Light.

That's what is what Sybil first noticed when she woke up.

Bright, white, light; streaming in everywhere and illuminating the room.

It took a few minutes to adjust to the light, but once she did, she saw she was laying in a crisp white bed in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. She had a very large bandage on her chest, leg, and arm. Sybil felt a bandage on her head, but when she tried to move her arms to feel, a sharp pain in her forearm prevented her from doing so. Looking down, she saw her hand was badly bruised, and if her hand was still bruised after Madam Pomphrey had healed her, she couldn't bare to think how bruised it had been before. For a couple of seconds Sybil couldn't at all recall why she was in he Hospital Wing, but then it hit her.

She had somehow been trampled while helping a first year with their robes. Trampled by what, she didn't know, because as far as she knew, there was nothing that could have trampled her, unless...

The Hospital Wing door opened and Caroline, Alithea, Saorsie, Anthony, and Armina strolled in, talking amongst themselves. Armina looked up to Sybil's bed and noticed that she was awake. "Oh my gosh Sybil you're awake! Are you okay?" she said rushing to Sybil's side and hugging her.

"Agh!" winced Sybil.

"Oh sorry! Sorry, sorry I forgot!"

"Yeah you forgot that your friend was in a hospital bed?" pointed out Alithea. Armina rolled her eyes as Sybil suppressed a smile.

"Are you better though?" said Alithea.

"Yes, I think so," spoke Sybil for the first time since the whole ordeal. "I still can't feel my right leg."

"You got banged up pretty bad." said Saorsie.

"Could someone explain what happened?"

"You were sort of trampled by a Thestral apparently... It stepped back onto you as you hit its leg." Armina said.

Sybil's eyes widened, she had been coming to that conclusion when her friends had walked in. "Did any of you see it?"

"I did." Caroline said quietly.

"I think Harry Potter saw them too." said Anthony.

"Could someone mind explaining what a Thestral is?" asked Alithea. Both she and Sybil had chosen not to take Care of Magical Creatures in third year, but Sybil had read a small expert on them in a book the previous year.

"They are kind of horse-like animals with wings that are all black and look really creepy. They pull the carriages, but you don't see them because they are invisible to anyone who hasn't seen death." responded Caroline. No one dared to ask who she had seen die.

"The Thestral feels really bad! Dumbledore says that it didn't do it on purpose and that they would never hurt anyone." added Armina quickly, out of anyone in their year, Armina and Natalie were the best at Care for Magical Creatures and of the few that had passed onto the N.E.W.T. level of the class.

"Don't worry, I know it's not their fault Mina." Sybil said and then changed the subject. "Where's Natalie, she can't have anything to do already, its only the second day of school right?"

"Yeah, you only missed the Start-of-Term feast." said Saorsie, "But you won't believe this--"

"Natalie," said Alithea cutting off Saorsie, "wanted to get started on homework, since we already have loads, and figured you wouldn't have already woken up, because Madam Pomphrey said it might take a couple days."

Saorsie started again, "But what Alithea didn't mention was that Nat also isn't here because a certain Oba Shafiq asked her out when we got back to the feast after bringing you to the Hospital Wing."

"No! You're kidding!" Sybil scoffed, Natalie had been crushing on Oba since fourth year, but she never knew Oba felt the same way.

"Yeah I'm serious, apparently he wanted to study with her today! And all on the first day of term!" squealed Saorsie.

"Talk about impatient!" laughed Armina.

"Erm..." said Anthony. Sybil smiled, she knew he was awkward on the subject of dating, even though he was considered pretty handsome (not that she'd consider dating him, he was like a brother to her). He also wanted to avoid the fact that he had been stalling asking Susan Bones out for a while, originally wanting to go to the Yule Ball with her, but backing out last second.

"What's the new Defense teacher like?" asked Sybil.

All but Sybil exchanged annoyed looks before Caroline stated, "She's absolutely horrible." Sybil was surprised, Caroline was never one to diss someone else, so if she said the new teacher was bad then it was true.

"Are you guys sure? I mean you've only had her for one lesson." she pointed out.

"No trust us Sybs, that Umbridge woman is terrible." said Anthony, "She gave Harry detention for saying that You-Know-Who was back!"

"And she just interrupted Dumbledore during his speech so that she could talk about how 'Hogwarts has lost its touch' or some other shit like that." nastily spit out Alithea.

"That's terrible, when do we have her next?" Sybil asked.

Armina said, "The day after tomorrow."

Sybil's face fell. "You should go, I'll ask Madam Pomphrey when I can be discharged, but I don't want you to lose homework time." she sighed.

