A/N: Hey, looks like I finished early! (Woo, happy dance!) Enjoy, and R&R please! I never turn down a comment!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.

Chapter 1

JAMES P.O.V.

Excitedly, I pulled my stuff behind me, searching the crowded platform of 9¾ for my buddy Teddy Lupin. We'd been sending owls all morning in our excitement. But who could blame us? Today was going to be our very first day to set foot in the legendary school Hogwarts. We'd been planning everything that we would do from the moment we got aboard the Hogwarts Express to the very second before we fell asleep tonight. Yep, this year was going to be the best in all the year I've lived so far – the first year I went to Hogwarts.

"JAMES!" I turned around to find myself facing the red-faced Teddy, who looked exasperated, but happy never the less. "Found you, finally! Dude, this is going to be great – I came up with the best plan ever, and as soon as we get rid of our parents, we are setting it into motion!"

I looked over to my mum and dad, who were busy trying to keep my younger sister Lily from jumping aboard the train. "I don't think that will be a problem," I laughed. Knowing my mum, she would want to get Lily and Albus – my other sibling – out of the platform before she lost one of them. "Let me just get the good-bye's over with, though, and I'll meet you back here in a few."

I walked away leaving Teddy feeling awkward for just standing, and gave my mum and dad hugs good-bye.

"We'll write every day, sweetie!" My mum said, and I was glad she wasn't crying like so many moms were doing. That was one of the few things that I loved about her – she didn't cry 24/7.

I waved good-bye to everyone, then ran back to Teddy, and we boarded the train, our stuff already been put on board. "So, what's this 'plan' that you've come up with?" I asked him, smiling widely.

Teddy whispered to me quietly, as to not let anyone overhear their plan. When he was finished, James was smiling even brighter than before as they looked for a compartment. "That's brilliant, man! And we're doing it soon, I'm guessing?"

He nodded, and was about to speak again when someone knocked into me. I turned around to see a girl with shiny brown hair that ended at the middle of her back. I glared at her, and elbowed Teddy, making sure he was watching. "Oi! Watch it!" I yelled after her.

She turned around, her hair swinging with her, and landing on one shoulder. "Oi," she shouted back sarcastically. "Move your ass!" She smiled deviously, leaving me with a dumbstruck look on my face, and Teddy doubled over laughing at my expression. Fury bubbled in me, but I didn't try again. I just shoved Teddy into the wall, telling him to shut up then opened a compartment at random.

Two boys were already sitting in there, and both turned their heads at the sound of the compartment door opening. One was kind of short, with strawberry-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The other was a bit taller, and shaggy black hair that hung around his face and in his eyes without it bothering him.

Bitterly, I muttered, "Could we sit with you? The others are full."

"Sure, mate," said the short boy, smiling broadly. He held out a hand towards both James and Teddy. "My name's Murphy Finnigan, and this is Orion Black."

The shaggy haired boy, smiled his dark eyes twinkling with mischief. Teddy and I sat down, and gave our names. "Cool, so what house are you two hoping to get into?" Orion asked, sitting back, and setting his feet on the other seat. "I, personally, know exactly where I'm going. Gryffindor all the way, baby!"

"Same here, and if I don't, I promise you I will most likely die," I put in, cheering up and forgetting the girl in the hall of the train. "See, my dad-" I started.

But then someone came in to the compartment. I glared, but not just because I had just been interrupted while telling a story. I would have been mad at whoever came in, but not like this. Right now, I was feeling something, but I had no idea what. A girl with shiny brown hair had just walked in and plopped herself next to Murphy. A girl whom I had just been yelling at only five minutes before.

"Hey, guys, I'm back – and with treats!" She spilled out five pocketfuls worth of candy from the trolley onto the seat, smiling like she was proud or something. That was when she actually looked around the compartment and noticed the two new additions to the group. When she recognized me and saw me glaring she glared right back, but not as fierce as me. It was almost like she was enjoying herself, being able to piss me off so easily – I could see it in her eyes. Her bright blue eyes, that seemed to be the color of mischief, and reminded me of the ocean, the waves crashing endlessly in front of – WHOA. What the hell was all that about? Hadn't I just been talking about all the hatred I had towards her?

