Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

I can't help it, I'm nervous. So when I'm nervous I chew on my left cheek. Chew even when I taste blood. Why I'm I nervous you may ask. I'm nervous because right now I'm on the Hogwarts express on my way to my first year at Hogwarts. That's why I'm nervous.

I really don't want to be a total loner. All my friends back home are muggles, so I'm sort of a muggle born but I'm actually a half-blood. It's confusing, I know. I'm not doing a good job at making friends though. I'm in a compartment all by myself! My sister wouldn't let me join her in her compartment.

I think my sister Jessica secretly dislikes me, a lot. She's five years older than me so we never really bonded. Also, she is crazy smart! One of the best ravenclaws Hogwarts has ever seen. Just this past summer she got her results to her OWLs, all Os! How am I supposed to be as smart as her! My father was a ravenclaw as well. My mom is a Canadian muggle! The best part about that is I don't even have a British accent! My sister does, but not little lucky me! Boy are they going to think I'm strange.

I look out the window to see that we're almost at Hogwarts!

"I got to get changed!"

Quickly closing the curtains just to make sure no one can see. Then I get into my Hogwarts uniform. Wonder what house I'll be put in? Seriously, what if I don't get in ravenclaw? My sister would probably kill me with her evil glare. Well I guess I'll just have to find out.

The train stops and I know we've arrived. Here I go!


	2. Chapter 2

Well here's something Jessica could have told me! First years have to cross the black lake to get to Hogwarts. I'm not afraid of water or anything like that, it's just I'm not good with sharing a boat. I quickly spot one with no one in it and jump in. But to my complete displeasure two boys get on the boat.

One of them is short and chubby, and has chocolate crumbs around his mouth. The other one is really skinny and looks quite absent to the world. Yay! I have boat buddies, my thoughts filled with sarcastic words. Suddenly the boat starts moving by its self. I guess these are obviously magic boats that move by themselves. Great! As long as I don't have to row the boat with this extra weight.

We finally get to the castle. Professor McGonagall takes us to the great hall. My heart is pumping so hard I can assure you that the kid next to me can hear it. I'm going to be sorted in less than like 20 minutes. I've never been more excited and nervous at the same time. All we first years enter the hall behind professor McGonagall.

I see my sister right away, at the Ravenclaw table. She's talking with her many friends. She is quite pretty. With her straight long bronze hair and stupid big pretty blue eyes. I hate how I'm jealous! I'm named after my eyes. Yes they're emerald eyes. So my parents called me Emerald. It sucks because my name is sort of a tongue-twister. Emerald Ride. I can't wait for McGonagall to try to spell my name!

Anyways, back to the whole sorting thing.

Professor McGonagall has started calling names. There's a stool next to her and she's holding a really ruffed up hat, aka the Sorting Hat. A tall girl walks up to the stool and sits down. The hat barely touches her when it yells in a clear voice: "Ravenclaw!"

The Ravenclaw table claps loudly while the happy looking girl joins them. A few names go by. Suddenly after the name Cedric Diggory is called, a bunch of girls next to me start staring with googly eyes.

He's tall, nice looking with really light brown hair, maybe dirty blonde. He sits down on the stool confidently and when the hat is on his head for like two seconds, it yells: "Hufflepuff!"

Name after name goes by and I'm starting to get really impatient! I hear the name John Peterson and think maybe I'll finally be next! He gets sorted into Gryffindor, now I suddenly feel crazy nervous.

"Emerald Ride." says professor McGonagall with a hint of tongue-twisting.

Oh my gosh, that's me! I walk up slowly, knowing very well that Jessica is staring at me, everyone is staring at me. I sit down with my back completely straight, I don't like slouching. Professor puts the hat on my head and I wait for the house name. I few seconds go by and I think I might scream. Second after second, still nothing. Jessica looks completely annoyed, probably thinking I'm actually a squib and can't get in a house. I'm finally deciding to take the hat off my head and make a run for it when it says: "Gryffindor!"


	3. Chapter 3

Stand up. Walk. Find correct table. Sit down.

That's all that goes through my head after the hat said Gryffindor. My sister is so disappointed. Her friends look normal, they don't care but Jessica does. She is so judgemental; if I'm not a Ravenclaw then I'm a disappointment to the family. My mother will be happy but my dad will be sad that I'm not a Ravenclaw.

A few more names and then Dumbledore starts the feast. I'm not a big eater so I only take a small spoon full of mashed potatoes, some broccoli, green beans and pumpkin juice. Yes I'm a vegetarian. Not vegan, I love milk. When I'm finished I join the other first year gryffindors. There's a prefect who's going to take us to the Gryffindor common room.

After countless stairs we stop in front of a huge picture with a fat lady on it. The prefect says the password: "Gringotts" and the portrait opens to show the common room. I enter and quickly run for the girls dormitories. Find my name on one of the doors with three other names and quickly enter. My trunk's already here. I open it and dig for my poster to put up. I place the poster on a spot on the wall right on top of my pillow. What is on this poster? Well it's a poster of a pack of wolves running! Wolves are my favorite animal, I love them! They're like dogs but bigger and cooler! Well that's at least what I think of them.

I hear the door open. A tall blonde hair girl just entered the dormitory. She has pretty hazel eyes and to my complete horror she is wearing... makeup. An eleven year old wearing makeup! Well I just hate makeup. Never liked it never will. She goes to the bed farthest from me, good.


	4. Chapter 4

My eyes slowly adjust to the light coming from my dormitory window. I look at my clock, 6:30 am. I guess I can go eat breakfast. I hop out of bed and change into my new Gryffindor uniform and school robes. It's still hard to believe that me, Emerald is a Gryffindor.

I look over at the other girls in my dormitory. I found out their names, the blonde one is Anna, the one with the curly light brown hair is Charlotte and the one with the pitch black hair and super pale skin is Sarah. Charlotte is my height, we're both short. Sarah is tall and I really mean tall. Anna is normal height I guess. Obviously I don't like Anna, Charlotte is ok but she's kinda always smiling and Sarah just talks about Quidditch. I didn't wake them up so I leave the room as quietly as I can.

When I enter the Great Hall all I could say was: "Whoa."

Food, a lot of food. And quite a few students, I thought I was the only "early bird". I walk over to the Gryffindor table and settle down at the very end of the table, farthest from the other students. I'm shy! Why am I a Gryffindor when I'm shy around people? Gosh, my life is messed. Well it's not that bad but it's weird.

I slowly eat some scrambled eggs and a glass of milk. I give up and grab the tempting looking cinnamon bun. When I'm finished, I set off to go get my transfiguration books that I realized I left in my trunk. On the way out I bump into some boy.

"Sorry." I say. He turns around and I know him! Sort of. It's that Cedric kid.

"It's ok." He says, looking down at me. Am I really that short?

"Well, um bye!" and I run off.

I'm late! Running towards the door to transfiguration class I note to myself to not read before class. I enter and see the most stupid thing in the whole entire damn world; they have like "sections". Let me explain, in the front left section are Gryffindors, behind them are Ravenclaws, to the front right section are Hufflepuffs and behind them are the Slytherins. Really? And to add to the stupid part is that there is no more seats left in the Gryffindor "area".

"Crap." I whisper under my breath.


	5. Chapter 5

I easily find the only empty seat. It's weird that there's as many seats as there are first years. Of course the seat is in the Hufflepuff "section". My seat is right next to a boy but his back is turned to me because he's chatting with some friends. I sit down and take my books, quill and ink out but notice that a girl is staring at me. She's right across from me on the Gryffindor side. Her stare shows jealousy and I can't think why. Wait, she's one of those googly eyed girls at the sorting. I'm about to turn around to make sure it's him when: "Hello." He says.

