Hogwarts: The Old Skool

Hogwarts: The Old Skool

Chapter One: A Meeting of Minds

July 1993, Surrey

"Recapping today's top story: the murderer, Sirius Black, is on the loose, having escaped from Azkaban. Although Muggles have been informed he is carrying a gun - a kind of metal wand Muggles use to kill each other - the wizarding world live in fear of another massacre like that of twelve years ago when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. Now, the weather..."

Laurel Acevedo tuned out the rest of the WWN broadcast in shock. Sirius was loose? But...shouldn't he have gone insane by now?

Her sister, Lupe, noticed the look on her face.

"What's wrong, Laurie?" she asked in concern. Laurel forced her face into a rough approximation of a smile.

"Nothing, babe. I'm fine. I might just go and have a bath, though."

Ignoring her little sister's distressed face, Laurel struggled to her feet and staggered out of the kitchen, where just minutes before she had been peacefully eating breakfast. Unaware that not ten miles from where she stood, a thirteen year old boy named Harry was being told he attended St. Brutus' Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys, she ran upstairs, and collapsed onto the floor beside her bed, as memories of that boy's father flooded back into her head. James...Sirius...Peter...Lily...and of course, Remus. Always Remus. Although it had been almost twenty years since she had seen him, she usually thought of him with worrying frequency.

Laurel Acevedo slumped forward, her head resting on her knees, not feeling the wooden floor beneath her, as she remembered the first day she had encountered them. All those years ago. She began to frown as she absently rubbed her shins, remembering...

September 1971, King's Cross Station

...the pain! Jesus Christ, that had hurt. Laurel cursed under her breath and rubbed her shins. 'Bloody ow,' she thought. Obviously running into her trolley after coming through the barrier was not the correct idea. She had just been so shocked that running through the wall had worked, she hadn't realised she and her trolley were moving at different speeds.

"Eeeck. That looked nasty!" a voice said sympathetically. Laurel looked up to see a girl smiling at her. She was taken aback by the girl's green eyes - they seemed to shine out of her face.

Laurel grimaced back. "It was," she admitted. The girl's eyes crinkled in concern and she immediately dropped to her knees and rolled up Laurel's trousers without asking. Laurel gaped at her, too surprised to pull away.

The girl smiled up at her, those startlingly green eyes twinkling. "Doesn't look like you'll get too much of a bruise, but you might want to get it looked at once we get there. Do you want a hand with your stuff?"

Still in shock at the speed this girl moved from one topic to another, Laurel nodded dumbly. The girl smiled again and held out her hand. "I'm Lily, by the way - Lily Evans. I'm Muggle-born, this is ever so exciting for me - Hagrid helped me get here though. Do you know Hagrid? What's your name? Am I going too fast?"

"Um, no, don't think so, my name's Laurel, and yes, a bit," stammered Laurel. Lily grinned.

"Sorry, I do that when I'm nervous," she confided.

Laurel's eyes widened. "You're nervous?" she asked.

Lily nodded vigorously. "Completely! I'm terrified I'm going to screw up, and that everyone else will make fun of me, and that someone's going to curse me to make my hair to fall out or something! I've only one sister -" at this she made a face "- and she's a complete cow, so I'm dreading the whole boarding school thing too - my worst nightmare is being stuck with a bunch of Petunias and not having my parents there!"

She smiled kindly at Laurel. "And then," she continued, "I saw you, and you looked just as helpless as me, and I thought maybe if I latched onto you, I'd have at least one friend. I know I act like I'm confident, but it's just my charm offensive to get you to like me."

At this she gave Laurel a dazzling smile, and then lowered her voice. "Is it working?" she muttered.

Laurel gave her a grin and nodded. Lily looked relieved. "Nice one," she said, letting her breath out in a big rush. "Now, do you want a hand with your stuff or not?"

Once they had settled themselves aboard the Hogwarts Express, Lily and Laurel chattered away excitedly. Lily was delighted to hear that Laurel's father was a wizard, and she knew a lot more than Lily about the wizarding world. Laurel in turn was astonished to discover that Lily was the only witch in her family - she seemed quite knowledgeable.

