Lonan hopped into one of the carts pulled by the ghastly thestrals and leaned back. He usually liked to ponder how people would react if they could see the thestrals that pulled the carts. He remembered his first time seeing them as he stepped off the train for his second year. He refused to go near the carts until his brother explained to him that they only looked scary. He wondered why no one else was afraid of the creatures until he learned that not everyone could see them. Lonan wondered what had made him so lucky, but when he asked his parents about why he could see them, well, he had actually asked them who he watched die, they deflected his question, quickly changing the subject to his brother passing all his NEWTs with flying colors. He had let it go after that.

He leaned back into the empty cart he had nabbed and put his feet up on the seat across from him until someone kicked him in the knee.

“You son of a--” Lonan started before he opened his eyes and saw it was Zelda, looking down on him.

“You were saying?” she asked, putting a hand on her hip.

“Nothing,” Lonan said, pulling his feet down.

He liked Nicholas and ( ), but he always got a strange vibe from them. They were too concerned with status and power, and all Lonan really wanted was to find the perfect balance between having as much fun as possible and not getting expelled.

Hector lumbered up behind Zelda and Hector's girlfriend, whatever the hell her name was, climbed in after him.

“What'd you do all summer?” Zelda asked, not knowing any better.

“I practiced.”

“And?”

“Practiced some more.”

“...Wow.”

They made small talk about what they did during the summer as they were pulled towards the castle, with Lonan interrupting everyone else just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating someone walking up to the castle alone.

“It's Lovegood. What do you expect?” Hector asked him.

“Fair enough,” Lonan said with a shrug.

John smiled at Sam as she hopped in the carriage and she teased him. He'd gotten used to it over the years and now it was sort of a game they played. "What? Oh I'm sorry I didn't see you there," John said in a mockingly snobbish voice. He laughed and said, "I'm just kidding. How was your summer by the way? I don't think I asked you on the train."

Samantha smiled at John giggiling. It was their game, they always joked around with eachother and all. Sam cuffed a piece of her hair behind her ear smiling at him and sighing by the question. "It was okaaaay. I didnt have fun or anything with an alcoholic mother. Heh." Shrugging Sam raised a leg ontop of the other and nodded at John with a smile she didnt really wanted to talk about her Summer because it wasnt the best anyways. "Soooo, John. How about yourself? I know you probably told us, but I wasnt hearing with all the comottion." She said looking as they were almost going to move. It was finally time for Hogwards. Aaaand Sam had a secret crush on John.

John nodded as Sam brushed off her summer. He knew her house wasn't the best and he felt bad for asking. "Well you know stuff. My Uncle George got me a job at WWW so I made a few galleons. My dad brought me to work a couple of times and I played a lot of Quidditch. Like a lot," John said, laughing as he remembered his summer.

Teddy hopped into the carriage looking at John and Samantha. He said," hey guys." He sat down, stretching out and "accidentally" elbowing John with a small smirk. He said," I hope you don't turn like your Uncle. Your already crazy enough as is.

John shook his head at Teddy's comment. "Teddy I'm not crazy. I'm certifiably insane. There's a difference," John said matter of factly with a large grin plastered on his face.

Samantha couldnt help but giggle at both Teddy and John as she let them have their talk. It was nice seeing them as friends, they did have a true friendship. Samantha didnt have much friends as girls. Well, she didnt. "Well. Atleast you had a good summer." She smiled at John and turned to Teddy. "How was your summer?"

Juneberry followed the professor for a long time. She wondered where he was intending to take her as they went through the school. It was oddly quiet, almost deserted as many students, upper classmen and the like were likely gathering in the banquet hall to meet the new students. If she missed it, she was going to be beyond upset.

It was not clear to her where they were going before she heard a familiar hoot of an owl, followed by an uproar of other animals. "We're going to see my Mother?" she asked slightly annoyed. This was such a waste of time. Clearly he didn't know how close Juneberry and her mother Luna were and was, for some reason, under the impression she would scold her. As they walked into the large room filled with animals inside and out of cages, June spotted her mom and whistled a soft tune. In response without much hesitation, her mother turned and whistled her part to the tune. Then as the two of them walked closer to eachother they finished their song. Juneberry held hands behind her back and bowed, smiling. "Mother."