"Oh, right, Izzy, this is James Potter and Teddy Lupin," Murphy introduced us hurriedly, slightly taken back by the sudden change of the atmosphere. "And James, Lupin, this is Isabelle Rose, but-"

And for the second time already, she interrupted someone. "But just call me Izzy, please," she said, smiling directly at Teddy and I. I didn't say anything, but continued to glare while Teddy tried to contain his laughter.

And most of the trip was like that – Murphy and Orion confused about the glares Isabelle (I refused to call her by the name she told me to call her by) and I were exchanging, and Teddy chuckling every so often when his mouth wasn't full of the candy she had bought. I hadn't touched any of it. She poisoned one, she poisoned one, I kept thinking, whenever I snuck a glance at the pile of candy sitting in front of me. It was the only way I could stop myself from indulging on every piece of chocolate like Teddy was.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and turned to Teddy telling him we should start the prank now. He just smiled, looking at Isabelle, and I was afraid he might decide to torture me by deciding the prank was off, but instead he nodded in agreement. I let out a quiet sigh of relief, and began heading out of the compartment, but stopped mid-step when Teddy began asking the others to join us – including Isabelle.

"Oh, sounds fun!" I heard her say, as I turned around furiously. "We'd love to join you!"

I stared at her in amazement and anger. Amazement because she was the first girl other than my cousin Rose Weasley to ever agree to do pranks with Teddy and I. Anger because I didn't want her to be the first.

We all headed down the train, looking for a compartment that had Slytherins inside. We found one a few compartments down from ours with fourth year Slytherins. I watched as Teddy took out a few things that he'd bought from Weasley Wizard Wheezes last month. He took out his Instant Darkness Powder, U-No-Poo, Chocolate Frogs (which, thanks to Isabelle, he hadn't had to buy himself), and a piece of parchment and quill. He smiled deviously at everyone, then picked up the powder and though it on the ground before opening the compartment, putting the U-No-Poo in the Chocolate Frogs and writing a letter to the Slytherins, explaining that the frogs were to hopefully be able to get himself into the greatest house of Hogwarts. He came back out, and we all sat outside the compartment, waiting to see what they did.

Sure enough, as Teddy had hoped, the fourth years began eating the chocolate frogs without hesitation. I smiled as I watched them happily eat the food, not wondering why the person would have used the powder. And then, the most unexpected thing happened – the frogs exploded. I looked at Teddy in confusion, but he was enjoying himself. I turned back to the Slytherins, and found my self cracking up too. Purple slimy stuff had exploded all over the bewildered students, and, knowing Teddy, that meant he had made sure the goop was impossible for them to remove.

We were still laughing like crazy when we reached our compartment, still remembering that they still had some constipation coming their way when they reached Hogwarts.

ISABELLE P.O.V.

As we got off the train, I felt a sudden warmness and coldness envelope me. It came out of nowhere, but I didn't let it stop me from following Murphy, Orion, James, and Teddy. I knew that James was glaring at me, as I side-stepped in front of him to be up front with Murphy and Orion, knowing just how much this would piss him off. It was like I could almost hear him thinking about what brat I was being, but this made me smile even more.

At the moment we reached a tall, big man. I gasped, along with some others, and looked up. The man had thick, messy hair ending at his shoulders and beard that was a few inches longer. He looked around, grinning at all the first years huddled around him, while he held a lamp above our heads to make sure everyone was there.