"Hi." I mumble. It's definitely him, Cedric.

"Aren't you the girl who bumped into me this morning?" he asks.

"Yah. Sorry about that." I say.

"It's ok. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going anyways."

"Awesome." I say sarcastically.

Completely ignoring my sarcasm he continues to talk to me. "Don't you find it strange that there's like sections?"

"I do. What's wrong with sitting next to someone from a different house? I'm sitting next to you and don't feel completely awkward or something like that." I say.

"Same. I guess everyone is just feeling shy or the Slytherins really hate everyone." He says with a smile.

I laugh. "Well I'm fine with sitting next to you."

"Me too. I forgot to ask, what's your name?"

"Emerald." I reply.

"That's an interesting name. Mine's Cedric." I'm about to say I know but stop myself, that would sound weird.

Professor McGonagall asks the class to stop talking because the class is about to start. I like Cedric, in a friend way. I hope we're friends though. I still don't want to be alone, great I sound so miserable.

Next the Gryffindors have Herbology and the Hufflepuffs as well. So Cedric and I team up as partners. It's obvious to see we both suck at Herbology because we never get any of the directions right. But he tells me some stuff about him and I tell him how my sister is in Ravenclaw.

"What's her name?" he asks.

"Jessica. I know she's mad that I didn't get in Ravenclaw."

"How come?"

"Well she can be judgemental. Especially towards me." I say.

"That's just rude." He says.

"I guess." I mumble.

I have Potions next but Cedric has History of Magic.

"How about we meet up at lunch?" he asks.

"Sure, I'll see you there!" I say while running towards the dungeons.

"See you there!" he yells back.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm not kidding when I say this but I was sprinting to the Great Hall for lunch. Potions was terrible, Snape gave us a bunch of homework to do. I'm awful with _working_, so homework is gonna be a challenge. So I was sprinting to get away from Potions but also to see Cedric. He's like the only good thing that's happened to me so far. He's my friend and hopefully he doesn't turn out to be a jerk or a nut case.

There was already a bunch of people at the four tables eating. I saw Cedric talking to another boy, should I interrupt their conversation or wait? I'll be dumb today and interrupt.

"Hey Cedric! Where should we sit?" I ask a little too loudly.

He looked a little surprised but quickly recovered. "You could sit right here, next to me."

"Sure!" I actually wanted to kick myself in the rear for sounding impatient or mean or controlling.

"Great! So how was Potions?" he asked.

"Not the best class that's for sure. I already got an essay to write." I reply glumly.

"Wow, on the first day. If we were in the same house I could help you but we're not." There was a hint of awkward at the ending of his sentence.

"I guess thanks." I say while taking out the turkey in a sandwich.

A boy I don't know notices my action and asks "Why are you taking the meat out of your sandwich?"

"I'm a vegetarian. They have no vegetarian sandwiches here, so I have to take out the meat." I say with annoyance dripping from my words.

"Oh, well sorry for asking." He snaps back. I glare at him but then just shake it off. I must still be mad from Potions.

"So what do you have next?" Cedric asks.

"Um, I think Charms." I say nicely.

"Me too! Want to sit next to me?"

"Who else will I sit next to?" I say while laughing a bit.

It was dinner time already. Charms was awesome! Professor Flitwick was nice and didn't give us homework! I'm sitting at the Gryffindor table wishing Cedric could sit here next to me but we have to eat at our own tables for diner. The "special" for dinner tonight is chicken, yeah! But no worries I've got a truck load of carrots, potatoes, asparagus and green beans. I'm also drinking pumpkin juice. A weird dinner but really tasty.

Form across the room I could perfectly see Cedric. He can see me too. I wave, he waves back. I make a silly face; he tries to top mine with a funny face. We start a funny face battle. I scrunch up my eyes and nose and stick out my tongue. He takes his fingers, stretches his mouth and wiggles his tongue. I take my hair and turn it into a moustache wrapped around my face and do an O shape with my mouth. Someone taps my shoulder. I turn to my right to see a third or fourth year boy is looking at me confused; "What in Merlin's beard are you doing?" he asks me.

I freeze and drop my hair. "N-nothing." I force a totally obvious fake laugh. He turns back to his food.

I look back at Cedric to see him laughing while stuffing his mouth with apple pie. I frown at him but start to laugh. How embarrassing?

After supper, I leave to the Gryffindor common room. When I get there I take my Potions book and some parchment to a table in the back of the room. It's homework time! Half way through the work I'm interrupted. "How is he?" asks a girls voice.

I turn around to see that it's Anna. "How is who?" I ask confused.

"You know who, Cedric!" she replies, excitement in her eyes when she says his name. Great she has a creepy crush on my friend.

"He's nice." Is all I say.

"That's it? What else, is he funny, charming, he isn't nerdy is he?" she asks.

Kill me _now_. "He's nice." I repeat.

"Ok then." She says and then turns around while flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Life has its ups and downs. She is definitely a down.


	7. Chapter 7

The rest of the week went well. Cedric and I are best friends. Snape was amazingly satisfied with my work and I think my best subject is DADA. Today is Saturday, which means I don't have classes today. I've found a nice quiet spot under a tree in Hogwarts grounds. I'm reading a lovely book and just enjoying the warm weather. It was a good day, but of course a good day must be ruined. "I knew you wouldn't have any friends!" shouts my sister Jessica.

I look up at her. Three Ravenclaw friends/followers are behind her. "I do have a friend; he just has some work he has to finish." I say.

"A friend, you just have one friend?" she asks.

"I guess so." I say with my eyes still on my book.

"Let me guess, he's a dumb Gryffindor?"

"No he's not. He's a smart and very nice Hufflepuff." I say defensively.

"Hufflepuffs are even worse!" she says while laughing.

"That's strange, last time I checked you dated a Hufflepuff last year!" I say.

"It was a mistake!" she yells defensively.

"Can you leave? I want to be able to read my book in peace." I say with my voice filled with annoyance at her.

"You can read when I'm finished talking to you." Jessica says. Again, _kill me now_.

"Actually I will read when I want to read. So bug off!" I yell at her.

She looks offended. "You're such an idiot! You're only friends are muggles except for that stupid Hufflepuff. You'll never be as smart and successful as me!" she yells back at me.

I stand up. "Isn't our mother a muggle? So I guess you hate her. Good job Jessica for hating our mother!" I yell.

"Oh please, I love mum! It's just that you're so ugly, dumb and weird that only muggles accept you!" she yells at me.

_Ouch._ I feel tears starting to collect in my eyes but I push them back. There's no way that I'm going to give her the satisfaction of me crying. "I hate you! I wish you would burn and die in hell!" I scream at her and then run away, back inside the castle.

I make it to my dormitory before the tears start running down my face. Why did she have to be so mean? Why did I have to be her little sister? Why did my unhappiness bring her joy? Those words I said to her were true. I want her dead, now. I know sisters always end up forgiving each other but I will never forgive her! She's one of the reasons why I wish I didn't exist. Other reasons are that: I have barely any friends, I feel stupid and maybe I am ugly. But I won't give her the satisfaction of me being dead. I'll make her life miserable one day.

It's Sunday and Cedric doesn't have any more homework so we go outside.

"Do you know how to fly a broom?" he asks me.

"Not at all." I reply.

"Well, I'm going to have to teach you how." He says with a smile.

