Hello dear readers,

Welcome back (or simply welcome for those who didn't read my first story) to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Akira Chitsute - our medical ninja from Konoha - will begin her second year in that school in an attempt to follow lessons and learn more about the magical world which she knew the existance only since last year. How much she was wrong. A year at Hogwarts is always more eventful than that, especially when four first year students - better known as the Marauders in the future - just arrived.

I don't own Naruto or Harry Potter.

Chapter 1 : Back to Hogwarts

Back to school was stressful for Akira after spending a week in the hospital after being badly injured at her Chunin exam. There was not much time left - eight days to be exact, one of which was already half finished - to reach London and buy her school supplies. So it was without wasting any second that she left for England, taking all her school supplies from last year with her in her suitcase. The trip took her a lot of time and she arrived only on Sunday while the new school year was planned on Wednesday but she calmed down when she realised that she had one day more than last year to buy what she needed on Diagon Alley.

She found the Leaky Cauldron easily this time and without the aid of her London map which she had slipped into her suitcase just in case. As she walked through the door of the pub, she expected to see Arcturus again, who had missed her during those two months of summer holidays even though she refused to admit it to herself. He was the only loyal friend she had made in the wizarding world and he helped her to get through her first year when everything was completely new to her. She was disappointed to find out that he wasn't working in the Leaky Cauldron anymore but she knew where to find him by asking the bartender. Apparently, he had found a summer job at the Apothecary - he must have been thrilled because he had confessed to Akira that he would love to work there - and also a night job at the Quality Quidditch Supplies. Akira was surprised to learn that he needed to work in two places - and especially during the night when he was a real heavy sleeper - to pay for his school supplies.

The sun was already starting to set but Akira still decided to pay a little visit to Arcturus after putting her suitcase in her room at the Leaky Cauldron. Since it was late afternoon and early night, Akira wondered in which store she could find him but she didn't have to look very long because she saw him walking up Diagon Alley in her direction.

Arcturus looked completely exhausted but that didn't prevent him from displaying a gigantic smile when he saw Akira before starting to run at full speed to meet her. However, he slipped down the soggy cobblestone street as he got to her level and Akira barely held him back as he was about to crash to the ground.

"Thank you." He said, straightening up. "It's great that you've finally arrived. I had sent you plenty letters asking you when you would come on Diagon Alley but you never answered me. I was afraid something had happened to you."

Akira then remembered the numerous letters that had piled up in front of her house door while she was healing in the hospital at the end of her Chunin exam. She had left Konoha so quickly for London that she hadn't had time to read them and it hadn't occurred to her to take them with her. She only took her Hogwarts letter to get her list of school supplies for her second year but that was it.

"It's just that I've been so busy the last few days." She told him, without mentioning that she had taken a rather dangerous exam that left her badly injured.

But this last point didn't go unnoticed by Arcturus who stared insistently at the bandages covering her arms and hands.

"What happened to you during your summer holidays to be hurt like this ?" He ended up asking her while displaying a worried look.

"It's nothing." She answered, trying to reassure him. "These are superficial wounds that will disappear in a few days."

She had deliberately not answered his question to not reveal anything to him and Arcturus seemed only half satisfied with her answer but he didn't insist.

"You look like you've had a busy summer much like mine." He told her as they headed for the Leaky Cauldron. "It wasn't easy to find a job but I finally did and in the store of my dreams. And also incidentally to the Quality Quidditch Supplies which isn't really my passion but considering the pay, I have nothing to complain about."

"Why did you take two jobs anyway ? You did very well last year with just your job as a waiter at the Leaky Cauldron."

"This year is special because my little brother is going to start his first year at Hogwarts." Arcturus revealed to her, having trouble hiding his pride. "I'll help him buy his school supplies and there are a lot of things when you start your first year which is relatively expensive."

"And he doesn't work to pay for his own supplies ?"

"I'm his big brother so it's up to me to take on that role." Arcturus replied instantly. "I refuse to force him to work like a madman to pay for anything."