"Alrigh', so you bunch better follow me," he said, turning around. "I'm Hagrid, the game keeper of Hogwarts. Four to a boat – no more, no less…"

I looked at the other four in horror, and with a sinking feeling, realized that they would most likely vote me out. But instead they all looked as unsure as me. How was this going to work? We couldn't vote someone out! Well, I wouldn't mind if James was voted out, but I couldn't voice my thoughts. Who knows – maybe they liked him better than me and would choose to vote me out because I had said that? No, I better keep my voice shut.

It was silence between us, until Teddy spoke up. "Maybe we could team up? Three in one group, and two in the other, and we could find someone to join our boat?"

Everyone murmured in agreement, but when I looked at James, I saw him staring at Teddy, horror-struck. He knew something that everyone else didn't, but when I followed James' eyes to Teddy's smug face, I knew my face was the exact copy of James' horror.

Teddy continued, "So, how about me, Murphy, and Orion in one group and James and Izzy in the other?" Murphy and Orion nodded, but neither James nor I made any movement. I mean, I loved making him angry, but I don't think I could make a whole boat ride with him. I know there would be others, and this was exactly what…he…wanted, but I'm pretty sure that no one would be able to stop us from knocking each other off the boat before we got to the castle.

Not that anyone paid any attention to this other than Teddy, James, and me. Teddy was doing this for laughs, but I don't think it would be a laugh when we both start hexing each other into the water.

So, we all got into the boats – Teddy, Orion, and Murphy finding a tiny boy to ride with them, and James and I finding his cousin Rose Weasley and her friend. Both James and I sat in the back seeing as Rose insisted that she and her friend got to sit in the front since James "owed her." This trip was going to be long.

When we were half-way to the castle, I turned away from watching the water flow away from because it was making me dizzy, and found James staring at me. Not glaring, staring, like he was wondering something or was confused. I stared back, eyeing him peculiarly before snapping at him. "What?"

He snapped back to reality, and his face reddened, before he turned away. I cocked my head in confusion. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong with him, when he turned back to me glaring. Jumping, almost startled by the sudden change, I glared back. "Do you have a problem?" I managed to ask, hoping he would stop.

"Yes – you."

I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. We'd only just met each other, and he already hated me. How was that possible? My mission of becoming friends with him was going to be tough. How do you become friends with someone that you have to be friends with because it depended on your life? Whoa, Izzy, stop right there – no thinking of the orders or you will for sure be killed.

He apparently saw the hurt in my face and started to say something, but I didn't give him the chance to apologize. Instead, I turned away, and began talking with Rose about what house she hoped to be in. She wanted to be in Gryffindor just like me, but as I talked about the houses, I had another sinking feeling for the second time that night. What if I was put in Slytherin because of what I was doing, because I won't just tell The Dark Lord no, because I was helping him get his hands on somebody who had a life and he was going to kill. I was doing something horrible, and that just might make me become an even more horrible person.

After a while, I'd begun to tune Rose and her friend out. I didn't want to hear them talk any longer about how I was for sure going to make it into Gryffindor because I was "such a nice person." Yep, I knew for sure now – I was going Slytherin (a.k.a. my own personal hell that God had sent me.) The rest of the trip, I was quiet, and just watched the castle loom closer and closer until we were getting out of our boats and walking into Hogwarts.

James and I met up with the others, and we all walked together as we made our way with the other students to the Great Hall. When we reached the doors, a stout man greeted us, calling himself Professor Longbottom. He told us everything that was going to happen when we entered the hall, and told us to behave and do as we were told when we made our entrance.

"Now, please wait here, and I will go and see if they are ready for you," he said, before departing.

Every student burst into conversation, except for James and I. That is until a platinum blonde boy with his hair slicked back came up to me, an idiotic smile on his face.

"So, you must be the beautiful Isabella Rose I've been hearing so much about," he said. No one else was paying attention to our conversation, seeing as everyone was talking loudly. But I did notice out of the corner of my eye that James was watching – glaring, to be precise. Figures, I thought bitterly. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

"Isabelle," I corrected him, scowling. If he was going to talk to me, he might as well get my name right.

