four in with a bang!

✧

HOGWARTS NEVER CHANGED – AND THAT WAS A FACT. Even in old photographs, dating back decades or centuries, the castle always looked like the same Hogwarts standing today. The classrooms didn't change, the artwork in the hallways, the twisting corridors that never led to the same place twice. It was those facts that led Maddox on autopilot as she and Zenia walked to the Great Hall for the opening ceremony.

         She remembered her first year, wandering down corridor after corridor, getting lost and being late for all her classes, not yet understanding the innerworkings of the castle. It was a rather large school, and without guidance from a regular, it was easy to get lost, but now she was far gone from her first year, less a rookie and more a pro, and she didn't need to think as she let her feet carry her to the Great Hall.

         Whispers followed from others in front and behind. Well, not whispers, but definitely not full volume speaking.

         "I can't believe he escaped!"

         "I swear if anybody gets paralyzed again this year I'm leaving –"

         "No one's ever escaped before –"

         "– Hagrid's the new Care for Magical Creatures class, didn't you hear?"

         "– he killed twelve people –"

         Maddox rolled her eyes. "I don't understand everybody's fascination with Sirius Black."

         "He escaped Azkaban, Mads. That's not exactly an easy feat," Zenia stressed, "No one's ever left Azkaban before without being in a body bag."

         "First time for everything then," she shrugged.

         "But that's not all; everyone thinks he's gonna go after Harry Potter. Mum was worried sick over summer about it, was thinking of pulling me from Hogwarts and putting me in Beauxbatons."

         "Why would Sirius Black be going after Harry? He's just a child."

         "Are you serious? Don't you know anything about him?" Zenia questioned.

         "Sorry, but not all of us are obsessed with serial killers."

         Zenia frowned. "I have never diminished your love for vandalism, so don't diminish my fascination with killers and the judicial system."

         Maddox sighed. "Sorry, Zen. I didn't mean it."

         "Apology accepted," Zenia's lips quirked upwards, "You have to at least know that Sirius Black is a mass murderer, right? He killed twelve muggles and a wizard – Peter Pettigrew; a friend of his – but that's not all. See, rumor has it that Sirius Black was a Death Eater, and he's the one who told You-Know-Who where to find the Potters."

         "You know an awful lot about what he did," Maddox commented.

         "I was bored over summer, and with his face being plastered everywhere, I thought I would brush up on him," Zenia said, "Besides, he didn't get a trial. Sent him straight to Azkaban – which totally wouldn't fly now. I mean, doesn't matter what you've done, you have the right to a trial, that's judicial law 101."

         "Well, I'm sure when you're in charge of the legal system, everyone will get a trial," Maddox teased lightheartedly.

         Zenia beamed. "They will. But can you imagine the safety precautions they're adding to Azkaban now? I mean, no one's supposed to escape, that's their whole thing, and yet he did – and no one knows how or where he is now. Merlin, it's fascinating."

         Maddox laughed, sitting down across from Zenia. Other Gryffindors piled in around them, some sitting at the back of the long table, others going closer to the front, leaving enough room for new students.

         "Hello, ladies –"

         "– How are you?"

         Maddox felt someone sitting beside her the same moment she saw someone sit next to Zenia. "Hey, Fred. Hey, George," she greeted them, waving respectively at the two.

         "Hey, George," Zenia looked at the redhead sitting beside her, cheeks going a bit darker.

         "Zenia," George leaned in, voice going lower, making the girl smile. Maddox and Fred shared a look.

         "How was summer?" Maddox interrupted, startling Zenia and George to look at their counterparts.

         "Loads of fun," Fred said with a mischievous smile, "Thought a lot about the trouble we could get into here."

         "Well count me in if you ever need an artist's touch," Maddox winked. She wasn't a jokester like the twins, nor did she care much for inflicting pranks on others, but she did like to paint the town red. Not too often – she couldn't handle too many detentions back to back, and sometimes she was too invested in a painting to think about spray painting around the castle.

         Thank Merlin for art class, honestly.

         "Always," Fred easily agreed.

         George opened his mouth when Dumbledore cleared his throat and the room silenced. It didn't take much for people to quiet around Dumbledore; only the song ending and him standing for all chatter to seize.

         He stood in front of the tables of professors, a simple smile on his face as he looked down at the students.

         "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say, before we become befuddled by our excellent feast. I myself am particularly looking forward to the flaming kiwi cups, which, while somewhat treacherous for those of us with facial hair..."

         Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and Dumbledore serenely smiled, taking the hint. "Yes. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Good luck to you, Professor."

         Applause filled the Great Hall. "Here's to hoping he'll last more than a year," George murmured to them.

         "As some of you may know, Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher for many years, has decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that his place will be filled by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid!"

         Hagrid rose and took a bow before sitting back down.

         "Finally, on a more disquieting note, Hogwarts – at the request of the Ministry of Magic – will, until further notice, play host to the Dementors of Azkaban," Maddox and Zenia traded a glance, "The Dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. While they are under strict orders not to enter the castle itself, you will on occasion see them as you go about your daily activities. Under no circumstances are you to approach them. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

         Mutters filled the hall and Maddox turned questioning eyes on Zenia. "You think this is because of Sirius Black?"

         "I told you that people are thinking he's gonna come after Harry Potter," Zenia said in return.

         "Harry?" George asked.

         "What does Sirius Black want with Harry?" Fred added.

         "Well, Sirius Black was friends with James Potter, and rumor has it he's the reason the Potters were found out by You-Know-Who. If that's true, he might be going after Harry to finish the job," Zenia whispered to them.

         "You know a lot about him," Fred commented.

