Strange New Acquaintances

"Zeffer, Kieren!" Shouted Professor McGonagall into the large crowd of Hogwarts students. Out of the gathering of first years at the far end of the Great Hall came a boy, shaking nervously. The boy walked up the slight step to take a seat on the three-legged stool that had been placed for them. Professor McGonagall placed a dingy, old hat onto his head. Within a moment, obvious mouth lines became visible and the hat began to talk. After a few moments it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" and flamboyant claps and shouts echoed through the hall in great waves.

Professor McGonagall began to remove the old stool from the stage so that Professor Dumbledore could give his beginning of the year speech, but before she had walked more than two feet, he stopped her.
"Professor, if we could leave that for just a moment, it would be greatly appreciated." The Headmaster smiled at the Head of the Gryffindor house, who stopped in her tracks and replaced the stool. "Thank you."
The Headmaster walked out from behind the long table he was seated at and up to a gold podium directly behind the stool. As he began to speak, his voice, full of wisdom, filled the Great Hall.
"I believe this year will be slightly different. As well as accepting our new first years, we will also be playing host to two new exchange students." He said, looking at each person in turn it seemed. "I would like you all as Hogwarts students, to be very kind to our new students, who will be joining us from the schools of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. They are both very skilled and may be an asset to more than one of you. The sorting will take place just as it does for all first years, and whether they are sorted into the same house or different ones, I want one member of that house to help them find their way around Hogwarts." He waited for a moment. "With that said, please welcome our new 6th years."
Everyone in the Great Hall glanced at the doors in anticipation, but nothing happened. Finally, Ron Weasley turned to see Dumbledore's reaction to the lack of students, when he laid eyes on them. Two girls were standing in the middle of the isles between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw silently. He nudged Harry in the arm to get his attention. Harry too looked at the girls in astonishment, none knew how they had appeared, and all that could be seen of them was their height and form, for both were wearing long black capes with hoods that cast heavy shadows on their faces.
"Ahhh, So nice to see you two again." Dumbledore said to the two caped figures. "I understand that you are probably tired after your trip, but we will need to sort you before we let you go rest. Of course, you will have to eat something as well." He walked down to where Professor McGonagall was holding the sorting hat. "This is the sorting hat, we will place it on your heads, and it will sort you into your houses, which you may then join. Lady Soleil, would you like to go first?" He beckoned the girl to the stool.
"I already know where I belong. I don't need to or intend to put a lousy talking piece of junk on my head." Came a voice from under the hood.
"I am sure you do, but it is common procedure Lady Soleil, if you will." He acted as if nothing had happened, whilst all of the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors were astonished and the Slytherins giggled and grinned happily to see another one of them had come to Hogwarts.
Finally the girl walked up and sat on the stool, hood still intact. Professor McGonagall lowered the hat over her head, and before it had gotten 5 inches from her head it began to scream "SLYTHERIN!!" In a shrieking voice. The girl stood nonchalantly and began to walk toward the Slytherin table, where unsure shouts and praises were developing.
"Lady Soleil, will you keep the students wondering about yourself forever? Do you think that there would be a problem with our students seeing you shining face?" Professor Snape asked from behind the teacher's table.
At this, Soleil turned to the table and bowed her head lowly, an action that obtained gasps from every house and teacher and replied, "Please excuse me professor, but I would hate to be a distraction..."
Snape smiled at the comment.
"... to you of course. We couldn't have you taking a liking towards one of your students now could we?"
While Snape's countenance turned to one of slight annoyance, a giggling sound protruded from under the hood of the other girl's hood.
"Give it a break Sol... Just go sit down and stop making trouble. If the Head of the houses wantto see our faces, they has every right. Especially the Gryffindor Head." The voice said.
Soleil turned quickly. "You plan to be a Gryffindor Lu?" She said in an irritated tone.
"Well why not? That's where old Harry's at.."
"Your kidding right? Since when do we give a care in the world about 'Harry Potter'? I like to mind myself and only myself."
The other girl slowly pulled the hood down onto her back revealing her face. She had long jet-black hair, and steel gray, with a beautiful face. Following the suit of this girl, Soleil removed her hood as well revealing brown hair, the same length of the other girls and crystal blue eyes. Soleil was obviously a good 3 inches taller than the other female, and stood at least five foot, seven inches.
"Lune, I believe it is your turn." Dumbledore said slowly.
Lune smiled at him kindly and went to sit on the stool, the sorting hat was lowered onto her head and unlike with Soleil, began to think deeply.
"Hmmmm... Oh a Seer? Got much talent don't you? Hmm.. Where to put you... I know where you shall go... GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table lit up with shouts and claps, and Ron on top of the table whistling. Lune glanced at Soleil who nodded back and walked over to join the Slytherins. Lune looked after her.
"Wait! Soleil!" She cried.
