(Emily's story)

EVERYONE PLEASE REVIEW I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT SO FAR!

---------Chapter 2-----------

"The password to her office is 'catwalk'!" the headmaster called out to them as they closed the door.

As soon as they walked away from the gargoyle, Draco grabbed Alana's arm. "What the hell was that all about?" he asked, making her turn to face him.

" I told you, I can't tell anyone. So, you would be better not even asking. So, where are you guys taking me again?" she questioned to Harry, who seemed to be the only one not wanting to interrogate her every second. "Well," he said," we are supposed to take you to Professor McGonagall's office and that is on the sixth floor." "I'll take her," Draco said quickly, reaching out for her hand.

"No way Malfoy. Alana, you can't trust this ferret," Harry accused, watching Draco's face turn even paler. "Come on, it's this way."

"Potter, I'd watch what you say around me. You never know what might happen." Draco pulled out his wand. Harry quickly followed suit.

Alana stood between the two and folded her arms, glaring at them both in turn. They lowered their wands, and Harry said, "You're not even worth it Malfoy." Draco turned back, looking like he was going to attack him, butAlana grabbed his arms and continued walking, with Harry following on the other side. "We have to take the next right and then go up those stairs," Harry said to her, ignoring the hateful glares he was getting from Draco.

"So, isAlana you're real name? Why were you so hesitant to say it?" Draco asked, turning his attention to her.Alana sighed, stopping on the last step. "No, that's what my grandma called me, and I was hesitant because... I was, um, trying to decide if I wanted to be called my nickname or not,"she said. Draco looked at her, not convinced, but didn't say anything else about it.

"And how did you get here anyways? From the looks of it, it seems you came from the forest." Draco looked at her expectantly, butAlana didn't even want to answer so she ignored him.

"What were you doing in the headmaster's office anyways, Harry?" She asked curiously, trying to change the subject.

"Well, I was just talking to him about something," Harry remarked, trying not to let them pursue the subject. "It's nothing."

"What Potter, did you have another nightmare? Did you see a mean old dementor coming at you?" Draco sneered at him.

" It's none of your business what we were talking about, Malfoy!" Harry shot back, walking faster toward the office. " Here it is Alana," Harry said sweetly. " I hope you are sorted into Gryffindor." With that he gave her a smile, shot an evil look at Malfoy, and strode away.

" Well, Alana," Draco said swavely, " I wish we could get to know each other a little better without Potter ruining it for us.Hopefully I might be able to see you tomorrow?" He looked at her intently.

"Well, I'm sorry to say, but your charm will not work on me." She said, watching his smile fade slightly."But I am going to need a guide around this place. It's so big, I know I'm going to get lost in here."

"Wonderful," he said, kissing her softly on the cheek. "I know we will be having very interesting conversations because you have alot of explaining to do. I know you said to forget about what happened in front of the office but some things I just cannot forget."

He winked at her, and then walked away.Alana rolled her eyes at the cheeky gesture wondering if most of the boys here acted just like that. She opened the portrait with the password the headmaster had given her,and startled a lady who was sitting in a red living room chair reading the book "Ninety-Nine Ways to Transfigure Your Love Life."

"Um, hi Professor,"Alana said uncomfortably. "The headmaster sent me here. He said it would be okay if I stayed here for the night?"

"Oh certainly, certainly," she said waving her wand at the books that had been all thrown across the floor, that now settled orderly on an enormous bookcase on the wall.She hastily hid the book she had been reading in her room, and then came back to helpAlana get settled.

The professor pointed her wand at the large red couch, which instantly folded out into a nice sized bed. "This I think will do for now," she murmured, more to herself than to Alana. "Well, I am Professor McGonogall by the way," the professor said, holding out her hand. "Everyone calls me Alana," she said, shaking the extended hand.

McGonogall stared at her for a second, then said, " I will wake you in the morning. I hope this is suitable for you. I also have some clothes you may have to replace your torn ones."Alana looked down at her ruined cloak, wincing. She had forgotten what she would look like after endless nights hiding in the forest.

"When the weekend comes around, I'll see what we can do to get you some more suitable clothes from Hogsmeade." She thanked the professor for everything, changed into some of the borrowed clothes laid out for her, and snuggled into the bed, finally able to rest in peace.

How great did it feel to finally be able to relax! How long has it been since the last time she had been able to fall asleep without the nagging fear of being attacked? " A long time," she told herself, drifting into unconciousness.

Her dream started out being about her and her sister playing out in the yard when they were about four years old. "Hey Abby! Come look what I found!"littleAlana squilled, jumping up and down. Abby ran to her, dragging her favorite toy Mr. Bear on the ground beside her. "It's a neat rock! It's glowing!"Alana cried, reaching down with both hands to touch it...

Suddenly, her dream went black and all of the warm feelings vanished. There was fire everywhere, people screaming histerically. She covered her head as one of the buildings blew up, scattering everywhere. She saw a flash of light and ran toward it, hoping to find a way out.

"I finally have you," she heard a young man say. She turned around and saw a boy a little older than her staring at her."What do you want from me? Who are you?" She felt hands grab her and she tried to scream but no sound came out. "My name right now is unimportant. You will know soon enough." He looked at her menacingly.His laugh filled her head violently as she heard him whisper,"Finally, you belong to me."

She woke up sweating, hearing Professor McGonagall talking to her absentmindedly. " ... and you are going to be sorted this morning and get your schedule. You are lucky school only started last week, or you would been really behind. Are you up yet? Come on, it is time to go get you sorted!"

