Time Told

As she stepped into King's Cross Station, Madison Faith Wells shook with fear. She nervously twisted her long, jet-black hair into ringlets with her forefinger. Her Aunt Rachel was standing behind her, and gave her an encouraging smile as she pushed her cart a little closer to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

"Sweets, are you quite all right?" asked her aunt in the lilting accent that Maddie loved so much.

"Yes," she answered quickly, pasting a large, fake smile across her pale face. Aunt Rachel grinned back and rummaged around in the cart full of luggage.

"I have a gift for you," she began in a secretive tone. Maddie looked up expectantly and was surprised to see a delicately woven cage, with a medium sized, snowy white owl fluttering about inside.

"Her name is Christaline. You're only going to be allowed to keep her if I have her flying in here with a letter for me at least two times a day." Aunt Rachel smiled again and pulled Maddie into a huge, warm embrace. "Smile. Just smile, Maddie dearest, for me and for your family, for the friends you'll have soon enough, but most of all, smile for you."

Maddie stepped away, the profound words of her aunt pounding in her head, louder than even the crowd that was milling about the station. She nodded bravely, added her new owl to the pile on the cart, and disappeared through the brick wall of the platforms. Rachel stood for a few seconds, watching the spot where her beloved niece had stood earlier.

"I pray to God that she will be all right." She picked up her handbag and left the station, a sinking feeling in her heart. And when Rachel Marie Galya got that sinking feeling, trouble was sure to follow.

(*)

Ron Weasley sighed as he shoved the cart laden with trunks through the wall and onto platform nine and three-quarters. His siblings George, Fred and Ginny followed him, chattering noisily and searching for their friends. Ron was doing the same, well; actually he was looking for one friend in particular. Hermione Granger. He spotted her standing next to Harry, holding her cat, Crookshanks. Fred and George found Lee Jordan, and Ginny rushed off to stand with Colin Creevy. Everyone in their places, he thought happily, wheeling his way over to Hermione and Harry.

"Well, hello, hello," he said, sneaking up on his two best friends in the entire universe. Hermione gave a surprised squeak. "You scared me," she scolded as they hugged tightly. He pulled back and kissed her lightly on the nose, then the lips. It had been an entire week since he had seen her last- a week too long, in his opinion.

"Okay, break it up. I've had enough and I've been around you two for about five seconds." Ron chuckled and went over to give Harry a quick guy hug.

"Did you have a good summer?" He asked.

"No," answered Harry flatly, "I can't have a good summer with the Dursley's. It's physically impossible. But it is nice to be going back." Hermione and Ron looked at each other and nodded their agreement in unison. Harry gave a snort of laughter and the three of them shoved their trunks in the compartments and climbed aboard the train.

As they settled onto the benches, Harry and Ron began talking excitedly about the professional Quidditch game they had been to that summer. Chudley Cannon's against the Surrey Swingers. It had been a good, close game, and much to Ron's delight, the Cannon's pulled off a lovely, last minute victory.
Hermione tuned out and stared off into the distance as her two friends chattered aimlessly in the background. The lovely gardens outside captivated her, and as they slowly gave way to more scraggly fields and wild forests, she became even more interested in the landscapes.

"Hello, earth to Hermione!" Harry was snapping his fingers in front of her face. She blinked and pushed his hand away.

"Okay, okay, I'm back," she said with a little giggle. Ron sighed in boredom and rested his head on Hermione's, closing his eyes happily. He quickly fell asleep, leaving Hermione's in a very odd position.

"Quite comfortable, Herm?" said Harry with a sparkle in his eye. Hermione glared at him for a second then tried to go about adjusting Ron's head so she'd be able to rest as well. When she tired of her fruitless efforts, she turned to Harry, who was the one spacing out now.

"Harry!" she whispered urgently. He whirled around and she laughed. "Gotcha! Now, about this terrible summer...anything quite outstanding? Any house elves? Blowing up of aunts? Come one Harry, spill the beans!" Harry grinned at the mention of a few past summer excursions, but had nothing exciting to tell her.

"It was really quite boring. Vernon and Petunia fought like nothing I've ever seen, and Dudley- get this- Dudley has a girlfriend. She's just as fat as he is, which really isn't a huge surprise, but still, I don't understand how they can reach each other to kiss. Their rolls must get in the way!" Hermione cracked up at the gross mental picture and hit her friend as a gentle punishment for installing it in her head.

"Wha…" All their laughter had woken Ron, who snapped his head up and looked wildly around.

"Shush, you just woke up." Hermione put a hand on Ron's back and he lie back against the bench, looking sheepish. Hermione frowned and began grabbing at all the cricks that were now in her head.

"Whoops, sorry, did I do that?" asked Ron, watching Hermione rubbing her neck in pain. Hermione gave him a false stern look and nodded. "Well, then I guess I'll just have to fix it," he said in a coy voice, and reached down to begin massaging her. Harry just groaned and slipped quietly from the compartment, unnoticed by the two oblivious lovebirds inside.

Harry wandered about the corridors, looking for a familiar face in the all the chaos. He spotted a few that he didn't feel much like pursuing (Malfoy, Lavender), but continued on until he heard the voices of Fred and George.

"Knock, knock," he said, sticking his head around the door. "Can I come in?" Fred and George waved him in and showed him the Cauldron Cakes that they were stuffing with Eeyore's Edible Gunpowder. "I'm thinking of giving them to Malfoy, what do you think?" said George with a malicious glint in his eye.

