Oh... so your the boy that my little sister likes!

Sam couldn't believe that this was his last and final year here, where has the time gone? last he remember he was a scared little first year trying to find his way around. Sam was really going to miss the place, Hogwarts was his second home and been for seven years now. It was going to be hard for Sam leave a place that he had so many memories at. Although he knew that he was going to see some of his friends again so it wasn't the end. Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't going to see Hogwarts ever again either.


Sitting in front of the lake Sam stared at the lake seeing the giant squid pop his head above the water for a second before going back down. Shaking his head Sam smiled to himself, as odd as it made seem Sam liked seeing the giant squid at this time of day. After all, it was the best time to see him if there wasn't kids throwing rocks at him. It was dinner time, but for some odd reason Sam, wasn't in the mood to eat. He was beginning to wonder if he wasn't getting sick or catching something.

Staring at the lake deep in thought he was finally snapped of of his thoughts as he heard a twig snap. Whipping around, Sam gotten his wand out and pointed it in front of him. "Hello anyone there?"Sam cried as bunny came out of the bushes. Sighing in relief he pocketed his wand and laughed. He was reacting over a bunny, how lame could he be? but that was the way Sam was, always ready for anything. Well... not everything, but he was mostly alert for pretty much softly anything.


Sitting back down under the willow tree, he looked back at the squid that was looking at him with interest. "Yeah I know, reacting over something small, but I can't help it!"said Sam softly but shrugging. "I guess I just need to relax at times and not be so tense."said Sam as he looked at the sunset before him. He knew he had to get in before curfew, but he honestly didn't want to he liked it out by the lake it was quiet and peaceful unlike the castle.

This was only his fifth year, but before he knew it he was going to be a seventh year. It was always like that, it had happened to him when he was a first year. Everything had been so new and weird and now he was a fifth year with only two more years to go. He admitted that sometimes it scared him to think that he would have to leave the castle, his second home, forever at the end of his seventh year. That was why he never wasted a moment to do anything he wanted, even if he ended up getting in trouble. Every moment counted when it came to Hogwarts.

Today there wasn't much to do in the castle though. Everyone was just around ... doing their own things. He'd wanted to spend time with Sarah, but he couldn't find her and he figured that she was in her common room. It really stunk that they were in different houses because they couldn't spend all their time together, but they were making it work.

Zandell decided to go outside to the grounds after a few minutes of staring at the fire that lit up the Hufflepuff common room. He sighed softly as he thought about what he could do out there. There was the lake, the Care of Magical Creatures paddock, the greenhouses and the forest. He really didn't feel like being in the forest today, he knew that it was really dangerous and he'd learned his lesson the last time he was in there with Sarah. He wasn't scared of the creatures inside the forest though, it was just that he didn't want to make Sarah worry about him if he ended up hurt.

Deciding on the lake, Zandell walked down to it with his hands in his jacket and his head sinking down further into the Hufflepuff scarf he wore. The cold breezes of the quickly setting in winter blew in his face and he smiled into the scarf. He didn't know what he was going to do when he couldn't enjoy the wind the way he did now when he graduated. Reaching the lake, Zandell noticed that there was someone who was already there and he hesitated in walking any further. But he took an unsteady step forward and the leaves crunched, rather loudly, under his feet.

Deep in thought, Sam was suddenly snap out of thought as he heard leaves crunch not to far from where he was at. Whipping around once again, he whipped his wand a boy out of his jacket and pointed it in front of him. "Oops sorry mate, just alittle alert for my own good at times."said Sam pocketing his wand. Looking at the boy he noticed that he looked about the same age as his little sister Sarah did but by the looks of it he was obviously a Hufflepuff. "Shouldn't you be inside? your just like my little sister Sarah always out looking for trouble."said Sam shaking his head before chuckling.

