I get back and shrink James back to his proper size before slipping into bed. Even with my late night, I'm up the earliest to pop in the showers. I'd rather no one else see my scars. I slip into the uniform and admit it's pretty cute. Grey, pleated skirt down to the knee, high socks with black shoes, white button-up with the choice of wearing it plain, with a vest, cardigan, or sweater over top, then the signature gold and yellow tie. I go with just the button-up.

"Blimey, Arell, you're already done?" Lily whispers as I toss my robe over my arm and sling my bag around my shoulders. I meet her crazy bedhead then her green eyes with a smile.

"Yeah, well you know. Scars." I shrug as she stares at me, thoughts swirling inside her head.

"You don't have to be ashamed of those, Arell." She says and suddenly there's a fierceness in her eyes. A sharp determination and loyalty. I reach out and rest my hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you. I know. It's just...easier." She softens at my words and smiles. "I'll save a spot for you at the table," I tell her before ducking out. It's easy to retrace my steps back to the great hall and as soon as I sit down food appears in front of me. After last night it's almost spooky how empty it is. Me and a few teachers plus a ghost or two and maybe another student over in the corner. He kind of looks like he's sleeping though. I get out my books and get to work while eating, at least until there's a soft clearing of someone's throat next to me. I look up and find Remus' warm eyes looking at me.

"May I join you?" He asks softly and I nod, gesturing to the space next to me. "That was really impressive last night. That spell you made." He tells me and smiles when I pass him an empty plate.

"Thank you. Not all of them turn out that way, I assure you. I've set multiple things on fire, melted things, even made one thing vanish and I still have no idea where it is." I promise and he laughs sweetly. I think he may have a few less scars than me, at least if he has as many scars on the rest of his body as he does where I can see.

"Still, it's impressive. Would you..." He hesitates a moment and nudges a piece of egg on his plate. "Would you walk me through the process? If you don't mind, of course." I smile and nod.

"Sure. I was going to try one this morning when Lily came in, but it might be a bit more fun this way." His eyebrows raise and a little mischief creeps into his warm eyes.

"You've certainly got my attention."

Remus and I talk until Lily comes in and we let her in on the plan. Then, all that's left to do is put my things away and act innocent. The rambunctious boys leak into the great hall like water from a faucet, all no direction but high energy. Three cups have already been set out for them and the minute they see the three of us they're speeding over to us.

"I like seeing you in the morning again, Evans," James comments as he smoothly slides into the seat across from us. She rolls her eyes and drinks her own pumpkin juice.

"What are you talking about, Prongs? You've got that pictu-"

"Picturesque view to look at out my window, of course, thanks for the reminder Padfoot." James stares him down as both boys pick up their cups and Peter digs into his food. I glance to Remus and he nods. We cast at the same time as the boys tip their cups to their lips and everyone on this side of the bench ducks as they both do full spit takes. We three burst out laughing and I give both Remus and Lily low-fives.

"You bloody put vodka in our pumpkin juice?" Sirius shouts before hushing himself with a half-hearted wave to the teacher's table.

"Vodka? Really? I didn't know what alcohol it would be." I tell them and whip out my notebook to make a note while still laughing a bit.

"Better write that down. The difference between messing around and true science-"

"is writing it down. I'm flattered you remember that quote, Remus." Lily finishes as she wipes a tear from under her eye left from hard laughter.

"So, you pranked us, Evans? And here I was thinking we had a bond." James mocks being hurt, but he looks happier than ever. Perhaps pranking is his version of love? Lily tilts her head to me.

"Arell's idea. Made a new spell that needed testing and you both were the perfect subjects. Thought you two said you'd snuck a bottle of your dad's stuff and it was gone by morning, Potter?"

"There's a difference between drinking at night and getting surprise vodka at eight, red. Blimey." Sirius clears his throat as I reach over and take his cup. Staring at his pretty starlight eyes, I down his cup with a little cough, then James'.

"Yeah, there is. People with ovaries." I stand and glance between them both as they stare at me. "And people with balls. The former obviously being better." I gift them a wink and nod to Remus, then head out of the hall with Lily. Our laughter echoes in the hallway as we slowly make our way to class. We've got time, so we take the longer way.

"I have never seen them look like that. Well, there was this one time when I might have slapped Potter in the face, but to get the same look with just words is so much more gratifying." Lily sighs and hikes her tan bag further up her shoulder.

"They seem like good guys overall though," I say and she nods.

"I like to think so, but you haven't seen them at their worst. Trust me, you'll get your chance soon enough. Where'd you learn to down vodka like that?" She asks with laughter still twinkling in her green eyes.

"Well, on New Years one of the kids I live with swipes a bottle of whatever the ladies have hidden away in their bottom drawer. One who can hold their booze the longest gets whatever else we've nicked that week. Little bit of a tradition." I explain. "I've won three years in a row." She chuckles and we continue walking and talking a bit before heading to class. We're nearly late because of the stairs, but make it before everyone else has sat down. As soon as we enter the boys converge around us.

"Hello, you naughty girls." James greets us smoothly, leaning against the wall of seats to the right. "As lovely as it is to see you, Evans, we wanted to speak with our girl Mane." His eyes scan her for any sign of jealousy, but she just rolls her eyes.

