[img align=left]https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b174/theatticbox/Prichard.png[/img]Good evening, students. I'm your Potions Master Professor Mathers. By now most of you are aware of my close friendship with Professor Morgan. However, we were not always as close as we are now. We attended Hogwarts at different times and met later in life. Reflecting back on my time at Hogwarts, I know my time would have been much more enjoyable if Professor Morgan and I had been at school together.

Most of you have strong friendships already here at the school, much like the famous Harry Potter had Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Today, I'd like you to tell me about how you became friends. Was it similar to their meet on the Hogwarts Express? Did you bond over an assignment in class? Or did you meet before Hogwarts, like Lily Potter and Professor Severus Snape?

If you do not have a close friend yet, you can alternatively write about a future event. Perhaps you will meet your best mate later in life, like I did.

(Note: For those of you who are friends with other members of the cult, you may want to coordinate your entries! Perhaps you both felt you became friends at the same time, or perhaps one of you felt you were destined to be friends, while the other didn't see it until later on.)

Some rules for this challenge: 1.) Writings should be a minimum of 250 words. There is no maximum. 2.) Keep it PG13 please! 3.) Please post your piece of writing here with your name and house. 4.) Bonus points may be awarded to particularly clever/creative entries.

Each member may only submit one piece of writing, and each piece of writing to successfully adhere to the rules will receive 15 House Points!

This challenge will end on Tuesday, August 16th at 11:59PM.

Maristela didn't have friends. Not in Hogwarts, at least. The Slytherin didn't mingle much with anyone from the other houses, and still didn't feel comfortable calling anyone from the dungeons a friend. To be honest, she barely spoke to anyone, but, hopefully, that would soon change.

The situation back home was different, though. She didn't tell her best friend of god-knows-how-many-years that she was attending a magical school, even if Mari was confident in her ability to keep her mouth shut and not think that her 'BFF' had lost her mind. Her parents helped her keep the secret, forwarding any letters they received from her little girl by owl mail.

The tip of her pen finally touched paper.

"Hello, Anastasia!

Today as I am sitting in my extremely expensive private school dorms, I remembered how much I miss you. Not that I leave this part out in any of my letters, that is. I still can't get over the fact that there's no reception here. Seriously, you'd think that a place like this would have it, but I guess that only increases the charm of the castle."

Maristela paused for a couple of seconds and let out a sigh, absent-mindedly tapping her finger on the desk.

"I really do miss you. Can't wait until break when I can finally enjoy mum's cooking and your amazing company. We should really go hang out at that cute cafe where we first met. God, that was so long ago. I think I will never forget that awful Barbie doll. I was so convinced that you had stolen mine, even though it was safely sitting on my bed back in my home. Must've been the most adorable child-fight ever."

The rush of memories filling Mari's mind made her grin. It would've been so cool if they got to attend Hogwarts together...

"Our mums barely managed to break us up, but I'm convinced the best part was seeing you in my class a couple of days later. It was a match made in heaven (though we are definitely not from there.

Looks like I've managed to fill a page of crap without actually updating you on all the latest happenings, so please, fill me in on the gossip. Is Alice just as much of a tryhard as she was before I left? And say hi to your parents for me!

Love, Mari."

The teen folded the piece of paper and headed off to the Owlery to send it with the rest of her letters. Christmas couldn't come sooner.

(Maristela Bray; Slytherin)

Kat had a few friends in school but when she really met her best friend she was out doing what she loved most. Searching for new and magical creatures. Her parents were always doing the same and in life she found that was her calling as well. She was out in the middle of the Sierra Desert looking for a new sand worm that was supposed to be roaming in the area scaring off different people with their camels, sometimes even eating them. She had a backpack with her much like Hermione’s bag from back in the day that had all sorts of goodies inside. She also had a cover over her face and head to protect from the heat and the sand. She walked tiredly almost giving up until all of the sudden she felt the ground quake. She looked around wondering if it could be the worm. Ahead of her she saw a gentlemen fighting with a camel who refused to move once the ground shook. She rushed ahead knowing that they could be in danger. She was not wrong as giant worm, ten times bigger than herself rose from the sand. As far as she could tell it had no eyes to speak of so it must have been going after the man with its sense of smell. She couldn’t risk it eating the man and his camel. So she dropped to her knees and started digging through her backpack. With little work she pulled out her wand “ Immobulus!", She screamed and the worm stopped instantly. She would have to report this fowl creature to the ministry. She looked up and the man stood there in awe. She knew she shouldn’t cast a spell on him, but she would have to, he saw things he shouldn’t have. However, right as she was about to pull out her wand, he pulled out his own. “I was frozen, thank you for saving me.” From there they became friends. He also liked to travel and visit places with magical creatures. He had just chosen to bring a camel along and did not want it to suffer a face, thus frozen in place.

