Daphne Greengrass and Adrian Pucey were quite prepared to help us with our transfiguration homework.

"Now you try,Weasley,"

It takes me 2 tries to successfully transfigure my matchstick into a needle.

"Dracy-poo and Theo got pulled out of class,"Pansy Parkinson whispers to Bulstrode. "They got pulled out to see Professor Dumbledore."

Aria turns to face me,excitement visible on her face.
"Do you think he's expelled?"She asks.

"I hope Malfoy is!"

"Aria?"Ashley asks,"How much homework did we have to write for charms?"

"I'm pretty sure it was 2 pages,"

"Actually,"Astoria interjects,"It was 3 pages,"

We look at her,a little shocked.

"What?"Astoria defended,"I do pay attention in class sometimes!"

"Key word,"Harper says,"Is sometimes,"

"Shut up!"

The common room suddenly becomes eerily silent.

"Astoria,"I said slowly,not glancing up from the charms homework,"you have a talent.That doesn't involve makeup!"

Harper,Anderson and Aria snort.

I glance up as Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott walk into the common room.

"Oh,come on!"Aria complains,"you were supposed to be expelled,"

Most people snicker but others turn around and glare at us,as footsteps echo outside on the stone.

Everybody turns to the entrance of the common room,as I go back to finish my paragraph on Charms.

"What's so important?"Ashley asked,before getting shushed by the whole common room.

Then a boy with straight dark brown hair and dark eyes walks through.

"So we were all silent for this guy?"Ashley asks loudly in disbelief.

Adrian threw a paper ball at her.

"OWWW!"

"SHUT UP!"The common room hissed in unison.

"This guy just united the snakes against us,"Anderson whispered.

"Nice entrance!"Ashley comments.

"Ash,"Me,Aria and Astoria say in unison,before turning to face each other in shock."Be quite,"

"Please,"I add.

Then another boy walks through,dark brown curly hair and dark eyes.

"He's fit!"I hear Aria gasp.

"Not gonna lie,"Harper says,"but the first one looks like a Hufflepuff,"

"I agree,"

Quite suddenly the whole of Slytherin house pressed 3 fingers to their lips and raised them in the air.

I quickly joined in.
Aria had to elbow Ashley to get her to join in.

"What does that mean?"Harper asks,after the boys walk to the dorms,and our house starts talking again.

"It means,that Slytherin house have found a leader,"Astoria mutters.

"How do you know that?" I ask,at the same time as Harper who asked,"Both boys?"

"Probably,"Astoria answered Harper,before turning to me, "Have you never read 'A Purebloods guide to life?"

"That book is 30000 pages long or something,"I say, "I'm not reading that."

"Astoria,you read and recite that book for the 5 us," Aria says."Why do we need it when we have you?"

Astoria placed on hand on the right side of her chest. "I feel very appreciated,"

Maria looked up from sharpening her daggers. "You do realise that your heart is on the left side of your chest,right?"

Astoria quickly moved her hand to the other side of her chest,and used the other to wipe an imaginary tear from her eyes. "Look,Maria cares,"

"I should have left it,"Maria muttered. "At least I'd be able to aim at her heart with a clear shot,"

"Anyway,"Aria said,slowly,"Let's talk about how fine those 2 boys were,"

Harper passes me and Anderson a hardback book each and we simultaneously bang our heads on it.

"The second one looks like he'd be a perfect beater,"Ashley said,dreamily.

I bang my head on the book again.

This afternoon we were free from lessons,so we were sat in the Great Hall.

"Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow,"Harper said casually.

Ashley looked up from her quidditch book,"What?"

"Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow,"Harper repeated.

Ashley's eyes widened. "Tomorrow-?As in tomorrow-tomorrow? Or the day after tomorrow?"

"As in tomorrow.Saturday."

"I'm not ready for them yet!"Ashley wailed."I need to practice!"

I lowered my head and tried to pretend to be reading the charms textbook,so i wouldn't be forced to practice.

"Andersonnnn,"Ashley sang loudly.

Some people turned to stare.

"Oh no-"Anderson whispered,mortified.

"Will you practice Quidditch with me?"Ashley still sang,oblivious like always to Andersons (and soon to be our) embarrassment.

"n-no"

"bad idea,"Aria muttered,turning back to watch both of the new boys walk in to the hall,attracting instant whispers.

I glanced up,to find Ashley grinning manically at me.

"Oh shoot,"I whisper as I look for an escape.

"EMILYYY ARABELLAAA WEASLEYYY!"Ashley sings loudly,successfully gaining the attention of most of the Great Hall.

"That's not even my middle name,"I mutter,as I flush as red as my hair,and try sinking into my seat.

I glance over at the Gryffindor table,where Ginny sends me a sympathetic smile,which doesn't help my situation.

"EMILYYYY!"Ashley repeats louder.

I take a deep breath in.If Ashley decides to embarrass me,why can't I do the same?

"ASHLEYYYY!MY FAVOURITE PUCEY!HOW CAN I HELP?" I can see Astoria flinching at my sudden outburst,Anderson grinning,and Ashley surprised.Now I've gained the attention of people who didn't look when Ashley sang.I feel myself go a darker shade of red.

"Will you practice Quidditch with me?"Ashley asks.

"Well I don't have a choice now,do I?"

People turn back to their food or previous conversations,although half of Slytherin table is glaring at us for causing a ruckus.
"What are you lot staring at?"Aria demands. "We didn't lose any house points did we?"

Ashley smiles,and I smile too,because it's Ashley and she has that smile that makes you smile too.

"But,"I add to my previous answer,"Harper and Anderson play too,"

Anderson sends me a panicked look,and then starts shaking his head.

"Anderson,you'll play won't you?"Harper asks,a sly smirk visible on his face.

"Of course he will!"Ashley exclaims. "You love playing Quidditch with me don't you,Anderson?"

Harper snorts. "Oh he talks about what happened last year all the time!"

I wince.Last year,Ashley and Anderson played Quidditch with some people in other houses a lot.But this one match last year went horribly.Instead of hitting the Bludger (Ashley was playing beater,instead of her usual chaser),Ashley hit Anderson's face with a lot of force and knocked him out completely.
Anderson was in the hospital wing for weeks.Which is why he's scared of playing with Ashley.

So we walk.We walk to the Quidditch pitch,grab our brooms and fly.

"I can't feel my arse."I mutter as we walk back to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Me neither,"Aria says, "at least I joined practice 2 hours later,I can't imagine what you're going through."

"And Ash still wanted to play for longer,"Anderson interrupts.

"Didn't you want to play for longer too?"Harper asks,the sly grin back on his face.

Anderson shoves Harper off the path,who stumbles over his feet.Aria laughs when Harper lands on his face,and Anderson has to go help him up.Harper pulls Anderson down onto the floor with him,and I can't be bothered to watch their antics anymore.

"How has she got so much energy?"Aria yawns,watching Ashley half-dance,half-run back towards us.

"I have no idea,but it's terrifying,"Harper whispers,between our heads.

Me and Aria let out identical sounding screams;we were somehow caught off guard.Aria turns around and play shoves Harper.

Anderson glances at me,moving closer to shove me but I get their first. I shove him and he trips over Harper.

I have to lean on Aria,because Harpers expression when Anderson lands on him is so funny.

But we have to help both boys up,so we do and we walk up a bit.

"Boo!"

"AARGH!"

All four of us are scared by Ashley's sudden outburst,and she starts cackling.

She somehow snuck behind us and scared the living daylights out of us.

"Oh— my— Merlin,"Ashley chokes, "your faces- I would do anything to catch them on camera."