Harry Potter and the Byzantine Crystal

Compared to the previous four years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this year was turning out to be somewhat uneventful. For Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, three students who seemed to have a knack for ending up in the thick of anything that happened, it was especially quiet, but all of the students felt this year was rapidly becoming rather dull. Fred and George Weasley had been up to their usual shenanigans of course. At one point they tricked Neville Longbottom into eating a Helium Float Chew — sweets, which caused you to keep floating up and up– and he was left banging his head on the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall. Even more unfortunate, for Neville at least, was that no one could remember the spell to get him down (except Fred and George, but they were nowhere to be found). It took nearly two hours for the effect to wear off.
The inter-house Quidditch Cup was the only thing that broke the monotony of school life. Gryffindor were unbeaten and on course to retain the Cup that they’d won two years earlier. Gryffindor were firmly ahead in the House Cup too. This was due to the fact that neither Harry, Ron nor Hermione had been given the opportunity to get into trouble, so Gryffindor hadn’t lost as many points as usual. And without any disruptions, all three of them were getting good grades, instead of just Hermione.
The lack of news meant that the first years were subjected to endless retellings of the amazing events that had taken place over the previous few years. They made up for the lack of excitement by staring at the legendary Harry Potter, much to Harry’s annoyance (he thought it was like having a whole year full of Colin Creevey’s). Many of the first years had their doubts about the stories because they seemed so at odds with what was happening this year.
It was fair to say that everyone was yearning for a bit of excitement, but no one could have guessed where it was to come from.

The last person to start their schooling at Hogwarts late, was Billy Jameson in 1253. He had been living with his father, a mile underwater, near the mid-Atlantic ridge, but no one knew exactly where. This was compounded by the local Halibut Mail Service being out on strike, due to a misunderstanding about pay and conditions. Even then, Billy was only a month late starting. For someone to start mid-way through the fifth year, was not only unheard of, but was almost unthinkable. Due to an absence of any other news, this rapidly became the talk of the school.
Everyone was trying to guess the reason behind the lateness of her admittance. Amy Patterson then, found herself to be the centre of attention for the whole school upon her entry into Hogwarts.
She fielded the questions about who she was, where she was from, what her star-sign was, and — the one the boys all wanted to know — what Quidditch team she supported, with seemingly inexhaustible patience. The question she was asked the most though, was: ‘Why were you admitted so late?’
The answer was simple: her parents had lived in a remote part of Outer Mongolia and had had no contact with anyone since before she was born. Nobody but her parents knew she existed, hence, no invite to Hogwarts. The first people, besides her parents, to know she existed, were a couple of travelling wizards who happened across the family by chance.
After seeing the uproar that Amy’s admittance was causing, Harry decided that it was his responsibility to make her feel welcome. He painfully remembered what it was like to have people stop and stare at you in the corridors, as many had taken to doing when they saw Amy, and thought that he could help.

Harry was on his way to dinner when he spotted Amy in the corridor, walking alone.
‘Amy–,’ he called.
She turned and saw him, then waited as he hurried to catch up.
‘How about sitting with Hermione, Ron and me at dinner tonight? We’re in the same house, and the same year, so we should be able to answer any questions you have.’ He added: ‘I thought it might make a change from being asked them all the time.’
Amy smiled. ‘Okay.’
They headed into the Great Hall and found Ron and Hermione, who were already seated at the Gryffindor table.
‘Hi,’ said Ron, chirpily, as Amy and Harry sat down. Hermione didn’t say anything, just nodded.
‘I asked Amy to sit with us as I know what being the centre of attention’s like and I thought we might act a little less… peculiar, than the others.’
‘It is a bit unnerving trying to eat while people are staring at you,’ admitted Amy.
Just then, the empty plates before them filled with food of all sorts, so they began tucking in.
‘So, ‘ow are you findin’ schoo’ ‘ife so ‘ar?’ asked Harry, with a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

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