(Kat - Gryffindor )

When I first went to Hogwarts I quickly discovered not many people wanted to be friends with a girl with rabbit ears, I felt like I was going to be extremely lonely and by the end of the first month I was considering leaving Hogwarts and just working in a store for life. I would have went to muggle school but yano... rabbit ears. They're a bit noticeable and I'm not sure there are many muggle medical conditions that result in animal parts.

While I was contempalting the feasability of my plan, I spotted Nyxx () sitting in the corner. I'd noticed her before but.... not conciously. Nyxx was also in Ravenclaw like me and was also often alone. I know she is part Veela... is that right... I can't remember, I have an awful memory. I thought, you know what, I'm going to give this one more shot and went to her and said "Hi, I'm Peng, what are you up to?" and all I can remember is Nyxx smiling and answering me but again... bad memory.

From that point onwards, we became best friends! Nyxx is much smarter and serious than me but I think our opposite personalities are what makes us such good friends :D! Nyxx always looks after me and makes sure I don't forget anything! Without her, I wouldn't be where I am now! I can't wait to make more memories with her and hopefully she will be able to put up with me for a while longer! I know with Nyxx by my side I'll be able to do anything :D!

(Peng Li - Ravenclaw)

Millie sat and thought for a few moments. She had many wonderful, good friends here at Hogwarts but she wanted to write about her best friend. The wonderful boy who lived in Germany and attended Durmstrang Institute.

"I first met Emmett Dietrich when his family moved into the house down the street from my grandparents. I was 6 and he was 8. My mum, oma (grandmother) and I made a welcome to the neighborhood basket (we were visiting my grandparents at the time). When Emmett's family welcomed up into their new home, I saw Emmett accidentally heat up some some chocolate chunk biscuits using magic, I squealed, "You're just like my dad and I!" and I did the samething. His parent's were horrified because two muggles had just seen magic but thankfully my mum and oma told them their secret was safe with them. My mum had been with my dad long enough, so she understood the importance of maintaining their secret. His parent's admitted they both worked for the German Ministry of Magic. His dad works for Magical Law Enforcement and his mum works for Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

"Emmett and I quickly became friends and we spent every day with each other. When it was time to return to England, we agreed to write to each other and we would see each other when we came back to visit. We always spend the entire visit with each other. Our families have also become good friends, so if we go on holiday, they always join us. They even call us Partners in Crime because things we wouldn't usually do apart always happen when we're together.

"This one time I was visiting my grandparents, he came over and we decided to bake a cake. He isn't as good as a baker but he tries because he knows I enjoy it. Well, since neither of us can use magic at home, we have to do bake the muggle way. When he went to crack the eggs into the bowl, he accidentally knocked the whole carton off the counter. We cleaned up the mess and went to the corner shop to get more. As we were walking into my grandparents house, he tripped over my cat Cleo, dropping the new carton of eggs. So I went back to the store and made him sit with Cleo and his dog until I got back. I handled the eggs and he seemed do well until we baked the cake. When it had cooled enough to be decorated, I gave him the frosting and told him I needed to use the loo. When I came back, the cake was on fire. We still don't know how he set the cake on fire but both of our facial expressions were priceless.

"Emmett started attending Durmstrang and I started to attend Hogwarts two years after. We still write each other on a regular bases. I always look forward to his letters and he looks forward to mine. He plays keeper in quidditch. He is also very intelligent. He excels in all his classes. He would like to become either a Curse Breaker or Hit Wizard. He even helped me learn how to cast a corporeal Patronus. We both have the same kind - a Eurasian Lynx. I always picture him in my head and remember some of our adventures together when I need to cast a Patronus charm.

"I can honestly say Emmett is my best friend. He always manages to cheer me up when I get overwhelmed in school or other aspects of life and I always return the favor."

Millie sat and smiled. She didn't really talk about Emmett with her friends. Just a few mentions here and there and would answer questions about him.

• Amelia Tudor, Hufflepuff

Magnus frowned thinking of the assignment. He did have some strong friendships already, it was true. But he didn't really have a clever story about them. He met most of them in class or at one of the clubs he joined. He thought of Sam, the girl he had a crush on--who had come up with the idea of sending sweets to the muggle orphans as a way to help him feel better about missing them and having things they didn't. Then he thought of Paddy, friend and fellow werewolf. They chatted openly together, comparing notes about various full moons and the pain of transforming. Her uncle even started sending parcels to him, as a way to help the boy with the moon cycles. Gaia was another one of his dear friends, who laughed at his bad puns, advised him on various issues and even trained his owl.

Fade was his only male friend, which of itself was nice. Magnus enjoyed having a fellow boy to hang with, not that he didn't adore the ladies-- They were also fellow dorm mates now that Magnus was in Ravenclaw- the pair had met at Magical Creatures club. Magnus was nearing transforming and lost his temper and licked the boy. Still, Fade hadn't judged him or even treated him differently after that incident. They both liked to draw too. Magnus had had a fantastic time when Fade spent part of their holiday with him and his family.

