Hermione and Ron didn't come back before the train had almost stopped. They hurried to change into their school robes before the five of them left the compartment and walked through the crowds of people over to the carriages. Hotaru hesitated. She was not sure if the winged black horses were completely harmless. She watched Ginny, Ron and Hermione enter without even looking at them. Harry had a close look at them before entering but he didn't seem to be afraid. She still focused on the one closest to her and it stared back. It was a ridiculous idea but she somehow compared them with death.
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. "They can't see them. If you don't do them any harm the Thestrals won't hurt you." A cold voice whispered into Hotaru's ear and she quickly turned around. She saw the blonde boy from earlier but he'd already passed by. She gathered her brave and entered the carriage.
"What were you waiting for?" Ginny asked giving her a strange look.
"Nothing really." Hotaru answered immediately and sat down next to her red haired friend. "Just having a look at the castle." She lied.
"Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?" Ron asked turning from the window to face her.
"Yes, it is." Hotaru replied hastily feeling a little bit ashamed to lie to her new friends. "Very nice." In fact she'd been too busy staring at the "Thestrals" or whatever they were called to have a closer look at Hogwarts. Hotaru wondered if she should ask Ginny or one of the others what they were and what the Malfoy guy meant as he said that they weren't able to see them but she somehow felt that she'd better ask Ginny in privacy. The black haired girl leaned back in her seat as the carriages started to roll up the pass. As the street made a bend she saw the long caravan of black carriages behind them and the station becoming smaller. There were still students left.
"The first years," Ginny explained. "Hagrid, the gamekeeper, is going to take them over the lake in little boats. That's what everyone does in his or her first year."
"I see," Hotaru replied not really listening to what Ginny had said. Now the giant gate to the grounds of Hogwarts had caught her attention. The black metal bars looked very solid and she wondered what was out there that they needed such strong bars to keep it out. Or maybe what they needed to keep inside.
She was interrupted in her thoughts as the carriages slowly came to a stop. Harry pushed the door open and was the first one to leave the black vehicle. Hotaru gasped as she saw the high castle rise into the sky in front of her. "It's kinda impressing, right?" Ginny asked her friend who nodded.
"Yes, it is. Infinity is a very nice school but it is very different from Hogwarts. It's more… modern." Hotaru was not making any attempt to move so Ginny took her hand and pulled her through the crowds of students heading for the entrance hall. As the two girls entered followed by their friends a stern looking woman with glasses and black hair in red and black robes called out for them above the heads of the other pupils. "Ms. Weasley," she walked up a few of the steps of the broad marble stairs so Ginny would notice her. "Ms. Weasley over here please." The red haired girl waved to her brother to go ahead.
"I guess Professor McGonnagall wants to talk to you." She continued turning to Hotaru. Ginny dragged Hotaru over to the head teacher of Gryffindor.
As they reached the stern looking woman Ginny spoke first. She nearly had to shout over the noise in the hall. "Good evening, professor." She said loudly and Hotaru bowed slightly.
"Good evening, Miss Weasley. Good evening, Miss Tomoe. If you would be so kind and follow me to my office. We need to talk about few things." She commanded. The two girls walked up the stairs behind McGonnagall and Hotaru wondered how the students were able to find the right way to their classes without getting lost a thousand times. They walked through many corridors and up and down some stairs without speaking a word until the transfiguration teacher stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. Professor McGonnagall was written on the door in small golden letters. She opened the door and let them enter. Then she entered herself and closed the door behind them.
"Miss Tomoe," she started. "We're pleased, and I have to say even proud, that you're visiting our school for at least this school year. Infinity School is a very famous school, maybe in Asian even more famous than Beauxbatons or Hogwarts on Europe. However, these borders do not matter in the wizarding world." The professor paused for a moment. "As Miss Weasley probably already told you the first years are sorted into four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." She waited again and Hotaru nodded slowly.
"Yes, Ginny already told me some things about the differences."
"Fine, then I will just skip the explanation and tell you what is important: You are not going to be sorted together with them. Tonight after the feast you'll have to come to the headmasters office. For some reason he doesn't want you to be sorted in front of everyone. As far as you wish you may stay with Miss Weasley at the Gryffindor table during the feast." Ginny gave Hotaru a short smile. "You're dismissed then, have fun at the feast and I wish you a good night."
"Thank you professor," Hotaru said and bowed politely. Then she and Virginia left the office in hurry. Ginny lead her down back to the Great Hall. As they arrived in front of the double door gate it was already closed. Ginny touched it with her right hand and it opened a few inches to let the two girls enter. They hurried over to the Gryffindor table as fast as they could because the sorting was still going on.
Hotaru watched the ceremony interestedly while Ginny explained to Ron what McGonnagall had wanted. Hotaru hoped that the hat would sent her to Gryffindor so she could stay with Ginny and clapped whenever someone was sorted into Gryffindor. After "Yankins, Michelle" had been sent to Ravenclaw the headmaster stood up and the whole hall fell silent.
"Very well then…" professor Dumbledore started. "First I want to wish all our new students a joy-full and interesting time at Hogwarts. With new students I mean our first years as well as our Japanese guest." His eyes flickered over to the Gryffindor table and many of the other pupils' in the hall did the same. "As the sorting hat already told you in its new, really amusing song in such times there shouldn't be any rivalry between the houses of one and the same school. Even so the hat once again made me smile, too, there's also an important message in his words you should all think about." The headmaster looked at all of them sternly before he sighed. "But enough of this unhappy words now. Tonight you may all enjoy the meal." With that he sat back down and the plates on the tables started to fill with so many different things Hotaru didn't know where to look first. She had no idea what the different stuff was but as she saw some noodles she smiled and hoped that they were almost the same as they were in Japan.
"Hotaru, that's your name isn't it?" A boy with dark blonde hair asked and she nodded. As she turned to face him she was blinded by the flash of a camera. "I am Colin Creevey. Nice to meet you." The boy introduced himself.
"Yes, nice to meet you, too. But it would be very nice if you could warn me next time." She replied calmly.
"Creevey, hey Creevey!" It was a boy with dark brown hair who called from the Slytherin table. As Colin turned around he continued. "Can I have a print of it! It's the first interesting thing you ever took a photo of! Compared to Potter…" Hotaru turned to Ginny who sighed.
"Theodore Nott! Nobody you have to know." As Hotaru turned back to the Slytherins she saw Malfoy lean over Zabini to Nott and say something. Theodore then turned his attention back to the plate in front of him.
A/N: Okay, hello again. I hope you had fun reading the newest chapter and I thank everyone who read my story (especially to the ones who reviewed).
Thank you Bella, you know from the e-mail I sent you what I think about Ginny goes… somewhere-Stories and I hope it won't get boring. Thank you very much!
Thanks to Anime4u2, too. I first thought what the romour is woult be obvious but I'll explain it in a later Chappie. Please continue reviewing.
Last but not least: Thank you very much whimsy007. As I already told you the past of Hotaru doesn't really matter in this fic. And as you'll find out soon, her powers are very different now.
Well, what I really wanted to say is thank you. And as you're already reading, maybe you can vote for the pairings in this story now. Feel free to... (I forgot the word) doesn't really matter. Just tell your ideas. I already have some ideas but I'd like to now what you think.
I'll try to update soon.
Mirai