Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. The Potterverse is the exclusive property of J.K Rowling.

Author's Note: I was inspired to answer the challenge by memories of a boyhood friend who was badly afflicted with eczema. After primary school she went to a boarding school. I wondered how I would have dealt with being in that predicament. For this reason Sally-Anne's basic disposition, mannerisms and abilities are all drawn from me when I was eleven.

Chapter 1

Sally-Anne groaned as she awoke. Her slumber had been fitful and wracked by the fever and itching caused by her illness. She had been afflicted with dragonpox for fully two weeks and it now seemed to be getting worse rather than dying down as the healer had said it should. She had been told not to scratch herself and as an added precaution been fitted with binding gloves that kept her hands tied so that she could not give in to the constant discomfort and could only wriggle as she lay there and clench her teeth.

Her eyes snapped open as the door opened and she saw the healer enter the room followed closely by her mother. The healer was a witch of middle age with bands of silver hair smoothed over her calm forehead. Now she seemed concerned as she peered down at the girl lying before her. "How do you feel Sally?" she asked softly.

"Groggy," moaned Sally. The healer and Sally's mother exchanged glances and the mother knelt by her daughter's bedside and laid a hand on her aching brow. "Sally is due at Hogwarts this September," she murmured to the healer, though not so quietly that Sally was unable to hear. The healer nodded. "The fever should abate soon," she said

"And her face..." asked the mother as though afraid to voice her fear.

"There will be no long term scarring after the application of the cooling unguent..." began the healer and then her voice dropped to a whisper, but Sally could see her mother's lip quiver.

It was the last day of August and Sally-Anne sat on her bed beside her trunk lost in thought. As the healer had predicted, her fever had died down and the terrible itching abated, but that was not all; the healer had also mentioned something about a 'rare effect of dragonpox.' Sally's face had been pockmarked for a few weeks after the worst phase of the illness was over, but was now smooth and seamless once more thanks to the healer's patience and timely attention. However... she grimaced and glanced in the mirror and saw once again that it seemed to reflect a stranger; her face had permanently acquired a distinctive jade hue. Even her lips had gone a deep emerald green. She sighed and slumped onto her bed again a picture of dejection. She looked up as she heard a chirruping sound from the floor beside the trunk and her cat Neptune leapt onto the bed and nuzzled her cheek, beginning to purr. "I'm glad you're coming Neptune." She told him. Being away from home for the first time would be daunting enough, even though her big brother had done the same... how she had cried after he had gone for the first time! Now she felt a terrible qualm at the prospect of being not only away from home, but the only witch at Hogwarts with green skin. To think previously she had been worrying about which house she would be in and whether she was good enough for Gryffindor! She put her arm round Neptune. "I don't want to go," she muttered and felt her eyes prickle with tears.

Sally-Anne sat in silence in her compartment as the Hogwarts Express pulled out of Kings Cross Station. She was alone apart from Neptune curled up asleep in the seat next to her. She gazed out of the window and felt a lump in her throat. Everything seemed so overwhelming now that she had to feel self-conscious all the time. In the crowd at the station it had been all she could do not to burst into tears when she hugged her mother for the last time and when she was in the hustle of young witches and wizards boarding the train she had just wanted to cover her face and keep out of sight. But she had attracted some attention before she reached the compartment and it had not comforted her. There was a tap on the sliding door and a girl of her own age with short curly chestnut hair entered the compartment. "May I sit here?" she asked, "everywhere else is full." She had a soft, pleasant sounding voice. Sally nodded. "Aw is he yours what a sweetie," said the girl as she noticed Neptune who awoke briefly to yawn and stretch himself before curling up again. Sally smiled and nodded. "I'm Charli by the way, Charli Moon," said the girl holding out her hand.

"I'm Sally-Anne, Sally-Anne Perks," said Sally taking her hand and shaking it quickly. To her horror she felt the lump in her throat rise and her lip trembled.