Aria was a fellow Gryffindor and friend until Magnus learnt that she, like him, had had no proper family. He quickly wrote to his adoptive parents and after a short bit Aria was now a friend and sister.

Finally, Magnus sucked on his sugar quill--which Gaia had given him and started writing:

I think, I would have to say it started when I was nearly killed by a werewolf. I was just nine at the time and should have died. Even though the Auror who was tracking the werewolf interceded quickly, they had to give me the Draught of Living death. When they did finally wake me, I was still in a lot of pain. The healer, Mathilda Sparks, became my guardian and friend for the near year that I lived there. I couldn't go back to my muggle orphanage being a werewolf and they had nowhere else to send me. She brought me books and toys and talked to me when I was lonely. I owe her and Saint Mungos not only my life, but my new found family as my parents discovered I had no family when they came to visit a relation of theirs.

Once a year on my adoption day, my parents take me to see Healer Mathilda Sparks. I see the joy in her eyes at how well I am doing. I also see the sadness in them, wishing there was more she could do for me. But I am thankful, because if it had not been for the skills of those healers in Saint Mungos, I would never have everything I have now. I'm still working on controlling my temper on the days of the full moon, still adjusting to the days that I feel like no one really gets what it is like to be a werewolf--but my friends pull me through those days and remind me that I am a normal boy, even if I do get hairy three times a month. I feel such a pull to Saint Mungos for all they gave me, that I think this a friendship in itself. I survived, they gave me my life back and with it all the friends I met at Hogwarts. I will never forget what they did for me. I wish to become a healer and work with others so they might have the same chance I got.

Magnus sealed his work with a lump in his throat--one of love for a hospital that had given him the world.

(Magnus Lee, Ravenclaw) ((OOC: For his other friends you weren't forgotten but I could put everyone in it.)

Friends...now that is something I'm not sure I have found yet. Here in Hogwarts I have met many students that are friendly but I can't say they are my best friend or even a friend. It might be my fault since I seek solitude quite frequently to study magic, and more than that, about other worlds like the muggles, an interesting lot.

I get along better with creatures, for example my beloved pet owl Spellz who can be considered my best friend. He and I spend lots of time together, unless he is delivering letters to my mother or I'm at class. He likes eating little mouse the most, but also enjoys worms and other nasty things. I think he enjoys watching me do magic, probably founds amusing when I fail and make things explode, which happens a lot since I try things I probably shouldn't yet. But that's part of learning, failing and trying again until it's mastered. Spells also loves chasing, I throw him pieces of bred and he goes after them but he doesn't like eating them, just chasing them. Spellz loves to stand on my shoulder too, which is ok since he isn't that big.

I also had a creature friend back home, which is my most loved of all, it's called Meolc and she is a beautiful white baby dragon. It's ok, I grew up in a village where they breed dragons which is why I love them so much. I miss Meolc very much since I'm here in school but I will see her during the winter break, for sure by then she will be very big and may have forgotten me, but maybe she still remembers me like I do her.

Friendship between humans is something I still need to learn, hopefully I will here in Hogwarts and not with the need of a score because that would surely be something I won't do very good at. I guess I'm used to the solitude since back home you hardly see any children so my social skills were not developed and I just got used to spend my time with animals instead, that doesn't mean I don't like people, I do! One day, maybe one day I will meet a special person that makes me feel he or she is my friend.

Merlin Pendragon Slytherin

Eros stared at the paper before him, clean and untainted by ink. He held his quill in his hand, rolling the calamus between his fingers as he drew a blank on what to write. Obviously, the topic was friendship. The problem was, Eros wasn't interested in any sort of friendship outside of Quiddich for the most part. Teammates were the only sort he cared about, and so far, that's been mainly in the pitch. He wasn't particularly close to anyone, currently. But this wasn't always true. Eros was picky about who he chose to associate with, but someone has broken through his ice fortress before.

The teen moved his quill closer to the parchment, reminiscing his first year.

At eleven, I got an invite to attend here, Hogwarts. It was always in my mom's plan for me to go to Hogwarts. It was the reason she made me live with my grandparents during the school season. I don't remember being excited or nervous as a first year student. It was just going to be another place that I wasn't going to feel quite at home at. At least, that was what I thought. I wasn't really expecting anything, so when Andreas walked into my compartment on the Express ride to Hogwarts, I didn't think much of it. I sort of hoped to have a compartment to myself, but there were a lot of students. It made sense we'd have to share space. I remembered he initiated a conversation and introduced himself, however I can't recall much of the details. I wasn't too keen on making friends or small talk. I guess not much as changed in that regards, but I'm particular about who I want to be friends with.