"What is it Lu? Isn't that what you wanted? Now you're a Gryffindor... you said you wanted to be with 'Harry Potter', so now you are. You take care of him and if trouble arises then maybe I'll help."
"You're not mad at me are you Sol?" Lune asked quietly.
Soleil smiled at her. "Nah. I know why you did it... but uhh... in case you didn't notice, I sleep in the basement and you sleep on the 7th floor. Bye!" She then turned quickly and began to walk away.
"WHAT!?" Lune shouted after her.
"Oh... yeah, you didn't know? Slytherins sleep in basement corridors and you have the Gryffindor Tower."
"Maybe... maybe I don't want to be a Gryffindor anymore... why did the hat make me one anyway?" Her eyes began to tear up.
"You asked it to, remember?" She gave up on trying to blame the problem on Lune. "It put you in Gryffindor because you're a seer. An obvious force of good, it's where you belong and we all know it."
"Yet you're a Slytherin? Aren't you a 'Force of Good'?"
Several Gryffindors and Slytherins close to the two looked a Lune as if she had just asked a rhetorical question. Soleil glanced at them.
"Lu... Give it up alright. Doesn't matter what I am, I wanted to be a Slytherin. All of the wizards I ever idolized were Slytherins."
"Your dad was a Gryffindor. You loved him."
"He didn't know that I existed." With this she began to turn.
"How could I be put in a different house than you!?" Lune cried, tears beginning to run down her face.
"I don't know. I wasn't expecting it." She shot an evil glare at Dumbledore as if to say 'you'll pay for this.' And turned back to Lune.
"High and Mighty over there is shooing us towards our tables, you better go ahead and find some people to hand out with. Harry might be too busy to drag you around."
"As if I need anyone to show me around?" Lune said condescendingly as she turned to walk to her table and take a seat between Harry and Ron. Following her friend's lead, Soleil walked down the isle of Slytherins until she found a place that she found good enough for her presence. She seated herself across from Draco Malfoy and his thug-like friends Crabbe and Goyle.
"It's a shame she has to be in Gryffindor with that Granger, I hope she doesn't give in easily to the forces of good." Draco's voice seemed to float across the table to her.
"I share the same prayers as you." Soleil replied with a smile.
"You two are friends no doubt?"
"Yeah, we've known each other forever."
"Then I'll try not to hold a grudge against her for being Gryffindor." HE said quietly while looking at his food.
"Thanks." Soleil responded. "I appreciate it."
Draco stopped eating and put his fork down. He looked at the table for a moment, then lifted his eyes to look at Soleil and rapidly asked, "Would you like me to show you around?"
Soleil was taken by surprise, but smiled at him. "Why? Would you like to show me around?"
"Lets put it this way, I probably wouldn't have asked pug-faced Pansy that. Now do I have to answer the question?"
"No... I get it... you can't take your eyes off me because I'm so beautiful. Come on... show me." She said, standing.
"God I wish she were wrong." Draco mumbled as he stood and ran around to the other side of the table where she was, and led her past the Gryffindor table.
Lune had finally realized the full impact of what being in a different house from Soleil would mean, and was holding her head in her hands.
"Why do you look so upset about being in Gryffindor? It's a good thing... really." Harry said to her.
"Well... It would be a good thing if Harry's little adventures didn't cost Gryffindor so many points." Ron teased before she could reply.
"I don't care where I am! But I got myself placed in a house without Soleil!" She turned to sob into Ron's shoulder.
Ron was unsure as to what he should do, so he just patted Lune on the back. Finally he loosened his tie, provoking a glare from Hermione.
Lune lifted her head slowly, still in tears, "I'm so sorry for ruining your robes..." She clamored in between sobs.
"That's okay...these old things... That's quite alright..." He said to her comfortingly.
"Really?" She asked. He nodded to her with a smile.
"You're so kind... I didn't even catch your name."
"Oh... It's Ron..." He said, practically drooling at the sight of her.
"Okay Ronald, calm down." Harry cut in jokingly.
Lune turned to him as Ron gave him a disgusted look.
"So you're the famous Harry Potter?"
"I knew it was to good to be true." Ron mumbled under his breath as he turned to look away, as not to see Harry get the beautiful girl.
"Yes." Harry answered.
"Nice. So... umm... good to meet you." Lune added dispassionately, turning back to Ron. Harry was thrown off by being shrugged off.
"So... your full name is Ron?"
"Yeah..." He said in a slightly embarrassed tone.
"I think it's cool. I guy that looks like you can call himself whatever he wants to and still be fine with me, sweet heart." She had finally stopped crying. "Maybe the stay with Gryffindor won't be so bad." She smiled flirtatiously. "Maybe I should show you to the dormitories?" Ron inquired. "I would like that." She replied as she stood to put her arm in the one he had extended to her.