He laughed. "Whatever… So, you must be hoping to go to Slytherin? That is where all the pretty girls go, anyway."

I glared again, more fiercely than before. This boy was getting on my nerves. Who does he think he is, talking that way? "Why would I go to stinky Slytherin when I can actually have a backbone and go to Gryffindor?" I spat.

He looked taken aback, but still kept his smug smile. "Ooo, bit feisty, aren't we?" He poked my shoulder.

I was furious now. Did he honestly think he could get away with poking me? I was just about to push him, when I realized how quiet it was and saw Teddy and Orion moving to stand in front of me.

"Is this guy bothering you, Izzy?" Orion asked me, and I could hardly keep myself from laughing.

"Oh, so you're already taken?" sneered Scorpius, laughing at the sight of the two boys glaring at him. "Guess I better 'watch out!'" He waved his hands in the air, pretending to be scared. Then winked at me. "Don't worry, Izzy, I know you'll warm up to me soon."

"Guess you should shut your mouth." A new voice appeared behind me, and I looked back to see James standing there, glaring menacingly at Scorpius.

Scorpius' laugh faded, and turned into a glare. "How dare you? Hmph, you must be that Potter boy. My father's told me all about you and your family. Yes, I wouldn't feel so free to talk that way to me if I were you. Don't want your dear family to get hurt!"

I saw anger and shock flash in James' eyes. "Shut it – you don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh yes, I-"

But Scorpius was interrupted by a couch behind him. Professor Longbottom had returned. He watched Scorpius slink back to his Slytherin friends, with reproachful eyes before gesturing us to follow him in to the Great Hall.

I leaned forward to whisper my thanks to Teddy and Orion before following them into the hall. The doors opened, and every first year marched through. I could feel the nervousness erupting from everybody, and tried to hide mine, but failed. I still couldn't be sure which house I was going to be put into.

I looked up in amazement at the ceiling. It was like the exact replica of the sky outside – starry and clear – and candles floated above our heads everywhere. It looked beautiful, and I gazed at the stars, unaware of my surroundings until we reached the front, and I accidently bumped into a small red headed girl.

"Welcome, students, to your very first year at Hogwarts. When I call your name, please make your way up the stairs and sit on the stool, and I will place the hat on your head for you to be sorted," Professor Longbottom said, looking around while holding a piece of parchment. He cleared his throat before starting, "Anderson, Amy."

The girl that I had bumped into jumped, frightened at the call of her name. She looked around her nervously before walking up and sitting down. The hat was set on her head, and there was silence while everyone sat, not moving a muscle, until the hat shouted her house throughout the hall. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

She looked relieved that it was over and done with, and I suspected that she hadn't ever really cared what house she was put in. The Hufflepuff table roared with cheers and cries of congratulations to the girl. When it went quiet once more, Professor Longbottom called up more students, and I waited nervously until the time came for me to be called up.

"Lupin, Ted."

I watched as Teddy walked up to the stool, and I marveled at his confidence. Not only was he not showing any nervousness, but he also wasn't hyperventilating like some others were. The hat had barely touched his head when he yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!!"

Teddy jumped down and toward the cheers of Gryffindor table where he was patted on the back by Orion and Murphy. More students were called up, and by the time Professor Longbottom had called James up, I knew it must be close to my name now.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Cheers and woops erupted again from Gryffindor table, and I watched James strut to the table with a smug grin on his face. Only a few students were left – me along with ten others. I sucked a breath in when the hat called my name. This is it – the moment of truth, the moment I had been dreading since I got on the train. Step by step, I made my way to the stool, my face burning realizing that everyone was staring at me. Everyone – Teddy, Orion, Murphy, Scorpius, and (worst of all) James – and when I was sorted into the Slytherin House, I would die of embarrassment. After all those times I'd talked about making it into Gryffindor, and watch, the one time I needed to be right the most, I would be wrong. The boys would be disappointed and would think that I was just as shameful as Scorpius (whom, by the way, had been sorted into Slytherin – no surprise there), and Scorpius would have the pleasure of telling that he, out of all people, had been right – and I did belong in Slytherin.

