Fantastic Beasts was amazing! Incredible! FANTASTIC! I loved it so much and if you haven't seen it, you need to! It was so great! I'm actually going again later this week, it was that good. So excited!

Author problems: When you get so caught up reading The Help that you forget you've got to update. (On a side note, those of you who are older should definitely read that book. It's one of the best I've read in a long time. Got some sensitive subjects, so I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers, but keep it in mind to check out! It's so good!)

~~~~

"This is ridiculous!" Colette exclaimed, stomping her foot as her Incorporeal Patronus appeared once again, and didn't take any form.

"Just keep trying," I said, holding back a sigh. "It took me months. Maybe you just need an actual life-threatening situation."

Colette rolled her eyes at me. With Albus's dove soaring above our heads, I knew my words were having little effect on her. She didn't like not being able to do something Albus could do. Especially when she knew the theory of the spell by heart. As I had always said, theories were pointless. What counted was actually performing the spell, which could be a lot harder.

Wren was struggling, too. She'd been a bit jumpy since her mum had sent that letter a few days ago, and I really didn't think she'd make any progress today. However, she'd insisted. I kept having my Patronus run past her, trying to act unintentional.

I glanced at my watch. We'd been up here for two hours, and not much progress had been made. It would be time for dinner soon. "Maybe we should call it a day," I suggested casually.

"No," Wren answered, almost immediately. "Not yet."

"You can always try again tom—"

"Shh." Wren had closed her eyes, breathing deeply. I hadn't seen that happen before, so I shut up, not quite sure what she was about to do.

"Expecto Patronum," she said quietly. I sighed to myself—there was no way that was powerful enough—and started to turn away.

A glow lit up behind me, more powerful than an Incorporeal Patronus. I glanced at Albus, who was staring at something behind me with a surprised smile. Slowly, I turned back around.

Wren had dropped to her knees, and was staring with delight at the glowing creature in front of her. A lamb. She made it walk around, testing what it was capable of, then glanced up at me, a rare, huge smile on her face.

I dropped to my knees next to her. "You did it! How... What did you do differently?"

Wren shook her head. "I'm afraid that might jinx it."

"What?" Albus looked horrified.

Wren smiled at him. "Sorry, no-maj... I mean, muggle thing."

"Good job, Wren," Colette said, sighing.

We watched her Patronus for a few more minutes, then headed downstairs to eat. Colette was telling me how the theory of apparition seemed much easier than Patronus Charms, but I was only listening with half an ear. Part of me was wondering what Wren had thought of. She'd been more determined that last time, of course. I could see that. But she'd almost whispered the charm. Whatever memory she'd thought of had to be powerful, indeed.

It was mid-April, and I wasn't surprised to not see Marcus in the Great Hall. He had taken to studying through meals, as had a lot of other fifth years (even James, which says something about the importance of OWLs). I simply made up a plate for him. He'd be hungry at some point.

Françoise and Amélie joined us, and Albus had to stop chattering about Patronus Charms. The twins didn't notice, of course, and quickly filled the table with talk of their own.

"Zey should get married," Françoise said, nodding in the direction of the Slytherin table, where her brother was sitting with Faith.

"She ees much more cute and nice zan ze last one," Amélie agreed. "I am wanting 'er to be our seester."

"Are they actually talking about getting married?" Albus asked.

"Well, non, but I told Étienne 'e should marry 'er," Amélie said, shrugging.

"So zey may be talking about it now," Françoise added, grinning.

"I suppose you're both going to marry James?" I asked, because James wasn't here to stomp on my foot under the table.

Françoise and Amélie glanced at each other. "If Am wants 'im..." Françoise said.

"No, you can 'ave 'im, Fran," Amélie argued. "I am 'aving my eye on someone else."

I raised an eyebrow. "What, no more fighting over him?"

"I am done wiz 'im," Françoise said, and Amélie nodded. "I do not zink 'e is even that cute anymore."

"Zere are many better looking ones zan 'im," Amélie said, eyeing something behind me. I turned around to see Fred joking around with Dom. When I looked back at Amélie, she had flushed and was studying her food as her sister nudged her in the ribs.

"Many better looking, Am?" Françoise asked teasingly. "I am zinking you see just one."

