I never got a chance to get my revenge on Ciara.

I walked into the Great Hall that night, halfway through supper, head held high. For a moment, Ciara and Nico looked stunned, but for some reason, that look quickly turned into two smirks. I couldn't imagine why, but I really didn't care. I had beat them at their own game, and I was proud.

Wren looked horrified when I told her, Luna, and Albus the story, but Albus gave me a high five and looked incredibly jealous.

"I never would have been able to do that!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

Luna tilted her head. "They are quite rude, I think. But Astra, you started the rumors about Ciara."

"I didn't know there were rumors about her!" I said loudly, drawing stares from the students sitting around us. I quickly lowered my voice. "Are there really?"

Luna nodded gravely. "No one in Ravenclaw knows who started it except me, but I won't tell. Barely anyone believes it."

"Do you think she'll tell McGonagall?" asked Wren, glancing over at the teacher's table.

"I hope not...I've already been to her office once, and I'd prefer not to go back."

Unfortunately, Ciara and Nico's smug looks meant exactly that. Before I could get up to leave, McGonagall herself came over to the table and told me to wait. This brought about a lot of "oooooh"s and snickers.

I had to wait until the Great Hall cleared out, and a lot of the Slytherin first years seemed reluctant to go for some strange, unknown reason. They kept finding excuses to walk past me, barely holding in their laughter. It was humiliating. Finally, McGonagall told them to go to their common room unless they wanted detention, and they scurried out.

"Now, Ms. Lewis," McGonagall said, turning to me. "My office. Come, come."

She turned and strode away, and I jumped up to follow. She walked purposely through the halls, with me following reluctantly in her wake.

As we walked, I kept going over the possible scenarios in my mind. Maybe she'd let me off with a warning? I sincerely doubted it. She wouldn't be that lenient. I had a very dreadful certainty that I was going to get expelled.

I couldn't be expelled! I didn't have anywhere else to go! Mr. Lewis had made it very clear that I had no home with them anymore. Hogwarts was my only home! It was the only place where I'd ever felt special, and loved, and accepted. I couldn't lose all of that!

And unlike most of my classmates, who could be homeschooled by grudging parents if they were expelled, being expelled for me meant the end of being a witch. The end of magic.

The end of my friendship with Albus and Wren and James.

No muggles in their right mind would let me have an owl, and send notes to a witch and a wizard with it. They'd lock me up in an asylum, and then I'd never see any of my friends again.

I was trying my hardest not to cry as my whole world crashed down around me.

We reached the corridor with the gargoyle, and Professor McGonagall said, "Peppermint," in a tone that sounded like she sincerely hated peppermints, which didn't make me feel better. We mounted the stairs to the circular office.

"I expect you know why you're here," the headmistress said crisply as she sat down behind her desk.

"Well...I have an idea..." I said slowly.

McGonagall sighed and mumbled something about retirement. I'd never noticed how old she looked.

"Astra, I thought you, of all people, would know better than to start rumors about the attacks. You witnessed one!"

I studied my shoes intently, trying my best not to meet her gaze. I hadn't meant to start any rumors...but of course she wouldn't believe that. I remember countless times at the Lewis's, when I had unintentionally done something strange, and told them I hadn't meant to. Had anyone believed me then? Of course not. I wasn't considered a trustworthy person. Why would anyone believe me?

"Why did you accuse Ciara Malfoy of perpetrating the attacks? You understand that using the Cruciatus Curse on another human is a criminal offense, yes?" I nodded. "Why would you accuse your classmate of it?"

After a pause, I realized she expected an answer. "Well...I...I didn't know how to explain it..." I said slowly, "and I just wanted to know who it was...and I thought...if I knew...I might not be as scared..." That was a lot more believable than the truth, in my mind. Because the truth was that I hadn't told anyone except Albus, Wren, and James. A few fake tears and a pitiful look convinced her.

"I'm going to have to take points from Gryffindor. Let's say...20. And you'll have a week of detention. Don't let this happen again." McGonagall's voice had lost some of its sternness.

I stared at her. "I'm not being expelled?"

"Of course not. If I expelled every student who started a rumor about the attacks, that would be half the school. Just because yours included a classmate doesn't mean that you deserve expulsion."

I couldn't believe it. I didn't have to leave! Relief flowed over me like a tidal wave. I was about to turn and leave when I remembered that I should probably tell her what Ciara and Nico did to me.

"Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Well...earlier today, Ciara Malfoy and Nico Jasper tried to get back at me for starting the rumors..."

