Author's Note:

Got this chapter out faster than I thought it would take...

I've realized that I really need to reread the Harry Poter books before continuing with this. You can expect the next update sometime in November.

This chapter didn't really appeal to me either - if anything seems really faked, or forced, let me know. I might rewrite it before the next chapter comes out. Oh yes, if it sounds a lot like another story you've been reading, send me the link. I don't plagarize...and the stories I've been reading on Quizilla all sound the same, so I'm paranoid now. I also only read it over once, so there may be typos and whatnot.

Enjoy.

Forever Untrue

Platform 9 and ¾ was crowded. She could tell even before she passed through the barrier. The area right around the ninth and tenth platforms was filled with odd looking people. There was something slightly off about them, but it was impossible to pinpoint.

Tai-Mei knew what it was only because she was a member of the wizarding world. She knew that many of the witches and wizards knew absolutely nothing about the Muggle world. In a sense, the purebloods would have the most trouble fitting in. The scorn they had for all things Muggle would lead to knowing about as much about Muggles as they did about the elements. (Which is to say, not much at all.)

Unless, of course, you were in the Malfoys' family. They managed to look normal, although very aloof. She had only seen them a few times, but it wasn't difficult to derive this assessment. Tai-Mei stifled what would have been an uncharacteristic giggle when she saw his servant quickly hand him a few small boxes and leave. It was obvious that Draco's Death Eater parents would not appear so soon after all the fuss. In fact, most of the pureblood parents didn't show up that day.

It was amazing that Hogwarts had reopened. There had been much talk of canceling, but her parents always knew what would happen. It had had a big impact on the wizarding world, but would have had even more on Tai-Mei's. She had one year to live, and she would be damned if it would be with her creators. They weren't too excited about that possibility either.

She wheeled her trolley onto the magicked platform, and looked for an empty compartment. Since she was fairly early, it was easy to find one. Stowing her things away, she sat down, drew the curtains, and took out a book. No one would disturb such an obviously busy and unfriendly girl, would they?

Of course they would.

Hermione and Ron had gone ahead to the prefects' compartment. Harry was alone, as he had been the year before. He left his luggage in an overhead rack somewhere, then searched for company. He wasn't eager to sit with Neville and Luna again, entertaining though it would be.

All of the compartments he looked in were full, as before. He knew upon looking at some doors that they should not be opened, and avoided those. This left surprisingly few choices.

They had arrived late, after several false starts. It was amazing what one could forget, and remember, in only thirty minutes. Hermione, surprisingly, had not been the cause of more than one trip back. Oh no, this time it was Ginny. Harry blushed, just thinking her name. If he looked hard enough, he could probably find her with her giggling friends. He decided against it. He could probably find her with another guy, just as easily.

Finally he came to one with the curtains drawn. Some curiosity drew him to open the door, despite the fact that he might come across something not meant for his eyes. It didn't give off the same vibe as the others had; this one was more cold and lifeless.

But, to his relief, there was only a solitary figure in it. Her back was to him, and she looked comfortable with her legs up on the seat, and a book on her lap. She hadn't changed into her robes yet, and was still wearing long dark blue jeans and a dark red sweater.

Tai-Mai had heard the door open, and had sighed inaudibly. Humans were such dense creatures. She had been concentrating her aura on something forbidding and unpleasant, and yet someone had still decided to join her in her solitude.

She looked at the reflection in the window opposite her, and was slightly surprised to see the infamous Harry Potter standing in the hall.

"You coming in or not?" She asked irritably, putting her book away. Harry jumped a little, entered, and sat down.

"I'm sorry to bother." He said.

"One thing I've noticed you people do – do first, talk later. I had the curtains drawn for a reason."

"Well, since my friends are up ahead in a different car, I had to find somewhere to sit. There isn't much of a choice in people these days, in case you haven't noticed." Harry snapped at her, already annoyed at how they were acting.

She grinned. It was a good opportunity.

"Care to explain that, Harry…Potter?" He blinked, and touched his scar a little awkwardly.

"You must understand that, even under normal circumstances…Hogwarts does not usually accept transfer students." Professor McGonagall said cautiously. The well dressed lady across from her fanned herself before replying.

"Yes, but you also understand why we need Sarah to attend Hogwarts."

"Our fees are very high for these cases." McGonagall responded almost peevishly. She really didn't need the extra stress of another purebred family on top of the Ministry's interference.

"We can afford it. When can she be sorted?"

"I'm sorry, but there can be no sorting. Unfortunately, the hat has not responded well in these troubled times. I doubt its judgment can be sound in this instance. Does your sister have a preference for her house?"

"Well…I believe she's hinted at wanting to be placed in…Slytherin." The brown haired woman replied, opening a letter. "Yes, she's written here: 'Oh, and Christina, see if you can arrange for me to be in that house with that Malfoy boy.' That IS the house this 'Malfoy' boy is in, right?" She looked up from the paper. McGonagall frowned, thinking of the kind of people that usually associated with the Malfoys.

"It is. Very well. Sarah will be placed in Slytherin. Her things will be taken to her rooms shortly, and you may bid her farewell."