"Oh, don't let that fool you - I read a few books I picked up in Diagon Alley. I don't know a lot, but I think I know enough to bluff my way out of any on-the-spot situations!" Lily said dismissively, her long red hair flipping over one shoulder. "So tell me more about your family, Laurel. What's your father like, is he a powerful wizard? Is yours an old wizarding family?"

Laurel shifted uncomfortably. "Actually, I don't know. He, um, he doesn't live with us anymore." Her tone made it clear the topic was not one she wanted to discuss further.

Lily looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Laurie, I didn't mean to make you awkward. If you don't want to talk about your family, it's fine," and she gave Laurel a big smile, and reached over and squeezed her hand.

Laurel looked at Lily's hand, and then squeezed it back.

"It's okay, Lily, I'm just not used to having people ask me questions about my family. Back where I come from..." she shifted in her seat again.

"Well, back where I come from, most people don't really like us much." And they definitely don't show us any physical affection, she added silently.

Lily looked angry. "Well, I don't care what other people think. And if they judge you by your family, they're all idiots. You're lovely," she said, her expression softening as she squeezed Laurel's hand again. "Really Laurie, you are. You don't mind me calling you Laurie, do you?"

Laurel gave her a small smile. "Actually, my sister calls me Laurie. I like it. My mum isn't big on nicknames, but Lupe says 'Laurel' sounds like I was born with a twig up my arse."

Lily burst into peals of laughter. "I think I'd like to meet Lupe," she giggled. "Is she older or younger than you?"

At the thought of her sister, Laurel smiled again. "She's nearly six years younger than me - she'll be six in April. She's very precocious though - but then she has to be, because of-" Laurel broke off, biting her lip. Lily, noticing the look on her friend's face, tactfully changed the subject to her own sister, and started explaining at length just why Petunia Evans really was born with a twig up her arse. Slowly, Laurel's face began to relax, and before they knew it, both girls were almost slipping off the train seats with laughter.

Suddenly a blast of cold air made them both look up. Unfortunately, Lily twisted too fast and fell off the seat.

"Well, this must be a new record for you, Siri - I don't think a girl's ever fallen for you this fast!" came an amused voice from the doorway. Lily brushed her hair out of her eyes and glared at the intruders. Laurel stared at them, her adolescent hormones going haywire as she stared at the taller of the two boys. He had unruly black hair that he absently ran a hand through as he grinned at the two girls, and wore a dangerously sexy smile for an eleven year old boy. The boy next to him was shorter and skinny for his age, with equally unruly black hair and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. The eyes behind the glasses were firmly fixed on Lily, whose slim figure and long red hair seemed to be of great interest to him. He spoke again, still not taking his eyes off Lily.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to startle you. I'm James, this is Sirius. We're looking around for other first years - Siri wants to check out potential dates before we get to Hog- aahh! Get off you git!" He broke off as the taller boy efficiently put him in a headlock.

"As my sidekick here was ineloquently explaining, my name, ladies, is Sirius Black. This waste of brains," here he gestured at the struggling James "is James Potter. He's a skinny little bastard, but watch out on the Quidditch pitch, because he'll chase the arse out of you. Ow!!" This last exclamation was due to the fact that James had just kicked him in the back of the knee, and Sirius was now crumpling to the floor. James stood up, gave his head a shake in an ineffectual effort to straighten his hair, and then extended his hand to Lily, who was still perched on the floor, the glare replaced by a look of amusement at James and Sirius' entrance speech.

"Sorry," he reiterated. "Well, I'm sorry - he's a tosser, so he's probably not. But we didn't mean to scare you." James heaved Lily to her feet, still not taking his eyes off her. Lily shook her hair out of her eyes, trying to appear calm and collected, although her heart was racing. 'Blimey,' she thought. 'I think I'm going to like Hogwarts!'

She smiled at James and introduced herself. On the seat beside her, Laurel's heart sank. To think she'd fallen for Lily's spiel about being friends - she'd probably never look back now she'd met this guy. To her surprise and pleasure, as soon as she had told James Potter her name, Lily then plopped back onto the seat beside Laurel. James immediately sat opposite her, and took his eyes off Lily for a second to smile at Laurel.

"This is my nice new friend Laurel... hey, Laurie, you never told me your last name!" Lily admonished. Laurel glowed with pleasure - they still wanted her! She was Lily's nice new friend! She was - oh, yeah. Her name.

