Chapter 10

Quietly arose the next morning, careful not to wake up her roommates as she dressed and slipped out the bedroom door. The Great Hall was open, but absolutely empty as she entered, and she sat down at Gryffindor table, immersing in a book. She didn't notice the people come in, or that some of them still stared at her. While eating she continued to read, but was interrupted as the mail came in, Wira dropping off a letter from home. After breakfast, she got instructions from a prefect for where her first class, Transfiguration, was located.

Since they would work in pairs, she got paired up with another Gryffindor fifth year, Neville Longbottom. McGonagall explained that they'd be transfiguring swordfish into swords, and explained the science, process, testing of it. A lot of the kids had trouble with it, some not having a sharp blade, others had tails on the hilts. Lynna's fish was almost deep fried by Neville, and after she attempted it twice, made a successful transfigure. McGonagall held it up and chastised the people who hadn't paid attention, and therefore not gotten it.

"Not Spida Espida! Spada Espada!" croaked McGonagall at a pair of Hufflepuffs.

"Looks like there's another know it all," someone whispered.

"One was enough," a person repsonded.

These people were fairly loud enough for Lynna to hear them, but they didn't seem to realize it at all. Professor McGonagall finally weeded them out as they were talking when she was, and signaled the end of class. People piled out of the room, a lot complaining that their robes smelled like seafood.

The group of Gryffindors headed for Charms class on the fifth floor, taught by Professor Flitwick.

Sitting near her new friends, Lynna was surprised at how short the teacher was, and he had to stand on a pile of books to be seen. The class and teacher chorused their hellos, and began.

"What are Cushioning Charms? More specifically, what are they used for?" asked Flitwick.

Lynna's hand went into the air, and more or less surprising, Harry's as well. Flitwick picked Harry to answer rather immediately.

"Sir, they are invisible seats of comfort, or support, mainly used as seats on broomsticks," said Harry.

He did a good-humored smirk at her, which she returned, since she would expect a Quidditch player to know such things about brooms. They were to practice falling onto the floor atop these charms. Nobody wanting to trust their bottom to another, it was assigned as independent work. Lynna's charms worked most of the time while the others' were faulty. As a joke, Ron made her charm disappear as she fell backward. It gave Lynna a sore bum, and she chased him around the room as revenge. Class ended, and everyone headed down to the Hall for lunch.

While walking with Ron and Harry, she accidentally bumped into a teacher, whom nodded when she apologized, but glanced strangely at her with the two guys. They got to the Great Hall, but were practically ambushed by Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle. He asked her to eat lunch with him again, this time right in front of their faces. Lynna, torn between her friends and Draco, looked indecisively at Ron and Harry. They not wanting a confrontation, motioned for her to go with Malfoy, although very reluctantly. Lynna went to the Slytherin table, and watched the others take their places at Gryffindor's table.

Today, Draco seemed to be even more taken with her. He barely ate, and didn't pay attention to people trying to talk to him. Lynna not totally sure of his intentions, talked a lot with him, flirted, but was light on touchier issues. Even when lunch was over, he insisted on walking with her to Potions class.

(They had the same class.) Harry and Ron stayed close behind Draco and Lynna, possibly coming to the rescue of the situation.

In the dungeons, outside the Potions classroom, stood the teacher, turning out to be the same one Lynna bumped into earlier. He didn't seem to be holding it against her, but she noticed his eyebrows went into his hair when he saw Malfoy and Lynna walking together. Lynna sat with Draco at a work area as a pair, Harry and Ron, sitting in the place next to them. Malfoy gave them a dirty look, but quickly looked away as Professor Snape came into the room, still staring at the pair of Slytherin and Gryffindor.

Not greeting the class, or asking for an opinion on today's topic, he immediately sunk them into the lesson. They were making cleaning removers using diluted bundum secretion, a very tricky substance to boil, dilute, and use correctly. People seemed to have yet more trouble in Potions, many ended up spilling it on their skin, turning it orange, and having to go to Snape for a reversal. Malfoy spilled it too, Lynna tried wiping it off fast, but his hands turned orange, and ran complaining to the teacher. Harry and Ron laughed quietly, and Lynna managed a weak smile. Snape spotted Harry laughing, who stopped once he realized they were going to lose a lot of points.

Snape only grimaced, and yelled to Harry, "Five points from Gryffindor!"

His eyes flicked briefly at Lynna and Draco when he did it. Some people couldn't comprehend why a Gryffindor willingly sat with a Slytherin, and kept staring at them. (That was one of the reasons people messed up) Lynna was slightly embarrassed at all the attention, and hurried quickly out of the class when it was over. Harry and Ron worried, rushed after her and caught her on the main staircase.

"Why don't we go to Hagrid's? We've barely seen him since the beginning of school," suggested Harry to them.

Nodding, they followed Harry out to the hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Lynna stood behind Ron even though she had met him already, she was shy.

