Kagome jumped as the door to her compartment slid open with a loud bang. She wiped away her tears hurriedly and examined the intruder. In the doorway was a fifteen year old girl with flaming red hair, bright brown eyes, and freckles. She was wearing black robes adorned with a patch that had a lion on it. After being told about the different house by Professor Snape, Kagome deducted that the girl was in Gryffindor.

"Oh, I'm sorry to disturb you. All the other compartments are
full, and I can't seem to find any of my friends. Do you mind if I sit
here?"

Kagome smiled. It had been awhile since she smiled. "I don't
mind. I don't really know anyone here anyway."

The girl sat down across from her and examined Kagome closely.
"Are you new then? You look a little old for a first year," she said
jokingly.

"No I'm definitely not a first year, but I am new. Do you like
going to Hogwarts?" Kagome asked, changing the subject so she wouldn't
give her teaching position away.

"Oh yes!" the girl gushed. "This is my fifth year! I'm so happy
to be going back to school. Hogwarts is a bit like a second home to
me. My name if Ginny, by the way, Ginny Weasley."

"Kagome Higurashi. Pleased to meet you," Kagome said politely.

Suddenly, the compartment door slid open again, and a boy with
messy black hair and bright green eyes poked his head in.

"There you are Ginny! I've been looking all over for you!
Hermione and Ron are sitting in the Prefects car."

"Hello Harry! This is Kagome Higurashi, she's new this year.
Kagome, this is Harry Potter," Ginny said, introducing both of them.

Harry stepped all the way into the compartment and closed the
door behind him. He was a tall, skinny boy. His thick black glasses
made him look almost weak, but Kagome could sense a strong magic
inside him, almost as if he wasn't human. Harry was gazing at her
nervously, as if he expected her to say something rude.

Instead, she just held out a hand for him to shake, causing him
to relax a little and sit in one of the seats across from her.

The three of them talked for awhile before a kindly old witch
pushing a trolley asked them if they wanted anything to eat. Kagome
was astonished to find that even the food of witches and wizards was
magical as she tasted Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. She actually
screamed when she opened a chocolate frog, and it started moving.
Neko's whiskers had twitched in annoyance when Kagome jumped out of
her seat in shock, causing her to fall to the floor.

"Oh yea, we forgot to warn you about those," Harry said
sheepishly. "They aren't real frogs; they just have enchantments on
them to make them move. They also come with cards that have famous
witches and wizards on them. Who'd you get?"

Kagome picked up the card and gazed at the picture of a tall man
with glowing red eyes that somewhat resembled a snake. She read the
card aloud.

LORD VOLDEMORT
_______________

THE DARK LORD

Lord Voldemort is a Dark Wizard that has just
recently risen again. He held a terrifying reign over the
Magical World fifteen years ago before he met his
downfall in Harry Potter, who had been a baby at the time. While
Potter's parents were killed, the child was able survive the deadly
Avada Kedavra, surviving the attack with only a scar on his forehead.
Information on Lord Voldemort is scarce, and even the picture above
may be inaccurate. Only a few have seen Lord Voldemort face to face
and lived to tell the tale.

The compartment was filled with a tense silence after Kagome
finished reading the card.

"I. . .I'm sorry," Kagome apologized. "I didn't know."

Harry sighed wearily. He seemed to be used to this. "It's all
right Kagome, don't worry about it."

The voice of the conductor boomed throughout the train,
informing the students that they were nearing the school and that they
should change into their uniforms. Both Harry and Ginny had already
done so.

"Kagome, do you want us to leave so you can change?" Ginny
asked, gesturing to Kagome's dark blue dress robes.

"I don't need to change," Kagome said mysteriously.

When Harry and Ginny questioned her about this, she only told
them that they would find out at the castle.
When the train came to a stop, the three of them hopped off. Harry and
Ginny waited for Kagome to say good-bye to Neko since she would be
brought to Kagome's room with the rest of her luggage. Kagome was just
bending over to pet her kitten one last time when she felt an
offending limb on her rear.

She quickly whirled around and slapped the culprit while
shrieking about perverted monks. She stopped mid-rant when she
remembered that Miroku was back in the Feudal Era. Instead of finding
her lecherous friend, she was faced with a somewhat handsome boy.
However, any good looks were spoiled by the malicious twinkle in his
cold gray eyes and the way his platinum blonde hair was slicked back
with greasy gel.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Kagome shouted, her hand poised
for another slap.

The blonde boy smirked, still clutching his cheek with his hand.
"You're pretty feisty. How would you like to ditch Potter and join my
group instead?"

Kagome simply ground her heel into the boy's foot before
knocking him to the ground and marching away haughtily, dragging a
shocked Harry and Ginny behind her.