"Are you OK?" Asked Charli.

"Fine" said Sally and her eyes began to water.

"No you're not, what's the matter?" asked Charli.

"There was a girl in the corridor who asked if I was seasick," said Sally in a rush.

Charli wrinkled her nose, "that's nonsense, we aren't even at sea," she said reasonably.

"I think I'm going to be really made fun of when we get to Hogwarts," said Sally wiping her eye on her sleeve.

"Was this girl better than you in any way?" asked Charli. "She was just being stupid. You won't get made fun of. Look the trolley's coming and daddy said it has liquorice wands." A smiling witch pushing a large trolley in front of her entered the compartment and glancing over it, Sally saw it was piled high with chocolate frogs, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, liquorice wands and boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She felt in her pocket for her purse.

"I'm getting us some every flavour beans," she told Charli.

The train sped on and they had soon left the city behind. The surrounding landscape now consisted of fields as far as the eye could see. They had a good time eating the every flavour beans. Charli giggled and said that she had eaten one that tasted of parchment. She asked if Sally collected chocolate frog cards and Sally said that she did, but had not yet been able to find many that were of different witches and wizards. Charli gravely agreed that that was a problem in trying to get them all and that her little sister had ripped the back of one of hers. She held out one she had only just found and Sally could see that it included a photo of Sacharissa Tugwood, a beautiful witch with elaborately styled golden hair, who according to the text on the back of the card had been the inventor of a range of cosmetic potions and had also discovered the pimple curing properties of bubotuber pus. "I wish she could have invented something for me," said Sally sadly.

"What for? you're not ugly," said Charli patting her arm. At that moment the compartment door slid aside and a girl and boy of their own age entered. The girl had long bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth and had her arm on the shoulder of the boy who was a head shorter than she was, with a round face that appeared glum and dejected.

"Neville here has lost his toad," said the girl, "have you seen one?" She had a bossy sounding voice, Sally thought.

"Not today," said Charli and Sally shook her head. The girl noticed a book on Sally's lap that she had been holding before Charli entered the compartment.

"Oh Great Wizarding Events of the 20th century I read that too, what did you think of it? I'm Hermione Granger by the way," she said all in one breath.

"Sally-Anne Perks," said Sally.

Hermione's expression softened with concern as she looked into Sally's face. "Did you have dragon pox?" she asked, "it's nothing to worry about if you have, I have read that it can turn skin green in about 1 in 600 cases of witches and wizards aged ten or eleven, but it doesn't cause any problems."

Sally's bottom lip trembled, "yes," she said and to her dismay her voice sounded choked. Charli patted her arm again and glared at Hermione, "I think you'd better leave," she told her. Sally wanted to say that it was alright, but she was afraid of dissolving into tears. "Yes," said Hermione quickly, and she left the carriage followed closely by Neville.

"I didn't want to leave home," said Sally when her voice was safely under control. "I didn't like it when my brother did either."

"It's OK," said Charli, "did you know, I heard Harry Potter might be starting at Hogwarts this year?" Sally's eyes widened.

"Really?" she said, "I wish I could see him, I know if he made You Know Who disappear he could make me feel better."

"Maybe we'll both see him," said Charli.

Sally frowned, "I know his mummy and daddy died," she said, "so he must be really upset about it. I wish I knew what I could say to him."

By the time the train reached Hogsmeade station it was dark outside. Sally stepped onto the platform following Charli. She shivered. It was much chillier at night in the north of Scotland than in London. A huge man with a wild, bushy black beard and unkempt hair was calling for first years. Sally moved closer to Charli and smiled in gratitude as Charli grasped her hand. "It must be Hagrid," murmured Sally, "the gameskeeper. Mummy's mentioned him."

"All righ'," he said. "You all best be followin' me, now, first years, we're goin' across the lake."

Hagrid motioned for the crowd of first years to follow and then strode down a sloping path. He carried a huge bright blue lantern to light the way.