         Zenia shrugged. "Well, if I want to work as a judge for the Ministry of Magic, I think I should be acquainted with big criminals and their trials."

         "Smart," George smiled.

         Zenia blushed. "Only a little."

         Maddox and Fred traded another look. Honestly, what did Zenia need her help for? She had George Weasley wrapped around her finger already – there was no need for a set-up! Her wing woman skills didn't need to come in handy for them.

✧

         MOST PEOPLE WANTED to go out with a bang. Leave a lasting impression once they were gone, but not Maddox. No, she wanted to go in with a bang. First impressions were just as important as last ones, and if there was one thing that Maddox Dean-Valance was good at, it was the bang! part of the equation.

         She was hardly someone who could blend into a crowd. Fiery red hair and the personality to match it, she was not one to go quietly into the night, so why she go into her fifth year at Hogwarts quietly? No, that wouldn't do for her.

         Picking the outside of the Potions classroom, she shook her paint cans, spraying red until she completed her masterpiece. Yes, it would mean ringing in the new school year with detention if she got caught – and even if she didn't, because honestly, who else was going to spray paint the campus besides her? – but it would be worth it. People would be talking about her, which was exactly what she wanted.

         She took a step back from her new masterpiece. A golden crown topping a red lion. So she was a little biased towards her house and wanted to rub in into Snape's face? She wasn't ashamed to admit that fact, especially considering that Snape was hardly a stellar teacher. Yeah, he was great at the Potions portion of his class, but he was a terrible teacher who absolutely despised 99% of his students, which made her wonder why he even taught to begin with.

         Some people just did not make sense.

         She smiled proudly at her work, examining it for a moment, taking it all in before packing up her bag and creeping away. She made it halfway to the Gryffindor tower when she heard keys start to clank together. Cursing to herself, she tip-toed as quickly as she could down another hallway. The last thing she needed was to be caught by Filch.

         "Oi! And what are you doing up at this hour?"

         Maddox' eyes snapped up at one of the paintings giving her a disappointed glare. "Would you keep it down?" she hissed at the painting, but it was too late; the keys were still clanging together and moving quicker towards her direction.

         "Shit," she muttered to herself, breaking out into a sprint. She dashed through the halls, looking behind her, not realizing that the corridor she turned into wasn't empty until she collided into someone's chest.

         Stumbling back, her eyes snapped up to meet Cedric Diggory's. "Wha –" she dragged him with her, opening the door to a classroom and dragging him in and away from the door. Pressing him against a wall, she placed a finger to his lips before watching the door.

         Footsteps passed and she could see a flash of light from the door. They stopped for a second before walking forward. She turned her attention back to Cedric, waiting for another moment to pass before stepping away from him.

         "Sorry," she apologized, "A painting ratted me out to Filch, I didn't want you to get caught."

         Cedric waved it off. His cheeks were pink, and she had to force herself not to quirk an eyebrow up at it. He brought a hand through his hair, laughing quietly, "This was not how I expected to my first night back at Hogwarts to go."

         Maddox shrugged. She had. Well, not this part. Cedric Diggory had never been apart of her plans. She knew him, but in that way where they had been going to the same school for multiple years so inevitably you've heard of everyone even without directly talking to them.

         But everyone at Hogwarts knew Cedric Diggory. Some girls dreamed about this; a chance to drag Cedric into a classroom alone in the dark, and here Maddox was living it. Well, not in the way those girls would dream, because it's not like they're about to snog, and she hadn't meant to end up with him.

         "So what were you doing out?" Maddox couldn't help but ask him, "Golden boy like you doesn't usually break the rules."

         Cedric quirked his head at that. "Golden boy?"

         Maddox shrugged. "It's what everyone calls you – the golden boy of Hogwarts who does no wrong."

         "People call me a lot of things."

         "Gotta have nicknames, yeah?"

         "I was just going for a walk," Cedric said, answering her earlier question, "Just, ah – had a lot on my mind."

         "Lame," Maddox rolled her eyes. Of course she couldn't expect someone like Cedric Diggory to give her an interesting story. Sure, he partied from time to time, and she had seen him downing a few more shots than he should, but Cedric wasn't the rebellious type – he didn't ring in the new school year with a bang.

         No, Cedric Diggory was perfect. Really, ask anyone. The only people who would refute the statement were those who were jealous of him. Cedric was kind, smart, courageous, and ambitious – everything the founders of Hogwarts wanted in a student, really. He got good marks, was friends with everyone, had the looks to make people swoon; positively golden.

         "Hey!" Cedric called out in his defense, "What were you doing out then?"

         "Spray painted the wall outside the Potions classroom," Maddox shrugged, like it was just a typical part of her day. It was, but she was still proud of it.

         Cedric conceded, nodding his head. "Alright, that's a lot more exciting than mine."

         Maddox grinned. "Knew it."

         "Thanks for saving me from Filch."

         She shook off his gratitude. "It's not big deal. He wouldn't have been coming your way if it weren't for me, and I'm not one to let others take the fall for me. I believe in loyalty amongst peers."

         "Cheers," Cedric bumped her shoulder in agreement. She shook her head at his antics. "Well, it's late. I should be headed back to my dorm."

         "Same here," she nodded, going to the door, opening it and standing in the hallway.

         "Guess I'll see you later, Maddox?" Cedric asked, a sparkling smile lighting his features in the dark.

         Even though she had never once spoken to Cedric in her life, she nodded. "Yeah, see you around."

         She watched him leave before turning around and walking away herself. She didn't think she would be seeing him again, at least not in a way that would having them speaking together, but he was still nice to offer it. But, she supposed, that's what golden boys do.