"Am I the only one without a pet?!" Tobias whined one day on their way to Potions.

"Pretty much, yeah," smiled Gloria.

"Argh, that's so unfair," he frowned, shuffling his feet.

Luro was just trying to keep up; her friends were pretty fast. They came up to the ever-changing staircases, and each of them had to watch their step and pay attention. Luro got one foot on before the staircase began to move, and she panicked.

"Ah!" she yelped, "I'm falling!"

Tobias gasped and turned back, grabbing her hands and, with Gloria's help, hoisting her back up. Luro slowed her breathing back to normal, and thanked them.

"That's just about the third time this week, Luro!" Gloria commented with a chuckle, "If you're not careful, you could easily get yourself killed!" She stifled her great laughter.

"Hardy har har," Luro replied grumpily.

"You'll get it in time," Tobias encouraged.

Luro sighed and steadied herself as the staircase tumbled to a stop, "Right then, Potions, is it?"

"Yep," Gloria validated, "Here we are; right on time." She looked down at her watch, just to be sure, and nodded. Tobias opened the door.

**************

"Well, I'm definitely not a potions master!" Luro announced upon their leaving the class.

"Yeh, no kidding," responded Gloria. Luro slumped. "But you'll get there eventually. When my brother was in first year-"

"You have a brother?" Cut in Tobias.

"Well, 'course she does!" Luro said.

"Well, sorry if I'm not in on the girls' dorms conversations!" He retorted.

"As I was saying," Gloria continued, "My brother blew up the entire potions lab!"

"No!" Luro gasped.

"Yes!"

"Guys!" Tobias yelled, thrusting his hand in front of them. They stopped just in time to not fall down the stairs, which then moved away.

"Woah!" Gloria exclaimed.

"Watch where you're going!" Tobias told them, shakily putting down his arm. He looked at them with worry and fear.

"We ought to be more careful next time," Luro noted.

"Or you could fall again!" Gloria tried to joke, but was just staring at the long fall down.

The stairs eventually came their way, and they stepped on, riding silently to the next corridor.

**************

"It's mail day again!" Gloria announced one morning as she sat down. Flocks of owls glided in, stopping at various pupils. Notes, envelopes, and even a few packages arrived with their breakfast. Gloria grabbed some bacon and toast and welcomed Northstar to the table. Luro and Tobias came and sat down beside her, getting their breakfasts and awaiting their mail.

Gloria received a small package. "Ooh, I wonder what this is!" she grinned, tearing it open.

"Who's it from?" asked Luro, leaning over.

Gloria turned the ripped and torn box over, "Uh, it looks like it's from," she squinted to make out the writing, "my friend Frankie."

"Frankie?" Luro asked.

"My nine-year old friend," Gloria explained, clawing back at the wrapping.

As she tore away, Luro's father's owl arrived with some mail for her. She opened it gently and started to read. She smiled and nodded, thinking about her parents and how things were going back home.

"Ah!" Tobias sighed, getting his mail. Luckily, there was no howler this time. He read through the short note, then turned back to the girls. Luro was still reading, her expression getting increasingly worried, but before he could ask, Gloria shouted out.

"Oh my gosh guys!" She squealed, chewing off and swallowing a piece of toast, "It's a little clay Hufflepuff badger with a hat and scarf!"

"That's cute!" Luro smiled weakly.

"Nice," Tobias agreed.

"I love it so much," Gloria went on, "It shall be mine forever." She noticed Luro's half-happy, half-worried smile, "What is it, Luro?"

"It's this letter," she whimpered, looking down at the scribbled paper in her hands. "Sparky's usually so well-behaved, but..." she trailed off.

"Who's Sparky?" Tobias asked.

"My dragon," said Luro.

"WHAT?!?!" Gloria gaped.

"Yeah," Luro replied.

"You have a dragon?!" Tobias exclaimed in wonder.

"Is that not normal?" Luro frowned.

"No! Of course not!" Gloria hissed.

"Well... But anyway, he started misbehaving when I left for Hogwarts, and," she stifled a sob.

"What?" Tobias asked gently, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"He hurt my mother."