Andreas sat with me again during the sorting ceremony. He had attempted to talk to me again, but I think my responses were one worded. Again, I'm not much of a talker. I do remember, though, when he got sorted into Ravenclaw and I got sorted into Slytherin, he expressed disappointment that we weren't in the same house. I find that laughable since we barely knew each other and definitely weren't friends.

I'm not sure when we became friends actually. I don't know if there was a defining moment. Andreas was persistent and adament about being friends. I guess he took it as a challenge to befriend me? Or maybe he was genuine. Either way, I guess he succeeded. We had a lot of classes together and he was always there, next to me. It was kind of annoying.

However, I guess that's what a friend is. Someone who is always there. Andreas was always there. And I guess, eventually, I just became...comfortable around him. He was familiar. He made the school year tolerable. He had a way of...making me genuinely smile. It was something I needed. There was a time when I caught him trying to sneak into the Slytherin dungeon. He was at the entrance the whole time just guessing "evil sounding" passwords. He didn't give a....he didn't care. He was that guy. His family moved during our second year, though, and he transferred to Beauxbatons. We still talk and hangout sometimes during the holidays. School kind of suck now without him. But that's okay. I rather just focus on Quidditch anyway.

Eros Sigurd , Slytherin

Since Elizabeth was rather new at Hogwarts and instead focused on her classes and assignments, she did not had much time to make friends yet. Furthermore, she was quite shy and had withdrawn herself into the library to work on the friendship assignment given by Professor Mathers. Being surrounded by books full of magical knowledge, Elizabeth felt comfortable and creative as well. She unrolled the parchment and straightened it before writing as she was always diligent with her homework. Her writing feather was the one of a hawk and while she regarded the striped pattern on it, a thought crossed her mind. It was not a requirement to write about friends at Hogwarts; and this would keep her from failing at the assignment. She dipped the feather into the inkwell and started to write.

Elizabeth Amalia Covington, Slytherin

- I deleted my comments by accident; I hope you like this!! :D

Megan Belcrox/Hufflepuff

Chook looked around at all the pupils in the room. She knew quite a few of them but not all. She waved to the ones she did know. Her gaze went to the clock on the wall. Not time for the lesson to start yet. Her gaze wandered to the window. Outside on a bench, deep in the shadows she saw a figure of a girl with hands over her face, crying deeply. Not one to ignore heartache or pain she looked once more at the time and quietly slipped out of the room. Walking quickly down the hallway to the exit she wondered what could cause such sorrow.

She approached the bench and sat down next to the girl. Placing an arm around her shoulder she asked her what her name was. In between sobs the girl managed to say Naomi. Chook began patting Naomi's shoulder and asked her what was the matter. The girl responded that she was new to Hogwarts and everything was so strange and frightening and she had never been away from her family or home before. She was so scared. Chook reassured her that once she had settled in everything would look different and she would not feel the same way. Chook then asked what class was she going to. It was the same one that Chook was taking, so taking her by the hand Chook led her to the classroom and sat beside her.

That day was the beginning of a life long friendship, through good and bad, through thick and thin.

Gryffindor

Jem blinked for a moment at the prompt at the top of her paper. She'd been so busy thinking about the friends she'd just lost and the bridges she'd burned that....a prompt like this was the last thing on her mind. But still. It was important to remember this too.

She thought for a moment about who she'd been eating with in the Great Hall, and then raised her quill.

Jem, Gryffindor

Bette sighed. She loved writing, but only when it came to talking about true love. She sat her desk cross legged bouncing her her top leg to the tune stuck inside her head. Benji wandered around quacking up a storm as he went.

"Oh Benji, if only writing about friendship was as easy as writing about true love." Benji cocked his head to the side before continuing on his waddle.

Se placed her quill to her paper.

"Friendship is the first step in true love," she penned in loopy cursive. "I have yet to meet my true love, but I imagine him everyday. I imagine meeting him, our first kiss, when he proposes. Sometimes, I imagine him like Westley. We would have grown up together, yet I would never realize my feelings until I find myself jealous of him talking to another girl. Other times he's a boy in class who asks me for a quill with a sheepish smile. And other times still it's someone who I imagine to be my enemy.

"But honestly, I believe it will be someone like Ron was to Hermione: the best friend. We would meet in class one day, his smile more powerful than Amortentia to me. My heart will race and I'll stumble over my words. He would shrug it off and ask me if I'm going to the Quidditch game. I would say yes and it would not be a date. We would hang out and those giddy, twitter-pated feelings would fade. I would see him as loyal, caring, and all around enjoyable to be around. We would laugh at the same jokes and work on assignments together. When asked if I liked him I would say I did, but we're really just good friends. Suddenly a dance would come up and I would feel anxious that no one had asked me as the day approaches. He would laugh. 'Silly girl, no one asked you because they know I'm going to ask you,' he would say. It would hit me like a wave hits the shore. And all would be right in the world.