~~~~

One of the few fifth years in the Great Hall that night was Eris Prince. I hadn't seen much of that git recently, which wasn't surprising since she was an OWL student and a Ravenclaw to boot. I had to say, I wasn't sorry to miss her. However, she seemed to have put aside studying for one night with the express purpose of embarrassing me.

I actually didn't see her until I'd bumped into her. I was talking over my shoulder to Albus and Wren as we were walking out of the Great Hall (Colette was still sitting with the twins) and only noticed someone coming towards me when I slammed into her. I stepped back, and an apology died on my lips when I realized who it was.

"Watch where you're going," she said, dusting herself off.

"Why don't you do the same?" I said.

She tilted her chin up haughtily. "Don't use such a disrespectful tone. I might have to take away points."

"Perhaps you should take away points from yourself for being such a foul git," I suggested. I felt Albus's hand on my arm, trying to pull me away, but I brushed him off.

"How rude. Little Star can't even make polite conversation." Eris tutted disapprovingly, like a mother talking about her toddler.

"Astra..." Albus groaned. "Come on."

I ignored him. "Shove off, Eris."

"Why?" Eris smirked. "Do your little friends need some help?" Her eyes danced cruelly. "Or maybe you're scared that brat of yours will get mad and use the Cruciatus Curse on me. Can't have her going off to Azkaban now, can we?"

I knew Wren had stiffened at that, and I clenched my hand in a fist. "Eris Prince, if you don't get out of my sight—"

Eris looked completely amused. "Are you threatening me? Five points from Gryffindor."

I closed my eyes, reminding myself that she was a prefect and I didn't really want to pick a fight with her. "I haven't done anything."

"Oh, yes, I forgot. You and all your friends are never to blame for anything." I opened my eyes to see Eris's smile had gone. A hard, cold calmness had replaced it. "Isn't that right, Predatel?"

The next thing I knew, I'd punched her. The details are kind of fuzzy. I just remember her stumbling backwards, clutching her face with a horrified expression. Blood flowed out of her nose. I might've broken it. Served her right.

My fist throbbed dully, but I hardly felt the pain. Silverware clattered as it was dropped onto plates by shocked students. Eris's Ravenclaw friends gasped in horror, too surprised to move. The whispers started. Astra Lestrange punched a prefect. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked up to see Pouri.

"My office, please," he said. Glancing at the Ravenclaws surrounded Eris, he added, "Take her to the hospital wing, girls."

Albus and Wren followed us dazedly to Pouri's office. Pouri didn't even comment when they walked in behind me. He looked very tired as he sat down behind his desk. "Why, Astra?"

"She deserved it!"

"I don't doubt that. But that doesn't mean it was okay."

I crossed my arms. "She was talking about Wren. I couldn't let her do that. And ... It just kind of happened. Me punching her."

Pouri nodded slowly. "It just kind of happened. Of course."

"Eris was abusing her power as a prefect, too," Albus piped up, stepping next to me. "She took points away from Gryffindor for Astra telling her to go away."

Pouri closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. For a moment, he didn't speak. Wren moved up beside me.

"I will talk to Miss Prince about her duties as prefect," Pouri said finally. "However, you can't punch other students, Astra."

"I know. Sorry." I really hadn't meant to. It had just happened.

"How many points did she take away from Gryffindor?" Pouri asked after a moment.

"Five," Albus answered.

The headmaster nodded. "Sounds good. That can be for punching her."

I fought a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Really?"

"Don't do it again, please," Pouri said. He also seemed to be trying not to smile. "To be honest, I almost prefer duels than physical violence. Not that you should duel her. But there's normally less blood."

I smiled. "I'll stay away from her."

"I'll make sure she really does," Albus said. Pouri smiled thankfully at Albus, obviously trusting his word over mine. Then, he dismissed us. We walked slowly up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Wren, you know she's a massive prat and you shouldn't listen to anything she says, right?" I asked as we mounted the stairs.

Wren nodded, then shrugged. "It's not that easy."