The hat was placed on my head, and I clenched my eyes closed, not trusting myself to be able to handle it when I saw the disappointment crash down on the boys' faces. Clinging on to the tiny shred of hope I had left, I sat there quietly, jumping slightly when an unfamiliar voice appeared in my head.

"Hmm… Interesting, very interesting," it began. "Troubling, yes, but interesting. For the first time in quite a while, I have found someone whom I cannot seem to be able to place…"

My heart thumped loudly in my chest. This was even worse! What if he didn't sort me at all? How would I live with my embarrassment then? Was I really even too horrible to be a Slytherin?

"Ah, doubt? Is that what I'm hearing from you? Do you really doubt that you're not good enough for any house?" The voice chuckled menacingly. "Your actions in the past have been horrible, yes, very horrible, and what you are planning to do will be worse, but I'm sure that if The Dark Lord is good enough to be sorted, I'm sure I can place you somewhere… But where? Gryffindor…or Slytherin?"

My eyes shot open, and I saw all faces staring at me, and even Professor Longbottom was wondering why I was taking so long to be sorted. Please not Slytherin, please! I begged the hat silently, hoping he heard.

"Not…Slytherin? But you would fit well with the others, and maybe then you could find others of your own – other…traitors. They would treat you like royalty once you've told them about you're little plan… And I'm sure Potter would be very pleased to hear it too…" It was like the hat was sneering at me in my own head, insulting everything about me. Anger boiled in my veins, but I clenched my teeth together to be sure I didn't make a noise. "Hmm, I see you are content, however, with your choice of Gryffindor? Well, then I shall give you your wish, but I promise you that Slytherin would have been a better choice for someone like you…"

I sighed in relief, and smiled broadly as the hat roared for everyone to hear, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Hopping off the seat, and practically skipping away, I went to find a seat at the Gryffindor table. I saw Orion waving me over, and I took a seat next to him.

"Why'd it take you so long to be sorted?" he asked, elbowing me in the side.

I pretended not to have heard him, and listened to the hat as the last students were sorted. Three were sent to Gryffindor, four to Slytherin, and three to Ravenclaw. I glanced at the Slytherin table to only find Scorpius leering at me from across the hall, and I could almost hear his thoughts. I gulped, hoping he would soon leave me alone, and began to fill my plate with food from the feast.

I soon found that Gryffindors were the nicest people that I had met in my life. I talked to three girls for the rest of the feast, often talking to Orion or Teddy, but mostly just to them. Their names were Angela Robbins, Dorcas Marks, and Marlene Meek. Angela was the tallest of the three, but they were all about the same height. Marlene had dark brown hair – it almost looked black – Dorcas was blonde, and Angela had strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. At least now I had some girls to hang out with.

"Hey, did you know Potter's staring at you?" Dorcas giggle-whispered in my ear, pointing to where James sat talking to Murphy about Quidditch, while staring relentlessly at me. He immediately looked away and back to Murphy, who seemed to be trying to demonstrate his signature move for hitting Bludgers.

I looked down at my plate, my face reddening – I just knew it. "Shut up, please," I mumbled, feeling almost sad at the fact that he didn't even bother waving to me or saying a word. I was almost so sad, I was angry at myself for even caring. If James was going to behave childishly, then I would have to deal with it, but make sure to find a way to complete the plan I was given. My heart missed a beat at that thought – here I was, complaining about Potter not liking me, when he had every right in the world to hate me, whether he knew it or not.

The feast passed quickly, and after a few words from Headmistress McGonnagal warning us to be careful and not be reckless, everyone hurried out of the hall – first years following their house's prefects to their common room. By the time I'd gotten to my bed that night, I was exhausted. In seconds, I was out like a light.

A/N: Remember: R&R! :D