Someday I will find him, or he will find me. Just until then I can dream."

She signed her name at the bottom, "Bette Everett" with the last 't' connecting to a small heart. Next to it she penned her house in small letters, "Hufflepuff".

Garrett pondered the assignment, his brows furrowed. Friendship...? He sighed, and took out fresh parchment, his quill poised in his hand.

How to put into words his feelings towards Fable..? He let his mind drift back to that fateful meeting on the Hogwarts Express, not so very long ago.

He had been looking only for a quiet compartment for himself and his beloved Kiki..she was old and didnt need all the noise and excitement of a crowd. Ah, who was he kidding, he didnt want the company, but he had a built in excuse in his elder cat.

Garrett had walked along the hallway between the cars, looking for a calm interior, when he saw her. Fable. Garrett smiled dreamily, his eyes lighting up with the memory.

For him, it had been love at first sight. He had stood outside the door, taking all of her in- the way she sat, her hair, her eyes. He had steeled himself and opened the compartment door.

"may I join you..?" he had said, hoping she would say yes..and she did.

He had settled himself and Kiki in, and the next few hours had been the best of his life.

Fable was smart as well as beautiful, and kindhearted. He could sense that from her right away..from the way she looked at Kiki. A sort of understanding had passed between them, and Garrett had always trusted his cat's instincts.

They had talked for hours, and Garrett found he and Fable liked many of the same things, shared a lot of the same passions, and were both different. They had both been misunderstood growing up, and thought they would never find anyone who could accept them because of those differences.

Garrett could accept anything about her...that was just the way it was for him. He had found his soulmate.

Garrett blinked, coming out of his reverie, and smiled. He knew now what he would write.

~Garrett, House Slytherin

Fable set in the window seat in the Slytherin common room. A portable table set in her lap. On it was her parchment and quill and across from her was her best friend, Garrett. This seat had become their favorite and it always seemed to be open for them. The friend assignment felt a bit...uncomfortable to her. She wasn't sure how it would come out even though she knew she wanted to write about him. She looked down at her paper and sighed. Then began to write.

I can't begin to tell you about my friendship with Garrett without revealing a few things about myself. In which I will start by saying, I don't think I've ever felt comfortable talking about myself. Before Hogwarts, even now at Hogwarts, I had always been the odd one out. For some reason making friends with anything other then animals and plants seemed near impossible. Don't get me wrong. I tried. I tried so hard that I even tried changing myself so that people would like me. I don't know, maybe there was something wrong with me that I couldn't see but for whatever reason I was left out. This all changed when I met Garrett.

I had gotten to the station early. It was start of term and while I knew it wouldn't be difficult keeping an acquired compartment to myself it would have been more complicated had I come late and let the other students decide if I could join them. But I was early, so I had the pick of the compartments. I chose one that would be in the quieter part of the train. Meaning not near the prefects compartment or the toilets. A compartment where people didn't really "need" to come down to. I sat with my cat Murdock and my trunk had been stowed. I had settled on watching out the window at the families wishing their children goodbye and the friends reuniting in happiness when a knock came on the doorjam. I turned to see Garrett for the first time looking down at me.

He was tall and pale with the most interesting crimson eyes. He carried a cat and his trunk but what really struck me was he was smiling. Now I have had people try and sit with me before, at school, in the lunchroom, but most looked desperate to leave pretty quickly or I was being made the brunt end of a joke. I didn't get that off him. His smile was geniune and his eyes spoke of kindness. He had asked if he could join me and I said yes. I wondered at the moment if I would regret it, I had failed so many times in the past but he gave me reason to try again.

Garret was nice. He was kind. For me, I could go on and on with as many adjectives as I could think of to describe him, but plainly we were puzzle pieces meant to fit together. He wasn't exactly like me, but similiar, and this meant we shared experiences that both of us could relate too. We had a lot in common and I found myself talking and laughing for longer then I ever had with anyone else. He has quickly become my best friend. We are on some weird plane of understanding. 

During the train ride we had planned that even if we ended up in different houses we would still be friends but the sorting hat decided that wasn't the case. We ended up together in the house Slytherin. Garrett has made my Hogwarts experience, so far, better then I could imagine and I look forward to the many memories we will continue to create. 

In closing, Garrett has shown me what its like to have a true friend and now that I've experienced it, I can't imagine life without him. I am so grateful to him. 

~ Fable, House Slytherin

Aria Quin - Gryffindor

Aria received the writing assignment and decided to have a lot of fun with it. 'I do love writing stories,' she thought. While thinking of what to write she first thought of Magnus and smiled. Just as she pressed the quill to the paper Dax snuggled up at her feet. 'Oh! That is perfect,' she thought and began writing.