"What? No. I'm scared of heights!" I lie. I'm not scared of heights; I'm just scared of flying.

"You're terrible at lying. Come on, flying a broom isn't scary at all. It's amazing. I hope I'll be able to be on the Hufflepuff quidditch team." He says.

"I don't know." I say nervously.

"Fine, I won't teach you but will you at least get on the broom with me and I'll show what it's like to fly?" he asks me.

I'll probably get us killed but I have to be brave, I'm a Gryffindor. "Ok, I'll get on the stinking broom."

His lips form a big grin when I hop over and sit behind him on the broom. "You might want to hold on to me." He says. So I wrap my arms around him. Yep, we're most likely going to die. I'll freak out and he'll get distracted and will fall to our deaths.

But that doesn't happen. He kicks off the ground and the broom starts floating in the air. We fly around the field. He takes me to the lake, we get so close to the water that I can put my hand in it. We fly over the quidditch field. This is the most fun I've had in months.


	8. Chapter 8

This weekend had its ups and downs. Saturday sucked and Sunday rocked. Now it's already Thursday. The three days before today were life as usual, homework, friendly Cedric and no Jessica. I always liked Thursdays, it's a funny word and it's the day before Friday and everyone seems to love Friday. I have Defence Against the Dark Arts. Personally, I think it's my best subject. I've already got the hang of a handful of spells! Potions and Herbology weren't my best and History of Magic bored me to tears, literally.

Before I knew it, it was lunch time. I hurried over to where Cedric was sitting. He was surrounded by giggly girls. I've already figured out a plan for this type of occasion. I run into Cedric's arms and give him a huge hug. "I've missed you sooo much!" I say.

Cedric knows this plan as well. "I've missed you too Em." Em is my nickname; he came up with it on Tuesday when I was complaining about how my name was a tongue twister.

I kiss him on the cheek. "How was Potions?" I ask with a super cheery voice.

"Great." He replies. By then all the girls have left us alone. "Thank you so much Em. I was worried they were going to kidnap me." He says with wide eyes.

I laugh. He's quite the funny one. "What's for lunch?" I ask while sitting down next to him.

"Everything possible for lunch." He says with a smile. It's true though, the table is filled with food.

"I'll have a bagel with cream cheese!" I exclaim. I reach for the bagels and grab one. Then I apply some cream cheese. It's one of my favourite things to eat.

"How was the first half of your day?" he asks me.

"Anna is annoying me again and I almost fell asleep in History of Magic." I say while stuffing my face with a chunk of bagel.

"Anna annoys you every day! How come?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know." I say.

"Why wouldn't I want to know?" he looks at me confused.

"Well, she's sort of... obsessed with you." I barely make out.

Cedric spits out some chewed muffin in surprise. "She's obsessed with me? Oh wait! Almost every first year girl is obsessed with me." He says grumpily, slouching his back.

I fix his posture."What did I say about slouching?" I ask him with my eye brows raised.

"It's bad for your back and that you hate it as much as you hate your sister." He say matter-a-factly.

"Good! You remembered." I say smiling.

"Please, how could I forget!"

"Shut up!" I say while hitting him on his arm. He smirks.

Now it's Friday, just to make sure it is I check my calendar. Yep, it's Friday. I hurry down to the great hall. I'm hungry for breakfast! When I get there I quickly eat and have a quick drink of milk. Today I have Transfiguration, Cedric's in that class.

I enter the class. I'm one of the first ones there. I choose a seat and place my bag on the one next to it so Cedric can sit there. He enters the class a few minutes later with another boy. I motion for him to sit next to me. He walks over to me. "Actually Em, today I'm going to sit next to Berny. I'll still be your partner in Herbology though." He says and then walks over to the boy I guess to be Berny.

Well this sucks! Who am I supposed to sit with now? You know what I don't care. It just hurts that Cedric doesn't want to sit next to me. Well he has other friends unlike me. God, I'm such a loner!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note: This chapter is just gonna jump to Christmas. Just for a heads up. I need to speed up her first year!**

My gosh, it's Christmas Eve. Christmas day is tomorrow and where am I spending Christmas? I'm spending it here, at Hogwarts. Why? Because my parents could only afford _three_ tickets to New Zealand and who got to go with them? Jessica, she begged her ass off to go! When she gets back, I'll put glue in her hairbrush or something like that! To add to this craziness, Cedric had to go home for Christmas so I'm stuck here all alone, for Christmas! I could seriously murder someone right now. Not joking!

But who am I to complain? Wait, I can complain. I'm alone for my first Christmas at Hogwarts. Charlotte and Sarah went home for Christmas break. Thank the Lord Anna left. There's barely any Gryffindors who stayed, a couple Ravenclaws, quite a few Slytherins and maybe ten Hufflepuffs. So there's plenty of food for us at the feast! Like I care.

Yesterday I sent Cedric's gift to him. It's a picture of us with our arms linked, skipping like five year old girls. I'm singing a song with a huge smile on my face while he's laughing to the top of his lungs. There was a lot of snow and I didn't feel like walking in it so I remembered a spell my sister always used back at home. It made snow melt. So I made a long trail and we just showed off how we didn't have to walk knee high in snow. We got many stares. But it was fun! So I wrapped that up and sent an owl to give it to him. He should get it before Christmas morning. He gave me my present from him before he left. I promised I wouldn't open it until Christmas and I've still kept that promise. Mom and Dad have a gift for me, I got it this morning. My muggle friend Stacey figured out how to send mail in the wizard world and the gift she gave me is under my bed.

Stacey is my best friend back at home. She is taller than me, sportier than me and she's just amazing. She plays every muggle sport I can think of: basketball, soccer ball, tennis, volleyball, football, badminton and hockey. I just read and I'm a witch, I think that can count. She was so happy and shocked to find out I was a witch. I've been sending her letters, she's been replying.

Before Hogwarts and meeting Cedric, Stacey was one of my only friends. We could be cousins actually. She has the same bronze coloured hair like me. We're both pretty pale but she has brown eyes and I have emerald eyes and she is like I said taller than me. My other friends are Ella, a pretty blonde girl who is so nice to almost every one and Nichola, we call her Nick though, she's really shy like me and short like me but she has long straight brown hair and these amazing gray eyes. I wish I had gray eyes but when I think about it, my parents might have called me gray, so I'm happy with green eyes.

I'm on my way to the Great Hall for supper. It's so empty here. Well it feels like it. I enter to see I'm late, they started without me. It doesn't matter though; I don't really care at all. It's just a Christmas Eve feast! Who am I kidding, Christmas Eve dinners are super important. Why does the universe punish me? The presents I'm opening tomorrow better be good or else, I'll be depressed for a couple days. Being depressed is boring! So I hope my presents are amazing!

"Morning already?" I say while jumping out of bed.

No one answered me; I'm all alone, on Christmas morning. But never mind that! It's present opening time! I bend over and grab all my presents from under my bed. The first one I see is the one from Stacey. I open it and inside is a scrapbook of pictures from when Stacey, Ella, Nick and I were like five to eight years old. I absolutely love it!

The next one is from my parents, inside is a book about different type of magical plants. So they know I'm failing Herbology.

Last but not least is the gift from Cedric. I wonder what's inside. Obviously something that only Cedric could think of, but what would that be? I open it and what I find makes me gasp in surprise. A magical book that looks like it has only five pages but since its magic it never ends! And what is this book about? Well it's all about my favourite animal, wolves! I wish I could hug him but he's not here. I may have only got three gifts but two of them are all I need, the Herbology book I'll most likely never open.