"Hello my little dove. How are you?" she looked at the Apparition instructor and instantly knew what was wrong. "Is there a problem?" she asked him instead.

"Yes Madame Lovegood. I caught your daughter here violating The Ministry of Magic's rules of Apparating without a valid lisence." he handed her the lisence she took from him. "Though i will say i am amazed she did it sucessfully without harm it seems, i encourage you speak to her about the dangers it brings." The instructor turned to June then. "If you would like to get a working lisence, see me when your a bit older." he nodded to her, seemingly not upset anymore then he turned and walked fluidly out of the class room.

Juneberry watched as he left and turned back to her mom when she heard her calling Sebastian. She picked him up and scratched his ears. "He is getting bigger. I see your feeding him well." she noted. Her voice was monotonous but, then again, it was always like that. A bit of it even leaked into June's voice once in a while and she learned to be active with her gestures to better express her moods. Her mother had not adopted that technique however and mostly sounded either bored or confused...or just content.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked in response, looking as her feet.

"No." she said simply.

"You aren't going to tell Headmaster Potter are you?" she asked then.

A male voice answered from behind her. "Tell Headmaster Potter what exactly?"

Juneberry turned and saw her headmaster there in the flesh. "Um....um..." she struggled to come up with something. He laughed as he approached the two Lovegoods. "Dont worry, i already know. And i am not mad. Though i must express to you that it is dangerous what you did." he said as he came to stand in front of her.

"How did you...?" she asked him and he patter her shoulder.

"I know about every thing that goes on in these walls. The good...and the bad." he let the last part hang in the air a bit before speaking again.

"Make your way to the banquet hall. The ceremony is going to commence soon. Your mother and I will be right behind you." he assured her. With a nod she looked at Sebastian, but he looked like he didn't want to leave her Mother's arms. With a shrug and a wave, she skipped out of the room and down the hall. Reaching into her purse to get her wand, she looked for an upperclassman who was moving luggage and gave her her bag. "Ravenclaw commons please. Lovegood." As the upperclassman nodded and moved on, she made her way to where the ceremony was to take place. Gradually, Juneberry started to see more people, as she neared the large double doors to the hall, she heard an all too familiar laugh coming from behind her. It had belonged to the guy she admired. She had a tiny panic attack in her head and dashed to hide behind a pillar. Some students walked by and stared as she did and she blushed at the idea of her crush being one of them.

Suddenly she felt trapped, if she moved, he would see her and she would burst into flames, if she stayed put he would likely turn his head and still look at her. Then she would see his long flowy hair and....and...!

"Oh no...oh no oh no." she blushed an even deeper red and huddled closer to the pillar and stood there, too flustered to make up her mind on anything.

He grinned," it was great. I spent most of my time with the Weasley and Potter families, the certifiably insane lot of them ." He grinned at John, laughing softly. He then said," hey! Next summer you should come and visit the whole lot of us! Bound to be an exciting and fun time with both families there." He grinned at her, hoping she would accept his offer.

John grew excited as Teddy offered Sam a chance to spend summer with them. "You should! It really is a grand time. Everyone stays in the Burrow and we have a Quidditch tournament. Grandma Molly always forbids Uncle Fred and Uncle George from bringing pranks home but of course they do. And Uncle Harry is way more fun when he isn't being all imposing and scary as Headmaster Potter," John said laughing. He smiled and jumped down from the carriage as it reached the castle. He saw a shock of lavender hair behind a pillar. Was that Juneberry? Whatever. John brushed himself and offered his hand to Sam to help her down. His mother would have hexed him if he hadn't. His father probably would have said that she was cute and then his mother would hit him and laugh. Typical life in the Weasley-Granger household.

Austin swung down with a grin, his hair becoming brighter as he grew happier. He said," it's brilliant, being their with them. My dad is only so much fun." He grabbed his luggage, spotting a small lock of lavender hair but he shrugged it off, looking around.

