At the sorting ceremony, the other students of Hogwarts got a glimpse of the newcomers as they were sorted into houses after the first years. A black haired, good looking boy with a strange looking mask and a nice build was the first. Robin Jason was his name. Immediately he was a Slytherin, for being determined and sly, silent and ambitious. Next was a girl named Kory Anders, a tall, beautiful red haired girl who was put into Hufflepuff immediately. Then a boy named Garfield Logan, short, skinny, and slightly greenish. Also Hufflepuff. His friend Vic Stone followed, a muscular older African American boy with a very intimidating look about him, put into Gryffindor after a bit of thought by the thinking hat. And finally there was Raven Azar, an ashen skinned, rather different looking girl who really had no interest in anything but her book.
"I bet she gets put in Slytherin. That way, I can have my way with her. No girl resists my charm and gets away with it." Draco Malfoy said across the way from the Slytherin table. Harry turned around. He hated to admit it, but Raven did look like a Slytherin type. But once you got to know her, she was much more of a Gryffindor than she liked to admit. She was a bit creepy, yes. But her interests were very expansive. She didn't like to torment people, or get in with teachers. She was her own type of person.
"Ravenclaw!" Harry sighed. He knew it. But he was pleased to see that Draco was considerably irked as well. He might have a chance after all.
As Raven was being sorted, she had thought she wouldn't care which house she was in. But as she progressed along the line, she realized that she wanted to be in a house where she wasn't considered evil. Slytherin would do her absolutely no good, especially with her having to deal with both her father and Voldemort. She knew she wouldn't get into Gryffindor, she was much too gloomy. But how would she protect Harry? She would have to talk to Dumbledore. As the name "Ravenclaw" was called out, a sinking feeling appeared in her stomach. Please please please let Dumbledore be able to fix it...
"Bloody hell." Ron stared as he read his schedule. "Potions with Snape, then Defense against the Dark Arts with that new teacher, Professor Bloomingfield…"
"That evil looking teacher," Hermione added. "She looked downright evil! And did you see how she was getting in with Snape? They should elope and leave us all in peace!"
"Damn right. So then I have Double potions on Tuesday…"
As Ron rambled on with complaints about his schedule, Harry looked at their own. Their schedule was rather ugly looking this year, but he was happy that there were so many classes with Ravenclaw. He didn't know why he was so fixated, but Raven was different. She wasn't popular, like Ginny and Cho had been. She was more to herself, yet seemed like she hated that, like she wasn't trying to be antisocial and cold but in fact it was something she needed to do. When he had talked to her on the train she had seemed like she wanted to tell him some things, but couldn't. Now that he remembered, many times she had started to say things, then said never mind, cutting herself off. He wanted to help her.
"Headmaster? I would like to speak with you."
"Yes, young Raven?"
"Well, you know how I'm supposed to be protecting Harry? Well I got put into Ravenclaw and I see a problem there. I need to be in Gryffindor. I need to be as close to him as possible. Well, meaning… you know." Raven turned red.
Dumbledore laughed. "Yes, Raven, I understand. I will speak to the Sorting Hat and the other teachers, including the head of Gryffindor house and see if I can pull some strings, hmm?" He gave her a warm smile. Like he knew the other reason why she really wanted to be in Gryffindor. She'd just have to trust him.