Being Different

Anne could not believe that she had only been at Hogwarts for two months! She had made so many friends and had learned so many things. Harry and Ron joined the Ravenclaws for breakfast a few mornings a week and sometimes hung out with them in the library. Harry and Ron pretended to protest about this, but they were grateful to get the help with all their homework.

Soon came the day of Halloween and the Gryffindors had charms with the Ravenclaws. They were practicing the levitation charm Wingardium Leviosa. Anne achieved the spell on the first attempt and Professor Flitwick had now asked her to help Padma.

“You’re moving your wand too much,” Anne told Padma. “It’s a gentle movement swish and flick,” Anne said demonstrating the wand movement.

Padma tried again and the feather lifted gently off the table, “Wow! Thanks, Anne!” Padma enthused.

“Well done Miss Patil!” cried Professor Flitwick. “That’s another point for Ravenclaw!” he beamed.

Anne and Padma continued to practice, and Anne noticed that Ron seemed to be having problems with his partner “You’re saying it wrong!” a girl with bushy brown was snapping at him.

“I mean she is right” muttered Anne, “but she could be a bit nicer about it!”

“I know what you mean! I’m sure Hermione’s very nice but she’s just so bossy!” said Padma.

“So’s Mandy!” Anne continued.

“You’re right! I don’t think Granger has many friends maybe we should invite her to join one of our study groups?” suggested Padma.

After the end of class, Anne and Padma tried to talk to Hermione inviting her to join them for lunch. But Hermione seemed to be running away in tears, Padma’s twin Parvati later told them she was crying in the girl’s bathroom.

“Don’t worry!” said Lisa as they all tucked into the Halloween feast, “I’m sure she’s fine!”

“Maybe try again tomorrow?” suggested Anthony.

“Yeah maybe,” said Padma, “I might go and see if she’s still in the bathroom, see if she’s alright!”

Padma soon forgot this idea though as Professor Quirrell came charging into the Great Hall.

“Troll!!! Troll in the dungeons!!!” he screamed.

It was chaos. Students were screaming. Some of them had even fainted!

Anne crawled under the table to hide. There was so much noise! People were charging about and crashing into each other!

Irwin climbed under the table. “Come on Anne!” he screamed, “we’ve got to get to the tower!” Irwin pulled Anne put from under the table and half dragged her over to the other First Year Ravenclaws.

Julian was doing a quick headcount as they came over, “eight, nine” he finished as he spotted Irwin pulling Anne over.

“Come on you lot! Let’s get out of here!” called Julian trying to stay calm but having to shout to be heard over the mayhem.

“Is she ok?” Julian asked as they left the hall looking over at Anne who had now gone into shut down.

“I think so,” Irwin said nervously, “I think the noise and panic are a bit much for her.”

“Right!” Julian said shepherding the First Years up the staircase, “you all still here?” checking the students again.

“Julian?” asked Terry.

“Yes!” he answered slightly annoyed as they made their way up another staircase.

“The trolls in the dungeons,” he continued.

“I know that Terry!”

“But we’ve been asked to go back to our common rooms,” Terry said.

“Yes, Terry!”

“But aren’t the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms in the dungeons?” reasoned Anthony.

“Oh my God, you’re right!” said Julian stopping in shock.

They had just reached the eagle knocker. “What has an eye but cannot see?”

“A needle” answered Julian. I hope this answer is right thought, Julian, desperately. He needed to get these kids into the safety of the common room.

“Correct,” the eagle replied. The door swung open and the Ravenclaws sighed with relief.

“Anne are you alright?” Irwin asked once they had settled down. Anne had been staring blankly into space and Irwin had had to drag her all the way from the Great Hall.

Anne nodded uncertainly. “Come on then,” Irwin said, “let’s get you something to eat!”

The food had been brought up from the feast to the common rooms. Terry, Michael, and Lisa were carrying over large bowls full to the brim with different kinds of sweets and cakes.

Anne cautiously took a small piece of chocolate. “Better?” Irwin asked.

“Hmmm,” Anne was still in shock, but Uncle Remus was right, chocolate always did make her feel better!

The first years started to attack the sweets.

“You kids alright?” asked Julian after a while looking over at Anne.

“Yeah we’re fine!” replied Mandy.

The first years stayed up till three o’clock in the morning eating sweets, gossiping, and playing Trick or Treat with Every Flavour Beans.

The next day was a Saturday and Anne and Irwin went down for a late breakfast, where the first year Ravenclaws were joined by Ron Harry and Hermione of all people!