"That was amazing!" Ginny exclaimed once they had reached a
carriage. "You really showed Malfoy!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Malfoy's his name?"

"Yes, Draco Malfoy. His father is pretty powerful in the Magical
World."

"Well powerful father or not, I've dealt with my fair share of
lechers, and I'm not about to let him get away with groping me!"

The carriage shuddered slightly as a boy and a girl joined the
three. The boy had the same red hair as Ginny, and was introduced as
her brother, Ron. The girl had bushy brown hair and brown eyes. Her
name was Hermione Granger, and Kagome was told that Hermione was the
smartest girl in the grade, causing said girl to blush with pride.

"Um you guys?" Kagome asked nervously. "What are those. .
.'things' pulling these carriages?"

Everyone in the carriage turned their heads to Kagome.

"You mean you can see them?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yes. . .can some people not see them? Are they some kind of
horse-demon?"

Hermione cleared her throat. "They're called thestrals. You can
only see them if you've watched someone die. . ."

Everyone stared at Kagome, making her squirm uncomfortably. "I-I
don't really want to talk about it."

The others nodded in understanding, and the carriage lurched
forward. The group sat in an eerie silence before Ron engaged Harry in
a conversation about something called 'Quidditch.' Hermione was
telling Ginny about Fifth Year classes while Kagome remained lost in
thought.

'How can I tell them that I've seen hundreds of people die?
Well, they weren't really people, but demons are living things too!
Maybe the Magical World isn't as carefree as I thought it was. They
have dark wizards and everything! It's so weird. . .that Voldemort guy
almost reminds me of Naraku!'

Kagome shivered at the thought of the evil hanyou, but no one
noticed. She sternly reminded herself that Naraku was dead. Even so,
the mere thought of him still invoked a terrible fear in her heart.

The carriage jolted to a stop, and they scrambled out. Kagome
stared up in awe at the huge castle before her. It was illuminated by
the moon hanging high in the sky, and she couldn't help thinking that
she hadn't seen so many stars since her last trip to the Feudal Era.
She quickly followed the others up the stone steps, trying to not to
trip over her own two feet.

She was following the others into the Great Hall when she was
pulled aside by one of the professors. He was pale and had brown hair
that was streaked with gray. There were dark circles underneath his
eyes, as if he had not been getting much sleep lately, and he looked a
little sick. Despite this, he still greeted her with a warm smile.

"I assume you're Professor Kagome Higurashi. My name is Remus
Lupin, and I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. I hope
you had a pleasant trip here."

"I had a very nice trip, Mr. Lupin. I'm a little nervous about
teaching here though. Some of the students are older than me!"

Lupin waved his hand, as if brushing aside the comment. "I have
a feeling you'll do just fine. We have a seat for you at the Head
Table so if you would follow me. . ."

Professor Lupin led her into the Great Hall through a small
door, and she almost tripped upon entering it. The room was simply
amazing. Hundreds of floating candles lit the room while the ceiling
above seemed to open up to the sky above. Lupin smiled knowingly at
her amazement before seating her next to himself and Professor Snape.
The Potions Master gave her a brief smile before focusing on the main
doors on the other end of the room.

The doors opened, causing the room to fall completely silent. A
strict looking woman with salt and pepper hair strode into the room
followed by a group of small children. She stopped beside a frayed old
hat resting upon a stool in the middle of the hall. Everyone had their
eyes fixed on the hat, so Kagome stared at it too, wondering what
would happen next.

She nearly fell out of her chair when the hat sprang to life and
started singing.

"Welcome, children, to Hogwarts,
A school for magical kids like you
Where you will learn magic
And form bonds with others too.
Allow me to introduce myself,
I am the Sorting Hat,
Just place me on your head,
And we'll have a little chat.
With careful consideration I will decide
Where you should go
Children, I have been doing this for many years, Trust me, I will
know!
Gryffindor may be the house for you,
If you're a brave soul,
Their strength and ability
Are renowned from old;
Hufflepuff may be your place,
Your friends will always be true!
You'll have loyalty 'til the very end,
They'll help you when you're blue;
Is Ravenclaw your destiny?
Are you smart and ready to learn?
You'll always be prepared for a test,
No need to be concerned!
Maybe you'll belong in Slytherin
If you're cunning and clever,
Slytherins never give up,
Never, never, never!
Are you ready? Don't be nervous,
Just place me on your head!
The house I choose will help you
On whatever path you tread!

The students applauded wildly, and Kagome laughed at their
enthusiasm. She had never heard a hat sing before!

The woman stepped forward and announced that the children would
approach the hat when she called their names to be sorted.

"Abbers, Sandra!"

The hat paused for only a moment before shouting "RAVENCLAW!"

The girl hopped off the stool and hurried to the Ravenclaw's
Table to sit down while she was applauded.

"Armstrong, Karl!"