"Thank you for your trouble." Christina said politely. Her eyes gleamed, and she walked out of the room. Behind her, McGonagall sighed, and rested her head on her arms. The paperwork around her was being scribbled on with many quills, but not one of them had been completed yet.

Still, they weren't her main concern.

'She thought she was so sneaky…but it was too obvious.'

They all arrived at the Great Hall at around the same. Harry found Ron and Hermione, and the three walked together to the tables.

"How'd it go on the train?" asked Ron, seating himself first.

"It was alright…found this interesting girl from Ravenclaw to talk to." Harry shrugged, swinging his leg over the bench. Hermione was obviously thinking negative thoughts, so he added, "Not my type, in case you're wondering." Hermione blushed, and glanced at Ginny.

The Sorting Hat was nowhere to be seen, although everyone could hear the sounds of would-be first years just outside the doors.

"There are probably barely any this year…wouldn't blame anyone." Harry said, lazily stroking his empty goblet.

"I really don't know how they'd be sorted. I heard from one of the professors that the Hat's not cooperating." Hermione interjected.

"Well, who cares. We don't really need to watch out for the first-years." Harry hastily amended his words when both of his friends looked at him strangely. "I mean, as in threats. We can still look over them – of course."

"Of course." Hermione repeated.

Tai-Mei's room had 4 other girls in it. She didn't really mind being the one left out of everything; she never had minded before either. All they wanted to talk about were the boys; Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy being the two main topics. They were nice enough; Leigh had tried getting her to join in a few times. Each time, she had shook her head politely, and looked pointedly back down at her books (even though there was no homework yet – they hadn't even received their schedules yet).

Eventually, they stopped trying and just left her alone. Her bed was located in a corner – near both a window and the door. This got a little annoying, but Tai-Mei never felt like putting in the effort for changing the sleeping arrangement. She liked the window, and it was alright having the door at the foot of her bed…but there was too much traffic past her living quarters. She was the first one up and the last one to bed, so she didn't anticipate too much of a disturbance.

The first night, the girls chatted until around three in the morning. Tai-Mei was a person who could do with little sleep, but their incessant whispers ticked her off. She muttered a quick deafening spell before closing her eyes.

It caused her to wake up late the next day.

'Shit…I'm never late. And on the first day! Why didn't anyone try to wake me up?' she growled. When she emerged into the common room, it was empty. When she got to the Great Hall, it was packed.

That's when she remembered the hurried spell she had done the night before. It was obvious that there was a lot of noise happening (several spills and fights were occurring simultaneously), but she heard none of it. Cursing some more, she removed the spell, and was almost deafened naturally.

At the Ravenclaw table, there was extra room. She was glad of it; communication with other people was not on her list of all time favorite things to do. Her schedule got dropped off a few minutes into her meal, and she scanned it quickly. It was the same as usual; packed. However….she had every Friday off. The entire day. That was the unusual part. Why wouldn't they have spread her classes out more evenly? It would be less stressful for the average student, and Tai-Mei wasn't about to disagree.

She would probably have to see someone about it later, but it would have to wait.

Classes were beginning in ten minutes. That meant Advanced Potions was first. Wonderful.

Supposedly, it was 'double potions', but the odds were quite uneven. There were about six other Ravenclaws in the class, and about twenty Gryffindors. Tai-Mei didn't bother listening to the teacher introduce himself, nor to anyone else. It was only when someone tapped her shoulder that she finally looked up.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger." She said cheerily, setting her books down.

"Um, hi." She responded, moving aside to make room for Hermione. "I'm Tai-Mei Yang."

"Oh, so you're the one Harry was telling me about." She said, nodding her head and glancing at the teacher. He paid no attention to the students, most of who were still getting to their seats.

"What has he been saying?" Tai-Mei responded politely, not really caring. After she had learned about the famous boy wizard on the train, she had lost interest in him. He had proven to be a very normal person. It was probably only chance that had chosen him. There didn't seem to be anything unusual about him, nothing special. Well, everyone was 'special', but there didn't seem to be anything extra-unique.

"Oh, just that you kept him company while Ron and I were 'partying' in the prefects' compartment." She snorted and propped her potions book in front of her. "He said you were interesting."

"Well, that's nice. What are we doing today?" Tai-Mei said, loosening up a little. She knew that Hermione was a good student, and wouldn't screw up her chances for 'success'. Usually, if she tried to get close to her partners, they would get comfortable too. This didn't have to be a bad thing, but then they tried to socialize during class. Then, things got both distracting and annoying.

"Nothing, apparently." She looked disgusted. "Just getting to know each other – as if we all don't know each other well enough, being in the same year for 6 years already." Hermione ended with a snort.

"By the way Tai-Mei, are you new?" The way she pronounced the name was a little strange, so Tai-Mei replied,

"You can just call me Mei, if you want to. It may be easier. I'm not new – I was sorted at the same time as you were." She ended shortly, hoping the obviously intelligent girl would catch on.

"Okay then, Mei. So then, can I see your schedule?"

And obviously, she didn't.

Author's Note:

Thank you to my one reviewer (sorry, no review responses...but I can say that you're close.)

And thank you for future reviews that better be coming in...haha.