I had never believed there would be a person Harry hated more than Dudley Dursley, or someone I hated more that Piers Polkiss, but that was before we met I had met Draco Malfoy. Still, first year Gryffindors only had potions with Slytherins, so we didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, we didn't until I spotted a notice pinned up in the common room that made Gryffindor first years all groan. Flying lessons will be starting on Thursday... and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," Harry said darkly, "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

I patted him on the back, knowing that flying had been what Harry was looking forward to more than anything else.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

I laughed. "First time I ever met him, he went on about how it would be 'a shame if he weren't picked to play for his house'."

And it was true, Draco Malfoy did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seem to end up with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

Though he wasn't the only one: the way Seamus told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broom-stick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hand glider on Charley's old broom.Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already gotten into a big argument with Dean, poor Dean got stuck in the same dormitory as Ron and Harry, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry tells me he caught Ron prodding one of Dean's posters of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Neville, despite his blood status, had never been on a broom in his life. from what i could tell his Gran had never let him near one, and for good reason. I happened to agree with her because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book... not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she had bored us all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Neville was only too obviously hanging onto every word, causing a few of the Slytherins to snicker. I couldn't blame him, he was in desperate need of anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later. Hermione's lecture was soon interrupted, to everyone's pleasure, by the incoming mail.

Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Draco was quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table. He was plenty more than happy to offer me some, and i never did refuse, after all i was still curious about wizard candies and treats, and he seemed to internally rejoice every time i accepted.

Today however i got one letter. it came by a random owl i did not know, probably a school owl, and i couldn't help but wonder how the heck Piers Polkiss sent a letter to me. It had a stamp so it was probably sent via Muggle mail, but somehow ended up here, magic can be very confusing. Harry wanted me to burn it without bothering to read it, but i read it anyway.

Turns out it was just some cheesy love poem he had written on a greasy napkin while he was at Smeltings with Dudley, along with a very hilarious picture of him in uniform asking for my opinion. i laughed and wrote back on a spare piece of parchment i got from Hermione, and a quill i borrowed from Percy.

"Why would you write back to him, he's almost as bad a Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed huffing as his face turned red with anger.

"because brother," i said never looking up from my writing a response, "this is funny and i need something to keep my interest, you know without getting kicked out of Potions." and as an afterthought i added "Plus if it becomes a regular thing imagine what Draco is going to think... me getting letters constantly, eventually he's going to ask but tell then he's going to be dying of curiosity."

Harry thought about this for a moment "it would be nice to get back at him for all the taunting. watch him squirm..." he mussed " Alright i'm in what you got." i handed him the picture Piers sent me and i swear he fell over laughing.

Just then a barn owl brought Neville a small package from his Gran. he opened it excitedly and showed us all a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of a white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained "Gran knows i forget things... this tells you if there something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red... oh" His face fell, because indeed the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet "... you've forgotten something..."

"Umm, Neville do you even know what you forgot?" i Seamus asked curiously.

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Harry and Ron jumped to their feet hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in school, was here in a flash.

"Whats going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor"

Scowling. Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"just looking"he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"well Neville," i spoke up once Minny (Professor McGonagall) had gone, "Maybe you forgot to avoid Malfoy." i said cheekily.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Dean, Seamus, me, and a trembling Neville along with other Gryffindors hurried down to flying lesson. It is a clear breezy day, and the grass rippled under our feet as we marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broom-sticks lying in neat lines on the ground. I've heard some of the older students complain about the school brooms, saying some of them vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Our teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. "WELL, what are you all waiting for?" she barked "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, Hurry up."

I glanced at the broom to my right and saw how old it truly was, with twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over the broom" called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"

i did as told, sticking my hand out as the whole class shouted "UP!"

i watched as Harry's broom jumped into his hand almost instantly, but his was one of the few that did. Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground, Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, not unlike horses, could tell when you were afraid. Neville's voice quivered since he obviously wanted nothing more than to keep his two feet on the ground.

Madam Hooch then showed us how to mount the brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron, and myself, though i wasn't as expressive about it, were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when i blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch, "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle...Three...Two..."

