Disclaimer: no. (translation: I do not own Harry Potter. Sorry. [You'll see what this is about later])

* * *

Harry sat down in Hogwarts on the first day of 6th year and looked to where the Sorting was to take place. Things went normally until partway through, when a voice rang out from one side of the hall.

"I would like to speak to Professor Dumbledore, please."

Everyone turned to see a boy of about 16 striding towards the Staff table. He was wearing a black t-shirt with the slogan 'Driving Directions Made Easy: Pick A Car That Looks Like It Knows Where It's Going and Follow it. Whether You Get Where You Wanted To Go Or Not Is Irrelevant.' His modern American look was ruined, though, by the fact that he had one bandolier going from his right shoulder to his left hip, another bandolier going from his left shoulder to his right hip, and a rather thick belt, which would have been okay if it wasn't for the fact that the bandoliers and the belt had enough knives to arm an infantry unit. For a bit of variety, there were a couple of swords hanging from the belt.

The boy's hair was black (Harry was somehow reminded of a black hole), and everyone in the hall, no matter how tall or where they were, had to crane their necks in an effort to see his face. It would have been a face that anyone would like, had it not been for the fact that his eyes were like an expanse of undisturbed snow: they were pure white, yet at the same time you felt they were seeing not only everything around them, but so much more, including things that were invisible to normal eyes.

The stranger had a whispered conversation with Professor Dumbledore (at one point Dumbledore motioned to the mobile armory the boy was wearing), then headed to the stool to be Sorted. After a minute, the Sorting Hat shouted, "Steven Smith for Gryffindor."

Steven sat down at Gryffindor table, but instead of getting food, he pulled on some gloves and piled his dishes up. He then pulled out some dishes from somewhere in his cloak, then got some food and started eating.

* * *

The next three weeks were relatively uneventful, though there were some instances where the Slytherins said the wrong thing about Steven, or, as he'd requested that he be called, Steve. These encounters invariably ended with a teacher demanding that he remove the tips of his swords from the skin of the offender's throats. In fact, other than that, Steve was incredibly friendly, though he didn't talk much. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine got him to talk a few times, and he showed an incredible interest in Muggle technology and astronomy. However, this relaxed atmosphere was interrupted by a new arrival.

* * *

It was after classes, and the Gryffindor common room was full. Suddenly, someone came shooting out of the fireplace (without stopping to go around the fire) and headed straight for Steve, who was sitting in a corner looking like an incredibly realistic statue. The person screeched to a halt, then engulfed Steve in what appeared to be a backbreaking hug.

Steve tried to pry the person, who was a girl, off of him, but it didn't work, so he addressed her directly.

"Kylee, if you would kindly let my lungs return to their normal position, I would greatly appreciate it." Kylee immediately let go.

"So how have you been? Learned anything new?"

In answer, Kylee grabbed him by the throat, lifted him up, and with a twist of her wrist, she held him against the wall with his feet pointing up. Steve, not even fazed, grinned at her, then slapped her arm near the elbow. Kylee's hand opened for all of the second; however, this was all the time Steve needed to get free. He pushed himself off the wall, executed a neat midair flip, and landed on his feet behind Kylee.

"Watch your elbow next time; someone flailing around might hit the same spot I hit." He advised as Kylee turned around. "Now, if you're going to stay here, you need to be Sorted, which means we need to see Dumbledore, so lets get going."

They exited the common room, then headed down the corridor. When they reached the corridor that connected to the one they were in, Steve looked both ways, then turned to Kylee.

"Would you by any chance know the way to Dumbledore's office?"

* * *

I just had to put that last part in. I thought it would make you smile. Incredibly stupid, isn't it?