I glanced at Albus over her head, unsure of exactly how to answer that. He shrugged at me, and we continued on in silence. When we got up to the common room, Wren performed some sort of spell that took the hurt out of my fist. I secretly hoped Eris's pain hadn't been alleviated as quickly.

~~~~

The next morning, Charms was our first class. I did not want to go. Haverna had grown steadily worse over the year, or perhaps my tolerance was simply being battered to shreds. Whichever it was, I knew I would take absolutely nothing that morning, and I didn't fancy detention that evening.

Haverna had us reading a section in our textbooks about some sort of housework spell, one that cleaned up spills. Instead of doing that, Albus and I were passing notes, theorizing about why Haverna might have put me in the tournament, and why Wren never knew she was another spy. Because she obviously was. Why else would Sulcan have gotten her a job here? Unfortunately, that wasn't much to go on if you're in the department of investigating, and we couldn't come up with anything we hadn't considered before.

About midway through class, though, someone spoke. That was such a rare thing in itself, that someone other than Haverna spoke on a reading day, that I looked up immediately. It was one of the Ravenclaws, Marie Waylin, asking why there was an owl outside the window.

"I don't know," Haverna said crossly, getting up from her desk to open the window and let the bird in. "Do you think I sent myself a letter?"

"No, Professor," Marie said, her face turning red as she returned to her reading. But I was watching Haverna. It was strange to get an owl in the middle of the day. The post came at breakfast, and normally that was it. However, this seemed to be urgent news. She grew very pale as she read it, and I nudged Albus in the side as she scribbled out a response.

"Is... Is something wrong, Professor?" Eric asked slowly. Most of the class was watching her now.

"Of course nothing's wrong," Haverna snapped, folding the parchment she'd been writing on up and handing it to the bird. "Don't be preposterous, Finnegan."

"Sorry," Eric muttered, rolling his eyes at his desk.

Haverna glanced around at all the students staring at her. Her eyes locked on Wren, who had glanced up from her book for just a moment. "Why aren't you reading, Predatel? Thinking of tricks to get Lestrange through the third task, like you've done with all the others?"

Wren started in her seat when Haverna started talking to her, and glanced at me helplessly. I huffed. This is ridiculous. I don't have to sit here and listen to this old hag.

"What did you say?" Haverna asked, blinking at me.

I frowned, not aware that I'd said anything. One glance at Albus's alarmed face proved that I had, indeed, said something, though. I'd said exactly what I'd been thinking, and I hadn't even noticed.

"Lestrange, I won't have you talking that way to me in my own class," Haverna said coldly. "See me after class. Now get back to work!"

Everyone wasted no time. I pulled my book closer to me while Albus continued whatever he'd been writing when the owl showed up. I flipped a page in my textbook, pretending to be enthralled in this glorious angel of a boring household spell. One of the easiest I'd ever seen. I'd known how to do that one since first year.

When class ended, Albus didn't move. "I'll wait with you."

I glanced at my watch. "I'll probably be late for Care of Magical Creatures. I don't want to keep you."

Albus frowned. "Are you sure? I don't mind."

"Go on. Make sure Wren's okay."

Albus nodded, hopping up. "See you soon." I waved a bit as he hurried out after Wren, then trudged up to Haverna's desk. She was watching the small clock on her desk, but looked up when I stopped.

"Lestrange? What do you want?" she asked distractedly.

"You... You told me to see you after class..."

"Oh. Right." Haverna frowned. "Detention. Five points from Gryffindor. Now go away."

I blinked. Normally, Haverna never gave up an excuse to lecture me. She went out of her way to do it. Now she was just telling me to leave. Seemed suspicious... Maybe that owl had been from the Predatels. Maybe something bad had happened. Something had to have sparked that letter Katreena sent Wren a few days before.

So I walked out of the room, and slipped into a hidden alcove just down the hall. Sure enough, not a minute later, I heard Haverna's door open again. A few moments later, I heard her footsteps leaving the room, walking right past me, and on down the corridor.

I followed her through the corridors, wondering where on earth she was going, and ready to duck behind a suit of armor if she turned around. Luckily, she didn't, though she was going at more of a brisk trot than anything else, and I had to hurry to keep up.

She finally stopped at a door and slipped in. I'd never been in that room, and slowly crept up to the door. There was no keyhole, so I ventured pushing it a little more open than the crack she left it. I was rewarded with barely seeing her disappear in a fireplace, in the midst of a burst of green flames. She had Flooed somewhere... Suspicious...

There wasn't much I could do about it, though. I hadn't heard where she was going, and anyway, I didn't have any Floo powder myself. I sighed and started down to Care of Magical Creatures, outside. I was going to be late now, for sure. At least Hagrid wouldn't be mad.

I rushed through the giant doors to the castle and practically ran across the grounds. As I passed the Black Lake, though, I paused. Someone was standing on the edge, alone. Since most people were in class right now, that was a strange sight. I started over there, figuring I was already late, so who cared if I took a minute or too more. As I approached, I realized it was Kirsten, which at least explained why she was outside instead of in class.

"Hey, Kirsten," I said, walking up to her and startling a group of birds that had been floating on the water near the shore. They fluttered back several meters away from us.

"Hello, Astra," Kirsten said, smiling. "You are not in your classes?"

"I'm just late," I said, shrugging. "You?"

"I finished my vork for today. I decide to go valk. I love the nature that is here. The animals. Ve do not have this at Durmstrang. It is too cold."

I was glaring at the birds. They were just stupid birds, but thanks to Isaac Predatel, I hated birds now. For all I knew, he could be sitting right there, watching us. I slowly reached down, groped around for a small rock, and threw it at the surface of the lake. It landed in the middle of the birds, which all shrieked in fright and annoyance and took off, soaring for the Forbidden Forest.

"Vy do you scare the birds?" Kirsten asked curiously.

"I hate birds." I shrugged. "Isaac Predatel could have been one of them, for all we know."

Kirsten's eyes widened and she stiffened a bit. "Here? At your Hogwarts? He is that man who killed your Minister of Magic, yes?"

"Yeah..." I shook my head. "I know he's been around Hogwarts. He's been watching us. I don't know why."

"That is not good."

"Please don't tell anyone," I said after a minute. "I don't want it to get back to Wren." Kirsten frowned blankly at me. "You know, Wren Predatel? My friend? His daughter? It would terrify her."

Kirsten nodded. "I vill not tell."

"Thanks." I smiled, then glanced at my watch. Ten minutes was more than enough time skipping classes. "I've go to go, now. See you around."

"Goodbye," Kirsten said, looking off into the lake again. I hurried away, watching for any suspiciously-sentient-looking birds.