I run over to my desk and grab some parchment, it's time I sent a letter to Cedric.

_Dear Cedric (did I spell dear right? Because it might be deer but I'm pretty sure that's an animal),_

_Thank you soooooooooooo much for the never ending book about wolves! It's awesome! I'm so excited to read it and then read it some more because it never ends! Did you like the present I got you? It seems dumb compared to the one you gave me! I hope you still like it though! Christmas is lonely here (well it's sort of obvious considering I'm all alone). Merry Christmas! Please write back as soon as you can!_

_Sincerely, _

_Em_

_PS: they had turkey for dinner, I nearly puked!_

I rush over to the Owlery and give my letter to a cool looking barn owl.

"Give this letter to Cedric Diggory please and thank you." I tell the owl. And it flies away; I wish I could follow it. I miss Cedric so much.


	10. Chapter 10

Boxing Day morning. One thing a realised just now is that I like breakfast more than I thought I did. Cereal is much more tasteful than I expected, especially when you put strawberries in it. The sound of flapping wings brings me out of my thoughts. One swoops down and drops a letter _in my cereal_.

"Stupid bird." I mutter while taking the letter out.

It's from Cedric! He wrote me back! I open it and start to read.

_Dear Em (yes you did spell dear right)_

_I'm glad that you love the book! The present you gave me is awesome! Don't worry I absolutely will keep it for as long as I live. I wish I could have stayed at Hogwarts to keep you company, but Christmas break is over after New Year's Eve so I'll be back before you know it! I know it's late but Merry Christmas to you too! When I get back we should hang out at the lake._

_Sincerely,_

_Cedric_

_PS: maybe you should tell Dumbledore that you're a vegetarian and that you'd like a vegetarian dinner?_

I laugh at the last part of the letter. Maybe I should ask headmaster Dumbledore for special vegetarian dinners! I fold the letter and put it in my robe pocket. Jeez, New Year's Eve was in how many days? Counting today, it's in 6 days, I think. I need to learn how many days there are in each month. If I'm correct I'll have to wait for 6/7 days for Cedric to come back. And classes will start on that day! I need to make more friends.

Now that I'm done eating what should I do? I could read, I could make a snow fort but that would be dumb when it's just me making it. My life is definitely b-o-r-i-n-g. I wish Hogwarts had phones so I could call Stacey but wizards and witches don't need phones! And Stacey is slow with writing back letters. I sit down in the middle of a hallway defeated. Nothing, there's nothing for me to do. And to my dearest luck someone kicks me in the back. "Get up, dumb ass!" yells a voice that I don't recognize.

I turn around to see a big, creepy looking Slytherin boy. "Sorry." I say while standing up.

"Idiot." He mutters while walking away. Wow some people can be really mean!

Two more days and Cedric will be back. Yes it's finally 30th December and tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I probably sound like I'm in love with Cedric but that's not the case. He's just my only friend and when your only friend is gone for a while you miss him and you're as lonely as a snail. At least I think snails are lonely. I've been reading and yah that's it. I've been reading for the past few days and practising my transfiguration. I turned a quill into a bird! It was pretty satisfying. I was getting used to having the dorm to myself but obviously I'm not allowed to get what I like because Anna enters in the room while I'm brushing my teeth.

"I'm back and I'm here for the New Year's Eve party tomorrow!" she exclaimed happily. I nearly choked to death on my tooth brush. Anna is back for a party? How old does she think she is, 15? Because she's eleven not a teenager that parties and gets drunk on fire whisky!

I wake up with a jump of happiness. Tomorrow Cedric will be back and it will be a new year! Anna got up too and she was excited for the party tonight. When will she learn that she's only eleven and most likely the Gryffindors at the party won't want her there? One thing is for sure I'm not going to that party!

Walking on my way to lunch a voice shouts my name, I turn around and my lips form a huge smile. "Cedric! Your back early!" I shouted happily. I then run over to him and trap him in a tight hug.

"I asked my parents if I could come earlier so you weren't so alone and they let me." He said happily while squeezing me as tight as I was squeezing him. We pull away and I just smile at him.

"What do you want to do then?" I ask him.

"I don't know." He shrugs.

"Oh, let's go to the lake like you mentioned in the letter!" I exclaim.

"Good idea." He says.

We walk outside in the cold to the lake. It's really cold today; I should have gotten my coat. I start shivering and Cedric notices. He takes his coat off. "Here put on my coat you're shivering." He says.

"What about you?" I ask him while putting on his coat.

"I've got a jumper on, I'll be fine." He replies.

Hours pass and all we do is hang out, at one point we started a snow ball fight, I won. Then I realised that we missed supper because it was starting to get dark. "Crap, we missed dinner." I say.

"I'm not that hungry any ways." He says while sitting down and leaning back on an oak tree's trunk.

"Well because of you I missed lunch and dinner!" I accuse him while sitting down next to him.

"Wait, I think I have some food in my trunk." He says.

"Hurray!" I say sarcastically, food from a trunk is not a dinner.

"Accio crisps!" he says loudly. A few seconds later a bag of crisps come flying towards us. The bag lands on his lap.

"Oh give me some!" I say while reaching for the bag. He laughs and opens it.

"Here, have as much as you want, it's your dinner." He gives the bag to me.

"You know my mom's Canadian right?" I ask. He nods. "Did you know Canadians call crisps chips?" I say.

"No I didn't. That's weird."

"Oh and what we call chips they call it fries or French fries!" I exclaim while stuffing some 'chips' in my mouth.

"Cool, I think." He says while taking a hand full of crisps from the bag for himself.

We sit there for a long time talking about the most random things ever. It starts to get pretty darker by the minute and I can here loud music from the Gryffindor common room. The party must have started.

"Where's that music coming from?" Cedric asks me.

"My common room, the Gryffindors are having a New Year's Eve party." I tell him.

"You weren't invited?" he asks.

"Well I think everybody is allowed except Slytherins but I'm eleven I don't feel like getting drunk." I say.

"You think they have drinks?" he asks me.

"Of course they have drinks Cedric! They're partying, parties always have drinks!" I say while laughing.

"Well what if they get caught?" he asks.

"I don't know." I say. Maybe they'll all get detention. Anna with detention would definitely make me smile.

It starts to get even colder and I can see that Cedric is cold, he just won't admit it.

"Cedric you look like your dying, come on take your coat back I feel pretty warm anyways." I say while taking his coat off.

"No keep it on, I'm fine." He says.

"No you're not fine! At least get closer and maybe let's... share the coat." I suggest.

"Err, ok." He says then he scoots over and stretches his coat so that it gives him a bit of warmth. This might sound gross but our body heat will warm us up now that we're closer, I learned that from my dad. Usually wizards just conjure fire from their wands but we don't know how to do that.

In the distance I hear shouting. _"Five!"_

"The countdown started!" I say surprised.

"_Four!"_

"Let's join in!" Cedric says.

This time we count with the shouts. "Three!"

Cedric turns to look at me. "Two!" he smiles at me, his eyes darting to see all of my face, what is he doing?

"One" he says but I don't because I'm confused. He then leans in to me and lightly his lips touch my right cheek. He quickly pulls away and his cheeks go pink from embarrassment. I put my hand on the spot where he kissed me, my cheeks pink from shock. He then gets up and runs back inside the castle.

Cedric just kissed me, on the cheek but still he kissed me.