"That's nice of you." Akira told him, being not sure that she would do the same if she had had a younger brother or sister since it wasn't really fair.

"It's normal for me." Arcturus added, shrugging his shoulders.

"And you're holding up despite the fact that you work day and night ?" Akira asked him since she also experienced that during her summer and she found it absolutely awful.

"Actually, I have a secret to not be so exhausted." Arcturus whispered in her ear so that nobody could hear him. "They hired me at the Quality Quidditch Supplies as a night watchman to prevent burglars from stealing the brand new brooms they received lately but since nothing ever happens I take advantage of sleeping a little during my working hours."

"It's not forbidden to do that ?" Akira asked him, frowning.

"Of course it is but I have a plan to do my job anyway. I tie all the brooms together with nylon thread which I then tie to my wrist. If anybody takes one or even all the stock of new brooms, they'll pull the string that will pull me in turn and wakes me up."

"What if they find out about your plan and cut the string ? They'll be able to leave the store with all the brooms without you noticing it."

"I hadn't thought about that." Arcturus replied, turning white as a sheet of paper. "I absolutely must stop sleeping at work."

"Don't worry too much about that. If the storekeeper hired a twelve-year-old wizard's apprentice to protect expensive brooms from burglars who must be experienced wizards, I think there is no great risk that anyone could walk into this store in the middle of the night. The storekeeper must have prevented it one way or another."

"You think so ? Does that mean they just hired me because I pity them and I'm of no use to them ? Phew, I'm relieved. I've always been afraid of a surly thief going after me but after all, I wasn't risking anything. I can sleep soundly during my watch tonight." He announced with a smile as Akira rolled her eyes in despair.

Speaking of his night watch, Arcturus only took five minutes to eat something at the Leaky Cauldron before putting on his uniform to join his post. Akira therefore found herself alone at a table slightly away from the others and from which she could see all the customers while she remained in the shadows. Having nothing better to do, she spent her evening watching all kind of wizards go by until a family sat down at the table right next to her, which was also apart from the others. What struck her was the miserable and tired appearance of the parents while their young boy was quite the opposite. He was full of life and couldn't help but smile broadly as he looked around in wonder. This boy had short brown hair and bright green eyes that contrasted with his pale complexion that made him look sick.

"Calm down Remus or you'll fall down of your chair." His mother advised him in a soft voice as the boy calmed down a bit.

"When will we go buy my wand ?" The so-called Remus asked with an impatience that amused his parents.

"Tomorrow my boy." His father told him while ruffling his hair. "Do you have your list of school supplies with you ?"

"Of course." Remus replied, pulling out a folded piece of paper that never seemed to leave his pocket considering its wear.

His father took it to analyse it in detail while his mother leaned over to consult it as well.

"You already have a cauldron - it's a little rusty but I hope it will be okay anyway - and a telescope. Fortunately, you don't need a flying broom for this year and we'll see for an animal later if you really need one for your second year. On the other hand, I'm afraid money will be tight for all the books and clothes you need." His father commented, quickly flipping through the list while thinking of a solution.

"By taking them second-hand, it shouldn't cost too much." His mother immediately intervened to reassure her son who had lost some of his contagious good mood at the announcement of all the expenses his parents were going to have to do for him.

Akira had never been a very empathetic person but her heart sank when she saw the disappointed look on the boy's face and then the smile he tried to put on to not make his parents feel guilty for not being able to buy his school supplies. Akira then remembered her first year books littering her suitcase. She could give these old books to that kid hoping she didn't have to use them again during her second year but given the long list of new books she had to buy, that didn't seem to be the case.

She discreetly left her table and went to get her books in her room before returning to the ground floor where the family was still seated. She wasn't sure how to give them these books without embarrassing them and an idea occurred to her.

"Excuse me." She told them after approaching their table. "I heard you are looking for first year books and I happen to want to get rid of mine. They burden me and I won't use them during my second year so it would be great if you took them."

