Remember this takes place in Harry Potter book 6, where Harry spies on Draco who breaks Harry's nose, and then Luna comes and takes him and stuff. Also, I apologize for any confusion this chapter may cause… I really want it to make sense. I also believe that Harry and Darren my both me a tad OOC. The only one I think I did really well with is Luna in this chapter… anyway, REVIEW! ENJOY! HP and CDF are not mine.

I watched as Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and some other guys all filed out of the compartment we'd been in the whole ride to Hogwarts. The warm and happy feeling I'd had before was still there… everything seemed perfect.

"Oi, Shan!" I heard Draco yell to me from outside the compartment. We'd reached Hogwarts, and I was very nervous amidst my happiness.

"Yeah?" I yelled back to him. "I'm just making sure I have everything."

"Okay," Draco said, "I know what you're really doing. Just tell him to scram, Kick him."

And with that I heard the fading footsteps as Draco walked away with everyone else, laughing.

I was very confused as to what Draco had said. I'd just stayed behind to be by myself for a few minutes and to collect myself before I entered the school…

What was he talking about?

I stood up and glanced around. Everything was just as it was supposed to be. There was no one to kick. Why would I just kick some random person anyway?

I was about to leave the compartment and catch up to Draco when I heard a light and very stifled sneeze coming from the area of the compartment behind the seats.

Um, okay? I slowly approached the area, kneeling down. Nothing was there! All the same though, Draco had said to kick something, so, in crazy boredom and confusion, I let out a big kick into the empty space.

"Ouch!" I heard someone yell, who sounded about my age. Before I knew what was happening, a figure was appearing out of nowhere.

He had dark hair and round glasses. He was almost kind of short, too. He carefully stood up; tenderly rubbing the injured leg I'd kicked.

Why had I done that? Had I accidentally kicked someone because Draco asked me too? That was weird… I was beginning to not like Draco so much. He'd told me to kick someone he didn't even know for no reason! And he seemed so mean! Also, how in hell did he know that this boy was here?

"Well, hello." The boy said. When he stood up I saw a lightning shape scar on top of his forehead. It was awesome!

"Um, hi," I said, "Sorry about that. I just didn't see you there."

"No kidding." He mumbled. "I was wearing an invisibility cloak. You know, when you wear it you become invisible? I was eavesdropping on Malfoy."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because I heard your whole conversations this whole ride here. You seem like the kinda guy I trust. You just happened to run into the bullies of this school, Malfoy and his Slytherin friends."

"Um, okay?" I asked. "I'm Darren Shan, as you may have heard me tell Draco… who, by the way, knows that you were here somehow. When he saw I was staying behind he asked me to kick you for him."

"No doubt." The guy mumbled. "Draco Malfoy is just so full of himself because he's a pureblood. And listen, no harsh feelings. Draco is a mean, manipulating person." His face grew into a grin as he dusted himself off. "I'm Harry Potter."

"Oh." I could feel my cheeks grow redder as I stuttered for something to say. Finally I just came up with, "Sorry about what I said, which you, uh, probably heard. You see, Draco, he told me you were not so um, nice."

Harry ginned. "It's no problem, Darren. But we've got to hurry up. We're gonna be late for the sorting."

I didn't bother asking him what that was; I was confused as it is. Anyway, I would probably find out soon enough.

We were leaving the compartment when Luna walked right into us.

"Oh, hello Darren, hello Harry. I was just exploring for some Wargles." She said pleasantly. She was wearing these large goggle type things over her eyes, which were big, dark and bulky.

"What are wargles?" I asked Harry, who shrugged,

"Why should I know?"

With that the three of us started running throughout the train, and down the steps.

"You're a strong kicker." I heard Harry mumble to himself as he ran-limped along with us.

I wondered if Harry was telling the truth when he said no hard feelings. I mean, I was a half-vampire. I'd kicked him pretty hard and I was really strong. And he also heard what Draco had told me about him, and the way I'd agreed and said how mean he sounded and what an ugly name he had. Had Harry truly forgiven me for what I'd said about him, and the way I'd hurt him? I barely knew the guy, but I was still uneasy at the horrible suspicion in the back of my mind that Harry was still slightly annoyed.

"Uh, Harry…" I started, but got interrupted by him, who'd guessed what I'd been about to say.

"Don't worry." He said. "I'm used to bad publicity."

That may be true… I thought, but all the same, for some reason I still wasn't so satisfied.

The problem was for another time though, because the three of us had approached a pair of big grand doors to this huge castle.

"You have to get used to its size and beauty." Luna told me dreamily, admiring it with respect by arcing her head back.

I just nodded.

"We're just in time." Harry said as walked into the castle.

The three of our footsteps echoed loudly throughout the huge area, and I gazed around in amazement while trying to not fall behind at the same time. The detail and delicates were all so distracting… they were beautiful.

A very loud noise was coming from what seemed as if it was a large room that was farther ahead.

"That's the dining hall, Darren." Luna said. Suddenly a there was no more noise coming from the dining hall.

Harry didn't look at me as he said, "They've started the sorting. Someone's being sorted."

We three slowly entered the huge place, which to my amazement had many, many tables lining it all across. Above each group of tables was a huge banner, just floating there. It was hung by nothing. Weird. The banners said, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

"Those are the houses." Luna murmured to me. "They are based on your personality and true self. The sorting is where new student get sorted into their houses, by that hat." She pointed to an old, musty looking hat which was currently laying on tiny little kids head, who was sitting there on a stool; all eyes on him.

"Right." I said. "That totally makes sense, you know."

Luna smiled at me with a vacant look in her eyes. "Get in that line over there Darren, to be sorted." She said before walking over to one of the Ravenclaw tables.

"Good luck" Harry said to me, his green eyes reflecting in the glass statue beside us, glinting in the light.

I watched as he walked away, his robes swishing behind him. He seemed like a really nice guy. Draco's complete opposite.

I cautiously got in the back of the line. At the front of the Hall was a table with a lot of older looking people- adults. Sitting in a big grand chair right in the center was Dumbledore. I mean, I was pretty sure. This old, frail man matched the description Mika Ver Leth had given me last week perfectly. Elderly, long white beard, blue robes, circle glasses…

Then he winked at me. This guy definitely knew who and what I was then. And why I was here.

The man, Dumbledore, gave me a thumbs up and I knew I was doing the right thing. To be honest- I was shocked I'd made it this far in the first place.

Someone was calling off names, which I realized were all in alphabetical order… good. Shan started with an S. I would be at the end.

I stood there for a while, getting more and more nervous as time droned on and things got more and more suspenseful. I could feel my hands getting clammy and my mind working overtime due to nerve and worry.

What if something went wrong? What if the hat went on my head it made its little quirky movements like it did with every kid and then jumped off and yelled, "Vampire! Alert! Alert! We've got a vampire!"

If that worse-case-scenario happened then it was definitely good-bye to my new friends.

That wouldn't happen though, right?

But what if it did happen? What if something worse happened? What if-

"DARREN SHAN!" A loud voice boomed, cutting me off from my panicky thoughts.

Well, I braced myself. Here goes nothing…

There, all done. YAY! Anyway please let me know if this chapter was confusing, and if you like the way the story is progressing. They've reached Hogwarts! Yay! Anyway tell me if you agree with me that Darren and Harry are a teeny weeny bit OOC… I don't think it's that big of a problem though. Anyway, PLEASE review! I won't not update if this doesn't happen, but let's aim for 9 more. (The last chapter I got 8 more, so now I am trying to get one more than I did for the last chapter. See what I'm doing?) REVIEW! And thanks for reading!