	11. Chapter 11

For the past week Cedric has been avoiding me. The kiss was just a little peck on the cheek for God's sake! It's not like he snogged me! But I'm a nice person so I have not cornered him, _yet._ Exactly a week after the 'kiss' I'm at the Gryffindor table, eating breakfast. That's when I get tapped lightly on the shoulder. "Can I sit down?" Cedric asks me.

"Of course you can!" I reply. Finally he's talking to me again.

He sits down and turns to look at me. "I'm sorry about what happened that night." He says with worry filled in his eyes.

"Cedric, you only kissed me on the cheek. Get over it!" I say.

He lets out a breath of relief. "I'm glad you're not mad."

"Boys." I mutter under my breath. He starts to pick out some food to eat.

Why was he so worried about it? Does he have feelings for me? Of course not! We're best friends and we're only eleven, why do I care about age so much? So many questions and I can barely answer any of them. The scary thing is he can have almost any girl. Practically every first year girl likes him except for me and I even saw a second year girl checking him out. Here's another question, why do I care? I just need to focus on school.

Somehow the people at the party didn't get caught, their music was hurting my ears and I was outside! Anna was there and she said she had a good time. I think she's lying, why? Because she probably doesn't even remember the party. When I came back after the sit with Cedric she was passed out on _my_ bed. So I had to drag her off and put her on her own bed. Fun!

Weeks go by and we're just getting closer to Easter break! Maybe this time my parents will bring me home! Or I'll just force Cedric to stay for the long weekend if he's parents plan on taking him home. I can't stand being so alone; it's funny because I barely have any friends. Isn't my life amazing? If you didn't catch the sarcasm then you might want to get help. Just kidding, sort of.

You know what I forgot to mention, my birthday is March 23, oops. So today's my birthday, I'm now 12 years old. No one noticed, so I'm peacefully eating breakfast. A bagel with cream cheese, yummy. I notice Cedric come in, oh shoot. "Happy birthday Emerald!" he yells while running towards me with a huge grin on his face. Well at that moment everyone has their eyes on him, when he sits next to me, their eyes go on me.

"Cedric! I didn't want anyone to know." I whisper furiously to him.

"Oh come on Em, relax. They don't have a huge cake and they most likely don't even care."

"And that makes me feel much better." I say sarcastically.

"Well here's your present." He hands me something wrapped up.

"Thank you." I say.

"Open it after classes are done though." He says then gets up and goes over to the Hufflepuff table. People go back to talking and thankfully they ignore me.

After classes, I enter the Gryffindor common room and pick a cosy looking chair far away from everyone else. I unwrap the present. Inside is a necklace, its silver with a little circular orange stone. It's so pretty! I don't usually wear jewellery but I'll be wearing this necklace all the time.

When I enter the Great Hall for supper Cedric is seated at the Hufflepuff table. I run over to him. "Thanks for the necklace!" I say while showing the necklace around my neck.

"I'm happy you like the necklace." He says. A girl sitting a few people down looks jealous. Does she really think we're dating and that the necklace is a random present? I hope not. He's my friend and this is a birthday present.

"Well I'll see you later." I say.

"See ya." He says while eating some meat.

During dinner quite a few girls at the Gryffindor table complement me on my necklace. It's weird having people look at me. I'm just not a confident person I guess.


	12. Chapter 12

Cedric and I are sitting outside, just relaxing from a homework filled week. All I can think about is one thing, one terrifyingly confusing thing.

"Cedric, why do you think the hat sorted me in Gryffindor?" I ask him.

"Because you're a Gryffindor." He says. I lightly punch him on the arm that was not an exact answer.

"No really." I say.

"Well, you're very proud and you're not a wimp." He says.

"But I'm shy. Gryffindors are suppose to be brave and I'm not that proud." I say.

"Em just stop worrying about it. The hat is never wrong!"

"Fine. Here's another question."

"Why!" he complains.

"Shut it! Why did you technically kiss me?" I ask.

He frowns. "I don't know, I don't want to talk about that." He says.

"Ok. I wish our first year was over so we don't have to be the young ones anymore." I say while laying back, looking at the clouds.

"I don't really care. I'll be fine, as long as we're not the dumbest ones. I hate these Ravenclaw second years making fun of my other friends and I, it's annoying."

"Trust me, I know how it feels. Jessica is a total bleeping show off." I say. He laughs then I laugh. We just laugh for no reason really and some students are starting to get creeped out, which makes us laugh even more. Cedric is a really good friend. I hope we're friends until we die of old age, like when we're 98 or something.

"Hey, can I have my coat back?" Cedric randomly asks.

"It's not cold out anymore, why would you need it?"

"Same thing with you, why do you need my coat?"

"Because it will fit me next year!" I say.

"But don't you want a girls coat?" he asks.

"Cedric do you know me at all?"

"Of course I know you!"

"Well, I am not normal. I'm a... abnormal person." I say while laughing.

"Come on, be serious." He says.

"Ok! I am Sirius Black!"

"No I meant the other type of serious." He says while laughing.

"I know that! I'm just being silly!" I yell clearly for everyone outside to hear, and then I stand up making it more obvious. Cedric rolls his eyes then tackles me to the ground. I scream from surprise.

"Get off me! You're going to kill me!" I say.

"Sure." He says while we roll down a hill. I can't stop giggling, crap I hate giggling. I sound like a little kid when I giggle, it's really stupid. When we finally stop at the bottom of the hill, I'm sitting on top of Cedric.

"Pinned you! I win!" I say proudly.

"Why do you always win?" he asks me while pushing me off of him.

In a low voice I say: "Because Gryffindors are tough and brave and stuff that I don't care about."

"Or maybe because you're just really good at beating everyone in almost everything." He says.

"You really think so?"

"Em you're the first person to get any spell right in Defence Against the Dark Arts." He says.

"Oh. I never noticed." I say quietly looking down at my shoes.

"Well everyone seems to notice." He says.

"Do they hate me?" I ask him.

"Em they don't hate you. They're probably jealous though, you're really good at that stuff."

"Thanks Cedric. You're good at stuff too."

"Oh really and what's that?" he asks me.

"You're good at being my best friend in the whole wide bleeping world!" I say while stretching my arms to try to show how mush important he is.

"That's so unusually kind of you."

"I'm nice sometimes! I'm not some cold hearted butthole!" I say defensively.

"I'm joking! But thanks anyways. I better go back to my common room. See you tomorrow." And then he leaves.

That was an awkward conversation between us or at least I think it was. I don't know what goes on in that kid's head. Hopefully it's not filled with nonsense. Well I hope what he said is true, that I am a Gryffindor because I feel like I'm not.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: In this chapter there will be... Cedric's POV! But for the first half it's Emerald.**

Jeez, it's already the last day of school. Summer break is tomorrow. And here I am sitting at the Gryffindor table waiting for food while Dumbledore is doing this big speech about this year at school. I just want my potatoes. I look over at Cedric, he looks impatient too, and we really aren't respecting Dumbledore right now. But finally the food appears on plates and I grab as much potatoes as I can.

I decided that I hate packing. It's boring and it means that I'll be in the same house as Jessica for two months. I carefully put Cedric's coat at the bottom of my trunk so that if he asks for it back again I'll say that I can't get it because it's under everything else. I just realised that now I have someone to sit next to in the train! I'm not a loner, in your face Jessica.

Anna was somehow already done packing and was with her friends. Charlotte and Sarah are still here though. "Emerald, don't forget your poster." Charlotte says while folding a shirt.

"Oh, thanks."

After I finish packing, I leave the dormitory and go to the train. Cedric is already waiting in front of one of the entrances to the train. "Took you long enough." He says.

