Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, settings, etc. that you may recognise from the Harry Potter universe, nor do I own any characters, settings, etc. you may recognise from the Smallville universe. Equally, the lyrics below this are from Death Cab for Cutie's 'Transatlanticism', which I also do not own.
"The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row,
It seems farther than ever before.
I need you so much closer."
They pulled up in Hogsmeade in the gleaming black Jaguar, on September the 1st. The handsome, tall blonde stepped out the driver's seat effortlessly, heading straight to the boot to pull out an elegant oak trunk. Closing the boot, he left the trunk on the ground and rapped on the window of the passenger seat. A sullen-looking blonde glared up at him. He opened the door.
"Di, come on. Don't think that you can whine your way back home now." His American twang was deep and resounding. The girl grabbed her satchel and got out, reluctantly.
"I just don't know why I have to come here now. I managed four years without proper teaching, right?" Anger and bitterness lay deep in her equally American voice.
"It's what I've decided. What they decided. Mom and dad wanted you to come here some day. Just, when you turned eleven, I couldn't put you out like that."
She turned to look up at him. "Why now, Ollie? What's happened?" Her voice shook with questioning hurt.
"Nothing, sweetie. Really. I just want you to experience this. I missed out but you shouldn't. Now, let's go, I'll get your trunk."
The girl, at fifteen, stood tall, between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 8. She was wearing the mandatory white, long-sleeved button-up shirt and black school tie, emblazoned with the school logo. Instead of the cloak she had decided on a blazer. Her pleated black skirt hung above her knees, her legs in tights. She had pulled on her Doc Martens for comfort, instead of the Mary Jane's that Oliver had bought.
Her full pink lips seemed stuck into a straight line, to embody her hatred of the school she was being forced to attend. Chocolate brown eyes and long blonde hair were her final physical attributes, along with the blush pink cheeks. She pulled her satchel on to her shoulder and followed Oliver down the path, as he dragged her trunk and she reluctantly followed.
They reached the entrance to the school and waited to meet the teacher who would greet them.
"Have you got everything?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah, but I might need you to post me stuff once in a while. Like wax strips and Jolene and Nivea and stuff."
"Don't they sell that stuff in England?" he replied, sarcastic as always.
"Probably not." There was no hint of humour in her reply.
"Look, sweetie, I know that you're upset about being sent here-"
"Upset? Oliver, you have just ripped me cruelly away from my friends and my real school and my life in Metropolis. I am now going to be alienated in a different, weird school where I am the new girl in a year that has had FOUR ENTIRE SCHOOL YEARS to make friends and where I have, like, one minute to prove myself as worthy to the student body. You have NO idea how much more upset I could have gotten over this. I very nearly asked Bart to run me to Korea. Anywhere, anywhere in the world is better than this and it will never be as good as Metropolis."
She didn't lose her hold on his gaze, defiantly staring up at him. He paused, lost for words.
"It's for your own good, Di."
"Oliver, look, I know that there's something going on back home and I want you to tell me. I don't care that I'm fifteen or whatever, I need to know." He stared off at something else, refusing to meet her eye line. "Please?" Her voice almost cracked.
"It's nothing. It's not important." The bolt on the door sounded next to them and it swung open to reveal the charming smile of Professor Albus Dumbledore.
"Ahh, Mr Queen, how delightful to see you again."
"Professor Dumbledore, always a pleasure. Allow me to introduce my sister, Dianna Queen."
"Miss Queen, a pleasure to meet you."
"Uh, you too."
"Now, we should be hurrying along to the Feast. Mr Queen, you are, as per our previous discussions, welcome to visit whenever you like. Miss Queen, providing that your schoolwork is kept up to date and you are performing well, we shall allow you to visit home every so often. We understand that you have never really been apart from your brother and that moving to a different continent will be hard. Your brother has also arranged that you hold weekly meetings with the school's guidance counsellor."
"What?" Dianna cried, turning accusingly on her brother. "So, not only do you rip me away from my real life back home, but you're sending me to a, a - a shrink!"
"Di, come on, it's for your own good. Do not try and fight me on this." His glare stopped her forthcoming tyrant in it's tracks.
"I would like to point out that we have never before had a guidance counsellor, and I actually appointed myself to the position," Dumbledore cut in, his eyes twinkling. The Queen siblings just stared at him. "I shall turn away and give you a few moments," he continued, kindly glancing at the siblings. He turned his back, humming a quiet tune to himself.
"Di, listen to me sweetie. I'm doing this for you. Really. You'll thank me some time."
"Okay, Ollie." She looked up at him, tears shining. "I just, I'm just, I'm going to miss you the most Ollie." She threw her hands round his neck, pulling him to her. He held her.
"I'll miss you too Di. But I'll call you, all the time. Every day if you want. We can sort out time zones another time." He pulled a small, flat box out of his jacket. "Here, it was mom's."
"Thank you," she said. Gratitude smiled on her face.
"Now, hurry up, you'll be late. I love you, Dianna."
"I love you, Ollie."
The departing was quick but it was not easy for either of them. They had never been apart for as long as they would be now.
"Come along, Miss Queen," Dumbledore motioned towards the inside of the looming castle building. Dianna picked up her trunk, pulled her satchel higher on her shoulder and followed him into her perceived nightmare. She clutched the box in sweaty palms before shoving it into her satchel.
"We shall leave your trunk in another room and the house elves shall deliver it to your dormitory. I understand that you have never been to a magical school?" He was inquisitive, even though she knew that Oliver had told him everything.
