Disclaimer: Hey there everyone! Welcome, I am starting this new fic! I hope you all realize I don't own the material (except for my one character, Heather). So, lets all have a party, a reading party that is! Lol, that was so dumb!

"Do you have everything you need dear?" asked Mrs. Loland.

"Yes Mom," said Heather. Heather had brown hair with bright blond highlights. Her eyes were like almonds, same shape and color. She had tanned skin and a lovely smile but was rather short for a girl of 16, and a 3rd year wizard at Skybird High School For Young Witches and Wizards. (F.Y.I. By "muggle" terms she would be in 11th grade in America, a Junior. Or a 6th year at Hogwarts)

"Now, if anything goes wrong, anything at all, just send me or your father an owl and we'll bring you back home," replied Mrs. Loland as she straitened Heathers jacket.

"I'll be fine mom! I have to go! I have to be there in half an hour!" said Heather as she picked up her trunk.

"Come along dear," said her father, "The port key is ready!" And with that Heather and her father grabbed the old shoe that was their port key and were sent whirling away.

"Are we there yet?" asked Heather as she rubbed a bump on her head.

"Yes," said her father as he stood up, "I'll walk you to the castle, and then you can meet the other exchange students." They fallowed the path with the sign that said "Hogwarts" on it. When they reached the castle they found a strange man holding a cat and an elderly man who was wearing a pointed purple hat.

The old man spoke first, "Welcome, Heather Loland. Fallow me. Mr. Filch will see to your luggage." He started to walk away, Heather and Mr. Loland fallowed.

They walked into a remarkably large room with four set tables. "This is the great hall," said the elderly man, "And I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Glad to meet you," said Mr. Loland as he shook the headmaster's hand, "I am Heathers father, Timothy Loland. I was glad to have met you and shall now be on my way." He gave his daughter a quick hug and walked out of the castle.

"Well, Heather," said Dumbledore, "let me introduce you to the other three exchange students. This," he pointed at a girl with lovely blond hair and light skin, "Is Linda Samson of Germany. And this," he pointed at another girl who had blue eyes and dark skin, "Is Tina Vale of Brazil. And this young lady who is also from America," he inclined his head in the direction of a girl with light brown hair and full lips, "Is Isabella Draper. Let me introduce the rest of you to Heather Loland who is from the United States of America."

"Hello," said Tina, the distinct sound of Portuguese lingered in her voice, though her English was very clear and understandable, "It is nice to meet you."

"Hi," Isabella said, sounding rather board. The other girl began ranting in German.

How am I ever going to fit in here, thought Heather.

"I would like to welcome and thank you all for engaging yourselves in the first year of the Hogwarts Exchange Student Program. You will each be sorted into one of our four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. Each of you will be in a different one. We will do your sorting now, rather than at the feast with the first years." Said the headmaster, "Heather, why don't you go first."

Heather was so nervous as he set the hat on her head.

"Hmm," said the hat, "Let's see what we have here...intelligent, very clever. But where would you fit best...Ravenclaw perhaps? No no....best be....GRYFFINDOR!"

"Ah! No need to shout!" said Isabella.

"You next Ms. Vale," said Dumbledore. The sorting continued on to place Tina in Hufflepuff, Isabella in Ravenclaw, and Linda in Slytherin. Then the students began to pour in.

"Best take your seats," said Dumbledore as he walked up to the teachers table.

For a moment Heather, panicked. Which one was the Gryffindor table? She scanned the room to find that all of the other exchange students were already seated. So she sat at the only table that one of them wasn't at.

Then Dumbledore began his beginning of the year speech, "Welcome back to everyone this year and a very warm welcome to our new first years! Also, I would like to proudly announce, that we have four foreign exchange students, who have switched schools with Lavender Brown of Gryffindor, Hanna Abbott of Hufflepuff, Mandy Brocklehurst of Ravenclaw, and Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin. These are the 6th year exchange students who will be occupying their rooms, Tina Vale in Hufflepuff, Heather Loland in Gryffindor, Isabella Draper in Ravenclaw, and Linda Samson in Slytherin. I am certain that you will get to know them quite well over the course of the year." Then the sorting of the first years began.

In the middle of the sorting a boy with red hair and freckles tapped Heather on the shoulder.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Didn't you even listen at all to what Professor Dumbledore just said?" asked a girl with frizzy brown hair.

"Not really," said the boy to the other girl.

"At least introduce yourself!" exclaimed the girl in a hushed voice, "I'm Hermione Granger, 6th year. And that's Ronald Weasly."

"Nice to meet you," said Heather timidly, "My name is Heather Loland. I'm one of the 6th year exchange students."

"Where are you from?" asked Ron.

"The United States of America," she replied.

"No kidding, do you like it here?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess. I only got here a few hours ago," she said.

"Oh," said Ron, "Nice talking to you." Then he turned around and started talking to a boy with black hair and glasses next to him. Then the food appeared on the table.

"Forget Ron," said Hermione, "All he cares about is his stomach."

Heather smiled, she already had one friend. Maybe this year wouldn't be too hard.

So what did you think? Was it good? I hope so. I'm also really sorry to start a fic like this then just up and leave but that's what I am doing to you since I wont be able to update 'til mid July. But does it seem promising? Please r&r! Oh, and no flames. Constructive criticism expected! Please r&r!