The first out of the hospital wing

The week passed quickly and mostly uneventfully. After lessons had finished, I went and played Wizard's chess with Peggy until one of us won. Throughout the week, I progressively got better and even managed to beat Peggy who had won the chess tournament last year.

We played Quidditch in all the Herbology lessons and Flying lessons of the week. That was one of the best things, as we learned better control of broomsticks (and the balls).


It was Thursday afternoon, Flying last lesson, a beautifully sunny afternoon and it was Ravenclaw Mixed vs. Slytherin Mixed. I had just managed to knock the Slytherin beaters off their brooms and we were winning by 50 points to 10.

From my place watching the match, I saw someone swaggering onto the pitch.

It was Luella.
She wore a smirk on her face as she swaggered on.


I was so busy glaring at Luella that when one of the Slytherins sent a bludger flying at me, it crashed right into the side of my head, and sent me toppling to the ground.
I thrust out my arm to catch my broom, but I was too late and I was just falling.


With a dull thud, I landed on the ground with no pain except from where the bludger had collided with my head.

"Hm, the ground seems rather springy today," I said, bouncing up and down on the unusually springy ground.

"That's because you landed on me, you great oaf!" A muffled voice said from under me.


I knew it was Luella, but I decided to act dumb.

"It's quite strange that the ground is like this."

"Get. Off. Me." Luella's muffled voice said from under me.

I then decided to act all innocent.

"Oh Luella, is that you that I am sitting on? Oh I am so sorry, I had no idea!"

"Just get your fat butt off me."

I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips. Above me the match was still going on.

I sat down even harder onto her.

"C'mon Bolt! You're needed up here!" shouted one of my teammates.

Sighing, I got up and hopped onto my broom and grabbed the bludger bat.

Soaring into the air, I primed the bat to whack the bludgers to and fro.


I saw a bludger whizzing towards Scott McCraig, and even though I had seen him with Luella, I didn't want to see him hurt.

Urging my broom to go faster, I zoomed towards the oncoming bludger and intercepted the hit before Scott lost the Quaffle or got hurt.



The Quidditch ended and so did school.



The teams landed their brooms and gathered up their brooms and robes.



I saw Chicken, Titch and Stan all waiting for me by the stands.

"Hi guys!" I called to them. "Any news?"

Their faces which were normally so full of happiness were grave and serious.

"Annie, I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but your friend Tash has fared far worse than Madam Pomfrey thought she would. She told me to pass on this message to you. Tash is being transported to St. Mungo's due to that stunner that hit her in her chest. She's in a very deep coma and the next few hours are crucial to her survival. The school have contacted her parents and they are on their way to St. Mungo's. Madam Pomfrey wants you to go up to the hospital wing right now."



I was shocked. "But, I went into the hospital wing every day! Tash seemed fine!"

Then suddenly it all made sense. That was why Luella had been smirking at me.

"Guys, I'll see you later."
Without another word, I sped from the Quidditch pitch, past some 5th years throwing dungbombs at each other, past some boys playing gobstones.
My feet literally flew as I ran.
"Hey Annie!" I heard Nike call, but I didn't answer.
I continued to sprint up to the steps of the school, past the stone hogs and up the enormous staircases, all the way to the hospital wing.

I burst through the doors to see a sight which made my heart stop.
Tash's parents, Madam Pomfrey and Laurie, who had come to earlier that day, all crowded around Tash's bed.

Tears were streaming down Tash's mother's face and her father wore a grim look on his face.
All I could think was It's all my fault. Tash might be dying, and it would be all because of me.

My bag slid off my shoulder and landed on the floor by the door.
With numb legs, I walked over to Tash's bedside. She was unconscious in her bed.
I crouched down by her bed and held one of her hands in mine.
"Please Tash, you'll get through this, you've got to."
Someone put their hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't take my eyes off of Tash.
"Miss Bolt, she can't stay here. Miss Helyar has to be taken to St. Mungo's if she is to survive." Madam Pomfrey's voice sounded above my head.

Gently, she pulled me away from Tash, who was put onto a stretcher and was taken outside to a portkey with two paramedic wizards.

"Please Tash, survive. Live to see another day."

Here we go!

I was the first to Transfiguration. Most of the first years were still down in the great hall eating their breakfasts. My stomach gurgled, begging for food, but I wasn't in the mood to eat.
Twiddling my thumbs, I sat there, and stared blankly at the blackboard, waiting for the bell to ring and for the students to filter into the classroom.
Soon enough, the bell rang, and the kids all shuffled reluctantly into the classroom, unwilling to start a new term.