"I think you'll probably be killed afterward, but man, it would be funny to see." Fred laughed, then asked, "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"In our compartment. I had to leave, things were starting to get too mushy." Harry sounded like a third grader instead of the fifteen-year-old he was.

"Oh, yeah, bit of bad luck, eh? She came up to the house for about half the summer, and was perfectly fine when she wasn't around him. The rest of the time they were all kissy and kissy and 'Lil Honey this and 'Lil Honey that. Mum and Ginny thought it was wonderful, but all the men in the family could only take them in small doses." George leaned back with a faint look of disgust on his face.

"Well, there are worse people he could be hanging on," said Harry resignedly. Fred nodded.

"Um, excuse me," The boys looked up at the voice in the door. Framed in the doorway was a short, slightly chubby girl with bright violet eyes and long, jet-black hair. She looked to be about thirteen, and was nervously clutching the handle of her trunk. "The rest of the compartments are all full, and I was wondering if you would mind my sitting in here."

"Not at all," Lee Jordan spoke up from the corner. The girl smiled, and for a second you could she was a pretty girl. She lugged the heavy trunk inside, and Harry helped her hoist it up into the luggage rack.

"Thanks," she said, with more confidence behind her voice. "My name is Madison, but please call me Maddie."

"Okay Maddie," said Harry with a little smile, "I'm Harry, and this is Fred, George, and Lee."

"Hullo," the boys said in unison.

"So Maddie," said George as she sat down next to him, "what year are you in? I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"Your right, you haven't. I moved here from America just this year, transferring from the Reginalde School of Magic. I was in eleventh grade there, but the letter I got told me I'm…a fifth year?" All the boys looked mildly shocked. She smiled ruefully. "I know, I know, I look younger than that. It's a handicap that has it's pro's and con's."

"I wonder what house you'll be in?" said Fred

"They told me I'm a Gryffindor. What house are you guys in?"

"Same!" said Lee. He looked around at his friends, and they all silently agreed. This girl was pretty cool.

"Oh, Eeyore's Edible Gunpowder!" she exclaimed, seeing the bag in Fred's hands. "I love that stuff! Once, at my old school, we took some and filled the center of a ripe, juicy looking apple, and then we gave it to our most-hated teacher. When he took a bite, his saliva activated it, and the whole thing exploded in his mouth! He nearly choked! It was so funny…" she trailed off, reminiscing about the incident.

"Well, well, well, I would never have thought that someone like you would pull stunts like that," said George with a hint of admiration.

"Someone like me?" she repeated.

"Well, yeah, you know, a-" he stopped short, realizing his mistake.

"A girl?" she finished for him, biting down on a giggle, "Well, Fred, or George, whatever one, you'll soon find out that I am not your typical girl." The boys all laughed along with her and the new friends began swapping stories left and right. Madison smiled to herself. Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all.

(*)

As they neared the school, a whistle rang shrilly through the air, and purple smoke filled the train's corridors. Maddie sat up in her seat with a look of acute interest on her face. Harry chuckled softly.

"Almost there," he said unnecessarily. Maddie jumped up and pressed her face to the window.

"I can't see it!" she exclaimed.

"Nope, not for a while. We have to get out at Hogsmeade station and take a horse cart to the actual school," explained Lee.

"Oh," she said, sitting down and looking slightly disappointed. Harry laughed at her and helped her get her things down from over head. The rest of the boys got their stuff and Harry left to pick up his. As they left the train, Maddie stopped short at the sight of a giant man with black hair and beard, who was rounding up the first years and putting them in boats.

"Who's that?" she breathed.

"That's Hagrid," said a voice behind her. Maddie spun around to see another tall, redheaded boy with freckles. This one looked younger and had his arm wrapped around the waist of a nice looking girl with curly brown hair and slightly large teeth.

"Thanks! Well, I'm Madison-"

"But you can call her Maddie," Harry cut in from behind her. "This is my friend from the train. Maddie, this is Hermione and Ron, my two best friends."

"Hello," she said, smiling up at both of them. Her owl began hooting wildly and she turned to take care of her.

"Yes, she is pretty small, but positively adorable- she looks like a teddy bear!" She heard the girl called Hermione whispering to Ron and Harry. She blushed and grinned- friends already, just her luck.

Fred, George, Lee and Maddie climbed into one of the horse drawn carriages, all chattering energetically about the upcoming feast, and, in Maddie's case, first glimpse of the school.

"I heard it's a castle!" she said happily, nose to the window once more. "My old school was plain and boring."

"You heard right," said Fred, peering over her shoulder. "We should be able to see it any second now."

And he was right. In the next minute, a large, beautiful structure came into view. Maddie drank in the four majestic towers, the numerous turrets and flying buttresses, the stained glass windows. The sparkling lake to the South added a perfect finishing touch. She let out a low, "Whoa," and didn't take her nose off the window until they had reached the front doors.

"Maddie, we gotta go. Maddie, come on!" But she was staring, entranced, and the golden molding over the entrance and didn't seem to hear the boys calling her. Finally Lee reached over and poked her plump little sides. She let out a shriek of laughter and batted his hand away.

"I'm coming, I'm coming,” she muttered, following the flaming hair up the steps.

As the students entered the Great Hall, they all threw back their heads to stare up at the twinkling stars. Maddie was surprised to see the night sky that took the place of the ceiling.