Samantha looked at Teddy a little confused but she was also excited! He invited her to spend the summer! It was exciting cause his family was a very fun family. As they stopped John stood up and being a gentleman that he is, he extended his hand to help her. It was so cute of him. "Thank you..." she smiled offering his hand as she got down. "Well boys. Its time for our next adventure in Hogwards!" She giggled wrapping an arm around their necks and dragging them as she walked.

John smiled and walked onward with Teddy and Samantha, entering the Great Hall and taking their seats. John looked around and saw that they were some of the first people in. He saw all the teachers, including his mother, were seated and conversing and other students were filing in.

Down below in the Chamber of Secrets, Valerie Black was silent. Ever since last year when that damned ghost had come investigating they'd had to remain almost silent when people were awake. Most of the others just read or slept during the day. Tonight however, Valerie was on guard duty. She was waiting for Skylar Brookes, the Society's mole in the school. She had a plan to keep this year running smoothly and was excited that she would be able to present it. Valerie had often been burned by Anthony in the past, often stealing her ideas to make himself look better. It was fine. At the end of this year it would all work out in Valerie's favor.

Skylar made her way calmly from the train to the awaiting carriages, eyeing the blank spot before each cart. Thestrals, how I wish I could see them. She placed her hand out and stroked the neck of the invisible beast before climbing into the cart. It was the same journey she had been taking since her second year, the first years having the boat tradition, and it never bored her. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the castle, but she showed no signs of excitement to those around her. Now that she was back, she had work to do and she wasn't going to let nostalgia of years past get in her way. Just to be on the safe side, she was going to have to wait for curfew to speak with Valerie in the Chamber, not a problem if she were the patient kind. Some things she just wanted to get done and over with.

Thank God Hector was as big as a brick house, because he was just about as clumsy and slow as one too. He had tripped up the very first step in the castle, and Lonan had to hang off of Zelda to surreptitiously grab her ass keep himself from falling over. But put him on a broomstick, and he was one of the most agile people around. Lonan compared the two states of Hector to a werewolf that needed a Quidditch pitch and broomstick to activate it's powers.

“You're stalker,” Zelda said as she pointed ahead of her to a head of pale purple hair dipping behind one of the wide pillars in the entryway. “starting early this year.”

“Jealous?”

Zelda didn't answer him, but quickened her pace and disappeared into the throng of students crowding into the Great Hall.

“Touched a nerve,” Hector said, adjusting his robs.

“HIGHTOWER!”

“I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANYTHING YET, FILCH! RELAX!”

The ancient looking man shambled up to him, poking him in the chest with a bony finger.

“Your brothers were--”

“ 'Shining examples of discipline, order and respect for authority, and in all my years, I've never seen such a bad apple fall so far from the tree.', yeah, yeah, I get it Filch. This is only the fourth time we've had this talk.”

From somewhere up ahead there was a loud bang, followed by several smaller bangs and then what sounded like a very large vessel of some liquid being spilled on something else, followed finally by a mixture of shrill screams and a devilish cackling.

“PEEEEEEEEEVES!” the old man bellowed as he turned with an unnatural speed and shambled off deeper into the castle, totally abandoning his quest to reform Lonan with bony finger pokes to the chest.

He didn't know why, but as he and Hector walked past the pillar that Lovegood was hiding behind, Lonan turned and smiled at her.

Juneberry tried her best not to freak out when Lonan turned to look at her. Their blue-grey orbs connected for a moment and she thought she could survive this, that is until he hit her with a double wammy and flashed a devilishly stunning smile. She stared in awe and watched as his hair did a little flip when he turned away, just like she knew it would. As he continued to walk, she stood there mortified that he had ACTUALLY noticed her existence.

She turned away after a moment and buried her face in her hands. She slowly made her way to the ground in a kneeling position and as usual, students stared. They probably assumed she was praying or perhaps simply talking to the pillzr...both of which were valid theories considering she had done both before. In truth however, Juneberry was simply trying to remember how to breathe normally. Her heart was racing, her face was an unnatural shade of red, and she was going over those breif three seconds like she would have an exam on it the next day.

