Winter break came and went relatively uneventfully. My mother reprimanded me for not writing enough letters, once she was done sobbing in excitement that I was finally home. My two younger brothers (Michael and Andrew) begged me to tell them everything about Hogwarts. Michael would be a first year when I went into third, but Andrew wouldn't be going to Hogwarts until my fifth year. He was only 6 years old but had already shown his magical side. Saying goodbye to my parents was much easier for my mother this time around, and I was able to get on the train with little to no fanfare. She did shout out that she would send me howlers every day until I mailed her, but I didn't take her word for it.

Lilah and I spent the train ride talking about Christmas and presents, and Lilah showed some muggle things she was going to smuggle into our dorm room. One was a small portable Game Boy and the other was a board game that didn't move on its own and was very ordinary but had a strange name: Monopoly. Lilah was worried about playing her device on the train because she didn't want it to get taken away, so she stashed it deep in her carry-on.

When we arrived to our dorm room, Janie was there waiting anxiously on her bed. She sprung up and hugged us tightly when we walked in, immediately asking us a hundred questions about our break and what had happened.

Lilah put out her Monopoly game and Hannah, Susan, Janie, and I were all taught how to play. After what felt like hours of instruction, the game commenced. By the end of it, things had gotten pretty heated. Hannah was caught stealing from the bank, Susan made a horrible trade with Lilah for Boardwalk (having not realized how important it was), and Janie kept landing on go to jail, so much so she was convinced that someone had jinxed the dice.

It was me. I jinxed the dice.

After an entire two weeks of reading The History of Jinxes I could safely say there was not a single first year that could Jinx better than me. I was getting ready for my masterplan to commence against Stinkai, I just needed the perfect execution that he would never expect.

The start of classes hit all of us harder than last term, and we were left to play catch up most nights in the library. One class that never failed to entertain though was the History of Magic. Professor Binns, a literal ghost, always droned on and on and never saying anything that you couldn't teach yourself by reading the textbook. So during class most days Janie and I would entertain ourselves by counting how many times he said "fondly enough" or "not uncommonly." We also would see how many times he actually looked up from the chalk he was using to write with. The max amount of times was 5, and that was only because we kept snickering to each other.

The only major downside to History of Magic was that we had the class with the Slytherins, which meant breathing the same air as Kai. However, I had a plan in action to use that to my advantage. Kai had a nasty habit of taking my quills whenever he saw fit. Be it directly from my hand or off my desk, he would reach his skinny arm from behind Janie and I and grab it in the middle of my note taking or tally marking when counting Professor Binns phrase sayings. He was the reason I had to carry around more than 10 quills. Luckily he only did it during History of Magic when notes weren't as important, but it drove me crazy and wasn't something I could just start laughing at like Janie recommended because we were in class and if I started cackling people would think I had gone insane.

The night before I had jinxed one particular Quill that was on my desk right now. The jinx made it so that the next person to use it would have ink sprayed all over their face in a certain pattern. The ink would get only on their forehead and show the word "Stinkai." It was especially brilliant because it would take time to wear off, which would mean he would have to go to his next class with ink all over his forehead in his dreaded nickname. I smiled to myself just thinking about it.

I lifted up my quill, pretending that I was about to write and just as I did, his disgusting hand shot out and grabbed it, "Thanks, Puffy, I was looking for a quill."

"No problem." I responded, fighting down the smile that was coming to my face. I waited for a while, but no gasp of outrage came. I looked over my shoulder and saw the quill unused on Kai's desk. I accidentally made eye contact with him and he smirked, "Sorry, you aren't getting this quill back. I need it." I turned around but not before I saw his friend, who I never heard speak and was always just next to Kai. He was staring at the back of Janie's head unblinking. It was a little unnerving and I couldn't discern if he was staring at Janie or just zoning out completely.

My shoulders fell at the fact that I would not get to see the ink across his face in action, I would just have to hear about it from other people. Then again, maybe it is good if I am as far away as possible from the scene of the crime.

A few hours later, Lilah and I sat at the Great Hall for dinner when Carson came rushing up to me. He sat down with a huge, blinding smile on his face. "Did I ever tell you that you are the most brilliant witch to ever walk these halls?"

I smiled so widely it became a little sinister, "The ink worked?" I asked excitedly. I turned around and tried to find Kai's face but I realized if I were him I would be locked in a bathroom stall by now.

