With the light of dawn peeking through the curtains, Hailey woke with a start, immediately disoriented and wondering where she was. Moments later, it all came flooding back, and she couldn’t help the grin that split her face in two. I’m at a school to learn magic, and even better, with my best friend! 

Suddenly full of energy and excitement to start her first day at Hogwarts, Hailey flung her blankets back and hopped off the top bunk with a dull thud. A whispered apology to Hermione who stirred slightly with a murmured complaint in her sleep, Hailey looked around their room. She had been too tired the night before to look around too much, and so she intended to do that now, while Hermione slept. 

In the dim light, Hailey could barely make out that in the corner, partially hidden by the desks, was a small old style wood stove made out of black iron. The door was closed, not allowing any smoke or the flicker of flames out. Reaching over, Hailey felt heat radiating from it and decided to leave it alone. Opening the curtain revealed the grounds outside and part of the Black Lake that they had sailed across the night before. 

She didn’t feel right exploring in just her pajamas, so she quickly got changed into her new school robes and quietly left the room. 

Pulling up short, Hailey looked around in confusion. She found herself in a round room that had a door identical to theirs but with three golden names on it to her left and two doors opposite the bedrooms. 

“This isn’t where we entered from…” she mumbled to herself. 

She could see the Black Lake through the window to her right as she crossed to the two other doors. Opening the door on the right slowly, Hailey walked into a room with toilets, showers and sinks with mirrors. 

“Neat!” Hailey smiled and closed the door, hesitantly opening the next door, before stepping through as she recognised the area that Hermione and herself had entered their room from. 

The lights brightened as she stepped through and closed the door. Hailey slowly browsed the various books and tomes on the bookshelves. She discovered little nooks built into the side of the common room with comfortable seats and a movable light orb to read by. Running her hand gently over the books, Hailey read the titles on the spines, pulling the ones out that didn’t have one. 

Selecting a book randomly, Hailey grabbed it and sat down in the closet nook. Musings on Wandless Casting wasn’t a very large book, and with how stiff it was, it felt like it was rarely read, but it certainly sounded handy to know to Hailey. Quickly falling into the book, Hailey was startled when the lights in the common room brightened further, and she could hear students moving about. 

Sam appeared suddenly, frowning before smiling slightly at Hailey. “Couldn’t sleep? Too excited?” She asked with a knowing smile. 

Hailey shrugged as she closed the book. “I guess so. I woke up early and didn’t feel like sleeping. I hope that’s okay?” A little worry showed on her face. 

The older witch smiled and winked. “I won’t tell, if you don’t. Honestly, it’s a grey area. There’s a curfew for getting to the common room and it’s encouraged to be in bed not long after then.” She looked thoughtful before turning to look imploringly at Hailey. “Just… don’t abuse the leeway, okay? It’s great that you want to read, but balance that with some common sense.”

Standing up and nodding, Hailey smiled at the prefect. “I promise! I’m going to go and get ready for the day. It’s okay to borrow this book, right?”

Sam smiled and nodded in response. “That’s fine, just don’t take it out of the tower, and bring it back in a few days, or it’ll make its way back on its own.”

Hailey waved her acknowledgment and started walking back to her room when Sam called out to her. “Oh, and Hailey? When you come down, wait near the entrance, there’s a few extra rules and information I want to talk about with your year.”

“Will do!” She chirped, making her way to her room to get ready. 

⚡

The sun was well and truly up by the time that Hailey and Hermione made their way to breakfast. Sitting side by side at the Ravenclaw table, discussing what their first class would be and eating when a small man walked along the Ravenclaw table, handing out pieces of paper to the students. The man couldn’t have been any taller than three feet tall. 

“Miss Potter? Apologies for the late timetable. It’s a pleasure to meet you, I am Professor Flitwick, your head of house and charms teacher. Here’s your timetable,” he squeaked, handing her a parchment. 

Hailey grabbed the paper. “Thanks, professor!”

Flitwick blinked in surprise. “I wasn't aware you spoke Druid, Miss Potter. What a pleasant surprise!”

Blushing, Hailey glanced at Hermione briefly, before looking at the tiny professor with a grimace. “Sorry, professor, Hermione. I didn’t realise I had done that. I honestly don’t know how I am doing it.”

“It’s fine, Miss Potter. Oh, I love a good mystery! Perhaps we can spend some time soon finding out why and how?” 

The grin on his face was infectious as Hailey grinned back. “Sure!”

“Have a great first day today, Miss Potter,” The professor said, before greeting and handing Hermione her timetable. 

