Disclaimer-This goes for every single chapter in this story, and I will not type it again: Much as I wish it, I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE REAL HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS, THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF J.K. ROWLING. I merely own the exchange students.

Summer was quickly ending, and Fred and George Weasley were getting ready to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had spent the better part of the break vacationing in Egypt with their family, and had returned with only three days left to buy and pack their school materials before the start of term. The whole family had decided to stay at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, and it was there that they met up with Ron Weasleys best friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Ron spent most of his time with his friends, telling them about Egypt, and also how Percy had become Head Boy.

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione had a good time in Diagon Alley, but all were glad when the day finally came for them to go to King's Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express back to school. Mr. Weasley had been able to borrow cars from the Ministry of Magic, where he worked, to take all of them to the station. The cars were wizard cars and couldn't be seen by muggles, so despite the usual chaos of getting everything and making sure they forgot nothing, they all arrived earlier than they expected, giving them plenty of time to go through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters.

There was the usual hustle and bustle on the platform of people saying goodbye and trying to find a place to sit, as well as meeting old friends and making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Harry, Hermione and the Weasley children said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then proceeded to carry their trunks on board the train and into an empty compartment. Just as Fred and George were about to leave to find their best friend, Lee Jordan, Hermione stopped them.

"Before any of you leave, I have to tell you all something I've been waiting all summer to say." She paused.

"Come on, out with it, then." Fred said.

"Well, I have been keeping in touch with Hannah Abbot of Hufflepuff all summer, and she told me something that Dumbledore wanted to keep secret until tonight." She paused again, looking excited.

"Well…?" Ron asked, "Please, continue."

"Well, this year, and next year if it works out, Hogwarts is participating in a student exchange program with the Salem Institute of Sorcery in America." She said, grinning. Ginny squealed in delight.

"You're kidding!" Fred and George said in unison. Harry and Ron just sat and looked shocked.

"No, I'm not-"

"Hang on, how come Hannah knew about it, if Dumbledore wanted it to be kept a secret?" Harry asked.

"Because Hannah was asked to go. Apparently there were two people chosen from each of years three through seven, people who most exemplify both Hogwarts and their House. They got an owl in the early summer, so that in case they declined, Dumbledore could find someone else. Hannah is going, and the others that are going won't be on the train, they are going to America the muggle way."

"So you're saying that if we go through the train, we'll be able to tell who in our year is going to America because they aren't here?" Fred asked.

"Precisely."

"We'll be back, come on George." The twins left the compartment to go look for Lee Jordan, followed by Ginny as she went to tell her friends the news.

"I wonder who else in our year went, I hope it was Malfoy," Ron said, relishing the thought of a year without Draco Malfoy, the three friends' worst enemy. Harry, Ron and Hermione were excitedly discussing who they hoped would be going to the Salem Institute when Fred and George returned looking somewhat dejected.

"Bad news Harry. Not only is Lee Jordan not on the train, but neither is Alicia Spinnet," Fred said.

"No! But Alicia's on the Quidditch team!"

"We know, she's our best Chaser."

"Oliver is not going to like this."

"Of course not! He's going to go all psycho on us as soon as he finds out. It'll be tryout first day of classes and then practices every night to train the new Chaser up to Alicia's quality. Actually, we have decided," Fred started,

"That since you are Olivers favorite little Seeker," George said

"You can go find him and tell him. The sooner he knows we're down Alicia, the better."

"Why not just wait until we get to the school?" Harry asked, "We don't want to get Wood all worked up and stressed out now."

The compartment door opened, but it was only the plump witch with the food trolley, coming around to see if anyone wanted to buy something. After everyone had bought some food, they sat back down and were just starting to eat when the compartment door opened again, only this time it was Draco Malfoy who walked in wearing his trademark sneer and flanked, as usual, by his two cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

"So, I see you're all still here, pity as I was so hoping for a year without you." He drawled

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with dislike.

"Oh, haven't you heard? There are some students not on the train, because they were selected to participate in a student exchange program Hogwarts has started. I heard Longbottom's going, which is a pity, I wouldn't want the people at the Salem Institute thinking that all of us Hogwarts students are as incompetent as that great lump." He started to laugh.

"Shove off, Malfoy." Harry warned.

"I also hear you lost one of your Chasers, Potty. Such a shame. Looks like Dumbledore's idea is going to really benefit Slytherin. I doubt there's any chance of your pathetic team winning the Quidditch Cup this year." Malfoy stopped talking, he had just noticed that the Weasleys and Harry were looking murderous, and all were getting ready to jump at him. He quickly left the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle, slamming the door in the process.

Ron looked angrily down the train at Malfoy's retreating figure.  "That stupid git. How is it possible that he gets worse every year?"

"Dunno, but I bet it has to do with his father getting sacked as a school governor last year." Harry replied

"Yeah," Ron smiled wistfully, "That was so awesome." Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Hey," George interrupted, "Anyone care to play a few games of Exploding Snap?"

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the train ride playing Exploding Snap and talking about the exchange students.

"Do you think they'll be at the feast tonight?" Ron asked.

"Probably," Fred answered, "they have to be sorted, don't they?"

"Yeah. I wonder if any of them will be in Gryffindor."

"Some have to be, Ronald," Hermione said, "There are at least three people from Gryffindor going to the Institute, and there are ten people coming to Hogwarts. At least one of them has to be a Gryffindor."

"I guess you're right, as usual." Ron said, looking out the window to se where they were. "Hey! We're almost at the station!"

As he said this, the train started to slow. Within minutes it had come to a complete stop, and the students were getting off the train. They heard Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper, calling the first years to him, as he does every year, to take them across the lake to Hogwarts in a small fleet of boats. The other students then got into the horseless carriages that would take them up the road to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione were joined by fellow third year, Seamus Finnigan, and Fred and George rode with other Gryffindor fifth years. All students were anxious to get to the school, not just for the annual start of term feast, but also because rumors had spread throughout the train. Rumors of a student exchange program that had started, and all were eager to find out who had left, as well as meet those who were going to be staying with them for the year.

So, how was it? Please review! -