Once Ciara woke up, worry and dread began to work it's way into her system again. As she got ready for the day, as she walked down into the common room with Hermione, as she, Hermione, Ron and Harry made their way down to the Great Hall. By the time they got there, Ciara was practically shaking from head to toe.

Hermione placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Ciara jumped at the contact, alarming the trio even more. Harry looked at her in concern, "Are you okay? You don't look like you slept well. The same goes to you Hermione." The girls glanced at each other before looking down, thinking about what happened the night previous.

Ciara was not sleeping like her other bunk mates. Now that the initial shock of being sorted had worn off, dread began to eat away at her stomach. A Gryffindor, she thought bitterly, Gryffindor! Of all houses!

Her mother wanted her to be in Slytherin, just like her and her father had been. She might have tolerated her being a Ravenclaw or be mad that she was a Hufflepuff. But a Gryffindor? She might as well as signed her death sentence.

An idea slowly began to form in her head. After a few minutes of contemplating over it, she began to work; pulling out her robes, wand and text books, trying to find any spell that would change her robs from Red and Gold to Green and Silver. After about an hour of trying, she felt herself beginning to lose hope in her plan.

As desperation began to make her hands shake, she pointed her wand at her robs, trying one last time, "Argentum mutant." An aqua green spark came from the tip of the wand and she waited a few minutes for it to take effect. Nothing happened.

Panic took control of her system as she pulled her knees to her chest, trying to control her whirlwind of emotions. Her eyes glistened with tears that she refused to let leave her eyes. She began rocking herself back and forth, trying to loosen the knot of panic, despair and anxiety that had built up in her chest.

A hand was placed on her shoulder and she scrambled backwards, finding herself face-to-face with Hermione. Hermione looked at her in concern, "Are you alright?" Ciara froze. Was she alright? She had broken the family stereotype by getting into Gryffindor but her mother wanted her to be a Slytherin and was going to being extremely upset that she didn't. Was she truly aright?

Ciara shook her head, a single tear sliding down her cheek, "I don't know anymore." Hermione hesitantly got down next to her and pulled her into a gentle, yet firm, hug. Ciara didn't was a moment to return it, her body shaking with the sobs that she had tried so hard to keep inside of her.

Ciara began mumbling, "I'm scared. I'm really scared. But I'm really happy too. I got into the house you, Harry and Ron are in-" (Hermione blush at her statement) "-but mother wanted me to be in Slytherin, just like how her and father were. She wants me to be like the rest of the family, but I'm not like everyone else. I don't want to be like everyone else, but if I'm not, then she'll torture me! It hurts so much when she does it. It's like every part of me is getting stabbed, burned, stretched, and pushed together all at once. It really hurts Hermione and I hate it, but I can't get away from her."

Hermione began rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down, "I don't know if I can help you with your problems, but I promise you that I will be with you when I you deal with them. Every step of the way." Hermione's words made Ciara want to cry harder. Not a lot of people had shown her a lot of kindness (Harry being the main person) but Hermione (who barely even knew her) gave her a shoulder to cry on and promised to be with her when she needed it.

And, until that moment, Ciara hadn't even realized that's what she needed more than anything.

Hermione was still rubbing her back, which Ciara found oddly, kind of soothing. She laid her head on her shoulder, suddenly feeling extremely drained. Hermione tapped her shoulder, "You want to put your books and uniforms away so you can sleep?" Ciara nodded sleepily and Hermione pulled her to her feet, both of them looking exhausted.

It didn't take long for them to put everything away and, as soon as they collapsed onto their beds, they were out like a light.

They didn't speak when they had breakfast, not until Ron placed his goblet down a little too loudly, making Ciara jump again. "Okay, really? What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"

Before she could even answer, there was a screech from above and the owls began bringing in the mail. But one particular owl caught Ciara's eyes. It was a pitch black owl with piercing yellow eyes. It was her mother's owl, Thunder, and it was coming at her with a letter in its beak.

Ciara paled as she pointed at the incoming bird, "That's why." As soon as it landed in front of them, Ciara paled even more once she took a closer look at the letter. Seamus Finnigan, who was sitting a seats down, suddenly cried out, pointing at her, "Look everyone! Riddle's got a howler!" Dean Thomas looked at her confused, "But it's only the first day. Surely you haven't done anything wrong already?"

The letter began to smoke and steam in her hands, catching more attention than she wanted. Ron gave her a fearful look, "Just do it already, Ciara." Ciara hands began to shake even harder as she opened the letter. As soon as she did, she was met by screaming.

