Three months had passed and there were no unusual events that happened since Ron was poisoned. He was the main talk of the entire school, and he quite enjoyed it. It was a cool breezy day in the middle of February. The three girls and Albert talked to each other just fine. They had just woken up to an excited yell. Several seventh year students were gathered around a noticeboard. It said:

If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or before the 1st of September next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. It costs twelve Galleons. It starts tomorrow morning (you are excused from lessons if so). The test to get your apparition licence is on the 30th of April- you can only take it if you have turned seventeen years of age.  

Buzzing was heard as the girls and Albert got out a pen and wrote their names down:

Olivia Dragonheart

Amelia Clearwater

Isabell Bluesky

Albert Foxglove

‘Bet ya I’m going to fail,’ Isabell said, sighing.

‘Why though?’ said Amelia.

‘I tried it before with my dad, side-along apparition you know, and the feeling was horrible.’

‘I tried it too and it wasn’t that bad.’

Isabell shrugged. 

‘Wait… you can only take the test if you’re seventeen on the twenty first of April, but I’m not turning seventeen until the first of September,’ Olivia said, looking closely at the noticeboard.

‘You can always do the test next year though, you’re just going to have to take the course but not take the test,’ Albert said.

Olivia sadly nodded. Everyone was now asking Isabell how it felt like to apparate and it seemed that she liked the attention.

‘Well, it kinda gives you a weird sensation here (she pointed at her stomach) then you feel like you’re getting ripped to pieces. Also, you feel like you're banging your head on the wall.’

Isabell was continuously being asked questions about it until it was time for their lessons. Their first lesson was Transfiguration. They went down to the Transfiguration classroom to see that Professor Mcgonagall was patiently waiting for them. 

‘Take your seats, please.’

Everyone quietly sat down in their rightful seats 

‘Today we are learning human transfiguration. Not into-’

‘Not into animals?’ asked Ron.

‘Yes, Mr. Weasley, I’m certain that everyone in this class would have known,’ said Professor Mcgonagall in an annoyed tone. ‘It isn’t as though you just answered the most impossible question. Next time, I suggest you do not interrupt me when I’m speaking, thank you.’

Ron nodded as his ears turned red.

‘As I was saying, before Mr. Weasley interrupted, we will not be turning into animals, however we will be learning to change the colour of our hair, or rather, replacing our hair. Don’t worry, girls. The effects do not last much.’

Several girls in the class were horrified that they would be transforming their hair into a different colour.

‘What if Benjamin sees me with blue hair?’ a girl shrieked as she stroked her wavy brown hair, as though she were protecting it with all her life.  

‘Don’t worry, Ms. Isaac, I assure you that your humble relationship with Mr. Smith will not crumble to pieces. Now, let the lesson proceed without any more ridiculous interruptions.’ 

Professor Mcgonagall began conjuring mirrors then looked at the student’s confused faces. 

‘For now, you will all stand in front of a mirror since you would be more capable of transfiguring your hair if you are looking at your reflections.’

‘I don’t want to colour my hair orange, thank you very much,’ Isabell moaned, as usual. 

‘Thank you for another interruption, Ms. Bluesky. I really do suggest you start off and transform your hair to the colour blue. It would truly suit your personality,’ Professor Mcgonagall said, her nostrils clearly flaring. ‘You may begin.’

Some people, such as Olivia and Hermione, got their book and started to read a chapter all about transforming human hair. Amelia started as soon as Professor Mcgonagall said: begin. Isabell looked around then began trying to transform her hair. 

‘Look at that boy, over there,’ the Hufflepuff girl named Juliette, who had short, wavy brown hair and blue eyes, was whispering to her friend as she looked at Albert. 

‘What about him?’ her friend, who was a Ravenclaw, named Opal, asked. 

Opal had shoulder-length wavy blonde hair and forest green eyes. 

‘Imagine if he had blonde hair…’

The girls suddenly burst into roaring laughter and Albert heard what they were saying. 

‘Ms. Isaac and Ms. Davies, we don’t need a fourth interruption today.’ 

Juliette and Opal went back to their work, but they were still gossiping about Albert.  

‘What’s so funny about me having blonde hair,’ Albert muttered to himself. 

‘But wasn’t he the one who defeated that giant squid in our first year?’ Opal whisper-shouted. ‘When Albert was eleven, he looked so weak and his face was just so ugly to look at. But now he has actually developed some muscles and his face looks good.’

‘Opal, why are you obsessing over Albert when you already like Teddy?’ Juliette said, trying to hold her laughter. 

Albert gaped at them. 

So I was “weak” and “ugly”, huh?

‘Why are you nicknaming Theodore?’ 