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground,pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle... twelve feet... twenty feet.I could see my friends scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him hasp, slip sideways off the broom and...

"Neville!" i yelled at my failing friend. why wasn't the teacher doing anything, she could have flown up there already and got him down. And in that moment my inner Gryffindor roared to life, i decided in that second that if no one else was going to save my friend i would. and so on instinct i kicked off the ground and shot off to the falling Neville. my pulse pounding in my ears from the sudden shot of adrenaline, i reach out and caught ahold of Neville's wrist. with the force he was falling it took about all i had to grab ahold of him and i thought i heard something in his wrist snap, but i'll deal with that later, better one broken bone than an utterly broken Longbottom.

It took about all the muscle i had to keep ahold of the thrashing Neville, but thankfully the weight of the both of us was enough to drag us closer to the ground. I had to keep my broom from plummeting with one hand and concentrate on NOT dropping Neville with the other. When his feet hit the ground i let go of him dropping him not so gracefully on his butt, and landed as best i could on the green grass field, It wasn't a ten point landing but this was my first time on a broom.

Looking up i saw Neville's broomstick still rising higher and higher, as it started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. Coming back to reality and adrenaline calming down i ran over to my clumsy best friend who already had Madam Hooch bending over him, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," she muttered "lucky that's all you got. Come on, boy... It's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy into the hospital wing!.." she paused and looked over to me "and you best join, make sure you didn't damage a muscle holding onto Mr. Longbottom. You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts faster than you can say Quidditch." with that i followed them up to the hospital wing.

I have a feeling I'll be visiting Madam Pomfrey a lot in these next few years. May as well get used to it. Once we were almost at the door to the hospital wing, i finally spoke my mind. "Madam Hooch?..." i began

"What is it?" She spoke as she carried Neville over to one of the beds. Already knowing the process Neville sat without complaint and waited.

"Why was I the one who caught Neville?" i shot her a pointed look that she didn't seem to understand.

"What ever do you mean girl?"

"I mean, why was i the one who saved Neville while you, the teacher who is responsible for our safety while in class, watched? wasn't it Your job to help him, not mine?" i said slowly making sure to keep my voice level and steady to make my point. "You have far more experience with this, as that was my first time on a broom... so the least you could have done was help me get him down safely after i had grabbed him but instead let me do it by myself."

Madam Hooch didn't seem to happy with me and was about to make a retort when Madam Pomfrey came in with her supplies.

"I would like an answer to that as well!" Madam Pomfrey said sharply. "Every year i always get at least one of the new students in my infirmary from one of your flying lessons."

"Poppy, you understand how dangerous flying can be, especially the first time..."

"Oh yes, I understand perfectly well the dangers.." Poppy Pomfrey said her voice lowering an octave to illustrate her point. "However if what Miss Black here says is true, then the danger isn't so much in the flying as it is in the lack of help the students are being given when the danger is obvious... It would also explain some of the past incidences as well."

"Well I..." Madam Hooch began but was once again interrupted.

"What about that one time a first year found himself falling off the roof after one of your lessons,I believe his name was Peter Pettigrew... I am aware you know perfectly well what spells slow a fall and even some that would hold them in place till further help could be received."

As Madam Pomfrey continued to give Hooch examples of these types, I couldn't help but get the vibe she has been waiting to say something about this for years now but had no reason to confirm her suspicions about why the students got hurt. I knew that my words would, hopefully, have her rethinking her teaching strategy even if she wouldn't admit she had done something wrong. However I never expected to get the school Nurse on my side of things, giving Madam Hooch her own tongue lashing.

I went and sat beside Neville as this continued and suddenly wished I could conjure up some popcorn for the two of us. Shame they haven't taught us how to do that.

It wasn't long before Madam Pomfrey shooed Hooch out of the hospital wing. "Now dear let's have a look" she smiled sweetly at my injured friend. She quickly fixed up his broken wrist with a wave of her wand.

Then she turned to me and held out her hand in a motion for my arm. She took a look at it and tutted.