Alanagroaned, and stood up. She located some of the clothes the professor had been so kind as to let her borrow. She put them on and followed McGonagall out of her office.

"Now, where did you go to school before this?" Professor McGonagall asked. "I was homeschooled by my grandfather," she answered, thinking briefly about him but shaking her head slightly. This was no time to be upset.

"And I suppose you will be in your sixth year?" the professor asked. "Yes, that's right, because you are sixteen aren't you?" The professor seemed good at answering her own questions, soAlana kept quiet all the way to breakfast.

When they entered the Great Hall, eyes followed her all the way up to the teachers table. There was a stool with an old hat on it placed in front of the head table.Alana glanced at it wonderingly, and then went to say hello to the headmaster ( she had found out from McGonagall that his name was Albus Dumbledore).

"Good morning, Professor," she said brightly, walking to where he was seated. "Hello Miss Alana," he said. " You gave me quite a lot to think about last night." A greasy haired teacher at the table looked at her with an almost shocked expression on his sallow face. "And who might you be?" the greasy teacher asked her.

"Oh, Professor Snape, this is Miss Alana. She is going to become a new student today." Dumbledore remarked. " I suggest you start Minerva," he said. " The students are probably wondering what is going on and why there isn't any food yet."

"Very well," she said briskly, motioningAlana to follow her to the old hat. "Everyone, attention! There is a new student here and she is about to be sorted. Now, I hope all of you welcome her into whichever house she is sorted into. She is going to be in her 6th year, so I would like everyone who is in her classes to help her out and make her comfortable."

Alanacould feel them burning holes into her skin, as everyone watched excitedly as she sat down on the stool. The hat was placed on her and she heard a voice in her head saying, " Let's see what house you should be put into. There is amazing magical talent, I see. Very brave, too. But there is so much more about you, things you don't even know exist. In all my years of doing this, I have never seen anything like this...Well, I think I will put you in ... GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted, having the far left table erupt into cheers.

She couldn't help but smile when all of the students shook her hand and greeted her, like she was one of them. "Why couldn't I have come here sooner?" she thought, sitting down next to Harry. "Congrats Alana!" Harry said happily.

"I want you to meet my friends Ron, you want to watch out for him Alanahe is a man whore ("Hey!" Ron shouted), and this is Hermione, if you ever need help with homework go to her because she is the smartest witch in the whole school." Hermione blushed furiously, her brown curls bouncing madly.

"And this," Harry continued," is Ginny, the most wonderful girl you will ever meet."

"Oh please, Harry. You're only saying that because I am your girlfriend!" Ginny said, laughing. "It's really nice to meet you Alana. Oh and by the way, you might want to watch out."

"What?"Alana asked. Ginny grinned at her. "Well, you are very pretty and I bet you anything that every single guy in this whole school is going to be after you."

"Yeah right," she said, but when she looked around the room, she noticed Ginny might be right. Many of the boys from different tables were standing on their seats to get a better look at her. "What do I do?"Alana asked her.

"You hex them!" she shouted, as all five of them started laughing histerically.Alana looked up from her laughing fit; Draco was staring at her and then winked. After a second, he looked away again.

"So have you got your scedule yet?" Hermione asked her.Alana pulled hers out, and found that she was in all of Ron and Harry's classes except Divination ("What a waste of a subject!" huffed Hermione.) Hermione was in their classes too, but being the smart witch that she is, she was taking about three other classes also.

Alanagot up and saw Draco getting up as well. When she got to the entrance of the Great Hall, he meet up with her. "So are you ready for the great tour of Hogwarts?" he said, offering his arm. She rolled her eyes and didn't take his arm. "I'm ready," she said grinning, "Just don't you try anything sneaky around me or else."He smirked at her and they left the Great Hall.

They walked around the grounds( Draco showingAlana the quiddich pitch, the green houses, and where they were going to have Care for Magical Creatures)for as long as they could until class started. "I have double Potions and double Herbology with you," he said glancing at her schedule. "Well, Potions is first, let's go. I can show you around the inside of Hogwarts later on."

Before they entered the potions room, Draco pulled her aside. " I want you to know, that Harry and I don't get along at all."

"Well I figured that much," she said. "It was pretty obvious when you two were showing me to my room last night."

"Look, I hate Potter more than anything, with his Boy-Who-Lived nonsense and him thinking he is better than everyone else. I know you two are friends, but I don't want you getting any ideas about all of us hanging out because that will never happen. I am a Slytherin and he is a Gryffindor."

The only reason I offered to show you around is because I," he faultered a second," ... well I... we better get to class or we are going to be late. I will see you later about the second half of our tour." He winked again, and with that, he turned abruptly and walked into the room.

She hesitated, wondering what on earth made him act like that. One second he is all nice and funny and then another he is acting like a snob and a bully. "Some things I will never understand," she thought, rolling her eyes.

Alanacame in, and saw an empty seat my Hermione, who gestured for her to sit there.Alana slung her bag onto the floor and whispered to Hermione," Do you like the teacher for potions? I met him while talking to Dumbledore. I don't know what to think about him."

Hermione shuddered. "No, everyone hates him except the Slytherins. He is the head of Slytherin House and favors them a lot. You'll see." At that moment, Snape barged through the door andAlana could tell why so many people hated him.

HEY EVERYONE! please review! I'd really like to know what ya'll like about it! Any suggestions? please tell me if you like it so far!

-Emily-