Disclaimer: See I do own some thing and if you try to steal Cherie I will hunt you down like the dirty, rotten, character stealing pig you are!
Chapter 4: arrival
"Thank you so much for that Cherie! It was getting very uncomfortable sitting there while his eyes bored their way through my clothing!" Hermione exclaimed hugging her long-distance friend again. Her letters had brought great comfort having someone else to vent to and help solve her problems and to help solve their problems. Hermione had always anticipated getting letters from Cherie and finding out how things were in Canada and how her sad little love life was doing if she had made any big moves like gotten her first kiss (A/N I am basing Cherie off of me and as I have yet to receive my first kiss so does she). "Here is the bathroom you change in one of the stalls."
"Okay!" came the enthusiastic reply and Cherie moved towards one of the stalls only to have a presumptuous little third year sneak in and try to steal it from her. Cherie caught the child's back collar and yanked them back out of her stall. "Who da ya think ya are ya little brat! Get the heck outta my stall before I beat ya till ya can't even say your own name!" Cherie cried tossing the scared little third year out of the way and flashing a grin at Hermione telling her that she had been joking and stepped into the stall she had just defended.
When Cherie and Hermione finally exited the girl's bathroom they ran into Draco and Blaise as they exited the boy's bathroom. Malfoy sneered at Hermione and was about to make some irrelevant comment about her muggle heritage when Blaise noticed Cherie "Cherie I see you found her! Hermione could you tell me how you two are connected to each other?"
Hermione glared at Draco then looked at Blaise, he had never really participated in the dreadful taunts that Draco seemed to find so witty so she figured she could be civil to him. Then Cherie spoke up "Hermione and I have know each other for two years now and are very good friends. Are you guy's friends?"
"Umm not really Cherie we never really hung out much. Never had much reason since we are in different houses and all."
"Oh…" Cherie sighed looking down at the floor of the corridor.
Blaise seeing her sadness at this news decided it was high time someone rectified this situation. "But now with your connection to Draco and Hermione here we may just have to arrange to hang out more often.
"Really?" Cherie brightened up at this and the hall to seemed to brighten, at least in Baizes eyes. "That would be wonderful!" just then the train started to slow down. "Oh my! We have to go get our things see you guys at the school!" Cherie cried behind herself and Hermione as they made their way back to their compartment.
***
"First years!" yelled a big giant of a man and I told Hermione that meant me because I was technically a first year at least until I got sorted into a house. 'Now what were they again? Gryphon, snake, raven, and hypo…I think'
I glanced around me I was probably a full head taller than all the real first years 'but that was normal for me as I was used to hanging out with oriental students who well to say the were short was nice. The last time I had been able to look one of them in the eyes was in grade nine and she was considered TALL! Oh well I loved them especially Megumi and Ayaka, I really missed them and couldn't have missed them more.' I felt a wave of home sickness hit me and I really wanted to turn back then I saw a little girl she was with the group of first years by some how it seemed that the other's were excluding her.
"Alright' then get into pairs and we'll begin!" the giant called and I made my way trough the sea of munchkins to the child. Bending down I looked into her sapphire blue eyes just looking for a moment before speaking "do you want to be my partner?" I asked
"Why? You aren't a first year. You're too big!" she exclaimed with vigor.
I smiled and she smiled back "No I am not a first year. But it is my first year here and I have to go with you guys so I figured that you were the only person here that might talk to me. So how about it do you want to be my partner? I can row faster and harder than any of them so you won't have to work as hard or we could just beat everyone else to the castle. Sound like a deal?" I bargained still beaming at the child.
"Ok. I'm Maria who are you?"
"I am Cherie I came all the way from Canada to go to school here and looks like I have been rewarded with finding an angel." I said lightly brushing my hand against her wavy gold hair that was falling peacefully down her back. "Come on let's go and get a boat!" I exclaimed dashing away towards to shore where many boats were lined. "Hop in I'll push it out!"
Maria jumped in and scurried to the bow of the boat as I slid the light little craft out on to the dark depths.
***
"AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" a child screamed as a tentacle extended out of the lakes surface pushing him back into the boat he was falling out of.
"What are you chicken?" I asked politely to the weeping child feeling little remorse for this child who as Maria told me had called her a mudblood at every turn. Reaching out I patted the squids extended tentacle and cooed soothingly to it showing it that is had done well and was appreciated.
"Wow you are brave!" Maria exclaimed eyes wide at seeing me touch the out stretched tentacle.
"It is not hard. Here you try." I said grasping her little hand and showing her how to stroke the squid's tentacle. Children stared as they passed us and I could hear many of the boys boasting that they could do that if they wanted to.
"Come on we have to continue we wouldn't want to be late for the sorting." I said giving the squid a final pat and continued rowing.
"Oh no I don't want to be sorted!" Maria squeaked. "Jason said that we had to battle a troll! I don't want to battle a troll! It would eat me alive!"
I started laughing.
"What it is not funny! You don't want to battle a troll now do you?"
"No I don't but come on Hogwarts is a world renowned school for witch craft and wizardry Dumbledore, not to mention your parents, would not make you battle a troll or do any other nasty horrible thing to get sorted."
"Do you think so Miss Cherie? If you think so you must be right! You are so nice!" 'Wow what a cutie' I thought to myself looking up at her silhouette against the starry sky.
"Oh my!" I gasped looking up at the horizon. The most beautiful castle was situated there its reflection shimmering on the lake hardly a ripple disturbing it.
***
"Right this way now!" an elderly witch called to the first years leading them into the great hall and up on a dais where they were instructed to wait until their name was called and then they were to place a old hat on top of their heads and it would some how sort them in to 'houses'.
Threw many a year
I've worked and I've waned
Trying to bring you together
Has really pained!
Now Slytherins are sly,
A sneaky old lot!
But their hatred for Gryphondor
Has yet to be fought.
Brave, wise Gryphondor
Now what have you done?
You've banded with Ravenclaw
Thought this war was great fun!
Now Hufflepuff sits by
And year by year they stay
Saw the games with you and Slytherin
And wanted to play.
Now this lot comes here
Gather close, now my friends
Among them is one
Who'll bring this to its ends
So place me on your head
Find out where you'll be
Whether Ravenclaw or hufflepuff
You will be happy you'll see
Cause the sorting hat's not wrong
And soon you will find
Gryphondor and Slytherin
I warn you be kind!
Now let the sorting begin!
A/N: that poem was so hard to write and so bad I don't even know why I'm keeping it!