~~~~

Nico Jasper's trial was a much smaller affair than Wren's had been. Teddy told me it was just a Ministry official from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Adalyn and Ciara were the only witnesses, besides my written testimony, which Aunt Andromeda insisted would be much less difficult for me than having to recount what happened in the same room as Nico Jasper. For once, she was right. Luckily, the official agreed that this would be best, and I didn't have to go.

Teddy actually Flooed to Hogwarts to tell me about it in person. He told me he wouldn't have been able to accurately represent his frustration on paper.

It started off okay, with Adalyn and Ciara giving similar stories of what happened, both exactly true.

Unfortunately, Nico had apparently rehearsed. He said he'd had no idea what the spell did. He got very pitiful about using the Imperius Curse, saying he hadn't meant to and didn't know how to lift it after it had been cast or he would have. Ciara started to correct that and they started yelling and eventually the official had to tell them both to be quiet.

She decided couldn't make a ruling based on the fact that it was basically Ciara's word against Nico's for the most important things. It was obvious that she believed Ciara, but legally, there was no evidence. Nico was completely safe. And he wasn't facing any sort of punishment, just coming back to school and making Hogwarts much less safe.

I wanted to cry. It wasn't fair. How could an awful person do such an awful thing and have no consequences? I had recovered very well, and would have been quite happy to rip him to shreds in a duel if given the chance, but I worried about the other students he could hurt. Some people weren't as resilient as me. Some people couldn't defend themselves. People like Albus and Wren. People like Elcie and Lily. People I cared about that Nico could hurt. If he ever laid so much as a finger on any of them, I decided, he would rue that day.

~~~~

I know a lot of you saw the Author's Note I had up earlier, but if you didn't, I'd really love it if you checked out my new fanfic, The Riddle. It's about Ginny Weasley during Chamber of Secrets, and I'd really like some input on it! I haven't started a new fanfic (as in: not a new book in this series) for over a year and a half now, actually, and I'm a bit nervous...

Question of the Day: Who, if anyone, do you think is working with Isaac Predatel from inside the castle? (Question from SASA_SNAKE!)

Vote and comment! Please send in questions for the Q&A at the end of the book!

~Ellie