She waved them off and fell into a deep slumber.
~~~~~
Wednesday morning was a fine, sunny day and if it wasn't for the fact that Sybil's first lesson with Umbridge was that day, she'd have been very glad to be back at Hogwarts and in her classes.

Sybil had been let out from the Hospital Wing the previous evening, and was allowed, with certain restrictions due to the fact that her arm was still in a sling, to resume all activities, including her first proper Prefect duty with Nicholas, which was to occur that night after dinner. She had enjoyed a marvelous dinner with Alithea and Caroline after being released and was pleased to see that her trunk had been sitting patiently in front of her blue-sheeted bed for the past two days.

Sybil had woken up early on Wednesday, so that she could see the dawn over the Scottish mountains in solitude and enjoy the feeling of being back in her 'home away from home'.

The castle was just as she remembered it and Ravenclaw tower was still as inviting as it had been back in first year. The enormous glass windows that lined half of the Ravenclaw common room allowed the glistening morning light to shine through and onto the grand bookcases and bronzed desks on the opposite side. The blue couches and armchairs framed the fireplace, which cackled with shining sapphire flames, despite the fact that the temperature outside was still quite warm. Sybil couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched the sunrise from her favorite blue-plush window seat in the common room. This was one of the biggest reasons she had wanted to come back. In moments so calm like these, she could forget about the sorrows of her life and embrace the beauty of the world around her. As cheesy as it sounded, Sybil loved being such a hopeless romantic.

As students began filing into the common room to start their day, Sybil went back to her dorm so that she could grab her satchel and change into her robes. Alithea, Caroline, and her other dorm mates had already gone down, so Sybil walked to the Great Hall alone, not that she minded. Once she got to the Great Hall, she strolled up to the Ravenclaw table and where her friends sat. They sat in an area of the table where there was enough space for others to add to them and join in. Natalie, Armina, and Saorsie also sat with them as it was breakfast and members of other houses could sit at any table they wanted.

"Good morning!" Sybil said happily.

The others greeted her as Alithea said, "You won't be so jolly when we have Umbridge this after noon." Sybil grimaced as she sat down.

"Oh Miss Podmore! May I speak with you?" greeted Professor Flitwick, her Head of House.

Sybil stood up once again and said, "Hello Professor! How are you, I'm afraid I haven't seen you yet since the start of the year..." Being tall, Sybil towered over her professor and thought she looked very intimidating.

"Oh yes Miss Podmore, I am sorry about the accident that occurred to you on the start of term!" he said, pointing out Sybil's arm sling.

"Oh Madam Pomphrey healed me up right away." she smiled, lifting her right arm in the cast.

"Well, Miss Podmore I have come to discuss your schedule for this year, as you are now taking N.E.W.T. classes." said Professor Flitwick. "I have here that you got 'Outstanding's in Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, and Arithmancy; 'Exceeds Expectations' in Ancient Runes; and 'Poor' in Herbology. Professor Sprout won't let you continue with Herbology, but with everything else you may continue on to N.E.W.T level."

"Yes, I'm afraid I never was really good at Herbology." said Sybil. Professor Flitwick then waved his wand on a blank sheet of parchment and made Sybil her schedule.

"Here you go Miss Podmore, I am sorry but I have to go prepare for class. Welcome back!" he said quickly, handing over the parchment and then rushing off.

Sybil looked down at her schedule, it didn't look that bad. It was a bit full, as she had passed all her classes, and only had a free period during what would usually be Herbology.

"Lemme see Sybs." said Alithea as she snatched the parchment from Sybil's hand. "Yep, all the same except for History of Magic--"

"You and Caroline must be the only ones in the year that are taking History of Magic." stated Natalie.

"Just because Professor Binns is my like great-great-great uncle doesn't mean that I passed his class." Caroline replied in a clipped tone.

"Sorry." mumbled Natalie.

"Besides, my true love is Divination." added Caroline.

"Yeah because it's so reliable." piped up Saorsie, who then averted her eyes as Caroline sent her a glare.

"Anyway, as I was saying we don't have History of Magic, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies together." Alithea finished.

They spent the rest of breakfast discussing schedules and classes. Occasionally Cho, Marietta Edgecomb, and Mayella Bloom would join in to add something to the conversation, and so would Anthony and his fifth-year friends. By the time they had to go to classes, Sybil had caught up with most of the girls in her year and probably knew at least half of the people who would be in her classes (with the exception of History of Magic, whom she had not found any one sharing the class).

"Good luck in Defense." said Anthony as they left the Great Hall.

"Yeah I'm interested in how Umbridge will be." Sybil replied.

"Trust me, you won't be interested in her class by the time it ends."

"Bye Anth."

Defense Against the Dark Arts was Sybil's first class of the day and to be honest she was just glad to get it over with. Walking into the classroom that had housed the class since she has started at Hogwarts, she noticed that there was nothing out of the ordinary, and that it seemed perfectly normal. Students started coming into the room and sitting down at their assigned desks, but since she had not been to class yet, Sybil simply stood in the back of the room waiting for the professor to come in. Alithea looked back at her and gave an apologetic look, apparently Umbridge had not let her save a seat for Sybil.

The door leading to the office in the corner of the room opened and Professor Umbridge walked in on her short, high-heeled legs. She was wearing a ghastly baby pink jumper with a large brooch and an even pinker skirt and tights. The students, who had been quietly murmuring immediately became deathly silent.