"Sorry but we aren't interested. We'll manage." The father replied sharply and almost angrily to her. "Let's go. It was a bad idea to come and chat in this pub." He then told his wife and son.

His behaviour intrigued Akira. Okay, she had overheard their private conversation but she only wanted to help them with a good intention, it wasn't a reason to be so aggressive and want to leave the Leaky Cauldron immediately. It was like he was afraid of something.

"But honey, Remus was so happy to hang out with other students like him before school started." The mother told her husband who had already risen. "We can't leave already."

Her husband didn't answer but he sat down when he saw his son's saddened expression.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you. I think I'd better go now." Akira said awkwardly. "I'm just going to leave my books here and you can take them or not but I warn you that if you don't they will end up in the trash because I can't fit them and my new school supplies in my suitcase."

She then put the books on the family table before going up to her room. Since it was quite late she went directly to bed but she couldn't sleep immediately. Her mind was focusing on the strange family she had met. They seemed charming but rather elusive when you looked too closely at them. It was a shame for the son who was adorable and apparently just wanted to fit in.

Akira eventually fell asleep and she didn't wake up until mid-morning. She went downstairs for a quick breakfast before heading to Diagon Alley while scanning her list of school supplies. There was lot less to buy than last year because she could reuse everything besides books. She first went to Gringotts to change the ryos she had saved over the summer for Galleons, Sickles and Knuts before heading to Flourish and Blotts to get all she needed. Once she got all her new books, she got back to the Leaky Cauldron to put them in her suitcase before allowing herself to wander on both the muggle and magical side of the Leaky Cauldron. She bought a Christmas present that was going to please Arcturus on the first side and she was looking at all the store windows on the second side.

All the magical items on display fascinated her and she spent long minutes contemplating them but the store that appealed to her the most was the Quality Quidditch Supplies. She was burning with impatience to go observe the new brooms that Arcturus had told her about especially since this year, she was allowed to take one with her to Hogwarts which was good news because the school brooms weren't that great. But being a rather thrifty girl who also didn't show off, she would buy one within her budget, meaning no new models which had to be overpriced.

Akira was hardly surprised to see so many people crowded in front of the window of the Quality Quidditch Supplies and she had to jostle to reach the shop window. Her eyes immediately sparkled as she gazed at the broom that was exposed in it. It was streamlined with no twigs or splinters sticking out which was a luxury compared to the Hogwarts broomsticks that had been roughed up for years by careless students.

"This isn't a beginner's broom. It's made for seasoned Quidditch players." A boy with untidy black hair and hazel eyes hidden behind round glasses announced to her with sarcasm.

"Then it will suit me since I've been playing Quidditch for a year now." Akira replied to him, not liking the smug look on the boy's face.

"Simply playing isn't enough to be an accomplished player. You have to be ready to do anything for Quidditch and that's why I'm going to buy myself a broom even though the school rules don't allow me to possess one."

"You're going to be in big trouble if you get caught." Akira advised him.

"Who you think am I ? I'll never get caught. Sneaking a broom into school is no problem for me unless you denounce me since I've just explained my plan to you." He added with a faint smile that indicated he was making fun of her.

"I would leave it to others to notice that a first year is flying on a brand new broom that definitely doesn't belong to the school. But before that happens, you'll have to pay for one and there aren't cheap."

"Money isn't a problem. My parents have never deprived me of anything and they will only have to deduct this money from what they give me on my birthday."

"Where are your parents right now ?"

"I left them to come and see this store. They don't like Quidditch that much because it's a dangerous sport and they don't want anything to happen to me since I'm their cherished only child."

"They seem to care about you and you dare plan to buy a flying broomstick behind their backs ?"

"I don't find life very interesting if you don't take risks." The boy replied. "You have to be brave and go for it no matter what others say."

"Even if they do this to protect you ?"

"But I'm completely capable of protecting myself, I don't need anybody else to do it for me. I'm not afraid of anything because I'm a true Gryffindor at heart !"

"James ? Where are you ? I have an ice cream for you and it will melt if you don't come." A lady announced right behind them.

