Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters in the Harry Potter Series. I only own Kathryn and a few other that will be put into this story.

CHAPTER THREE- A New Family at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Kathryn leaned back and smiled closing her eyes. Soon it would be over, soon she could get her revenge.

"Another game?" asked Hermione.

"Do we have time?" Kathryn asked and looked at her.

She looked out the window and nodded.

"We won't be there for at least 20 more minutes, so another?" she said shuffling the cards.

Kathryn nodded, smiling.

After another thirty minutes or so they arrived at the station. Everyone had changed into their school robes and headed outside. A very big man was outside calling for all of the first years to follow him. He glanced over at Kathryn and motioned for her to come there. She looked around at Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

"It's okay, Hagrid's great, you'll love him" said Ron reassuringly.

Kathryn nodded and walked over to him. She looked up at his face, he towered above her. She gulped, but right when she saw the kindness in his face her fear evaporated and she smiled at him.

"Are you Kathryn Purleaz?" He asked.

"Yes, I am" she answered.

"Rubeus Hagrid" he said holding out his hand.

She smiled and shook it.

"Well we are in a very odd situation, we haven't had a transfer of schools in I'd say about two-hundred years. So yer going to come with me on the boats, bein' a new student 'n all. So follow me"

She did. This was exciting. She had never seen such a glorious sight. With it's tall towers and bright lights in definitely topped the school that she had gone to. As she got onto the boat and were surrounded by first years the excitement grew. In just a few short minutes she would be going through those doors and entering the beginning of her new life. Once she entered through those doors she would become a Hogwarts student and be that much closer to killing Harry Potter.

"Amazing" she said as she stared in awe at the sight of the castle.

"Ain't ye a little big ta be a first year?" said a little girl sitting next to her.

She couldn't help but think that her accent was adorable. Kathryn laughed thinking of a way that she could trick her.

" 'S so funny?" she asked her in confusion.

"Nothing, the reason why I'm so big is because I'm a half giant" Kathryn said, still laughing.

She gasped and scooted away from her in terror. Kathryn laughed again.

"Calm down, it's all right. I'm not half giant. I transferred here from another school. I'm in my seventh year. They thought I should see the castle like everyone else their first time coming." she said smiling at her.

"O'. Ye scared me there. I thought I might wet meself. 'Onostly, a half giant! Ye scared me knickers off!" she said scooting back over.

"Sorry, I'm Kathryn, call me Kat"

"Me name's Erin"

"Hi Erin, we should keep watching the castle, after all we only come this way once" Kathryn said winking.

She nodded and turned back towards the castle. Before long the boats arrived at the bottom of some stairs leading up into a room as Hagrid told them. Kathryn was reluctant to get out of the boats, she could have stayed looking at the castle forever. Hagrid pulled her aside before leading everyone up the stairs.

"You will be sorted after the first years so you will be standing behind them when you enter the Great Hall, okay?" he asked.

Kathryn nodded.

"Thank you Hagrid, I appreciate you letting me come on the boats, it was amazing" she exclaimed breathlessly.

" 'S no problem. Everyone should experience it at least once" He smiled down at her and she smiled back.

"This way" he said motioning to everyone.

They went up some long and winding staircases. It seemed to take forever.Why am I so nervous? Was it nervousness about being sorted. Before she could think anymore on the subject they arrived at the top of the stairs. She took a deep breath and then went through them with everyone else.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" said an old, stern looking witch from above them.

"I am Professor McGonagal, transfiguration teacher" said the stern looking witch "You will walk through these doors behind me" she motioned towards the Great Hall doors(by now they had all walked up the stairs leading to her) "and will be sorted into one of the four Houses. They are Gryfindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Your House is like your family, triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will loose points. Ah, Miss Purleaz" everyone looked back at her "You will be sorted after the first years. Good luck to you all"

She turned around and went through the doors. About five minutes later she came back out with a small smile on her face.

"They are ready for you now" she said.

Everyone followed, Kathryn in the very back. She took deep breaths as they walked through those doors. She looked up at the ceiling. It was amazing, it looked just like the night's sky. She looked away from it and looked around her. All of the students' attention were not on the first years, but were on her. This just made her more nervous.

When everyone stopped, Kathryn stayed a good five feet away from them and waited her turn. The thing they called the Sorting Hat broke out in song about the four houses and their meanings. It was fascinating to learn about them. Once everyone was seated in their houses Professor McGonagal called Kathryn. She walked up. The more she walked the further away it seemed to get, but eventually she got there. She motioned for Kathryn to sit on the stool. Then she addressed the rest of the school.

"This is Kathryn Purleaz. She has transferred here from another wizarding school. She is in her seventh year and will be spending that year at Hogwarts. She is the first person to transfer to Hogwarts in over two-hundred years. So now" she said turning to Kathryn "She will be sorted."

A hush fell over the students as she placed the Sorting hat on her head. She jumped as it began to whisper in her ear, she hadn't expected this. Hmm, interesting, very interesting...there is a need for vengeance here...hmmm, that means you might be good for Slytherin...Ah, but you are very intelligent I can see this too, maybe Ravenclaw would be better for you ... Oh, but the loyalty to your friends and family...hmmm, could Hufflepuff be the better choice? Bravery, that is one thing you don't lack...hmm...indeed not...you would go out of your way to do anything for the people you care about, even if it meant your own death, that would make you a fine choice for Gryfindor...

Is there a place for me? She thought to the hat.

Yes, there definitely is, but where it is is the tricky part. The only person that was more difficult to sort than you was Harry Potter.

What...? Harry Potter?

Yes, of course, why didn't I figure it out sooner? The hat whispered ignoring her question. I know, I'll put you in...

"GRYFINDOR!" The hat shouted.

She smiled and got up off the stool as the Professor took the hat off of her head. She walked over to the Gryfindor table where all of the Gryfindors had stood up clapping to shake her hand. She found Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They had saved her a seat just incase she was sorted into that House.

Kathryn's face must have look amazed when food suddenly appeared on the table because they were laughing at her again. She blushed and looked away. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Kathryn got into an interesting conversation about all of the different classes. She almost forgot to eat. Kathryn knew she would be taking the normal classes, and then she would also be taking Divination (her last teacher said that she most certainly had the sight) and Care of Magical Creatures.

After dinner, everyone went up the stairs to the Gryfindor common room. Kathryn was stopped by a portrait of a fat lady.

"Password?" she said in a low voice.

"Okay, Kat, each common room has a different password so intruders can't get in. This is ours, remember it" she turned back to the Fat Lady " Fiddle Winkle"

"It changes every now and then" she informed her as they stepped through the passage that was behind the Fat Lady.

"That is where the boys sleep" she said pointing to the stairs that Harry and Ron were going up. They waved goodnight. "And up here is where we sleep." She opened a door that was on top of a different set of stairs. "Your things have already been brought up, all you need to do is unpack. Well, I'm going to sleep. Good Night."

"Good Night"

Kathryn dressed into some night clothes and climbed into a window that was near the ground. There was a little area that she could sit in and be alone at. She pulled a blanket over herself and sat there looking at the stars. I finally feel like I'm in the right place ... like I'm finally home. She drew her legs closer to her body and thought about the House that she was now in. Then she thought about her family. But then she realized that here they weren't her family. Gryfindor House was. And for the first time in two years, her sister's death was pushed out of her mind, and she fell into a peaceful slumber without crying herself to sleep like she had done every night since her sister's death.