AN: I am terrible at coming up with names that sound like they would belong in Harry Potter. Later on in this chapter don't be surprised to read names like John and Susan. I would be very happy to replace those names with others if anyone has any suggestions. Also, since I am planning on going chapter by chapter through the book, some of my chapters may be rather short like this one.

Chapter II: The Sorting Hat

Harry Potter looked up at the tall, imposing witch and thought that this was not someone he would want to cross. Then he looked at the girl next to her, wearing a witch's hat that seemed two times too big. She had gleaming red eyes and was grinning, he could clearly see fangs.

He nudged Ron and asked, "Ron, are vampires real?"

"Course they are." Ron said.

Draco overheard and scoffed, "You don't even know about vampires? Well, you won't find any here. They've nearly been hunted to extinction, though why the Ministry made a law to ban hunting them is beyond me. Filthy creatures." He clearly hadn't noticed the girl yet. More of the other first years were beginning to notice though.

One girl let out a shriek and pointed "A vampire!"

Everyone started talking at once and there was nearly a stampede but Hagrid shouted "SILENCE!"

The tall witch spoke up, "Thank you Hagrid, I will take it from here." The vampire girl was now half hiding behind the old witch and peering nervously at everyone. "My name is Professor McGonagall. This.." the girl moved to her side again "….is Esmira Thorncrow. Her condition is not one to be feared, and she will be in your class this year."

Draco spoke up, "My father will hear about this! How dare you allow, not only Muggle-borns, but this creature into the school!?" Professor McGonagall merely fixed him with such a glare that he shrank back.

"Follow me." She said.

000

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't shaken by everyone's reaction to me. I had gotten used to the adults acceptance. I had been surprised by Draco's outcry, I would have thought that he would be fine with it, vampires traditionally being an evil creature and all, but maybe that was why he wasn't fine with it, since the Malfoys had a reputation to protect. As we walked to the great hall McGonagall began explaining about the sorting and everything. When she got to the part about earning House points I was startled though. Of course, House points! How could I have forgotten about House points? I berated myself for not having paid enough attention to the Harry Potter stories when I had the chance. I had just been a fan of other things, so of course I ended up here, and not, say, in Narnia. I was also alarmed when, upon arriving at an antechamber, Professor McGonagall told us that she was leaving us, and that she would return shortly. As soon as she had left several students glared and backed away from me, while others looked fearful and backed away. One figure separated herself from the group and marched right up to me. Her bushy brown hair gave me all the warning I needed before she leaned towards me, studying me.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Is it true that you are a vampire? I read all about them as soon as I heard they really exist. Professor McGonagall just said that you had a condition. What's it like being turned into one?" I looked around, everyone was staring at me intently, even the ones who had previously been glaring looked curious.

"It is true. I, I don't remember what it was like. In fact, I lost all my memories from before it happened." Several students gasped at this. "I-"

Well, I don't really know what I would have said next because suddenly, the very same student who had shrieked "Vampire!" now shrieked and pointed "Ghosts!" Sure enough, about twenty ghosts had come streaming in through the back wall.

000

Harry followed that tall witch until they reached an antechamber and she left them. He noticed the reactions of the other students to the vampire. He nudged Ron again and whispered, "Are vampires evil?"

"Yeah," Ron said in a hushed voice, "Pretty much. I mean, most of them live in caves and would kill you as soon as look at you. I've heard that a few of them aren't half bad though, which is why the Ministry said we shouldn't actively hunt them anymore. I think if you come across one and it attacks you you're allowed to kill it in self-defense though."

Harry was very surprised to see Hermione march right up to the girl and ask her what it was like to be turned into one. As soon as she asked he realized that he was very curious himself. He was a little disappointed that she didn't remember. Then the ghosts came and he stared at them in amazement. This was just getting weirder and weirder.

000

They didn't pay much attention to us at first, but then a few spoke to us, and the Fat Friar, who I had also completely forgotten about, said that he hoped he saw some of us in Hufflepuff, his house. McGonagall came back and led us into the Great Hall. The rest of the first years were being amazed by everything they saw, but I had already seen it and besides I was too busy looking around fearfully to see if anybody in the Hall would notice that a vampire was in the midst of the first years. Thankfully, even the second year Slytherins, who would have been my classmates, didn't seem to notice me. In the meantime McGonagall had set up the Sorting Hat and it began to sing, which made me jump a little. Then it began its work. Bulstrode, Millicent was the first to be sent to Slytherin. I had to smile when Longbottom, Neville was chosen for Gryffindor and forgot to take the hat off his head before heading to the table, then having to run back and hand it to McGonagall. Malfoy was of course sent to Slytherin. Then finally Potter, Harry was called and he was sorted amid furious and excited whispers all over the Hall. I honestly wondered what the Hat would do with me, would I get sorted into Slytherin again? Or would I change Houses since I was a different person now? Thomas, Dean was called and sorted into Gryffindor.