"Good luck." She winks at me and walks away towards the rest of our dorm mates. Sirius takes her place and slides an arm around my waist to tug me close.

"Now, I normally wouldn't like it when someone insults me, but damn you just did it so well." I laugh and shove him off as he grins. "How'd a girl like you learn how to down that stuff so well?"

"It's a long story." I shrug, but his eyes only glow brighter.

"You're going to have to tell me some of those stories sometime, love."

"Alright, Padfoot, enough flirting. We wanted to introduce you to our favorite teacher." Now its James' arm around my shoulders and he's dragging me in front of the teacher's desk.

"We were just talking you up to Professor McGonagall, Mane," Peter tells me and I look up to the aforementioned woman's face. She looks up at me and I see the humor sparkling in her eyes.

"Ah, yes. Minnie, you do look lovely today, if I may say so." James flirts shamelessly and I swear I see the corner of her mouth turn up.

"You may not, Mr. Potter. Please take your seats." She tells us firmly.

"Aw, come on. Look, we've added another person to our group. More for you to adore! Personally, I think she really brings up our group average. Lookswise and smartswise." Sirius adds. I'm about ready to burst into laughter while Remus is looking at McGonagall apologetically.

"Thank you for your input, Mr. Black. Take your seats, now please." This time her eyes flash and we head to our seats, but she calls me back. Sheepishly, I hold my hands tightly together in front of me as she thinks a moment. "Seems you've had no trouble finding friends, Miss Ackley." She comments approvingly.

"No, ma'am." I agree a bit bashfully.

"I'm glad. I also expect a lot from you in this class, Miss Ackley. Your marks in the past have been exemplary." She compliments and I nod, planning to do just that. "In your free time, though..." She trails off and smoothly hands me a small piece of paper with times and dates on it. Quidditch tryouts is scrawled at the top in beautiful, green, loopy handwriting. Instantly, I look up at her with a bright smile and find she's smiling as well. "Take your seat."

"Thank you, professor." I glance at Lily who shrugs with a grimace at the big boy sitting next to her. I wave her off and glance over at the boys who instantly wave me over. Rolling my eyes, but not wanting to incur the wrath of McGonagall, I hurry over and slide onto the bench beside Remus. "Mind if I sit next to you?" I ask him softly as McGonagall waves her wand at the chalkboard and notes appear.

"Anytime, Arell." He tells me with a fond smile that I return.

"And if there aren't any seats you're welcome to sit in my lap, love." Sirius leans forward from Remus's other side and shoots me a wink. I roll my eyes, but my cheeks are hot. It's not often that a cute, funny boy flirts with me and while I don't think I should take him seriously, it's still flattering.

We work on changing a toad into an inkwell all class, but I'm finished the first minute.

"Well done, Miss Ackley. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall nods at me as she passes and I feel joy surge inside me at earning points. Lily and our dorm mates give me a thumbs up across the class while the guys look at me with surprise. The rest of the class continues on, but McGonagall keeps me busy by providing more difficult spells to try. "Very impressive work. Perhaps I should think of bumping you up to the sixth years class, Miss Ackley." I perk up at the praise, but there's a little worry there at leaving all my friends.

"Don't take her away from us, professor!" James cries with a hand held over his heart.

"How could we possibly survive without our beloved Mane? I...I...I think I'm actually getting weak thinking about it." Sirius continues and puts his hand over his forehead while James fans him. Remus rolls his eyes with a small smirk.

"You both will get a week's detention if you interrupt me again." McGonagall threatens, but once again has the slightest of sparkles in her eyes. She likes these boys, I think. Her dark eyes meet mine again. "Think on it. I'll give you their lessons next class to gauge your talent." She nods to me and continues around the class to a boy who has turned his inkwell halfway, so it's still hopping around the class spilling its contents everywhere.

"Might have to ask you to tutor me at that rate." Remus teases and I smile.

"I doubt that's true. You were right behind me the whole class."

"Except now." He points out and sighs as he looks down at the salamander we're supposed to be turning into a quill.

"Oh, I can help you with that." I slide close and nod to him. "Go ahead and I'll watch." He nods and goes through the spell, but with no luck. "Alright, so it's not your wand movement or your incantation, it's your wrist." Remus' brows instantly furrow.

"My wrist." He repeats and I nod.

"The magic isn't in the wand, the wand is just the guide, like a lightning rod. The magic is in you. If your wrist isn't straight, the magic will sometimes forget the path and the spell won't cast. Try it again with a fluid movement, but a straight wrist." I instruct and hold my wand how he should hold his. My wand moves with his and demonstrates what he should be doing before he restarts, this time with the incantation. Blue shoots out of his wand and to the salamander that folds in on itself, elongates, then pops out beautiful red and blue feathers as a quill.

"Brilliant." He says with a smile. Others around us burst into success as well and shoot me happy smiles. Apparently, they were listening too and were having the same problem.

"Mm, could both of you and Evans let me know when you're taking over the world so I can find a comfortable bunker?" James teases and I slide back to my place away from Remus. McGonagall passes by again and has another near smile on her face.

"Very well done over here. Twenty points to Gryffindor." She says and I grin as the boys whisper various forms of pleasure.

"Thanks, Arell," Remus says and I shrug.

"Anytime."

A/N

Yes, that is a quote from Mythbusters. ;) First day! First class! First thoughts?

Keep reading loves!