‘Everybody says his name as Teddy,’ Juliette said, rolling her eyes. 

‘Ms. Isaac and Ms. Davies, if you continue with your conversation about boys I will escort you out of this class in an unkind way,’ Professor Mcgonagall said sharply, so that Juliette and Opal fell silent, but gave Albert a curious look. 

‘Look, I might like Teddy, but almost every girl hangs out with him. He sort of dates a girl then just leaves her. Then, he moves on to the other girl and so on. I only like him because he is actually good at teamwork assignments but I despise him because of what he did to me,’ Opal said, continuing the conversation. ‘He was going out with me then ditched me the next day and I found him snogging Anne, that Scottish girl in Gryffindor!’ 

‘So, now you’re going for Albert?’ Juliette whispered.  

‘I hear he likes that Dragonheart girl,’ Opal replied, glaring at Olivia, who was obviously too interested in the book to listen to them. ‘It’s worthless.’ 

Albert was clearly listening to them and didn’t realise that Professor Mcgonagall was calling his name… for the tenth time. 

‘Mr. Foxglove!’ 

Albert went back to consciousness and was currently facing a mad-looking Professor Mcgonagall. 

‘Excuse me, Mr. Foxglove, but why are Ms. Isaac and Ms. Davies gossiping about you in my class and apparently distracting you?’

‘Professor, you should probably ask them, not me,’ Albert said kindly. 

Professor Mcgonagall looked like she would unleash all her fury on him, but her face slightly softened and she twirled to the girls, her serious face in front of them.

‘Ms. Isaac and Ms. Davies, I am warning you. If you do not stop talking instead of practising, I will give you detention… for a month.’

‘B-but Professor-’ Juliette began.

‘One more word and you end up in detention,’ Professor Mcgonagall warned again, making Opal and Juliette finally stay quiet. 

Olivia had obviously heard Professor Mcgonagall and was looking at Albert in a confused way. 

‘I’ll explain later,’ he whispered as Olivia nodded, still confused. 

‘Alright, will Ms. Clearwater please demonstrate to the whole class who can transform the hair colour of a human?’ Professor Mcgonagall said after five minutes. 

Amelia got up from her seat and stood on a raised platform, which was where the teacher’s desk was positioned. She then faced the students and pointed her wand on her hair. They were to do it non-verbally but the spell was: Colovaria, which was hard to perform non-verbally so Mcgonagall allowed them to say it out loud for the sake of the students. Amelia’s hair turned pink, with streaks of blue.

‘Great job Ms. Clearwater. Ten points to Ravenclaw for performing it non-verbally, I assumed everyone would say it verbally but you do find ways to impress me. I’d like to see you try, Ms. Isaac, then you, Ms. Davies.’ 

Juliette worriedly, yet quickly, stepped on the raised platform instead of Amelia, who sat back in her seat and received a thumbs-up from Isabell and Olivia. Juliette hastily cleared her throat then pointed her wand on her hair. 

‘Colovario!’ 

Juliette had mispronounced it. Instead of colouring her hair, every desk had been painted with the picture of a handsome boy with brown-blonde hair and blue eyes. In addition, Juliette was also painted next to the boy, who was carrying her. Juliette went red on the spot. Some students snickered. Albert smiled.

I might have been weak and ugly, but I certainly didn’t have a sheep brain.

Professor Mcgonagall, with a simple swish of her wand, returned the desks back to normal. 

‘5 points from Hufflepuff for not focusing. Let’s see if Ms. Davies will do better than Ms. Isaac.’ 

Opal stood up and gave Albert a dirty look and then stepped on the platform. 

‘Calamary?’

Opal had also mispronounced it. Instead of colouring her hair, she had painted Professor Mcgonagall, making her have multiple faces of Opal doing kissy-faces. Surprisingly, the Opal’s on Professor Mcgonagall squeaked.

‘OPAL DAVIES LOVES THEODORE SIMMONS AND WISHES SHE CAN KISS HIM!’

Some students burst into laughter and others, such as Amelia, Isabell and Olivia, looked shocked. 

To make matters worse, Theodore had attended the lesson with them and looked at Opal, whose face turned red like Juliette. 

‘Thank you for that Ms. Davies, fifty points from Hufflepuff!’ said Professor Mcgonagall furiously. ‘I think that is your invitation for detention! You too Ms. Isaac.’

Opal muttered something unclear and joined Juliette, who was too scared to even show her face anymore. 

‘And you Mr. Simmons.’

Theodore raised his eyebrows.

‘But Prof-’

‘No excuses,’ Professor Mcgonagall said with her teeth gritted.

Theodore sighed and got up. He walked up to the platform and several girls giggled when he created a pose that resembled a superhero. He slowly pointed his wand on his fluffy brown hair and spoke:

‘Colovaria.’ 