"Get back here, you dirty waif!" Shouted the stocky baker out the back alley door. "I am reporting you to the authorities," he continued to yell, turning red in the face. Causing quite a scene, the shoppers in the street stopped to look down the alley, but couldn't see anyone except the baker, who was now wiping his flour covered hands on his apron.

Aria had already run to the end of the alley and shimmied up a broken water shoot, scaling the wall. She hopped over the dark brown brick wall and landed safely on the other side. She kicked a silver trash can out of her way and walked down the alley with her pastries in hand. She’d managed to pilfer a loaf of freshly made bread and a maple flavored donut.

She jogged down the alley and found a stoop to sit on. Pulling her bag off her back, she carefully wrapped the pastries and stowed them with the other food items that she’d managed to procure earlier that day.

A familiar ache in her stomach began to grow stronger as it made angry gurgling noises, reminding her that she was beyond empty. Aria frowned while thinking, and decided that she would eat half of the maple donut now, rather than waiting for later. “I can’t starve trying to save the food,” she reasoned to herself. “It’s ok, you’ll get plenty more,” she said in false optimism, trying to convince herself that this food was not a scarcity.

She took the fragrant maple donut back out of the pack and carefully ripped it in half. After putting the other half back in the sack she stood and started briskly walked down the alley. She ran across the street, and jumped over a muddy water-filled pot hole in the road. She grinned thinking about the many hours spent watching unsuspecting people get sprayed with dirty water from that hole.

After running down the street she turned right onto another alley. This alley was where she would often hide from the authorities or from dangerous homeless people. She climbed on top of a filthy garbage can and jumped up onto a decorative ledge that had probably been used by alley cats before she found it. The slime growing on the brick created a thick film along the ledge, making the ledge appear almost black instead of dusty brown. She walked carefully and avoided slipping this time. After walking along the perch a few more feet, she pulled herself up on a ledge leading to the roof of the adjacent building. The shorter brick building was old and had plants growing from between cracks, but luckily no slime this far up on the wall or on its roof.

The smell of mold and garbage was palpable in the tiny alleyway, leaving it almost void of any other sign of life. Aria took the bag off her shoulder and rested it beside her on the roof. Leaning back against the taller brick building wall, she put her hand on her stomach and thought over every bite she’d just consumed. She let her eyes shut and felt the slightest tug of a cool spring breeze, as it tried to move through the nearly stagnant alley. Her peaceful morning was broken by the sound of piercing squawking and screeching.

Looking down from her perch, Aria watched as two men walked into the alley with a heavy load in their arms. They dropped the load on the ground and it began moving. Aria stifled her gasp and she saw the tiny beaked face of a white owl appear from the folds of the dirty canvas bag.

“What kind o’ science experiment do ya think ‘e is?” The short bearded man asked the other, as he kicked the bag open more with his toe.

“It don’t matter, fool. We stole it from that quack magician and that makes it ours.” The taller man jabbed the bearded one with his elbow and kicked the pathetic creature hard.

The creature tumbled out of the bag and onto the garbage of the alley, effectively covering it in slime and dirt. Aria watched the men prod the poor animal and anger welled up inside her.

After pulling out a small flask from his pocket, the bearded man took a drink. Kneeling down in front of the creature, the bearded man pulled on the owl’s wing. “Looks ‘ike Frankenstein had ‘is way with it,” he said with a sloppy laugh.

“No kiddin, look at those legs -- it’s got two sets,” the tall man said with fear entering his voice. “D’ya think it’s dangerous?” He asked belatedly to his companion in crime.

“I dunno, let’s find out.” The bearded man held up the wing in his hand, and plucked a handful of feathers from it.

Screeching in pain, the owl flopped around, trying to escape, but was held fast by the inebriated man.

Aria watched as her stomach churned in response to the screeching of the poor animal. She was so angry that she could feel it boiling through her small body. “That’s it,” she whispered as she stood up on the roof top. “Stop hurting that owl!” She commanded as loudly as she could. Jumping down from the roof, she landed on the wobbly garbage can, which could not hold her weight and toppled over. She rolled along with her fall and tried to make her clumsy move look natural.

The two men stared at Aria with their mouths open and began howling with unrestrained laughter. “Ya think –“ the bearded man said while clutching his sides as he laughed, “that we are sceered o’ you; a tiny pathetic girl?”

The taller one contained his laughter and spat on the ground towards Aria. “Jus’ you run along little girl.”

“I’m not leaving without that owl.” Aria said and stood her ground, squaring her shoulders while pushing out her chest.

“Yare much too young t’ be out ‘ere alone. Where’s yare mummy?” The taller man asked in a soft mocking tone that caused his accent to grow thicker.

“She’s dead,” Aria said with a cold unfeeling tone. “And so will you be, if you don’t stop torturing that poor animal.” Aria pulled out two knives while she spoke. “I’m not afraid to use these,” she said in a low grumble.