"Now dear, broken bones are quite easy to fix, but when there's a tear in the muscle it take a bit more effort," she sighed, "good thing it's only a small one," she went off to her potions cabinet.

"So you mean by keeping me from the fall Zulie hurt herself worse!" Neville said in alarm, looking downs as if guilty of a crime.

"Oh come on Neville it's not that bad." I tried to calm him down ignoring the increasing pain in my arm, I hadn't noticed it 'till the adrenaline wore off. "if I hadn't caught you you would have had far more than a broken arm. I'll be fixed up here before long so no harm done, thanks to Madam Pomfrey."

"Oh just call me Poppy dear, I have a feeling I'll be seeing the two of you quite a bit in your time at Hogwarts, twice in the first few weeks of school, may as well be familiar." she smiled and grabbed my arm once again and used her other hand to pour the potion onto my arm and massage it around the tear. "My dear Miss Black, you've got quite a bit of muscle on you, isn't that right."

I made to scratch the back of my head but Mada- I mean Poppy had a firm grip on my arm preventing it. "Erm... ya I've always had quite a bit of muscle. It always helped whenever I had to carry my brother to the nurse's office after Dudley had finished beating up on him."

"Ah you must get it from your father then..." she mused as I sat up a bit straighter, using my free hand to reach into my robe pocket and pull out my little blue book on my family. "Always had a good swing to him, one of the best Quidditch Beaters I've ever seen, did the Gryffindors quite a bit of good in his time."

She let go of my right arm and I immediately fished a quill from my bag that I carried around everywhere and began writing this new information. It was far more than I had hoped; not only did I find out my father had his fair share of muscle, but he was also a Beater, and he was apart of Gryffindor. I scribbled all this new information down in my book as Poppy asked Neville what I was doing.

"Oh she does this every time she learns something new about her parents, no one seems to know about her mom but she had been writing all the stuff she can about her Dad in that book, it's actually what got her kicked out of Potions last week."

"Oh dear I didn't realise you knew nothing about them.." she trailed off.

"Oh it's no problem " I said putting my book away, "Not many people seem to feel they're the right person to tell me, and the other half don't seem to like him much, like Snape."

"Professor Snape!" Poppy corrected.

"Nope, he lost that privilege when he started picking on Harry. I'm not just going to keep my mouth shut when he insults my Brother first day of class."

"Now now, Severus never did like any of his students really."

"So I've heard." I started thinking back to what Hagrid had told Harry and I a couple of days ago. "But he seemed perfectly content to insult not only my father but Harry's too."

Speak of the devil... at that moment I looked out the window, that happens to overlook the area where the first years were, to see Harry zoom across the field after something that looked like a ball. From the looks of it, Draco Malfoy had thrown it.

Standing up in alarm, I shouted "Harry you idiot!"

"Is that my Remembrall? How did Malfoy get it!" Neville mumbled beside me. I stared out at my brother as he descended back into the crowd of over excited first years, Remembrall in hand.

It was then i saw Professor McGonagall making her way over to them, i desperately sent Harry mental messages to get out of there, trying to warn him, but the message evidently didn't go though as merely seconds later he was trudging slowly over to our Head of House.

"Stupid, stupid. Harry you're such an idiot." i growled out and slumped down beside my friend, my face buried in my hands. "I have been trying to keep you from getting expelled, i was only gone for a few minutes!" i grumbled to myself.

i felt a hand on my shoulder and looked over to see a silent Neville, who mostly had no idea what to say but just sat here anyway. I didn't brush him off but i didn't move from my position, that was until Poppy came into the room.

"Miss Black! i just fixed that arm you're not supposed to put weight on it, even your head." at this i quickly straightened up. "And there you go leaning on it, that's worse, do you intend on not letting it heal because if so i'm not going to bother healing you anymore." I looked down at my position to see that i had, unconsciously, positioned my arms as support behind me to help me sit up.

I quickly realized and fixed my mistake, scratching the back of my neck i said, "Sorry!"

It was now Dinner time and Neville and i had been allowed to attend dinner, after my arm was put in a sling ("Don't you dare go putting that arm to any use for the next couple of hours young lady."), which was quite embarrassing. I now sat at the table with just Neville and a few others since we ended up here just a bit early, the table felt surprisingly empty.

