Ginny clicked her tongue and absently forced a brush through her daughter's hair. "Owww! Mum!" Ginny snapped out of her daze. "Oh! Sorry, hun. Maybe if you'd let me pull your hair back while you sleep it wouldn't get so snarled."

Victoria shook her head in objection. "Hair thingys are too tight! And you're the one who says it looks pretty all out." Saying this, she pulled away from her mother and ran to a mirror in the corner. "I want Daddy to think I'm pretty."

"There's no doubt he'll think that, doll. I, on the other hand... will need to work at it." Ginny crossed into the bathroom and glared at herself in the mirror.

'Unfortunately, no amount of glamour charms will get rid of my freaking freckles. At least Vic wasn't cursed with them.' Applying a few make-up charms and charming her long red hair to curl down her back, she shrugged. 'Good enough, I suppose... the focus will be on Vic mostly anyway. Damn, this better have been the right choice. Bloody hell, we should be there right now.' With that thought she rushed out of the bathroom and grabbed Victoria's hand. "We're going to have to run, Tory... just hold up your robes."

>>>

Fifteen minutes later they arrived in the Entrance Hall. Panting slightly, Ginny smoothed out her dress and nodded approvingly at Vic, who was using her hand as a brush. "Okay then, let's go. You ready?"

"Yep. Are you?"

"As much as I'll ever be... all right then." Ginny opened the doors to the Great Hall smiling shyly, her hand in her daughters.

>>>

Tom Marvolo Riddle silently watched the sorting process, rather wishing the whole welcoming feast was over and done with. If it wasn't for the new first years and his title of prefect he probably would've skipped it. But, this was the time he'd have the best chance of finding followers. It wasn't widely known that when someone was sorted into their respective house the sorting hat searched through their brain, their emotions, their experiences, and by doing that it sent out a kind of aura identifying that person and where they belonged. Tom Riddle discovered it in his first year, needing to know how the sorting hat made it's decisions.

Since then he'd been training himself to do the same. He had gotten so far that now he could predict where someone would end up almost as fast. It was mostly this that made the sorting so boring, he just needed to look in the persons eyes to discover, and he had all ready mentally listed which ones would end up where, who was the most powerful, and which ones had the most interest in dark magic.

It was just as he finished his list, and lazily watched the last first year, Louis Ginningham, get sorted into Hufflepuff, when the process was disturbed by the doors leading to the Entrance Hall slowly creaking open. Swiftly his eyes swept over the four tables trying to find anyone missing. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary he quickly returned his gaze to the now open doors, there he saw a short, hour-glass shaped, red-headed girl, probably about his age, holding the hand of a tiny, dark-haired, little girl that looked oddly familiar.

Looking back up to the red-head he found her staring at him, still smiling but with a strange look in her eyes. Wondering what it was, he looked up to Prof. Dippet as he stood and addressed the staff and students. "You arrived right on time, Miss Richards." He said, giving Ginny a reassuring nod. "Students! I'd like you all to give a nice welcome to our new exchange student, Miss. Richards. Due to an unfortunate accident, her younger sister will be living here at the school as well, until she is of age to attend. Prof. Dumbledore please sort Miss. Richards into her house so we can resume with the feast!"

>>>

Ginny gulped as she stepped toward Prof. Dumbledore, wondering if she'd remain in Gryffindor for her second sorting. Letting go of Victoria's hand as she reached the stool, she sat down felt the hat flop onto her head, and waited patiently for the decision. 'She didn't really want to be placed into Hufflepuff, they were too... consistently cheerful. That just didn't seem natural. And Gryffindor might be nice 'cause it's familiar... but that'd probably make things with Tom more difficult. Honestly, being placed in Slytherin would be the easiest, but it'd feel so wrong after six years fighting with them. Perhaps Ravenclaw then... Most everyone likes them all right and most people leave them alone.'

Ginny's thoughts ceased as she felt the hat fidget then start to talk to her. "Well, well, fancy seeing you again. Did Gryffindor not suit you? You were one of my toughest to place originally, I don't think you've lost your touch. You're not as naive now, no, you've seen dark things. But you still have some of that innocence. Hmm, let's see. You have the bravery of a Gryffindor, the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and the wit of a Ravenclaw. But you do not have a Slytherin's ambition, as would be expected... no, you have their slyness, their cunning, their 'something to hide' personality. What a puzzle you make. I won't put you in Gryffindor, you've been there once, and I never really thought it was right... but you insisted. Hmm. Perhaps, I should search some of your more recent memories. People are apt to change with reason and age."