Instantly, McGonagall frowned. "What did they do?"

"They used Petrificus Totalus on me and left me in some closet all day."

Professor McGonagall looked stunned. "How on earth did you get out?"

I blanked. She wouldn't believe me...she'd take more points from me for lying! No teacher would believe that a first year had somehow used nonverbal magic...

"Well?"

"Um..." The truth would probably be better than lying, really. Either way, I'd probably get in trouble for lying. "I kind of just...thought the counter spell...over and over...and eventually it started to work."

"You...you used nonverbal magic?" The headmistress sounded shocked.

I nodded silently.

"How...you're only... You realize that many sixth years have a hard time with this concept? How did you do it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know...I just concentrated on the spell, and repeated it over and over until something happened."

Professor McGonagall stared at me, and I realized I'd done something almost impossible: shocked her into speechlessness. I tried not to fidget as the silence grew a awkward.

"Well...that is...that is certainly an achievement, Astra."

"Wait, you believe me?"

Probably not the best thing to say.

"Why shouldn't I? Were you lying?"

I quickly shook my head. "No! I just...I didn't think you'd believe I'd used nonverbal magic...since it is really hard and everything."

"Oh, I certainly believe you. We've had students before who have shown a proficiency for nonverbal magic. Could you do it again?"

"I...I could try... What should I do?"

Professor McGonagall pointed to a small paperweight, shaped like the Hogwarts crest. "Use the Levitation Charm on this, if you please."

I pointed my wand it, my hand trembling. What if it didn't work? It will work. Just believe it will.

I concentrated on the incantation, saying it over and over in my head. And nothing happened.

A few minutes passed, and I could tell Professor McGonagall was about to give up on me. That wasn't going to happen. I was going to prove that I could do it. I could! With more force than before, I thought, WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!

The paperweight flew into the air, several feet up, and my head whipped back to watch it's progress. It slowed to a stop about three feet above the desk, then just floated above my head.

I lowered my eyes to meet Professor McGonagall's astounded gaze. "See?"

"That was amazing!"

"Can...can I go, now?"

"Let's see." Her astonished expression vanished, replaced with a more serious air. "I've taken points, yes?" I nodded. "And detention?" I nodded once again. "Well, I suppose you can go. I will deal with Ms. Malfoy and Mr. Jasper. Don't spread any more rumors, though, or you'll be in much more trouble."

I scampered out of the office as soon as I could, and ran all the way back to the portrait hole. I was too out of breath to say the password though, and had to listen to the Fat Lady laugh at me as I tried to get the air flowing back into my lungs. I didn't have to wait long, because Teddy and Victoire walked down the corridor, hand-in-hand, with dreamy expressions on their faces. They were about to start snogging when I cleared my throat.

Victoire turned to me, obviously irritated. "What? Forget the password?"

I was still too out of breath to say anything, so I simply nodded.

Victoire sighed. Turning to the Fat Lady, she said, "Alarte Ascendare!"

The grumbling portrait swung forward, and I clambered through. Before the portrait even closed, Teddy and Victoire were passionately kissing.

Wren and Albus were both waiting for me. The second I climbed through the portrait hole, they darted over to me, nervous looks on their faces.

"What happened?" Albus asked, pulling me over to a chair. "Are you ok?"

"Are you expelled?" Wren asked in a hushed voice.

I quickly put on a look of misery. Might as well have some fun, right?

"I knew it! She's been expelled!" Albus said, looking distraught.

"What happened?" Wren pressed.

"She's been expelled!" repeated Albus.

A smile broke through on my face, throwing looks of confusion onto the faces of my two friends. "I haven't been expelled. I got detention, and lost twenty points, but I'm fine."

Wren sank down into the chair next to me, smiling in relief. "Don't scare us like that!"

"Really!" Albus added. "That was mean!"