Aria let out a shrill scream and ran at the two men, waving her arms wildly. The two men immediately stopped looking amused and began to look concerned. Aria slashed through the air, narrowly missing the taller man.

“Watch out little missy, or you’ll end up pokin an eye out,” the bearded man said as he jostled out of Aria’s reach.

Aria stood between the two men and their stolen owl prize. “If you want the owl, you will have to kill me to get him.” She said while holding her knives at the ready. “I warn you, though, that I have been trained for many years how to fight and throw knives. You, sirs, are severely at a disadvantage.” She stayed in combat posture, ready to leap up and begin her attack.

The two men exchanged grinning looks. “I seri’sly doubt tha’,” said the taller man as he took several menacing steps towards Aria.

Aria aimed her knife and threw it at the shorter bearded man, hitting him squarely in the upper thigh.

“Arrrgh!” the man screamed in pain, “ya stabbed me!” Looking to his companion with wide eyes he screamed, “That filth actually stabbed me!” The shock to his system caused him to stand completely still, which allowed Aria to turn her attention back towards the taller man.

“I assure you, I am quite serious,” Aria said while calmly withdrawing another knife from a sheath on her leg.

“Ow many knives do ya have?” The tall man questioned in shock while putting his hands up between Aria and himself. “Alright little pistol, we ain’t gunna harm you no more, jus’ don’t throw that at me.” He backed up and grabbed his friend by the shoulder. The bearded man hobbled out of the Alley alongside the tall man.

“And don’t come back or I’ll throw first and ask what you wanted after.” Aria said in her most gruff tone.

After Aria was sure that the two men were gone she turned and sheathed her weapons. She knelt to the ground in front of the small owl, “You’re just a baby, why would they hurt you?” She asked in a soft tone.

“You’re alright now,” she cooed gently. “I promise I will not let anything bad happen to you.” As she spoke the animal lifted its head and stared directly into Aria’s eyes. The animal seemed to be searching; she could feel her thoughts becoming jumbled inside her brain.

‘I believe you,’ the animal spoke into her mind.

“Oh my goodness!” Aria gasped and fell back onto her rear. “You can talk!” She stared at the animal with her mouth hanging open as the animal shook its head.

‘I can’t speak to anyone but to the gifted, into their mind.’ The owl said. ‘Thank you for helping me,’ the owl continued to speak into Aria’s mind.

It was only then, that Aria noticed that this animal was not an owl but a mixture of creatures. “What are you exactly? The man mentioned a science experiment, is that what you are?” Aria asked.

‘No, I am a Gryffin of the snowy owl variety.’

“I thought griffins were made up,” Aria commented.

‘Nope! We are real, see?’ The young griffin puffed up his chest and strutted a few steps showing off his four legged graceful body.

Aria smiled, getting a feel for his sense of humor through his mid voice.

“What should I call you?” Aria asked, “that is, do you have a name? And how did you end up in that bag?” Aria had a million questions but decided to stick with just those two for now.

‘My name is Dax, and I was taken from my nest a few weeks ago and sold. The two men who you stopped form hurting me stole me from the wizard who owned me.’ Dax explained briefly.

“Well, Dax, would you like me to take you back to the wizard, assuming I can find him?” Aria said, though not quite believing that his recent owner was a true wizard.

‘Oh no, for sure not! He was a crazy madman!’ Dax said while making his eyes go cross.

Aria giggled, “Alright. You can stay with me, if you’d like, but I live here in the alley.” Aria finished very softly, feeling ashamed.

‘This place looks nice and homey to me,’ Dax said and walked over to Aria and sat beside her.

Aria looked at Dax and noticed that he was covered in muck. “Perhaps we should get cleaned up before heading to my secret loft.” She suggested while plugging her nose and winking at him.

‘I agree, you do smell quite badly,’ Dax said in good humor.

Aria giggled and stood up to leave the alley. Dax gracefully jumped up and landed on Aria’s shoulder. After nestling down, he looked like any other average white snowy owl.

Aria and Dax walked out of the alley, exchanging giggles and smiles as they searched for a place to clean themselves.

Aria and Dax lived together for another year on the streets of London, before being summoned to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After the first term at Hogwarts began, Aria met many new people and slowly learned to trust them. One of the most notable of her new friends was Magnus. Magnus did not particularly enjoy the attentions of Dax, but Dax definitely liked Magnus. Magnus would eventually become her brother, after his parents decided to adopt Aria into the family, including Dax, who Magnus eventually grew to like.

( - mentioned near the very end)

Ernessa had been procrastinating on this assignment for a while now, but it was almost due and her sense of duty and loyalty to Slytherin house compelled her to finally put ink to parchment.

