Chapter One, Where Bella meets everyone important

"What an awful wreck," murmured Bella to herself, boarding the red Hogwarts Express.

She was already missing Edward. To protect her from the Volturis, he sent her off to some lame British boarding school, where one of his cousins was enrolled in the fifth year – the year that Bella was going to attend. At first, they had wanted to put her in with the first years, but, as she was too big, they though it'd be too conspicuous. At second, they considered a teaching position – but, it seemed, the DADA position had already been filled, and there were no others available. Therefore, they decided to put her with Edward's cousin's class – just to be safe.

She stepped into the crowded corridor, eyes darting around the unfamiliar surroundings. Students scurried past her, paying her no mind. Everyone looked the same – and everyone talked different. Her converse-clod feet carried her past full compartments, her eyes looking for people that looked even remotely like Edward. But everyone was impossibly unlike him. Where WAS this cousin?

When Edward suggested a teaching position, Bella said she didn't want to teach. She didn't know what to teach. But now that she saw the three students sitting in the only half-empty compartment, she knew immediately what she'd teach if she had to: the red-haired snot-nosed boy could benefit from some basic rules of hygiene; the black-haired boy clearly needed surgery on that awful thing on his forehead; and the girl, oh, the frizzy-haired girl! Bella would have taken out her own hairbrush right there and then and set it to work on that awful mop of wool, had she not been afraid that she would break it against the thick, interwoven tresses.

She sneered and looked around – but all other compartments were full. She had no choice, and had to sit with those ugly, apparently stupid people.

Sliding the door open, Bella said, "Um, hi. Can I come in?"

The three immediately halted their conversation and glanced at the newcomer. The black-haired boy – evidently the ring-leader of this squad of idiots – replied, "Sure!"

She nodded with a forced smile and scuttled inside, bringing her suitcase behind her and settling down next to the repulsive ginger. "Hi."

He looked away, "Hi."

Bella was almost thankful that they didn't talk to her. They didn't look like the sort of people she'd consider interesting and fun – and they were certain to be freaked out by her American accent. British people, she thought, must be.

The frizzy-haired girl, however, broke her hopeful illusion and opened her gob. "Hello! I don't think we've seen you before. Are you a first year?"

Bella looked her up and down, trying to figure out whether she was joking or just stupid. "No, no. I'm new here. I'm in grade – YEAR five."

"Oh, then you're with us," the girl replied chirpily. "I'm Hermione Granger. This is Harry" – pointing to the scarred youth – "and this is Ron."

"Oh," she replied, completely uninterested but feigning it quite well. "I'm Isabella Swan. But you can call me Bella."

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Bella. Are you American?"

That's it. It starts here. "Ye-es," she stuttered with mistrust.

"Neat!" exclaimed the ginger. "I've always wanted to go to America! They say they don't have purebloods there!"

Bella twitched at the word 'blood'. "What?"

"Ron…" Hermione Granger shook her head disdainfully. "My parents go to a conference in Boston every year. They're dentists. I'm a muggle-born – as, I guess, are you."

Bella stared at her with open eyes. What is this thing?

"Did you know," the girl continued. "I heard that there's another American student this year. Also in our year."

"Oh, that's nice," Bella responded, brightening considerably. Maybe Edward sent Alice along, or something. Oh, how she wished he was here. She didn't feel at all comfortable. She hated Forks, but this place brought homesickness right to a whole new level.