"Sorry - it's Acevedo. Laurel Acevedo."

Sirius Black pulled himself from the floor to do a mock bow, and then flopped down beside James. "Pleased to meet you, Laurel Acevedo," he said, grinning that gorgeous grin again.

For the rest of the journey to Hogwarts, James and Sirius seemed to have forgotten their mission to meet girls, and stayed in Laurel and Lily's compartment. They chatted about their families - Laurel giving Lily a grateful smile when she changed the subject as the conversation came around to the Acevedo clan - with Lily pumping the boys for information about their wizarding background. Although not as curious about the wizarding world as the Muggle-born girl who would sit in this very compartment years later with her own son, Lily was intrigued by this new life, and many of the questions she had could not be answered by the books she had bought. James and Sirius both came from old wizarding families, and tried to answer as many of her questions as they could - although most of them were directed at James, rather than Sirius, who kept winking at Laurel when the other two started grinning silently at each other. Laurel found it highly disconcerting and immensely pleasurable at the same time - the feeling of adolescent awkwardness combined with the feeling of belonging was bizarre, but welcome. She was still worried she'd have no friends - not when they find out what you are, what your family are - especially when she looked at Lily's rapt expression, focused entirely on James, but the tight knot of fear in her stomach had loosened slightly, and she could laugh along with her friends like a regular kid.

A few hours later, Sirius glanced at his watch. "Much as I hate to break up this gathering, we better go get our robes on, Potter. And I bet you can't remember where our bloody compartment is either, can you?"

James broke off from his conversation with Lily about Quidditch, which she was fascinated by. "Not a chance," he said cheerfully. "But if we try every one, we'll find it sooner or later."

He stood up and stretched. "You'd think they'd make the seats a little more comfortable," he yawned.

"I think you're supposed to move around rather than staring at some redhead like you've turned to stone," murmured Sirius. Laurel overheard and grinned up at him. To her delight, he winked at her, and she felt perhaps that they could be friends - making cracks about James and Lily, the four of them hanging out. She wasn't fool enough to think that the gorgeous Sirius would fall for her average looks, but she thought perhaps he might want to be her friend nevertheless. For they were average, she reflected. Light brown hair, brown eyes, slight build, a slim figure, a few freckles across her nose when she tanned - she wasn't ugly, but she was a long way from Lily's creamy complexion and startlingly green eyes. Those eyes were looking up at James now, dancing with happiness as she gave him a smile full of the confidence of a girl who knows she has made a connection.

Even if the eleven year old James Potter was too young to realise it, Lily vowed that this was the man she was going to marry.

For his part, James had started to forget about Lily's stunning looks, which had first captivated his attention, and was genuinely enjoying her personality. He was quite young to entertain any real thoughts of love, but he was certainly transfixed by her. He smiled at her one last time, and then gave Laurel a genuine smile of affection - although not quite the same affection he had for Lily - before turning and following Sirius back to their compartment.

A little while later, Lily and Laurel heaved their trunks off the Hogwarts Express, and heard the bellows of Rubeus Hagrid calling "all firs' years over 'ere". Lily chattered away, explaining to Laurel that Hagrid had seen her looking lost wandering around the front of the Leaky Cauldron, almost able to see it, but not quite, and, recognising she was one lost witch, had introduced himself. He had then set about helping her to get into Diagon Alley, helping her to find Ollivander's for her beautiful new wand, helping her to find her schoolbooks in Flourish and Blotts, and all manner of other kindnesses. She grinned impudently up at him as she and Laurel reached his side.

"Alright, Hagrid?" she asked, winking cheekily. Hagrid smiled down at her, ruffling her red hair. "Watch yerself, young Lil, or I might chuck yer in the lake," he said indulgently. Laurel smiled to herself. Obviously another victim of Lily's "charm offensive". Suddenly she heard a voice shouting her name.

"Laurel! Lily, Lily! Laurel!" someone called. The girls turned around to see James and Sirius struggling through the crowds towards them.

"Look!" called James. "We picked up another stray!" He gestured at the boy beside him, a scared looking thing, as thin as James, with hair the exact same colour of Laurel's, she noticed. She felt Lily's body stiffen slightly beside her as she straightened her posture imperceptibly and adopted a casual smile.

