Finally! This has Harry's POV! Just read on…

Chapter 10: The first day

Nervously I clutched my book bag to my chest. I fiddled with the sleeves on my school robes and smoothed my skirt. Wearing a real necktie felt strange. I looked in the mirror and smoothed my hair. The toiletries Ms. Rowley gave me sat on the sink. I had tried to refuse them but she insisted I take them. Women like us should always try to look their best, dahling. You never know who'll be looking. Well, I'm all for looking good and all that. But to have a total stranger pay for my studies AND spring for make up is just way too much, I told her. But she pouted and pushed the make up bag at me until I accepted.

I don't really wear make up everyday so I just put on a little bit of lip balm so I won't chap. Feelings of dread and excitement filled me to the brim. My feet felt curiously numb as I walked to the Great Hall. Memories of yesterday filled my head. My sponsors (including Ms. Annabelle who sent me a bag of galleons) were to contribute to the payment of my school fees and all the other things I would need. They paid for my books to the deodorant I used after I showered.

Mr. Ellowsbee had accompanied me in shopping for my things. It was very strange and awkward on my part. Wouldn't you feel strange if a man (an amazingly handsome man, I might add) would tag along as you had your measurements taken? I almost wished it was my female sponsor who took me, or maybe at least a female sent by one of them. But NOOOO. It had to be Mr. Ellowsbee who was to be with me as I bought quills and sanitary pads. He had the courtesy of asking me if I'd like to go to certain sections alone. But still, ugghh.

I had convinced him to maybe go out to muggle stores for my more intimate items. He obliged, of course. And he was such a gentleman too. A bit flirty, but it was simply his manner towards women. I should know, he even smiled his slow smile at the muggle cashier girl as she scanned my stuff. She made a LOT of mistakes.

It was at the end of the day when Ms. Rowley gave me the make up bag. She said that she would have liked to shop with me but she had plans. She tossed her perfect hair and looked at me with her half-closed eyes.

"So, enjoyed your day with Mellovian?"

"Ahh.. yes maam. He was nice." I was blushing like hell.

"You're sixteen now, am I correct?"

"I'll turn sixteen at December."

"Won't be long then."

"For what?"

"You'll just have to wait and see, dahling."

I'm so tired of waiting.

But now. The waiting's over. I'm finally here.

--- Harry's POV ---

Ron was stuffing his face as usual. Hermione was reading a book. As usual. Really, you'd think things would be different with the thing that happened the other day.

We'd seen her walking around with Dumbledore and a couple of other adults. She'd waved to us. She seemed nice. Everybody was talking about her like she was some kind of alien or something. All the classes I'd been to yesterday and the day before, all everyone's talked about was that girl. Someone said she was a death eater (nope), a vampire (I doubt because she was kinda tan) and from another world.

I think it's the last one.

"Mmm.. This pudding's extra good today. Don't you think so, Harry?" Ron asked, his lips lined with pudding. He was the one who actually touched the girl. Normally Ron wasn't…well…forward when it comes to girls. Normally he wouldn't get close to one who fell out of the sky. But Ron was waiting for an answer like nothing had happened.

"Yeah, it's good," I agreed.

"Wish they make it like this all the time!" Ron exclaimed and spat some pudding on my face.I cringed. A bit got on my glasses so I took them off and wiped them on my robes.

"Sorry," Ron said and continued to gulf down his pudding.

I turned and saw that Hermione hadn't touched hers.

"Hey, we don't have an exam today. You already ready two dozen books last night. Put that down and have some breakfast," I said to Hermione.

She looked up from her book and frowned. Her eyes had dark circles around them. We had left her in the Common room that night to go to bed.

"I've still yet to find out Harry. Maybe later," she sighed and went back to her book.

"Find out what?"

"How she got here. She couldn't have Apparated, you know. I-I-I'VE BEEN AWAKE ALL NIGHT AND I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING THAT EXPLAINS HOW SHE GOT HERE!"

The whole Great Hall stopped and stared at Hermione who was standing up already. Hermione was breathing hard with her eyes open really wide. She wanted to know everything. That was alright because that made her really smart. But something told me Hermione couldn't crack this one.

Then she arrived.

She was wearing Hogwarts robes. Her hair was down and she was clutching a book bag to her chest. She had a nervous smile on her face and looked around. "Okaaay…hi all," she grinned. She then proceeded to walk towards our table. Her robes were lined with red.

She was a Gryffindor.

"Hello," Ron greeted her.

"Hi Ron," she said as she sat down beside him.

"Hello. I'm Harry Potter," I leaned forward and held out me hand. She shook it. Her hand felt cold.

"Hello Harry, I'm Juls," she smiled, "hello too, Hermione."

Hermione was still standing up. But she smiled weakly and said hi back. She sat back on her seat and went back to her reading.

Juls had taken out a binder. It looked muggle-made so I assumed she was muggle-born. It was black and it had all sorts of stickers, words, pictures, ribbons (the thin bow-like kinds), and colors on it.

"You made the cover yourself?" I asked.

"Yeah. I had nothing else to do last night," she replied. I couldn't quite place her ethnicity. She looked Eurasian. She continued to read something in her binder.

She kept fingering her hair that was dark and wavy. She bit her lip as her eyes scanned the page. I wonder what she's really like. Is she one of us?

"What's your first class?"

"I'm going to take private classes," she said with a frown, "Professor Dumbledore arranged a curriculum for me so I could at least catch up with the third years by the end of the semester. It's supposed to be really difficult but he said I should try anyway."

"Oh, so you won't have any classes with us then."

"Yeah. Most probably," she said with a sigh.

"But, can you go to Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, yeah! I can! Proffy Dumbles says it's ok since I'm old enough!"

"That's good. We can all hang…PROFFY DUMBLES?"

She blushed. Ron who was listening in sprayed his pudding at Neville. He gave out loud guffaws and Neville hastily tried to wipe off the pudding with a napkin.

"Umm…hahaha! I like him! I like to give people pet names, hehe," she said.

My body shook with laughter. "P-p-proffy DUMBLES?"

She frowned and gave me a light shove. But she stuck her tongue out and grinned to show she was kidding.

Hermone who was busy reading said, "What's so funny?"

I explained.

"Why would you call him THAT?" she asked incredulously.

Juls shrugged.

"I'd hate to have you like me that much! Proffy Dumbles! That's bloody rich!" Ron laughed.

Something told me we've found a friend.