When I awoke the next morning, there was an undeniable electricity in the air, like everyone and everything was crackling with anticipation at the new school year ahead of us. Some people hated the first day back at school, but I couldn't deny that I loved it, especially at Hogwarts. Was there anything more exciting than a whole new year of spells to learn, charms to master and potions to brew?

I hopped out of bed with an enthusiasm that matched at least half of my dormmates, given who was up when I was. Luna seemed like she had been awake for hours (or, maybe, she had never gone to bed in the first place) and was already dressed and had her head in a book. Pearl was sitting brushing her hair and humming to herself quietly as she did so, and she smiled at me when she caught me looking. As for Catherine and Lois, they were still all asleep, but I assumed the sounds of us getting up would wake them soon. And if not, I was sure the sturdy alarm clock on Lois' bedside table would do the trick.

When I was ready, I moved down to the common room to wait for the others. There, it was already loud with students going in and out. It was still quite early for breakfast, but I supposed some of the more enthusiastic ones would be down there already, getting first dibs and chatting before it got too crowded down there. And while I didn't exactly have anywhere to be earlier than my friends, I still found myself just short of pacing as I waited for them.

Finally, all of us were ready so we headed to the great hall as a group. We went down the staircases, patiently so we wouldn't get caught on any trick steps or- in our hurry- not realise a certain set of stairs hadn't slotted into place yet. Then we were making our way through the throngs of people, all in robes, some with parchment or books tucked under their arms.

I smiled at the familiar sight before me- the spread of toast and preserves, cereals and hot food as well, all waiting for us, charmed to stay cold or hot respectively. We took our seats and I didn't hesitate to pile my plate up with eggs, beans and toast.

The great hall filled up around us, getting louder and louder as people chatted and speculated about the day ahead. Then the first owl flew in, swiftly dropping a letter in front of a surprised looking Slytherin first year. I looked up, waiting for the rest and, sure enough, they began to trickle in. Owl after owl flew in, dropping parcels and letters before darting off again. The occasional one waited around for a letter in response or a coin to be placed in the tiny satchel on their leg for the delivered copy of the Daily Prophet, but none lingered long enough to disturb breakfast too much, and most people hadn't faltered in their eating and socialising, immune to the magnificence of the post being delivered. Of course, owls delivered things to my home all the time, but I still found it amazing to see so many owls coming and going at once. I wasn't sure the marvel would ever be lost on me.

A letter with a signature rosy wax seal was dropped in front of me, narrowly missing my breakfast, and I instantly smiled, knowing it was from my sister. As much as we annoyed each other when I was home, we exchanged letters frequently, usually trading gossip back and forth. I tucked the letter into my robes for the time being, to give myself something to read later on, and continued with my breakfast.

Finally, when the last letter had been delivered, everyone went back to business as usual, eating or chatting away. Or so I thought.

Draco Malfoy, a boy with a shock of icy blond hair and a permanent sneer on his face, hopped over the bench he had been sitting at and made his way to the Gryffindor table, very obviously looking to antagonise.

"Merlin," I said to Pearl next to me, "can he take a day off?"

"Apparently not," she said back before shovelling yogurt and granola into her mouth. But despite her seemingly brushing off what I said, we both kept our eyes on the Gryffindor table, waiting to see what would happen, as if we were in a muggle cinema instead of the Great Hall.

"What's that you've got, Longbottom?" I heard Malfoy hiss, his hand darting out and snatching something from the hands of the nervous Gryffindor.

Neville flushed, trying to grab the letter back, but it was too late. Malfoy's face morphed into cruel amusement, laughing as he passed the letter to one of his cronies. They laughed as well and then passed it on, other Slytherins crowding around to read over each other's shoulders.

My heart broke for him, and not just because of the lingering feelings I had been harbouring ever since I first met him. It was awful to watch someone get humiliated like that, and my fist clenched under the table, my nails digging into my palm in anger. But it still wasn't enough to make me get up and intervene; Malfoy was intimidating, and not to mention older than me. And what the hell could I even say to make matters better? He would probably just drag me into whatever joke he thought he was making, and then I'd be getting made fun of as well, in front of everyone.

Luckily, my guilty conscience didn't tug at me for too long, as I saw Harry Potter get up and snatch the letter back, telling Malfoy to shove off in the process. At least he was fearless when it came to Malfoy. Someone needed to put him in his place.

But even when the letter was returned to Neville, the discussion around the whole ordeal didn't end.

"What do you think it said?" Pearl asked from beside me. I shrugged.

"Maybe his mum died or something," Catherine said, having absolutely no filter as usual.

I ignored her. "It's probably nothing. You know what Malfoy's like. He'd make fun of a shopping list if he could."

The conversation moved on, but my eyes were still trained on Neville and the Gryffindors around him. I couldn't help but be curious about what was going on, especially since all of those around him seemed to be smiling and joking, despite Neville's own disdain. And just behind them, Malfoy and his crew of idiots kept gesturing and just generally being annoying.

My curiosity was quickly ended, though, as suddenly breakfast was over and it was time for my first lesson of the school year: potions. I headed there with the other Ravenclaws in my year, as well as the Slytherins- we must be stuck together for that particular lesson. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It would just be my luck that that would happen. I mentally prepared myself for a year of Professor Snape talking down to us and putting all the Slytherins on a pedestal.

Despite my momentary annoyance, I tried my best to put it behind me. I was determined to have a good year, and if that meant putting up with the Slytherins being praised for simply turning up to potions while the rest of us were overly criticised then so be it.

The lesson wasn't too bad, even though we spent the whole time just learning about different potions and copying notes from the chalkboard instead of actually brewing something. Luna kept getting told off for daydreaming, so I ended up getting in a rhythm of poking her with my quill every few minutes, just to make sure she was paying attention and wouldn't cost us any house points. There was nothing worse than starting the year off on minus points, and Professor Snape was the type of person to capitalise on every punishable offence in existence- even simply letting your eyes stray away from your work for a matter of seconds. So I felt I needed to step in, just so we wouldn't start the year on the back foot.

As the lesson came to a close and everyone started filtering out of the potions classroom, I ended up wedged between a group of Slytherin girls, who were all gossiping about something. And while I wasn't usually the type to eavesdrop, it's a little hard not to when you're sandwiched between the people who're talking.

"How embarrassing," I heard one say.

"Literally, who would even do that?" said another.

"And Neville of all people?" The group all snickered.

I frowned, wondering if I should say something and defend Neville from... whatever it was they were talking about. But then the corridor opened up and the Slytherin girls went on their way, and I found Luna waiting for me in the door of another classroom, out of the way of the tide of students rushing to their next lesson. She must've noticed the look on my face because she didn't waste time in asking if I was alright.

"Those girls were talking about Neville," I said as we started making our way to Charms, "I don't know what about, but nothing good. I don't get what's going on. First, Malfoy at breakfast and now this."

Luna shrugged. "People are always cruel to people who are different."

"I suppose," I said, and dropped the subject, just in time to arrive at Professor Flitwick's class.

But as I was trying to pay attention, I couldn't help but hear Neville's name again and again in conversation. But we were with a wide spread of students from all houses for this lesson, which meant that it wasn't just Slytherins being mean. Everyone seemed to be talking about him.

So when lunch rolled around, I made sure to sit next to Catherine. If anyone could find out things about Gryffindors, it was her, especially since her brother happened to be Lee Jordan.