Hey guys! Here's the next chapter...its a short one but its the last one before the time skip. Read on...

The howler came the next morning at breakfast. A large regal looking owl swooped down to where Kelly, James, Echo, Lyra, Andy, Brady and Zack sat at the Gryffindor table, dropping a red envelope in front of Lyra as well as sticking its leg out to reveal another letter. Kelly handed Lyra a bit of toast to give to the impatient owl that was pecking at the girl.

"It's best to just open it quick. You know, just get it out of the way," James nudged Lyra's shoulder, "I got a few of those last year. I'm not sure if anything can compare my mum's rages. Am I right Kels?" Kelly laughed thinking of the many times during their years in Ashleigh Knolls when she and James had been subject to the wrath of Mrs. Potter.

"He's right Lyra," She gave the nervous looking girl a small but reassuring smile, "I don't think it could be that bad."

"Then you obviously don't know my grandfather," She let out a nervous laugh but opened the bright red envelop. Lucius Malfoy's furious voice filled the Great Hall.

"LYRA CALLIDORA MALFOY! HOW DARE YOU GET YOURSELF SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THE KIND OF SHAME YOU ARE BRINGING TO THE MALFOY NAME!" Kelly looked over at Lyra who looked like she could lose herself to tears at any moment. Many of the other students at breakfast had fallen silent, waiting to see what would come out of the letter next, "YOU HAVE BEEN SORTED INTO A HOUSE FILLED WITH SCUM LIKE POTTER AND WEASLEY! WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING MORE SHAMEFUL," Many of the older Weasleys sitting further down the table sent glares toward the first year. "I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FATHER, YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND I ARE NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH THIS SITUA-" Kelly watched as Lyra jumped up from the table, looking determined not to let anyone see her tears. She looked to Echo who nodded and the two of them followed the girl out of the Great Hall where the howler's cries could still be heard and into the courtyard.

"Hey," Kelly tentatively approached the Lyra, who stared out at the horizon, still struggling with the tears that begged to fall, "How are you feeling," She asked awkwardly.

"Why are you even out here?" Her startlingly grey eyes met Kelly's soft blue ones, "Your best friend is a Potter and you practically grew up with the Weasleys. Didn't you hear my grandfather in there?" Echo let out a small giggle that was met by a warning look and an elbow to the ribs from Kelly and an icy glare from Lyra.

"That's just it," Kelly smiled at Lyra, "That was your grandfather in there, and I guess your grandmother and father, too. Their words and his opinions, not yours. And as my tactless friend over here was attempting to say; it doesn't matter who your parents are. I mean you must've been put in Gryffindor for some reason. You're not like the rest of you family."

"Yeah, you're a Gryffindor and Gryffindor girl are sisters, right here," Echo pointed to her heart, "We don't care and I doubt the boys will either." Kelly smiled as Lyra nodded.

"You know, it's okay to let a few tears go once and awhile and just have a good cry. It really does make you feel better," Kelly nudged Lyra on the shoulder.

"Thanks, but I'm alright," She smiled hesitantly, but that was enough for Echo who wrapped the other two girls up in a hug.

"Remember Gryffindor girls are sisters, no matter what." The three girls burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter at that.

"Er, Lyra, I think this is yours. It was by your plate after the howler exploded," The girls turned to see Brady Cassidy standing before them holding a small piece of parchment. Kelly watched as Lyra took the note, her eyes lighting up as they drifted over the little note.

"Looks like this ones better than the other one," Echo joked, though Kelly gave her a warning look, "Who's it from?"

"Oh, my mum," Lyra smiled widely, "She's like my lifeline when my dad gets all 'uphold the family honor' on me. I didn't think she would care all that much about me being in here."

"Well at least you have her," Kelly grinned, and Brady sat down with the girls.

"Er, if this isn't too much or something, I was just wondering why your grandfather was so angry?" Brady looked at Lyra questioningly, "I mean weren't the two wizarding wars about ending the prejudice about muggles and muggle-borns? Shouldn't this thing be all over?" Kelly looked at Brady then at Lyra, who chuckled softly.

"You're muggle-born aren't you," Brady looked taken aback, but he nodded, "The wars were about 'ridding the world of filth' as my grandfather and his friends saw it, or ending the genocide against muggles, like Mr. Potter and his friends did. Even though the wars are over it doesn't mean that prejudice really went away. Many of my grandfather's and my father's friends who are rotting away in Azkaban right now are still waiting for another chance to wipe the wizarding world clean. It's really sickening actually. In my family, the problem isn't really the muggle-borns, its just Potters and Weasleys. My father doesn't like to talk about them really, but when he does its never good," She shook her head, giving a half-hearted chuckle, "But really, who ever heard of a Malfoy who wasn't in Slytherin, much less in Gryffindor."

"Then you're the first," Echo smiled, "It's something to be proud of, you don't have to be like anybody else, just be Lyra." They all nodded in agreement.

"Come on, we should all be getting back into the Great Hall. They should be handing out schedules now and we wouldn't want to be late to our first class." Kelly stood, extending a hand to Lyra, who took it gratefully.

"Alright, head up high. You're a Gryffindor," Echo joked, "We don't let a little howler stand in our way."

"Oh, bugger off E," Kelly rolled her eyes and the three girls walked back into the Great Hall. "It's okay, Ly, don't think about them." She smiled reassuringly as Lyra nodded, though she did see her sneaking a few peeks over to the Slytherin table where Anthony Zabini and Adella Avery sat. "Not even them," She whispered quietly, so no one else could hear, "It's alright, if they're really your friends then it'll be fine." The three girls made their way back to the Gryffindor table with Brady trailing behind. They sat down, ignoring the looks they were getting from other Gryffindors further down the table. "Don't worry, they'll warm up to you," Kelly smiled warmly, "But we're not taking about this anymore right now." Lyra nodded and sat down, head held high even though she could hear her name in the hushed conversations that went on all around her. Kelly silently nudged her shoulder and they turned back to their friends' conversation.

"Hello? Zack?" James and Andy violently shook their hands in front of Zack's dazed face, "Zack? Are you okay in there?" Kelly smirked, following Zack's glazed over eyes to the Ravenclaw table, more specifically to Selena Madison. She sat in the center of a circle of other 2nd year Ravenclaw girls. Kelly had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing out loud. She smacked Zack in the back of the head and he blinked rapidly looking confused.

"There we go, he's back now," Kelly laughed, "You might want to work on your tact for next time," Zack looked at down at his eggs, his face flushed bright red, "Do you even know her?"

"Well not really," Zack went even redder, while James and Echo looked on with confusion, "But I will," Kelly laughed.

"Of course."

"Wait, who are you two talking about?" James broke in.

"Oh, I don't know," Kelly replied, smirking as James gave her puppy-dog eyes. "Put the face a way Jamie. Come on girls we've got to get to Charms." Kelly stood, followed by Echo and Lyra, and the three girls turned to leave the Great Hall.

Thanks for reading...leave me a review if you want : )