Harry and the other Gryffindors explained about last night and the troll. Irwin struggled to keep Anne calm until Harry finished his story.

“You could have died Harry!” she stammered “do Remus and Sirius know?”

“McGonagall mentioned something about her writing home...” he muttered.

At that moment a howler was dropped onto the table. Anne stuck her fingers in her ears before it started to scream.

“HARRY JAMES POTTER,” screamed Sirius’ voice. “YOU’RE LUCKY YOU DIDN’T DIE LAST NIGHT! HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!”

“I BET YOU NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED YOUR SISTER AND WORRIED SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR YOU!” Interrupted Remus's voice full of disappointment. “YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR A TEACHER!”

“WE’RE HAPPY YOU’RE ALRIGHT” Sirius continued. “BUT NEVER! EVER! SCARE US LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN!”

The Howler burst into flames and Anthony beat the fire out with one of his textbooks.

“Well that went well!” said Ron dryly. Hermione had her head in her hands and Harry was staring in shock.

The Ravenclaws, fortunately, found the whole ordeal hilarious and they burst into laughter. The Gryffindors eventually joined in with the laughter.

“It’s ok Anne” laughed Irwin indicating her to take her fingers out of her ears. “The screaming stopped!”

And so, the group of friends expanded from. Harry Ron and Hermione would occasionally join the Ravenclaws for breakfast and would join them in the library.

In November came Harry’s first Quidditch match. Anne was very nervous as she sat on the edge of her seat watching her brother fly around.

“He’s going to fall off,” she screamed, “There’s something wrong with his broom!”

“Calm down Anne,” said Persephone.

“He’s fine!” said Irwin.

After a while, though Terry shouted “No she’s right! There is something wrong with that broom!”

“Ok!” admitted Mandy. “Now you can panic!” Harry had nearly fallen off his broom.

Anne had now started rocking back and forth on her seat.

“He’s going to crash!” screamed Padma and Lisa.

“He’s caught the bloody snitch!” shouted Michael.

“Anne! Anne, you can look now! Harry’s alright!” Irwin called.

Anne, however, had fainted.

Irwin picked her up and the Ravenclaws rushed off to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey gave Anne a calming draught.

Later that afternoon Hermione and Ron were explaining what had happened to Anne and the other Ravenclaws.

“Snape was jinxing the broom!” exclaimed Hermione.

“If Hermione hadn’t stopped him, Harry could have died!” said Ron.

“Thank you, Hermione!” said Anne earnestly.

“You would never guess what Hagrid’s called that dog?” asked Harry.

“What?” asked Persephone.

“Fluffy!” exclaimed Ron.

The Ravenclaws were rolling around laughing. It was lucky that they were by the lake instead of the library. They would have gotten themselves thrown out!

“By the way do any of you brainboxes know about a guy called Nicholas Flamel?” Ron asked.

“Hagrid mentioned him when talking about Fluffy” Hermione explained.

“No,” said most of the Ravenclaws.

“Yes!” cried Anne and Irwin.

“Really?” asked Harry eagerly.

“Yeah, he’s in one of Anne’s history books”

“That’s right! Revolutionaries in the Magical World has a chapter on him.”

Anne and Irwin rushed off and came back twenty minutes later with the book.

“Here,” began Anne, “Nicholas Flamel is one of the only known makers of the Philosopher's Stone.”

“The what?” called the interested group.

“Shh!” said Hermione.

“The Philosopher’s Stone” continued Irwin “can turn any metal into solid gold. It can also produce the Elixir of Life which makes the drinker immortal”

“Wow!” said Padma.

“Cool!” exclaimed Terry.

“So,” said Anthony, “do you think that Cerberus thing is guarding the Philosopher’s Stone?”

Harry nodded firmly.

“I’ve got to say,” admitted Ron “being friends with so many Ravenclaws does have its perks! Sure, Harry and I spend more time in the library than we would like, but you lot just saved us weeks if not months of researching the Flamel guy!”

Ron looked around in surprise when he saw the Ravenclaws looking disappointed.

“What’s up?” asked Harry.

“It’s great that Anne and Irwin knew where to find him,” admitted Michael.

“But it still would have been fun to try and research him for a few weeks!” sulked Persephone.

“Yeah, it would have been an interesting research project,” enthused Padma.

“Oh well” shrugged Terry “never mind!”

‘Bloody Ravenclaws!” muttered Ron.