A thank-you going out to Redbird for another review!! Thanks so much! And Happy Holidays to you too! Sorry it took so long to update!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the original Harry Potter series. I only own the plot and any characters you don't recognize from the original HP series. Here's chapter 4!! ^_^

Chapter 4: Welcome To Gryffindor!

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Emily got off the train and loaded into the carriages that would take them up to the castle. For the whole carriage ride, Ron animatedly told Emily about different adventures that they had had in the past 6 years together. Emily was truly intrigued by these stories and couldn't believe what she could be getting herself into. It didn't sound like it was going to be a boring year!

The carriages arrived in what seemed a short time later at the entrance to Hogwarts. All the students piled from their carriages and into the entrance hall.

Emily was in awe at what she saw from the moment that she stepped through the front doors. She didn't even seem to notice that she was being pushed forward by Hermione so that they could get out of the way of the other students.

"Miss Black!" called a voice from beside Emily and Hermione.

Both girls turned around.

"Professor McGonagall!" Hermione smiled.

"Good day, Miss Granger. Your summer went well I suppose?" The professor looked down at her star pupil with a slight smile on her face.

Hermione nodded.

The professor then turned her gaze onto Emily. "Emily Black, I presume?"

Emily nodded in response.

"Miss Black," McGonagall went on, "we understand that at your old school, you were sorted into one of four houses. Is that correct?"

Emily nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

"We have made contact with your old school to see which house you were in. And, as it would seem, you were in a house whose students show the same qualities as one of the houses here at Hogwarts. That house is Gryffindor, which I happen to oversee."

Emily grinned widely at Hermione who smiled back.

"Now," she continued, "we are willing to give you a choice. You can be sorted with the first years, or you can head right into Gryffindor." She smiled down at Emily. "And, it seems to me that you already have made some friends from Gryffindor..."

"I would like to be put into Gryffindor, if that's alright," Emily smiled up at the professor.

She nodded, "Why, of course. Your things will be taken up to your room for you then."

Professor McGonagall then excused herself so that she could go lead the first years into the dining hall.

"That's terrific that you get to be a Gryffindor!" Hermione beamed. "Ron and Harry will be excited as well!"

Emily couldn't believe it. So far things here in Hogwarts seemed to be going alright.

Hermione then lead Emily into the dining hall and both took a seat down at the Gryffindor table across from Ron and Harry.

Ron and Harry looked up and smiled at Emily.

"So you're a Gryffindor then!" exclaimed Ron.

Emily nodded enthusiastically.

"That's great!" Harry commented.

Emily turned to Hermione, "So what happens next?"

"Well," Hermione explained knowledgeably, "The first years are sorted into their houses and then we get to eat! The food here is really delicious!"

Emily smiled.

Just then, the hall doors broke open and in walked Professor McGonagall followed by two long lines of frightened first years.

The sorting ceremony didn't seem to take that long and before they knew it they were feasting on chicken, pasta, and many other delicious types of foods.

Everyone in the hall immediately began to fill their plates with all their favourite foods and got down to some serious eating.

Emily was quite enjoying herself. Hermione was quite correct when she said that the food was delicious.

But as Emily shoved another forkful of spaghetti into her mouth and swallowed, she got this funny feeling in the pit of her stomach and something told her that it wasn't the food. She raised her head and glanced around the great hall. 'Why do I feel so uneasy?' she asked herself. Her eyes went around the room but nothing seemed to be amiss. But that's when she saw him. Over at the Slytherin table. That pale blonde hair and those grey eyes - it was the boy from the train. He was looking right at her, although not menacingly. It was almost as though he was lost in thought. His head was rested on his propped up arm and he was mindlessly twirling his spaghetti on his fork.

Emily tilted her head at him in confusion. This definitely wasn't the same Draco - (Malfoy was it?) that she saw fighting with her friends on the train. She tried not to look at him and went back to eating her food, but she looked up again and still found him staring at her.

This time, however, he must have realized that she had caught him because he immediately gave her a snarl and began stuffing his food into his mouth and laughing carelessly again with his Slytherin friends.

"That was odd," she said out loud without realizing it.