As the three boys fell out of the crowd, Lily sighed loudly. "Thought we'd lost them, didn't we, Laurie?"

Laurel goggled at her, and then, noticing the spark in Lily's eyes, turned and agreed loudly. "Oh yes, especially you, James."

Lily blushed and elbowed Laurel slightly. James ducked his head and moaned audibly, but Laurel saw a huge grin spread across his face first.

Sirius shook his head at this pubescent mating ritual - although only eleven, he had already wisdom beyond his years on the dating field - and smiled at the boy beside him. "Useless, isn't he?" he asked. The boy's amber eyes looked as fearful as Laurel felt, and she warmed towards him immediately.

"Y-yes, Sirius," stuttered the boy. Sirius rolled his eyes and slung his arm around the smaller boy. "This is Laurel Acevedo and Lily Evans - we met them on the train just before we found you. James fancies the arse off Lily," he added in a stage whisper. James aimed a kick at Sirius' shin, which he deftly avoided, and Lily's blush turned from pink to crimson. Continuing, he gestured at the boy. "Lily and Laurel, this is Remus Lupin. I never thought we'd find someone skinner than Jamie, but whaddya know, miracles happen. Mind you, once we've fed him up a bit, Remy here is going to be the biggest chick-magnet in school, aren't ya, Remy? After me, of course," he added, almost as an afterthought. The boy blushed redder than Lily and gave the girls an embarrassed smile.

"Now that's enough teasing from you, Sirius Black," scolded Hagrid.

"Hagrid!" Sirius cried as though he'd only just noticed him. He immediately let go of Remus' shoulders and started pumping Hagrid's hand. "Now now, I hope you've stoked the fires in that mansion of yours - you know I despise a cold mansion, Haggers!"

Hagrid let out a rumbling laugh and cuffed Sirius over the head. "None of your cheek, you," he said, his beetle-black eyes twinkling.

As Sirius and James bickered good-naturedly, Sirius wrapped one arm around James and one around Remus, and James casually grabbed Lily's hand. Laurel hung back for a second, before Lily turned back and yanked her forward, linking Laurel's arm through hers. "Come on, Laurie! You're going to get lost at this rate!" The fivesome made their way down to the lake, laughing and shouting. Clambering into a boat, they pushed off into the dark water.

"Oi!" yelled Hagrid from behind them. "I said four to a boat!"

"Come on, Hagrid!" shouted Sirius. "Where's your sense of adventure?" As he was leaning over the side to deliver this statement, it was of little surprise to the group when upon shouting the last word, he promptly fell in. Resurfacing to the hysterical laughter and catcalls of his boatmates, Sirius sheepishly treaded water for a few seconds before hoisting himself back into their boat. "I think it's quiet time now," he muttered as James started singing a song about how there was a boy named Black, whose head somebody once cracked, so now he was thick and a bit of a di-

"I said, shut up, Jamie!" Sirius shouted, poking his friend. He grinned slightly as he said it, though, which spoiled the effect somewhat.

Upon arriving at the castle, Hagrid got out of his boat and started swearing profusely at Sirius, who took the criticism manfully, only interrupting once to point out that he couldn't put both his head and the boat in the particular orifice Hagrid was yelling about.

The sound of a throat being sternly cleared behind them made Hagrid and Sirius pause, then slowly turn, to see a green-clad witch glaring at them both. "Hagrid, there is no need for that kind of language. Not with a student, and not with anyone else. And Black..." Here she trailed off and regarded Sirius. "Well, your reputation precedes you, Mr. Black. Whatever it was you did to make Hagrid so upset," and here her mouth quirked slightly as she beheld Sirius in all his bedraggled glory, "well, I'm sure you've had your comeuppance. Now, if all first years will follow me, the Sorting is about to begin."

The witch turned and headed back into the school, and the first years obediently trooped after her. They followed her through huge wooden doors, across a stone hall, and into a huge dining area, where it seemed to Laurel thousands of eyes were staring at her from four long tables. The students were led to the front of the hall, where a tatty black witch's hat sat on an equally tatty stool.

Everyone else in the hall was staring at the hat, so Laurel did too. Suddenly, a tear near the brim opened like a mouth, and the hat begin to sing.

