"We've only one class left before dinner," I told Clara as we took a short break in our dormitory. "And that's Potions."

She grinned at me. "After last night, I'm sure that Snape'll be thrilled to see us."

True, I had to laugh with her.

"So you and Oliver Wood... how's that going?" she prompted me.

"Eh... I'm not too sure he remembers I exist?" I said, unsure of how to respond.

"Oh, you mean he remembers moreso that Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson exist?" she asked, knowing exactly what had been on my mind.

I looked down at my green All-Stars, shrugging innocently, though obviously pleading guilty.

A sigh escaped her lips, and I didn't blame her. "Listen, Lauren. Don't worry about it. We're at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Fred Weasley, Gryffindor Beater and adorable guy with freckles hangs on your every word! You're about to go to Potions class. Not depressing English with Simone and Ben, but Potions with the Weasley twins and Percy! Smile!"

I did, but the main reason being that she'd thrown in Percy's name. This I failed to mention to her, but rather brought up the subject of Ben, having been suddenly reminded of my dilemma back home in the muggle world and the United States at LBJ. "What d'you think my mom told him?"

Her face fell. Clara had obviously not been trying to make me think about Ben. She opened her mouth to dredge up something positive to say, hunted from the most creative depths of her imagination, but then the door knocked.

"Are ya comin' to see Snapey-Snape or not? Let's get on with it!" George's voice floated into the room.

She smiled; saved. I forced the same expression, willing myself to think about Ben later. Now I had to go impress the only teacher I cared about impressing in order to fairly learn the subject I was most interested in learning. Damnit and yay at the same time.

It was kind of funny how I'd forgotten things that I would have been so keen on finding out once the fifth Harry Potter book came out. For instance, who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was. It wasn't Clara or myself who brought up the topic.

"I wonder who our teacher will be this year?" It was George.

Fred laughed. "Don't think Snape finally got it? Then Lauren could be studious about Potions in peace."

"It could always be worse," Percy scolded, rolling his eyes at Clara as if to say 'they are soooooooo immature.'

* * * * *

It was not Snape. Indeed, it was not Snape. Rather, it was a man who was quite tall with dark brown hair that he was wearing rather shaggy. He was dressed in black robes, just like the rest of us, and a smile took over his face when we entered the room. I got the impression that he was one who would like to feel like "one of the guys."

"Hello, and you must be... ah yes, 5th year Gryffindors," he greeted us. His voice was nice enough. I wasn't afraid, anyway. He continued, either not hearing, or disregarding, Percy's 'yes, sir.'

"I'm Professor Revelle. Obviously, I'm new here, and so I have absolutely no idea who any of you are. Well," his look wandered over to the Weasley twins, "with the exception of those I have been informed of."

This brought a smile to Fred's face, I noticed. I could tell he liked being in the spotlight.

"At any rate, I would think it best for you to choose some random seats, as I highly doubt it would be vital for me to assign you to certain desks, am I right?"

At this, we scrambled for chairs, and I ended up between Fred and Percy, who was next to Clara and George. On the other side of Fred was Oliver, but next to him was a girl I decided was Alicia Spinnet.

"He seems nice enough," I heard Clara say quietly to Percy. I watched Percy nod, and then turned my head to pay attention to Professor Reville as he called role. When he reached the end of the list, Clara and I still had yet to be called. I was about to raise my hand in question, when he said, "Would Clara McClenon and Lauren Rosales please step up to my desk? The rest of you may become aquainted with your textbooks, or each other, until further notice." Fred shrugged at me, and Clara hustled me up to the front. She looked just as confused as I.

"Don't look so incredibly frightened, girls. I'm not calling you up here because you are in some sort of trouble. I just thought I would let you know that Professor Dumbledore has informed me of the circumstances of your arrival, and that if you need anything, ever, that my office is always open to the two of you, together or seperate." We nodded. I wasn't quite sure what was behind that statement, but it didn't sound as blunt as it was most likely meant to.

"You may also tell your friends, those Weasley twins, not to be horribly afraid of causing any minor mischief in my classroom. I promise you, I'm hardly a teacher, and hardly in bad enough sport to punish them beyond what is essential." He winked at us, and then sent us back to our seats.

Clara raised an eyebrow at me. I mirrored her face, and we shrugged at each other before sitting down once again. Fred looked at me expectantly for an explanation, a summary of some sort, but I wasn't given a chance to cure his curiosity before Professor Reville stood at the front of the class and announced that we were to take a short, but extremely boring, bout of notes on dementors. It seemed a strange topic to me, one that was quite random, but I scribbled my quill across the paper like all the rest.