"What's odd?" asked Hermione from her side while picking up her goblet and taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

Emily stumbled over her words before realizing it wasn't important. "Oh, nothing." Both girls went on eating while listening to Ron and Harry go on about Quidditch tactics for the upcoming season.

The feast was now over leaving everyone with very full bellies. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Emily walked out of the hall laughing over something Ron had just said about an incident that happened in the summer before their fifth year when Harry's cousin Dudley was blown up like a balloon due to Fred and George's ton-tongue toffee.

"I still wish that your dad let me stay to watch how it all unfolded, Ron," said Harry through his laughter. "The look on Dudley's face...!" he laughed some more along with the others.

The gang turned to go up the staircase, Emily following behind everyone else. Harry and Hermione were holding hands walking in front of her and Ron was leading. But just then, Emily stumbled forward because her foot had just gone through one of the stairs!

"Oh!" she said as she fell forwards but she put her hands out in front to break her fall. Her leg had now sunk into the step up to her knee and she couldn't get it out. She was stuck. "Uh, guys?" She looked up to Harry and Hermione who were up a few feet from her.

"Oh, are you alright?" asked Hermione as she and Harry each grabbed an arm and successfully pulled her out.

"Sorry 'bout that," said Harry. "I guess I forgot it was there."

"Aww," came a very annoyingly exaggerated voice from below them. "Did the new girl hurt herself?"

All four of them turned to look at the speaker.

"Shut up Parkinson," Hermione said and then turned to Emily only to see that her face was slightly flushed from embarrassment. "Ignore her," she said softly to Emily.

"Did you see that Dracie? The new girl sure isn't a bright one is she?"

Draco looked up towards Emily, "Hey, I hear that you used to play Quidditch. Well, I sure hope that you were better on your broom than you are on your feet!" All the Slytherins around him laughed but as he looked up at Emily, he saw a hint of hurt in her eyes. He almost felt sorry that he had just said that. Almost.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Harry said through clenched teeth before turning and leading Emily up the stairs with Hermione and Ron close behind.

A few moments later, they arrived at the portrait of the fat lady and went into the common room.

"Don't take any notice to him," said Hermione as the all sat down on two couches facing each other.

"Are they always like that?" Emily asked looking at Harry.

Harry nodded, "Afraid so."

"I can't stand Pansy!" Ron spat. "Her and Malfoy were totally made for each other."

"So that's her name." Emily stated.

"Yeah," said Hermione. "Malfoy has been using her, as well as every other girl, just so that he can get himself satisfied."

Emily's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yeah," said Ron. "He doesn't even care about any of the girls he's with. He just uses them and dumps 'em. Just like that."

"And guess who has to hear about it every morning for the rest of the year?" said Hermione in a disgusted tone.

"Why?" asked Emily.

"He's head boy and we share a common room to ourselves, and no doubt he will disgust me everyday to no end." Hermione looked angry. "I can't believe he made head boy! He must have bought his way in. That's the only way I can figure it."

Harry laughed at Hermione. "Don't worry about it, Mione. Besides, I'm sure I'll be spending some time with you..." he smiled mischieviously and bent in to kiss Hermione.

Ron covered his ears with both his hands, "I'm not hearing this...I'm not hearing this..."

Emily laughed and so did Harry and Hermione.

"Well, I suppose I had better get going to unpack," said Hermione as she stood up.

"I'll walk you," said Harry looking down into her brown eyes.

She smiled as she looked at Ron and Emily. "See you tomorrow, then."

"Goodnight," said Emily with a small wave.

"'Night," echoed Ron as he looked back to Emily once the two had left the common room. "Have you ever played Wizard's Chess?"

Emily shook her head, "Can't say that I have." But then seeing Ron's disappointed face she quickly said, "But I'd be more than willing to learn if you'll teach me?"

Ron smiled, "Alright then!"

He lead her over to a table where a chess set had been set up already and he moved the pieces to where they were supposed to be at the start of a game and began to explain the rules.

A/N: Well, that's it for now! Sorry about the long delay! I hope to update again soon! Things should be getting a little more interesting in the next chapter! That's all for now. ^_^ Bye!