Chapter One: Gryffindor Tower

"Don't worry, my dear, I'm sure you'll have no trouble fitting in, especially with your cousins here." McGonagall offered a small smile to the girl walking beside her. "I've heard your quite good at Quidditch. Our keeper graduated last year, maybe we should try you in the position."

Mary nodded, trying to avoid shaking. She HATED being the new kid. She hated being in new environments. And she could only imagine what her cousins had said about her and her quidditch skills. Sure she was good, but she wasn't THAT good.
****
Meanwhile, Harry was watching an anxious Ron pretend to be interested in his chess game. Looking up from the board, Ron checked the clock for what must have been the tenth time in the past half-hour. "Where is she?" he asked, talking more to himself than the others.

Harry just shrugged, "Why didn't she arrive on the train like everyone else?" He shuddered inwardly remembering his own experience with missing the train.

"Mom wasn't quite done smothering her," Fred told them as he appeared at the foot of the steps leading from the dorms to the common room.

"Yeah," George was right behind his twin. "You know how Mom is. I'd be surprised if she made it here before Christmas."

Ron was about to retort when the potrait hole opened and in stepped Mary. She was shorter than Ron, coming to about his shoulders and had blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing her Hogwarts' school robe over a pair of dark blue jeans and striped tee shirt.

"MARY!!!!!!" She had barely made it all the way into the room before she was tackled by three red heads, all of them hugging her fiercely. Then the talking started.

"Where have you been?"

"What took so long?"

"It was Mom wasn't it?"

"We're so glad you're here."

"Glad? Try estatic!"

"This is going to be the best year ever!"

Mary just nodded, trying to listen to everyone at once. Finally she was rescued by the appearance of another red head. "I think you all are overwhelming her." Ginny elbowed her way through her brothers and stood face to face with her cousin. "You want to go see your room?"

Mary nodded, anything to have a few moments of quiet.

"Your trunk has already been taken up there." Ginny headed towards the steps before turning around and looking at her brothers, "You all stay here. Let her get some rest." And with that she disappeared up the steps with Mary following.
***
The room was huge. More than huge, it was massive. The dorm room was built to hold five people, apparently Mary was the last of the group to arrive.

Ginny looked around the room before settling herself on the end of Mary's bed. "I'm not quite sure who your roommates are, but I do know they're all fifth years. You'll always a share a room with girls from your year. And you'll have the same roommates every year you're here." Ginny looked up to see Mary staring out the window. Her cousin was never this quiet. Actually her cousin was never quiet and then when you put her together with Fred and George...she frowned, something was wrong. "You okay?"

"Yeah...tired. I mean...I'm tired. It's been a long day."

Ginny nodded. "Then I'll let you get settled and see you at dinner." Ginny stood and walked out, heading back to the common room.
***
Ron and the twins were talking with Harry when Ginny reappeared. One look let them know that something was of the not good. "Gin?"

"Everything okay?" Fred asked standing.

"She...she seems kind of out of it." Ginny told them. "She said it's because she was tired."

"Well of course she's tired." George told his sister, "She just got here."

Ron nodded in agreement, "Give her til after dinner and she'll be back to her old self."

This comment earned an evil grin from Fred, "And then there will be no where left to hide."

Harry watched all this more than a bit confused. Ron had mentioned his cousin several times, but the girl Harry had just seen was nothing like the girl from the stories. This girl was the poster child for Prozac. Harry paused, wondering if the wizarding world had Prozac. They didn't seem to share any other form of muggle medicine - mostly they cured everything by magic. But could mental problems be solved by magic? Or were they too delicate a matter? He made a mental not to ask someone later. Eventually his attention drifted back to the Weasleys.

Ron was currently making his way towards the stair, "I'm gonna go see her."

Ginny grabbed his arm, "If she wants to talk about it she will."

Talk about what? Harry was even more confused than ever but didn't want to seem rude and ask.

With a sigh of defeat, Ron collapsed onto the couch.
***
Having unpacked her things, Mary sat back on her bed and read. She needed some quiet time to herself and so had not yet brought herself to go back downstairs and face her family.

She was about to turn the page when the door opened and Mary found herself facing four other girls her age - all of whom were staring at her. It didn't take much brain power to figure out that these were her roommates. She looked them over. The one farthest in the room was short with dark red hair and blue eyes. Behind her were two girls, one was blonde and the other had light brown hair. The blonde was slender but busty with blue eyes and the girl with light brown hair had brown eyes and was the definition of petite. Then behind all of them was another girl. She was taller than the other three and had long dark hair and dark eyes.

Having gotten a good look at them, Mary went back to her book. However, before she could find where she left off, the redhead spoke. "You must be Mary. Hi, I'm Rachael, this is Ally, Jacque, and Margaret."

"Marj," Margaret corrected. "My full name is too formal, the only person who calls me that is my Mum."

As they entered the room, Jacque made sure to close the door behind them. The group split once in the room, each of them going to their own beds. It turned out Jacque had the bed next to Mary and then Ally was next to her and then Rachael and then Margaret. The room grew quiet and Mary returned to her book. Even though she was reading, she could tell they were all watching her. One of them was opening her mouth to ask a question when the door opened and Mary found she was saved. Standing in the doorway was Ginny. "Hey, the feast is starting. Ready to go?"

Mary nodded and closed her book, following Ginny from the room.