"Not my fault that I hate packing."

"Ok. Let's pick an empty compartment." He says.

We enter the train but there's no empty compartment. There's one with other first years in it, two of them are identical twins, and I remember them! The Weasley twins, they're in Gryffindor too. The other one is Lee Jordan; he's a Gryffindor as well.

"Want to sit in here?" I ask Cedric.

"Why not." He says while opening the door. The three boys turn their heads to look at us entering in then they go back to their previous conversation. I sit in a chair next to one of the twins. Cedric sits across from me. "Is it okay if we sit here?" Cedric asks one of the twins, I can't tell which is which.

The one he asks says: "It's okay."

For the rest of the ride back to London, Cedric and I talk about stuff while the three boys talk about pranks for next year. Note to self: avoid library for the first week of school next year.

When the train stops I wish I could go back in time. A whole summer break without Cedric I've been through before but that was when I didn't know him. Now I feel like my left arm is being pulled off. It's obvious to say that I'm going to miss him. Everyone stands up at the same time, which I find creepy. Cedric and I grab our trunks and leave the compartment together. I check my sweater pocket to make sure I didn't forget my wand. Well, it's in my pocket. Once I hop out of the train Cedric's father, Amos Diggory, is already greeting Cedric. I inch away awkwardly, his dad is quite loud.

I look around for my parents, I wonder if my mom came? I quickly find Jessica walking into a mob of wizards and witches with one of her friends/followers. She must have found our parents. I'm about to go and follow her when Cedric's dad notices me. "Hello. You must be Emerald. Cedric talks about you a lot." He says.

My cheeks flare up immediately and so does Cedric's. I start chewing on my left cheek. I have lost the ability to speak which makes me wonder why I am a Gryffindor when I'm as shy as a mouse. Suddenly I blurt out a quiet "Oh."

His father laughs. "I know the Ride family. Your sister is quite ambitious."

He knows my sister? Whatever, I just need to find a way to talk again.

"Father can you wait here? I should help Emerald find her parents." Cedric asks.

"Go ahead." He says with a smile. I quickly skip in the direction I saw Jessica go. "Jeez, I lost the ability to talk there." I tell Cedric. He laughs.

"Where do you think your parents are?" he asks.

"I saw Jessica go this way, so I'm guessing she's found them." I say.

"There's Jessica over there. Are those people your parents?" he asks. I look over to where Jessica is and yes those are my parents. A medium height man with bronze hair and bright blue eyes stands next to a short woman with dark brown hair and pretty dark blue eyes.

"Yep! Those people are my parents." I say while running towards my mom. I trap her in I tight hug, I've missed my mom. She looks down to see it's me and hugs me back. I pull away and smile at her. "Hi mommy!" I say a little too excitedly.

"Hi sweetie, how was your first year of school?"

"Pretty good. Look that's Cedric." I say while pointing my index finger at Cedric who is standing a few meters back.

"Hello Cedric. It's nice to meet you." My mom says with a warm smile.

**Cedric POV.**

Em seems happy to see her mum, they look alike in some sort of way but Em had different color hair and different colored eyes. They both have pale skin and both were short. I almost forgot to say hello. "Hello, it's nice to meet you too." I say quickly.

"He's my best friend! Other than Stacey but he's the one I mentioned in the letters. He's a Hufflepuff but I guess you can tell because of his scarf." Suddenly Em was talking a lot and talking fast.

"I know sweetie, you wrote that in the letters quite a few times." Her mother said.

"Oh. Well that's Cedric. His dad is somewhere over there." Em says while gesturing with her arm in the direction where my father is waiting for me.

"Well I guess I should go now." I say slowly while backing away.

"Wait!" Em yells. "We have to have a proper goodbye!"

I smile, Em is always like this. Straight back, everything has to be proper and always her way. I'm not saying she's demanding she's just a little bossy. She runs up to me and grabs my shoulders with her hands. "Promise me you'll write. Like every day." She says.

"I promise." I say.

"Good. Now I'll see you here on September 1st." Em says then she hugs me.

I wrap my arms around her. She's so small; the top of her head reaches my shoulders. She then pulls away and smiles up at me again and I smile back. "Bye." I say.

"See you." She says sadly while backing towards her mum. I wave then turn around towards my dad.

When I enter my bedroom the first thing that enters my mind is. _I miss Emerald._


	14. Chapter 14

**Author note: this chapter is during summer break! Em's POV. Stacey is introduced in this chapter! **

**Well here it is...**

Almost there! I'm almost home where Stacey is waiting for me. Soon I'll get to laugh and talk with my best friend, other than Cedric. Stacey is the only one out of my three friends who knows about me. I didn't tell Ella because she isn't good with keeping secrets and Nick wouldn't believe me at first. Then she would probably freak out when she would believe me, so I'm not going to tell Nick. Life is just complicated sometimes.

I look out the car window and see that we're pulling into the driveway! Oh my gosh, Stacey is jumping up and down on the driveway. "Emerald!" she screams.

"Stace!" it's a nickname.

I open the car door and run to Stacey. She's smiling and has her arms outstretched, ready to trap me in a hug. I run right into her and guess what? She traps me in a hug. "It's so nice to see you! A whole school year without you has proven itself tough." Stacey says while letting go of me.

"I know! I sometimes wanted to escape Hogwarts and run home, just so I could talk to you!" I say.

"Hogwarts! It's still a really funny name." Stacey says while laughing.

"Laugh all you want but it's an amazing place." I cross my arms over my chest. I think I do this a lot when I'm mad, I don't know.

"So, do you have any proof of you making friends?" she asks me.

"I made a friend!"

"Emerald, you and I both know that you're not a people person."

"But I really did Stacey! Do I have proof...? I have his coat!" I exclaim.

"Wait, did you just say I have _his coat_?" Stacey asks.

"Yes, I kind of took his winter coat. You know I hate the coats they offer for girls in my size!"

"Emerald you are special, you know that right?" she says.

"Yup!" I say while doing a little hopping thing on one foot.

Stacey laughs then walks over to my house's front door. "Come on, you need to do some unpacking."

"Crap." I hate unpacking as well.

It has been three weeks since summer break started and I haven't seen Ella yet. Stacey and Nick told me that she's been busy with family parties and stuff like that. Today I finally get to see her though.

"Hey Emerald!" she yells while running up to me.

"Hi Ella!" I say happily.

"Nick told me about you making a friend, he's a boy! Do you like him? Is he cute? Is he your age? Is he like seventeen because that would be gross!" she says quickly.

"Slow down Ella! I like him as a _friend_ and no, he isn't seventeen! He's our age!"

"Ok! But is he cute?"

I sigh. "Take a look for yourself." I saw this coming. Ella is the one out of the group who can't stop talking about boys. So I take a small _unmoving_ picture of Cedric out of my short's pocket.

She grabs the picture and takes a long look at it. "Ooh, he is cute! He's really cute!"

"Sure, whatever." I say.

"So, has Jessica been bugging you?" she randomly asks while giving back the picture.

"Not really I guess. I just want her to leave me alone."

"Jessica isn't a person I would want to be with if I was stuck in an elevator breakdown." Ella says while smiling.

I laugh. "Me too."

"Well let's go get Stacey and Nick! I haven't talked with Stacey in forever!" Ella exclaims while grabbing my arm and pulling me to Nick's house.

I can't believe summer is already over! I've already gone to Diagon Alley to get my things for second year. At least I'll be with Cedric. It's just hard saying goodbye to my three friends. I'm going to have to get used to it though.

