Prologue - Mirror Image

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, not me. All characters and plot that are in her books are hers.

-Hermione's POV-

"Trinity Abbot!" Professor Sprout, who was now doing sortings, shouted, holding the Sorting Hat up in the air. A small girl with pigtail bounded up to the stool, a smile on her face. Hermione smiled, fondly remembering when she was sorted eight years ago. Now she was back at Hogwarts, along with all of last year's 7th years, to properly study for their N.E.W.T.s now that Voldemort was dead.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted after a minute's pause. The girl ran up to the Hufflepuff table, where her sister, Hannah, welcomed her with a smile.

"Thomas Adrian!" This boy took a bit longer, seeming to have an argument with the hat. After a three minutes passed -

"SLYTHERIN!" The boy strode over to the Slytherins with a smirk. Hermione briefly wondered what house the hat was arguing for.

"Ah, there goes another one." Ron whispered to her. Hermione whipped her head around.

"Ron!" She whispered scoldingly, "Not all Slytherins are evil – think of Professor Snape!"

Ron muttered something along the lines of:

"Yeah. He was a git."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue when the Hat called out:

"GRYFFINDOR!" Hermione swiveled her head back to the front, her cheeks reddening. She had just talked during the sorting! A little girl who looked awfully a lot like Katie Bell sat down at the Gryffindor table. Perhaps it was her sister. She cheered and clapped (but not whistled) along with the rest of the house for the girl, her cheeks still burning. She was a Prefect, for goodness sake! She should be above such silly things!

"Jonathan Carter!" Professor Sprout continued. Soon after, the boy was sorted into Gryffindor as well, resulting in loud cheers.

When the sorting (which Hermione had payed very close attention to after her little incident with Ron) finally came to a close. The new Gryffindors were Alice Bell, Gerard Dannenberg, Rachelle Cao, Evie Hurn, Julia Engler, Florencia Martinez, Kasha Fulghum, Mitsue Merrell, Patrick Janayat, Jake Blackerby, Jose Outler, Jayla Moon, Teresa Butterworth, Susanna Branham, Delana Dawley, and Christina Spinner. Alice Bell was Katie's sister who's sorting Hermione had missed. The new Ravenclaws were Teresa Butterworth, Susanna Branham, Mackenzie Clearwater, Amy Featherfall, Fredrick Henar, Ezra Jackson, Ava Kish, Sherryl Merrell, Kiera Yocom, Ivy Larente, Sanjuanita Wells, Elmar Recker, Michel Arevalo, Eddie Buho, Pamelia Noga, and Tritt Cleveland. The new Hufflepuffs were Trinity Abbot, Hannah Song, Heather Lane, Leanne Mayton, Johnny Langdon, and Jacob Deion. Hermione was confused as to why there were so little of them this year - only six - but resolved to ask about it later. The new Slytherins were Thomas Adrian, Rae Stutz, Rebeca Rosier, Saran Yaxley, Sidney Ziebarth, Boyd Montas, Nathan Vance, Olivia Greengrass, Sera Greengrass, Natalie Nalla, Nicole Nalla, Rejona Nott, and Jack Parkinson.

Professor - no, Headmistress, Hermione reminded herself, feeling a little pang as she was reminded of Headmaster Dumbledore - McGonagall stood up, and the hall grew erille silent, reminded of the one Hermione had been.

"I would like to welcome our new students," She began, "And our returning ones. The feast is awaiting," there were a few cheers at this, and Headmistress McGonagall glared at the people who did, "but there is one more person to start. She is a transfer student-".

At this, people broke into murmurs. Hogwarts hadn't taken in a transfer student for years.

"And will now be sorted!" Headmistress McGonagall shouted over the murmurs, stopping them in their tracks, "Please welcome Cleopatra Flamel!".

There was dead silence in the hall. Flamel? As in the Philosopher's Stone?

The doors to the grand staircase blew open. Behind them stood a girl.

Everyone stopped breathing.

Cleopatra Flamel looked like Hermione Granger's mirror image.