"Worked? It went perfectly. I am so glad you didn't tell me about it because it was the best surprise ever. The look on his face was priceless." Carson said. He reached over my plate and plucked some of my fries. I batted at his hand but kept the conversation on topic.

"Did he run out of the room?"

Carson shook his head, "At first he must have thought it was just a faulty quill or something because he wiped his face with his sleeves. It wasn't until Marcus said something to him that made him ask to be excused." Carson started laughing, "But because he had to ask, everyone turned around to look at him and people lost it. Poor Professor Sinistra didn't know what to say and when he left she spent at least five minutes trying to calm everyone down. It was incredible. Now all of Ravenclaw is using the nickname."

I looked up to the ceiling, "My life is made."

Lilah laughed at me, "What I would give to have seen that."

"Your Game Boy?" Carson asked cheekily.

"Nope, never parting with that." Lilah responded.

The Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor game came and went and, much to my dismay, Hufflepuff lost. We did put up a good fight at first, but that was due to some very unfair calls by Professor Snape against Gryffindor. His hatred for them ran deep, but it might have just been his hatred for golden boy Harry Potter.

Before I realized it, school was almost over. Classes flew by and interactions with Kai were typical for us. He had not jinxed me in response to the Quill fiasco but I slept with one eye open for weeks. I also started carrying around a little mirror and after every encounter with him I would quickly look at the pocket mirror to make sure there was nothing on my face or nothing in my hair.

A week before finals, Carson, Janie and I were at our usual table in the Library studying late. I had gotten popcorn from Trix and we played a game where, whenever someone got a question right, I would throw them popcorn and see if they could catch it.

For potions we did it so that each ingredient you got right, you got a piece of popcorn.

Janie stood up suddenly, "I can't do this any longer I am leaving." Carson and I looked at her in shock, "Are you sure?" I asked, "We still have a few more potions that we need to cover tonight before we complete the checklist."

Carson and I had created a complete checklist of everything we needed to know for each class. We were very diligent. Him a little more than me, but I still tried to pull my weight.

"I am positive, my brain is about to melt and I just need to go to bed."

We both wished her goodnight and continued to study.

About an hour later I was sitting on the table cross-legged and reciting constellations in an order that Carson and I made up. Carson's hand was deep in a bowl that no longer had any popcorn in it, but that did not stop him from trying. "Did I forget any?" I asked after I did my reciting.

"Lyra and Delphinus." He responded immediately. I pouted, "I keep forgetting Lyra, which is weird because it sounds so much like Lilah you would think I would be able to remember it."

"You've forgotten Delphinus twice too." He reminded me.

I glared at him, "Thank you, all knowing one." I said sarcastically. Carson shrugged in response and finally put the bowl down, "I give up, there is no more food and I am starving."

"Starving? It's nighttime." I looked out the window and something dawned on me, "Hold on, what time is it?"

Carson looked at me with wide eyes, "You don't think it's past curfew do you?"

I immediately jumped off the table and did a quick look around the library, "Considering that we are the only ones in year, I think that is a safe bet."

"Crap!" Carson said, grabbing all of his stuff in his arms, "Okay lets hurry back to our dorms and just pray that we don't run into anyone."

Our praying fell on deaf ears. Almost the second we walked out of the library we ran into Professor McGonagall, who looked less than pleased to see us, "What are you two doing here?" She asked.

"Sorry, Professor, we were studying and lost track of time completely." I said.

"You should have been paying better attention. The curfew is only there for the safety of the students. While I applaud both of you for your academic determination, I am going to have to take 10 points from each of your houses and give you detention. You will be with Professor Sprout Thursday evening. Now, hurry back to your dorms and I better not catch either one of you past curfew again." And with that we were dismissed.

Carson and I walked with our heads down, "Goodnight." I mumbled when we split to go to our separate common rooms.

Professor Sprout, while one of the nicest Professors at Hogwarts, was the worst person to serve detention for. Detention with Professor Sprout meant cleaning plants that smelled strange and almost getting bitten by weird fungi.

Tonight Carson and I were in charge of collecting Leaping Toadstool just outside of the forbidden forest. At first I thought it sounded easy, collecting some Mushrooms. But then Professor Sprout shared with us the little tidbit that the mushroom jumped around, which would make collecting two baskets full for the fifth years potions class tomorrow very difficult. "If you do not collect two baskets full, Professor Snape will be very upset with you." Professor Sprout warned before walking over to a garden she had near the forbidden forest barrier.

