Disclaimer: The name Danica Shardae does not belong to me. It comes from the book "HawkSong" By Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. But it was really cool so I had to use it.

Chapter One:

"Hey James," Sirius whispered, jabbing his friend in the side.

"What?" James said looking up from his bread pudding.

"Look up at the head table."

James turned his head and scanned the front of the Great Hall. His gaze froze. Standing behind McGonagall's seat was a young woman with sickly blonde hair that had a green tinge to it. Her face was gaunt and pale and she looked like she had never had a proper meal in her life.

"What about her?" James asked turning back to Sirius. "She's not really your type is she?"

"No, I agree she's not much of a looker but there's something about her eyes. See how the seem to glow green in the candlelight."

"What about it? Lily's eyes are green as well," he said looking back up at the girl.

He watched her carefully until she turned her head and James felt the breath escape his body. Sirius was right they seemed to glow a deep emerald green color.

But there was something else about them, a sort of overwhelming sadness. It chilled James to the bone. He quickly averted his gaze.

"Perfectly creepy," he said to Sirius grabbing a cup of pumpkin juice.

"What do you think Remus?" Sirius asked turning to a boy with shaggy brown hair and dark rings beneath his eyes. He looked up from the book he had been reading.

"Hmm…?"

"The girl," Sirius grabbed Remus' head and turned it to the front of the hall.

"Not much of a looker," Remus said in a far off manner, before quickly returning to his book.

"Boy," Sirius sighed, "I hang out with a bunch of blind dolts."

"I'm not blind Sirius," piped up a small boy with sandy hair.

"Of course you're not Peter," Sirius muttered, staring back up at the girl. There was just something mysterious about her and Sirius wanted to know what it was.

As he watched the girl she seemed to become aware of his gaze. In an almost predator like fashion she scanned the room till her eyes met his. They flashed green and quickly dimmed again. She bared her teeth and quickly turned away. Sirius' interest in her only deepened.

Finally the feast began to wind down and Dumbledore stood up for his start of term speech.

Sirius became attentive in hopes that maybe he would introduce the new girl.

"Well now that your rather insatiable appetites have been fulfilled for the moment I think it a good time to go over the basic rules for our new first years though a few of our older students should probably listen as well." His twinkling gaze fell on Sirius and James in turn.

They bowed their heads like royalty as kids smiled knowingly at them.

"The dark forest is out-of-bounds for all Hogwarts students unless you are accompanied by a teacher, and in that case it is only for classroom activities. Also I'd like to impress upon every single one of you to check out the ever-growing list of forbidden items. It is posted on our dear Mister Filch's door.

"And now that such trivial things as rules has been taken care of it is my great pleasure to introduce you to yet another new student. She arrived a little late and did not have a chance to be sorted. The school she originally attended was burned to the ground by a muggle mob so she will be staying with us for now. Her name is Danica Shardae and she will be starting sixth year."

Sirius couldn't believe his luck. She was in the same year as him. He winked at James who just shook his head and looked back up at Dumbledore.

"Miss Shardae will you please step forward and you will be sorted into the house you will stay with during your time here at Hogwarts."

The girl gracefully moved to the front of the head table and looked down at the sorting hat.

"Well put me on deary," the hat suddenly said.

She screeched loudly and claws came out from the tips of her hands.

"I'm not that bad looking," the hat laughed.

The girl screeched even louder and a goblet nearby shattered into a thousand pieces.

The whole hall covered their ears as she continued to scream, her voice becoming steadily louder.

Dumbledore, in fact, was actually the only person that seemed unaffected by her screaming.

Smiling to himself he got up out of his chair and quite calmly walked over to her.

"Danica," he said, not rising the tone of his voice at all. "That's quite a set of lungs you have on you."

She stopped and the claws slowly receded back into her fingers.

Sirius unclenched his eyes and moved his hands away from his ears. He looked up at Danica.

She was standing there wild-eyed talking to Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry about that Miss Shardae. I should've warned you about the hat. Are you okay?"

Danica quietly nodded and opened her mouth to speak. "I'm fine Professor. It just took me a bit off guard that's all. And now I've gone a made a fool of myself in front of everyone." Her voice was low and somewhat rough.

She looked out at the students, who were watching her warily, and her face began to become green from embarrassment.

Dumbledore smiled and leaned closer to her. "We all make fools of ourselves at one point in our lives. In fact I've made quite a fool of myself on several occasions. So don't feel too bad." He winked at her and pulled away.

"That's some girl you got there Sirius," James said. "I can just hear the screams now. 'Oh Sirius! AHHHHHH!' " James screeched in a high-pitched voice, trying to mimic Danica's. "We'll all end up deaf but the end of the night."