Theodore’s brown hair suddenly changed to green with red highlights at the end. 

‘You have just saved yourself from detention, Mr. Simmons,’ Professor Mcgonagall said as Theodore high-fived with a bunch of his friends surrounding him. ‘Class dismissed, practise the spell for homework and write me an essay about the meaning of the incantation. Off you go to your next lesson immediately.

‘Ms. Isaac and Ms. Davies, please wait here, I will tell your professors that you will be late.’ 

Olivia, Amelia and Isabell exited the classroom, with Albert following them.

‘Which lesson have we got now?’ Amelia asked.

‘Defence Against the Dark Arts. Unfortunately,’ Isabell replied.

Isabell sighed as they headed to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a familiar cold voice. 

‘Take out your books and read page sixty three to seventy two.’

‘Nine pages, expected,’ Albert whispered angrily to the trio.

‘In silence,’ added Snape, eyeing the trio and Albert.

The students groaned as they got out their books and began reading.

Olivia seemed to be the only one who was actually interested, even Hermione wasn’t reading her book as she usually did. A few minutes had passed when Snape ordered them to stop.

‘The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defences must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. As you can all see, if you have carefully read the book, today I will teach you to master the imperturbable charm. You must be able to do it anyway, but I will teach you to do it non-verbally. I will pick a student to demonstrate it for the class.’

Snape scanned the classroom then stopped at Olivia, who was about to say something to Amelia, and grinned nastily.

‘I think Ms. Dragonheart will be able to show the class how it is done.’

Olivia stood in front of the class and pointed her wand at the door. She focused hard.

‘Let us see if Ms. Dragonheart has made the door impermeable.’ 

Snape walked towards the door, and conjured what seemed to be balls. He threw them at the door and they bounced off. 

‘Acceptable, but could be better, so one point from Ravenclaw,’ Snape said callously. 

‘BUT-’ Albert, Amelia and Isabell began.

‘Enough! Five points from Ravenclaw for that attitude towards teachers.’

Isabell growled as Snape told them to all start practising the spell. Olivia’s fury was rising, as well as Albert’s.

‘How..could…he-’ Albert said, breathing heavily after every word.

‘Hold it guys, ten minutes left,’ said Amelia calmly.

‘Why is Snape so…. Argh!’ 

Olivia kicked the door, and disastrously, Snape saw her.

‘Twenty points from Ravenclaw! I did not expect such behaviour from a sixteen year old! Another twenty points from Ravenclaw for talking in my lesson.’

‘But sir-’ Albert began.

‘Fifty points from Ravenclaw!’

The trio and Albert went silent. It was finally the end of the lesson after all the hard work and minus points they had received.

‘Class dismissed. Homework for today is to write me a minimum of fifty inch long essay about why impermeable charms are used. The keyword for today is: doors. Off you go to your final lesson before lunch.’ 

Their next lesson was Herbology, and unlike Potions and Transfiguration, which were one hour and twenty minutes, it was only forty minutes. They ended the lesson with no homework and empty stomachs. They headed to the Great Hall and had lunch. Their final lesson of the day was Charms.

Their day was finally at an end, as their heads were filled with learning and their eyelids heavy. Amelia, Isabell and Olivia stayed in the Common Room, writing the fifty inch essay for Snape.

‘I can’t think of an introduction,’ Amelia groaned. ‘Why does Snape have to give us homework?’

‘He’s just cruel. It’s something you would always expect from him.’

Isabell looked at Olivia, who was writing so quickly that they could barely see her hand.

‘How in the world are you writing- you already finished a page?’ Isabell gasped so loudly and dramatically that several students looked at her in curiosity. 

Olivia didn’t reply as she continued to write on the next parchment. Amelia and Isabell gaped at each other, then at Olivia, who had already finished the second page.

‘How-’

‘I’d recommend starting rather than staring at me because I will not let you copy,’ Olivia said, sighing as she started on her fourth page.

Isabell groaned as she and Amelia began on their essay. About ten minutes later, Olivia was done, Amelia was on her second page and Isabell had just finished her first one.

‘You finished?’ she said, her mouth wide open.

Olivia nodded as she stood up. Amelia stared at her.

‘No. I won’t let you copy, because that’s obviously what you want.’

‘C’mon Olivia… and we’ll change some words so Snape doesn’t find out,’ Isabell pleaded, making puppy eyes.

‘It’s not that. How will you learn?’

‘We’ll learn by reading what you wrote.’

Olivia considered it then finally agreed as it was almost midnight.

‘Thanks Liv, I don’t know what we could’ve done without you,’ Amelia said, yawning.