I was talking to Fred and George about how they're 'amazing next prank' was going to get them caught if they didn't find a better place to hide their equipment from Filch; When Harry and Ron came into the Dining Hall.

"You're joking!" Ron exclaimed to i very excited looking Harry. "Seeker?" the boys sat down and i moved closer so i could hear, "But first years never ... you must be the youngest house player in about..."

"...a century," said Harry, who was shoveling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me"

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"Woah" I spoke up, "You made it on the Quidditch team? And to think I came over here to yell at you for being so bloody stupid!"

Ignoring my last comment my idiot brother continued "I start training next week." as an afterthought he added "Only don't tell anyone Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Hearing this Fred and George Weasley now came into the conversation, "Well done," said George in a low voice, "Wood told us. We're on the team too.... Beaters"

I only just caught Harry mumbling under his breath "Sounds like a job Zulie would be good at" so i proceeded to hit his shoulder with my good arm.

"I tell you, we're going to win the Quidditch cup for sure this year" Fred continued for his brother, "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

The twins had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

I mentally growled and shifted my arm inside of the sling. it was hard enough trying to be mad at Harry and eating with my left hand, but now Draco has arrived and this meal has officially gone to hell.

"Your a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," Harry said coolly. though I wouldn't call Malfoy's goons little, there was of course nothing at all they could do, with the High Table full of teacher, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy smugly "Tonight, if you want. Wizards duel. Wands only... no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before I suppose?"
I was about ready to tell our blond annoyance off, or maybe find someway to distract him from Harry, but Ron had other plans.

"Of course he has," said the redhead wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

At this I put down my fork and gave up eating, it's hard enough to eat left handed but with all the annoyance the boys seem to breath into the air around me. I let out a frustrated sigh when Draco must have noticed my predicament.

"Having trouble sweetheart?" he smugly smiled down at sitting form. "if you would like you can join me over at the Slytherin table, away from these losers, and I'll help feed you"

As i gagged at the thought Seamus and Dean showed up with a fidgeting Neville, who was being dragged along against his will. "And risk her getting exposed to the ground up snakeskin Fred and George snuck into the kitchen and sprinkled into your pudding?"

"Didn't they also put some raw ground up fang in the Slytherin pumpkin juice, who knows maybe they'll turn orange" Dean added to his partners previous statement.

I laughed at this and Malfoy huffed off back to the his table, though to my delight we saw that he touched none of his food; and expressly avoided the pudding.

During this confrontation Harry and Ron started to discuss the upcoming duel with Malfoy.

"What if i wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose" Ron suggested

i decided to put in my two cents "i like that idea, send him back with a black eye"

"Excuse me."

we all looked up to see Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron grumbled

"your one to talk." i growled in a low voice. "At least you can eat."

Hermione ignored us and began to talk to Harry "I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying..."

"Bet you could,"
"Ron that's rude!"

"... and you mustn't go wondering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business" said Harry

"Good-bye" Ron said a bit ruder than i thought the situation called for.

It was about eleven O'clock when i found myself being shook awake by non other than Hermione Granger. When i realized just how dark it was outside i attempted to roll back over and go to sleep but unfortunately miss i read about everything would not allow this to happen.

"Come on Azul get up, you've got to help me stop the two idiots from losing us house points!" she whisper yelled into my ear.

"Fie mints Mione!" i managed to groan out as i slowly, unwillingly, regained my basic motor skills.

"No if i let you you will undeniably just go back to sleep" i shoved my face into my pillow praying that I'd i ignored her long enough she would just go away. "Up, come on or i'll just have to get Percy. he'll put a stop to this."

i gave up at the prospect of Harry getting put in the hands of that pratt of a prefect. Hermione smug victorious face told me that that was exactly her plan to get me up, but i wasn't about to risk her making good on that threat.

"Alright i'm up" i grumbled as i forced myself into the upright position and rubb what's left of the sleep out of my eyes, though i doubt i got it all. i stood up and had enough time to put on a pair of old slippers when i was dragged down the stairs out of the dormitory and into the common room.

