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hot and bothered when she walked out of Herbology. She was sweating profusely, her muscles were aching and her hands were so dirty that they caused her face to be patched with earth too. Everybody else was noticeably messy too, hence, all of them went off into the toilets to wash up, using the few minutes break they had between Herbology and their next class, which in the Gryffindors case, was Transfiguration.

She tried to find out what Lockhart had said to Harry, but Harry shoved it off for the most part. All she got out of him was that Lockhart seemed to think that Harry had done what he did in order to get publicity. According to Lockhart, Harry had been craving more attention since after the book signing and this was his way of getting more. Even though Saffron thought that Lockhart was a remarkable individual, both internally and externally, she knew he was off about that. That wasn't Harry. He hated the attention, but she could understand why Lockhart felt that way, as for a long time she felt similarly.

Whilst in the toilets, Saffron decided to ask Hermione about who had joined her group.

"Who was the boy with you three?" Saffron asked Hermione, who was scrubbing her hands harshly, in an attempt to scrub the dirt off of them. Saffron too was rushing to get as much off before going into Professor McGonagall's class.

"Justin Finch-Fletchly," Hermione told her. "He was actually quite interesting, he's Muggle-born and was telling us that he was going to go to Eton, can you imagine?"

"Eton?"

"It's a prestigious all-boys school in London, Prince Charles' children go there,"

"Huh," said Saffron interestedly.

"How was your group?"

"It was really good, actually," said Saffron. She wasn't sure if Hermione was taking a dig at her for abandoning the group she usually would have been a part of, regardless, she kept speaking undeterred and told her the truth. "Neville really knows what he's doing, which is great considering I don't,"

Hermione gave a noise of assent as she glanced down at her watch. "We better hurry up, we don't want to be late for Professor McGonagall,"

Saffron had never quite taken to Transfiguration with their head of house Profesor McGonagall. The woman always taught at a high standard and the bar had been raised sizeably since their first year. Her attempts to turn a beetle into a button were futile and she ended up accidentally killing the beetle with the tip of her wand, after a failed attempt at the wand movement, much to the dismay of Professor McGonagall. It took much explanation from Hermione to finally make some progress, although not nearly as perfect as Hermione's coat buttons.

"At least its Defence next," said Saffron, with a small smile.

After lunch, they were going to have their first lesson with Professor Lockhart, much to the excitement of everyone, less Ron and probably Harry too after what had gone on that morning. Everyone else, however, was eagerly anticipating getting taught by a man who had done so much. His resume was impressive, that couldn't be denied and Saffron felt herself feeling rather nervous when they waited outside of his classroom after lunch.

"I feel like how women feel right before they're going to have a baby," Lavender said to Saffron and Parvati loudly, as they stood leaning against the wall waiting for Lockhart to come.

"How would you know how that feels like?" Hermione said to her, taking her nose out of Voyages with A Vampire to inquire about what Lavender had said.

"I don't," said Lavender, not taking Hermione's words as a jab (which she often did). Lavender and Hermione didn't dislike each other, but they were two very different extremes. They laid on totally different ends of the personality spectrum. Naturally, they clashed from time to time because of this. "But I will one day, so before I have the baby, I'll say 'Oh, this is just like waiting for our first class with Professor Lockhart',"

Saffron and Parvati both laughed but stopped when they blinked due to a camera flashing in their direction. It wasn't pointed at them directly, of course, but they hadn't been in the background of a photo that a tiny, mousy-haired boy had taken of Harry. He was in Gryffindor and in first year, clutching a large camera. Harry went beetroot red once it was taken, shocked.

The fact that the boy was in first year made Saffron think about her siblings. She hadn't seen them since breakfast and was desperately awaiting getting to see how they were getting on. But, she had to keep it in check, as she had agreed to give them the space to go through the rounds without any interference.

"All right, Harry? I'm -I'm Colin Creevey," the boy was saying breathlessly. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.

"He is adorable," Lavender mouthed to the other Gryffindor girls, who were all watching the encounter with eagle eyes. Even though Harry had received many stares, nobody had ever interacted with him in such a manner before. It must be because he was no longer one of the youngest in the school anymore.

"So I can prove I've met you," continued Colin Creevey excitably. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you maybe one of your friends could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

The second-year Gryffindors all looked at each other, on the verge of laughter. None of them wanted to be the one to offer to take the picture. They never had to offer, as the arrival of Draco Malfoy changed the tone of the conversation inordinately.

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Draco was accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle, his two pets essentially who did whatever he wanted them to do. Draco laughed maliciously before roaring to the crowd of students. "Everyone line up! Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not," snapped Harry furiously. "Shut up, Malfoy!"

"You're just jealous," piped up Colin looking nervously from Draco to Harry. He seemed insulted on Harry's behalf.

'"Jealous?" Draco almost spat out. It seemed as though the whole hallway and courtyard alike were listening intently to the quarrel. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," Ron said in frustration.

"Be careful, Weasley," Draco almost laughed. He knew just how to get to them. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy'll have to come and take you away from school." He went on to impersonate Mrs Weasley, and in spite of herself, Saffron found herself thinking that it was rather accurate. "If you put another toe out of line' - "

Many of the crowd found this highly amusing, much to Ron's chagrin. Saffron pouted. This had to be up there with one of the worst days of his life.

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," Draco yelled to the crowd, feeding off their amusement. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house -"

Ron took out his Spellotaped wand but put it down when Hermione hissed "Look out!" to him.

"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart practically floated towards them, his beautiful turquoise robes following him elegantly. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Saffron clasped her hand over her mouth and exchanged a look with Lavender. How convenient did it have to be that Lockhart, the man who had accused Harry only this morning of attempting to get more attention had to turn up to this scene.

Lavender started to laugh and Saffron followed suit. It wasn't a laugh at any of the personal attacks Draco had gone at them with, or at how flustered Harry was. But more at how crazy the day had been to lead up to this. It was pure insanity and Saffron couldn't believe she was a witness to it. Therefore, she couldn't help herself when she laughed, but she kept her hand over her hand so as to not make it obvious.

"Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!" Lockart threw an arm around Harry with a wide grin. He looked down at Harry as though he knew this was going to happen. "Come on then, Mr. Creevey. A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you,"

This seemed to be more than Colin bargained for. He looked around rapidly for somebody to take the photo and seeing as Ron was the closest to him, he gave it to him. This seemed to cap off an already terrible day for Ron, as he begrudgingly took the picture of an in awe Colin, enthusiastic Lockhart, and depressed looking Harry. Harry then reluctantly signed the photo after Lockhart insisted he do so.

Wanting a private word with Harry, Lockhart let the rest of the class into the classroom. Saffron followed Ron and Hermione to the back, as Ron stated that Harry would want to be as far away from Lockhart as possible. Hermione was reluctant at first but nevertheless followed.

"You could've fried an egg on your face," Ron said to Harry who briskly made his way to the back of the room after a minute, in which the class had taken their many books out. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club."

Saffron snorted and even Hermione had a small smile on her face, but Harry was furious at him.

"Shut up," he snapped.

Grinning, Saffron watched on eagerly as the incredible Professor Lockhart made his way into the classroom. She bit her lip as she watched him and awaited what was sure to be the best Defence the Dark Arts Class she would ever have or at the very least the best she had gotten to date. When given the option of having Lord Voldemort or Professor Lockhart teach the class, she knew which option she was choosing and seeing as the former had essentially taught the classes last year, this one was bound to be an experience.