Hermione glanced at Hailey. “Spoke Druid again?” 

With a grimace, Hailey nodded. “Yeah. Hopefully one day we will know how, and why.”

“I’m sure we will. Especially with Professor Flitwick helping us. Doesn’t stop me from being jealous though.” She smiled at Hailey before looking down at her timetable. “Oh, double transfiguration first thing!” She exclaimed happily. 

Grinning, Hailey bumped her shoulder gently. “It’s like Christmas morning. Should we leave now? I’m pretty sure the first bell is about to ring.”

With a stricken look, Hermione jumped up with a squeak and grabbed her bag. “Oh no! We better go, we don’t want to be late!”

Hailey grabbed her bag and stood up too. “Let’s go.”

Hermione shrieked as Dora appeared as she turned around. “Oh goodness! You nearly gave me a heart attack, Dora!” She exclaimed, holding her chest. 

With a grin, Dora winked. “Sorry,” she said, completely unapologetically. “Just wanted to tell Hailey that we’ll meet up at lunch time to discuss the details of her capitulation.”

With a harrumph, Hailey let out a fake laugh. “Don’t make me laugh, sister. I’ll be Queen Prankster, thank you very much! I’d love to verbally spar with you some more, but we have transfiguration first thing, and we don’t want to be late. Can you tell us where to go?”

Dora smirked, but ignored Hailey’s declaration. She pointed behind her and gave them directions. A quick thanks and goodbye to Dora, Hailey and Hermione rushed past her. 

Ten or so minutes later, they rushed to the open door for their classroom. As they came in, Hailey saw several students at their desks, watching a cat sitting unnaturally still, watching them as they looked for a seat. 

“Oh! So that’s why I got the impression of a cat! Good morning, Professor!” Hailey called brightly to the cat. The silver tabby with markings around its eyes like glasses blinked, before she shimmered and suddenly Professor McGonagall was standing next to the desk. 

The professor looked as surprised as the rest of the students did. “How did you know it was me, Miss Potter?”

Hailey shrugged with a small smile. “I don’t know any other cats with your name, Professor.”

“Yes, quite. Well, please take a seat. We will be starting shortly,” McGonagall replied, a small tight lipped smile flashed momentarily. 

Several minutes later, and the class was full of students that had staggered in, most apologising for being late. 

McGonagall waved them off, stating that, for this time only, she would forgive them. Hailey could have sworn she saw the professor glance at her once or twice as she told them this, and wondered why. 

With a wave of her hand, the door to the classroom closed. “Now that we are all here. Would anyone like to tell the class what transfiguration is?”

Hermione’s hand shot up instantly, followed by Hailey’s a moment later. 

“Yes, Miss Granger?”

Hermione put her arm down, a pleased but serious look on her face. “Transfiguration is the branch of magic which changes one object into another.”

The professor looked pleased. “Correct. A textbook answer, the textbook answer, to be accurate. Well done, five points to Ravenclaw.”

Hailey smiled as she watched her friend beamed in happiness, her hands wiggling excitedly on the desk. 

Professor McGonagall looked stern all of a sudden. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned. Now that that is over with, we can get started.”

For the next half an hour, McGonagall talked them through the magical theory of transfiguration, explaining its intricacies and how best to cast the spell. Her explanation ended with a demonstration of the professor changing her match into a perfect example of a silver needle. 

Hailey’s eyes widened as she felt the magic form. Whenever anyone else had cast a spell, it had been too fast for her to make much sense of what she was feeling. McGonagall had somehow done it slowly enough, and along with the explanation of the spell itself, Hailey had an almost instinctual understanding of how it worked. Magically at least. She had no idea if it had a scientific explanation. 

“On your desk in front of you. You will see a matchstick. Your assignment for the rest of the period is to try and change it to a needle. You may grab a needle as a reference if you need one. Take out your wand, do the wand movement I taught you, and speak the incantation Acufors. Begin.”

Picking up her wand, Hailey concentrated on the magic she had felt and what she wanted the needle to look like. Flicking her wand, she spoke the incantation and watched as her matchstick slowly changed from light brown to silver as it turned into a needle. 

Hailey watched as Hermione copied her, both watching as her matchstick gained a silver-like wooden colour. 

McGonagall leaned over their desk, inspecting both of their works with a keen eye. “Very good job, girls. Most impressive. Five points each to Ravenclaw for your exemplary spell work.” The professor took out her wand and tapped both of their needles with a quickly whispered, “Flintifors,” watched as their matchsticks changed back to normal. “Now, again. Practice makes perfect, as they say!”