"It's bewitched," whispered Fred to her, and she nodded, her voice caught in her throat by emotion that no one understood.

The students all drifted to their respective tables, getting comfortable and catching up with friends they hadn't seen all summer. Fred, George and Lee lead Maddie over to some seats near Harry, who was sitting with Hermione and Ron. Ron was now absently stroking Hermione's hair as he talked animatedly with Harry.

"Hey guys!" spouted Maddie in her cheerful American accent. Everyone scooted about so they were half-facing each other. "What happens now?" she asked, looking around at the activity surrounding her.

"Well, any minute now, Dumbledore should be up to give the welcoming speech," began Harry.

"Then there's the school song," Hermione went on.

"And then the feast," finished Fred with a rub of his stomach. Maddie was about to ask another question, but a revered silence spread quickly over the hall. Maddie looked to see what it was, and saw a tall, thin wizard with white hair longer than her own. He has light streaming from his youthful eyes, but his eyes were the only youthful part of his wrinkled body. He still had the look of a very energetic person, and he was smiling at everyone as he took his place at the teacher's table.

"Welcome, students, to this little old shack we call Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! I am please to introduce our new first years, and a transfer student in Gryffindor named Madison Wells." Maddie blushed as the students turned around to look at her. "I would like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is, well, just that, forbidden. Also, I am forced to remind you that there is no magic in the corridors of the school. Only in classrooms and common rooms should the art be practiced. Also, we would like to remind you of our strictly enforced curfew of nine o'clock at night. I'm sure this will be no problem." All the students who had been to Hogwarts before were whispering urgently at the last announcement. There had been no curfew last year! The friends at the Gryffindor table shared a dark look, wondering what Dumbledore was hiding this time. "Students, students, please calm down," called Dumbledore from up above. The dull buzz receded and he went on. "I believe it is time for our traditional school song. Pick a tune, any tune!" With a flick of his wand, golden words began tracing themselves in the thin air. Maddie looked doubtful and nudged George.

"Any tune?" He nodded. She began singing to the tune of a French lullaby called Dors, bebe, Dors. A voice like that of an angel floated in and around the words of the students surrounding her, causing several people to stop altogether. Ron closed his mouth, twisting his head in search of the source of the entrancing music. His mouth dropped open again as he caught sight of Maddie, her azure eyes shining bright and focused on the words floating in front of Dumbledore, her face relaxed and contented. She looked totally and completely at peace, and as at home as she had been yet. Hermione caught his eye and elbowed him in the ribs.

"She's wonderful, I know, but the last thing she needs is more people staring at her." Ron averted his eyes but did not sing again, listening to Maddie finish the tune that gave the song's somewhat comical words an entirely new meaning. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Fred, George and Harry all staring at her as well, getting disapproving glares from Hermione.

As the last few students got done with the fun little ditty, dishes of delectable foods began filling the tables. Maddie's eyes grew wide as she watched all her favorite foods pop onto the golden platters in front of her. She took some seafood linguine and started in.

"So, Miss. Maddie, any other little quirks we should know about?" said Fred, loading his plate with steak.

"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.

"Oh I don't know," said Harry with a grin, "so far we've got the age illusion, the pranks obsession, and now we find out you're a professional singer. When's the next surprise?"

She blushed and tried to hide it. "I'm not quite professional, thank you very much, but hey, I warned you. I'm not your garden variety, Sally-next-door type. To boring, if you ask me. If you're looking for one of those girls, you could try over there." She pointed to a few chairs down, where Lavender and Parvarti were flirting shamelessly with Dean and Seamus. They both were wearing their required black Hogwarts robes, but they both also had acrylic nails, long and brightly painted, carefully groomed curls, and lots of necklaces, rings and bracelets. Caked on their faces were inches of thick foundation, dark eye shadow, silver eyeliner, black mascara, blood-red lipstick and silver glitter. The boys followed her finger and ducked their heads in laughter.

"To their credit, I can remember when they were normal," said Harry.

"I don't even know them, so I shouldn't make ant assumptions," admitted Maddie.

"Nah, don't worry about it, you pretty much hit the nail on the head," broke in George. Maddie tried not to laugh and concentrated on spearing a scallop. Someone walked over and tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump. She turned around and found herself face to face with Professor McGonagall.

"Hello, Madison. Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall; I'll be your Transfiguration teacher, as well as the head of your house. If you could come with me, I'd like to take care of some of finalities of your transfer. I'm sorry to take you away from the feast, but it's necessary." Maddie nodded and followed the severe looking woman out of the Great Hall and through a maze of secret passages, locked doors and dim corridors. They ended inside a small office with a warm fire blazing in the grate. Professor McGonagall closed the door and offered Maddie a comfortable armchair in front of her desk. Maddie sat down, drinking in the details of the cozy room.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Professor?" asked Maddie, a slight quaver in her voice.

"Actually, I have to admit that I wasn't quite honest. I needed you to come here to sing for me." Maddie gave the teacher a strange look. She understood that this school was run a lot differently than the one she had left, but this was the oddest thing she had encountered yet.

"Sing for you?" she asked meekly. Professor McGonagall nodded and sat back expectantly.

"Well, uh, what would you like me to sing?"