Juneberry didnt really know why she was so drawn to the youngest Hightower. He simply fascinated her...there was just something about him that made her feel like she was dying and being reborn at the same time.

Get it together Juneberry, he's not a God. she thought to herself. Well...he's really hot so...its basically the same thing. she convinced herself afterwards.

She balled her pale lavender hair up in her fists and shook her head back and forth frantically "I cant believe he looked at me...I cant....I..." she mumbled to herself before screaming, "I CANNOT BELIEVE HE LOOKED AT ME!!"

Her outburst made a few students jump and step away but she didnt care. She leaned her forhead against the pillar, content with her life and smiled, gently biting her lower lip.

So much has happened in one day. This was just more proof that this year was going to be one to remember.

Now she just had to remember how to stand.

A short collaboration between Shadowcatcher, gothpuppy95, and C W St J Nobbs

Time: The start of a new year at Hogwarts
Place: The Great Hall, Hogwarts
Characters: Shadowcatcher as June and Headmaster Potter, Nobbs as Sorting Hat, and gothpuppy as Kaitlyn (the most important "1st year").
Plot: The first years are sorted and Headmaster Potter gives his speech.

"....uneberry..... berry..... Lovegood....? LOVEGOOD!!

Juneberry snapped her head up as she heard a loud voice call out to her. She had to stretch her head farther than normal as she looked up at Hagrid. "Uh...why are you calling me?" she looked around nervously and noticed...there was no one here.

"Oh my god...did i miss the ceremony!?" she panicked.

Reaching down to heft the girl onto her feet, Hagrid smiled. "Not yet. They are just getting started. You might want to get in there before they close the doors."

"Oh gee, thanks Mr. Hagrid." she said skipping off into the Banquet Hall. As she walked inside and looked around, she could see Headmaster Potter and her mother, along with all the other "important" instructors standing around him.

Juneberry rushed to her table and found a spot to sit....however, rather than sit down, she stood on her seat and looked to see if she could see her new friend Kitten there. She thought she spotted her ebony haired friend in the crowd of first years but she couldn't be sure.

"Will you sit down Lovegood?" one of her house mates sneered at her. June just huffed and crossed her arms, sitting down and deciding to wait until her friend's name was called.

The new Sorting Hat was unique; as unique as a piece of enchanted cloth made into a hat could be. Most people said that it was occasionally rude, and was in the middle of talking to them when it made a decision about their House. But it made the right decisions, so no one compained too loudly.

Kitten shuffled in with all the first years. She felt so out of place all of this was so extravagant. their entering banquet was beautiful, where the Salem ones were very simple. The food was still excellent at Salem but the decorations were truely amazing.

The timid first years were herded into the Great Hall and the Sorting Hat was brought out and placed on the stool. The flaps in front that acted as a mouth opened and it's yearly song began:

Ohhhhhhhhh--holy hell, there are a lot of them this year. No time for a song, let's just get them sorted so we can all move on.

The Sorting Hat hasn't really been the same since it had been used in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Headmaster Potter began calling out students alphabetically and placing the Sorting Hat onto their heads. Sometimes the hat would call out a house almost as soon as it was placed on their head, and sometimes it would seem to take an eternity. A few times it would call out a house before it had even been placed onto their head, the Hat claiming the student 'had the looks' of a certain house to them. Nevertheless each time a student was place in a house, there was a great applause and they were greeted by some upperclassmen.

After a short time, Kitten was called forward and noticed some people staring at her. Several people looked at her strangely. She had to resist the urge to transform and run. She reached the hat and sat quietly.

"Hmmmmm...hmmmm...it smells like you use expensive shampoo."

...

