Jade sat at a table in the Great Hall,  munching a slice of pizza. She had gotten out of Occlumency class early, but Alana and West, her best friends, were still in first-year Charms together. Jade was a third-year, but she had friends all over the school. Second years, fifth years, even some of the professors and prefects.

Two red-haired girls swung down into the seats on either side of her, one in green robes and one in red and gold. The girl with the green robes was a Grizzleheart, like Jade. Grizzlehearts were caring, loyal, kind, and always stuck together. The other, with the red and gold checkered pattern on her robes, was a Lammasador. Lammasadors were brave, fierce, honest, and bold. The Grizzleheart had long, reddish-brown hair, and the Lammasador had short hair the color of a carrot.

"What's hanging, girl?" asked Alana, the Grizzleheart. She reached over and stole one of Jade's pieces of pizza. Jade smacked her hand, but Alana took a bite and shrugged.

"Charms class was sooooo hard," West moaned. She had a bowl filled with salad and a slice of pizza covered in vegetables. "We had to enchant our partners with a Chattering Charm- and Alana wouldn't stop talking!" She stabbed a tomato so vociferously that her fork snapped.

Alana came back to the table, plate filled with pepperoni pizza, a packet of chips, a salad, and three chocolate chip cookies. She had a celery stick in her mouth, and when she sat down she looked vaguely like a red haired rabbit.

"You have no idea how difficult Occlumency is," Jade said, taking a sip of her pumpkin cider. "We have to center our minds, and then we have to let our partners prod around in our brains and see what we're thinking. We're going to use Pensieves next week, which means everyone will have exposure to everyone's memories. Good thing I'm not shy." She flushed suddenly, looking at the entrance to the Hall.

"Jade and Jack, Jade and Jack," Alana sang under her breath, prodding Jade in the shoulder.

"Be quiet, he'll hear you!" Jade shrieked, face going red. Jack was her friend/more than a friend/complicated. He was cute, with light hair and a button nose and the bluest eyes. He had just come into the Great Hall, and he flashed a general smile at their table before going to get in line for pizza. "Just because he kissed me once..."

"And asked you to the dance, and writes you little notes every day, and walks you to classes, and leaves you little tiger lilies..." West gave her a thumbs-up.

"You get even glowier than usual when you see him," Alana said.

To deflect further teasing from her friend, West changed the topic of conversation. "The Headmaster said he had an important announcement to make tonight at supper. I wonder what it is."

"Maybe we're getting the common rooms redone," Alana said, biting into her pizza. "I want better chairs for ours, and the fireplace is dreadful. Moss everywhere." She dropped crumbs onto the table, and West carefully averted her eyes.

"Or maybe we're going to have another ball! The masquerade last month was so much fun!" Jade took a salt and vinegar chip from Alana's plate. The masquerade had been amazing. She had danced with her friend Lola, and Edward the fourth year, and Margaret, a Grizzleheart second year. There had been tables full of cookies, and loads of fun. The music had been great, too. The headmaster had gotten Music is Might to come and play, and they stayed up until eleven thirty dancing and then collapsed in their dormitories fully dressed.

"Or maybe we're getting a new professor, for Transfiguration." West looked thrilled. Eaglesclaw hadn't had a Transfiguration teacher, but she was dying to learn.

"I wonder," Jade said dreamily, staring at the candles floating above them.