It was a fine October day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Outside, the air was crisp and cool, and a blustery autumn breeze blew fiery, fallen leaves across the grounds. But in the Gryffindor House Common Room, a fire was blazing in the fireplace, and eveyrone was feeling quite content when, suddenly, the door to the portrait hole swung open.

Eveyone looked up, just in time to see a girl with short, silvery blond hair slip through the portrait hole, landing on her feet in front of the fire place. She stepped forward, silouhetted temporarily by the blazing fire.

Professor McGonnagall followed, a slightly disgruntled expression on her face. She sighed and looked at the girl, whose features were still undeterminable. "Students- I'd like you to welcome Rainy Ambrosia, an exchange student from the United States...she will be attending Hogwarts for the year. Miss Ambrosia has been..er..sorted into Gryffindor," she continued, looking like she wished the girl had been placed in another House. "Please make her feel at home."

Shaking her head and muttering indistinctly under her breath, McGonagall left the room.

"Um..." Rainy glanced around uncertainly at the students who were now staring very intently at her- especially the males. Rainy was very tall, with a slightly curvacious build, with bouncy blond hair, an ivory complexion, and dark green eyes. "Hi."

"Hi, Rainy!" chorused the boys, Harry & Ron loudest of all.

Rainy smiled a devious sort of smile, but to the guys it merely looked sexy. This is going to be easier than I thought. Naive little creatures. "Hello, boys," she said seductively. "I have a feeling we're going to have quite a year." She took a few steps forward, apparently tripped on the rug, and fell into Ron's lap. "Ooops!" she giggled, a hand over her mouth. "Sorry about that." She slowly stood up, saving one faint little smile for Ron before turning away.

Hermione scowled at Rainy. "Slut," she murmured.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Ron was till staring at Rainy, looking dumbfounded. His mouth was slightly open, and he appeared to be trying to speak. Rainy, however, took no notice and glanced around the room. "Oh, dear," she said emphatically, sitting down next to Dean Thomas and rifling through her bag. "I seem to have lost my schedule..can any of you help me?" Almost instantaneously the boys were clamoring around her.

"Me! ME! No, me, I can-"

Rainy smiled, and nodded. "I think- yes, HARRY, why don't you help me?" She looked down at her hand. "Oh dear, I seem to have bruised my finger when I fell on top of- what was your name?"

Ron blinked. "Er- um-"

"His name's Ron," said Hermione flatly, kicking the ogling boy in the shins.

"Harry? Could you copy the schedule for me?" Her full lips fell into a pout. "Please?"

"Oh, SURE!"

"Rainy, my handwriting's neater than his-"

"Yeah, and I have a better qui-"

Rainy shushed the other boys, and drew out a quill from her pocket. "Here, Harry, use this."

Funny how she wasn't supposed to even know his name.

Harry eagerly took the quill and sat down at one of the tables in a corner of the common room. Rainy sat down gently in one of the armchairs, next to Neville Longbottom, who looked horrified at the thought of sitting next to such a pretty girl.

"What's your name?" she asked him absently.

"I- er- Neville Longbottom," he finally managed to stutter out.

Rainy giggled again. "Longbottom? Tee-hee."

Neville smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, it's an old-"

But Rainy had gotten up and was now flirting with Fred and George Weasley, who were quite enjoying the attention.

Hermione was staring at Rainy through narrowed eyes. There was something she didn't like about that girl.