"Oh so rude of me I'm Sam, Sam Nesbitt. "said Sam sticking out his hand for Zandell to shake. Sam couldn't help but not to notice that this boy didn't even seem to be like a Hufflepuff, but more like a Gryffindor to him. But there was probably more to him then meets the eye. "You know, you probably heard this like a million times but you don't seem like you belong in Hufflepuff."said Sam honestly. "You look more like a Gryffindor to me."said Sam.

There was probably a reason why he was a Hufflepuff though, he was probably shy when he was younger or more loyal then anything. There was always a reason why the sorting hat put in in a house. When he was sorted, he was afraid that he was going to be sorted into Slytherin, he was surprise he ended up as a Slytherin. His mother was a Gryffindor while his father was a Slytherin, it was a bit weird but he had alittle of both in him. Although he was glad to be a Gryffindor, but he wasn't afraid to admit that he had some Slytherin in him.

Zandell tilted his head to the side slightly when he heard the older boy say something about his younger sister Sarah. Was it the Sarah he was thinking of? Just then he introduced himself as Sam Nesbitt and Zan knew that he was talking about the same person he was thinking of. "Oh so you're her older brother." he said softly, though it was a bit muffled from the scarf around his neck. He lifted his head from the scarf enough to reveal his mouth so he could speak properly.

He stepped closer to Sam, shaking his hand and saying, "I'm Zandell Dawlish. Nice to meet you." he said. He was sure Sarah had told him about them by now, so he was just waiting to see if he gave any sort of protective reaction to his name. Zan laughed softly as his comment about him not seeming like a Hufflepuff and Zandell nodded. "Yeah, people say that to me all the time. Because I apparently seem like I'm brave and bold, which honestly I can be ... but only when I have to be." he said.

"I guess I'm a Hufflepuff because I could never betray those I care about." He said honestly. Though it came out sounding more cheesy than he'd wanted it too. Zandell couldn't betray his friends, family or any loved ones. He was a loyal person, which explained why he was a Hufflepuff and not a Gryffindor, even though he had quite a bit of the traits of Gryffindors.

Even though it was muffled, Sam still understood what he meant. "Yes that would be me, but I just like to be known as myself not Sarah's older mean brother."said Sam honestly. Although he would do anything to protect Sarah, he didn't want to known known as Sarah Nesbitt's big brother. Of course he would always be Sarah's older brother, nothing would ever changed that no matter what.

"Pleasure to finally meet the guy who stole my little sister heart."said Sam smiling at him. "She talks about you alot you know, just promise me you'll treat her well."said Sam honestly. He knew that Sarah told him he would treat her well, but he wanted to hear it from him. Sam nodded. "I hear ya there mate, you wouldn't believe me if I told you but I have some Slytherin in me, but it only comes out when I'm mad."said Sam honestly. It was a side that no one wanted to mess with, it was a scary side of him.

"That's good though mate, you don't need to do that it never really gets you no where in life."said Sam honestly. "I thought I would be a Slytherin, but I guess had had more bravery in me then anything."said Sam shrugging. Sam always put others before himself it was just the way he was, always willing to anything to protect his friends or loved ones. Even if he had some Slytherin in him, he was a true Gryffindor at heart no matter what.

Zandell nodded when Sam said to promise him that he would treat Sarah well. "Believe me Sam, I would never do anything to hurt Sarah." he said. He had no intention of hurting Sarah, he loved her and that was the last thing on his mind. The only thing he would do was protect her and keep her away from as much danger as he could. That was where the Gryffindor part of him came in, he was always determined to defend those he loved, even if it could put his life in danger. He didn't care what happened to him, as long as his loved ones were okay.

"Don't worry. I'm sure all of us have some Slytherin in us. It's a rather natural thing. We could have it in us without having anyone else in the family who actually was a Slytherin." he said honestly. Zandell knew what he was talking about there. No one in his family had been a Slytherin and then there was his brother. Everyone had expected him to go into Hufflepuff with Zandell or Gryffindor but that hadn't been the case. He ended up in Slytherin because he had certain ambitions that no one else had in their family. Zandell thought that it was something that had to do with the kids he hung out with.