"What was the tune you were singing the school song to? I would like to hear that song." Maddie sat, thinking for a second, then swallowed nervously and stood up. She took a deep breath and began. "Dors, dors, dors, bebe, dors, je t'aime fort. Dors, dors, dors, bebe, dors, sois sage, je t’adore." After the first few shaky notes, her voice steadied and she once more allowed the euphoric look to mask her face. As the finished the song and opened her eyes, she saw that Professor McGonagall had fallen fast asleep, head back and mouth wide open. Maddie stood anxiously, not wanting to wake her up and not wanting to stand there watching her sleeping. After ten minutes she decided to wake her.

"Professor? Professor McGonagall?" she said quietly. Nothing. She tried again, louder. Still nothing. She nervously walked around the office, wondering what she should do. Then a terrible thought hit her. Was Professor McGonagall sleeping? Or had she...Maddie began to tremble. She barely had been there for two hours and she had killed a teacher. She ran over to the chair and shook her new teachers shoulders violently, screaming loudly, "Professor! Please wake up! PLEASE!" As the slumbering woman's eyes fluttered open, she jumped back, embarrassed.

"Wha-huh? Oh, oh yes. That was very nice. I have to ask you, have you ever been trained in the Melodicia theories?"

Maddie tried not to look as blank as she felt. This school was incredibly weird. "No, at least not under that name. I was in a private choir in America..."

Professor McGonagall laughed. "No, no. The Melodicia theories were written by Celestia Warbeck- you may have heard of her, she's a British witch who made quite a career of singing in her later days. When she was younger she studied here, at Hogwarts, and was very interested in the effect of the voice and how it could be used to transport magic. Many Muggle experts believe that music can effect the emotions to the point where it can control your actions. Celestia used these reports in combination with her magical training and wrote a series of thesis's and theories on how witches and wizards could channel spell working-energy into their voice techniques, focusing mainly on harmonies. Minor keys for darker spells, major for more positive ones, legato for charms and enchantments, staccato for Transfiguration, and so on. She wrote a two books; one explaining her theories and how she came to them, with information on how to create further enchantments, and another that has several spells and enchantments that she has worked out the notes to already. And one of the enchantments that she has listed in her book was the song you were singing."

Maddie sat very quietly, slightly lost. Why was she telling her all this? She hoped this was not something she was supposed to know about, because all of this was totally new to her. She looked at the professor, hoping to learn more. She was not disappointed.

"The reason that I-er- drifted off before has to do with that song. It has powerful sleeping enhancements connected to it. Where did you hear it?"

"My Aunt Rachel. She's sung it to me ever since I was a baby. It's French, and it translates to sleep, sleep, sleep, baby, sleep, I love you so much, sleep, sleep, sleep, baby, sleep, you know I adore you. Then it repeats." Maddie tried to read Professor McGonagall's startled look.

"Your Aunt Rachel? What is your aunt's surname?" she asked shakily.

"Uh, Galya. Rachel Galya." Professor McGonagall's eyes widened, then she shook her head and got up from her chair, pacing the room. "Do you know her?"

"Well, yes. I taught her once. I need to think about something, but I would like us to talk again later. Will you meet me here on your Friday afternoon break?" Maddie nodded, confused but interested. "Perfect. Come along, I'll take you to the common room. I saw you sitting near Hermione, I'm sure she'll help you get settled in the fifth year girl dorms. That is, if she can take her eyes off that Weasley boy." Professor McGonagall gave Maddie a rueful smile. "Hermione and I have always been rather close, and the relationship is one that has taken everyone that knew the two by surprise. OK, here we are. The password is niarbyeknom. Good night."

They stopped in front of a large portrait of a fat woman in a pink dress, and when Maddie turned to thank Professor McGonagall, she was gone. Maddie searched for a door, window or staircase that would lead her to her common, but found none. Finally she just threw down her arms and cried out, "Niarbyeknom!” She was nearly knocked over by the portrait swinging open to reveal a cozy looking room inside. She carefully pulled herself over the high entrance and stumbled into the cozy looking room. Large gray and scarlet armchairs, colorful tapestries, a roaring fire, chattering students. It was a picture of everything a home should be, and Maddie was happy that this was hers, at least for the school year. She spotted her friends huddled near the fire and jogged over.

"Where'd you disappear to?" asked George as she sat on the floor between all the armchairs.

"Just talking to Professor McGonagall. She had me sing for her, and told me all about something called the Melodicia theories. What have you guys been doing?"

"Herm gave the first years a tour and Ron 'accompanied' her. We sat around, catching up...thinking up some new pranks. See that potted thing over there?" Fred pointed to a lavish potted tree in the corner of the common room with a funny glint in his eye. Maddie nodded. "Well, wouldn't that be perfect for Dungbombs? The leaves would hide it just right..." Maddie giggled, seeing what he meant, and turned to begin discussing prank potential. George and Lee got closer, and they looked like they had all been friends since birth.

(*)

George turned to his twin and best friend as the chubby little girl followed Professor McGonagall out of the hall.

"So what do you think?"

"'Bout what?" answered Fred, mouth full of prime rib.

"'Bout the new girl. Pretty different, eh?"

"Yeah, I should say. Her accent's interesting, and she seemed to know quite a lot about pranking. That's usually a good sign."

"Yeah. We need some better girl's in Gryffindor. Hermione gets into enough adventure with Harry and Ron, but she was never one to pull a prank for the fun of it. Don't get me started on the rest of the female population..." He put on a high, falsetto tone. " 'Don't make me throw that Dungbomb, I might break a nail!' Gimme a break!" George shook his head in disgust.