Seeing no one there i gave Hermione a quizzing look and she responded with a quick "Now we wait." and so with a shrug i plopped myself on the floor in front of the fireplace.

And just as predicted, half past eleven the boys came down. by this point in time i had gone from staring at the fire to laying down by it only half awake. I heard their heavy footsteps clomping down from the boys dormitories drawing me out of my warmth and daze by the light of the fire.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." Hermione dramatically flipped on one of the nearby lamp, revealing her in her fluffy pink bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"Ya 'Mione" i groaned as i stretched out on the floor with a well placed yawn. "Can we go back to bed now?"

"Zulie? what are you doing awake." Harry blinked at me "you can't even stay awake in class!"

"I was dragged here against my will by our brown haired friend" i shoved a thumb in the direction of a irritated Hermione.

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped at my brothers redheaded acomples "Percy... he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Come on," Harry said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione Granger however was not one to be ignored so easily. She followed Ron through the Portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose. leaving me with two options, follow, or say i'm guarding the door and got take a nap on the couch.

Sigh, no matter how appealing i find the second option i soon find myself at the heels of the group of three.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points i got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but i warned you, you just remember what i said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so...."

But what they were, we didn't find out. Hermione had turned to look past me in the direction of the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione, along with the rest of us, were now locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am i going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

i stayed behind as the boys walked off to see what the other girl of the group was going to do. "i'm calling this Karma, that's what you get for waking me up. " i pouted

"If you haven't noticed you are as stuck out here as i am."

"Alright then Captain Obvious, what now?" i raised an eyebrow and after a moment of staring she took off in the direction of the boys. i followed close behind not willing to be left behind and risk falling asleep in the hallway.

We had caught up to the boys before they so much as reached the end of the corridor. "I'm coming with you!" Mione shouted.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for filch to catch me? If he finds all of us I'll tell him the truth, that i was trying to stop you, and Azul can back me up."

"Why you dragging me into this?" i sighed as i put my face into my hands. "Though i don't think it will do much good when it comes to that creepy old caretaker and his cat"

"You've got some nerve..." Ron stated loudly.

"Shut up the both of you!" Harry said sharply, sending me a look telling me this applies to me as well. "I heard something "

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed the resident redhead, squinting through the dark.

I looked on and "That's no Mrs. Norris" my eyes went a bit wide "Neville! what are you doing out here?" and indeed there he was. Curled up on the floor fast asleep, though he jerked suddenly awake as we crept nearer. i found myself shaking my head rapidly in denial to Harry's accusing glare, i did not, no matter what this situation looked like, give Neville lessons on how to sleep.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password is 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"Hows your arm?" said Harry, and i was glad someone besides myself actually cared for the boy.

"Fine," answered my round faced friend, showing them his now mended arm. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute. It took less time that it was to heal Zulie." i scratched my head when i realized i should probably still be wearing the sling but shrugged it off as it was too late now.

"Good... well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later..."

"Don't leave me!" He scrambled to his feet with a heart breaking expression. "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and glared furiously at Hermione and Neville, even i felt like i was getting the cold shoulder.

"If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and use it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to explain to him exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry and i hissed at her to be quite. The last thing we need is for Ron to know how to perform such a thing.

The Harry continued to beckon us all forward.

We flitted along corridors stripped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn I kind of expected to run into Filch or even Mrs. Norris, but we seemed to have got lucky. We sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, Shields, plaques, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late," Ron whispered.

"No Ron, " i hissed back, "They never planned on showing up in the first place"

Then a noise in the next room made us jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when we heard someone speak.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

"Alright." i shivered, "that's just plane creepy"

It had been Filch talking to Mrs. Norris, and with a look of horror dawning upon his face Harry waved at us madly so we would follow him quick as we could. Our group of five scurried silently towards the door , away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped around the corner when we heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," he muttered, "Probably hiding."