"Good Morning class," Prof. McGonagall said as she strode into the classroom, and stood at her desk.
"Good morning Professor McGonagall," we chanted in a sing song voice.
I kept my head down and avoided making eye contact with her. It helped that my desk was in the back of the classroom.
"Right class," she said, taking out her wand and charming some chalk to write on the board. "Today, we will be learning about transforming an item into something completely different from its original form. For example, like a quill to a teacup."

The lesson went by slowly. I had managed to transform the feather I had into a pin cushion and back several times by the end of the lesson.
I wonder how Tash, Sam and Laurie are. I thought as I watched everyone attempting to transfigure their feathers.
Someone prodded me in the back. I turned to look, and there I saw a very bruised Zofka, and an even worse Petunia.
"Hello Annie," Petunia said, smiling a sickningly sweet smile at me. "I just wanted to say to you that you're dead," she said it in such an off hand manner that I knew that I was in trouble. If I wasn't expelled from school, then I would be in for a much worse fate.
Zofka cracked her knuckles menacingly from her seat next to Petunia.
"Ve know vhere you lif!" she said, trying to sound threatening.
Petunia whacked Zofka over the head. "Of course you know where she lives, Zofka you blubber brained twit, we go to the same school!"
I snorted into a handkerchief, trying very hard not laugh.
"Ja, but ve know vat classes she has and vat time she has free!" Zofka hissed back to Petunia.
Petunia facepalmed. "That's because we all have the same lessons."
Zofka screwed her face up, looking as though she was in great pain. Then she realised what Petunia had said to her.
"Oh. Ok. Vell, do ve haf punch up now?"
Petunia sighed. "No, we do not have a punch up."
Suddenly feeling a little pluckier, I made fun of Zofka. "Ja, ve haf no punch up today!"
Petunia laughed, but Zofka screwed up her face again. "Vhy did you shpeak like thet?"
"Never mind." I said as I turned back to my work.
I smiled as from behind me I heard the sound of Petunia whacking Zofka round her head again.

The lesson ended, and everyone left the classroom. I left in a particular hurry, as to avoid talking to McGonagall.
A heavy rain had come over the grounds of the school, and it was very muddy.
We put our hoods up and ran to the Herbology greenhouses on the other side of the school.
Everyone was soaked through by the time they had arrived at Greenhouse 1.
Stuck to the door was a notice from Professor Sprout.
Herbology Cancelled today due to infestation of flesh eating slugs. Please come to the great hall for a special lesson.
"Herbology's cancelled?!" A dismayed Ravenclaw shouted from the crowd.
"That's a good thing!" A Slytherin yelled at the Ravenclaw.
Groaning and grumbling, we returned to the courtyard that was the quickest way to the Great Hall.

We all went into the Great Hall to see something amazing.
The tables were all gone, and at either end of the hall were 3 hoops, each of them different sizes.
Lines had been painted onto the ground, and wooden stands were stood by the walls.
In the centre of the room, there were 14 brooms floating in a circle at waist height. In the middle of the circle was a big, old chest with locks on it and two beaten up bats.
As one, the class breathed "Quidditch."
"Yes, indeed, we are playing Quidditch," Professor Sprout said as she walked into the room. "Now, I believe that this is the Ravenclaw and Slytherin first years, am I correct? Good. Today, I will be teaching you about Quidditch."
Professor Sprout talked to us for about half an hour about the rules and positions of Quidditch.
She explained to us that we were using foam bludgers and a training snitch for our games.
We were split into teams of 7, Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin. Each house had two teams.
Unfortunately, due to Laurie and Tash's absence, the Ravenclaw's girl team was missing one beater and a chaser.

For the rest of the lesson, we played Quidditch in the hall.
As a beater, I was able to whack out all my emotion into the bludgers, and I even managed to knock Zofka and Petunia off their brooms, only to have them float in midair from a security spell cast by Prof. Sprout.

The lesson ended all too soon, and we left the great hall to deposit our bags and stuff.
By the time that we had all returned to our respective houses and dorms, dumped our bags and returned to the hall, everything was back to normal.

I ate lunch with my new friends. Conversation was never scarce with that group. They were always plotting of ways to get back at people who had been rude to them and such.
Looking around at the Great Hall, no one would have ever expected that a full size Quidditch Pitch had been set up in there only 10 minutes before.
I finished my lunch quickly and went up to the Hospital Wing to visit my friends.
They were all still unconscious in their beds, so I couldn't talk to them of anything.
Madam Pomfrey shooed me out quite quickly though, so I went off on my own and was bored.

