Hi! Okay, I know this is overload for me seeing as I have two other fics I'm supposed to be working on, but I got the idea for this (my brain and its thinking) and I thought it'd be great, because it's never been done before.

Needless to say, those other two fics are going on hiatus until I can think up more ideas for them and/or have more time to focus on them.

***NOTE: There is some use of Italian in this story. If you can't figure out what it means by context, leave a review saying so and I'll fix it in the future. It'll probably only be in this first chapter/very infrequent throughout the entire story, but I'm putting this here as a warning. Also, I've used Google Translate, so I'm not even sure if it turned out right, but oh well.

DISCLAIMER:

I don't own House of Anubis. I only own my OCs and this plot line.

Chapter One: House of Arrivals

Giana's POV:

I sighed heavily, tightening my grip on the handle of my suitcase. I looked up in front of me and made out the figure of a large, foreboding house.

Let me clear something up for you: I'm sixteen. From America. I have long, wavy, almost black hair, dark brown eyes, and olive skin. My family's very Italian. I have low vision. That means I can't see as well as others. And yet, after much begging and pleading, my parents were willing enough to let me go off to this fancy, expensive boarding school in England, an ocean away from home.

Taking a deep breath, I started walking forward again. The cab driver had insisted on guiding me into the house, or at least to the front door, and after I thanked him, kindly telling him I could manage, he left. Feeling the tip of my cane hit something brick, I climbed the three steps to the front door of the house.

Putting my hand on the knob, I opened it ever so slightly, feeling a rush of cold air blast at me, giving me goosebumps. The inside of the house seemed quiet, so I closed the door as softly as I could - which ended in it practically slamming.

As if I wasn't spooked enough, a short Asian woman rounded the corner just then, literally making me jump as she started speaking.

"Oh! I'm sorry, dearie. You must be our new student! Miss-"

"De Luca. Giana De Luca."

"Ah, that's right. Victor said you were Italian," I heard a smile in her voice. "I'm Trudy Rehmann, your housemother. Welcome to Anubis House!"

"Thanks, Trudy," I said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Now," she continued, "I'll show you to your room and help you get settled in. You'll be staying with Nina and Amber."

I nodded, following her up the old wooden staircase and heaving my trunk behind me. The noise from both that and my cane hitting the stairs two steps above me every time I moved was enough to wake everything in the house.

"Who's making all the racket?" I heard a snarling man's voice coming from the top of the stairs. "Oh." His tone quieted. "It's you."

"Victor Rodenmaar, don't scare our new student," Trudy scolded. "This is Giana De Luca, remember? The new exchange student from America?"

"Hi, Victor," I greeted hesitantly.

He grunted, turning back and going farther into the depths of the house.

"He's really quite lovely," she said. I shrugged. "Well, let's continue to your room then."

Once we were in my room, I felt the need to look around a little. The walls were a pinkish-purple, and everything was fairly decorated. I noticed an empty bed with a nightstand next to it pushed against the far wall by a window.

"I'll leave you to unpack," Trudy said. "I'll be downstairs if you need me. The other students should be coming back from classes soon."

"Alright," I answered. "Thanks."

After making my bed and putting my clothes away, I decided to turn on my iPhone and check to see if I had any new texts. I knew my friends would be missing me already.

'VoiceOver on. One new message. Tori: Hey how are you? Did you land ok? ~T'

Tori was my best friend from back home, so naturally she'd be one of the first people to text me. I responded and said I was fine, then decided to call home.

After about three rings, my brother answered.

"Gigi!" he exclaimed. "How's life over in England, little sis?"

"Nico!" I grinned. "I've only just got here! I've finished unpacking, though."

"Is everyone treating you well?"

"The only people I've met so far is Trudy the housemother and Victor the caretaker. Victor's the one who scares me."

"Just relax, Gigi. You'll be fine."

"Thanks. Hey, is Mom or Dad home?"

"Yep. Here, I'll give you to Mom. Addio, sorella."

"Addio."

I waited for a few minutes, hearing him yell to our mother that I was on the phone. After some rustling, she picked up.

"Giana!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

"Sto bene, Mamma," I answered. "You?"

"Sto bene. Have you settled in well?" she asked.

"I arrived a half hour ago," I pointed out.

"True. Very true. I hope you have fun, Gigi. Don't miss us too much."

Too late for that, I thought. "Where's Dad?"

"He's still at work. Nicolo's about to head to soccer practice."

"Tell him bye for me?"

"Of course."

"I miss you, Mom."

"I miss you too, bella. Study hard and make lots of friends!"

"I will."

I said goodbye to my mom and brother, just in time to hear a lot of commotion going on downstairs. I decided to see what was happening.

I was worried about fitting in, but I was more concerned with the fact that I'd fall flat on my face walking down the stairs if I didn't bring my cane with me. Sighing, I unfolded it and headed out of the room.

As soon as I got to the bottom of the stairs, I noticed where all the noise was coming from. My housemates had gotten back from classes.

"I'm telling you, Jerome!" one boy shouted. "It doesn't make sense! How could Mara like you and not me?"

Apparently I decided to enroll at the wrong time.

"Look, Campbell," the guy I assumed to be Jerome spoke up. "It was inevitable anyways."

"Will you two stop fighting?" A new voice, this one female, joined the conversation. "I'm sick of you arguing over me!" I guessed that was Mara. "Look, Mick, I'm sorry, but we're done. I told you before, and that's how it's going to be. I'm sorry."

"You little creep, Jerome!" Mick exclaimed, storming out. Before he was out of the room, he stopped walking. I think he turned around and faced me. "Who are you?" he asked.

I felt my cheeks turn pink. I hadn't wanted to be noticed eavesdropping on their conversation. "I-I'm Giana," I said in a small voice. "Giana De Luca. I'm new."

"And American by the sounds of it," Jerome muttered.

"I'm Mick. Mick Campbell," Mick introduced himself shortly and continued storming out.

"Nice to meet you, Giana," Jerome said. "I'm Jerome Clarke."

"And I'm Mara Jaffray," Mara then said, a smile in her voice. "Welcome to Anubis."

"Thanks," I responded. "And sorry about that. I didn't mean to listen in."

"It's alright, things happen," she shrugged.

I shook my head. And so begins my stay at England's most exclusive boarding school.