"Well, I think she gives off such an innocent air." Harry chuckled. "I bet it gets her out of all sorts of trouble. But speaking of new things at the school, what's with this curfew?"

"Dunno, but I'll probably end up breaking it the first night! Common rooms by 9:30? What're we supposed to do?"

The boys talked a little more about the curfew, Quidditch, and the new manger at Dervish and Bangs before finally filling up on the food and making their way to the common room.

"Ahh, home sweet home," remarked George as they beat the crowds to the chairs in front of the fire. Ron and Hermione squished themselves into one of the chairs, and Harry, George and Fred took the others. Hermione let out an exasperated sigh.

"While you guys were enjoying your feast, I was taking the first years on a tour of the building. They were so annoying! They kept wandering away, and childishly poking each other and running around. It was infuriating!"

"Hermione, what's this?" breathed George in a tone bursting with mock surprise. "A prefect? Speaking ill of fellow students?" Hermione gave him a Look and he shut his mouth, lightly snickering.

"They weren't really that bad at all. I'm just so tired. I couldn't sleep at all last night, I was so excited to get back and see everyone."

"Right. Everyone." Harry muttered under his breath. George gave him a sympathetic look out of the corner of his eye. Both he and Fred had been worried this might happen- they didn't want Harry feeling like a third wheel.

Just then the portrait swung open and a head of black hair could be seen, struggling to get into the common room. As Maddie lugged herself over the high opening, she shot the group in front of the fire a bright smile, lighting up her chocolate brown eyes. The conversation went pretty well for a while, then George noticed her yawning.

"Sleepy, Squirt?" he tried out a nickname, pleased to see her grinning at it.

"A bit. Long day, ya know," she said, slowly standing up, "Professor McGonagall said Hermione would show me the girls dorms..." She trailed off, spotting Hermione fast asleep on Ron's shoulder. Fred stood up behind her.

"Not to worry. George and I'll show you." Maddie raised an eyebrow.

"And what exactly do you two know about the girls dorms?" Fred gave her a wicked grin.

"Oh, come now, Maddie. We have full knowledge of every other room in the castle. Did you really think we would stop there?" Giggling, she followed the redheaded boys up a staircase that branched into two more at a landing halfway up. They took her up to a mahogany door that seemed to be part of a tower.

"Here you are," said George, grandly bowing her through the door. "The girls dorms. Years four through seven share this one, and the first, second and third years are across the hall. The boys are down the stairs, to the landing, and back up again. Just give us a yell." Fred turned to leave and ran head-on into Lavender Brown, who was sashaying by at just that time.

"Well, well, well," she murmured, untangling herself and stepping one tiny step back. "Fred Weasley. Don't normally come up this way much, do you?"

"I was just showing Maddie here where she would be sleeping, Lavender. And now I'm leaving," he said, trying to put a little more space between him and her.

"Of courssssse," she drawled in an almost-singsongy voice. "Goodnight, Fred." She brushed rudely past Maddie and disappeared into the back of room. Maddie was cracking up.

"Well," she sang in a perfect imitation of Lavender. "I guess I'll go get my beauty sleep, then. Goodniiiiight, Fred. See ya lata, George." She gave the brothers a devilish wink, and then shrieked with laughter as they shoved her into her room, tickling her sides. As she found the four-poster bed with her trunk at the foot of it, Maddie smiled happily, looking around at her new home. Life was turning out good. For the most part.

She couldn't help but notice the mean glares she was getting from the blonde girl named Lavender. Though Maddie smiled at her several times, the girl would do nothing but stare at her like she was some odd species of bug. Finally deciding to ignore her, Maddie bustled around, putting her toiletries in the bathroom, her books on her bedside table and clothes in the wardrobe. She was just dropping into bed, exhausted, when Ron came in, carrying a sleeping Hermione.

"RON! You're not supposed to be in here!" Lavender squealed, hurriedly fussing with her hair and adjusting her robes. He gave her a murderous look and she hushed a bit.

"You're going to wake her up!" He laid Hermione down on the bed next to Maddie and gave her a smile. "'Night," he whispered, backing out of the room. Maddie collapsed onto her bed, her head swimming with everything that had happened that day. As she drifted off, she said a quick thank you prayer. Someone was looking out for her that was for sure.
As Lavender Brown crawled out of bed on Tuesday morning, she was quite happy to say that she was in a very good mood. Her eyes swept the quiet room full of sleeping girls, and she reviewed each one nearby. Hermione Granger. Ugh, is there such a thing as hating a person for their name? Lavender fervently hated that name. Hated that girl...her hair, her teeth...her Ron. Hermione wasn't supposed to end up with Ron- a girl like that deserves a person like herself. But funny, cute, smart, adorable, hot Ron was clinging to her like a barnacle. Lavender put a hand to her hurting stomach. On to the next person. She smiled at her friend, Parvati, who was just waking up as well. No one understood their special ritual of waking early to prepare for the day, but then, no one looked quite as good as them, now did they? She motioned for Parvati to go to the shower first, and continued looking around the room. June Moore. This girl was OK, as girls go. No fashion sense whatsoever. But she had potential...a project. She made a mental note to point her out to Parvati at breakfast. They'd tackle that one some weekend.