"Oops, I have to go." The boy told Akira before disappearing into the crowd gathered in front of the window.

"There is a big difference between being brave and taking reckless or even stupid risks like bringing an illegal broom at school." Akira thought bitterly, being well placed to know what she was talking about with her ninja status.

She eventually walked into the store but came out without the broom of her dreams since they were a bit expensive and she didn't want to buy a cheap model that was even worse than the ones in school.

Akira spent her last days of vacation rushing through her holidays homework for Hogwarts. She had completely forgotten about them and she wished that she hadn't given up her first year books so quickly as she needed them to complete her homework. But as she walked back down to the ground floor of the Leaky Cauldron, she found that her books were no longer on the table, which seemed to indicate that the family she had given them to had finally decided to take them after all. It was annoying for Akira who couldn't finish her homework but she was happy to have helped the young boy nonetheless. She found a solution to be able to finish her homework anyway, she borrowed the books from Arcturus before he himself gave them to his little brother.

September 1 finally arrived and Akira hurried to stuff all of her things scattered in her room into her suitcase before heading to King's Cross Station. She reached the station early but didn't need Arcturus help this time to find platform 9 3/4. She passed the barrier with ease but instead of boarding the Hogwarts Express directly, she sat on a bench to wait for Arcturus or else she was sure they wouldn't found each other on the train. Taking advantage of being on the magical side of the barrier, she pulled out her Transfiguration book and began to read it to pass time.

Akira waited until five to eleven before deciding to get on the train. She only found a completely empty compartment in the last car of the train and after hoisting her heavy suitcase in the luggage net above her head, she opened the window. She leaned out and scanned the platform for Arcturus but apart from student families waving to them, there was no sign of him.

Akira started to worry about him as the train slowly started to move and she didn't sit down in her seat until the convoy left King's Cross Station. She was wondering what Hogwarts do with a student who missed his train when the door of her compartment swung open, letting in a completely out of breath Arcturus followed by a young boy who must have been his brother. He looked a lot like him except for his hair which was black and longer than Arcturus, his eyes which were grey and his expression which was serious while Arcturus still wore a happy expression in all circumstances.

"It's great that you managed to find a spare compartment." He told Akira as he put his and his brother's suitcase away next to Akira's one. "There are Slytherin morons who squat two whole wagons when they are only ten. We both had to walk through the whole train without finding a seat. By the way, this is Sirius." Arcturus added while pointing at the young boy next to him. "He's my little brother I had already told you about."

"Hi." Akira and Sirius said one after the other.

"Phew, I'm not unhappy to be on the train." Arcturus announced, collapsing onto the seat opposite to Akira as Sirius sat next to him. "We must have climbed in it only a few seconds before it began to move."

"Without me we wouldn't have made it in time." Sirius replied, giving his brother a reproachful look. "If I hadn't dragged you out of the house we would still be there by now."

"But I forgot my wand." Arcturus defended himself. "I can't spend a whole year at Hogwarts without it."

"Indeed, that would be difficult." Akira agreed.

"So pack all your things the day before like me because I'm warning you that if you do it again next year, I'll leave without you." Sirius threatened him.

"It's easy for you to say that now that I've shown you where platform 9 3/4 is." Arcturus replied, patting his brother on the arm.

"But I already knew where it was." Sirius added. "You haven't taught me anything at all."

"Okay, let's say you knew that. On the other hand, you would never have found a seat on this train because you don't know any student yet while I know Akira." Arcturus pointed out.

"I would have settled into an already occupied compartment." Sirius replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I would have even dared to challenge a Slytherin or two to free a compartment in the cars they had privatized."

"Very bad idea." His older brother warned him, obviously afraid that Sirius would really do it. "They're older, beefier and crueler than you so I don't think it's appropriate to fight them."

At that moment, a boy opened the door of their compartment wide and Akira recognized him immediately. It was the arrogant first-year student she had met in front of the Quality Quidditch Supplies but this time, he was in a sorry state. His round glasses were askew, he had a bruise near his eye and his clothes were crumpled as if he had been in a fight and the whole compartment soon found out it was the case.

