-1Aria slipped past a group of excited Hufflepuffs and jostled her way through a couple of Ravenclaws before she caught sight of James, hanging out a window and laughing his arse off. "Oi, Ari! Over here!"

Aria grumbled to herself as she boarded the train, not amused in the slightest by James's antics. Apparently, it was hilarious to desert a poor woman by running through the train barrier before explaining to her what he was doing. One second he'd been right beside her as she checked her luggage; the next moment, she'd looked up and he was gone.

Eventually she'd noticed some teenagers with owl cages slipping through the brick wall, and the magic had dawned on her. Now she was standing inside the Hogwarts express, dragging her trunk behind her as she searched for Potter's compartment.

Over the last few weeks, James had taken Ari under his wing. She had stayed with his parents, and James had taught her everything he knew about the wizarding world. Ari knew all about Hogwarts, the four houses and the moving staircases. She knew about what sorts of classes she'd be taking, and the professors who taught them. Dumbledore, the headmaster, had sent an owl to the Potter home noting that Aria's name had appeared on their master list of students, and that she would be joining the first years, just as she had expected.

James and Sirius had regaled Aria with long, epic stories of their various exploits, pranks on Slytherins and creative studying ideas (like plastering giant textbook pages on the ceiling of their dormitory, so they could learn as they slept). "I don't think that would work if you were actually sleeping," Ari had pointed out, and the boys had simply laughed.

Aria slid open the glass door and entered a compartment, where James and Sirius were sitting with two other young men. "Hello, there," Ari said grumpily, sliding onto the seat beside Sirius.

"This must be Aria," said a pale, brown-haired boy. Aria was intrigued by the long scar running across his face, twisted like a road map by his smile, which was at once kind and mischievous.

"You bet, ol' Moons," James replied excitedly. "This is Aria Alena Aeron; we call her Ari. Ari, this is Remus and Peter."

"How do you do," Remus, with the scar, said politely, as beside him Peter, a round blonde, gave her a friendly wave.

"Where did you get that scar?" Aria asked curiously.

Remus smiled calmly. "It's a long story; I'd be happy to tell it to you later, if you're still interested in hearing it."

Ari decided that Remus was strange. She gave him an odd look, and turned her attention to Peter. "You'd be Wormtail, then."

His eyes widened, and his hands shook nervously. "James, you told her?"

"Relax, Pete, she's just heard us using the names," James replied casually. He was sprawled across the bench like he might be sleeping, one arm slung over Sirius's shoulders.

"I warned him it might not be prudent," Sirius said with a smirk, "but you know our James, act first, think never."

"Hey, now, I'm not the one who dared Snivellus to crawl through the Whomping Willow last spring," James said angrily.

Remus paled even further, if it could be possible. "Let's not speak of that incident, if you don't mind."

James pouted. "I was only trying to -- " He broke off so suddenly that Aria startled, and turned to look at the compartment door, which was sliding open.

A young woman with long red hair and dazzling green eyes peered in curiously. Her casual glance turned quickly to a disappointed frown. "Nothing but prats in this one," she said, beginning to close the door.

James had recovered quickly. "Oi, Evans, care to join us?" He asked. Ari stared at him with her eyebrows raised. James was sitting up straight, speaking in a deep voice, and messing with his unruly black hair.

Evans looked as though James was something she'd stepped in. "Not on your life," she said crisply, and shut the door.

"What was that all about?" Aria asked, her annoyance running like fire through her veins. She wasn't entirely sure what about the pretty redhead made her so angry, but she didn't like it one bit.

Sirius was laughing. "That's Lily Evans. James fancies her."

"If by 'fancies' you mean lives and breathes for to the point of horror and disgust," Remus added with a soft grin.

"She'll see one day," James said, with the air of a dying man. "She'll have me, you'll see."

"I've told you a hundred times, mate, it's her or us," Sirius said. He patted James consolingly on the shoulder. "She'll never go out with you if you're hanging around us all the time hexing Snivellus."

"That's what I don't understand!" James cried, thumping his fist against the windowpane. "What does she care about ol' Snape? He's a greasy-haired Slytherin, and he'd kill us as soon as look at us!"

"I'm not entirely sure of that," Remus said quietly, fumbling with his prefect's badge.

"Here we go again," Sirius said darkly. "Moony the Prefect wants us to stop defending ourselves against the bloodthirsty fiend."

"All I'm saying," Remus said, "is that you ought not to judge people so harshly, Sirius."

"Do you forget what he did to me first year?" Sirius demanded loudly. "I could've been killed."

