Chapter One: The Loch-ness Giant

Delila couldn't help but feel like a giant as she stood there, there in the middle of the Great hall with a mob of eleven year-olds smooshed in against her. It was a little unnerving to be honest, and it wasn't simply due to the fact that all eyes were drawn to her like moths to a porch light. What unnerved her most were the whispers…

"Are you a giant?" A small voice rang out from beside her just before the first name on the roster was called; a small hand was tugging on the sleeve of her cloak. Delila inhaled deeply as she turned her head to the side so that she could look down at the boy, his eager brown eyes instantly locked with hers blue ones.

"No," Delila said flatly, not wanting to encourage the boy, she frowned as she watched the innocent excitement flee from his expression; his arm drooped limply to his side. Delila could see a look of genuine disappointment written across his face; with that she turned her attention back up the platform.

"Wormwood, Delila," Her head snapped up sharply, causing her to flinch in pain, as her name rang loudly throughout the hall as it demanded silence. She didn't move. She hadn't even realized that she hadn't been listening; she hadn't even noticed that she had been that engrossed in her own thoughts. "Delila," McGonagall's voice rang out once more, her pale eyes were focused intently on Delila as she stood there. The words jarred her back to Earth and she took a step forward.

As Delila walked up to the heads table she was only vaguely aware of all of the whispers that swirled around her in chaos, she could hear their confusion, shock and loud exclamations of fury so clearly that she was surprised they weren't her own thoughts.

Delila hesitated as she came to halt in front of the small rickety stool she had watched so many of the first years sit down upon, and gazed at it with apprehension; unsure whether or not it would support her weight, not that she was particularly heavy. She glanced up at McGonagall before eyeing the stool once more and taking a step towards it.

"You may stand if you like," McGonagall said with a smile, her eyes singing with understanding. "I would be hesitant as well," Delila smiled back at her as she took a step back, she turned around to face the sea of curious students. She shifted uncomfortably as she stood there, feeling all of their eyes as they bored into her; it was as if she were some kind of circus act that they were all trying to figure out. She took in a deep breath as she scanned the crowd for Draco; it wasn't until she found him that she truly began to relax. McGonagall lowered the sorting hat onto her head.

"Ha! How interesting?" The hat screamed into her ear, causing Delila to jump completely out of her skin, she hadn't expected it to speak to her, let alone that loudly.

"Another one, very interesting indeed, and yet you know now as you didn't before. "Very difficult just as your brother…" The hat continued. Delila couldn't help but wonder what he meant by difficult.

"It means exactly what it sounds like" The hat started up again, causing Delila to jump once more. She had forgotten it could hear her thoughts. "You brother was very difficult to place. Yet you are somewhat more difficult."

"You possess qualities of each house. You are a brave one, daring and you have incredible nerve which was of Gryffindor. You have abilities such as parseltongue, slyness and a certain other mark of a Slytherin. You have cleverness, kind and cunning ability of A Ravenclaw. You are patient, loyal and un afraid of toil." The hat said in awe. "Very difficult..."

"Hmmm, Gryffindor or Slytherin?" The hat asked rhetorically. "You have the mark but you don't want it. You want Slytherin but you want Gryffindor." The hat grew silent. It was then that Delila realized that the whole hall was gaping at her with mouths open, it never took that long for the hat to sort its subjects.

Everyone was staring wondering what would happen next and wondering why it was taking so long. The whole room was silent with anticipation.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted breaking the silence. Fear shot through her as she glanced in the direction of the Slytherin table, confusion spread across all of their faces, she quickly shot an apology Draco's way. She took a deep breath as she turned towards the cheering to her left. She went to find a seat.

"Hi," Delila said softly as she sat down across from a girl with deep auburn hair and rich brown eyes, "I'm Delila," they were all staring at her, she could practically hear crickets chirping in the background. "Did I do something wrong?" Delila knew that it was a dumb question before it even left her lips. Of course she had done something wrong, she had transferred to Hogwarts. She was the spitting image of Harry.

Hi…" The girl said as she, my brother, and the rest of the table watched me with a burning curiosity. "It's just that," She froze as she turned to look at Harry, his eyes showed the same confusion the girls had held, "It's just that you look like Harry's mother… Harry as well… "

Delila took in a deep breath as she pondered the correct way to explain her situation to them, but the longer she thought about it, the worse her speech began to sound. There was no good way to spring that kind of news on someone…

Just as she opened her mouth to answer him, Dumbledore began his speech. She let out a relieved sigh as she quickly turned her attention towards the podium, listening carefully, but only taking in half of what was being said. She wasn't interested in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She didn't want eternal glory or riches she wanted to be normal. Normal as in with her birth parents, brother and minus the dark mark that connected her to that horrible retched murderer ever committed… Well second most. Her normal life was nothing but a dream.

A/N: Please, Please, please, please, Review! I know this isn't the best story in the world, but please let me know what you think, you don't know how much it would mean to me! So I hope you enjoyed it, thanks.

Taylor