A/N: I know, it's an awfully short chapter, but I just HAD to cut it off and leave you all with that ending, muaha. Sorry it took so long -- the FanFiction site was acting all screwy. I dunno why. Read and Review!

Chapter Six:

"Hey, Kaye, wake up, we're almost there," a voice said.

Kaye gave an "Mmff" sound and said, "All I wanted to do is sleep. Is that really too much to ask? Why does something always interrupt me from--" she stopped herself and gasped.

Kaye had thought that Hogwarts would be some old, creepy castle that was falling apart. She was completely mistaken. Outside of the train's window stood a castle that would take anyone's breath away, no matter how many time's they'd seen it.

The train slowed, and then lurched to a sudden halt.

"C'mon, let's go," Luna said, dragging Kaye out of the compartment.

Everyone knew where they were supposed to go. The youngest students gathered before the largest man Kaye had ever seen, while the rest of the students got into carriages that seemed to move by themselves.

"You don't mind sitting with a couple of sixth years, do you?" Luna asked.

"Not at all," Kaye replied, "Besides, it's not like I have any friends here."

Luna smiled and said, "Sure you do, you have me!"

Kaye smiled back and followed Luna into one of the many carriages waiting to take them all to the school.

Inside, Luna introduced Kaye to a few of her friends.

"This here is Ginny Weasley, and that's Neville Longbottom," Luna said warmly. "Guys, this is Kaye Bains. She's a new seventh year here."

"Ah, so you're the girl my mother left us for these past few weeks," Ginny said jokingly.

"Haha, yes, that'd be me. She's a wonderful woman, you know," Kaye replied.
Ginny smiled.

"Uh, which house are you hoping to get into this year?" Neville asked Kaye.

"Um, I can hardly remember them all… but from what Ginny's mum said, I guess I'd like to be in Gryffindor."

The twenty minute carriage ride was filled with the first real conversation Kaye had in years.

When they arrived at the castle, a prim-looking woman with green robes and square glasses strode up to her. "Miss Bains?" She asked, politely.

"Yes?"

"I'm Professor McGonagall. Because you are new to this school, you must be sorted into one of the four houses. All you really need to do is put a hat on. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah…"

"Good. So, stand here with the first years, and walk in with them. You'll probably be the first to be called, since this is an… erm, Special occasion. Don't worry, you'll know what to do." And with that, she strode off.

Kaye gathered along with all of the first years. They looked at her with their cute little faces with a look of curiosity, and were probably wondering why someone so much older was standing around with them, waiting to be sorted. Kaye sighed, and tried to remember being that young. She couldn't.

Kaye watched as Professor McGonagall told the first years what to do. After a few minutes of waiting, she opened the tall, thick wooden doors that led into what just may have been one of the largest rooms in the whole entire castle.

The students sitting on the benches at long wooden tables began to cheer like crazy, welcoming them all to Hogwarts.

Kaye followed the group of first years at the very back, hoping that no one noticed her. She tried to make herself smaller, but failed miserably. 'Why do I have to be so tall?' she asked herself.

They finally arrived at the front of the room. Everyone was looking at an ancient man with frizzy white hair and a beard that had grown all the way down to his stomach, who looked as if he were the happiest man alive.

"Welcome, all. As some of you may have heard, we have quite a few new students this year, but there is one in particular that I would like to point out." The old man, she realized, must be the Dumbledore that Luna and Mrs. Weasley had talked about before. He looked down from his podium and smiled at Kaye.

"Miss Kaye Bains will be joining us in her seventh year, as she is quite an unusual circumstance. But before I begin to babble on and on, let's begin the sorting!"

Somewhere out in the crowd, a boy choked on his water.