Many students, past and present,

Oh they have been mine to judge,

Tall and short, fat and lean,

I put them where I should,

For I was created long ago,

And know this school well,

And when you put me on your head,

I'll know you as well,

I might put you in Gryffindor,

Where only the brave do shine,

For Gryffindor did love such folk,

As much as he loved his wine,

Perhaps you will fit in Ravenclaw,

Where only the cleverest tread,

Fellow Ravenclaws will welcome you,

Once I know what's in your head,

And then we come to Hufflepuff,

The most faithful and the true,

Hufflepuffs love all new kin,

Perhaps soon they'll love you,

And finally, there's Slytherin,

Where dwell the cunning and the sly,

Those Slytherins recognise their folk,

And I assure you that's no lie,

So put me on your head,

And I will answer true,

And like those who've gone before,

Let's find out where to put you!

The hall erupted into applause and Laurel gaped at it. She'd never really seen any enchanted objects up close - Mum was a witch, but she'd sort of ignored her heritage since Lupe was born. She wondered if after her seven years at Hogwarts had elapsed, she'd be able to do stuff like that too, but as the applause died down, the familiar fear gripped her heart as the tall witch started to call out their names one by one. In no time, it came to her - cursing her last name, she stepped up to the stool.

"Acevedo, Laurel" echoed in her ears as the hat was placed over her eyes, so she was surprised when it was replaced by a small voice just behind her ear.

'Well now, what's this... a lot of fear here, that's not good, but don't worry, it's one of the best signs that you are strong underneath,' murmured the hat. 'But I'm not,' thought Laurel wildly.

'Oh, but you are, my dear - it's all here, in your head. You're stronger than you think... and I think you'll find that out in... GRYFFINDOR!!'

Nearly falling off the stool with surprise - hadn't Gryffindor been described as the brave one? - Laurel stumbled over to the Gryffindor table. It hadn't occurred to her until now that she might still be split up from her friends - she watched the rest of the sorting anxiously.

"Black, Sirius!"

'Hmmmm, I think I know where you need to go, son. A good mind, and a true friend, not to mention a sneaky side, but I think you could go to no other house than... GRYFFINDOR!!"

'Duh,' Sirius thought.

"Evans, Lillian!"

'Not difficult, my dear - you're a good friend, it's true, but I think that stubborn streak in you belongs in... GRYFFINDOR!!'

'Stubborn?' thought Lily, wounded. 'I'm not stubborn...'

"Lupin, Remus!"

'Ah, a clever boy! But I see you have a secret to hide, and hiding it is what you do well, isn't it? You cope with it masterfully, boy... Ravenclaw will be sorry to lose you to... GRYFFINDOR!!'

'Interesting - I thought I was a Ravenclaw for sure, a geek like me,' Remus mused.

"Potter, James!"

'Well well well, aren't you a puzzle? A latent talent here, that's nice, a good friend too, but also a brilliant mind - all very interesting. A little bit of a rule-breaker too, I think... but your overwhelming loyalty to your friends, no matter what the cost... hmmm... I think the only place for you is... GRYFFINDOR!!'

James pushed the hat off his head, and collapsed onto the Gryffindor table. Laurel was in ecstatics as she watched the hat pick James for their house too. Sirius gave his friend a punch on the arm and a big grin as he sat down. Remus smiled at him, looking less exhausted than he had before. And there was Lily... the beautiful Lily Evans. Well, who only knew what would happen there?

Laurel watched him watching Lily, and the knot in her stomach finally unclenched completely. She was at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; that nice Professor Dumbledore was smiling round the room in that kind way he had; and she had even ended up in Gryffindor. But none of that even mattered compared to what was most precious about the day - she finally had some friends. She looked around at them now - Sirius, laughing out loud at something James had just said; James, waving his hands expansively, talking about how it would have been typical for him to end up in Slytherin when they were all in Gryffindor; Remus, still shy, but like her, starting to relax, his eyes lighting up when he thought no-one was looking; and Lily, the first real friend she'd ever had apart from Lupe, the kind girl who'd adopted her on platform Nine and Three Quarters and not looked back since.

'My friends,' she thought dreamily. 'All my nice new friends...'

* * * * *

June 1972, King's Cross Station

"Laurel Acevedo, I'm not getting off this train without a promise you are going to owl me over the summer!"