Sally held tightly to Charli's hand and they were obliged to trot to keep up with Hagrid. Within a minute they found themselves on the shore of a vast lake and there, on the opposite shore, there stood silhouetted against the night sky, an immense castle, with many turrets and towers, its windows twinkling with lights like many stars. The first years gave an audible gasp. On the shoreline there lay a fleet of small, wooden boats with lanterns at their bows. Sally and Charli clambered into a boat along with a pink faced girl with blond pigtails and another girl with her hair bound in a single braid. Then of their own accord, the boats pushed off from the shoreline with a scraping sound and ploughed forward over the still surface of the lake. Sally looked around across the measureless expanse of water a little nervously. The boats were apparently being propelled forwards at considerable speed by some unknown force. "This is it," said Charli, "our symbolic entry to Hogwarts."

"Mummy and Daddy both did this," said Sally in acquiescence. She drew a deep breath. "We can both do it. But I'm nervous. I want to be in Gryffindor, like my mother and my older brother."

"We can both get in there, no problem," said Charli airily. "You just need to be out of the ordinary brave. I don't want to boast but I don't expect the hat will even hesitate for me."

Sally's lip trembled. "I don't know what'll happen if I don't get in," she said. "I know I want to be in Gryffindor, not some other house."

"Don't worry so much," said Charli putting an arm round her shoulder. "We'll be in Gryffindor together by tonight." Sally linked arms with her and felt calmer.

When they reached the other side of the lake, a cave in the cliff face glowed ahead. As they drew nearer it became apparent that the cave was lit from within by some strange property of the rocks, which glimmered with a pale light. The boats cruised in, and made their way to several docks at the end. Hagrid motioned for all the students to disembark onto the piers. He stepped ahead of them, and led the way up a carved stone staircase that led to a huge wooden door and knocked three times.

The doors swung open straight away to reveal tall witch with black hair constrained in a tight bun. She surveyed the first years. She had a very severe looking face. Sally remembered her brother's description of Professor McGonagall, his old head of house. She was also one of the few registered animagi in Britain. She could turn into a cat. Sally smiled at the thought. Professor McGonagall led the first years into a cavernous stone entrance hall. Opposite the large doorway, a magnificently sculpted marble staircase led up to the floors above. McGonagall then ushered the first years into a stone chamber off the hall, and began to deliver a lecture on the sorting ceremony and the houses at Hogwarts. Sally knew about the houses already. Gryffindor was the best. She supposed Professor McGonagall could not say so or she would seem biased.

Professor McGonagall departed, leaving them in the chamber. They were left to stand and wait for a long time. All the first years were so nervous that they did not seem to notice Sally, for which she was thankful. She was really worried about the Sorting Ceremony now and kept a tight hold of Charli's hand. Charli gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and whispered in her ear not to worry. Eventually Professor McGonagall returned to lead them into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony.

Sally had heard about the Great Hall and how the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the sky outside, but she was still overawed to see it for herself. It was difficult to believe there was a ceiling at all and that she was not really gazing into the astral plane overhead.

"Now we start," whispered Charli and Sally redirected her gaze towards Professor McGonagall who had placed a wooden stool in front of the first years upon which was balanced the dilapidated old school Sorting Hat. Sally gulped at the imminence of the coming ordeal. She rubbed at her green face with her free hand and nervously shifted her feet.

Sally gave a start and gripped Charli's hand still tighter, when the hat twitched, and the rip at the brim opened like a mouth. The hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in the flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The entire hall burst in to applause when the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall walked up to stand beside the hat's stool, a long piece of parchment clutched in her hand, ready to call them up for their sorting.

"Abbott, Hannah!" Professor McGonagall called.

One of the girls Sally had crossed the lake with, the girl with blond pigtails rushed forwards almost stumbling over her own feet. She seated herself on the stool and placed the hat on her head. The hat was too big for her and fell right down over her eyes.