Olivia smiled as she rolled her eyes and handed Isabell her parchment. Amelia and Isabell quickly copied it down. Someone entered the Common Room. It was Albert.

‘Hey Albert,’ Olivia said.

Albert nodded in reply as he took out his wand to practise the spell for Transfiguration.

‘Did you finish Snape’s essay-?’

Albert shook his head.

‘Then-’

Albert shrugged as he took out a paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. 

‘Why aren’t you talking?’ asked Amelia.

Albert showed them the paper which said:

Can’t talk. Draco put a spell on me. He said there isn’t a counterspell for it, so don’t bother. I guess I’ll have to mime for the rest of my life.

Olivia glared at Amelia, who looked back at her. 

‘What? It’s not like I told him to do that, or helped him. ’

‘Albert, you’re not going to mime for the rest of your life,’ Isabell said. ‘That will be weird.’

‘Says the girl who can’t believe that I can write a whole page just because I don’t speak nonsense,’ Olivia spoke. 

‘It’s not the fact that you wrote a page, it’s the fact that you wrote it so fast.’

‘Yeah, right. Anyway, Albert, don’t worry, we will find a way. We just need to go to the Library.’

Albert nodded.

‘There is a counterspell. Draco just told you that so you could leave him alone or something,’ explained Amelia, a knowing look in her eye.

Well, then help me already. I don’t want to mime for the rest of my life. Do any of you know the counterspell, then?

Everyone shook their heads. 

‘No, but we’ll look for it in the Library,’ said Olivia confidently as she stood up.

It was dark already, but they decided that they wouldn’t leave Albert literally speechless. They crept out of the Common Room, as quietly as they could. They finally reached the Library and thankfully, without anyone catching them. Amelia tried to open the door but it was locked. Albert groaned quietly.

‘Wait. Alohomora!’ Olivia said.

The lock made a click! It was unlocked. Isabell opened it as they entered quietly. They could hear heavy footsteps, which they knew belonged to the Librarian. They saw her shadow against a bookcase. She was muttering angrily, carrying books in her hand.

‘Filthy students…’ she was muttering. ‘Don’t know how to take care of a book!’

The trio and Albert went over to the counterspells section.

‘We need to spread out, otherwise, it’ll take us a long time,’ Olivia whispered as Amelia, Isabell and Albert nodded.

They each picked a bookcase and began searching for a book about unknown counterspells. They didn’t want to use magic to find it since the Librarian was still around. 

‘Where is that counterspell…’ Isabell said, frustrated. 

‘We need to look more, relax,’ Amelia calmly replied. 

They continued to scavenge through piles of books, but all hope was soon lost. The Librarian had yelled at them at least ten times, her veins showing and her face red with madness and her eyes hollow. 

‘We can ask her…’ mumbled Olivia quietly, glancing at the Librarian, who was mending books with her wand.

‘It’s worth a try…’ Amelia sighed.

They looked at Albert, who nodded desperately. 

‘Excuse me-’ Isabell began. 

‘CHILDREN ARE JUST CARELESS AND DON’T APPRECIATE THE BOOKS!’ The Librarian yelled, her body fuming. 

‘Then why is there a Library?’ Isabell whispered sarcastically.

‘Where’s the book for unknown counterspells?’ asked Amelia hastily.

But Amelia saw that the Librarian was holding it. The Librarian looked at Amelia then shoved the book away from their sight. Amelia tried to grab it, but the Librarian was now protecting the book and not letting them touch them. Now Amelia and Isabell were trying to grab hold of the book, but the Librarian started speaking, her voice serious and loud. 

‘It’s restricted. You must have permission from a teacher. Come back tomorrow when you get that permission. Actually, don’t come back tomorrow. NOW, OUT!’

Olivia muttered angrily as they strode off to the Ravenclaw Common Room before any teacher spotted them out of bed before curfew. 

Albert got out a paper and wrote:

I’m doomed. Now I really have to mime for the rest of my life.

Isabell shook her head and then did weird movements. 

‘What-’

Albert knew what Isabell was doing; she was mocking him by miming. Albert looked away and tucked his hands in his pockets furiously and walked up the stairs of the Ravenclaw tower and up to the Boy’s Dormitory. 

‘Why’d you do that, Isabell?’ Olivia questioned angrily.

‘He’s overreacting. “I’m going to mime for the rest of my life”, honestly.’

‘Just imagine not being able to speak. It’s hard,’ said Amelia.

Isabell groaned and she rushed up the circular stairs and immediately seated herself by the fire in the Common Room, for she didn’t feel an ounce of sleepiness. Amelia and Olivia, however, went to the dormitory and fell asleep almost immediately.