"No, sir," she replied. "I've been home schooled in magic. Ollie asked me if I wanted to go when I was eleven but I wanted to stay at my, em, my other school."
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked her. "I have always wondered about muggle schools, I think they would be quite interesting."
"I have sometimes wondered about magic schools. Although it's probably infinitely more interesting than plain old high school, I'm not sure I will enjoy it the same." Bluntly American, as always.
His eyes twinkled. "I hope that after a few weeks here, Miss Queen, you shall heartily change your opinion. Ahh, we have arrived. Welcome to our Great Hall."
The ornate golden doors swung open, and Dianna gasped at the beautiful banquet room. And at the crowd …
Her mouth hung open and she turned to look at Dumbledore. "You didn't say everyone would be here, Sir!"
He chuckled. "Not everyone, Miss Queen. The first years are yet to arrive! Now, follow me, and we shall sort you first."
He glided up the rows between the four long tables. Dianna, fumbling with her blazer sleeve, quickly followed him, avoiding the belligerent stares. She tucked her long hair behind her ear.
"Students," Dumbledore boomed. "Before the official sorting ceremony, I would like to introduce a new fifth year student, Dianna Queen. She is joining us from the United States of America. Dianna, please take a seat."
Dianna almost trembled with the pure embarrassment of the situation. She dropped herself on to the school and Dumbledore placed this ugly hat on her head.
'A Queen, well this is a surprise.'
She made a sound of surprise, and the entire student body snickered.
'Ollie did NOT tell me about this! What are you!'
'I am the Hogwarts sorting hat. I sort you into one of the four houses. Do you at least know what they are?' There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
'Well, duh, he told me about them.'
'Now, where to put you, Miss Queen?'
'Listen, hat, I do not want to be here. I do not even belong to any of these houses. I belong back home in Metropolis, at Grace Street Academy with my friends and Ollie and Bart and Chloe and the rest of those guys. So just tell Professor Dumbledore that I am unsortable and he'll call Ollie who will send the jet to pick me up and take me back to normality.'
The hat chuckled. 'You are deluded if you think it is that easy. Your cunning and American teenage selfishness would suggest that you belong in Slytherin, but I'm not sure that you could handle that. Perhaps Hufflepuff, you are deeply loyal to your family and friends. And very hardworking. You know what you want, like a Gryffindor, and aren't afraid to get it. Like your mother before you, I suppose. She was a talented witch, very bright. You are very like her. I almost put her in Ravenclaw, and I'm tempted to put you there, but no-'
'Well, I would rather that you just SENT ME HOME!'
'Come on girly, you know the rules. That's not happening.' A pause, as Dianna mulled that fact over in her head and the hat made it's final decision. "GRYFFINDOR!"
The hall burst into loud applause, particularly from Dianna's left. Dumbledore lifted the hat and smiled kindly at her, like a grandfather.
"Em, sir, I don't know where to sit. Like, is it anywhere? Are there particular cliques?"
Again, he chuckled at her. "The Gryffindor table is on the far left, where you will sit with your housemates, Miss Queen. I trust you will enjoy your first evening here at Hogwarts." He nudged her towards the long table on the left.
Heaving in a big breath, Dianna walked towards the table. No one really seemed to be looking so she just slid into a seat in the middle of the table. Swallowing loudly, she looked down at her knees and tried not to look at anyone.
The sorting ceremony continued but Dianna didn't pay attention. She was already missing Ollie. Finally, Dumbledore encouraged the students to begin eating.
She put some food on her plate but instead of the typical British Sunday roast, she just wanted some cold sesame noodles from Number One Noodle Son, her favourite Chinese takeaway in Metropolis.
Her self-induced silence was broken by a bushy-haired girl next to her.
"Hi, my name is Hermione Granger, and I am a fifth year as well."
Dianna swallowed. "Hi, I'm Dianna." She didn't really know what else to say. Her heart felt heavy with absence from her beloved homeland already, and Oliver had only left her barely an hour ago.
Hermione, oblivious to her private depression, carried on. "You'll be in my dormitory too. These are my friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." Dianna lifted her eyes to two Britishly-attractive boys.
"Hi, I'm Dianna," she repeated.
Ron grinned. "Hi Dianna, I'm Ron."
Harry just nodded at her, kind of smiled and returned to his meal.
Hermione continued. "So, which school did you come from? Beauxbatons?"
"Em, what's Beauxbatons?" Dianna asked, her voice deep.
Ron guffawed. Hermione said, "Okay, so you didn't go there. Salem?"
"Oh!" Realisation dawned on Dianna. "No. I haven't been to a magical school."
All three people, and several others who had been slyly listening in, looked shocked. She explained further. "Um, I decided not to go to a magical school when I turned eleven so I'm, em, kinda self-taught."
Harry and Ron looked at each other sceptically. Hermione looked deeply interested.
"Really?" she intoned.
"Uh, yeah. I went to an American high school and taught myself whenever I had some free time."
Harry joined in. "So, Di, -"
"Don't call me Di." He looked straight at her. His eyes bore intently into hers and they betrayed the offence at her direct command.
"Sorry," she continued. "My brother is the only one that calls me that."
"He's not even here," Harry commented insolently.
"He's still my brother." She stared back at him,
Hermione and Ron watched the conversation like a tennis match. Thus was the beginning of the deep unfriendship between Harry Potter and Dianna Queen.
Author's note: just a quick note to say hello and that I hope you enjoy! Also would like to clarify that although there are heaps of Smallville references and a few appearances by Smallville characters that this is not a crossover, as technically Dianna is not a Smallville character, but purely my own creation.