There was a moment's pause.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.

A table behind Sally cheered as Hannah went to take a seat there.

Professor McGonagall continued to call their names out in alphabetical order.

Eventually it was Hermione Granger's turn. She ran up to the stool and shoved the hat onto her head. There was silence for some minutes. Hermione's expression was invisible.

"GRYFFINDOR!" announced the hat.

Hermione took off in the direction of the Gryffindor table smiling broadly. Sally noted that whereas some first years got sorted immediately, the hat took a while to decide for others.

"Moon, Lottie," announced Professor McGonagall. Charli gave Sally a reassuring smile and strode over to the stool and placed the hat onto her head and a moment later; "GRYFFINDOR," announced the hat.

Sally drew a deep breath to calm herself. She had to get sorted into Gryffindor, she had to.

Nott… Parkinson." A pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil". and at last—

"Perks, Sally-Anne," called McGonagall.

Sally stepped forwards feeling the eyes of the entire Hall upon her. She had a feeling of butterflies in her stomach that was becoming so bad she thought she might retch. If it had still been possible, she would have gone really pale as well as clammy. On approaching the stool she tripped over the hem of her robes and very nearly fell over, but righted herself and picked up the hat and placed it over her eyes obscuring her vision and blocking out the sight of the Hall.

She waited and the seconds ticked by. Suddenly a small sounded in her ear, "hmmm I'm not sure whether I should recommend Gryffindor or possibly Ravenclaw..." Sally gave a start. She closed her eyes. You put my brother in Gryffindor, she thought, I love him and want to be brave like him. I really need to be brave now I look like this. Bravery is more important than the Ravenclaw idea about cleverness.

"That simplifies matters, GRYFFINDOR," the hat announced the last word to the Hall. Sally got up and removed the hat from her head and placed it on the stool. The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and Sally felt quite giddy as she made her way across the hall. She scanned the table looking for Charli. Some of the Gryffindors smiled at her although she saw a few give strange, quizzical looks. She swallowed and stood where she was. "Sally!" called Charli's voice. Sally turned to see Charli waving at her from some way down the table and hurried to sit next to her. "I knew you'd do it," said Charli clapping her on the back. Sally beamed and leaned forward to hug her. "Welcome to Gryffindor house, both of you," said the girl on the other side of Sally.

"Potter, Harry," called McGonagall.

"Harry Potter!" gasped Sally turning to crane her neck towards the stool. Harry was now sitting on the wooden stool with the hat over his eyes. "Cross your fingers," said Sally breathlessly.

"Oh he's certain to be sorted here, this is the best house isn't it?" said Charli.

Whispers had begun to break out all over the hall. Harry still had the hat over his head. It was taking a very long time to sort him. Finally; "GRYFFINDOR," called the hat. Sally felt a rush of elation and clapped as hard as anyone as Harry made his way shakily to the table. A prefect with red hair stood up to shake his hand as he sat down.

That night Sally lay back in her four poster bed in the first year girl's dormitory in Gryffindor tower, Neptune asleep on her duvet, deep in thought. It really was not so bad, now that she was in the same house as Charli! She really had not wanted to think what it would be like if she were in a house where everyone made fun of her. She had felt much more cheerful at the table in the Great Hall and while being able to talk to Charli, had not once had to think about anyone looking and being shocked or amused. She had wanted to tell Hermione that she was not really angry or upset by their conversation on the train, but had not been able to find the words. Still she would be able to tomorrow. What she wanted most now was to be able to talk to Harry Potter. At the table in the Great Hall she had kept stealing sidelong glances at him. What should she ask him, she wondered, or should she tell him how sorry he was that he had lost his parents... or what affection his name inspired in her. While thinking it over she fell asleep.

Author's Note: I do not own the Sorting Hat Song either, that is also JK Rowling's exclusive property. Sally-Anne and Charlotte are my creations although their names are taken from JKR's text.