As her eyes continued on, she found the newest object of her rejection- Madison Wells. Maddie. Not there an entire day and she was already moving in on Lavender's boys. No, that fat little brat didn't fool her. So she could sing a few notes. Whoop-de-doo. She was overweight, had ratty hair, weird eyes- she didn't even wear make-up! Lavender pulled her eyes away from the atrocity with a little difficulty. Now, now Lavender, she told herself, mustn't get upset this early. It'll give you worry lines, and at the very least, a bad disposition. Go get ready for the day. That'll make you feel better.

And make her feel better it did. She stood in the shower for almost half an hour, massaging the color-safe shampoo and conditioner deep into her scalp, taking time to use her scented body wash. Once she stepped out, she toweled off and carefully pulled a scarlet tank top on under her black school robes. Good thing Hogwarts had chosen a slimming color like black- suppose they had done something dreadful, like requiring orange robes? How are you supposed to coordinate your make-up and jewelry to that? She smiled a rueful smile of relief as she put down the moisturizing base for her powder and concealer. Eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lip liner, lipstick. Blush- just a tad now, Lav! Don't overdo it. She stepped back and reviewed her handiwork. Darling, you are gorgeous. She reached up and twisted her hair into a bun, allowing a few sexy strands to spill out of the coil. Add a few rings and some thin golden chains, and voila- Instant Lavender. She grinned and went to talk to Parvati about that June girl. As she left the still-steamy bathroom, she caught sight of a pair of pajama pants with little penguins on them. She slowly followed the pants to a t-shirt that said "Vermont Cheerleading competition Then that face. Those eyes. And that Goddamn hair. Maddie was valiantly trying to keep the impatient look off her face.

"Oh look, Sleeping Ugly has awoken." Lavender was pleased to see the tears pop into Maddie's eyes. She looked just like she had been slapped.

"What in God's name did I ever do to you?" she nearly whispered.

"Don't play innocent. I've seen you with them. You laugh, you sing, you bat those eyes of yours. Don't bother, babe. I was here first, I've staked out the turf. They're mine." She was almost nose to nose with her now.

"Wha- who? Fred and George?"

"What? Who? Fred and George?" mocked Lavender, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. So listen up and take heed. You're not wanted here." With her final sneer, Lavender stalked away, leaving the scent of vanilla perfume in her wake. Maddie pushed the confused tears from her eyes and hurried into the shower. It was way to early in the morning for this kind of thing.

By the time she had showered, washed her face and teeth, and gotten dressed in fresh robes, the childish jabs from twenty minutes earlier seemed a lot less sharp and more desperate. Still toweling her wet head, Maddie saw Hermione, sitting on her bed braiding her hair into pigtails.

"Morning," she said brightly as Maddie sat next to her on the bed. "How are you liking it so far?"

"Well, last night went much more smoothly then this morning," she admitted, proceeding to explain the conversation with Lavender. When she finished, Hermione was livid.

"Ooh, that little... I swear she's crossed a line this time! She hates all girls that are friends with boys or have boyfriends- imagine my days with her. Oh Maddie, please don't take her seriously. Fred and George are your friends, they know your not flirting, she's just jealous because of how good you are and how fast you made friends. Ugh, she makes me sick!"

"I figured it was something more personal that had less to do with me. But for someone who makes friends so fast, I've gathered my share of enemies, too." She looked wistfully to the corner where Lavender and Parvati were whispering and shooting hateful glares towards the bed.

"Don't let them get to you- whisper back. Just don't get upset. That's what they want." Maddie seemed to be thinking, then she turned to Hermione, determined.

"No, I'll be nice. Don't let their jabs get to me; take their insults as compliments. That way, I'll feel better about myself in the process." Hermione stared at her with admiration in her eyes.

"Okay, if you can stand that, then you go for it. Come on, let’s go downstairs. I'm starved." Maddie turned to smile at her new friend. She liked this girl, and she usually wasn't all that great at making friends with girls.

"Last night Ron carried you up to bed. It was so cute. Lavender went into a hissy fit, and he yelled at her for almost waking you up." Hermione blushed a tiny bit and smiled contentedly.

"He's so perfect. My best friend for four years, before he finally asked me out. Harry was a little surprised at first, but we've been trying to make him as included as possible. The three of us have been best friends since our first year."

"Wow, really? My best friend from birth is still in America, but he's a wizard too, so owl post will come in handy." Hermione smiled knowingly as they tramped the steps reaching the common room, where the boys were waiting.

"Morning, Ladies!" called out Harry as Ron pulled Hermione into a greeting kiss.

"Mornin' Boys!" answered Maddie in a thick American accent, causing the group to laugh a bit as they left the common room for the Great Hall.

"Blimey, Lavender Brown looks ready to spit nails. What's her problem?" Fred pointed to where Lavender was sitting with Parvati, not touching her steaming waffles and glaring at Maddie, who was walking between George and Harry.

"Not a clue," muttered Maddie under her breath as she seated herself a careful distance away. The others just shrugged, but Hermione gave her an encouraging glance as she dolloped whipped cream unto her plate. They had just barely begun to eat when Professor McGonagall appeared, wielding thick stacks of parchment.

"Schedules!" she announced, passing the papers around. As Maddie snatched hers up a shiver of excitement ran through her. The school year was finally beginning. She reviewed her day.

9:00- Care of Magical Creatures
10:00- Herbology
11:00- Ancient Runes
12:00- Lunch
1:00- Charms
2:00- Transfiguration
3:00- Potions
4:00- Defense Against the Dark Arts
5:00- Free period
7:00- Dinner
9:30- Curfew

"Hermione, let me see yours!" demanded Maddie, reaching over. "Ooh, we have the same ones!"

