A.N. Hi, everybody. I'm back!

Gaara: Finally.

Itachi: What took you so long? Did you get lost?

Aniset: NO!...Maybe…possibly…yes…

Itachi: Knew it.

Gaara: As 'fun' as this is, can we get on with it.

Aniset: Okay, who wants to do the disclaimer?

Gaara and Itachi: glare

Aniset: sigh I don't own anyone but Annette. My sister Kat1132 owns Nyoko. How do I get suckered into doing these things?

Annette: You do it to yourself.

Aniset: glare MEANY!!!

Okay, so really what took me so long was that I was grounded from all electronics for three months. I honestly expected to get it up months ago, but my mom had other plans. I apologize severely.

With that he left. Gaara pushed off the wall and followed him out, Nyoko right behind him. Annette smiled and walked out the door.

Before leaving completely, she turned to face McGonagall and gave her a little flutter wave, and closed the door behind her.

A few short moments later McGonagall emerged from the room, her composure obviously regained. She walked to the front of the group and announced that it would be a short moment before they were allowed in the great hall. After sending Itachi a hard glare, she turned and left through the giant doors in front of the group.

"So much for lying low," Annette murmured pouting, "and after all that work on my hair too."

"I don't think she likes you very much, Itachi." Nyoko brought up, smiling at a staring first years, obviously scared of them. She waved gently, and he returned it, and then whispered excitedly, pointing to Nyoko. She laughed lightly at the small boys antics. They were humorous to her, especially since she remembered her time at school with the Rekai Tentai, which was sadly a more refined culture, for even though they were adolescents, they were still Japanese, and had far more manners and respect than English children.

"We are not here to make friends" Itachi pointed out, observing Nyoko closely.

"No, but it would defiantly help." Nyoko said.

Gaara sighed heavily at the thought. Annette glared pointedly at him. He raised his hand in defeat, knowing she was right.

McGonagall returned from the Hall, squared her shoulders and walked over to them. Annette hid a smile in a cough.

"You will wait at the back of the Hall until called." She said while glaring at Itachi who was smirking in a challenging manner. He opened his mouth to say something, but Nyoko elbowed him in the side and bowed respectfully to McGonagall.

"Thank you, Miss, but I believe it may be better if we stake out the corners to have a full view of the Hall, if that is acceptable." Nyoko asked.

McGonagall was thunderstruck. Her mouth was hanging open like a fish and Nyoko was starring at her expectantly. McGonagall couldn't figure these kids out. One was arrogant, another respectful, another unnaturally quiet, and the last, playful. And yet, they all got a long. It was all she could do to nod her head. Snapping back to reality, she led the first years into the hall. As she glanced back to the four teens, she realized that they had vanished. She blinked, and looked around. Low and behold, there was one in each corner. 'There is more to these people than meets the eyes.' She thought.

She led the first years to the front and began the sorting.

When the sorting of the first years ended with a 'Sarina, Zaxolboth', whom was sorted into Hufflepuff. Dumbledore stood at the head table after tapping his glass with his spoon. Silence prevailed over the hall. He cleared his throat.

"First off, to the new students, welcome. To the old, welcome back. I would like to remind you that the Dark Forest is still strictly forbidden. There are a numb-" Dumbledore was cut off by a bolt of lightning crashed into the hall. Another followed it and headed directly into a corner, but instead of disappearing, it remained, writhing as a snake does when caught by its tail. The hall stared in awe as the bolt stayed within Nyoko's grip; not in the least trying to escape, but wrapping around Nyoko's fingers like an excited kitten getting attention.

Nyoko leaned down to the bolt and whispered something to it. It immediately shot back up to the ceiling and disappeared.

Nyoko scowled as she heard Annette snickering at her. Nyoko glared when the snickering turned to outright laughter. She hissed something in Japanese, and Annette immediately quieted.

"You're mean. That's completely different." Annette retorted.

Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand next to Nyoko, who was now heading around tables towards the center of the hall. "No it's not, and you know it." said Gaara.

"What's not what?" Itachi asked, dropping from a rafter.

"How did you… never mind. Hey, Itachi, isn't my talking to my bats different from Nyoko talking to lightning?" Annette asked.

"Of course it isn't." He answered.

"But they're bats, and alive. Lightning isn't alive." Annette stated.

"Have you ever asked it, because if you had, it would eminently disagree with you?" Nyoko said with her know-it-all voice.

"We're being stared at." Gaara mumbled.

Annette, Nyoko, and Itachi glanced around the Hall, only to find that he was right. Annette laughed nervously and turned towards the head table. The teachers were just as surprised as the students by the sudden appearance of the teens. Well, everyone accept Dumbledore whose eyes were twinkling like little stars.

"Sorry, were you saying something?" Annette asked.

"It's quite alright. As I was saying, a number of people have been hired by me to protect the school. They will be sorted into houses and will have there own rooms off the common rooms, so feel free to address them with any questions, but be warned, they are not students, so please treat them as you would a teacher." Dumbledore said, still twinkling.

