AN: This is my first FanFiction, so please no flames! I take criticism, but only when it'll help improve my writing. The next chapters will be MUCH longer, I can assure you, but I just wanted to see what people thought about this fic before I started writing more. Updates will HOPEFULLY be up every Saturday/Sunday, unless I give an update. Thank you, and please enjoy the story!

Language Key:
Regular speech
Thoughts
Parseltounge

Catalin Conner was just pushing her trolley through the brick barrier between platforms nine and ten at Kings Cross train station. That simple brick barrier is what seperated the Muggle world, which Catalin most hated, from the wizarding world. Once she was on the other side of the barrier, she gave a big sigh of relief. She was finally in the wizarding world, where her Muggle parents didn't call her a 'freak' and 'abnormal'. Where she belonged. Even though she just always blended into the background with the other students in her House, Gryffindor, she was happy. It was her eighth and final year at Hogwarts. Some students were repeating their seventh year, due to the war. And so was she, along with her fellow Gryffindor House members; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and a few others she couldn't remember. She grabbed her trunk and the cage that contained her carmel colored owl and headed to find an empty compartment. She found one towards the end, so she put her luggage away and sat down close to the window, opening her Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7 book to freshen up before they got to the school. But her swirling thoughts were quickly interrupted by a commotion just outside her compartment door. Then, three students, most likely in her year, came into the compartment. One had brown hair that was a little crazed with curls, one of them had flaming red hair, and the other had jet black hair, peircing jade green eyes, and a lightning scar. Catalin couldn't believe her eyes. The savior of the wizarding world, along with his two best friends, had just walked into her compartment. Of course, though, they didn't notice the Gryffindor girl. In fact, she could've been invisable, as Ron and Hermione were bickering about the eighth year.

"'Mione, I don't understand it! We still have to take N.E.W.T.s along with the seventh years! We just saved the bloody wizarding world, and we still have to take them? It doesn't make any sense!" Ron complained, throwing his hands in the in exasperation.

Hermione just scowled at him. "You mean, Harrysaved the wizarding world, Ronald. And of course we have to take them! How else do you suppose we are to get a decent carrer without taking them?" She noticed the look at Ron was going to bring up playing quidditch after they graduated. "And I don't mean playing quidditch."

Ron just huffed, and since he was closest to the window, he started looking out at the blurry shapes that zoomed by as The Hogwarts Express picked up speed. He must've seen Catalin's relfection in the glass, because he suddenly jumped and let out a startled shriek, making everyone in the compartment jump.

"W-Who's she?" Ron stuttered, looking at the somewhat afraid and confused Gryffindor.

"My name's Catalin. Catalin Conner. I-I'm in your year. Eighth, right?" she asked, looking more at Harry then Ron. He gave a small nod, and she smiled a little.

"Are you sure you're in our House? I haven't seen you around." Hermione said, slightly curious and confused she hadn't seen the girl before in the dormitory.

"Well, I know the Sorting Hat didn't place me in Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, so that only leaves Gryffindor." Catalin gave a small chuckle. "I usually just blend into whatever background I'm against." She shrugged a bit. "It seems as your friend already found that out." She looked straight at Ron, and he blushed a light pink. She dismissed them with a small wave of her hand, and turned back to her book.

Hermione slightly caught the title, and leaned over to Catalin. "What chapter are you on? I'm already on eleven." she said, rather proudly. Since after the war, there wasn't much time for reading, even for Hermione.

"Chapter fifteen." Catalin replied, smiling a smug smile. She knew very well that Hermione was one of the smartest students at Hogwarts, so it felt good to beat her accidemically.

Hermione leaned back into her original spot, squeaking out a quiet, "Oh.." before going silent. Ron and Harry got into a convosation about who knows what, Hermione realized she had one of her schoolbooks and got it out to read, and Catalin was reading her book when she wasn't glancing out the window. Hogwarts, here I come.

AN2: So, what did you guys think? Please review! It'd be amazing if you could. =) Thanks!
-Regan