Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, nor do I want him to.

Chapter Three:

Surprises, Twists, and Turns

"Potter! The chopper's here! I'll call you when I get back from Hogwarts! Bye!" Ari yelled into the institute, hoping Potter could hear her.

Have fun, Arianna. Learn all you can, as you will need it. Farewell.

Ari grabbed her trunk and cauldron and threw them into the empty seats of the helicopter. She quickly followed. "Onward to King's Cross Station!" she cheered, almost too eager for what lay ahead of her for the next school year.

x x x x x x x x

Almost five hours later, Ari arrived at the London Underground, King's Cross Station. "Walk into the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't make it too obvious, though." the cab driver offered before she left.

"Okay... whatever..." Ari said, entering the station and heading to platforms 9 and 10. 'Okay, there's the barrier, I guess I just... walk though it...'

Ari walked up to the barrrier and touched it. Or tried to any way. Her hand went right through it. Amazed, she went all the way through. A whole other platform appeared before her. Platform 9 and 3/4.

She loaded her trunk on an overhead rack and sat down. So far, her cabin was empty. She heard the conductor call 'All aboard!' The train pulled foreward with a slight jerk. 'Well, there's no turning back now...'

The door slid open. "Umm, all the others are-oh! Hi, Ari! Mind if I sit with you?"

"Jennifer! Not at all! So, how have you been? I can't wait!"

Niether can I. I wonder what house we'll be put in?"

"House? What are you talking about?"

"The four houses. You stay in one while you're at Hogwarts. There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I want to be in Ravenclaw, but my parents say 'Gryffindor is the best! You better try to get into that House,' blah, blah, blah."

"Hmm. I think Ravenclaw sounds the best, too. I hope we get into it."

"Oh! We'd better get changed into our robes."

"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes." Ari got her robes out of her trunk and changed in the bathroom. When she came back, she gasped.

"Jennifer! The list said black robes, not silver! What are you thinking?"

"I got special permission from Mrs. McGonagall. Man was she hard to convince."

"Really? Cool."

"Would you girls care for some refreshments?" an elderly witch asked, pushing a snack trolley by their cabin.

"Umm..." Ari trailed off, remembering she had absolutely no money at all.

"Yeah! A few of everything, please!" Jennifer piped up, digging a coin purse out of her pocket. She paid for the snacks and reseated herself. "Didn't you want something?"

"Umm... no money. I mean, none of the kind they use here."

"Oh, that's okay. We don't need money during the school year. Do you want anything?" she responded cheerfully.

"No, really, I'm fine."

"Oh, come on, the chocolate frogs are great! It's really your loss if you don't at least try them." Jennifer egged.

"Well, okay..." Ari picked up one of the chocolate frogs and unwrapped it.

"What the!" the frog jumped from the package and onto her lap.

"Oh, yeah. They have an enchantment on them. Each have about one good jump in them, don't worry about it." Jennifer explained briefly, playing with her own frog.

"Okay... are they still safe to eat? With magic on them and everything?" Ari asked, eyeing the lump of chocolate in her lap suspiciously.

"Yeah! It wears off about a minute after you open the bag. That's why I like playing with them..." she laughed evilly and poked her frog.

After about ten minutes, the door to the hall opened and four people stood in the doorway, three guys and a girl.

"Hi, we got on late and can't find anymore seats. Mind if we sit with you?"

"No problem, right, Jennifer? By the way, I'm Ari."

"I'm Hermione, and this is Ron, Harry, and Inu."

"We're almost there, aren't we?" Jennifer asked randomly.

"Yes. Why are you wearing silver robes?" Hermione asked snobbishly, cocking an eyebrow at the unusual colored robes.

"Special permission," Jennifer replied, glaring back.

Please ready your things, we are approaching the castle. a voice came over the intercom.

"Another year begins." Ron sighed.

"What?"

"Second year. Isn't it yours, too?"

"No. We're both on Fast Track. In other words, this is the only year we'll be here." Ari clarified.

"Neat. All four of us are going all seven years. You'll probably be paired with the first years for a while, and gradually move up the levels of classes. But, you'll have to follow the first years in, to be sorted, I mean." Inu commented.

"Okay, we'll see you after this sorting. Which houses are you guys in?" Jennifer asked.

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in Gyffindor, but I'm in Ravenclaw." Inu answered.

"Okee dokee. We'll see you around!" she smiled as the train pulled into the station.

x x x x x x x x

Ari and Jennifer entered the castle with the first years. Mrs. McGonagall came in to the chamber they were waiting in and lead them to the Great Hall. "When I call your name, come up and put on the hat. Let us begin."

"This is how they sort us, with that moldy old hat?" Ari whispered.

"Yup."

Five minutes later, the S's were being called. "Skydancer, Arianna." Ari came forward and slipped on the hat. 'Hmm. You have strong traits, Gryffindor would suit you there. You like power, Slytherin would show you how to harness it. You are truthful and kind, Hufflepuff could bring that to new levels. My, you even have the thirst for knowledge of gracious old Ravenclaw. Where to put you, any preferences?' the hat sent its thoughts into her mind.

'Ravenclaw, please be Ravenclaw!'

'Ravenclaw, why? What are the motives for being there? Do you believe that is where you truly belong? Are you positive?'

'YES!'

'Hmm... Kikyo was the same. Ravenclaw it is!' "RAVENCLAW!" the hat bellowed. Ari took off the hat and set it on the stool.

"Wangett, Jennifer!" Professor McGonagall called. Jennifer came to the stool and slipped on the Sorting Hat. After about ten seconds...

"Ravenclaw!"

"Yay, Jennifer!" Ari cheered as Jennifer came to the Ravenclaw dining table.

"Go me, go me, go, go, go me! My parents aren't going to like it, but I'm happy! 'Course it did help that the hat was afraid of the dancing cat in my head. It was dancing around to 'I'm Too Sexy,' and scared the thing senseless." Jennifer snickered.

"Didn't Inu say he was a Ravenclaw?"

"Yeah, he did... look! There he is!" Jennifer quickly spotted him. The two of them sat next to the mysterious boy they had met earlier.

"Hey, nice job. The others were hoping you'd be Gryffindors, but I know you'll do fine here. Oh! The feast's starting!" Inu exclaimed as Dumbledore rose from his head chair.

"Another new year at Hogwarts. Magnificent and mysterious."

"Okay," Ari trailed off, cocking her eyebrow questioningly.

"Opening words. Always a bit wierd. Pass the pumpkin juice, please." Inu explained briefly.

Potter Showers:

The leader of Diamond Waves, the agency Ari works for. He is just restarting his sector and Ari is currently his only agent, but two more are due to arrive about half way through the Hogwarts year (they will not be introduced until the end of the story) and three more roughly a year after that. His daughter Helen has been lost for two years and he is desperate to find her. He looks fierce, but he would never hurt a fly, unless it was bugging him... His only fear is snakes.