Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters and media associated with Harry Potter are property of J K Rowling and Warner Bros.

Prologue

I looked down at my book and flipped my hair over my shoulder. It had been getting in my way a lot more recently even though it had lost most of its frizzy texture and had mellowed out into smooth curls. I contemplated cutting it for about three seconds before deciding that I was just vain enough to hold my waist length locks over practicality.

Letting out a contented sigh I leaned back in my sun chair and adjusted my sunglasses. I was spending the last day of my summer holiday re-reading my text books for the upcoming year and trying to boost the slight tan I'd gotten whilst on holiday in Greece. I would be going back to Hogwarts for my sixth year tomorrow and I wanted to look my best. There would definitely be a few surprised faces on the Hogwarts Express when they saw what the ugly bookish duckling had turned into in a couple of months. I had most certainly become a swan.

Don't be mistaken I was still as studious as ever but over the summer I'd realised that I could still get amazing grades if I looked after my appearance and had a life outside of my books. I'd grown an inch or two and although I still dwarfed in comparison to Harry or Ron I wasn't a midget anymore. My body had lost the last of its puppy fat and had developed more curves in the right places. My skin tone was now a light coffee and cream colour which complemented my deep brown eyes and brunette hair which had grown considerably as well. All in all the improvements were small but had made a big difference.

I hadn't seen anyone from school over the holidays and secretly I was looking forward to seeing their reactions to the new me. What I wasn't looking forward to was seeing Ron. There had been some tension there last year but over the month and a half we'd spent apart the only feelings I had for him now were purely platonic, I just hoped the feeling was mutual.

I wondered how Harry was I'd sent him a letter near the beginning of the holidays and had yet to get a reply which worried me but I allowed myself to be content with the knowledge that if anything had happened to the famous Harry Potter it would be all over the Daily Prophet. Of course the rag was very complimentary about him now 'the chosen one' and 'our hero', as if they weren't calling him an attention seeking, lying, maniac less than half a year ago. Still it was to be expected from a ministry controlled publication, the hypocrites.

The sun began to sink in the sky colouring the world in a pinky-orange glow. Stretching like cat I made my way into the house to check my trunk one last time and put my text book back in before having dinner. As I entered my bedroom one of the pictures on my dressing table caught my eye. Harry, Ron and I stood under one of the huge trees by the side of the lake. In the background other students milled around, enjoying the sun and studying for exams. In the far right of the picture stood Malfoy and his two bodyguards; Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy in the picture alternated between sneering at Harry and Ron and staring at me. I've always wondered what he was thinking at the time, when he was looking at me. The expression on his face gives away nothing and his eyes guarded.

Shaking myself I got back to the task at hand of double checking my trunk. After ten minutes I'd ascertained that everything I needed was present and accounted for, just like it had been the other three times I'd checked today. I was really looking forward to the coming year at school, we'd completed OWL's so we would now be studying for NEWT's and hopefully the lessons would become more challenging. Harry and Ron both wanted to be aurors and I hoped that they'd gotten the OWL's they needed to carry on with the necessary subjects this year. As for me, I still wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do after I left Hogwarts. Most people expected me to become an auror too and keep the 'Golden Trio' together but I was pretty sure that evil wizard catching wasn't for me. Not that I didn't think it was a really important occupation but I wanted to make a difference in the world and there were other ways to do that like becoming a healer or doing research. I also wanted a job that challenged me mentally such as curse breaking.

With one last look towards the picture on my dressing table I left the room and made my way down stairs to have dinner with my parents. Both of them had been in high spirits this summer because I'd been with them for the whole six weeks instead of spending the last two with the Weasley's not that they hadn't invited me but all things considered I didn't want to see Ron so soon. I really didn't want to have the awkward conversation I knew we would have to have until I absolutely had to.

I went to bed that night with a smile on my face dreaming of red trains and castles. I didn't yet realise that this year would be the oddest of them all.