Laurel smiled at Lily. Almost a year had passed since the faux-confident redhead had latched onto the shy brunette, and the difference was obvious. Laurel was still small-boned, she had the brown hair and eyes she'd had when she arrived at Hogwarts, but since Lily had cut it for her at Christmas, it no longer fell like a curtain for her to hide behind, but instead swished around in a classic Mary Quant bob, framing her face and defining her features. Her brown eyes no longer held fear, they now looked warm and inviting, and she no longer hid in huge robes but wore the stylish flares and hipsters that Lily and the other two Muggle-born girls in their dorm had brought to school with them.

She was opening her mouth to promise Lily that she would try to owl her, when James, Sirius, Remus and Peter burst back into the cabin, laughing their heads off.

"We did it," James managed to say through the giggles. "We locked the door on Snape and Malfoy's compartment, and now they're yelling at Malfoy's father through the window!"

"You should see his dad's face!" Sirius added. "He's about to spontaneously combust with shame! Oh, that it should happen to a Malfoy," he said dramatically, adopting a grave tone. "I shall be thrown into exile unless I leave young Lucius on the train and pretend he died in the pursuit of the Dark Arts!"

"Or he was killed in a fight with a Muggle," snorted Remus, normally so sedate, but pushed beyond the limits of calm by Mr. Malfoy's face.

"KILLED BY A MUGGLE?!" bellowed Sirius, still in his Malfoy voice. "NEVER! Why, I shall simply lie and say I never had a son, it was a figment of everyone's imagination should such a despicable thing happen! No Muggle could ever beat a Malfoy!"

The boys fell about for a few more minutes, and then managed to compose themselves enough to stand upright. "Alright, Lil," said James, still snickering slightly. "Shall I grab your trunk?"

"Thanks, Jamie," Lily said, smiling at him in that way she reserved for him alone. Although they hadn't really gone down very far down the dating path yet (being, as they were, twelve) it was generally accepted by their group that Lily Evans and James Potter only had eyes for each other, and always would. Laurel smiled at them, and turned to her own things, smoothing her hair behind her ears. She reached up to grab her trunk, and felt a bolt of panic run through her as it started to overbalance onto her, but suddenly Remus and Sirius were behind her, reaching up, steadying it, smiling gently (Remus) and chiding her for thinking she was a big strong man when she was in fact a weedy little woman (Sirius). Little Peter Pettigrew stood to the side, grinning around at them all, and Laurel remembered the day James had seen Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape picking on Peter, and immediately come to his defence (of course, Sirius had then smacked Snape in the mouth, so James' contribution had been overshadowed somewhat). After that day, Peter had started tagging along after them, and sort of become part of their little group. He was sweet, really, she reflected, if a little geeky. Funny how she thought of Peter as geeky, when Remus was actually the bookish one of the group. She smiled slightly at the thought of Remus, shaking his head and smiling as Sirius complained about his homework, watching Lily and James talking with the same quiet pleasure it gave her, to see her friends so happy. Smiling at her, as they all held hands when roaming the castle at night.

"Ooooh, Laurie's blushing!" Sirius shouted with glee. "Are you overcome by the nearness of our manly scent? Do you feel faint at the sight of our huge muscles? Are you going to have to loosen your clothing?"

"Idiot," Laurel muttered, elbowing Sirius in the ribs. He bent slightly, and his hands slipped from her trunk. James made a movement forward to grab it before it fell, and then they all stared as quiet, skinny, mousy little Remus Lupin calmly placed the extremely heavy trunk on the floor as though it weighed no more than a couple of Chocolate Frogs. He looked up and saw them all staring at him. He flushed bright red and muttered something about working out. Over his head, she saw Sirius and James exchange a look.

The moment was interrupted by a train whistle - the Hogwarts Express was about to head back to Hogsmeade! In a flurry of movement, the boys heaved their trunks onto platform Nine and Three Quarters, and in a chivalrous but vocal gesture did the same with the girls'. Then the six friends leapt off the train, and loaded up their trolleys, laughing, chattering, making wild plans for the summer, exchanging addresses, promising to send owls, meet up, attempting to lock James in his trunk (Sirius), remembering guiltily that Lucius Malfoy was still on the train (James), shrugging (Sirius again), heading through the barrier into King's Cross, and out into Muggle London. But come September - they'd be back, thought Laurel. And off for year two at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.