"Hi, Sirius. I thought I recognized you." James said while standing in the doorway. "Hey, did you see there's a bunch of Slytherin idiots wreaking havoc in other wagons ? I tried to teach them good manners but they were a little too many for me." He added while running a hand over his sweater to smooth it out. "By the way, can I sit down ?"

"Of course." Sirius replied without hesitation which upset Akira who didn't like James behaviour.

As if it wasn't enough to take a seat in the compartment that Akira had occupied first, James sat right next to her while staring at her for a few seconds before putting on a mean smile.

"I recognize you." He said to her as Akira gave him a dismissive look. "You're the girl who wanted to report me because I was going to bring my own flying broom to school. Well, you'll be happy to hear that I didn't take it with me because I didn't manage to cast a spell on it to make it smaller so that it could suit in my suitcase."

"I never said that I was going to report you. I just pointed out to you that bringing a broom during your first year would be a terrible idea." Akira corrected him.

"I see the three of you already know each other but I don't." Arcturus, who was a little confused by the whole story of a broom being sneaked into school, pointed out.

"I'm James Potter." The boy announced with a hint of pride in his voice that Akira found annoying. "Future Gryffindor and distinguished Quidditch player."

"You seem to know what you want." Arcturus said, chuckling heartily as Akira rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Sirius also wants to join Gryffindor. So the four of us will be in the same house."

"Oh no, I don't want to have him in my house." Akira thought bitterly, talking about James.

But she didn't have time to complain any longer as the door of their compartment opened once again to two students Akira didn't know at all. It was a girl with long dark red hair and sparkling green eyes accompanied by a boy with greasy black hair that fell to his shoulders and little black eyes.

As neither those in the compartment nor the new arrivals knew each other, everyone was silent for a few seconds until Arcturus broke the ice with his usual good humour.

"Let me guess. There's no empty seats anywhere else because of a group of Slytherins ? Lucky for you, our compartment has two more seats left." Arcturus announced with a smile to the two newcomers who were then able to sit next to James and Sirius.

As conversations resumed between Arcturus, James and Sirius and the other two students were chatting quietly with each other, Akira leaned her head against the window to watch the passing landscape. She had a hard time accepting that James would surely be sent in her house. He had made fun of her in front of the Quality Quidditch Supplies, questioning her skills as a Quidditch player when he had never seen her play and the arrogant demeanour he always displayed didn't help. He was the type of people Akira dreaded being around, the ones who always put themselves in the spotlight no matter what they do while Akira remained in the shadows when she wanted to shine too. It was just like between her and Fugaku at Konoha, the latter being always praised no matter what he did.

She was completely lost in her thoughts when she heard the newcomer say the word "Slytherin" which ended all discussion.

"Slytherin ?" James interjected. "Rather leave school than end up in this house ! It's the worst of the four by far."

"Hey, it's not such a bad house. Our whole family has been there." Arcturus replied to him.

"And I was starting to like both of you." James announced mockingly to Arcturus and Sirius as the latter began to smile faintly.

"Slytherin isn't so bad." Akira said in turn. "I wanted to join this house a year ago but the sorting hat decided otherwise."

"Coming from you that doesn't even surprise me. I saw right away when I met you that you didn't care much about other people." James told her which angered Akira.

"Everyone chooses which house they want to join in this compartment." Arcturus interjected to calm things down as Akira was restraining the impulse to punch James who was sitting right next to her. "There is no right or wrong choice."

"That's not true. There is a better house than the others and I'll join it without hesitation because Gryffindor welcomes all the brave and the reckless." James announced while brandishing an invisible sword.

This comment made the newcomer boy chuckle because he seemed to disagree with him.

"That makes you laugh ?" James called out coldly.

"No. It's just that this house is for those who hit before thinking." The young boy commented.