Finally, Professor McGonagall said in her clear voice "Thorncrow, Esmira." That got the second years in Slytherin talking confusedly to each other.

I couldn't hear them from where I was, but I could imagine a few of them saying "What? She was with us, last year, she should be in our year!" I walked up to McGonagall but suddenly Headmaster Dumbledore stood up.

"I have an announcement to make," He said. "Esmira Thorncrow will be rejoining Slytherin as a first year." Then he abruptly sat down again. I have to admit that I felt a bit cheated. Now I would never find out what the Sorting Hat thought of me. I was also surprised that he hadn't offered any sort of explanation or said anything about my "condition." I scowled and walked over to the Slytherin table. The Bloody Baron was sitting with Draco on his right and an empty seat on his left.

I went up and sat in the empty seat, but then I turned to the Baron and said, "Can I trade seats with you?" The Baron looked down his nose at me, but he stood up and I took his seat.

I had done it to annoy Draco but I was surprised when he turned to me and whispered "Thanks." Apparently, he liked ghosts even less than he liked vampires.

"You're welcome." I whispered back. Weasley, Ron went to Gryffindor and the Zabini, Blaise was made a Slytherin and that was the end of the Sorting.

"Hi Esmira." I looked across the table at the girl sitting there.

"Hi," I said. "Do I know you?"

"What, you don't remember?"

"No, actually. I lost my memories and that's why I'm starting over."

"Oh, that's awful. I'm-" she was interrupted by Dumbledore, who gave his speech. After that she was too busy eating. I just sat there, utterly bored. I had "eaten" earlier this morning so I wasn't even remotely thirsty. Nobody spoke to me for the rest of the meal and I had no desire to start up a conversation with the Bloody Baron. I looked over and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione laughing and eating. I wished I could be with them because they looked so happy. Then it was over. Dumbledore stood up and told everyone about the forest being forbidden, not to use magic in between classes in the halls, something about Quidditch, which I didn't pay attention to, and that the third floor corridor on the right hand side was off limits.

000

Harry was very relieved to be sorted into Gryffindor. Those Slytherins seemed like a nasty lot. Quite a few of them reminded him of Dudley. He turned to watch with interest as Esmira Thorncrow was called. After Dumbledore's announcement Harry saw her scowl and stomp to the Slytherin table. Poor girl, she obviously wasn't happy with the decision. Well, better her than him. He turned back to the Hat because Ron had just been called up and stopped paying attention to her.

Then the meal was summoned and all thoughts of her flew from Harry's mind. When the dessert came he felt like crying tears of joy. It was all so heavenly. Before he knew it, it was time to go and he and the others followed Percy.

000

We all followed the Slytherin prefect to the dungeons. Most of the students went straight to their dorms, being full and sleepy but a few sat in the common room. I sat there too, just for the heck of it, but nobody spoke to me. After a while I shrugged to myself and went to my bed to read. There were worse things than being ignored but I resolved to myself to figure out a way to sneak into the Gryffindor common room. I thought first I'll try just sneaking in with a group of them after dinner tomorrow. Maybe I should have done that tonight actually, oh well.

(Meanwhile….)

Draco was writing a furious letter to his father. He still couldn't believe that they had let the filthy creature into the school. He had only said "Thanks" to her because he didn't want her to try and sink her fangs into his neck.

000

In the common room, as soon as the vampire left the older students started talking amongst themselves.

A boy with red hair said, "I heard her parents were murdered. Respectable family, I wonder if she offed them herself?"

"Don't be ridiculous John." Susan said. "The question is now, how can we use her?"

Leroy sniffed, "First we have to convince her that she has no choice other than to serve us. Creatures like her deserve to be slaves. She'd be suspicious by any show of befriending her so I say we skip straight to coercion. She's a vampire and an orphan. We can threaten to make her life very, very miserable if she isn't obedient."