This child sat on the stool for almost a full minute before the
hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Sorting continued on like this until all the children were
placed in a house. After it ended, the hat was taken away, and Albus
Dumbledore, the headmaster, stood up. The hall quieted, and everyone
stared at him.

"Another year," he began, "at Hogwarts. Many of you now know
that Voldemort has once again risen (many people in the hall flinched
at Voldemort's name). I want you all to know, that you are safe, here,
at Hogwarts. Security has been raised and you now have an 8:00PM
curfew. Students outside their dormitories past 8:00PM without
permission will be severely punished. Trips to Hogsmeade and Quidditch
practices will be overseen by at least two teachers, for your own
safety. These are dark times, and therefore we must be cautious."

He stared around at the gloomy faces before clearing his throat
and beginning once more.

"In brighter news, we have a returning teacher and a new subject
available this year. Professor Lupin has agreed to return to teach
Defense Against the Dark Arts-"

Dumbledore's announcement was cut off by the deafening applause
coming from the students. Most of the older students were on their
feet cheering while the younger students looked around in confusion.
Lupin simply smiled and waved cheerily at them.

"Yes, welcome back Professor Lupin! Also, I assure you that his
ah. . .transformation once a month will not be a problem; on the days
he is unable to teach, I will take his place. My last announcement is
that we have a new subject this year, available for Fifth Years and
up. This subject is simply called Wandless Magic for lack of a better
name. Wandless Magic is a most ancient form of magic, and it was
believed that there were none left who knew it. That's why you are
very fortunate I managed to find someone that possesses this amazing
ability."

Kagome shifted uncomfortably as the students whispered to each
other eagerly.

"It will be taught by the youngest staff member to ever join the
Hogwarts Staff. Kagome, please stand."

Kagome felt her legs turn to jelly as she shakily stood up. She
glanced around the hall and found that everyone's jaw was hanging open
in shock. Still, she held her chin up proudly, as if she was just
facing down another demon in the Feudal Era.

She could catch little snippets of conversation coming from the
students.

"*She's*supposed to be our new teacher?!"

"I'm older than her!"

"She's kind of cute though. . ."

"HELLO?! She's too young to teach us! How are we supposed to
learn from her?!"

She was starting to feel terribly uncomfortable with all the
whispering when a single person began to clap. She glanced over to the
Gryffindor Table to find Harry Potter on his feet, applauding her. She
smiled at him thankfully. Harry was soon joined by Ginny, and pretty
soon, the whole Gryffindor Table was clapping. The hall was filled
with a mild, polite applause, and Kagome was a little disturbed to
hear wolf-whistles coming from some of the older boys.

"Now, with all that said, let the feast begin!" Dumbledore
boomed, much to the delight of the hungry students.

Kagome's eyes widened to the size of saucers as a delectable
feast appeared on the table. There were all kinds of food, and she
quickly helped herself. She let out a small shriek when a bunch of
transparent ghosts floated into the room halfway through the meal, but
Lupin quickly assured her that they were residents in the castle and
perfectly harmless.

For the first time since the well was sealed, Kagome was feeling
happy. After the feast had ended, she felt much more comfortable with
her new surroundings. She had learned all of fellow-professors' names,
and she was feeling ready to take on anything. She was led to her room
by Professor McGonagall who had been the one to lead the First Years
into the Great Hall for the Sorting. Kagome was shown to a picture of
a large weeping willow. McGonagall asked her to pick a password.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said off the top of her head.

If McGonagall thought this was strange, she did not comment. She
bid Kagome good-night before heading towards her own rooms for a good
rest that would definitely be needed tomorrow for when classes
started.

Kagome's room was amazing. The large canopy bed was big enough
for three of her, and it matched the plush purple carpet that covered
her floor. The candelabras cast a warm light over her old fashioned
writing desk and light purple walls. She opened one of the two doors
to her left to find a walk-in closet. The other door led to a well-
furnished bathroom including a tub the size of a swimming pool. All in
all, the room looked very comfortable and somewhat Victorian.

Feeling exhausted, Kagome collapsed onto her bed without
removing her shoes. She took Neko into her arms. The kitten had been
brought up to her room along with all of her other belongings.

Maybe. . .just maybe. . .she could get used to living at
Hogwarts.

She quickly blew the candle on her beside out, plunging the room
into darkness. She was just beginning to doze off when she heard a
quiet creaking noise at the foot of her bed. She sat up abruptly, as
if she had been launched by springs.

"Who's there?" she asked, suddenly feeling wide awake.

A pair of yellow eyes only inches from her face blinked at her.

Kagome screamed.

A/N: I seemed to have forgotten this will be an Inu/Kag pairing. Sorry to those who wanted otherwise, but this is just how I needed the story to be. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. ^_^