A/N: Dang, I'm beginning to notice a pattern in my stories: a new person that Harry really likes, McGonagall arranges for him to give the new person a tour… Jeez I need a new plot. I'll try to make this one different. It will, however, follow the plot line of new person/Harry/McGonagall. Uh, right so anyway… I got the idea of a foreign exchange program from another FFN user… Enjoy!

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PAIGE'S DIARY

I suppose you could say the letter came as a surprise. I mean, me, going to Hogwarts for a year?

Yippee!!

Settle down Paige. You're not there yet. But almost.

Paige Johnson closed her diary and gazed out the train window at the rolling countryside, as the sky rapidly became dark. The scarlet steam train held only two passengers that day: Paige and Professor Minerva McGonagall.

"You'll like it at Hogwarts," she said then. "It's a lovely place. Oh, before I forget, here's your class schedule. Also, I arranged for you to be shown around the school by a girl named Hermione Granger. She'll be in your dormitory, House, and classes as well. Sound okay?"

"That sounds swell. Thank you," said Paige politely, taking her schedule and looking it over.

Do they say 'swell' here?

Soon the train screeched to a halt and Professor McGonagall lead Paige to a horse-less carriage that took them past a gate flanked by winged boars to a grand stone castle with enormous oak front doors. Paige was lead into the Great Hall, where she was shown a seat next to a girl with bushy brown hair and brown eyes.

"This is Hermione Granger, Paige. Hermione, this is Paige Johnson, the foreign exchange student you will be showing around later tonight. Enjoy your dinner, everyone." Professor McGonagall swept up to the head table, where she took her seat next to Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione turned to Paige. "Hello there. This is Ron Weasley and Harry Potter," she said pleasantly, gesturing to two people sitting across the table.

"Hi. Nice to meet you," said Paige, shaking hands with a redhead boy and a boy with dark hair and glasses. There was a peculiar looking scar on his forehead as well, Paige noticed.

"How are you?" he asked.

That's Harry. Paige reminded herself.

"Fine, thanks," said Paige. "What's up with you?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked at each other, baffled. Then they looked up – literally – at the vast enchanted ceiling.

Damn – I've got to work on my British lingo!

"Is that an American saying by any chance?" asked Hermione a moment later.

"Ah, yes," answered Paige, suddenly feeling quite stupid. "It means, 'What's new', or 'How are you?'."

To her great surprise, no one laughed or rolled their eyes.

"Hey, that's cool!" exclaimed Ron. The other two nodded vigorously in agreement.

Just then Albus Dumbledore stood up. "Good evening everyone," he began, "I hope you have enjoyed this fine dinner. I have but just one announcement before you are dismissed. We have a foreign exchange student with us for the year. She is from the United States and will be taking Lavender Brown's place in Gryffindor House. Paige Johnson, will you please rise?"

A bit nervous, Paige slowly got up, shaking a little. Everyone clapped warmly, and she relaxed a little.

On her way out, however, there was cause for her to become uptight again. She looked over at the dungeon passageway and saw a blonde-haired boy standing there, talking to two burly friends (or so she assumed). Paige took a moment to take in the boy's light blonde hair, pale blue eyes, everything. But when she saw him walk away to the dungeons her heart sank. She knew he must be in Slytherin House, and she had overheard Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking about Slytherin at dinner. Apparently they weren't very nice people, and neither was the Head of the House, Professor Severus Snape.

Unfortunately, Hermione caught Paige's gaze.