Sirius punched his friend in the arm but couldn't help but laugh. "She's not my girl, yet," Sirius corrected James.

"I don't think guys are going to be fighting for a date with her," James looked her over. "She's got a sick, but I could kick your ass, look about her. A bit too freaky for me. But hey whatever floats your boat. Or in this case inflates your balloon…" James laughed loudly at his own raunchy joke.

"You two are completely pathetic," said a girl scornfully. She was sitting two seats away from James. "You could at least talk about her as if she were human."

"Oh come on Evans it was just a bit of fun. Besides I don't think she is human." James said defensively, trying to make himself sound maturer.

"Right… fun. You have one twisted view on life Potter."

"Actually he has a point," Remus looked up from his book. "About not being human I mean. It appears that she is most likely part Banshee."

"A Banshee," James said elbowing Sirius. "It looks like your new girl is a Banshee. I think those moans will be even more earth shattering than I thought."

Sirius snickered though he was getting rather tired of James' antics. His eyes steadily remained on Danica.

"God James. When will you grow-up?" Lily remarked in a disgusted tone.

"Never," James laughed and Sirius gave him a high five.

"Actually James she's only part Banshee. If she were a full-blooded Banshee more than just a glass goblet would've broken. Also her hair would be pure-green and she would have a green leaf coloring running up her neck." Remus eyes never left his book.

"Men. You act as if throwing logic at everything will somehow make this world a better place." Lily said. "But for all your logic you still can't treat her with some respect. I know I'd be mortified in her position. Freaking out like that in front of everyone."

"Yeah but she is still kind of freaky and completely in need of a serious make-over." Laughed one of Lily's friends.

"Don't you get started in on her too," Lily snapped.

"Sorry," her friend muttered, her face turning red.

"I know if you go out with me my world will be a better place," James smiled hopefully.

"Have you been listening to a word I said?" Lily couldn't believe the nerve of James.

He nodded stupidly.

"In your dreams," she turned away. "Wait not even in your dreams," she quickly added.

"She wants me bad," James said coolly.

"Whatever man," Sirius laughed his eyes darting back to Danica.

"What do you see in her? I mean you've never even met her. And she's a Banshee. Well part Banshee anyway."

Sirius sighed and looked at James. "I don't know it's just something about her. I can't put my finger on it. And besides, like Lily said, who cares if she is a part banshee."

"Whatever, she's still a freak. Hey look she's about to be sorted."

Danica felt relief wash over her as the students began to talk amongst themselves. But she could still feel curious gazes flicker to her every couple seconds.

"Well I've managed to make a complete idiot out of myself in the first five minutes," she thought. "I just didn't expect the hat to talk, that's all. What would Xavier think? He'd probably just laugh at me before telling me everything would be fine."

"Quiet everyone. Miss Shardae," Dumbledore held out the talking hat.

Nervously Danica took it out of his hands a pulled it over her head. The brim fell over her eyes and the Great Hall disappeared.

"Well that was quite a little show you put on out there."

"Who are you?" Danica thought.

"I'm the sorting hat of course. Though I'm a bit tired so I'll save the spiel for later. Just look me up and we'll have tea. Anyway to sum it all up it's my job to sort you into the house you'll be staying in for the remainder of your time at Hogwarts."

"Oh, well where are you going to put me?"

"Well your attitude changes rather fast. One minute you were terrified of me and the next you act as if we've known each other for years."

"Sorry it's the Banshee blood in me. They don't express themselves the same way as humans, though I'm better at it then some of my family. My brother Xavier's mood stays the same, or is at the one extreme polar or the other. A bit freaky actually. Not to subtle, that one."

"Yes, yes. Well however quaint and lovely it is to have a little chat about your family I really must sort you. So if you don't mind, not trying to be rude or anything, but I'd appreciate a bit of silence. It's been a long night."

Danica didn't answer back.

"Now then. Let's see. You've got a great mind no doubt about that but Ravenclaw doesn't seem right for you. No not at all. You're cunning as well, but Slytherin wouldn't fit for you either. No. You are being rather difficult. Well this may be a bit hasty but I am really tired, and I think it will best for you, so… GRYFFINDOR!"the hat shouted.

Danica pulled off the hat and set it neatly on the stool. Dumbledore smiled and pointed at the table that was clapping the loudest. "You're over there dear."

"Thanks," Danica said, pulling her fingers through her green-blonde hair in an attempt to pull out all the knots.

A/n: Well there was the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I know Danica is kind of a Mary Sue but I've always wanted to put a banshee in one of my stories. Besides I don't think she'll be the entire focus of the story. Hopefully. Anyway please review and I'll try to update soon.