The rain was still hard outside, but I didn't care.
I walked out of the courtyard gates and walked down to the lake inlet where the Roamers' rock was.
Checking that no one was watching, I went inside and stood, watching everything happening around me. Windows in the rock had appeared, which showed enemies and friends.
The girls were still sleeping in the hospital wing. Luella was sitting up in bed, chatting to Sophie quietly. Zofka and Petunia were in the library, taking out a book, and Stan, Chicken and Titch were fooling around in an empty classroom.
I checked my watch. It read half past twelve. I still had an hour and a half of lunch break left.
Then, I checked my map to see if anyone was about and then went to the owlery.

Albus was perched on a low beam of the owlery. Attached to his foot was a magazine which I had ordered and hadn't received in the morning. I took the magazine and stuffed it into my pocket.
From my other pocket, I extracted a self inking quill and an order form for Honeyduke's.
I ordered half a dozen chocolate frogs and a packet of Bertie Botts' every flavour beans for my friends. I folded the letter up and put it into the envelope along with the money.
"See you soon, Albus." I said as Albus flew off.

The rest of the day went quickly, and soon, I had to go to the principle's office.
Palms sweating and dread in my heart, I walked the condemning corridor to McGonagall's office.
My hands shook as I knocked on the door.
"Come in," McGonagall said from her office.
I walked in and stood just a step away from the door.
"Now, Annie, I am disappointed to find out that you have been duelling with other students. Could you please explain yourself? I would like to know everything."
I said everything to McGonagall, told her of all the niggles between Luella and our group. I owned up to the broomstick incident, but didn't blame Laurie. Everything poured out, and I felt terrible but better at the end of it.

"Well, Annie, I can see that you and Luella have had some difficulties between you. What you did was completely out of order, especially sabotaging her broomstick and duelling. She or yourself could have been killed. I am most disappointed in you, Miss Bolt. Normally, the consequences for your actions would mean expulsion." I hung my head at this. "But," she continued. "This time you will not be expelled. Instead, you will be banned from all clubs, excluded from all special trips until the end of the school year, and you will have 2 months' detention. The same will go for your friends and Luella and her friends when they get out of the hospital wing. Now, please go along, enjoy your free time."

Once I was out of McGonagall's office, I leaped for joy, and did a little dance of happiness. I wasn't expelled! That made me happy. Although I had other punishments, I wasn't leaving the school that I loved.

Filled with joy, I sprinted off to the Ravenclaw commonroom and told Peggy and Mel, who told Renee and Nike, who were overheard by Neko and Raph.
"Wow Annie, you got off lucky there!" Peggy said as she hugged me.
"Yeah, Annie, you have no chance now if anything else happens this badly." Mel said as she joined in the hugging.
"Well, you won't be able to hang out with us after school hours are over, but at least you're not expelled." Raph said as he hugged all of us, robbing us of the ability to breathe.
"Raph, dude, I think you're killing them!" Neko said as he pried Raph away from the hug.
Renee and Nike were rolling around laughing at us.
Peggy, Mel and I all looked at each other, and then we pounced on Renee and Nike, and hugged them to death.

Dinner came and went, and I went to check on Tash, Laurie and Sam.
Sam stirred in her sleep, but otherwise, the others were dead to the world as they slept.

I returned to the common room and sat down on a sofa next to fire.
Peggy came up from behind me and covered my eyes. "Guess who," she said, putting on a low voice.
"Um... Peggy!"
"Darn it, you're right!" Peggy said as she sat down on the other sofa. "Have you ever played Wizard Chess?"
"I know how to play ordinary chess, and that's the same thing, isn't it? Except for the pieces moving on their own."
Peggy produced a chess set and set it up. "Let's play then!"

We started a long game of Chess. Mel came up to us whilst we were playing.
"Aaw, look at the geeks playing their geeky game of Chess!" without realising, Mel put her hand down next to a chess piece as she was talking.
Peggy and I looked at eachother, then Peggy winked.
"Knight to E4!" I said. The knight piece hopped along the board and landed heavily on Mel's hand.
"Yowch!" she said as she drew her hand away from the board, knocking over all the pieces.
"Game's over, I guess." Peggy said, standing up and packing the set away. And not a moment too soon, for the clock chimed 8 and I had to go up to my dorm.
"Night guys!" I called as I went up the stairs. I changed out of my uniform and into my pyjamas.
I put the uniform into the dirty linen basket at the side of my bed for the house elves, and I got out a fresh and dry uniform from my trunk.