"As could he, many times," Remus said, and a heavy silence settled over the four.

"I have no idea what you people are talking about," Aria said, standing up. "I'm going to change into my robes, if you don't mind. Feel free to keep spinning mysteries while I'm gone." She huffed as she opened the glass door.

"Ari's right," she heard James say behind her. "We're supposed to be showing her the ropes this year."

"A female Marauder," Sirius said, and Ari shut the door angrily, not liking Black's tone. It wasn't her fault she got stuck in this place with no money and no friends. It was that stupid girl with the frizzy hair, tripping Aria's time-turner. But it didn't matter; she was here now, and she'd gotten along with James just fine over the summer. There was no reason she couldn't fit in with these boys.

Aria's first view of Hogwarts was obscured by a giant in a fur coat. "Firs' years this way!" He rumbled over the crowd. Aria cast a regretting glance toward the boys, who were laughing as they piled into a horseless carriage. Then she swept off towards the giant, enjoying the feel of her new robes.

She found herself in a canoe with a nervous young girl. "You can't be more than eight years old," Ari said critically, looking the girl over.

"I'm eleven, of course, and who are you?" Despite seeming so worried, the girl had a harsh voice.

"My name is Aria Alena Aeron, and I'm just starting Hogwarts this year, due to coming from America," Ari said proudly.

"I've heard that Americans are pretty stupid," the young girl said with a grin, her nerves seeming to melt away. "I suppose it's no wonder you have to start with the first years at your age."

Aria glared at her. "You're awfully rude for a child."

"You started it," the girl replied. "My name is Morgan Rookhouse, I'm a pureblood witch, and I'm going to be in Slytherin."

"I'll bet," Aria replied; she knew all about slimy Slytherins from James.

"I suppose you're shooting for Gryffindor, then?" Morgan asked, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'd like to be with my friends, yeah," Aria replied, drawing herself up tall. "And I am pretty brave."

"Stupid Americans always want to be in Gryffindor," Morgan said derisively, shaking her head.

"Oh, have you had other American students?" Aria asked curiously.

"No, of course not," Morgan rolled her eyes again. "But my older sister said they had a group of visiting American wizards a few years ago, and most of them liked the Gryffindors. My sister's in her sixth year now; she's a Slytherin."

"Good for her," Aria said dryly. She couldn't wait to get off of this boat and get away from this annoying little girl.

Finally, the boat docked and everyone tumbled out, heading up a large staircase and into the giant castle. There were candles lit everywhere, and the floors were covered in beautiful carpets. Aria followed the jostling group to a set of large oak doors. A woman in a green robe stepped in front of them. "Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall; I teach transfiguration here. In a moment, you will enter the Great Hall and be sorted. There are four houses here, and each of them has produced great mages. You should be proud of whichever house you are given, for it will be your home for the next seven years. The sorting hat is never wrong, and the house it proclaims you to live in is the house which best suits you. Now, please enter in an orderly fashion." She spoke sternly, yet had a smile upon her face as she opened the doors.

Aria looked around at the many seated students, grinning as James, Remus, and Peter waved excitedly at her. Sirius gave her a smile but did not move, and this annoyed her as she walked slowly past. When everyone was standing at the front of the large room, an old man with a long beard stood up from his place at the head table.

"Welcome," he spoke kindly. "I am Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school." Aria could have sworn he winked at her before sitting back down.

"When your name is called, please be seated," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing to a small stool before them.

"Aria Alena Aeron." All over the room, people stood to see better as Aria walked up to the stool. People's curious looks flittered over her in all directions, probably because she did not look like a first year at all.

"Aria comes to us from America," Dumbledore said loudly. "I trust you will welcome her, as she is now one of our own."

Aria smirked as McGonagall placed a tattered old hat upon her raven locks. "Why, hello, there," a creepy voice whispered in her ear. Aria twitched with surprise, and heard the laughter of others as though from far away. "Ah, an American determined to make something magical of herself," the hat said. Its whispers were creeping Ari out.

"Well, you'll do very well in --"

"No, wait," Aria thought desperately. "Don't say Slytherin."

"No?" The voice asked curiously. "But you're perfect; so cunning, so ambitious, you're the image of Salazar himself."

"But…but…."

"Ah," said the voice, and she could hear the laughter in his words. "You'll want to be with your friends, will you? Well, I suppose friends are important. And you've made your choice. GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall pulled the hat from Aria's head, and she scampered off to the table of the lions. Squeezing in between James and Sirius, Aria put an arm around the both of them. "Thank goodness," she said happily. "It's going to be a great year."

And she didn't miss her family at all.