"I mean...Ravenclaw!" but only the announcement of the House was pronounced to the students in the Great Hall

Before the other students in the Ravenclaw house had a chance to clap, Juneberry jumped up and yelled "I KNEW IT! HAHA! I WAS RIGHT AND ALL OF YOU WERE WRONG!!" she said pointing at the closest house table of Gryffindor. She sat back down after waving to Kaitlyn for her to come and sit by June, then and crossed her arms triumphantly, not caring that everyone was looking at her. "You all thought you'd get the American but nope. We got her." she giggled then stayed quiet. After a few short moments of silence Kaitlyn half ran over to June, clearly not fond of everyone staring at her, and the other Ravenclaw students clapped in welcome to Kaitlyn.

After all the first years were sorted and the claps had died down, Headmaster Potter sood and moved to where all of his students could see him.

"I can see all the wonderful smiles on your faces. But if you can spare me just a few more moments of your time, I would appreciate it." He waited until the quiet died down before he spoke again.

"I know some of you are excited to start a brand new year here at Hogwarts...some of you are afraid you will not fit in, or make friends. Some of you, I know, even have planned to come here and do nothing but have fun...and that is exactly what i want all of you...." he waved his hand across in a wide arc, gesturing to all the students in the Hall. "...to do this year." He paused to look out among them. "There is much to learn and there is much to see, and do...and you cannot expect to remember all of the important details without a little fun. I once sat in the same seats you all are sitting right now. We all have." He gestured to some of the teachers behind him. They included the Weasly professors, Madame Granger, June's mother, as well as Professor Longbottom.

"All of you now, are our legacy. It is no longer what we do that makes Hogwarts one of the greatest wizarding schools in the world...it is what you do that continues to set standards for the other who dare try to compete with us." he smiled than and took a few steps down the stairs.

"I am not saying it's going to be easy. There are going to be times when you may feel lost...helpless. But you need to know that you are not alone. You all have eachother. You all have peers who can balance out your faults, who can help you get better at your strengths. You have professors here that only want to support and guide you. In the end...it is up to you to choose your path to greatness....or failure."

He let that hang in the air like he does when he wants his students to really listen to the meaning behind his words.

"Life is full of choices. Do not choose to fall into the pit of darkness. Choose to be better than your siblings, and your peers. Chose to be better than your professors, your parents, and even me. As wizards we all have power...some have a bit more than others. But hear my words today my students...it is not about how much power you have...it is about what you do with that power and how you change the world with your gifts that truely matters." he raised his hands then.

"And now here at the start of this new year. Let us feast!"

There was a loud uproar from the Gryffindor house then as they all stood hollering and clapped, likely bursting with pride for their house. The other three houses followed suit not long after and clapps, woots, and hugs filled the room.

Headmaster Potter laughed and turned to see the professors were laughing as well.

The new year had officially begun.

Skylar sat at Ravenclaw table with a bored expression on her face, watching each first year be sorted one by one to their houses. Each calling was accompanied by the shouts of their new family to guide them to the correct table. When one first year was sorted into Ravenclaw, Lovegood had an outburst that she couldn't quite containe. "You know, I'm American too." She rolled her eyes and slipped a small book from her pocket, scanning the lines of text furiously as the ceremony commenced undisturbed. It wasn't until the food arrived that she put the book down. She was starving, as were many others that she saw stuffing her face. The food was always perfect and Sky couldn't help herself but to go crazy with the meat. A couple of plates in, Skylar was beginning to burst at the seams and had to pick up her book again to prevent explosion.

John cheered with his fellow Gryffindors as first years joined their tables and laughed when Juneberry got a bit overly excited about having the American in her house. He didn't give it that much though. Everyone knew that Juneberry was a tad weird. Well more than a tad. When the food arrived John dug in, thankful that he'd finally gotten a chance to eat. He hadn't had a chance to grab anything from the trolley since he'd dozed off. By his third helping of food he'd decided enough was enough and began chatting with fellow Gryffindors.

Kitten sat quietly eating she loved the food but was always careful. She smiled at the thought of all the interesting things she would learn. But then everyone started asking her questions at once. Since she was actually an entering Fourth year. THings like what was your school like. Why she transferred. all simple questions but her flight reflex tripped as she turned and ran for the door. bursting through and once she was out of the door and everyone elses sight she shifted to be a black wolf. She began dashing across the courtyard heading for the dark forest that surrounded the school.