"Come in, come in," Hagrid said gesturing inside as he opened the door.

They sat on three chairs, which seemed slightly bigger than normal. Hagrid was somber as they told him about Hermione's Herbology accident, but turned and smiled as he was introduced. His hand absolutely dwarfed hers as she shook hands with him.

"So how do ya like Hogwarts, Lynna?" Hagrid asked.

"It was intimidating, until I met people," she replied, and glanced toward the boys.

After talking for a lot more, and almost cracking their teeth on Hagrid's rock cakes, they were shooed out to dinner. Instead, Ron and Harry hauled her up to the infirmary to visit Hermione who wouldn't be back for another few days. The infirmary was bedecked with white, and Hermione was the only one there overnight. Ron and Harry half ran to her side, Lynna staying back slightly.

The girl was a bright red still, and had light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a pile of books next to her bed. Their faces were written with brotherly concern, and she looked almost content to be stuck in bed with a pile of books.

Motioning to her, Harry said, "This is Lynna, she's a transfer student from the United States."

"Nice to meet you up close, I've seen you in Herbology," Hermione said, flushing.

"Good to meet you too," agreed Lynna.

Ron's eyes traveled to the book pile next to them, horrified that Hermione had only been reading.

"Hermione have you been reading all those books!" he exclaimed, pointing to the table.

"Well I finished them this morning, I've been terribly bored, and Madame Pince won't allow me to have library books when I'm broken out. Plus there aren't any books I have," she sadly replied.

A light bulb went off in Lynna's head. "Hermione, would you like to borrow some of my books while you're here?"

Sitting up straighter, Hermione smiled and nodded. "That's very kind of you!"

"No problem," said Lynna. Opening her bag, she handed two extremely thick free reading books to Hermione, who gave her a look of respect.

Madame Pomfrey came rushing over, and told them to leave, they were over their time limit. As they got up from Hermione's bedside, Lynna happened to look at Ron's face, and saw more than brotherly concern lurking there. They went down fairly late to the Great Hall, and were eyed suspiciously by Malfoy as they sat to get dinner at Gryffindor table. Dinner made her extremely tired, and had to lug herself up the stairs as they went to Gryffindor tower. Spilling their books onto the tables of the common room, Harry, Ron, and Lynna started working on their homework, which was considerable. Exams at the end of the year would be OWLS (Ordinary Wizarding Tests) and the teachers started early with reminding them, with a lot of work. Around 10:30 pm, she glanced next to her at Harry, who was furiously writing, and Ron, who turned out to be sleeping on top of his Transfiguration essay.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she whispered to her wand, and started levitating a book.

She aimed it over to where Ron was sleeping, and lightly tapped his head with the book.

Ron looked up, and seeing the book midair in front of his face, hollered. He looked to see which one of them did it, but Lynna put her wand under the table, and commanded the book to fall to the floor.

"Ok, I know one of you did it," he accused, but then turned to his homework.

"Accio book," she said quietly, as Ron looked away.

Catching it, she saw Harry watching her, and looking into his face saw he was trying to contain his laughter. He failed as she made a funny face, and she burst out laughing as well. Other Gryffindors still left in the room gawked at them, wondering what was so amusing. She turned back to homework once they were done, briefly checked it, then got up to leave for bed.

"Good night Harry," she said softly, as she passed him.

He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, and said, "Good night Lynna."

Turning, she felt him still watching her as she headed up to the dormitory. Out of the corner of her eyes, she glimpsed back and saw she was right. Reaching her room, she decided to write letters back to her family, and mail them in the morning.

Dear Family,

I miss you too, but I've settled really well into Hogwarts.

I like school a lot, and even have started making friends.

Strangely, I was placed in Gryffindor, but I don't mind too

much. Mom, don't be so horrified! Classes are really

interesting, and I'm doing very well. Thanks a lot for

getting me those subscriptions too, I appreciate it.

I haven't looked in the trophy cabinet, yet, but I will.

The next Hogmeade trip is on Halloween, which is far

away. Orion has been very reliable delivering my mail,

and he's a great bird. Yes dad, Harry Potter is in my

year at Hogwarts, in fact, he's in my house. (Very nice

person.) Miss you mom, dad, and Lottie!

Love,

Lynna

Dear Kayla,

School has been getting better, I'm doing well in

classes, and have started making friends. Their names

are Ron, Harry, and Hermione. My weirdest teacher

is this loony bin named Trelawney who say she sees an intricate

future for me, and death for my friend Harry…(Its crap though,

Ron told me she's been predicting his death for two yrs, hmm)

I guess Draco is cute, and I think he's interested in me. He asks

me to eat lunch with him and work with him in Potions. People

gape at us though because Gryffindors and Slytherins are

supposed to hate each other. About the books, could you borrow

a few off Aunt Nora about Quidditch and magic birds? Thanks.

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Lynna

Putting the letter aside, she felt drained, yet excited, and immediately went to sleep.