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and Saffron was grateful for the fact that no other attacks had taken place in the school. But, of course, that came with its own sort of paranoia. People were speculating that the Heir of Slytherin was resting and biding their time before striking yet again.

The week was relatively low-key. Saffron and her siblings were happy to see that Amanda had taken her full-time position in the school and was working in conjunction with Madam Pomfrey. The matron always had helpers around her, as running a hospital in a school full of magic was quite the task, but having somebody beside her full time was to the benefit of the school as a whole and to Madam Pomfrey individually.

Saffron was found to be walking down to the Great Hall alone for breakfast one morning since Hermione had gotten up particularly early to check on the potion when she saw Olly standing beside the noticeboard. He gestured to her to come over to him.

"Have you seen this?" He pointed his hand at a notice that said that there was a Duelling Club starting up that night in the Great Hall. "It sounds great, but my friend Anthony heard from his friend Lucy that Professor Lockhart is running it. . . which only makes it better,"

"Better?" Saffron blinked. She vividly recalled slating Lockhart with Olly and Padma in Astronomy one night. "I thought you hated Lockhart too?"

"Oh, I do," Olly assured her. "That's why it's so much better, won't it be hilarious to see him getting beaten up by a first year or something,"

Saffron giggled. The mental image of her brother or sister destroying Lockhart in a duel was engraved in her mind and honestly, it wasn't all that unrealistic.

"I definitely don't want to miss that," replied Saffron, subconsciously adjusting the ever-present red ribbon in her hair. As she did so, Olly noticed what was around her hand.

"You actually kept it," the boy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course I did," Saffron told him with sincerity. "I didn't quite fancy it as a necklace, so I got my friend Hermione to tighten it so that'd be a bracelet,"

"Luna will be pleased," said Olly with a grin. "She really put a lot of effort into making them,"

"How come people call her Loony?" Saffron asked Olly, following him into the Great Hall. The pair took seats opposite each other at the top of the Ravenclaw table, near a group of chattering sixth years.

"I think it's because she's misunderstood," answered Olly, though he seemed to be considering the answer himself. "Well, actually I think nobody gives themselves the chance to understand her, but I did and I'm glad I did. She's different, very very very different than anybody I know, but different in a good way,"

"Rowan's told me about her," Saffron told Olly. "He says she doesn't really talk to anyone in her class, and whenever she does she says something that has nothing to do with what they were talking about or something really harsh about what they were talking about,"

Olly nodded. "That sounds like Luna, she does that, but it's actually what I like about her," He paused. "Plus, we have a lot more in common than anyone knows. Firstly, we're both blonde," He paused and Saffron laughed in the pause. He smiled when she did so. "But secondly and most of all, we both live in a house with just one parent. I don't know if everyone knows, so if you don't mind keep that between us---"

"Don't worry, I will," Saffron assured him truthfully. "I won't tell anyone,"

He smiled appreciably. "Well, Luna's mum died when she was younger and I never knew my dad, so I guess it's nice to have someone who understands what I feel, you know?"

Saffron nodded. "Yeah, I get it,"

"I'm sorry," said Olly both briskly and apologetically. "I didn't mean to make this---"

"Don't be sorry," Saffron insisted. "I think it's nice to find out more about each other, even if it's not a good thing, right? I mean, I can relate too, with my parents . . . "

"Yeah," Olly nodded. "I think it is nice," There was a long pause, in which both Saffron and Olly focused on their lost loved ones and the fact that they had revealed it to each other. That was yet another step in the right direction for their friendship. Saffron found it hard to talk about her parents to any of her friends, with Hermione being an exception on the occasion. But Olly made it easier and for that, she was grateful

She was also grateful that he changed the subject.

"You can meet Luna tonight if you want," Olly offered her with a smile. "She's coming with me to the duelling club, I think she'd really like to meet you. Especially since you're wearing her protection necklace,"

"And um," Saffron began with a cough. "The protection is real?"

Olly let out a laugh. "No, of course not, I was only kidding, Padma, Lisa and Terry all made sure that I knew it wasn't real, but I don't think it matters, I think it looks cool,"

"What time will I meet you two at then?" Saffron asked him.

"Oh, um. . . " began Olly in surprise. "I guess five to eight at the school's noticeboard would work,"

Saffron stood up and grinned at him. "I'll see you then, bye, Olly,"

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Saffron spent most of her day with Lavender and Parvati. With the brewing of the polyjuice potion coming to an end, she wanted to take a break from the final stages of it and just enjoy her last week or so before the end of the term.

The three of them took their spot in Lavender's favourite alcove, where Lavender played around with Saffron's hair as she liked to do. The girls spoke about the duelling club later that night and of course when Parvati mentioned showing up together, Saffron had to decline and naturally that resulted in her giving her reasoning.

"I would, but I said I'd meet up with Olly just before it, he wants to introduce me to someone," Saffron confessed, much to the delight of Lavender and Parvati who giggled in glee.

"Another date for Saffron and mini Olly, how sweet," Lavender locked eyes with Parvati before going into a fit of giggles.

"Ha-Ha," responded Saffron stiffly. "I wouldn't exactly call it a date since there's three of us there,"

"Maybe that's the way you like it," Lavender chirped brightly making Saffron roll her eyes in disgust. "What's the name for it Parv, when you date more than one person?"

"Trianomy?" suggested Parvati with uncertainty. But Lavender took it for a fact.

"So you're a trianomist," teased Lavender. "Interesting,"

"I don't think that's what it's called," Saffron said tiredly. "I don't get why you two are so interested, I'm friends with Harry and Ron and you never go on about me and either of them,"

"That's because Harry and Ron aren't Olly Jowett," Lavender told her matter-of-factly. "He's probably the most fanciable boy in our year, Harry doesn't even crack the top five and don't get me started on Ron. Watching him eat makes me want to throw up,"

"You rank people?" Saffron shouldn't have spoken with such disbelief. It was such a Lavender thing to do.

"You don't?" Parvati asked back with a grin.

"Obviously not," Saffron informed her. "Wait, so how would you rank them?"

"Well, there are different categories you see," Lavender explained to Saffron, twisting her hair slightly too harshly making the other girl wince. "Oh sorry, anyway, the two main ones would be just looks and then overall. So which one do you want me to list?"

When Saffron didn't answer, Parvati answered for her. "I can tell she wants looks,"

Lavender snorted. "Alright, so it'll go . . . " She took a deep breath before rapidly listing off names. "Anthony Goldstein, Olly Jowett, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Justin Finch-Fletchly, Dean, Ernie MacMillan, Terry Boot, Harry, Michael Corner, Theodore Nott and I think I'll stop there because the rest of them aren't really list worthy,"

Saffron had to bite her lip so as to not laugh. Lavender had put immense thought into it, or, perhaps she hadn't and she just simply wasn't at the same stage that Lavender was at. Sure, she had crushes on boys, but that seemed to just be limited to Oliver Wood. Nobody her own age had ever piqued her interest in the same way that Oliver had.

"I know that's a lot to take in," Lavender told her apologetically. "But you have time to catch up,"

"Oh, good," was all Saffron had to say and with that, the subject was dropped and her mind wandered to the Duelling Club that night. Going with Olly and a girl she had never met was rather daunting, and she felt like she was flying blind when it came to the evening. There was no predictability, there never seemed to be with Olly. The unpredictability that came with him was the only thing that was somewhat predictable. But a part of her was excited to make the evening up as she went along. She just hoped that Olly and Luna felt similarly.