Chapter 1

I tried as hard as I could to shrink into the shadows, wishing with all my might that I knew how to turn into mist. Everyone who could was staring at me. Some were afraid, but some were angry. They hated me. They would love to stake me if given half the chance. I fidgeted nervously with my clothes. Gran had insisted that I dress with a bit of flair. She'd always said that red was my color because it was so bold against my snowy skin. I'd ended up in a pair of jeans and a red silk shirt.

"Gran, do I have to do this?" I asked my grandmother. "Can't you just home school me like you have been? They won't like me…"

"Once they get to know you, they'll love you." She assured me.

I seriously doubted it. I'd already noticed the hostilities of my fellow students. I didn't want to go to Hogwarts. I knew I'd have problems. No one liked vampires. No one.

"Oh, stop, Lenora! I went through school without a problem."

"Yeah, but you didn't go to Hogwarts."

"No, but Dumbledore is a great headmaster. He won't allow anyone to hurt you. You're perfectly safe."

Yeah right. Maybe when someone staked me in the middle of the night, she would understand.

The train's deafening whistle made me jump and the reality had finally hit me. I was going to Hogwarts. There was no turning back now. Before, it had all seemed like a bad dream that I would soon awake from in relief. Now, though, I knew it was real and I knew I was done for. "Hurry now! Get on the train! Send me an owl as soon as you can. I love you, honey!" She shoved me toward the train. I didn't have time to be afraid. I gulped as I walked into the depth of the train. The students watched me as I walked by. I walked the full length of the train before I came to a young boy sitting by himself who didn't seem to notice me. I popped my head in the door.

"D' you mind if I sit in here?"

He looked up at me and smiled. "No."

I shoved my trunk into the hold and sat across from him.

"I'm Lenora Sabre, by the way." I stuck my hand out halfheartedly, not expecting him to accept it.

"Harry Potter." The boy replied. He stared at me expectantly for a while before he proceeded to stare out the window.

"Aren't you going to stare at me and demand to see my fangs?" I asked him.

He looked shocked. "No. Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm a vampire."

"Well, you don't seem that much different from everybody else."

"Are you muggle-born?"

"No… why?"

"Anyone who has wizard parents thinks that vampires are savage beasts."

Before he could reply, a red-headed boy stuck his head in the door. "Is this seat taken? Everywhere else is full."

"Of course not." We both replied.

As the boy sat down, holding his hand out for Harry to shake. "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

Ron stared at him incredulously, but wanting to be polite, he reached out to shake my hand.

"Lenora Sabre." I replied, fully expecting the reaction I received.

Ron instantly recoiled. I shrunk into the corner as Ron and Harry talked, discussing Harry's past life. I listened, interested, but refused to enter the conversation. Harry bought a lot of sweets from the lady with the trolley, which he then offered to me, but I refused. My stomach was churning and just the sight of the food made me feel queasy.

"Vampires can't eat human food." Ron pointed out.

I laughed heartlessly. "You believe that old wife's tale?" I picked up a pumpkin pasty and shoved it in my mouth, chewing heartily and swallowing. "You obviously don't know anything about vampires."

"You are heartless killers though, aren't you?"

"Just like with humans, some vampires are killers. That doesn't mean we're all murders. Some of us just want to be treated with the respect we try to show everyone else."

"But you're not like everyone else!"

I stood up, yanking out my wand. "Say that again. I dare you."

A serious-looking little girl barged in. "Have any of you seen a toad? Neville's lost his again."

"No." We replied in unison.

I remembered who the girl was. I always remember the faces of the people who sneer at me like that. Her parents called her Hermione.

"Well it looks like we have two famous people in one room." Hermione said. "The first vampire to attend Hogwarts and the Boy Who Lived. My name's Hermione Granger. What's your name, Vampire?"

"Lenora." I hissed.

"Well you do know you're not supposed to use magic outside of school? If you blow the side out of this train, you'll get expelled before you're even sorted. I expect to be sorted into Gryphandor house myself. Did you know-?"

"No, and we don't care." Ron said.

Hermione stomped out with a very disappointed look on her face.