"Course, silly," said Harry, grinning at her ignorance. "All the students of the same house and year take classes together." Maddie blushed a little.

"Oh. Well, how was I supposed to know? That's a relief, now I'll know people." She happily turned to her waffles, which were quickly cooling. The students hurried a bit with their breakfasts, wanting to get to their classes on time. The first-day-back-to-school excitement was throbbing through the rooms as Maddie tucked away her schedule, bid Fred, George and Lee goodbye, and followed Harry, Hermione and Ron outside to a small hut on the edge of a forest. Maddie was surprised to see the giant man from yesterday, and even more surprised to see Hermione slip out from under Ron's arm and enfold the man in as big a hug as she could.

"Hagrid! How was your summer?" This was Harry.

"Eh, good, good. I'm mighty glad to see you three though. Missed ya, I did. Have myself a bunch of good lesson plans. This years bound to be a good one." Hagrid spotted Maddie, who was nearly hidden behind Ron's hulking figure. "And who's this?"

"Oh, sorry. This is Maddie Wells, a new Gryffindor. She transferred from a school in America." Maddie shyly stepped forward and offered the huge man her tiny palm. He chuckled and proceeded to attempt ripping off her arm.

"Nice to meet ya. If ya ever need anything, this here's my house, just come knocking. God knows these three do enough." They laughed, and Hagrid turned to address the small crowd that had gathered.

"Welcome back, everyone. Today's class is just going to be a bit of a review of what we covered last year. Take out The Monster Book of Monsters, and we'll get started." Harry showed Maddie how to open her book and she listened intently as Hagrid covered Hippogriffs, mugwumps, yeknomtons, paragats, aeks, and lleds. The colorful, moving pictures drew her attention, and she wished she could touch the fluffy looking aeks. She didn't snap out of her reverie until Hermione shook her shoulder.

"Come on, dreamer. We've got to get Herbology."

Maddie had a great time in her morning classes. So far, her teachers were nice, subjects relatively easy, and homework light. As she say down to tomato soup and grilled cheese at lunch, she was explicitly grinning.

"Good morning, Shortyfries?" inquired George.

"You bet! I understood almost everything the teachers said." Everybody laughed, and ate their soup hurriedly.

"What do you have next?" asked George.

"Charms, then Transfiguration, then Potions, my favorite." Maddie looked up, startled, as the twins erupted in laugher. Ron and Harry were roaring, and Hermione was chuckling with a sympathetic look on her face.

"The Potions master-" she began

"Is a terrible, unearthly, ugly git," broke in Ron over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I think that about covers it," agreed Hermione.

"Well, surely he can't be THAT bad," said Maddie, but George shook his head.

"You'll see," he warned. And see she did.

That afternoon, Maddie was apprehensive about entering the dungeons.

"At my old school we had Potions in labs!" she said nervously, eyeing the jars full of gross organs floating in green liquid. She sat next to Harry in front of a huge cauldron, looking around for a teacher.
"Here he comes," whispered Harry, pointing under the desk to a tall man with greasy hair who was glaring at the Gryffindor side of the room.

"He looks like he just swallowed a lemon," commented Maddie.

"Oh, he's in a good mood today," said Harry in a knowing voice. He stopped as the man ("Professor Snape," hissed Harry) addressed the classroom.

"Welcome back. This year, the smarter half of the classroom will make huge strides in some of the more dangerous potions that are available to teach. The other half I'm sure will be struggling to keep up as we work on the Romeo Potion, the Facilornier Potion, and several others. Today, we will be reviewing a series of nightshade potions that we worked on last year. Now, who can tell me the most complex potion that nightshade is involved in? Ah yes, Mr. Malfoy."

"Mister," Harry sarcastically muttered under his breath. A pale boy with silvery hair stood up.

"The Yestercare Glitterbreeze is the enchantment that is the most complex with the ingredient nightshade." He smiled smugly and sat back down with a smattering of applause from the Slytherin side of the room.

"Very nice," said Snape in an oily voice. Maddie raised her hand up quickly in the air, causing his half smile to flip upside down

"Yes, Miss," he consulted some papers on his desk, "Wells?"

"Well, sir, with all due respect, Mr. Malfoy was wrong. The Yestercare Glitterbreeze is the strongest potion with nightshade in it. The most complex is the Nanner Hoax. It's an easy mistake to make." Maddie put her hand down, flushed with the excitement of getting something right. Maybe I'll even win some points for the house, she thought excitedly. But then she turned to Harry, who had a look of dread on his face. Snape was positively seething at her, and her blush turned to one of confused shame. What had she done wrong?

"Well, it looks like Miss. Granger has another know-it-all to hang about with now. How lovely." As the Slytherins all laughed, Maddie held back tears and Hermione held back Ron, who was nearly foaming at the mouth.

"Honestly hon, don't you think I'm used to it by now?" she was hissing. Snape continued to explain the nightshade series, and Harry scribbled something on a piece or parchment and slipped it into Maddie's hand. She unfolded it carefully, and smoothed it out in her lap.

Don't let him get to you! He makes fun of all the Gryffindors, Hermione, and me especially. If he sees he upset you, it's just worse. Smile!

Maddie allowed herself a small one as she pushed the paper into her bag, determined to treat him like she did Lavender. Later, when she was working on her Yestercare Glitterbreze enchantment, he walked by, telling her he "had never seen a runnier example". When she answered with a cheerful thank you, she got ten points taken off for her cheek. Harry helped her calm down.