Whispers broke out throughout the hall. Doubt was evident. Things such as 'they're our age,' and 'they look like normal muggles to me,' were heard by the four teens standing under the scrutinizing stares of the Hogwarts population. They didn't even blink.

"So who goes first?" Annette asked, looking directly at McGonagall.

"Uh, right, alphabetical by last name please." She answered.

Nyoko stepped forward. "Hikari, Nyoko" She announced with a bow. She didn't think that McGonagall would be able to pronounce her name anyway. She sat on the stool. The hat on her head nearly purred as it settled over her hair. My, my, I've never felt such a thing in all my years. What are you child? Ah I've never had the pleasure of sorting a goddess. Please would you lower your shields? My god. You have been around as long as I have. My sympathies.

Where to put you? Your mission is to watch Harry Potter, and while you would fit in Gryffindor, it is not the best place for you. Ravenclaw would be a good choice, you have plenty of knowledge, yet you have little left to learn. Hufflepuff would suit you because of the loyalty you hold towards your friends and yet you don't trust easily. Slytherin would seem to be the best choice. You were very manipulative to get through life as you have. And you appear to have a friend there. Nyoko acknowledged this silently. Do you have a preference?

Nyoko wished she could be close to Harry, yet realized the impracticality. Even if she was sorted into the Lion house they wouldn't trust her or they wouldn't respect her. And Harry wouldn't need her help immediately; he was surrounded by friends willing to help him. Draco on the other hand couldn't trust anyone in his house. Slytherin seemed like the best option.

Slytherin it is then. I wish you luck. "SLYTHERIN!" The hat lifted itself off of Nyoko's head as she gracefully got up and proceeded back down the stairs to stand with her friends. She turned and bowed to the hat still in the air. The hat shocked the hall by bowing in turn.

Nyoko stood next to Annette she crossed her arms. "What took so bloody long?" Annette hissed.

"It decided it needed to reiterate my life story." Annette winced; that was a lot of memories, few of which were pleasant.

"Ga-doo-co—"

"Jadokoyasha." Annette cut in. "Don't even try." She stomped up and plopped down on the stool with out any pretense to grace. She looked up at the hat still floating above her head. She looked at Nyoko.

"It's not going to eat me is it?" Nyoko laughed as McGonagall lowered the hat onto Annette's head. Many of the males in the student body sighed. Gaara and Itachi both rolled their eyes. No matter where Nyoko went, she ended up breaking the hearts of hundreds of young men. Not intentionally, in fact, Nyoko was oblivious to the attention the boys gave her.

Even from under the rim of the hat, you could see Annette's scowl. The conversation she and the hat were having went something like this:

A demoness, I haven't seen one of those in years either. However, you're not nearly as malicious as they come.

'Hey!'

It appears you were once human.

'Yes, pity isn't it?'

Where to put you. Ravenclaw seems best. Yes that will do. "RAVENCLAW!"

"Woopee." Annette was obviously being sarcastic. As the hat was raised by McGonagall, she was scowling. She had hoped she would be in the same house as Nyoko. Oh well.

She hopped off the stool and in the same leap landed next to Nyoko. She stuffed her hands into her coat pockets and hunched over, sulking. She ignored the surprised gasps from the student body at her amazing leap.

"Soo-bA-"

"Subaku, Gaara." McGonagall was again cut off by Annette. She leveled a glare at the girl who pointed towards the redheaded youth. He was giving her one of the most fearsome glares she had ever seen in her life.

Annette gave the old woman a soft wave with a smug smile. Nyoko quickly created a mental link with the sandnin. Don't kill her.

Trust me. I've got better plans for her.

Shut up Shakkaku. I was speaking to Gaara.

I actually was thinking the same, she's not worth the effort of drawing the sand. With that he closed the mindlink and began walking up the steps towards the woman who had flirted with death.

Nyoko had a dumbstruck look on her face. Annette seeing this smiled. "Agreeing?"

Nyoko nodded. "That's never happened before."

"Sure it has. You just missed out. He doesn't look very good with a hat," Annette stated and promptly received a face full of sand. Spitting she shouted, "It's true! It clashed horribly with your hair!"

Gaara sighed from his seat. 'Doesn't everything?'

The entire hall was bewitched by this strange conversation. Apparently they had missed something important.

The hat sat on top of Gaara's head for a moment before shouting "SLYTHERIN!!" for the hall to hear. Gaara jumped down and walked towards his companions, he crossed his arms and closed his mint green eyes.

"Don't even think about it lady!" Annette shouted as McGonagall opened her mouth to attempt to mispronounce Itachi's name.

"Yes, he will kill you." Nyoko stated in a kind, caring, sickly sweet tone.

"He's not as nice as us, minus Gaara of course," Annette said, ducking another ball of sand aimed at her head. It stopped before it hit Nyoko and fell to the ground.

The student body was again stunned to silence as Gaara said, "Drat, I missed. Gomen-nasi Nyoko."

Meanwhile Itachi, who had walked up with out being announced at all, was also having a strange conversation with the sack of rags called a hat.