Lying in bed, I went over the day's events in my head, and I decided that this term wasn't going to be half bad.

The same old same old.

My alarm clock rang 6am as it did every morning. Yawning, I opened the curtains to my four poster and got out of bed. Sleepily, everyone else did too.
The dormitory seemed empty that morning. Instead of the usual 7 girls per dorm, there were only 5, due to Laurie and Tash's absence.
Each dormitory was divided into 7 girls a year, same with 7 boys for the boys' dormitories. In each house there were two dormitories per year.
In our dormitory, most of the girls were nice. We had some mischievous twins, called Susan and Titty. They were great to hang out with, and they never got tired of taking the mickey out of teachers. Then, there were two absolutely dreadful girls. I say dreadful because they were make up wearing, hair tossing, skirt rolling up girls. Their names were Sybil and Monica.

"Morning Annie," Titty called from her bed, smiling her cheeky smile. "Did you do your Transfiguration essay?"
"Yep, I'm all ready for the test this morning."
Titty's eyes widened in horror. "You're not serious are you?"
"Dead serious." I said, playing with her. "Nah, don't worry, I'm just joking with you."

Grabbing my 'Wicked the Musical' towel, I went to the showers.
After a quick, but relaxing, shower, I got into my uniform.
I dried and brushed my hair, then ruffled it up so that it rested on my head in its usual manner.
Making sure my tie was straight, I looked at my appearance in the mirror.
"Perfect, ready for the day ahead."

I grabbed my books from my shelf by my bed, packed my new box of quills, and took out a fresh pot of blue ink and packed it all into my bag.
I checked my bag to make sure that I had my notebook with sheafs of parchment from lessons and essays that I had done.
Everything was there.

I slung the bag on my shoulder and walked down to breakfast.
Susan was already down there, packing her plate full with pancakes. On her left was her bag, saving a space for Titty, and on her right was Scott McCraig.
I blushed and went to the far end of the table, hoping to find someone else to sit with.
By good luck, Nike and her friends were there.

"Hi Annie!" Peggy called to me. "Come and sit with us!"
"Yeah, come on, Annie," Mel said as she piled her plate high with eggs and bacon.

I dumped my bag on the floor and sat down between Mel and Peggy.
I put a bit of food on my plate, but not much. I couldn't eat, because I was worried about what would happen after the duelling.
Playing with my food a bit, I decided that I wasn't hungry.
"I'm going to go now. I'll see you guys later." I said as I was about to get up.
At that exact moment, Albus, my owl dropped me a note.
I recognised the writing on the note straight away. My face drained of all colour.
Miss Bolt, could you please come to my office after lessons today. I would like to have a word with you.

Without another word, I sped from the hall and ran to my dorm.
I had about an hour until lessons started, so I had a bit of time to spare.
Remaining calm as possible, I started to put all of my uniform back into my trunk and then started taking down my pictures and posters. I knew what was coming already.
I could hear Proffessor McGonagall telling me that I was expelled and that the train would be taking me back home that night.
I could just see Luella and her clones' faces when they were told that I was leaving.
I could almost smell the smoke from the steam engine's mighty funnel, as I would be walking up the steps into a carriage.
A tear slipped down my cheeks, but I rubbed it off with the back of my hand.
I couldn't bear to leave Hogwarts, and it was all my fault that I would be expelled.
Fishing under my bed, I found the Nimbus 2000.
Quickly checking over my shoulder to make sure that no one was watching, I shrank the broom and put it into the side pocket of my trunk.

Once my trunk was packed, I grabbed my school bag and went down to lessons.

All alone

I sat on a sofa by the fireplace of the Ravenclaw commonroom.

In an attempt to block out everything, I read a book.

Phrases like you'll be expelled floated around my mind.

So clouded was my mind, that I completely failed to read my book, and I forgot all about time.

The clock chimed 6 times, then 7 and then an eighth time. The common room started to empty.

Most of the first years had returned to their dormitories, and mainly people in the third year and up remained.

As I sat there, I stared into the fire, which flickered and eventually went out.

Sighing, I got up to put a log on it and light it, an older girl stopped me. She looked about 14 years old, and she had flaming orange hair that was wild, like fire.



"Don't worry about that," she said, smiling at me. Even her eyes were orange. She took one look at the glowing embers at the bottom of the fire, and the log immediately ignited. "There, that's nice and toasty now, isn't it?"