I just laughed. I was relieved to have that over. I wasn't expelled! I wasn't leaving! Professor McGonagall had actually believed me!

~~~~

I probably would have tried to get back at Ciara, but more important things distracted me. My detentions, spent cleaning the trophies in the trophy room by hand, didn't interfere with Quidditch practice, luckily. I wonder if that was on purpose... After all, Professor McGonagall had been a Gryffindor.

Quidditch wasn't the most important thing, though. James's thirteenth birthday was the last Tuesday in January, and that was rapidly approaching.

On the special morning, James met us down in the common room with a huge grin on his face. Wren and I both handed him packages (containing chocolate frogs and a book about Quidditch, respectively), while Albus gave him an unwrapped box of Weaskey's Wizard Wheezes merchandise. The thing James was most excited about, though, was a present from his dad.

Professor Potter had given it to him in private, and James didn't seem eager to show all of Gryffindor tower, so he dragged us throughout the school, looking for an empty classroom.

Finally, we stumbled upon a suitable one: a long, empty room containing only a large, ornate mirror at one end. We had more important things to think about, though. James pulled a long, silvery gray cloak out of his bag, holding it out to us in awe.

"Look! It's my dad's invisibility cloak! He gave it to me!"

Albus's eyes were as big as saucers. "Whoa..."

Wren held out her hands. "Can I hold it?" James nodded and dropped it into her waiting palms.

"You aren't allowed to tell anyone, all right? Technically, Wren, I'm not supposed to tell you, but I think Astra would have anyway, so..."

"Hey!" I said indignantly.

James put his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right! Anyway, my dad says it's one of the Deathly Hallows, but the other two are lost forever."

Was it my imagination, or did Wren start when he said that?

"One of the what?" I asked.

"You've heard the stories from the Beedle the Bard, right? Well-"

"No, I haven't! What's the Beedle the Bard?"

All three of my friends stared at me. "Every kid has heard those stories, though!" Albus exclaimed.

"I grew up with muggles! We have...Winnie the Pooh, and Little Red Riding Hood, and Cinderella!"

"Cinder-what?" James asked. "Sounds like some disease!"

I shook my head. "Never mind. Just explain."

"Um...well...there were these three brothers," Janes started, "and they came to a bridge, and-"

"Why don't we just go find the book in the library and read the story to her?" Wren suggested. "It'll be a whole lot better."

So we all trooped down to the library and waited while Wren scanned the shelves for the book. She came back, bearing an old one entitled The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

"Here we go. We're look for the three brothers." She flipped through the pages until the located the right story. Then, she began to read.

"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

"And Death spoke to them.

"He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

"So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

"Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

"And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

"The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

"That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.

"And so Death took the first brother for his own.

"Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

"And so Death took the second brother from his own.

"But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And the he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life."

I raised my eyebrows. "All right...and what's a Deathly Gallow again?"

"Hallow," James corrected. "Some people think that this story is true. The Hallows are the invisibility cloak," James held up his present, "the Resurrection Stone, and the Elder Wand."

"Ok...and...?"

"And the person who has all of those at the same time is virtually the most powerful witch or wizard in the world," Wren exclaimed.

"People think my dad had them all, but he got rid of them," Albus said importantly.

"Dumbledore had the Elder Wand," James confirmed. "And then Voldemort stole it from him. Then Dad won it from him. But Dad got rid of it somewhere." James shrugged. "Oh well. This cloak is really cool anyway. Watch!"

He put the cloak over his shoulder, and instantly his body vanished, leaving a floating head. He grinned at our astonished faces, and lifted the hood so his head disappeared as well.

Suddenly, a foot away from Wren, he appeared and whispered, "Boo!"

Wren screamed, and the librarian swooped down upon us. We quickly ran out of the library.

~~~~

As a side note, if you have any thoughts about who the attacker might be, feel free to elaborate in the comments. I personally love reading those kinds of comments on other books, and though I rarely get them on my own, I love that too.

This is my favorite story to write, and I finally think I know why. Not only am I writing about my favorite thing ever (Harry Potter), but I get to use basically all my own characters, unlike any other fanfic I've ever written. Sure, half of the kids I've mentioned are canon, but I get to sculpt their personalities and everything, so it's just about the same as making a character up.

And so, since I love this fanfic so much, I promise that I will always stay true to how the canon spells, laws, and histories go. Because I know from experience how annoying it is to read a fanfic that changes things like that, changing a spell to do something it shouldn't, or changing how Hogwarts works, or anything like that.

If that made sense to anyone, good. I'm probably just babbling incoherently, but thanks for listening!

Last thing: I'm thinking of having a Q&A section at the end of each book, and I'll answer any of your questions about the book or the characters there. So pm me, or if a question gets commented enough I'll answer it too. Anyway, if I don't get any questions, I'll just scrap that idea and move on with my life. I will always be willing to add a question to the Q&A!

{I'm rereading/editing this, and I want to let you know that I still answer questions about this book. It doesn't matter if I finished the seventh one already when you read this. I'll still answer questions.}

Ok, WOW. That was LONG. And probably boring!

Vote please!

Comment a ton!

Seriously, I love people who just go through and comment on like every other paragraph.

Probably because I'm one of those people...

~Ellie