Disclaimer: Danna is my own character, unfortunately, I don't own a bit of Harry Potter, J.K. Rawlings, Hogwarts, or much else. O_O Just a warning, I'm not J.K. Rawlings *Sniff, sniff* and I don't write like J.K. Rawlings *Bawls* so characters, settings, actions, time line, etc., will not be like J.K. Rawlings. This is around the Fourth Year for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.



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Danna looked about her new school, staring quietly at the rows of tables with the laughing and talking students. Professor McGonagall stood by her side. "Well, lets get this over with. Follow me." The professor immediately marched to the front of the room, carrying a battered hat in her hands. Danna followed nervously behind, painfully aware of the hush that fell over the room as she and the professor stepped to the front of the room. Dumbledore stood at that moment.

"Today, we have an unusual occurrence. A student transfer." He gestured to Danna, then nodded for Professor McGonagall to proceed, sitting back down.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, then spoke Danna's full name. "Dannarae Shatayan." Danna stepped to the front and sat on the stool, facing the sea of students watching her. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. Instead of speaking, the hat drew a deep, shuddering breath, and then spoke quietly. The students leaned forward to listen, eyes wide.

"A transfer is a rare thing,

A student new, late entering.

Where they go, if there are friends,

They will save, and sometimes end.

But a special time awaits us,

Where we learn of Wyrms, who hate us!

Perhaps a friend in Dragon-kind

Unless our fear makes us blind."

The Dining Hall was quiet enough to hear the rustle of robes. The students didn't speak, confused by the short rhyme, and by the fact that it was delivered atop a student's head. Danna sat very still, gripping the edge of the stool, when she heard the hat's voice in her head. "Many tasks face you now. Are you prepared? Are you brave? Are you good, friendly, or do you seek glory?"

Danna let the thoughts float to the top of her consciousness. "Place me where you think best. I have a task to do and human magic to learn. There isn't time for me to consider glory, bravery, or friends."

She could almost feel the hat nod, then it gave a slight jump on her head and shouted, "Griffyndor!" Instead of the customary shouting over a new student, there was continued silence. Professor McGonagall removed the hat and stepped back. "Take your place with your table." She gestured towards the Griffyndor table.

Danna stepped down and sat in a rapidly vacated place amid whispered speculation. Professor Dumbledore stood again. "Thank you for your patience. As you know, the Christmas Break is rapidly approaching. Please remember to study for your Mid-Terms, but to pack for your trip home. Dannarae will be entering classes as a fifth year student." Danna's head snapped up to Dumbledore's at this comment. He noticed and explained, "You are new to us and doubtless learned different courses. I believe that you will do best with the Fifth Years rather than the Sixth Years." She nodded acceptance, then turned to the food on the table, acutely aware of the stares following her every move.





"Well, what do you make of her?" Harry asked, flopping on the couch.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know what, yet. But, although she's a Fifth Year, who should be Sixth, they have her sleeping in my Dormitory. They moved one of the other girls out. Apparently, Dumbledore wants me to keep an eye on her and help her with her homework if she has any problems."

Ron raised an eyebrow at that. "How come they don't order you to help me with my homework?" he asked.

"Because," Hermione answered tartly, "they already know that you get help from me. Maybe they're worried that she won't ask anyone for help so they assigned me to be her buddy."

Ron muttered, "So long as she doesn't get in our way."

"Oh Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "Like she's going to 'get in our way' on purpose! She doesn't know anyone else."

"And she's not likely to, either," Ron commented. "Have you seen the way she looks?"

"Who hasn't?" Harry answered. "I think everyone spent a good ten minutes staring at her."

Just then, the portrait opened and Danna stepped into the room. She paused at the entrance and looked around. "Look at her!" They all turned to stare, yet again, at the strange looking girl. Her hair hung to her waist and was silver. They couldn't call it gray, since it actually seemed to have a metallic shimmer to it. Her eyes matched her hair, eerily reflecting the light. As far as anyone had been able to tell, her pupils never changed size. Her skin was very pale, and she was short, about five feet four inches tall. She couldn't possibly have weighed over 120 lbs. "What a freak," Ron whispered. Danna chose that moment to look directly at them, then she began to walk towards them, ignoring the hush that again seemed to permeate the air.

"Excuse me," she said politely to Hermione, "but I'm not sure where our room is." The three watched her for a moment, then Hermione jumped to her feet.

"Sure, I can take you up. In fact, I'll probably be heading to bed myself. Good night, guys."

Harry and Ron mumbled a good night, watched the two disappear into the girls dormitory, then headed up to their own beds.