"Good morning class." she said looking expectantly at the students.

"Good morning Professor Umbridge." repeated the class in unison. Sybil furrowed her eyebrows, why did she make them greet her like that?

"Wands away." said Umbridge in a peppy and evil little voice. Sybil's friends had told her about the class, but she was not expecting this.

"Excuse me Miss, but why are you not in a seat?" she said, intently staring at Sybil.

"Uh I haven't been assigned a seat yet, my name's--"

"Ah! You must be Sybil Podmore. Come along, you mustn't be shy." Professor Umbridge beckoned. Sybil nervously walked to the front, she hated being the center of attention, and in this moment she wished she wasn't so tall, so that she could shrink away. "Here, Mister Agrent you may move into the seat next to Miss Bell, and Miss Podmore you can sit next to Nicholas dear."

She forced Adrian out of his seat next to Nicholas, separating the two best friends. "Mister Agrent was never a good influence on you Nicholas, so it's best he sit somewhere else right dear?" Nicholas nodded blankly not daring to look at Umbridge. Why did she call Nicholas 'dear'? Adrian sauntered over to the back of the class and sat next to Katie, making sure to send a glare in Sybil's direction. Sybil sunk into her seat, and gulped, this class was already unenjoyable.

"Nicholas, make sure to catch Miss Podmore up on her missed class work, Professor Flitwick informed me that you two are Prefects so there is no excuse not to the work done."

"Yes Professor." said Nicholas. Sybil didn't say a word and instead pulled out her wand and Defense book with her free arm as Nicholas scooted his chair to the right, as Sybil's slinged arm and was jabbing him in the side, making it quite awkward for both of them.

"Wands away Miss Podmore." Umbridge said, not hesitating to grab Sybil's wand and stuff it into Sybil's bag for her. "I am sure you already know about this class from your classmates, but please know that I will always have order and will not tolerate any troublemakers."

Oh I wouldn't dream of it, thought Sybil sarcastically.

The rest of the class dragged by and once the hour was over Sybil couldn't wait to get out. She didn't understand why Dumbledore would let a teacher like this be appointed, they hadn't even used their wands in class and read a stupid textbook with information that had already learned. It was supposed to be a N.E.W.T. class, but so far Sybil could not find anything relatively harder than the things they had done in the past. She wondered how Anthony or any of the fifth years were going to pass their practical O.W.L.s without any practice of the spells.

Her next class was History of Magic, which was her usual escape from reality, along with Astronomy, because she didn't have time to think about anything other than the class work and it was usually very quiet.

Sybil saluted her friends who were off to Herbology and then made her way to the History of Magic classroom. Once inside the classroom Sybil noticed she was alone, so she sat in the front row near the aisle and waited for Professor Binns to float through the chalkboard and start his lecture. The door was still open, and she didn't notice someone walk in and stroll down the rows of desks until they sat down in the seat next to her.

"Good day?" drawled Nicholas Selwyn. Not him again, thought Sybil.

"What are you doing here?" replied Sybil hastily tucking a piece of her hair that escaped from her headband behind her ear. She tried to sound as casual as possible to mask the surprise in her voice.

"I have class with you." Nicholas said, turning his gaze to face Sybil.

"I wasn't aware you ever even payed attention in History of Magic."

"Yeah well there are a lot of things you don't know about me Sybil."

And with that he turned away. Sybil opened her mouth to ask something, but by that moment Professor Binns had come into the front of the class and started his lecture. She figured she'd ask him tonight on Prefect duty and then situated her slinged arm on the desk and pulled out some parchment to take notes.

She had realized at the beginning of Defense Against the Dark Arts that her usual writing hand was in fact in a sling and that if she tried to use a quill with her right hand then her notes would look like straight up chicken scratch. Sybil had then been forced to write with her left hand, which looked slightly better than with her present right hand. At the end of class Sybil had come up with the idea to bewitch her quill to write for her using her wand, not that it would've made a difference in Defense Against the Dark Arts, as they couldn't use their wands in class. So, now during History of Magic, she had managed to enchant her quill to write for her and though it did not look like her normal handwriting, it was better than with her left. Sybil was very pleased with herself at this feat, it was a piece of rather advanced magic and she knew Professor Flitwick would be impressed, as Charms was her favorite class. She didn't hesitate to show off her magic at Nicholas and she had a smug look on her face during the entire rest of the class.

The year was off to a wobbly start and Sybil was definitely worried for the coming months, but hopefully she would still enjoy it. Her father's situation was up in the air, and she hoped her aunt would send an owl in a few days to tell her how the hearing went. She still hadn't told anyone at school of what had occurred, even though Alithea had already asked her once or twice. As for Umbridge, Sybil decided she would try and defy her in small ways that wouldn't cause her trouble but still annoy the professor, because she did not want to find out what kind of ways she used on people that 'misbehaved'. People could call Sybil petty, but she didn't care. The Thestral accident was behind her and Sybil's fingers were crossed that she wouldn't end up in the Hospital Wing again this year.

Maybe she would have to ask Caroline to 'Divination-some-ish' and predict her year with tea leaves or something, but Sybil was sure that whatever happened she'd be as best prepared as she could.

~~~~~
A/N: please excuse any grammar mistakes, I am writing this on my phone until I can use my computer to update.
Thank you for reading!