. Every house has its own ups and downs but Hufflepuffs will always be there for you."

Eliott nodded at her and then dismissed the kids. Kiara looked longingly at the feast on the table. She was too busy stressing about making a mistake with the kids to eat much. The prefects had one more meeting before going to lunch and then it was time to start their classes. Kiara and the other prefects headed through the corridors to the Headboy and Headgirl's common room after they had situated the first years. The Headboy and girl announced the upcoming events and jobs they had to help with. She listened to them whilst writing notes down in her tiny notebook that she brought everywhere. She was so glad that she didn't have dyslexia. Watching Annabeth struggle to read, even though she loved to, made Kiara feel grateful for her ridiculous allergies. It felt very ironic that a child of Apollo was allergic all the time. She had to take Claritin every day and sometimes even that couldn't stop it. The meeting concluded and people started heading out of the room. She sped over to the Great Hall to get lunch before classes started.

December 2006

Kiara pushed her uneaten breakfast away and stretched to look over at the Gryffindor table, which noticeably missed Remus. Kiara felt her apprehension grow. What if the potions didn't help? What if they didn't work? What if they made things worse? She could feel her thoughts spiraling as she frantically looked around the Great Hall for proof that she didn't hurt Remus. Her eyes passed over Regulus, who looked at her with a worried gaze. She smiled shakily at him, trying to communicate that she was fine. He still seemed unconvinced. His concern slowed her racing mind, giving her a small reprieve. Kiara, much calmer now, nodded at him and pointed over her shoulder to the Gryffindor table. He looked over and noticed the absence of Remus. He nodded in understanding and then gestured for them to head out of the Great Hall.

Hope your Halloween events are going well!

Sorry for the shorter chapter...

Any questions are welcome. Please comment and vote. Thanks for reading!

- Natalie