>>>

Tom stared at the Richards girl, trying to remember her eyes so he could sort her. 'She seemed to have trouble being placed, but he couldn't tell if it was because she was powerful, weak, or the sorting hat was just enjoying a good conversation. Damn. If it wasn't for that distracting strange look, he could've sorted here then. He'd have to find out about her. Exchange students were rare, and they almost always had an 'unfortunate accident' as Dippet said. But, they had never involved a small child living at Hogwarts until now.

Switching his gaze to the little girl, he found her glancing around the Great Hall as if looking for someone. Obviously not finding the one whom she seeked, she looked back to her sister. He remained staring at her, hoping she'd glance around again and look at him so he could read her. She didn't look a lot like her older sister. At the moment the only thing that looked similar was their heart-shaped faces. Perhaps they were only half-sisters, then again if he looked up close there might be more similiarities.

Deciding that she was not going to glance around again, he turned his thoughts back to the older girl. There was something odd about his whole thing. Sudden exchange student, a little sister, a never-ending sorting, and of course the 'unfortunate accident', this might not be such a boring year after all.

>>>

Ginny resisted the urge to squirm and mentally glared at the sorting hat for taking so long. Attempting to talk to it, she thought: 'Okay, searched enough, haven't you? If you take much longer you'll get plates and goblets flung at us from all the starving students. Unless of course that's your plan, and you've just discovered my secret love for fatal food fights.' She sarcastically ended. She heard the hat chuckle good-naturedly, which just annoyed her more. 'Bloody hat.'

After waiting a few minutes more the hat straightened itself dramatically, and talked to Ginny. "All right then, I've made my choice. You're not going to like it though." Ginny glared at it some more, wondering what the devil it was about to do.

>>>

Tom watched as the hat wiggled and kind of pulled itself up on her head, causing most of the students that had started chatting to stop and look up at the exchange student. The hat finally talked out loud, but instead of its usual just yelling of the house it spoke:

"A challenging student, for me, is quite rare.

It's hard to discover, who to put where.

'Tis been a long time since I've had one like this.

One who holds qualities of each houses bliss.

So perhaps, someday I will know.

Just which house she to must go.

But for now, I'll just throw her in.

The cunning house, of Slytherin!"

Tom clapped politely with the rest of his house. This would certainly make things easier.

>>>

Ginny stood and handed the hat to Dumbledore. A little bit shocked and relieved, she took Victoria's hand which was still clapping, and walked over to the Slytherin table. 'Well, this is going to be a strange experience. A Gryffindor in Slytherin... Wonder what was with that rhyme. Damn hat really does get bored. Oh, there's Tom.' At this she found herself sitting in the only space, right across from Tom who was openly scrutinizing her. 'Well, here goes.'

"Hullo, I'm Virginia and this is Victoria. Nice to meet you."

Tom nodded his head at the introduction and politely put out his hand. "Tom. Welcome to Slytherin."

The girl shook his hand with a strong grip and, and then started to fill a plate for herself and her sister, who justsmiled at him.Not wanting the conversation to end yet he spoke. "What extra classes are you taking?"

>>>

Virginia cursed herself mentally. She really didn't think about this as much as she should have. "Um, Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins. You?"

"The same." At that neither of them continued, as the food was fast disappearing.

Ginny continued to curse herself. This should be so easy, she knows Tom. The problem was him not knowing her... and how long could she pretend Victoria was her sister? Tom'd be even madder if she waited forever. As the meal ended, she felt a hand grasp hers and help her up.

Tom spoke. "I'm a prefect so I can show you to the Slytherin common room. Dippet just told me where your private room is located."

"Thank you." Ginny swiftly followed him, secretly singing his praise when he realized how long his stride was compared to hers and Victoria's. Okay, this was it then she'd tell him tonight.

>>>

Victoria smiled happily. She was finally in the same room as her Dad! Even if he was kind of blunt and boring at the moment. She could see now why she looked so different from her mother. Looking at his stern, smile-less, face she giggled suddenly. He was going to be sooo surprised!

>>>