"So what ?" Sirius intervened in turn. "At least, you don't risk ending up in Gryffindor since you don't have any of their quality. Now that I think about it, Slytherin is tailor-made for you since it welcomes all the sneaky ones." He added to the young boy as the girl sitting in front of him turned red with anger at hearing all these insults addressed to her friend.

"Come on Severus. We're going to move to another compartment." She told the boy before jumping up from her seat as James and Sirius laughed even harder under Akira and Arcturus disapproving gaze.

"I don't think so." Akira then intervened because she couldn't let James get away with it so easily. "There's no more seat elsewhere in the train so I suggest that you two go instead." She announced while pointing at James and Sirius in turn who stopped laughing immediatly.

"Hey, you're not going to throw my little brother out of our compartment, are you ?" Arcturus said with disbelief.

"I'll do it without hesitation if he doesn't stop fooling around right away." Akira replied.

"Come on Sirius." James said to his friend while showing a smile on the corner of his mouth. "They don't want us in this Slytherin compartment. I suggest that we leave and let off steam on those Slytherin who squat the wagons instead. We may be able to take a compartment back from them."

"I'm following you." Sirius announced immediately while standing up after James.

"Wait, Sirius. I'm supposed to keep an eye on you." Arcturus told his younger brother.

"In that case, come with us rather than staying here." Sirius told him, turning around after stepping through the compartment door.

Arcturus glanced at Akira who saw that he was faced with a dilemma and that he was having a hard time choosing one of the two camps.

"Stay there then." Sirius announced to him when he saw that Arcturus couldn't make up his mind.

At this announcement, Sirius set off down the hallway of the wagon following James.

"Great." Arcturus said to Akira with an annoyed look she had never seen him displayed since she had known him. "Now my little brother is mad at me and he's going to do a lot of stupid things since I can't have an eye on him anymore."

"You're not the only one having problems with your siblings." The girl announced to them. "My sister is also angry at me because I was sent to Hogwarts and she wasn't."

"That's why I'm happy to be an only child." Severus commented and Akira agreed.

"But I love my little brothers and I don't want to be mad at them." Arcturus sighed as he slid down on the bench.

"In that case, teach them to stop being so mean with others." Akira recommended him. "I couldn't let him talk about the Slytherin house like he did without intervening."

"It's true that Sirius was never a fan of the Slytherin house but he doesn't want to be like the rest of my family. He keeps rebelling at home and I find it very difficult to avoid him punishment. Last time, he filled his room with pictures of Muggle motorcycles and that infuriated my mother."

"What's wrong with having pictures of motorcycles ?" The girl asked, frowning.

"If you knew my family, you would be aware that you should never talk about Muggles in front of them." Arcturus revealed to her, shivering with fear.

"My family are Muggles and I'm not ashamed of that." The girl stated immediately.

"Like me." Akira announced in turn.

"My family is quite old-fashioned and has a hard time accepting that Muggle-Borns can live in our wizarding world. It stays across their throats so they all despise anything that has to do with them. Sirius and I disagree with our family which can create tension at home. However, we both don't react the same. I'm the type of person who doesn't want trouble so I never mentioned that I disagree with my family belief but that's not the case of Sirius. He's more rebellious and do everything he can to drive our family and especially my mum crazy." Arcturus explained to them.

They spent a good part of the trip talking about the world of magic and especially the tensions that could exist between muggles and wizards. Arcturus was the only one knowledgeable on the subject due to his belonging to one of the very old wizarding families but the others who had all lived with Muggle families weren't. Even Severus - whose mother was a witch - hadn't had a childhood soaked up in magic because he revealed to them that his father wasn't fond of it and wouldn't tolerate it under his roof.

Their discussion was only interrupted by the arrival of the candy trolley that Akira had been eagerly awaiting. Indeed, she had finished her supply of sweets from last year during the summer holidays and she absolutely wanted to get a new stock of them that she shared with Arcturus. Then night came and with it a cold autumn wind that made the train windows tremble. They quickly put on their wizarding robes before the train stopped at the station where they were separated. The first years had to follow Hagrid across the lake on boats while the others reached the castle on board of carriages that moved on their own. Akira wasn't unhappy to take this means of transport because at least, they were protected from the wind that froze them to their bones and besides, they quickly arrived at the castle.