The girl seemed very nice.

"You look lonely, where are your friends? I normally see you around with them."

"Um, they're in the hospital wing. We got into a fight with someone," I mumbled, looking at the floor.

"Well, until they're ok, you can hang out with us. I'm Nike, by the way. I transferred here from a school in Freadwardbobertmc'hammerhimesmitopolis. Have you heard of it?"

I shook my head.

"I wouldn't suppose you had, it's pretty much an unknown place. Oh, I never caught your name."

"I'm Annie," I said, looking up from the ground finally. I liked this girl, who spoke chattily and kindly.

"Well Annie, I hope you get on well with my friends, the witch sisters and our brothers." she turned to her friends. "Guys, come over here!"



A group of about four girls and two boys came over.

"Hi," I said, smiling and waving at them.

"Ok guys, this is Annie. We've seen her and her friends around before." she turned back to me. "Ok, this is Peggy," she said pointing at a medium height girl with brown, messy hair, not unlike my own. Peggy smiled and waved. "This is Mel," Nike said, pointing to a girl who had a mischievous face. "This is Renee, the oldest of us," she said, pointing to a tall girl, with long hair. She looked about 14 or 15. "Then, you know me." Then Nike pointed at a boy about her height, with Black hair dashed with white streaks. "That's my twin brother, Neko. He's an idiot," she said, laughing and sticking her tongue out at Neko. "And that's Raph, Mel's brother. He's not too big an idiot." Everyone started laughing at this, except for Peggy and Raph, I noticed.
"So, Annie, why're you all on your onesies, then?" Peggy asked me.
"Oh, me and my friends got into a BIG duel with this bully girl, and my friends all got knocked out. They're going to be staying in the hospital for a week or so."
"Who was this bully girl that you fought?" Mel asked.
"Luella Ren---"

Before I'd even finished saying Luella's name, the group started laughing.
"Well Annie, congratulations for fighting with her," Nike said, laughing.
"She's a right little twit and no mistake," Renee added in. "She tried to insult Nike and Neko because of their hair colours, Peggy and myself because of our families, and Mel, because she's such a clutz."
"Well done." Raph said to me, clapping me on the back.

The clock chimed nine.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go to bed now. First Formers were meant to be in bed an hour ago. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch, will I?"
"Of course," Peggy said to me. "Just look for us down at the runes, that's our favourite hang out."
"Ok, thanks, see you all tomorrow." I said as I climbed up the stairs to my dormitory.

I changed into my pajamas, climbed into my bed and drew the curtains of the four-poster.
They were nice. I liked those guys a lot. Tash, Laurie and Sam will like them a lot too, I hope.

The duel by the lake.

We walked silently down from the runes to the inlet of the lake.

Luella, Petunia, Sophie and Illusion-Zofka were all there, waiting for us.

"Luella." I said through clenched teeth.

"Mudblood."

I clenched my fists, but said nothing. I didn't want to give Luella the upper hand over me.
"That was below the belt, Luella." Tash said, jumping to my defence.
The rest of us looked at her and she shut up.

Luella and I stepped away from our groups and we stood facing eachother.
"I know you think that you're above me, Luella, just because you're one of those rotten purebloods. But you just think about this: You're alone. Those cronies of yours won't stick up for you. Not even my sister will. They're only your "friends" because they're scared of you. Should you be attacked by an evil entity right now, they wouldn't jump to your side, they'd run. You're alone in your life." I said with my voice barely an audible whisper, but Luella heard every word.

Without doing or saying anything more, I turned and walked back to my friends.
"Come on guys, let's leave her alone with her thoughts." I said as we started to walk back up the hill.
"Couldn't you have had a duel or a fist fight or something? That was boring!" Sam complained to me.
"That was one battle Sam, it's by no means the end of the war." Laurie said, philosophically.

Luella watched the retreating figures of the Roamers.
She clenched her fists and snarled.
"This isn't over!" she roared at us.

We turned around and looked at her. Her face was contorted with rage and pure hate.
She drew her wand and held it out infront of her.

"Sectumsempra!" she yelled as the curse flew from her wand and hit Laurie, missing me.
Laurie fell to the ground and writhed in pain as the cuts appeared all over her face.

"How dare you do that!" Tash screamed, drawing her own wand. She advanced towards Luella, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Stupefy!"
The red light of the spell burst forth from Tash's wand, but Luella was too quick for her.
"Reflecto!" Luella screamed, reflecting the curse back at Tash.
Tash didn't have any time to react. This spell was all new to her. She had never read about the Reflecto charm.
Before she could react, her spell hit her full in the chest. She was sent flying through the air, and landed, sprawled on the ground next to Laurie.

