A/N: This story takes place in year seven, but I haven't read The Half-Blood Prince so some things might not be accurate to that story. Pairings will eventually be: Hermione/Ron, Harry/Ginny, Draco/Other. This is my first HP fic so please be nice, R&R to let me know if I should continue. Thanks :)

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It was a warm calm night and the castle and grounds of Hogwarts were quiet and still. Inside the castle all of the students were asleep in their dormitories, tired from the first day feast. All of a sudden a loud crack echoed through the night air and a figure apparated outside of the front gates.

The figure was actually a young girl, about seventeen years of age. Her long hair was jet black and it made a stunning contrast with her porcelain skin. She had wide, bright eyes the color of jade and high cheekbones. The girl was a bit disoriented as she spun to take in her surroundings. Her eyes finally settled on the large gates in front of her, flanked on either side by winged boars. She tentatively reached out a hand and touched the gate; it swung open. She could see the castle high up on the hill so she made her way up the path towards it.

When she reached the front doors she reached out again and knocked lightly. After a few minutes no one had answered so she pressed on the doors and, just like the gates, they swung open easily. She walked inside to find herself in a huge, cavernous room of stone.

"Hello?" she called and her voice echoed through the large room. No one answered so she went to the first set of doors on her right and opened them. Inside was a room much larger than the entrance hall and filled with four long tables running down the length and a fifth across the back. It was completely dark, save for the stars twinkling above. She was so awed by the sight that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching from behind her and she gasped as a strong hand grabbed her elbow and jerked her backwards into the entrance hall.

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded the boy that had grabbed her. He towered over her by almost a foot and his white blond hair fell into his eyes as he glared down at her. He brushed his hair back to reveal intense gray eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked, taking in her strange clothes.

"I'm sorry," the girl started, "I was just…"

"Save it," the tall boy spat at her. He pulled her roughly toward a marble staircase, still gripping her elbow.

"Ow!" yelped and started to protest but the boy removed a wand from inside his long black robes.

"Silencio," muttered the boy and the girl's voice disappeared. He continued to drag her up the staircase all the way to a deserted hallway on the second floor. The girl stopped her protests and looked around, taking everything in. They stopped in front of a stone gargoyle.

"Golden Snitch," the boy said to the gargoyle. The girl looked at him as if he was crazy, and then jumped as the gargoyle leapt to the side and the wall split in two. Still shocked, she allowed the boy to pull her through the opening and onto a spiral staircase that was rising from the floor. They rode all the way up and stopped at a polished oak door. The boy knocked and the door opened, and they walked into a strange circular room.

"Professor McGonagall," the boy said to an older woman sitting behind a desk. "I found this girl lurking around the Great Hall. Finite Incantatem." He added to release the girl from the Silencing Charm. However, Professor McGonagall was peering at her so strictly from behind her glasses that she chose to remain silent.

"What is your name girl?" McGonagall asked evenly.

"Em-Emily York," the girl answered nervously.

"You're American," McGonagall observed, her voice unchanging. Emily nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, that will be all," she said to the boy.

"But Professor…" he began.

"That will be all," McGonagall said more firmly.

"Yes Professor," Draco Malfoy nodded, turned on his heel, and left the office. Once she was sure he was out of the spiral staircase Professor McGonagall continued.

"Why are you here?" Her voice softened a little.

"I wasn't lurking, ma'am," Emily blurted quickly. "I knocked on the door but no one answered and then it just opened so I went in but there wasn't anyone around…"

"Calm down, dear," McGonagall instructed. She pulled out her own wand and with a flick a silver tray bearing a teapot and cups appeared. "Have some tea." Emily nodded and sat down in one of the plush red chairs in front of the desk. McGonagall handed her a cup and she sipped the warm liquid.

"How did you get here?" she asked Emily.

"I don't really know, actually. One moment I was in my bedroom… and the next I was outside of the gates out front," Emily finished quietly. McGonagall's eyebrows quirked.

"And where exactly is your bedroom?"

"I, I live just outside of Chicago," Emily replied. Her eyes clouded with emotion at the mention of her home.

"Chicago? Surely you don't mean Chicago in the United States?" McGonagall prodded.

"Yeah, in Illinois." A look of doubt and confusion filled McGonagall's face.

"Do you mean to tell me that you apparated here all the way from the US?" She was inspecting Emily very fixedly now.

"Uh, well, I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I guess so," Emily was equally confused.

"Tell me exactly what happened before you… appeared outside of the gates," McGonagall said. Emily's face darkened as she thought.

"Well I had soccer practice after school today," Emily started sullenly. "Then I went to the mall with some friends, so I didn't get home until after eight. The house was empty when I got there, which was strange because my parents didn't say they were going out. I called for them but no one answered so I went upstairs. Their door was half open, so I went into their room and…" a tear slid down Emily's cheek. Her voice began to quaver. "My mom was lying on the floor. I ran over to her but… it was too late. I ran downstairs to call the police but when I got… into the kitchen… I found my dad." She sniffled and her eyes were brimmed with tears. "He was dead too." She paused for a moment and when she spoke again the resolve had returned to her voice.

"But I didn't understand it – there was no blood, no injuries. I went to grab the phone and that's when I saw something moving in the back yard. I didn't know what to do so I ran, toward the front door. But when I got there it flew open and a hooded man came inside, and another from the back. I ran upstairs and locked myself in my room, and hid in my closet. I heard them banging against the door. I knew the door wouldn't hold much longer so I closed my eyes and I just kept thinking that I wished I was somewhere that those men couldn't get to me. All of a sudden I heard a loud crack and I was sure they had gotten through, but then there was silence. I opened my eyes and I was here."

Professor McGonagall had been listening intently. When Emily had finished she was sure she heard the professor mutter, "It's not possible!" under her breath. She looked up but McGonagall's face was as composed as ever.

"I never called the police!" Emily remembered suddenly. "I was so confused when I got here that I forgot, I have to call them, no one knows…"

"Relax dear," McGonagall interrupted her again. "I'll take care of it. You didn't see either of the men's faces did you?" Emily shook her head sadly. "Do you have any family that you would like me to call?" Again she shook her head.

"My parents had no brothers or sisters, and I never knew my grandparents."

"It's alright. It's late and you've had a long night, why don't you go to bed and we'll sort this all out in the morning."