Not having to take part in the sorting ceremony like last year, Akira and Arcturus were able to walk straight into the Great Hall to take a seat at the Gryffindor table. The plates were still empty as the Feast couldn't start until the first years arrived but Akira wasn't too impatient to eat. The food here wasn't that bad but she wasn't really used to it, especially after spending two months mostly eating instant ramen as it was the only thing that was eaten quickly.

The wait for the first years was so long that Arcturus and Akira munched on some candy the latter had bought on the train until Professor McGonagall finally entered in the Great Hall with the students. This sudden appearance silenced all conversations as the first years were shaking with both cold and fear. Akira was glad to not having to relive that moment which put her nerves to the test.

Akira quickly spotted the four students she had met on the train and also recognized the boy whose family she had met at the Leaky Cauldron. They all had in common the display of tense mines, no doubt because they didn't know what awaited them for the sorting ceremony. All except James who displayed a confident smile which worried Akira. Indeed, he wanted to be sorted into Gryffindor but Akira didn't want him to go in her house as she would have to bear him constantly. But unfortunately for her, there was no house for arrogant and pretentious people meaning that James dream of becoming a Gryffindor was likely to become true.

McGonagall didn't make the students wait any longer. She called them one by one according to the names written on her parchment and they walked uncertainly towards the stool before she placed the sorting hat on their heads. The hat then took more or less time to announce the student house. Sirius was one of the first to pass. He was dispatched to Gryffindor to the delight of his older brother who momentarily forgot their argument on the train. Conversely, he applauded him loudly, rising from his chair and smiling widely as Sirius walked over to their table. Being still mad towards Arcturus or simply not to give the impression that he was glued to his big brother, Sirius sat down a few seats apart from Arcturus but that didn't prevent the latter from leaning over, jostling in the process several students to pat him on the back.

Sorting continued and this time it was the girl met on the train – whose name was Lily - who was sent in Gryffindor. Akira noticed that Severus watched her leave in the direction of the Gryffindor table with a completely dejected expression. Remus was also sent in Gryffindor and then it was the turn of James. Akira crossed her fingers under the table, telling herself that he was going to be sent to any house other than Gryffindor but her wish wasn't granted. James was sent to the house he wanted and he seemed delighted which upset Akira even more. He came to sit next to Sirius and smirked at Akira who started to grind her teeth.

Severus was the only student Akira knew among first years to still have to be sorted. Unsurprisingly, he was sent to Slytherin but despite the fact that it was his dream to belong to this house, he stared sadly at the floor as he walked over to the cheering Slytherin table.

Once all the first years had joined their respective houses, Dumbledore announced the beginning of the Feast to the delight of Arcturus who was starving. Akira spent most of the meal getting used to eating again with a knife and a fork rather than with chopsticks, which wasn't easy. She would have thought that after spending a whole year at Hogwarts she would still know how to do it but two summer months had made her forget a lot.

The only incident of the evening was the Howler Sirius received from his mother for being sent to Gryffindor. Arcturus seemed to expect his younger brother to endure the same humiliation that he lived last year so he snatched the letter from Sirius hands before standing up to leave the Great Hall before it exploded but Akira remembered the disaster of last year. Arcturus had managed to reach the Entrance Hall with his own letter but it opened at that moment, making his mother's voice echo even louder than if he had stayed in the Great Hall.

To avoid reliving this tragic event and especially to spare Sirius this humiliation, Akira decided to take matters into her own hands. She took the letter from Arcturus at lightning speed before running at a normal speed towards the hall but once she got through the door, she picked up speed in the direction of the Marble Staircase. She climbed the stairs four to four - rather eight to eight as she was helping herself by passing chakra through her legs to go faster - so well that she just reached the fourth floor when the Howler opened itself. Arcturus and Sirius mother's shrilling voice echoed off the walls but at least Akira was the only one to hear what she was saying, mainly that Sirius was a delinquent like his older brother and she didn't know what was holding her back to repudiate them both. Once the insults and threats ended and the letter destroyed itself, Akira took over the direction of the Great Hall to finish eating and she was greeted by Arcturus who was delighted that she had managed to avoid such humiliation to his little brother.