"I cannot believe how rotten our luck is." Carson sighed.

I nodded in agreement. "But at least we can make a game out of it! I mean jumping mushrooms, that sounds like it could be entertaining, right?"

Something moved in the corner of my eye, "I see one!" I got my wand out ready to recite the spell Petrificus Totalus, but just as I had spotted it, it disappeared.

"Over here!" Carson called, running toward the moving mushrooms. They were all jumping in a group together. I ran up to Carson, who had just narrowly missed the mushrooms with the spell. As I ran, I tripped over a tree root and fell hard on the ground, taking Carson with me. We both yelled and then erupted into giggles at our actions.

My wand had flung over deeper into the forbidden forest. "I'll get it." Carson offered, taking a few steps to grab my wand. He peered over a nearby tree and must have seen the mushrooms, "maybe if we go around them and each come on opposite sides, we'll be able to harvest them?"

I got to my feet and took my wand from him, getting in position. Carson mouthed the countdown 1…2…3, on three we both shouted the curse at the mushrooms. "Yes!" I exclaimed. But then I looked at Carson and realized his shot must have gotten the mushrooms, while my shot got him. I looked at my temporarily petrified friend.

"PROFESSOR SPROUT!" I screamed.

Carson ended up being fine, the spell wore off in an hour and a half. But I brought him my last two chocolate frogs as an apology. "I cannot believe what horrible aim you have." He said, after finishing both of the frogs off.

I threw my arms up in the air, "I am so sorry! It was just so much pressure with the count down and the harvesting and Professor Snape! If it makes you feel any better I did finish harvesting everything while you got that fun nap."

"It was not a nap! I was completely petrified, Brie!"

"Right, right. I am so sorry, it will not happen again."

"How on earth would it happen again?"

"I said it won't happen again."

Carson exhaled in exasperation, "You are ridiculous."

I smiled at him, "Do you want more sweets as an apology or are you going to wait to eat again until the end of the year feast?"

"I am a growing boy, I want more sweets."

When I sat next to Janie at the feast she looked sad, "I cannot believe our first year at Hogwarts is already over. It felt unfairly fast." I couldn't help but agree. It felt like I literally had just gotten back from winter break.

"Promise you both will write to me over the summer?" I asked Janie and Lilah. They both agreed wholeheartedly.

Dumbledore began to speak and I turned to Lilah, "At least we won't be in complete last, right?"

She nodded in agreement, "I feel bad for Gryffindor, but it's probably because Harry and his friends got 50 points taken off each a while back."

"Wait did you not hear about what happened with Harry Potter and Professor Quirrell?" Hannah asked across the table, shocked.

I shook my head, "I have barely spoken to anyone besides Carson because of finals."

We politely clapped for Slytherin, who had officially won the house cup. Or at least, until Dumbledore continued to speak, "Why would he announce the house cup tallies without completing the last minute point total?"

"Who wins points for wizards chess?" I ask again.

Hannah rolled her eyes, "I literally can't believe you haven't heard what happened. I have to tell you after this."

"Oh no, that means we lost." Lilah said sadly when the decorations changed to Gryffindor's colors.

When back at my dorms my friends and I were packing up all of our stuff, getting ready to leave for home. Hannah filled me in on everything that happened with Harry Potter and I shook my head in disbelief, "this boy can't catch a break can he? His life went downhill at birth quite honestly."

Hannah shrugged, "Can't be all bad to be the boy that lived though. I think it would be nice to have everyone know who I am."

"I don't know, I kind of like just being with our friends and not getting into too much drama."

My friends looked at me in disbelief, "You defaced Kai with the word Stinkai. Pretty sure you're okay with drama, Brie." Lilah said.

I laughed, "Okay but that, in my mind, is an exception." I looked around the dorm room and sighed, "I wonder how things will change being in second year."

"It is going to be amazing." Janie said confidently.

I wish she had been right.

I know I made year 1 pretty short and quick, this will probably be the shortest year just because they're young and only a few eventful things occur when you're 11 and not Harry Potter. I am trying to make this as realistic as possible, so immature actions and name calling (like Stinkai) is something that only 11 year olds would probably find hilarious. Still, I hope you enjoy and I will continue trying to update daily. I am having a lot of fun with this story and even though there aren't many of you following yet I hope that will change soon!

Thanks!