No, Slytherin is definitely not the place for you, even if you did kill off your whole family.

Thanks ever so much. So where, by chance, are you putting me then?

Well seeing as you're a prodigy—

Ex-prodigy, Itachi corrected brusquely.

Very well, if you insist on nitpicking so, ex-prodigy. You will do very well in Ravenclaw.

You're sticking me with her?

Well she can't very well be alone.

Why not?

I happen to like the Ravenclaws, thank you. I would hate to try and force them into a dreadful school year, and besides Nyoko wouldn't like it.

True. If I must.

You must. Jolly good! "RAVENCLAW!"

"What!" Annette screamed. There was no way she could spend an entire year with him.

"Well there's a shocker. I thought for sure he'd be with us." Nyoko spoke to Gaara, who nodded.

"Tes, but would you rather her be alone?"

Nyoko paused envisioning this horror, a wicked smirk plastering her face for an instant before melting back into a serene smile. "Yes, the poor students. Imagine them together." Gaara shuddered. The Ravenclaws all gulped.

"There is no way I'm staying with that thing!"

"If anyone is a thing, it would be you. At least I'm fully human."

"Children, none of that." Nyoko said, more like a mother than either wished her to sound.

McGonagall finally decided it was time to interrupt this conversation before it went any farther. "You may all go sit down at your house tables."

"Do we have to?" Annette and Itachi both said at the same time. They looked at each other, shuddered and then looked away before doing what they were told.

Finally the applause that should have come when their houses were announced, erupted. The student's were blissfully unaware of just how much fun these four planned to have.

Nyoko and Gaara looked at the Slytherin table. Seeing no one willing to move and give them room, they proceeded to the very end of the table, at back of the hall. Nyoko sat as a buffer between Gaara and the rest of the students, allowing the sandnin to eat in relative peace. It was difficult with all the students staring at them. Then again, they had gotten used to it.

Nyoko looked up as a shadow fell across her plate. All the chattering that had been going on at an enormous level since their seating, quieted until there was not a sound to be heard.

Draco Malfoy stood in front of her. He didn't say anything as he sat down and began filling his plate. Nyoko smiled at this open acceptance. He was the undisputed leader of Slytherin house and his approval would make their time in the snake den much easier.

Meanwhile, Itachi and Annette were madly dodging questions that were being launched at them by Cho Chang and her posse. Finally with a red glare from Itachi and a growl accompanied by an equally powerful glare from Annette the girls seemed to realize their questions were unappreciated and shut their mouths quickly.

Terry Boot, who was sitting on Annette's left also glared at the girls. He too was rather curious, but he would rather eat now, and ask questions later. However he felt he was obligated to ask the girl a simple question.

"Are you two related?"

Itachi and Annette looked at each other in horror. It was some moment's before Annette could answer. "What, on God's given earth, gave you that idea?"

"You both have dark hair and red eyes. And you don't seem to get along at all, much like siblings would." Cho and her friends all nodded at Terry's statements.

"We have to fix this, now." Annette said, still horrified at the fact that her chosen form was unconsciously so much like his normal one. Gods she hated this.

"My brother would be appalled."

"I don't see why, he hates you almost as much as I do."

"No, I think it's more."

"There's no such thing."

"All votes you change back to normal before any of the other children draw the conclusion that we're related." From across the hall both Nyoko and Gaara raised their hands.

"Unanimous."

"don't I get a say in this?"

"No."

"It's my body."

"So?"

"Figures." Annette finally changed back into her natural form. Her hair straightened and turned white. Her eyes darkened into an amethyst color and two sharp fangs pointed out of her lips.

"Oh my God, are you a vampire?" a random child said.

"Don't you dare insult me by claiming I am one of those weak creatures," Annett growled, the girl leaned back and quickly resumed eating.

"Sigh, welcome to Hogwarts indeed."

"Hey, Hermione?" Harry Potter, seated at the Gryffindor table whispered to his long time friend. He was staring at Nyoko who was conversing with Malfoy animatedly. "The girl with the black hair, does she look familiar to you?"

Hermione looked across the Ravenclaw table to take a closer look at the girl. "No, why?"

"I don't know. I think I know her."

Ron listening in on the conversation said, "You don't think she's a death eater do you?"

"Why would Dumbledore hire a Death Eater to protect us?"

"Maybe he hired her so he could keep an eye on her?"

"I doubt it. Dumbledore wouldn't endanger the other students?" Hermione pointed out to her stubborn friend.

"But she's in Slytherin and a friend of Malfoy's," said Ron. "That must count for something. Look, all I'm saying is that we keep an eye on her and the other foreigners."

Harry turned his attention away from his bickering friends. He didn't think she was a death eater, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on her. Harry just couldn't shake off the feeling that he knew Nyoko Hikari.

So much for that nice, quiet year he was hoping for.

A/N: Kat1132 wrote most of this, well typed while I dictated. She is now officially my beta like thing. I would once again love to apologize for the long delay. I am really sorry. But look, it's long!!

Itachi: No you're not. Don't lie to them.

Aniset: Bops him. R and R!