Second year. I'm going to be in my second year tomorrow! Holy cheese! I'm excited, obviously.


	15. Chapter 15

**Yay! Second year! Next year the golden trio comes in but still... second year! **

**I don't know why I'm excited. I get easily obsessed with things like fanfiction and Harry Potter series, Hunger Games and Maximum Ride. Oh and the movie The Last Song, I prob watch it once a month. In the summer prob fifty times :p!**

**Well here is Chapter 15! **_**Holy cheese**_**, 15 chapters!**

Right in this exact moment I can only hear my heart pumping super freaking loud. Why? Mostly because I haven't seen Cedric in like forever and second year is starting, I'm going back to Hogwarts. Maybe this time I'll make some more friends. I'm shy, really damn shy. I hate it, so much. I wasn't that shy when I first met Cedric but I avoid everyone in the common room. I sit as far away as I can from people at meals and during classes without Cedric I'm as quiet as a wall. Walls are quite quiet, last time I checked.

This year might be different. This year I could come out of my shell. This year I might make more friends and celebrate birthdays and have homework buddies. I know I need help with homework! But I have no idea how to do those things! I feel like I'm at a family reunion and don't know who the heck half of my family is so I run and hide in the basement laundry room for three hours. That feeling sucks! I also hate hating so much. Yes, I'm a negative person but that doesn't mean that I _want_ to be so negative. I guess I just have to take things slow, work on my confidence a little. Because after all, I am a Gryffindor, right?

I shake my head in frustration. I need to focus on finding Cedric in this mess of people. He has to be here by now. It's almost time for the train to leave. Maybe I'll just look for him on the train. He could be in a compartment already, waiting for me hopefully. Gosh this is so weird. To me at least! Looking for someone in particular is new, I usually like being alone in my room, reading. I'm quite the reader. Thirteen books in total for this summer. Ok maybe some people have beaten that but still I'm only twelve and two of those books were more than a thousand pages long!

Back to looking for Cedric. I enter the train and look in the compartments, don't see him anywhere. But I keep on looking because I need to talk to him. You know, because we're best friends.

Suddenly someone grabs my arm and pulls me in a compartment. I gasp in surprise. I quickly turn around to see that it was Cedric. "What the hell! What was that for? If I didn't turn around, I would have kicked you!" I yell at him.

Cedric smiles at me then surprisingly hugs me. "I've missed you." He says.

"Err, ok. I've missed you too."

"Sorry I couldn't reply to your letter. I figured we could just talk because you know, I got the letter yesterday." He says.

"Oh it's fine. I didn't expect you to write back."

"So, Ella thinks I'm cute. What do you think?"

I frown at him. "Bug off! She thinks almost all boys are cute."

"Almost all girls think I'm cute! It's not news to me."

"Why are we even talking about this?" I ask him.

"Just found it interesting." He says.

"Well, how did you manage to get a compartment? They seemed all full."

"I was one of the first ones on the train." He says while sitting down.

I sit down across from him and take out the never ending book of wolves. After a while of reading this thing, all the book is about now is updates on wolves in zoos and such. I still love the book though.

After a while of silence between us Cedric stands up. "I'm going to get some pastries." He says. Then he leaves.

I must have bored him. I'm reading how can that be entertaining for him? He might be looking for other people to talk to. Maybe I should go look for him. Or maybe I should just leave him alone. I always follow him around; he should get some time with other friends. Yes that's what I'll do, I'll _leave him_ alone.

**Cedric POV**

It's nice to see Em again. She is funny, it's just she doesn't know that.

She's also pretty. Wait scratch that! I never said that or thought that! Pretend it never happened. I should go back and sit with her. She probably thinks I'm abandoning her which I'm not. I seriously just bought a pumpkin pastry to eat.

Walking on my way there I notice girls looking at me. It's tough, I now most boys would be like: yes! A girl likes me. But I think it's annoying, especially once they start sending me these chocolates that I know I shouldn't eat. They have love potion in them! I wasn't born yesterday! I enter the compartment Em is in.

"Hi! I thought you were with other friends." She says.

"No I went to get a pastry." I say while sitting next to her. She just smiles at me, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"I can't wait for the sorting! I wonder what it looks like from the perspective of watching. You know instead of being a part of it." She says.

"Yah me too." I say.

"Yah right! You don't care about that, you just care about the feast." She says while putting her book down. Her hands are so... small and pale.

I smile. "Ok you got me! I just care about the feast."

"I knew it! Did you know this will be our first time riding the carriages with those creepy horses pulling them." She says.

Creepy horses?

"Em, there are no horses pulling them. The carriages move themselves."

"No! There are creepy horses pulling them. They're like bony and mysterious."

Oh no, Em lost her mind.


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N: Hi! Sorry that I haven't been updating, I was on a school trip and there was no electronics aloud! But I'm back and hopefully will add as much chapters as I can!:)**

Cedric was looking at me like I was a nutcase.

"What?" I ask him.

He blinks a couple times. "Em, there is no horses."

"Cedric! There is and I'll prove it to you!"

"Err ok."

I roll my eyes. Doesn't everyone notice these easy things _to notice_! Surely bony and dark looking horses would be noticeable! How come Cedric is insisting on not seeing them? I'll prove it though; when we arrive at Hogwarts I'll simply just point them out. Cedric can't miss them.

The train stops and I quickly drag Cedric to the first carriage I can find that's empty. There are two horses standing right in front of him.

"See." I point at the one closest to us.

He looks confused. "No I don't see." He turns to me. "Emerald there is no creepy looking horses! You need to go see Madame Pomfrey, maybe you're feeling bad."

"I'm completely fine! How can you not see them?" I yell.

But Cedric gets in the carriage and orders me to join him. I climb on and stare at the horses. They have wings as well but I can't tell that to Cedric. He won't believe me. I cross me arms over my chest and ignore him for the whole ride.

I sit down a little more further from everyone else at the table. I know I should be making more friends but I feel like sitting alone. But I don't get what I want, obviously.

The Weasley twins, Fred and George, sit down next to me, one on either side.

"Hello!" they say at the same time.

"Hi." I look down at me hands. I'm not good at socializing.

One of them, I still can't tell them apart, sort of chuckles. "Shy one aren't you?"

I look up at him. "What's wrong with being shy?"

He smiles. "Nothing."

"Good. Now leave me alone." I look away from them.

The other one stands up. "Fine by me, c'mon Fred let's go."

And they leave me to sit next to some other Gryffindors. It doesn't bother me. I just wish I could be more... friendly.

The Sorting starts and I watch as kids who look excited, nervous even bored get sorted into houses. I applaud whenever a first year is put into Griffindor, smile when there's a new Hufflepuff and look in amazement at the Slytherins who get sorted in. They look more confident than me! Whenever a first year is sorted in Ravenclaw I look over at my sister. She looks so bored; she doesn't even clap her hands. I dislike her, why can't she be nice?

When the sorting is finished Dumbledore stands up and talks about this year and then the feast begins. Of course I just eat everything but the meat. A first year looks at me confused. "What? You've never seen a vegetarian before?" I say with some salad stuffed in my mouth. The kid just looks away.

When the feast is done and the first years are all leaving with a prefect, I stand up to go. I walk casually towards the doors when Cedric blocks my path. "What?" I ask him.

"Let's go talk to your Head about those... horses."

I roll my eyes. "Not now, I'm tired." But he pulls me over to Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, Emerald says that she sees horses pulling the carriages but I don't see them."