"CIARA ABIGAIL RIDDLE!! HOW DARE YOU DEFY YOUR PARENTS!! WE TOLD YOU TO GET INTO SLYTHERIN! AND WHAT HOUSE DO YOU GET INTO!? GRYFFINDOR!! HOW DARE YOU DEFY OUR NOBLE TRADITIONS, OUR NOBLE CAUSE AND THE NOBLE HOUSE OF SALAZAR SLYTHERIN!!"

Everyone was quiet as Bellatrix's voice filled up the Great Hall. The teachers glanced at each other in surprise and sadness. It was awful that Ciara had to endure the wrath of her mother's rage. Ciara began to slam her head against the table as Bellatrix continued shouting, it sounding louder than it was because of the high ceilings.

"I DID NOT RAISE YOU TO BE LIKE THIS, YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SCUM!! YOU ARE UNWORTHY TO BE RELATED TO THIS PURE-BLOODED FAMILY!! YOUR FATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN FURIOUS IF HE HEARD OF THIS!!"

Ciara clenched her fists under the table, furious that she would even bring him into this one-sided conversation.

GRYFFINDOR?! GRYFFINDOR IS FOR THE WEAK, STUPID AND UNWORTHY!! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THIS FAMILY, JUST LIKE THOSE FILTHY COUSINS OF YOUR'S-"

There was no doubt in everyone's mind that Bellatrix would have yelled at Ciara further it she was allowed to. But at that moment, Ciara's head whipped up from the table and her facial screamed the scariest kind of fury that existed. Her hands gripped the wand in her pocket as she glared at the letter, "THEY ARE NOT FILTHY!!"

She grabbed the letter and started ripping it to pieces, scattering them all over the table. Everyone stared at her wide-eyed, as she finished ripping the paper. Her breathing began to slow down a little and she turned to the teachers with a questioning glance, as if to ask 'Do you still think I'm untrustworthy now?'

She sighed a little before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Harry staring at her with a grave expression on his face, "Let's get to class." Ciara got up and wordlessly followed him out of the Great Hall, Hermione and Ron running after them.

Minerva McGonagall was beyond speechless once they had walked out of the Great Hall. Her heart clenched as the scene unfolded before her, reminding her of something that happened so many years ago.

It had been the day after the sorting. Everyone was eating breakfast when the mail started coming in. Minerva had been eating breakfast after taking a glance at her new students before going back to her food. Suddenly there was a woman's voice screaming through the Great Hall

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!! HOW DARE YOU GET INTO GRYFFINDOR HOUSE!! WE HAD RAISED YOU TO BETTER THAN THOSE STUPID, WEAK, ARROGANT GRYFFINDOR SCUM!! YOUR FATHER IS FURIOUS WITH YOU WHEN HE HEARD YOU GOT INTO THAT STUPID HOUSE!! AND MAKING FRIENDS WITH THOSE BLOOD-TRAITOR POTTERS! WE EXPECTED BETTER OF YOU-"

Before she could continue, Sirius grabbed the letter and started ripping it to pieces, not even caring about the looks he was receiving. As soon as he finished, he ate a few more bites. Before getting up and marching out of the Great Hall.

A few moments later, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew followed after him, concerned looks on their faces. Despite what just happened, Minerva smiled slightly as she took a drink of her goblet. It appears as if nothing will keep those boys apart, Minerva thought to herself.

Oh, how wrong she had been.

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Who is the girl standing next to him?"

"Are they a couple?"

"Why is she staring at us?"

"Isn't that the girl who got the howler?"

"Did you see his face?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.

Ciara really did her best to help him though, every time someone got too close to him, or made him more uncomfortable, she glared at them so hard that if she glared at the any harder, she would have set them on fire. Harry sighed, he really wished he could just get to class before Ciara punched someone in the face (although he was proud of her for practicing great self-control.)

After getting lost multiple times and finding new things about the castle, (talking suits of armor, even more talking portraits, ect.) they began to figure out how their schedules worked. Some days they would go to the Greenhouse for Herbology and some days they would be staying up until midnight to study Astronomy (Ciara had a sinking feeling she would be very good in that class.)

There was History of Magic, which was taught by a ghost, Professor Binns, (He fell asleep in front of a fire. Woke up the next morning to teach and forgot his body.) Then there was Charms, the teacher (Professor Flitwick) had been doing roll-call when he caught Harry and Ciara's name, he gave a squeak (whether if awe or fear, Ciara couldn't tell), and he fell off the platform he was teaching on, toppling out of sight.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Despite how strict she had been, Ciara found her quite nice. She seemed like a very fair person who was afraid to get her hands dirty. Ciara liked that trait. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said as soon as they settled down. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

As soon as she finished, she transfigured her desk into a pig, then back again. Everyone in the class looked impressed. Everyone couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.

