A/N: In this episode, we start to see more of Issy and her background. We start to touch on her home life and family, and understand why she is so confident on the inside, and shy to outsiders. We also get introduced to the Quintet, and a little bit of James' family. Issy starts at Hogwarts, but will she live up to the expectations set for her by the other students? Sorry for not updating sooner. I hope that the length might help? On another note, has anyone else fallen in love with One Direction? They're amazing, and a shout-out to my friends Bec and Edie (ily babes) for introducing me to them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, it would not exist, cause I procrastinate that much.

Issy

"Need some help?" It's the guy from the platform. Interesting that I can remember that, really, cause I'm usually terrible with faces.

"Isabel? You here? And don't think I'm a stalker, cause your name's on your trunk"

What? Ok, so there's someone talking to me. Someone who just happens to look kinda like the Saviour of the Wizarding World (even in Australia I know of him. I swear my Wiz. History teacher's in love, the way she goes on). I don't even care. Not really. Back home, I've got enough friends that are well-known for some reason or another that it doesn't affect me anymore. Not that meeting the eldest of the Potter kids would be completely normal.

After my in-head situation assessment, I feel that I have no choice but to accept. I'm on the market for a new best friend, and, well, I am having trouble with my trunk (why do these things not have wheels?) and managing to also carry my guitar case with me. So… why not?

Following my 'new best friend', as James has (rather appropriately) named himself, into a compartment, I seem to notice one thing. That is, one thing before I'm swept into a massive hug that takes my breath away. Literally- not the 'I'm in love kind'. Stepping back, I glance around the compartment to introduce myself to James' friends- two boys, two girls. It was a team of five, and just by looking at them, I can tell that they're very close.

"Dominique. My cousin", James explains, gesturing to the girl who had practically tackled me as soon as she saw me. "She's a hugger. It's what she does to everyone she meets", he states, accepting his own hug-of-death from the strawberry-blonde girl. While James was… incapacitated, all the other occupants start to introduce themselves, too. Finally. I get to meet James' famous friends that he's talked to me non-stop about. Fred and Lorcan are the other two boys, and the other girl is Sophie. I like her immediately. I like to think that I'm a good judge of character, and her quiet confidence and laid-back 'I simply don't care' attitude remind me jarringly of myself back home. For now, I sit by her and James, who has long since recovered from his cousin's attack. (Honestly, that girl is strong!)

It's only been 2 days since I flew in from Sydney Airport, so the time here feels like 9 at night, when it's really only midday. I…need…sleep… But I can't. It would be awkward if I fell asleep here and then started to sleeptalk, because who knows what would come out of my sleep-deprived mind and get pushed into the real world through the power of unconscious speech. Joy. So I listen in vaguely on the conversations around me, focusing in only once when I hear my name.

"She's gotta be Gryff…"

"Pride of Portr… win the season"

"Issy's too nice to be Slytherin."

"But what if…?

"I'm telling you, she is. There's just something about her, you know? Even in the hour I've known her, she's seemed like one. Too outgoing to be Hufflepuff, don't know if she's got the brains for Ravenclaw."

"I s'pose. Be awkward, wouldn't it? To be sorted among all the first years. What house d'you reckon Lily's going to be in?"

"For the sake of my family, I hope she's Gryffindor, but… she's smart enough to be Ravenclaw. Aunt 'Mione's been tutoring her and Hugo now that Rose's left."

"Xannie's going to be Gryffindor too. There's no other house for her to be in, knowing her."

Both of them, dark haired James and bright, flaming haired Fred are laughing. They're cousins, I know, and when you've known each other as long as they have, there's a bond there, unbreakable. If it weren't for the fact that they look nothing alike, I could have sworn they were twins. I wish I had that kind of relationship with my brother. He's older, though, so it's no surprise that we aren't close. Having a 17 year old brother makes you tough, though. At least for me- Liam's always been my mentor, the person I tried to be like when I was younger. I'd like to think he's changed my personality from what it would have been… if… I wish I had that kind of relationship with my sister… but we don't talk about her. She was me, but blonde, dark eyes. My opposite, yet we were so alike. If only… But we don't talk about her… anymore.

As the train slows, I realise that I've lost myself in reminiscing and in my train of thought once again, as is so common for me. It's dark when I step outside, perhaps reminding me just how long I was in La-la land for. Since I'm not first year, I won't be taking the boats, a fact that Dominique lamented about, both in rapid English, and even faster French (guess my junior school French paid off!) Apparently the view from the lake of Hogwarts is beautiful. I can hazard a guess that it is, but seeing as it's raining- not heavily, but enough to be uncomfortable- I would rather not go on a boat, no matter how "très belle" the view is.

Mind you, the carriages aren't that dry either. And those are some damn ugly horses pulling them. Makes me think that they aren't horses at all. And there's just some feeling… what if I am in Slytherin? From the conversations and the disgusted tone that they used when talking about the last house, I get the feeling that they aren't very well liked. Their words come back to me- "They're not as bad as they used to be…"

"Well, they're pretty bad now!"

I don't want to be in Slytherin. I wonder if this is what it's like for all the first-years. Stupid calm friends. They don't have to worry about what house they're going to be in, or how embarrassing it's going to be when they're Sorted among people that are at least a foot shorter than them.

But when I get to the castle, it's that last fear that I really don't have to worry about. The Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, intercepts my walk into the castle with a smile (something that James later tells me is something very rare for her.) Apparently I'm to be Sorted separately, something that makes my day just a bit easier.

In a small room just off the Entrance Hall, McGonagall leads me to a frayed hat on a stool.

"The Sorting Hat", whispers James. In all my stressing about Slytherin and potential embarrassment, I hadn't noticed that they'd followed me in here. At least it's not the whole school.

All I have to do is try it on? It sounds too easy. For an all-magic school, I expected something different for Sorting.

"You're old."

Excuse me? As soon as I try that hat on, a voice resounds- in my head.

"Older than the usual ones I see. Where to put you? You're clever… remarkably so. But loyal, and brave. Ambitious, too- you've done a lot to get what you want, eh? Where to put you? You could belong in any, but two suit you the most. Hard decision. Do you want to be with your friends? I can see that you don't want to let them down… no. I know where you belong. Your new family will be…"

AN: Sorry for the cliffie. It just seemed easier to end it there.

Update- 5/September/2011:
Please R&R. Until I started writing, I never really knew how important reviews actually are to the author. Sorry to those who put this on alert. Next chapter should be up soon- was away all last week. Did I mention how much I despise school camp?

~Rae~