Disclaimer -

I own nothing except for the plot. All characters belong to either JKR or SM. I also did not write the song of the sorting hat and stole it from www. the-leaky-cauldron fun/contests/deathlyhallowssortinghatsong . It was written by Willow Knox!

AN –

Purely for the sake of the timeline, I have changed Bella's Birthday from the 13th September to the 13th August. There are some other areas that won't work but please try to bare with me :)

This is my first FanFic so please Read and Review and don't be afraid to tell me exactly what you think!

Chapter 1 – Sweet Reunions and Bitter Reminders

As I walked through to Platform 9¾ an overwhelming sense of comfort rushed over me. It had been over a year and a half since I had been here and it still felt so familiar. The bustling crowds full of parents doing a last minute check to make sure that their children had everything they needed and students saying goodbye to their families and trying to get settled on the train.

Charlie and Renee hadn't been able to make it but I had done it so many times before that it just felt like routine, getting my bags checked in and pushing through the crowd to get onto the Gryffindor carriage. I was almost on board when I saw them.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione!" I almost screamed.

I hadn't seen them since I was last at Hogwarts because it had been too dangerous for me to come out of hiding when Lord Voldemort had been in power. I had been in a coma during the Final Battle (thanks to James) and I hadn't ever heard about it until a few months later in a letter from Hogwarts asking me if I wanted to come back for my final year. At first I had turned down my readmission but after recent events I had decided that it would be a welcome distraction.

"Bella?!" Hermione squealed

She ran towards me followed by the others and we hugged.

"I can't believe you're coming back as well let alone alive! I mean no one has heard from you in over a year. We were worried they might have found you again!" exclaimed Ron after we finished our group hug.

"No! Of course not! Do you really think I would be stupid enough to just hand myself over to those Idiots?! I moved back to the lower States to live with my dad after the first attack and they never found me after that. I think they might have been scared off by the other presences in Forks"

"What do you mean 'Other Presences'?" Questioned Harry.

"Come on, let's find an empty compartment on the train and I'll explain everything."

"Good idea Bella. We should catch you up on what's been happening while you've been away as well." Hermione agreed.

Once we were on the train and Ginny had joined us, we switched between me telling them all about Forks and the Cullens and them telling me all that I had missed about Voldemort, the Battle and restoration of relatively normal life in the wizarding world. We talked for hours and when we were eventually satisfied that we had caught up on each other's lives, it was just after nightfall and the Hogwarts Express was almost at Hogsmeade station.

Just before the train docked we all got changed into our Gryffindor robes. As we descended from the carriage Hagrid called for all of the first years to follow him down to the lake for the ceremonial boat ride to complete their first trip to Hogwarts while the rest of the students headed off to the Thestral drawn carriages.

Seeing the Hogwarts castle again felt like waking up from a nightmare and finding myself safe in my own bed. It was all so familiar. The ever changing grand stair case, the Grand Hall with its majestic roof and even my old friends the ghosts were better than I had remembered.

I finally felt like me again.

We all sat together at the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ron on one side and Hermione, Ginny and I on the other. As we waited for the sorting to be over so that the feast could begin, I chattered casually with Harry and Ron about what was happening in the world of Quidditch as I hadn't been keeping up much with the standings.

Suddenly Professor McGonagall called the hall to order and announced that the Sorting was about to begin. The Sorting Hat was brought in and placed at the start of the hall and as the First Years were ushered in it began to sing its song.

(The following song lyrics have been stolen from www. the-leaky-cauldron fun/contests/deathlyhallowssortinghatsong and was written by Willow Knox)

With my patches and my tears,

I must be quite a sight,

But when it comes to storing students

No hat could be more bright!

Our founders sought to teach the young

Good magical technique.

But though the shared a common goal,

Their values were unique.

In the past our four good founders

Taught their favourites with good grace.

And now I am in charge to find

Each student's proper place

Perhaps you'll go to Gryffindor.

Where dwell the Brave and daring;

Or make your way in Hufflepuff,

Hardworking, just and caring;

You might be fit for Slytherin,

Where cunning is admired;

Or find your home in Ravenclaw,

Where wisdom is inspired.

The Feast begins as always,

With sorting and good cheer,

Yet our memories are heavy

From the darkness of last year.

It is time for celebration,

Hogwarts has endured;

And though I still shall sort each year,

I may rest assured:

Our beloved school was tested,

But in that fateful hour,

We stood as one triumph

Against that threatening power.

But I digress, and now to long

I've held you in suspense,

So step right up! It's time now for

The sorting to commence!

Everyone burst into applause once it had finished and then settled down in eager anticipation of the sorting of the first years. I zoned out after the first few names as I was exhausted from the train journey and couldn't wait to retire to the dorms. I tuned back in just in time to hear the last name being called as I could sense Ron getting anxious for the food to arrive across from me.

"Zani, Christian" said Professor McGonagall.

"Ravenclaw!" The Sorting hat's words rung in the hall as the Ravenclaw table burst into applause to welcome their newest member.

Just as everyone was getting ready for their food to appear, Professor McGonagall called everyone's attention back to her.

"Now, now. Before we can begin our feast we have some more students to welcome! I trust that most of you will have heard the rumours."

There were curious murmurs and looks exchanged around the room.

"This family will be joining us in the 7th year and I expect you all to welcome them with open arms despite their differences. For vampires were, after all, human first."

Suddenly I found I was frozen in my seat.

No, I thought to myself. It can't be!

"So let us cut to the chase and welcome the Cullen family for their sorting!"

My heart accelerated and I instinctively pulled my hair over my shoulders and hid my face from view.

Reviews would be much appreciated so that I can try to improve next time :)

I was thinking that for the next chapter I might write Edwards point of view on arriving at Hogwarts?