Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise. This story contains several of my own original characters.

Before you read I just wanted to say hello. Although I am not new to this site, this is my first fanfiction and the first story I have ever published. I encourage you to leave any comment you want. If you don't like the story, tell me. If you love it, I want to know. Anything you can say to help me improve my writing and my relationship with you the reader is appreciated. I really do hope you enjoy the story. I have been planning this for so long and I hope to continue doing this for a long time. I can say that I will most likely not upload regularly, but to make up for that I will try to make each chapter a nice length or a bit long. Once again I hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 1

New Beginnings

She followed her family quickly bobbing around people in the station. Her family had just moved from Japan to England two months ago and now it's time for term to start. Chouko is the youngest among her siblings. Her eldest brother's name is Hitoshi. Hitoshi is currently a few paces in front of Chouko talking to their father about his final year of school. Her other older brother Akemi is thirteen and is struggling to push his luggage toward the train. Her older sister Hayami is a year older than Chouko is. The two sisters were looking around the platform excitedly. They walked through the brick wall after their parents onto Platform 9 ¾.

They each gave their parents a hug goodbye as their luggage was placed on the train and boarded the Hogwarts Express with enthusiasm. Once they found an empty compartment they each took a seat and began to chat. Every once in awhile, as the train continued its journey to Hogwarts, Chouko would look up from a schoolbook she had started to read and watch other Hogwarts students walk the hall outside the compartment she sat in. Once, she caught the eyes of a red headed boy with what looked like a million freckles. They shared a small smile as he ran back down the hall later on, chased by a boy identical to him.

As they got off the train she spotted him again, with who she guessed was his brother, when a tall man named Hagrid called all first years to follow him to the boats. Hitoshi entered one of the boats first and helped his siblings into the boat one by one. Although each of them would be in a different year, they still needed to be sorted into a so they joined the other first years on the boat trip across the Black Lake.

An older woman approached the group and introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of the Gryffindor house. She explained how the sorting process worked and the system of house points before she led the group of first years through the Great Hall. The Chinen siblings shared a look of reassurance with each other. Chouko had a feeling they would all be in separate houses. Before long their names were being called by Professor McGonagall.

"Chinen, Hitoshi"

"Slytherin!," shouted the Sorting Hat. The only table that cheered was the Slytherin table and Chouko wondered why.

"Chinen, Akemi"

"Hufflepuff!," ,the Hat exclaimed. Now all tables but Slytherin clapped and Chouko was even more perplexed.

"Chinen, Hayami"

"Ravenclaw!," yelled the Sorting Hat. She was next and the nerves finally hit her. She wondered if she was brave enough for Gryffindor, or smart enough for Ravenclaw, kind enough for Hufflepuff, or sly enough for Slytherin. The red headed boy from earlier was staring at her waiting to see where she would be sorted and secretly hoping they would be sorted into the same house. Professor McGonagall called her name and she shook herself from her daze. The hat was placed on her head and the hat began to consider where to place her.

"Hmmm you're different aren't you. Shrewd, loyal, intelligent, and brave. You would be good in any of the four houses, but the best fit would have to be… Gryffindor!"

Each table cheered except for the Slytherins, but Chouko didn't even care as she walked over to an empty seat at the end of the Gryffindor table. Toward the end of the list of first years she was starting to get hungry.

"Weasley, Fred"

She looked up at the front of the hall to see the boy she kept sharing looks with.

"Gryffindor!"

A grin spread across his face from ear to ear as he looked at the other boy. He stopped and waited as the other boy got called up to the hat.

"Weasley, George"

"Gryffindor!"

After they were both together again Fred looked down the table trying to find that girl. George nudged his arm and pointed down to the end of the table where Chouko sat alone. She looked up again as she felt someone sit down on both sides of her.

"Hi, I'm Fred and I'm George. What's your name?" They asked together. Having the two of them speak at the same time was disorienting, but she had a feeling she would have to get used to that.

" Chinen, Chouko Chinen. It's nice to meet you."

"So," said the twin to her left, " Where are you from?"

"Japan. My family just moved here two months ago." she responded.

"So you speak Japanese and English? That's so cool!" exclaimed the twin to her right. She thought it was George, but she wasn't sure yet.

"Actually I speak multiple languages. My family's business extends all across Asia so my siblings and I moved all the time and had to learn the language of the country we were living in so that we could go to school. Languages come naturally to me, but I still practice them all the time." Chouko said.

"Would you teach us?" asked Fred with an excited grin on his face.

"Sure," Chouko replied, "but it's a lot of work. Japanese has two alphabets, and Mandarin is difficult because of how many characters you have to memorize. Although, with Mandarin an educated person only knows about eight-thousand characters, so maybe by the end of our seventh year you might be fluent. IF and only IF you boys work really hard."

The twins shared a look and a solid nod of confirmation before looking back at Chouko. The first years were finished being sorted and Dumbledore gave his welcome speech. Soon after Dumbledore finished talking the feast began. The food was some of the best Chouko had ever eaten. As she was eating a treacle tart, she looked around the Great Hall at each of the four long tables. Her curiosity from earlier returned.

"Hey Fred, George, why did nobody cheer when somebody got sorted into the Slytherin house?" inquired Chouko.

"Slytherins are rotten. No good witch or wizard ever comes out of Slytherin. All they care about is blood purity and will act awful towards anyone who isn't pureblood or can't benefit them in anyway." George sneered.

"Oh." thought Chouko. She started to worry about her brother. Her family was a pureblood family, but that never really mattered to them. She hoped the students in Slytherin didn't change her brother too much. Chouko was shaken from her thoughts by George and followed the Gryffindor prefects to the dormitories. Once they all entered the common room she waved goodbye to Fred, George, and a boy they met named Lee and she headed up the stairs to the room she would be sharing with some other girls. She walked into the room and over to her trunk. She tried to greet her roommates, but two of them left the room as soon as she opened her mouth. The third girl stayed behind and gave her a small smile as she introduced herself.

"You must be Chouko. I'm Aleksandra Volkov. I just moved here from the U.S.S.R a few weeks ago. Where are you from?"

"I'm from Japan. I just moved here recently too. It's lovely to meet you. Who are the girls who just left?" Chouko questioned.

"The blonde girl is Ashleigh Barret and the red haired girl is Brielle Snelling. Barret's bed is the one on the left and Snelling has the bed next to her. I saved you the bed by the window unless you want to switch beds with me. My bed is the one farthest away from the bathroom, next to your's." Aleksandra responded trying to be helpful.

Chouko smiled and told her the bed she selected was fine and that she was thankful she saved her a bed. The two girls talked as they unpacked their trunks and got ready for bed. Eventually though the peaceful conversation had to end, and it did as soon as Barret and Snelling walked back into the room to perform their own nightly routine. Aleksandra went silent and Chouko dropped the smile on her face once she saw them. She didn't understand how they could be so rude to two girls they just met. Chouko just sat on her bed and watched them as they ignored herself and Aleksandra. She decided not to say anything to them unless something needs to be said. Moments later they went to bed without a word to Chouko and Aleksandra. Chouko simply pulled the blankets around her and closed her eyes. Sleep was soon upon her.