"See ya later, Isolde!" said Annie to her pet owl as she put her owl in the owlery. The duo began to walk up flights of stairs that they were so familiar with. Annie began to tick off the events that had happened over the timespan of less than twenty-four hours. "So a house-elf shows up in my bedroom. We can't get through the barrier to Platform nine-and-three-quarters. And we almost get killed by a tree. . . . clearly somebody doesn't want me here this year."

They stopped when they came face-to-face with none other than Mr. Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker. Annie's heart dropped. The caretaker smirked triumphantly at them. 

"Well, take a good look here, kids. Tonight might be the last night you spend at this castle." Both kids glanced at each other in shock, worried about what they had done wrong this time. Mr Filch looked quite pleased with himself, almost gloatingly. "Oh, dear — we are in trouble. Follow me."

They were lead to Professor Snape's office. They stood in front of the Potion's master. Annie's heart pounded furiously against her chest as they awaited their fate from Professor Snape. She knew what he would say would be a bit unfair. Then again, nearly everything that he does isn't fair. 

"You were seen . . . . by no less than seven Muggles," he read from the Daily Prophet. He slammed the newspaper on his desk, causing Annie to flinch. Professor Snape gave them cold stares. "Do you have any idea of how serious this is?! You have risked the exposure of our world. Not to include the damage you've done to the Whomping Willow that's been on these grounds since before you were born."

"Honestly, Professor Snape," said Ron faintly. "I think that the tree did more damage to us —"

"Silence!" Professor Snape hissed dangerously. Ron shut up immediately. He got to his feet, slowly advancing on the two children, who began to back away in fear. "Were you in Slytherin, and your fate had rested in me, the both of you will be on the train home! Tonight! As it is —"

"They are not," a new, familiar voice interrupted. Melly whipped around to see Professor Dumbledore standing there. At his side was Professor McGonagall. Annie knew that she was going to give them detention. Her insides curled with anxiety. Her mouth went dry. She tried to stay as polite as she could towards the two elderly professors. "Professor Dumbledore, sir. Professor McGonagall."

"Headmaster," said Professor Snape. He bowed his head slightly to show his respect to the professor. "These children have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. And, as such —"

"I am aware of the laws, Severus," Professor Dumbledore answered as he walked towards them. He walked slowly towards them. "Having written quite a few of them, myself. But, as head of Gryffindor House, it is up for Professor McGonagall to decide the punishment."

"We'll go pack our bags, then," said Ron sadly. 

Professor McGonagall gave them a look of surprise. "What are you talking about, Mr. Weasley?" she asked kindly, much to Annie's relief. 

"You're going to expel us, aren't you?"

Professor McGonagall smiled gently at the duo in front of her. Sure, what they had done was wrong. But they didn't deserve to be expelled in only their second year of Hogwarts. And, besides! Professor McGonagall had a feeling that Melly would be needed throughout the year. 

"Not today, Mr. Weasley." Ron and Melly gave each other looks of relief. Annie could feel the pressure lifting off her chest. "But I will be writing to your parents tonight. And the both of you will be receiving detention."

It was better than they had thought. Professor McGonagall gave them detention in Professor Snape's office, after Professor Dumbledore had insisted that they should try a new pudding together. Annie knew that Professor McGonagall didn't want them to have attention in the middle of dinner. So she respected that. 

**** 

Next morning, Annie sat at breakfast. She, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Dante were grouped together at the Gryffindor table. Annie was already pouring over her school books, eager to see what they were going to be learning this year. Ron was noisily taping up his wand together, annoying her. Dante sat there across from them, a little quieter than he usually was. Annie didn't think much of it though, as it was their first day back at Hogwarts, and he was still exhausted from the long six-hour train ride from King's Cross to Hogwarts. Finally, Ron huffed, looking defeated. 

"Say it — I'm doomed," said Ron with a groan.

Annie nodded, unsure how to respond. 

"You're doomed."

"Hiya, Annie! Hiya, Harry!" said a new, unfamiliar voice. 