Only after a few minutes of trying Ciara had finished her's, surprising everyone (even McGonagall.) By the end of the lesson, the only other person who had made any difference to the match was Hermione Granger.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. Ciara nearly vomited when she entered the classroom. It smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. 

His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather. For another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron or Ciara didn't have much of a head start.

Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without having Ciara or Hermione guide them. "What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he handed Ciara a breakfast scone. Ron went to speak only for Ciara to say tell him not to talk with his mouth full. "Double Potions with the Slytherins," Ron said after he swallowed his food, "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them--we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before. Ciara shrugged, "It's not that bad." Ron snorted, "Yeah, because you finished turning a needle into a match within the first ten minutes."

Before Ciara could make a snarky remark, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Ciara sighed in relief when she didn't see her mother's owl anywhere among the owls. She hasn't sent a letter since she sent a howler on the first day. Even though she didn't get any letter, Artemis still came and sat with her through lunch before leaving after.

This morning, however, Ciara was surprised to see Hedwig flying in with Artemis. Hedwig immediately went over to Harry and placed the letter beside him, before she began to eat her toast. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:

Dear Harry,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?

I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid

P.S. Tell Ciara I said hello.

Harry handed the letter over for Ciara to read as Harry borrowed Ron's quill to scribble down quickly, Yes, please, see you later P.S. Ciara says hello too on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.

It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to them so far. At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry--he hated him. He seemed to hate all Gryffindors, but he seemed to hate Harry in particular.

To Ciara's dismay, Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Ciara shivered as they walked towards the potions classroom. It reminded her too much of the basement.

Just like Professor Flitwick, Snape started the class by taking the roll call only to paused at Harry's name. "Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new--celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. As soon as Snape saw Ciara's name right after Harry's, he smiled. And it scared Ciara half to death because that smile was aimed at her. "Ah yes, Miss Riddle." His smile turned into a sneer, almost making Ciara relax.

Almost.

"It is a... pleasure... to have you in my class. You may have not known, but I happen to be very good friends with you mother." Ciara's face paled and she felt as though someone had closed her throat off. "My... my mother?" She forced herself to speak, everyone looking at her and Snape appeared as though he was waiting for an answer.

Snape nodded, "So keep in mind that if you break any rules on my watch, your mother as given me consent to discipline you in any way I see fit." Ciara nodded quickly, her hands beginning to shake from nervousness, "Yes sir."

Soon, Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made Ciara think of the cold and dark basement where she use to sleep.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word--like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death--if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione and Ciara were both sitting on the edge of their seats, but for completely different reasons. Hermione did it because she wanted to prove that she wasn't a dunderhead. Ciara did it because once Snape had mentioned her mother, he had put her back on edge.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Powdered root of what to an infusion of what ? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air. Ciara was writing something down, most likely the question.

"I don't know, sir," Harry said, meekly. Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tu--fame clearly isn't everything."

Ciara pulled her hands underneath the desk and tried to keep them from curling into a fist. Snape ignored Hermione's hand. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter. Ciara pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to keep from sighing aloud. This was going to go nowhere.

Harry looked down at the desk and mumbled, "I don't know, sir." Snape's sneer grew, "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Harry forced himself to look up and keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books once or twice on the train, but how could Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?

Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. Ciara stared at her oddly, What on earth was she doing?

"I don't know," Harry said, raising his voice slightly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed; Harry tried to catch Ciara's eye, but she had buried her face in her hands. Oh Harry, what have you done, she thought to him miserably. Before he could respond, Snape snapped back.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione and Ciara grabbed a quill and started scribbling down whatever he had to say. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Snape glanced at everyone, his sneer more pronounced, "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. 

He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

Ciara immediately hopped down from her stool, burning holes into her shoes, and hurried over to Neville. Professor Snape was right behind her, "Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand, Ciara glaring at him while his back was turned. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Ciara. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville, Ciara's stomach clenched, knowing yelling was soon to follow. She led Neville to the door, listening carefully behind her.

"You--Potter--why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Ciara, who was at the door, spun on her heel and glared at Professor Snape. Everyone gasped as she did this, drawing Snape's attention towards her. "You expect us to be able to do this as well as you can. Guess what? We can't! We're just first years! Some of us are not us to this way of life and we're still adjusting! You can't expect us to be perfect on our first try!"

Snape's glare was so livid that Harry was scared that he was going to set Ciara on fire, "Ten points from Gryffindor detention. You're lucky I won't be writing a letter home to your mother, Miss Riddle!!" Ciara glared at Snape in return not appearing to be bothered by the fact that her mother would be hearing about this, "Go ahead!! See if I care!!"