"I was never sure what I would be. No one really knew, even the Sorting Hat had a hard time with me. I guess it thought I had some of all the houses in me, but I proved to be more loyal than anything else." he said. Loyalty was something that no one could ever question with Zan, everyone knew just how loyal he was. Though it might seem a bit mean, others compared him to a dog with its owner. Zandell didn't mind though, because he said the same about himself. It always paid to be loyal, because you could keep your friends and family safe no matter what. But you'd also need bravery for that.

Sam nodded in approval at what Zandell said. "Good I believe you Zandell, it's just Sarah is very important to me I wouldn't let anyone hurt her."said Sam softly. "But I know she's in good hands when she's with you."said Sam honestly. Sam could tell by looking into his eyes that he loved Sarah and will do anything to protect her which was one thing Sam respected of out him. If there was one thing about Sam, he got spot a liar and a backstabber in a minute, but he knew that Zandell was telling the truth.


Sam nodded in agreement. "Your right about that mate, we all have a part of the house in us somewhere."said Sam honestly. Sam's family through the ages been in different houses, but his mother was a Gryffindor while his father was a Slytherin that was probably why he had some many of the other houses in him. But there was alwasys part of all four houses in you, due to family members being sorted there or just by attitude. "So... if you don't mind me asking, how long have you and Sarah been dating?"Sam asked as he seen his owl coming towards him. Taking the letter from her feet Sam read it and frowned.

"Oh great, how am I suppose to tell Sarah this?"Sam asked himself as he put the letter in the inside pocket of his jacket. It wasn't good news, and he didn't know how to tell Sarah that her grandparents wanted her back. Sarah told him stories on how she hated her grandparents, and they hated her as well as her parents. He wondered why they wanted her if they hated her so much? but then again Sam figure it out, to do all there cooking and cleaning for them while they turned her into some slave. He wasn't going to aloow it if he could help it, Sarah was a Nesbitt now and there was nothing her Grandparents could do to stop it.

"I won't let anything happen to her." he said. "I'll protect her until my last breath." Zandell knew he sounded a bit corny and weird, but he would protect Sarah with everything he had. He would never allow anything to happen to her. No matter who it was, he would stand up to any and everyone ti keep her safe and to stay by her side. He wouldn't allow anything to separate them, no matter what.

He looked at Sam and smiled sheepishly. "Not that long. A little less than a week." he said. It wasn't that long, but Zandell loved Sarah. He'd known her since they were really little and he had always loved her, even if he hadn't realized it ever. He was glad that he had gotten another chance to see her, because of that he had gotten to be her boyfriend and he would never be able to thank Merlin enough for letting Jim have that chance.

Zandell watched at Sam's owl came toward him and delivered a letter to him. Sam's attitude suddenly changed and when he mentioned Sarah, he immediately had to ask, "What's wrong?" It seemed to be pretty bad, Sam looked really disappointed. "Is there any way I can help?" he asked, even though he didn't even know what was going on.

Sam looked up from the letter back at Zandell before he swallowed a lump in his throat. "You might want to read this mate, but I'm warning you it's not good news."said Sam softly as he handed him the letter. The didn't say much, but it was enough to make him or Zandell understand.

Dear Sammy,
We hope everything going well for you, from your last letter everything was going well for you! We are glad you and Sarah are getting along, which is why this letter is so hard to write this letter, but I have to tell you the bad news. we gotten a letter telling us that Sarah's real grandparents want custody of her. Were trying to do everything we can to keep her, we hired lawyers and there working on the cast. We love you as well as Sarah, we would do anything to protect you two.
Keep us inform how things are going for you!
love always,
Mum & Dad

Sam knew he probably know more about Sarah's grandparents, after all Sarah told him he was her childhood best friend before they started dating. "I can't beleive this, how could there doing this, Sarah told me what they do to her when she went to see them!"said Sam angrily. "There just want her so they can turn her into their slave!"said Sam angrily. Sam wanted to cry, but he was just to angry for tears to come down his face.