"Nothing you can do will help. Just kind of roll with the punches, OK? Your potion looks fine to me." Maddie smiled gratefully.

As son as the bell rang, the Gryffindors stampeded from the room quickly. Hermione grabbed Maddie's arm as soon as they were out of the dungeons.

"That was a good call about the potions! I didn't even catch that one."

"Thanks, but I should have kept my mouth shut. I didn't know Snape was such a jerk- I should have listened."

"Don't let him make you feel bad about yourself. He wouldn't dare say anything like that if another teacher was around. He makes me so angry I just want to-" Ron was talking trough clenched teeth, building up intensity until Hermione put a little hand on his big arm.

"Ron, calm down. Its fine- Maddie's a big girl; I'm a big girl. We can handle him." Ron visibly relaxed, but he was still mad as they sat down in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The class went quickly, another one that Maddie found very interesting. When it was over, Maddie jogged up the stairs with her friends to the common room. They went over to sit near George and Fred, who were playing with some firecrackers by the window.

"Hey guys! Whatcha doin?" They showed her where Malfoy and two of his friends were walking the around right below the window. "So Maddie, should we or shouldn't we?" asked Fred, grinning evilly.

"Throw them? Oh sure, and make him hate me more?" She glanced at their questioning faces and quickly explained the events of Potions that afternoon. Fred accidentally twisted his firecracker in half, he was so ticked off.

"That Snape is an idiot. Just ignore him."

"That's the advice I plan to follow." Maddie sat back, grimly smiling. "Let's throw one. Just for fun. I can get us out of the trouble." She snatched it from George's hands, and before he could even protest, she had lit it with her wand and tossed it out the window. Malfoy let out a little scream as the harmless sparks showered down on him. He looked up at Maddie's laughing face for a split second before she ducked out of sight.

"I’ll get you!" he shrieked in a high voice.

"The look on his face was worth whatever trouble we get in," gasped Fred.

"Oh, we won't get in trouble," assured Maddie with a mischievous grin. They walked over to the couches and were discussing a new prototype of firecracker that Dervish and Bangs had just put out when there was a knock on the portrait door. A first year pulled it open and Professor Flitwick tumbled through the entrance, heading straight for the group by the couches.

"Excuse me, but we have a very serious matter to discuss. I was just informed by Mr. Draco Malfoy that someone threw a very dangerous firecracker from a window. We've deducted that the window was from the Gryffindor tower, and Mr. Malfoy seems to think that he saw your face sticking out said window, Mrs. Wells," He shifted uncomfortably. "Did you, um, have anything to do with this?"

Maddie stood up, pushing the boys down behind her in one swift gesture. She blinked twice, and her huge, green eyes filled with tears. In a high, sweet voice the boys had never heard, she said, "Well, I can explain. You see, I was doing my homework, or trying to, seeing as I'm new here, and well, one of these firecrackers was under my chair. I thought that somebody had left it, and then I picked it up, and I was waving my wand to erase something on my parchment, and all of the sudden it started...FIZZING!" Maddie paused to choke out a sob and Fred jumped up, putting his arm around her back comfortingly.

"Shhh," he said, giving the increasingly nervous teacher a reproachful look.

"Anyway," she continued, "I got really, really scared, cause I've seen those movies where the bombs blow up and the girl loses her hands, and I like my hands, so I just threw it, really, really hard out the window, cause I figured that would be the safest thing to do. I just got here, and I'm not so sure what I'm always supposed to be doing." She looked at Flitwick, who was now dancing about guiltily, looking for a tissue from one of the other students. "Are- are- are you going to expel me? Oh, please don't, cause my mother would be so angry with me; she'd probably disown me. I never meant for anyone to be hurt, I was just confused, and I didn't mean to hurt anyone, oh please!"

Flitwick grabbed a tissue and hurriedly handed it to Maddie, who blew her nose daintily. "Dear, dear, no need for tears. Just a misunderstanding, happens all the time. No, no, Mr. Malfoy avoided any harm, everything's fine, not a problem here, no tears..."

"I think we better take her to get cleaned up," said George gravely, appearing at Maddie's other elbow. She lifted a convincingly tearstained face and sniffled once, looking like a five year old orphan.

"Yes, yes, just do what's best, terribly, terribly sorry about that." He trailed off as George and Fred lead Maddie out of the common room and to a shower room on the third floor. Once they arrived, Fred fell to the floor laughing, and George sat down on one of the benches, holding his stomach, face red with silent guffaws.

"Where," gasped George, "did you learn to cry on cue like that? That was possibly the best performance I've ever seen. Squirt, those tears were real!"

Maddie just grinned. It was a funny sight; her face was still red and tearstained, yet her uniquely pale pink eyes shown with victory. She threaded her thumbs through imaginary suspenders. "Yeah, it's just one of those things that the little people can't do," she joked.

They hung around the shower room for another ten minutes ("If we get caught in a girls shower, Maddie can tell them we were showing her around." "She can tell them we were making out and still get away with it.") When the coolness of being in a restricted area wore off, the boys and Maddie went to join the rest of the school at dinner. As they sat down next to their friends, the twins turned to Ron and Harry and began discussing the afternoon in admirable whispers. Maddie just smiled; Aunt Rachel had to be wrong. How could the year have danger in store when everything seemed to be going so well?