I am SOOOOO happy with the response to this story! And I'm glad you all like my little plot twist. Guess what? It's gonna get worse! Thanks to everyone who has kept up with this story, and THANK YOU, TELEX, for being my best bud! Dee is so happy! And thank you, Ms. B-----! David is so excited about this story and he is very proud of the very intricate plotline he has come up with. (This is the first time I actually did prerequisite research on a story!)

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, not us. All characters associated with Harry Potter also belong to Miss Rowling.

Chapter 5: Our First Night

Hagrid had immediately found Harry, as was expected, and was introduced to myself, David, Hermione, and Ron. We headed for the lake, something David hadn't expected. I don't think he recalled the first movie very well. David, unlike myself, did not have very clear memory.

"Wonderful man, Dumbledore," I said as we walked along. I would have fallen had David not been there. "Starting this program, allowing David and me to be the first to test it, and everything. He's famous over in America, too, but to actually get to see him and such..." I wasn't lying, either. Dumbledore was one man I held in very high esteem.

"On'y four to a boat!" Hagrid called to the first years as we reached the lake.

I lost sight of David, and ended up in a boat with Hermione, Neville, and another girl I didn't know.

"Good evening," said the girl with a polite bow. I smiled and greeted her back, mentally placing her in Ravenclaw.

What if I ended up in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? Or worse, Slytherin? That would mean I'd get to see the dream every day, but...
Whoa! Wait a second! Malfoy plus dream does NOT compute!

I was certain David would end up in Griffindor. He was brave and strong-willed, and smart, but not totally intelligent.

But me? I guess I did let you know about my period of "disownment", right? You know how that happened? Before then, I liked to beat people. Not beat them up, per say, but beat them at their own games. By the time I'd reached sixth grade, it was an obsession.

I had to win. At everything. Had to.
It was just after spring break that I received a challenge. It was from the biggest kid in school. A real bully.

"Beat me up, keep your rep. I beat you up...bye-bye, birdy," he'd said to me. I think he hadn't totally gotten my story straight, but I accepted anyway.

All the "friends" I'd had until then were shallow people wanting my grades and my reputation, and got the next best thing in their minds.

When I lost that day, though, I lost everything. Everything. My brothers thought I was a total jerk to even try to beat the guy. My parents were disappointed that I'd gotten into a fight, even though we'd fought it off school grounds, so I didn't get into trouble. My teachers were even more disappointed.

Whatever "friends" I'd had became my worst nightmares.

That was reason enough for me to believe I had a small, ever-so-tiny chance for the Sorting Hat to place me in the one House I despised with all my heart. Actually, to tell the truth, I could go anywhere. Any one of the Houses could accept me as who I was.

But still, the thought of what my brother would say...what Hermione would say...

We arrived at the other side of the lake and were met by none other than Professor McGonagall. I was surprised to see that she looked as though she hadn't had any sleep. Apparently the loss of Quirrell was greater than I'd imagined.

"Good evening..."

She went through her speech as though nothing had happened, informing us of the Houses and their purpose, the addition/reduction of points, and how we would be placed in whichever one. McGonagall left us, but not long enough for much to happen, as she returned only seconds later.

I heard the Hat sing, and heard Dumbledore's announcements, but didn't really pay attention. A pair of silver eyes rested on my face, urging me to turn my eyes. With a twitch of my neck, his eyes met mine. Malfoy studied me patiently, his dreamy eyes raving over me in my school robes as though I was the sweetest candy in Honeydukes.

I gulped hard and averted my eyes. Rocks continued to tumble around in my mind and my chest felt as though it were going to burst with how fast my heart beat.

Wouldn't you know it? Of every person whose name or face I knew before McGonagall said them, I was the first to be called up onto the stool. Just my luck. The dream's eyes never left me, even as I sat down timidly, feeling like a tiny mouse under the watchful eyes of the Great Hall.

Shaking, I gulped hard again. Malfoy made a point of meeting my eyes as the Hat covered them. I think he was doing it on purpose, knowing the effect that it had on me.

"Difficult, I'd say," said the Hat. "I see you've got a love to be in Slytherin."
"He's not my love!" I snapped hotly. Oh, why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?! The entire Hall let out a laughter that reverberated inside my head worse than ever before. My face flushed the darkest of brick red.

"Temper, too," chuckled the Hat, too. "Very cunning, yes, but very jovial as well. A lover of books, too, so few of those here. Different dimension? Oh, my, what a clever mind, so many passages and bottles...an interesting mind, very interesting. So many corridors...

"Well, mustn't dally. You hold your brother in high regard. Seem to be firm about him being in Griffindor...all right, all right, I've made my mind about him already, but you...

"But you, I'd say Slytherin. You'd be so great..."
"No," I whispered to myself, eyes wide in the darkness of the Hat.

"A no? Are you sure? A crush that could certainly grow well, and you still say no? Very well. You could have been great, you know. GRIFFINDOR!"

I gave a slight sigh of relief and slunk over like a pup to Fred and George and Percy's end of the Griffindor table.

My God...George and Fred were even cuter in real life.

Dang it, Aeolus! Did you forget to get rid of teenage hormones or something?!

"Who did the Hat say was your love?" asked Fred. Don't ask how I knew it was him.

"Oh, puh-lease," I rolled my eyes. "At least wait until the feast starts."

They took that as a promise and waited patiently. It was my brother's turn. The Hat didn't even touch his head when it said, very plainly, "GRIFFINDOR!"

"What was the Hat talking about?"

"Not you, too," I moaned.

Hermione was next.

"What happened?"
Harry followed, to many excited whispers. I saw the dream whisper, too.

"What did it mean by 'another almost'?"

Ron.

"What idiot taught that hat how to judge character?"

I silently agreed.

Dumbledore was the same as the three-legged stool left. He made the same announcements.

"We will give a short toast to our deceased Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and hope that we get a new one soon," Dumbledore said humbly as the glasses were filled with pumpkin juice. The Hall raised their goblets as one and said together:
"To Professor Quirrell."

The pumpkin juice was horrible.

"As one last announcement, I ask everyone to please be sure to welcome our American guests, Angel and David Galis."

I went red again as curious heads turned.

The dream stared at me again, then turned to his two cronies. Both stared, then nodded solemnly to Malfoy.

I tried to ignore them and the Slytherins.

"So what happened?" asked what I guessed was Dean Thomas. All the new Griffindors and old leaned in to hear.

"I met a Slytherin on the train," I said offhandedly. "He seemed nice. The Hat was mistaken in it's assumption that he was my boyfriend or some such rubbish. I don't even know the idiot." Which, probably, was the only thing I could say truthfully.

The English food before me soon was soon afraid. Sarah Galis was an eater, especially when there was lots of food to be devoured.

When the feast ended, I could still feel Malfoy's eyes watching me, even as our prefect (none other than Percy Weasley) led the way to the Griffindor Common Room. Once inside, Hermione and I said good night to the boys.

"Night, sis," David kissed me on the cheek. "See you in class."
"Yeah."
I hadn't even looked around yet; I was too tired. As soon as I was in my pajamas, I had collapsed on my four-poster, closed the curtains, and had fallen fast asleep.

***

So, whatcha think? Cool? Malfoy's WEIRD. This was all his idea! *Points madly at David* He's nuts! He thinks Malfoy would like me! -_-; He's smart, but lacks common sense. Just like dear old sista.

Well, the next chapter is called 'Tuesday Class'. It furthers the conflict between myself and David, a conflict that really goes on in real life, too. Unfortunately. Ja ne