For the rest of their class, Hailey and Hermione practised the spell. Hailey had it down perfectly, Hermione being a close second by the time the bell rang. 

The Ravenclaw first years split with the Hufflepuffs as they made their way to charms with the Gryffindors. They found the door open and Professor Flitwick inside, standing on several books in front of his desk. The room was large with dozens of student desks sitting in a half circle around the teachers desk. The tiny professor had a smile on his face as he watched the two house group walk in hesitantly. 

“Come in, come in! Take a seat and get comfy please. We have an exciting first lesson!” Flitwick squeaked in excitement. The tiny man was positively vibrating with glee. 

Once everyone had situated themselves, the professor got them started by explaining how important charms were to magical education. From simple charms like lighting your wand or softening objects to levitating objects to the advanced Patronus charm. Once he finished displaying the charms he mentioned, Flitwick got them to try out the wand lighting charm and if anyone had managed to do that successfully several times in a row, he encouraged them to try the softening charm. 

Hailey and Hermione were able to successfully cast both charms before the end of the lesson, and they spent the rest of the time discussing what they had learned so far. They particularly enjoyed softening their seats for more comfortable sitting. 

Defence Against the Dark Arts was just such a disappointment with Professor Quirrel being so strange and nervous, he could barely say anything to teach. Hailey and Hermione ended up just reading and quizzing each other chapters of their Defence book. 

Hailey left as soon as the bell rang for lunch. She got a strange feeling around the defence professor that she couldn’t quite understand. He creeped her out. 

“Think quick! Titillatio!” Hailey heard, just before Dora’s tickle spell hit her. She felt the ghost of fingers start to tickle her before her body absorbed the magic and the hex ended. 

Dora stomped her foot. “Aww, man! I was hoping it would distract you enough to not fail!”

Hailey smirked at her adopted older sister. “So much for big bad Auror training.”

“Hey, no fair! You cheat,” Dora pouted. 

With a smile, Hailey patted Dora’s shoulder as she walked past her. “Sounds like loser talk to me. Have you eaten yet? I’m starving.”

As Dora put an arm around Hailey’s shoulder, leading her to the Hufflepuff table, Hermione spoke up in a huff. “That was against the rules, Dora!”

Dora giggled. “Practising to be a prefect already, Hermione? Never too early!”

“Oh, yeah, we need to talk about the rules for our prank war,” Hailey said, nodding as she sat down next to Dora before she frowned as she looked around. “Wait… this is the Hufflepuff table.” She leaned in to Dora to whisper. “Is this allowed?”

Glancing at her fellow Hufflepuff’s, Dora shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fine. My housemates won’t have a problem.” The last was said in a slightly threatening tone and a glare around her.

Hermione hesitated for a moment before nervously sitting down next to Hailey. “I hope we don’t get in trouble.”

With a wave of her hand, Dora dismissed Hermione’s concern. “Don’t worry about it. My fellow ‘Puffs are cool.”

By the time they had finished lunch, Hailey and her sister had hashed out rules for their prank war, with the occasional reluctant input by Hermione. 

“So… I always wondered what a Ravenclaw prankster would be like, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised there would be rules.” Dora snorted, shaking her head. She looked down at the parchment they had written the rules on, then held it up so they could double check it. 

1. No pranking in class. 
2. No dangerous pranks. 
3. Pranks should be funny, not mean. 
4. No permanent side effects. 
5. Cannot be too messy, if so, then the prankster will have to clean it. 
6. If anyone is recruited to help, they must be declared first. 
7. Nothing too embarrassing or degrading
8. Make sure to avoid collateral damage to students, staff and the school.
9. No breaking the school rules to prank, bending them is okay. (Spells in the corridor to be used at one’s discretion). 
10. The war will be paused over the holidays or during any serious moments
11. Hermione is off limits unless she declares herself involved. 

“I think that’s good. Any more you want to add?” Dora asked. 

Hailey shook her head. “Nope. I think we’re good. Hermione?”

Hermione reread the rules silently, her mouth forming the words, a look of concentration on her face. Hailey thought it was adorable when she blushed on the final rule. 

After a moment to think, her friend shook her head as well. “If I can’t convince you not to do this, then this is good enough,” Hermione responded, shaking her head, but Hailey could see her lips twitch in a small smile. 

“Great! Now, you remember what I taught you?” Dora asked. 

Hailey nodded, then both girls spoke at almost the same time. “One, two, three, four, we declare a prank war!”

“Merlin, save us all…” a student nearby muttered, watching the two sisters and shaking his head. 

Dora smirked at the boy. “You’ll live, Diggory.”