Author's note: I've been updating my Bughead like crazy so here is another (predictable) new story. Hogwarts style. Hell yeah.

Betty hugged her mother and father goodbye before getting onto the Hogwarts Express. It was her Seventh and final year at the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and to say she was excited would be an understatement. She had loved the idea of Hogwarts ever since she was a little girl, waving goodbye to Polly Cooper her first year. Then, it was Betty's turn to go to the school and the little girl was so excited and in wonderment at the idea of what her future would hold. She remembered her first night vividly: being sorted into Ravenclaw and meeting two people who would be her future best friends.

Kevin Keller and Jughead Jones were the greatest things that had happened to her when she was sorted into the house. The three of them had formed a tight bond, one interwoven over the course of the years that followed their first one at the great castle. The trio were like the modern-day Golden Trio, or so she liked to convince herself. Since the Second War, the wizarding world had faced great changes. There wasn't as much of a blood status reputation, something she was utterly grateful for.

Betty Cooper was a muggleborn and, had she been alive during the Second War, she knew that she wouldn't be able to be protected. The Dark Lord had reigned his terror over her world, going after muggleborns and blood-traitors alike. So, not only would she have been in danger, but so would have Jughead and Kevin, who were both purebloods but didn't give a damn about blood status.

As her feet carried her onto the train and down to the compartment that her and her boys usually found, she opened the door, finding the two of them already inside of it and waiting for her. She returned their smiles as she hoisted her trunk up onto one of the shelves before sitting down and exhaling.

"Morning, Betty," Kevin greeted her, and she grinned at him again.

"Hey, Kev; Jug," she returned, watching as Jughead nodded at her. The familiar swarm of butterflies danced their familiar routine in her stomach as his oceanic irises met hers'. She had harbored a crush on her best friend since First Year. And, predictably, hadn't uttered a single word. Partly out of not ruining their friendship but mainly because she feared his undoubtedly rejection would kill her. She caught Kevin's eye and shook her head slightly. Her other best friend knew about her crush, of course. Just like she knew about his crush on one Slytherin guy by the name of Moose. Both of them were too stubborn, (and, afraid), to own up to their crushes.

Just then, Jughead spoke up and she looked at him, stamping down on the butterflies.

"Did you have a good summer, Betts?" Jughead asked, and her heart fluttered at the nickname only he was allowed to call her. After all, he was the one who gave it to her. She nodded her head.

"Yeah, did some traveling with my parents. We met my sister in Paris and got to meet her husband, Jason, and then traveled throughout Europe with the two of them," she replied, smiling fondly at the memory.

"Anyone else think it's weird that Polly Cooper married Jason Blossom?" Kevin piped up.

"No," Betty and Jughead said simultaneously.

"Cheryl isn't the queen bitch she once was and Polly is happy," Betty explained. "Jason makes her really happy."

"Yeah, but they're purebloods," Kevin emphasized, and Betty quirked an eyebrow.

"So are you and Jug, yet you guys have lowered your standards to hang out with a mere peasant such as myself," she reminded him. Jughead rolled his eyes.

"Don't talk about yourself that way," he muttered, and her eyes flickered to his, noticing the way he frowned. She nodded.

"Besides," Betty continued. "The Second War ended the rivalries between blood statuses. Even Cheryl knows that."

Kevin thought that through before nodding.

"Alright, that's fair," he acquiesced, and Betty shared a secret grin with Jughead. They fell silent as the train wove it's way through hills and Betty watched as the scenery flashed by their window. Eventually, the lunch trolley came by and they each got a handful of goodies to hold them over until the feast that night. They talked intermittently throughout the remainder of the journey before changing into their robes. Eventually, the train rolled to a stop and they all disembarked and made their way to the Thestrals.

Betty was the only one out of her friends who could see them and that's because she watched grandmother die when she was thirteen. It was hard on her, to lose her grandmother, but every time she saw a Thestral, it was like her grandmother was there, in her own way. And that? That was good enough for Betty.

The three friends piled into a carriage, talking animatedly as they moved towards the castle. Once there and inside the vast school, they traipsed their way into the Great Hall, making room at the Ravenclaw table. As they talked, Betty could feel a pair of eyes on her and looked up and around, trying to spot who was looking at her. Kevin spotted him at the same moment she did.

"Why is Bret looking at you?" Kevin asked, and Betty shrugged, turning her back on him.

"No clue," she replied, not caring that the Slytherin was smirking at her. The two of them had never talked before and she wasn't going to start in her final year. Just then, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, announcing the arrival of the new students and they all watched as the Sorting Ceremony began. Betty clapped politely with the rest of her table as First Years were sorted into the different houses, cheering extra loud for the new Ravenclaws.

Once the sorting was through, the aged professor said a bit before the feast began, and then they were eating. Betty took a bite of her Steak-and-Kidney pie as they talked. She was laughing when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she spotted Bret still wearing his shit-eating grin and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" Betty asked bluntly.

"You're looking good, Cooper. Summer treated you right," he smirked, and Betty rolled her eyes.

"Gag," she muttered.

"Was there something we could help you with, Bret?" Jughead demanded, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at their fellow seventh year.

"Ah, Jughead. Just thought I'd say hello to our favorite girl here," Bret replied, and Betty took her turn to glare at him.

"I'm no one's girl, Bret, and you'd be wise to remember that. Now, do us all a favor and fuck off," she snapped. Bret just laughed.

"I'll be seeing you, Cooper," he said before turning on his heel and walking away from them. Betty pushed the unwanted encounter out of her mind before looking at Kevin and Jughead, who wore identical looks of annoyance

"Fucking idiot," Kevin groaned, and Betty laughed.

"Eh, it's fine. He's been a dick since first year," she reminded him.

"Why was Bret over here?" Another, familiar voice, piped up. Betty looked up to spot Veronica Lodge of Gryffindor grinning at her. She returned it.

"Hey, Veronica," she greeted the raven-haired beauty. The two girls weren't close friends, what with not always seeing each other because of being in different houses, but they were good enough friends, nonetheless.

"Hey, Betty," Veronica replied, smiling at Kevin and Jughead, too. Just then a flash of red appeared in Betty's peripheral and she smiled at Archie Andrews as his arms wound around Veronica's waist. The two of them had been dating since their third year and she had a feeling they'd be together for the long haul.

"Hey, Archie," Betty said.

"Betty," he grinned at her.

"Anyways, Bret?" Veronica asked.

"Oh, yeah. That. I don't know what he wanted," Betty said, shaking her head. "He's never acknowledged me before, let alone tried a conversation. So, yeah. Strange."

"Well, the first match of the season is Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Want me to throw a Quaffle at him?" Archie asked, and Betty rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"No need to do that, Andrews," she teased.

"You take all my fun away, Betty," he sighed, and Veronica giggled. Then Archie turned his attention onto Jughead.

"Hey, man," he greeted him, and Jughead nodded back as Kevin watched the interaction in front of him unfold.

"Hey, Andrews," he said.

"You guys coming to the first match?" Archie asked, and Betty looked at Kevin, then Jughead. They usually tried to go to a couple of Quidditch games throughout the year and she knew the Gryffindor would like their support so nodded.

"We'll be there," she promised, and he grinned.

"Great!" Archie enthused, and she chuckled gently at his exuberance.

"Well, we've got to get to the Common Room, but we'll catch up later, alright?" Veronica asked, and Betty hummed her agreement, watching as the couple walked away from them.

Eventually, the trio got up from their table and left the Great Hall. Betty felt Bret's eyes following her all the way out of the Hall.

This year was going to prove to be trying, she just knew it.

Author's note: Reviews? Xxx