Before the twins could have time to look up, a bright flash of light obscured Annie's vision just momentarily. She blinked, her eyes watering slightly. 

"I'm Colin Creevey," he introduced himself. He had a slight tremor in his voice as he spoke. "I'm in Gryffindor, too."

Annie shifted awkwardly in her seat, glancing over at her brother to see him looking just as awkward as she felt. 

"Hi, Colin," she answered, trying to be as polite as she could. "Nice to meet you."

Before anyone could say anything, the sound of a screeching owl was heard somewhere above them. 

"Ron? Isn't that your owl?" said Dean Thomas with curiosity. 

They all turned to the opening in the Great Hall's ceilings where the owls would usually fly in and out. On cue, Errol soared in, flying smoothly, until he crashed into the bowl of potato chips. Annie flinched, swiping a couple of spare potato chips off her open book. Ron shook his head. 

"The bloody bird's a menace!" He took something from the bird's beak, and his face went pale. "Oh, no!" 

"Look, everyone!" fellow second-year Gryffindor, Seamus Finnegan, taunted. "Weasley's got himself a Howler!"

Everyone burst out laughing, including the Slytherin table. Neville Longbottom spoke encouragingly to Ron, though he looked fearful as well. 

"Go on, Ron. I received one from y grandmother once. It was horrible."

Ron nervously opened the envelope. At once, the booming voice of Mrs. Weasley boomed all throughout the Great Hall.

"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS NOW FACING AN INQUIERY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL SEND YOU STRAIGHT HOME! Oh, and Ginny, dear. Congratulations on making it to Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud."

The envelop turned back to Ron and blew a raspberry at him with its forked tongue before eating itself up. The remains of the enveloped landed on Ron's breakfast. Annie and her friends stared at Ron in horror. 

***

Annie was not enthusiastic about having classes with Professor Lockhart. She doubted that he would be nearly as bad as Professor Quirrell, who turned out to have Lord Voldemort living on the back of his head. But that didn't mean that she trusted him. 

The door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom burst open. Everyone quit talking and stared up at their new professor. Annie immediately hated the fake, shiny smile he had displayed on his face. 

"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: me! Gilderoy Lockhart. Order of Merlin, third-class. Honorary member of the Defense League. And five-times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. Of course, I didn't get rid of  banshee just by smiling at her."

He began to smile ridiculously, laughing at himself. Annie and everyone else gave each other looks of disbelief. The only people who did admire him were Hermione Granger and quite a few other girls in the room. He then turned serious, whipping out his wand. 

"Now! Be warned! You could find yourself facing your very worst fear in this room. It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to mankind. But do not fear! I will not let any harm come to any of my students. But for now, I must ask you not to scream. It might . . . . provoke them!"

He ripped off the purple cloth covering a cage. Seamus Finnegan, who sat behind Melly and Harry, burst out laughing. 

"Cornish pixies?" he scoffed, snickering loudly. 

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies," Professor Lockhart answered dramatically. 

This caused Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan to start laughing even harder. Even Annie turned to face them, smirking. 

"Laugh all you want, Mr. Finnegan!" said Professor Lockhart dramatically. "But Pixies can be tricky little blighters. Let's see what you can make of them — now!"

He released the Pixies. Annie shrieked in surprise and shoved her books away, trying to escape. Unfortunately, Melly and her friends were the last ones to leave. Professor Lockhart had abandoned them.

"I'd like to ask the five of you to just nip them back into their cage? Whoa!"

Annie groaned with annoyance as she tried to slap her book against an oncoming pixie. 

"What do we do, now?!" Ron demanded frantically. 

"Ow!" Dante exclaimed as a pixie tugged at a lock of curly hair. "Get off me!"

"Hold still, hold still!" Melly insisted frantically. 

Dante held still and Annie whacked the pixie off him. It squealed and bounced away. Hermione got to her feet and whipped out her wand. 

"Immobulus!" she cried out.

At once, there was a banging noise and the pixies went still. Annie let out a breath of relief that she hadn't realized she had been holding.