American Gryffindor
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Written by Lil ol' me on my downstairs computer.I only own the made up characters, J.K. Rowling owns everything else. Sadly.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry took a seat in the great hall. Ron immediately struck up a conversation with Seamus about muggle sport-a conflict they needed to resolve. "Football is a lot better then Quidditch." Declared Seamus boldly. Ron almost turned red with disbelief. "What are you talking about?! Muggle sports are rubbish compared to Quidditch!" "Hush you two," Exclaimed Hermione. "The new first years are coming in!" Both of the boys and Harry turned their heads in the direction of the Teacher's Table; where the sorting hat was.

Slowly, a stream of nervous looking first years filed in. In their midst was a tall girl with short brown hair that was obviously older. Hermione frowned. Last year there was a huge amount of backcountry wizard children pouring into the school, all older with no formal training. Professor McGonagall had been so stressed by all of the catching up the children had to do, she declared that she would never "Take late starters again!" But this girl did not look like a back country wizard dressed in frayed robes and overalls. No, not at all. But who was she? Hermione decided just to wait and see.

Obviously Harry had been thinking the same thing, and leaned over to whisper to Hermione. "Who is the new girl?" "I don't know-now be quiet!"

The sorting began with the Hat's new song, ingenious and original as always, was over soon. Hermione, Ron, and Harry along with the rest of the school, clapped happily at the end. "I liked that part about Slytherins," Ron whispered to Harry, "It made them sound particularly nasty." Indeed, several unsorted students looked quite pale after that phrase.

Professor McGonagall stepped up. "We will begin the sorting now." She pulled out a foot long parchment. There wasn't many new students this year, probably because Voldemort had been resurrected. At a time like this, most parents wanted to keep their children home 'safe' with them. "Ahinan, Tomas." Ahinan stepped up at was almost instantaneously sorted into Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff table briefly clapped then welcomed him with smiles. The list moved through the students quickly, and slowly, as the younger students trickled away to their houses, the older girl looked increasingly embarrassed and nervous. Finally, Professor McGonagall ended with "Zerknel, Abyth" Who went to Ravenclaw. "What is she doing about that older girl?" Ron whispered harshly to Hermione. "I don't know, but I feel bad for her! Imagine standing up their all alone!" She whispered back. Harry was about to say something again, but Hermione shushed him, Professor McGonagall was about to speak. Was it Harry or did she cast him a particularly silencing glance? "As you can see, we have some new arrivals that are obviously not first years." She began, and the girl flushed. McGonagall ignored it and continued. "We have a transfer from America this year, and she will be entering into 6th year. Step up please." She said turning to the girl. The girl did as she was told, and promptly sat on the stool.

-Ah, Clare Austen-Smith. Stepsister of Nymphadora Tonks? -Um, yes. Can we please get this over with? The sorting hat ignored her.
-Hmmm, hates mean teachers, honest, set in her ways-
-WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP GOING THROUGH MY HEAD! This response quite shocked the Hat.
-Going through your head? Hah, I'm just going through your traits.
-Sorry, I just, er, outbursted?
-Well, that settles the matter. The hat replied.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. The Gryffindors stood up and applauded. Clare flushed again and made her way to the table. She carefully noted the dirty glares from the Slytherins, especially a cruel looking blond boy. She didn't say anything, but the flush was gone from her face. Clare knew she would have trouble later.

She took a seat next to a girl with hair similar to hers-thick and wavy. Along with the girl their was a cute looking redhead boy and an boy with black hair. Suddenly, she realized that the black haired boy was Harry Potter.
"Hey!" She exclaimed. "You're Harry Potter!"
"Yes, I am. This is Hermione-" He gestured to the girl, "and Ron." Her gestured to the boy.
"Hello-I'm Clare."
"So your here from America, right?" Hermione said as she piled the food on her plate-it had just appeared. Clare followed in suit, putting a chicken wing and salad on her plate.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Hogwarts is so different then Arlen."
"Arlen was the school you went to?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's been around since the Salem Witch Trials as protection for the accused witches-the actual wizards would put on charms to stop them burning-but then it sort of merged into an actual wizard school."

Hermione was about to say something but then Ron interrupted. "Did you have a Quidditch team?" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Uh huh. I play-or I should say played- chaser. Quidditch isn't as big in America as it is in England."
"What was it called?"
"My team? It's called the Arlen Orioles-they're a-"
"Type of bird, right?" Clare smiled. It wasn't often people knew so much. She turned to Hermione.
"Yeah! Most people don't know that. Do you read a lot?"
"Tons." Ron and Harry said in unison, and rolled their eyes. Clare's eyes lit up.
"Cool! Have you ever read The Poison Wood Bible? It's fantastic."
"Actually, I'm in the middle of it right now." Through all of this, Hermione had been measuring up and judging the new girl up. So far she seemed to meet what Hermione thought was a decent girl. Clare was obviously doing the same thing and came to the same conclusion. Both girls launched into a conversation about books and other things, and Ron, Harry, and Seamus got involved in Quidditch again. Now and again one of the boys would toss Clare a question about Quidditch and she would lean over and answer, which measured up pretty good for the boys. Then Clare and Hermione would return back to their discussion. Before they knew it, it was time to go. "Come on," Hermione said, "We'll show you to the Common Room. Come on Harry, Ron." The four made their way to the hall. "Harry, is You-Know-I mean Voldemort," Ron and Hermione flinched, Ron quite more visibly. "Uh-sorry." She said then turned to Harry, "really resurrected?" Harry looked a little drawn then said "Yes." quietly. Clare's face took a seriousness to it and for a second she looked like she was about cry. But only for a minute. "So what did-Oh, I'm sorry!" Clare said-she had just bumped into someone.
"New Gryffindors not looking where they are going? 5 points from Gryffindor." Snape smiled cruelly and walked away briskly. Clare was left their a bit speechless and mad.
"Did he just take 5 points away for bumping into him?!" She exclaimed. Hermione answered. "that Snape. He hates Gryffindors, period." "HATES? More like despises!!!"

"Yelling about something, Weasly? Or did you just lose a knut?" A cruel voice echoed across the hallway. Clare looked up. It was the cruel looking blond boy, plus two others, that she had saw at dinner. Immediately, she adopted a cool expression.

"No, he didn't drop a knut. He saw your face." She said with force at the ends of her words. Malfoy was speechless; Hermione, Ron and Harry were shocked but happy all the same.

"What? How dare you speak to me that way!" Malfoy sputtered. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes, in fact I do." Clare shot back, "A stuck up prat who has nothing better to do but count his knuts-sadly, they number oh so few. If you know what I mean."
Ron burst out laughing. Harry was trying to hide his laughter but also burst out, and Hermione had a hand over her mouth, covering up her giggles. Draco was beet red. "Come Crabbe, Goyle, they are not good enough for us." He said with a huff and stalked off.
Clare collapsed in a fit of giggles after the Slytherin trio stalked off. "Hahaha, that was hilarious, hahaha!" "It served Malfoy right." Ron said. "Oh, is that his name? It sounds hideous-like some thing dark."

When they arrived at the common room a few minutes later, a full swing celebration was in session. "The question is," Whispered Hermione to Clare, "is why we always have one, no matter what." "I suppose," Clare responded, "that it is for the beginning of the year or something." Just then a shower of rainbow sparks shot up from somebody's wand, and Hermione went off to see who it was. She was a prefect, after all.