Professor McGonagall looks down at me with a flash of worry in her eyes. Am I crazy?

"Emerald, have you ever seen someone die in front of your eyes?" she asks me.

"Yes. Stacey's mother." I say my stomach starts to feel gross. I hate thinking about that day.

"That explains why she sees Thestrals Cedric. When one sees someone decease they can see Thestrals. That is the type of horse that pulls the carriages. Cedric you can't see them because you haven't seen someone die." Then she turns around and walks away.

"See! They're real!" I say.

"Stacey's mum is dead?" he asks me.

Immediately I feel sick and terrible. "Yah she died three years ago, when Stacey and I were nine."

"Oh, that's a shame. I'll see you tomorrow then Em." He gives me a small hug then leaves.

"See yah!"


	17. Chapter 17

**A.N: Ok, I know I haven't updated in a while. Writers block sucks! But I finally have a chapter idea-sort-of-thing.**

**Here it is!**

So, I can see some weird creature that only people who saw someone die can see. I guess that's cool but really it's just sad.

Stacey's mom was really ill and was in the hospital for a long time. Stacey was so sad; she barely ever made jokes and was not doing so well in sports. One day I decided to go with her to visit her mom. Big mistake. Apparently we weren't supposed to be there. Her mother was so pale and just weak. A nurse let us in with hesitation. Stacey was holding her mother's hand when she passed away.

I was so utterly shocked and terrified to watch her last breath, the way she said goodbye and how Stacey's sobs echoed in my head. I couldn't move.

A different nurse came in and she was so mad. The nurse that let us in said that Stacey's mom wanted to be with Stacey before she died. There was this whole argument thing going on but I was just glued to the seat in the corner of the room. I was so confused and scared. It was a bad day for Stacey and me.

Anyways, back to the present. Classes start today. I'm on my way right now to Charms. I think Cedric is in that class with me, I'm not sure though.

Once I enter the class I see that for once I'm not late! Well I'm not crazy late to classes but usually I'm one of the last ones to arrive. Cedric is seated near the front and waves at me. I wave back and run up to the seat next to him.

"Morning." He says.

"Good morning." I quickly say back.

The rest of the day goes by in a quite boring way. I guess the excitement from last year is gone. Tuesday is quite boring as well. Wednesday was a little better because of Defense Against the Dark Arts, I'm good at that class! But the week has proven to be plain, if that makes sense.

I write my name on the parchment _Emerald S. Ride_, I like to write it like that so the tongue twisting thing is cut off. Cedric notices this.

"What does the S stand for?"

"Obviously my middle name!"

"I know that, but what is your middle name?" he asks.

"I can't tell you. You'll just laugh."

"I promise I won't laugh Em."

I take a deep breath. "Well my parents decided to do something funny with the whole Emerald thing. So my middle name is... Stone."

"Wait, Stone? That's actually sort of nice." He says but I can tell he's trying really hard not to laugh.

"My middle name is stupid! Like Stone is so weird for a girl name in the first place and an emerald isn't a stone it's like a gem!" I say.

"Well I promise I won't call you Stone. You're still Em to me." he says with a smile that makes most girls in our year faint you could say.

"Thank you, for not laughing but I could tell you we're holding it in."

"No! I wasn't going to laugh." He says defensively.

I laugh. "Sure and Slytherins play fair in wizard duels."

"Ok fine, I was holding it in. At least I'm nice enough to do so."

"Yes. That's awesome."


	18. Chapter 18

**A.N: Hi. Well here is chapter 18. My favourite number. :)**

Weekends are nice, I love weekends. No school even though we practically live at school. But weekends are nice, especially when it's warm. I love winter but summer is definitely my favourite season. One of the reasons why summer is my favourite season is that my family gets to go to our cottage in Canada. It's such a small cottage, but I always find something to do there.

Cedric and I are just sitting outside in the grass. The grass is dying already, its mid October so you know fall is here. Halloween feast coming up, not that I care about food, but the candy is amazing! I play with my shoe laces, I find myself doing this a lot.

"Cedric, what should we do. Sitting down isn't exactly the best way to spend the weekend." I say while still playing with my shoe laces.

He shifts his position so he can look at me. "I don't know. Maybe you should make more friends so we can actually talk with people."

Did not see that coming. "What?"

"Em, you need more friends. I have other friends to play quidditch with. You need friends to complain with."

"I don't always complain! I'm a happy person. I'm just not good with people." I say looking at him, straight in the eyes.

"You have three friends at home. You can make at least two more friends here." He says while standing up. "I'm sorry Em, I have to go. You need to make more friends."

I watch him walk away. He's right, I so need more friends. Cedric is awesome but we're not completely the same. He loves quidditch while I'm scared to touch a broom. Maybe I should talk to Charlotte; she seems like a good friend.

I get up and run to the castle. Who else could be a potential friend? The Weasley twins seem ok. But would I be good at pranking? And that's when I run into someone.

I fall backwards and land on my hands first. I look up to see none other than the twins. What luck.

"Are you ok?" ask one of them. Still can't tell them apart.

They both bend down at the same time lending each a hand to help me up. I grab both and they lift me up.

"I'm alright. Um, sorry, but I can't tell you apart. Which is which?" I ask them.

The one to the left says "I'm Fred and that's George."

"Ok. Well thanks." I say looking up at them. They are way taller than me.

"You're welcome." George says.

This is my chance at making _at least two friends_ like Cedric said. I just need to talk with them.

"So what you doing?" I ask them.

"We're heading to the kitchens for something to eat." Says Fred.

"Really? Can I come?"

They look at each other than creepily at the same time, they shrug. "Sure, why not." George says.

I smile, I can do this. I can make friends.


	19. Chapter 19

**A.N: I am really really really sorry for not updating in a long time! Surgery plus recovery plus summer vacation to the cottage equals not a lot of time to write. And now school started so yah. Hopefully you guys don't hate me! Heh. **

"Why are you tickling the pair?" I ask Fred.

"It's how you get inside." George answers for him.

Then just like that, the pair giggles and turns into a door knob. Fred opens the painting/door. We walk in and I can't stop myself from gasping. It's so cool! House elves scramble around and there's a big fireplace too. Four tables are placed in the kitchen exactly how the four tables are placed in the Great Hall.

A house elf walks up to me and asks me if I want anything to eat.

"Is it too much to ask for a chocolate fountain? Oh! And chocolate chip cookies!"

"No miss." And the elf scrambles off to get what I asked for. I look over at the twins with a big goofy smile on my face. "I always wanted to dip chocolate chip cookies in a chocolate fountain!" I exclaim happily while flailing my arms around in excitement. They both laugh at my actions.

Two elves walk up to me. One carries a small chocolate fountain thing and the other a plate of cookies. "Oh my gosh! Thank you!" I say while taking the food and placing it on the counter. After I finish all the cookies, the twins and I walk back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Thanks for showing me the kitchen!" I say happily.

"No problem, you should help us with a prank sometime." Fred says.

"Really? Okay that would be great!" I quickly shake their hands and then run up to my dormitory. When I enter I find that Charlotte is sitting on her bed reading.

"Hi Charlotte, what are you reading?"

Without even looking up she replies, "Hello Emerald. I'm reading Hogwarts a history."

"Is it as boring as everyone says it is?" I ask.

"I guess, but I felt like reading it. It's now a goal of mine to finish this."

"That's nice..." I trail off; I'm not quite sure what else to say.

But I do know that tomorrow, I will tell Cedric that I am maybe friends with the Weasley twins!


End file.

Harry Potter, Friendship, Humor