She turned (grabbing Neville's hand extremely gentle to make sure she didn't hurt him by touching the boils) and stormed out of the classroom. Harry felt an odd emotion boil in his stomach when Ciara grabbed Neville's hand but he quickly dismissed it, blaming the fumes from Neville's potion.

As soon as Ciara left the classroom, she marched down the halls a little ways before calling out to Harry, 'Can you bring me my stuff after class? I have a feeling I won't be back for today's lesson.' He responded immediately, 'Yeah, I will. You're coming with me to go see Hagrid, right?' She nodded, before remembering that he wasn't by her, 'Yeah I will. As long as Neville and I get out of the hospital wing.'

Ciara felt someone's gaze on the back of her head. She turned, seeing Neville staring at her, "Yes?" He pointed at the doorway in front of them, "We're here." Ciara wordlessly walked in, dragging Neville behind her, "Madam Pomfrey?!"

The nurse came out of her office, a look of alarm on her face as she saw the condition they were in. "What happened to you two?!" she screeched as she set Neville down onto a bed. Ciara rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly as she stood next to him, "There was a little mishaps in our potions lesson and Snape started bullying him until he told me to take him to the hospital wing and started blaming Harry for the incident."

Madam Pomfrey rushed to her office before coming back with a container of cream. She immediately began rubbing some onto Neville's boils. Ciara sighed as the boils began to fade away. She went to walk away when Madam Pomfrey grabbed her arm and forced her to sit down on the bed, before grabbing the cream to rub on her hand.

Ciara pulled her arm away, "What are you doing? Neville is the one who needs medical attention, not me." Madam Pomfrey gestured to the big boil that had appeared on her hand, "I need to take care of that. Didn't you feel it?" Ciara stared at it, feeling a sudden weight in her chest. She hadn't, she had been so used to pain, she didn't even know she was in pain until it was pointed out to her.

Her hand throbbed slightly as she shook her head, "I guess I didn't..." Madam Pomfrey didn't answer as she applied the cream to the boil, which shrink considerably in size. As soon as she finished, Ciara sprinted out of the infirmary, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's shouts for her to come back.

She made it to the Great Hall just in time to hear Ron say, "Cheer up. Snape always takes points off of Fred and George. Can I come with you to meet Hagrid?" Harry nodded, "You can, we just have to wait for Ciara first." Ciara stopped in front of them, panting slightly, "Sorry I took so long. Had to run from Madam Pomfrey. She tried to make me stay."

Harry chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, to help steady her, "Don't worry about it. You guys ready to head to Hagrid's?" They both nodded and at five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang--back." Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open. He glanced behind him before calling out, "Hang on. Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. Ciara settled herself right next to Fang and began scratching behind his ear, making his tail wag.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, pointing at Ron. Hagrid glanced up from pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate. "Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron, "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry, Ron, and Ciara pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

They were all delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her--Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. Harry sighed playing with his fingers, "But he seemed to really hate me." Hagrid sent him a disbelieving look, "Rubbish! Why should he?"

Hagrid statement didn't quite as his eyes when he said that.

Ciara felt anxiety beginning to pool and swirl in her gut. Something wasn't right. Hagrid suddenly turned to Ron, changing the subject. "How's yer brother Charlie? I liked him a lot--great with animals."

Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. Ciara stared at him curiously, 'What is that?' Harry shrugged but gestured for her to come sit by him, 'I don't know, but come look at it.'

She wordlessly walked over (confusing Ron and Hagrid, though they didn't say anything) and sat down next to Harry, glancing at the paper in his hand. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.

Ciara pointed at the beginning of the article, 'Harry look! It happened on July 31, your birthday!' Harry immediately corrected her, 'Our birthday, you mean?' She waved away his reply, 'Sure, whatever you say. But it did happen then, Look!' Harry stared at it in shock, he remembered Ron telling them on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

"Hagrid!" Harry shouted, scaring everyone in the hut, "That Gringotts break-in happened on our birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!" Hagrid didn't meet anyone's eyes this time. He grunted and offered them another rock cake. Harry read the story again, Ciara reading it over his shoulder. She glanced at him as soon as she finished the story, 'Hagrid had taken something out of the vault earlier that day. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?' Harry shrugged, 'I don't know. Could be, but I don't know.'

Thirty minutes later, they began walking back to the castle, the pockets filled to the brim with rock cakes. 'What do you think was in the package that Hagrid took?' Ciara question Harry. He shrugged, 'I don't know. But didn't you think there was something he was keeping from me about Snape? Why didn't he tell me?'

She shrugged, 'I don't know. Maybe he'll tell us later?' Harry nodded, feeling a little glum, 'Yeah...maybe...' They were so absorbed in their thoughts, they didn't even realize they had been holding hands since they walked out of Hagrid's hut.

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