I suddenly blinked at Luna, a thought came to my head. I tilt my head just a bit as I look at her.

"Aren't First years supposed to take boats?" I asked, in response to which Luna's eyes widened and she ran off.

We stared after her.

"Weird girl." I said as I turned to Wayne.

Luna, she was an odd character. I had never really understood her. Was she a seer gone mad with her visions, unable to comprehend what she saw? A traumatized child? Straight out schizophrenic?

Or maybe just pulling everyone's leg?

Well the girl would probably be sorted into Ravenclaw with Hermione, so I wouldn't really have much of a chance to interact with her and find the method to her madness.

It's not like she was actually that important, so I could easily suppress my curiosity.

"I guess. Come on let's go, before the carriages are all gone." Wayne said.

Once I was seated inside and we slowly started rolling towards Hogwarts, I turned to Susan. "What about you?"

She gave me a questioning look.

"What spells did you manage?" I clarified, and she immediately brightened in understanding.

Her face then turned red and she glared at me. "My aunt found the parchment with the spells and forced me to learn them all. You turned my vacation into Auror boot camp,"

I gave her a pleasant smile and reached over to take her hand in mine.

"And If that means you'll live to spend yet another day amongst us, I will gladly do the same next summer." I said in a way formulate to elicit an amusing response.

She blushed, muttering something as she leaned away.

-/-

Later in the great hall, I sat down with all the people I hadn't seen in a month and started exchanging pleasantries.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Diggory.

"Tryouts are next week. Saturday afternoon," he crisply informed me.

"I'll be the—"

Clink, Clink, Clink.

The sound of Dumbledore using a combination of a spoon and a goblet interrupted me. I watched the door slowly creak open and assumed that he wished for us to quiet down for the sorting of the First years.

Once fully open, in came the First years.

Hair the colour of fire—oh hey, it's Ginny.

The Ginny that did not have the diary. I'd sought her out on the train under my invisibility cloak to make sure.

But the absence of the twins and Potter meant that Dobby had interfered with the platform, which he would only do if a 'dastardly plot' was going on at Hogwarts.

I watched as Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor and Luna into Ravenclaw.

Turning back to the table I started eating keeping watch on our new Defense against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, out of the corner of my eye. He was the only new addition after all.

The man was dressed in dark plum robes with perfectly coiffed hair and was also seemingly talking quietly with Mcgonagall who actually seemed to be enjoying the conversation.

I hadn't had my first lesson with the man yet but something told me he wasn't as incompetent as I had expected.

-/-

"Mr. Weasley stay behind for a moment," Mcgonagall called after Transfiguration class finished.

I signalled my friends to wait for me. I had actually wanted to teach them some dueling, due to Transfiguration being the last subject of the day, but who was I to deny the will of the professor.

Turning to Mcgonagall, curious about her reason for keeping me here, I asked.

"What can I do for you Professor?"

"Ahem I'm well aware that you are ahead of your year-mates. The staff and I were quite curious as to precisely how far," she said stiffly, and somewhat uncomfortably, she was probably just unused to someone as smart as me.

That was actually a question I had to think about a bit. I had mostly concentrated on animate to animate Transfiguration, neglecting everything else.

Hmm, well, I had no doubt that my level was already, at minimum, mid-Fourth year.

"I read ahead. From just the the spells, I think I'm mid-Third year. A bit further with the theory."

The woman nodded approvingly. "I'm happy to see promising students so enthralled in my subject."

She then gave me a pointed look. "Yes—it's been quite clear to me how bored out of your mind you've been, Mr. Weasley"

Aaand this is the part where I make myself wince. I hope that's what she wanted. Man, acting is getting annoying.

Next, I pull my face into a grimace marred by guilt.

"I can't help it, I just did this stuff already, last year even." I explain.

Now I should look at my feet—oh look, my feet are so important. Can't look at the professor. Oh, the guilt. How it weighs on my conscience.

"It's not your fault Professor. It's mine, for reading ahead."

Adults loved it when children took responsibility for their actions.

Even if it wasn't really their fault.

I should know, I was one myself.

As predicted, Minerva smiled proudly.

"It is possible, for those that are as studious as yourself, to test out of a subject for a year. Sadly, with my schedule, I am only able to meet on Sundays. What say you, Mr. Weasley?"

She peered at me over the rim of her glasses. I got the distinct feeling that this wasn't an offer I could opt out of.

"I would grateful for such an opportunity, Professor,"

She gave a nod, so I made to leave, but I couldn't help throwing in some last words.

"That said, I'm going to crush Gryffindor in our Quidditch match next month,"

I heard a muttered 'rascal' as I closed the door to the Transfiguration classroom, to find my group of friends waiting for me.

"So what did she want?" Wayne asked.

I shrugged."Nothing much. Just testing out of Second year Transfiguration."

I turn to my bushy-haired friend—oh, Hermione, shalt thou grace me with an outburst?

Guess not. She just gave me a small smile.

"Weird coincidence. I'm testing out of Second year Charms." she said.

Ah, so that's why she wasn't mad at me.

Wayne and Susan groaned.

"I'm surrounded by overachievers." Susan said.

Wayne just gave her pat on the back, before turning to the rest of them. "Come on let's go, Ron said he wanted to show us the dueling room today."