Once the students had eaten well and sleep had won them over, they were allowed to go to their dormitory. Akira and Arcturus got up to leave the Great Hall but there were so many people that they both were swept away by the crowd and found themselves separated. The prefects were trying to bring order as they had to lead the first years to their dormitories but everybody was so exhausted that they ignored them, even shoving them to get out. Akira was one of the last to leave the Great Hall when Arcturus had already been long gone. There were not many students left in the Entrance Hall so she spotted Severus waiting at the foot of the Marble Staircase. The latter watched Lily go up the stairs until she disappeared as she followed the first years of Gryffindor. He then found himself all alone in the hall and Akira took pity on him as she watched him rub his eyes with the sleeve of his wizarding robe.

"Are you okay ?" She asked him after coming at his level.

The question startled him and he hurriedly stopped drying his eyes.

"It's a shame that you aren't in the same house." Akira added, speaking of Lily. "But don't worry. During the first year, the Slytherins have a lot of lessons in common with the Gryffindors."

"Really ?" Severus asked her hopefully.

"Since I'm telling you. Remember, I was also a first year just last year." She reminded him playfully to cheer him up. "Come on, you better go to your dormitory otherwise your prefect won't be happy if you miss the call when he's responsible of you."

"Okay." Severus replied, sounding comforted by the fact that he would see Lily again during their class. "Uh, and where exactly is the Slytherin common room ?"

This question caught Akira off guard. She knew it was somewhere in the dungeons but she didn't know its exact location and the most annoying thing about it was that there was no longer any Slytherin student in the hall who could have led Severus there.

"Good question. I know where the Gryffindor common room is of course but it ends there. I have no idea where the other houses common rooms are. All I can tell you is that the one of Slytherin is in the dungeons. Let's start looking there to begin with."

She accompanied Severus down the stairs to the dungeons but from then on she was no longer of much help to him. Indeed, she didn't venture often in that cold and damp maze of hallways apart for Potions class. Failing to know where the common room was, they walked along one hallway and then another until they found themselves completely lost but luckily for them, older Slytherins who didn't want to sleep yet were hanging out in the hallways. Akira was relieved to see them as they could help Severus find their dormitory but she momentarily forgot that she was a Gryffindor and by definition, hated by the Slytherins.

"You have nothing to do here." Lucius Malfoy - the Slytherin head boy - informed her coldly. "I'm taking five points to Gryffindor."

"Hey, that's not fair. The school year hasn't even started yet !" Akira replied angrily. "Besides, I'm not doing anything wrong."

"You walk around the hallways when everyone is supposed to be in its common room and that's enough to justify my punishment. And if you add one more word, I'll give you detention even though the school year hasn't started yet." Malfoy added with a wicked smile as Akira fell silent.

Not wishing to make Gryffindor lose any more points, Akira made up her mind to leave as Malfoy led Severus to the Slytherin common room. She then went up the deserted stairs until she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady whose password was given to her by Gryffindor students who entered at the same time as her. Contrary to what she might have thought, the common room was quiet for a back-to-school day. The students weren't in the mood for partying as class started early the next morning and most of them were already in their bed. Akira went up to her dormitory, put on her pajamas and bundled up in her thick blankets which protected her from the cold that reigned in the tower. Despite the somewhat hectic start of this school year, she soon fell asleep, eager to start a new year at Hogwarts.

It's all for that September 1. It was quite a long chapter - it was the longest I've written so far taking into account my first story - but lot of things happen for back-to-school in Hogwarts.

Like for my first story, I'll publish a new chapter once a month. It's perhaps a long waiting time but at least I'm regular with my publications (more or less two or three days). So stay tuned for the next chapter !