Zofka and Petunia had already run away from the duel, and Stan, Chicken and Titch had sprinted off, in chase of the clones, to stop them from getting a teacher.
The only people left were Sophie and Luella, versus me and Sam.

"We're going to end this right here, right now!" Sam yelled at Luella and Sophie as she drew her wand.
"Avius!" she cried as her wand performed the magic of her signature spell. A swarm of small birds burst from her wand and went flying at Sophie and Luella.
Sophie received the full blow of the spell, as Luella had already acted too fast, by ducking down behind a tree.

"Expelliarmus!" Luella cast the spell, directing it at Sam.
Sam went flying through the air and collided with a tree, knocking her unconscious too.
"We will end this, Luella." I said, my voice full of danger.

We walked towards eachother, and circled, each waiting for the other to attack.
"Do your worst," Luella snarled at me.
"Don't tempt me."

We fell silent, still performing our dance of anger, hate and danger.
Luella broke the silence and raised her wand and started the incantation softly. "Avad----"
Before she could finish, I cast the full body bind curse on her and she fell to the ground with a dull thud.
"This is where we end this war." I bent down close to her and whispered in her ear, "I know that there's some good in there, somewhere. You just need to find it."

Without another word, I went over to my friends' unconscious bodies, and took them back to the castle and to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey was furious that four girls should be so badly harmed by magic, by other students, nonetheless.
She made me tell her the whole story, from beginning to end. I told her of how Luella hated us, and how she attacked us down by the lake.
Madam Pomfrey was spitting mad at the end of the story.
"I'm ashamed of you. I thought you knew better than to duel. The headmistress will be told of this immediately."
"But, she attacked us. She was the one who initiated combat!" I said in protest.
"You should've just left her, and not retaliated. Now, return to your dormitory. Your friends will not be leaving the infirmary for at least a week. The same will most likely go for Luella and your sister."

Madam Pomfrey sent some helpers down to the inlet to collect Luella and Sophie, and took them back to the hospital wing.

To the lake

Laurie, Tash and I returned to our dorm. Sam went back to her dorm and said that she would wait until we gave her the sign.

I read through the note several times and turned to Laurie.



"What do you think this could mean?" I asked her.

"Well, I think this means that we need to be ready for whatever she has in store for us. I know that she has already trashed the den and that she also told Prof. Malfoy about our 'Shinanigans'."

"I personally think this means that we should kick her butt." Tash piped up from her bed.



I sat on my bed and thought for a moment. Fiddling with my watch, I made a decision.

"We're most likely going to have to turn ourselves in. This war can't go on forever. I mean, do we really want to end up like Prof. Malfoy and Prof. Potter?"

Tash and Laurie looked at eachother.

"Are you being serious?" They asked me in unison.

"I was just wondering. Please don't kill me."



The clock on the wall chimed a quarter to the hour.
I got off my bed and threw on my robe, and put my wand in its pocket, where I could get it out when I needed it.
"Showtime." Tash said, sounding extremely evil.

We ran from the Ravenclaw tower to Gryffindor tower, where we found Sam locked outside the commonroom.
"Forgot the password again?" Laurie asked, cocking an eyebrow and laughing.
"No." Sam said with indignation, arms crossed.
We raised our eyebrows at her, and almost immediately, her composure cracked.
"Fine. I forgot the password."
"Come on you," I said, pulling her up from the ground. "It's time to go and meet with the Devil."

We walked down the steps of the school and when we reached the runes atop the hill with the paths going to the Owlery or the Lake, I checked my map.
"Luella and her clones are there, along with my sister."
"That's great." Sam said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.
"At least there are no teachers there." Tash pointed out.
Laurie pulled the map towards her.
"But look. If we conjure up a picture," she said as she did that. "Zofka looks different." Her eyes scanned the map quickly. She found Zofka's spot hidden in the trees. "They've got an illusion of Zofka so that they can get her to scoot off and find the principle if need be."
"Don't worry," Tash said, looking slightly mischievous. "I have my own reinforcements." She pointed to three spots in the trees. "I got Stan, Chicken and Titch to hide in the case we needed some help."
"Stan? Chicken? Titch?" I asked, confused.
"Those are Helen, Alice and Phoebe's nicknames." Sam said, knowledgedly.
"Right. Let's just go."