‘I have been at Hogwarts for quite a while now and still somehow I remain on the outside of all the friendship groups. I suppose it doesn’t help that my nose is constantly buried in an assignment or a book. But could it possibly be due to the fact that I’m half vampire? Do I frighten people?’ Ernessa sat back and chewed at her quill absent mindedly. ‘If I had a friend we would sit in big comfy chairs in the common room and read books together. We would sneak out at midnight and find ingredients for strange new potions that we had invented, we’d probably get caught and laugh at ourselves in detention. One day I’ll have a friend like that. Someone that I can rely on to have my back. Someone that will share their mixed lollies with me, I’d have all the blood flavour ones that nobody likes. And maybe they would bring me home to their families at Christmas time so I wasn’t stuck here by myself again, they’d fill me up with delicious food and we’d fall asleep in front of the fire, too full to move to our beds.’ Ernessa sat back again and thought about a friend that she used to have that fit these criteria. ‘I had a friend once, actually; her name was Lucy and she was fantastic. We used to lie on the grass and give names to all the stars we could see. She liked to give them stupid names like Barry, she thought she was hilarious--she was. We met at muggle primary school back in Australia, we used to share our lunches with each other, she always had something good like a vegemite and cheese sandwich and I bought her lollies from the canteen. We grew up together, matured together and then weird things started happening to me, I frightened her one day and she never spoke to me again.’ This is why Ernessa had been procrastinating on the assignment, the memories it brought back were painful. She turned in her assignment and went to bed early.

Ernessa, Slytherin

Itachi of Slytherin

[spoiler=My Weird Friendship]Our meeting wasn't quite like most friendships, that start out. We were brought together by the forces of evil and magic. He was a noble man in his time always up to no good.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

It was a dark night, the air in the air ducts was moving faster than ever tonight. As I crawled my way from room to room seeing through the little holes in the air duct, we were close to our destination. "I-II-I don't know about this." said a small kid from my Gryffindor. "Then turn back I don't need you here if you are going to do this the whole night." looking back at him with an angry look on my face. "Fine I'll go!" he said turning around and leaving me by myself in the ducts.

There I was in the ducts by myself contemplating if I should go back or venture more forth. But, something inside me wanted me to push forward. I had rounded a corner when all of a sudden an almost headless man came floating through the air duct, but at the same moment the air in the ducts became wild and was like force hurricane winds. Not only was I being tossed around and blown in positions I didn't even know were possible there was a nearly headless ghost man following right behind me being pushed too. We were pushed for what seemed like ages, turned out to be only about 3 mins then freedom. Flying out of the air duct onto the ground with a "Thud.". "Ouch!" I yelped as I landed on my butt. Then I hear laughter from someone nearby. I had almost forgotten the ghost that was with me when I hit the ground. "Stop laughing and tell me who you are!" I demanded.

He then cleared his ghostly throat and said, "I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington and you are?" I look at the ghost floating there which now does not seem to be headless. I thought you were headless there for a second, but anyway, my name is Itachi Siller of Slytherin. What were you doing in the air duct, sir.?" He looked surprised at how calm I was talking about headless beings. "Well young boy Itachi, I was floating through the air duct when all of a sudden a strong breeze came through and now we are here. I could also ask you the same thing." Replying "I was on my way to sabotage Gryffindor when that breeze pushed me here too." His expression changed "Well I am a Gryffindor ghost so I am happy you couldn't do it, but I would like to be friends with you, I find it wise at this point for the both of us." he then smiled at me. I looked around then pondered on the thought "Fine, I'll be glad to call you a friend, Nick."

That is the story of how I and Nick became friends in the most uninspected way. [/Spoiler]

I met my best friend Johnny when we were in elementary school. He is 2 years older than me. At that time I was in 2 grade and he was in fourth. Some pupils from 4th started to bully the younger students including myself.

Johnny prevented them from hurting me and since then he never left my side. We´ve been wrecking havoc ever since playing pranks on others and just enjoying spending time together. He shares quite a few hobbies with me. Soccer, love for cars, basketball. It nice to have someone to talk to. I sometimes wished he would attend Hogwarts too. I really miss him here. It´s not like I can´t make friends here but it would feel better to know him here.

We write letters constantly since my phone doesn´t work in the castle we had to have another method to communicate to each other. I would like to bring him to Hogwarts sometimes and show him the magic I live in.

John can be quite bold and aggressive sometimes but he only does that to protect the ones he cares about. He was so happy for me when I got my Hogwarts letter. Sadly he didn´t get one too. He is always curious to know how it is to be a wizard. He asks non stop what kind of new things I learn and what creatures I see. The spells fascinate him the most.

I really miss him most of the time since I haven´t been able to make some friends at Hogwarts for now. We´ll see how it works out though. I am looking forward to seeing him on christmas holidays.

Max O´Conner/Slytherin