"This way!" I mouthed when everyone else had seemed to freeze, with that the petrified group began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. Hearing the caretaker getting closer we sped up, Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run... he tripped, grabbing Ron around the waist as he fell bringing the both of them toppling down. As if that wasn't bad enough the two had rolled into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the five of us sprinted down the gallery without further prompting. Without looking back to see if Filch was following... we swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where he was going or where they were going... ripped through a tapestry and found ourselves in a hidden passage, hurtled along it and came out near the Charms classroom, which we knew was miles from the trophy room.

"Boy do i love secret passages." i said between puffs of air.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and sputtering.

"I...told...you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I... Told... You"

"We've got to get back to the Gryffindor tower" Ron said "quickly as possible"

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione told Harry as i went to instruct Neville in the art of breathing"You realize that don't you? He was never going to meet you... Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

I had a feeling that my bushy haired annoyance, who had woken me up and got me into this chase in the first place, was probably right. Though i won't admit to that, but i will admit that my brother is a complete idiot sometimes, natural born leader but an idiot.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. We handed gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of the classroom in front of us.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of our group and let out a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, peeves... please... you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.
"Wondering around the school at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if your don't give us away, Peeves, please."

However the only thing i got out of this was, "Its already midnight! Man i could be asleep right now this is torture!" i glared over at Hermione, "This is all your fault i could be asleep perfectly unaware of what's happening right now but noooo i had to come along."

"should tell Filch, i should." said Peeves in a saintly voice, though his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves... that was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, we Ran for our lives, right to the end of the corridor where we slammed into a door... a locked door.

"This is it!"Ron moaned, as we pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

I could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over" Hermione snarled pushing her way through the rest of us to the front of the door. She ripped Harry's wand from his hand, as the rest of us did not bother to bring ours, and tapped the lock, whispering the words, "Alohomora!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open... the group piled through it and shut it behind us quickly, i pressed my ear against the door, listening, the rest soon joined me.

"Which way did they go peeves?" Filch was saying "Quick tell me."

"Say 'please'"

"Don't mess with me, peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right... please"

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaa!" After that came the distinct sound of Peeves swishing away. I turned around to get a good look at the room we had entered, and stood in shock at the creature that stood before me.

I heard Filchs cry of outrage and frustration as i debated weather to scream and warn the others, or to reach out and pet the three headed monster dog with twitching noses and drooling mouths with saliva hanging from large yellowish fangs.

behind me i could hear Neville whimpered as Harry mumbled "He thinks this door is locked, I think we'll be ok... get off Neville!" My round faced buddy seemed to have made my decision for me by tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe to a point where he could not be ignored. "What?"

With that Harry turned around so did the rest of the group. suddenly realizing exactly why the third floor corridor was forbidden. And our ever so lucky group just happened to be stuck where the Headmaster had warned is off limits to those 'who do not wish to die a painful death'

The large three headed dog, who i was still debating on how to react,was standing quite still. All six eyes staring at us, and I soon came to the realization that, i should NOT pet this dog, because the only reason we were not dead yet was that our sudden appearance had taken the beast by surprise. However it seemed to be quickly getting over that shock and there was no mistake what those thunderous growls meant.

After snapping out of my debate i quickly groped for the door handle behind me, given the option between Filch and death, Filch no longer seemed so bad.

We all fell backwards... through the door and slammed it shut. All that was left to do was run, oh and did we run, we almost flew back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to search somewhere else, because we didn't see him anywhere, but i hardly cared ... all any of us wanted to do was put as much space between us and that monster. WE had no intention to stop running until we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at our bathrobes hanging off our shoulders and our flushed sweaty faces.

"Never mind that... pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. Scampering into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs. Well except for me, i just down-right collapsed onto the floor just inside the doorway.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again; and i was just too exhausted to so much as get up.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise that one does."

"really?" i gasped out sarcastically "i thought it deserved a good ol' belly rub."

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what is standing on?"

i shrugged and offered "The floor?"

Harry added on to my suggestion "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads"

"No not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

she stood up, glaring at us. Dragging me up to my feet with her.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed... or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind i'm going to bed." and with that i was dragged up by Hermione all the way to the dormitories