Claire looked at Maddie with shock. "Wait... what?!" "Oh, and," Maddie continued, "we're leaving tomorrow." Claire leaned against the corridor's wall in her pajamas. "Are you joking?" She asked seriously. "No, you can ask Harry Potter himself." Maddie went across the corridor to her friend, "Claire. You don't have to go. But... if you stay here, you could be... well... taken? Hurt? Or, I don't know, worse?"

Claire shock her head, "I know that. I have to go." Maddie smiled, "I knew you'd understand. Heck, you're a Ravenclaw." "How long will we miss school for?" Claire asked urgently. Maddie giggled a bit, "I have no idea."

---

"All packed?" Lily asked as she leaned against the post of Maddie's bed. Maddie sighed and put down Ivy on the sheet. "Yep." She stood up and went over to Lily. "Look, we're in this together, okay? Me, you, and Hugo; we're the golden trio." Lily shook her head an laughed, "We're not the golden trio. Tomorrow you can meet the real one." Maddie forced a laugh, too.

Tomorrow.

"Lily. This is crazy, isn't it? We can't even write to our parents? I mean... not that I could anyway." Maddie ducked her head and focused on the wooden flooring. She wiped a tear from her cheek.

More than anything in the entire work right now, Maddie wished she was a witch. And one that was placed in Slytherin. Maybe then, she thought, mum and dad would love me.

Lily sighed and embraced her best friend. "Maddie, I'm sorry. But, hey, we're best friends, we'll get through this. I'm glad you told me your secret." Maddie pulled away, "I have..." she hesitated, "one more secret." Lily raises her eyebrows, as if to say what is it?

"It's kinda embarrassing, and, I dunno... just don't freak out, okay?"

Lily was getting nervous. What was this secret? In fact, Maddie hadn't realized it that long ago herself. 

"I, uh, like Hugo." Maddie admitted.

Lily squealed and bounced on her toes. "Yay! Oh, I thought so for a while, but I wasn't sure, and... wow!" Lily had to stop and catch her breath. "Oh, good, you're excited!" Maddie grinned. Lily was about to burst out chatting again but there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Maddie called. In walk a red-faced Hugo. Maddie's heart fell. "How much," she began, "... how much did you hear?" He looked at the floor. "Uh... all of it."

Lily placed a hand on Maddie's back. "Okay then..." She backed away a bit, "you guys can talk about this." She shut the door behind her.

"So..." Hugo said. Maddie shrugged, "So." There was a brief  moment of silence before he spoke up again, "I, um... I like you, too." Maddie looked up and smiled. Hugo webbed his fingers into hers. Maddie tried not to act shocked.

Lily came back up the stairs, "My dad wants to know if you guys are ready to go." She notices them holding hands and smirks a little.

"I'm all set." Maddie says. Hugo nods, "Same." Maddie reluctantly lets her hand fall from Hugo's and scoops up Ivy.

She looks around the room. The other girls had gone off to classes and the room was empty. This had been her home from the beginning of the year. Late nights with Lily. The other girls... she didn't know them all too well, but most of them had been friendly to her. Maddie felt tears in the back of her eyes. "We're going to be back, right?" Lily nodded, "absolutely."

"This isn't goodbye." Hugo declared, "Just... a see- you- later." Maddie looked at the floor and laughed. "Cheesy," Lily mumbled. Hugo laughed, too. He gipped Maddie's free hand and the trio went out the door. Maddie didn't agree with the fact that they weren't the golden trio, but she knew they were something.

Something special.