"As Mr. Buchanan is to take his place as a student in our school, he will be sorted immediately." Dumbledore faced Ryan directly. "Whichever house is selected will be your home during your visit here." With a swift yet gentle motion of his hand, the Sorting Hat and stool arrived directly in front of the head table. The student body- alright, mostly the female portion of the student body- craned their necks to get a better look as Ryan who, following instructions, sat down on the stool and placed the Hat upon his head. It took the Hat a full minute to make its choice; a minute of significant glances, of fervent prayer, of silent bets, and of wishful thinking on the parts of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin females.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted at last.
Ginny's heart took a gallop (though Nora and Lizzy's shrill screams may have been partially responsible), and Ryan's face beamed with quiet satisfaction as Dumbledore led the school in the Hogwarts anthem, and at the end of it ushered them off to bed.
As the house prefects escorted the first years out of the Great Hall to their designated dormitories, and the rest of the school followed suit, Ryan eased his way through the throngs to where Ginny was attempting to assuage her inquiring classmates ("Just an acquaintance, you know, we met this summer...no, he's not my boyfriend... please, I'd really just like some air..."). He didn't have to struggle. The entire female population of Hogwarts was undeniably riveted by their Australian guest, and as he neared the Gryffindor table, they hastily parted to let him through. And while they respected his unspoken wish to speak privately with Ginny Weasley, they gathered in clusters, watching them and whispering, attempting to satisfy their curiosity. When they saw him reach her, adorably run his fingers through his hair as he greeted her, and Ginny, smiling shyly but happily, reply "I can't believe you're here!", the whispering transformed into a loud buzz, to which the objects were insensitive.
---
"You are undoubtedly trying to unravel my sanity, aren't you," Ginny accused him, still grinning. "When I first spotted you sitting there I was positively gobsmacked! I was sure I'd gone mad."
Ryan laughed, gratified.
"Sorry 'bout that, mate. I was gonna send you an owl when I learnt I was coming, but seeing as how that was only a few days ago, I thought it'd be better if I made it a surprise. Surprised?"
"Not in the least, I assure you. But why are you here?" she asked, incredulous that this conversation was taking lieu.
"Well, it's like Dorey said; I've got some research to do," Ryan answered, mischief playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Dorey?" Ginny repeated, horrified. "You do realize you're referring to the greatest wizard alive?"
"Oh, he's ace, I really like him," Ryan enthused, his eyes lighting up. "He's the real reason I'm here, y'know."
For a fleeting moment the apple of his cheeks flushed pink.
"I mean, he's the reason I was able to come. Hogwarts is wicked strict about letting folks in. But my grandpa became friends with Dorey at the International Assembly of Magical Schools 'bout sixty years ago, and they kept up a correspondence ever since."
"Your grandfather is friends with Dumbledore?" Ginny reiterated slowly, amazed.
"Yup. I didn't know it until I started looking into the transfer. Anyhow, once I got my thesis together, I gave it to my grandpa, who pitched it to Dorey, and here I am." He seemed evidently pleased with himself. Ginny still wasn't getting it.
"Thesis? What thesis?"
"In Aus, our seventh year isn't formal learning. With some help, we pick an area of magic we're interested in, usually one we excel at, and explore that area most of the year. I'm good at everything so my profs let me choose whatever I wanted," he boasted, but smiled when Ginny made a face. "I'm writing up a comparison between magical schools in England and Aus, so for the next four months, I'm here.. I'm gonna be treated by the teachers like any other student, though the grades won't really count, aside from the core 7th year classes," he informed her, as she listened with mounting interest. "Dorey was really keen on my getting the full experience- 'know what he said to me? 'Quite unfortunate that the Weasley twins graduated last year. They would have been most valuable guides around the school'."
They both laughed.
"Can't believe he actually said that. But hey- what about the Airbornes?" Ginny realized suddenly. "Aren't you leaving them captain-less for half a year?"
"I left Danny in charge," he explained. "Gave her my Quid plans and went over them with her for hours. She's up to the task, no worries."
"So you're really going to be a Hogwarts student?" she asked skeptically.
"What?" asked Ryan, offended. "Think someone from Aus hasn't got what it takes to be a Hoggie?"
"A Hoggie!" Ginny exclaimed, once more outraged by his less-than-polite abbreviations. At least, she was trying to be; Ryan kept grinning his familiarly cocky, amused grin that she loved, and hated, and had missed terribly- and thus couldn't suppress a laugh.
"Oh, come on," she said, rolling her eyes at him. "I'll show you to the dormitories."
---
Ginny conducted him to the Gryffindor tower, discreetly pinching herself to reaffirm the truth. Her throbbing arm did the job splendidly.
The Fat Lady allowed them in, but not before fluffing up her hair and batting her eyelashes at Ryan. He looked surprised at first, then barely concealed a smile.
"Stop grinning," Ginny ordered.
"A'right, a'right."
"She's only a painting. Of a fat lady."
"Ego deflated, I promise."
The common room was packed, as it always was the first week of school. Most predominant were friends wishing to catch up after a summer apart, while others wanted a good start to their year, and were diligently reading assigned texts, or attempting new spells (Sadly, as we know, this impressive habit doesn't usually last more than a month).
Yet the great din abated with Ryan's appearance among them. Harry and Ron, who had been engrossed in a game of Wizard's Chess, stopped and inspected him; neither seemed pleased to see him. After a long moment's pause, some Gryffindor boys, whose girlfriends were gawking silently at Ryan, tried to engage them once more in conversation. Few succeeded, and the room fell quiet once more.
Sensing the general discomfort, Ginny stepped up beside Ryan, her face growing hot as she said,
"Uh, Gryffindors, meet Ryan Buchanan. Ryan, these are the Gryffindors. Well, a lot of them, anyway."
The girls turned uncommonly shy and mumbled hi's and hello's, shooting each other quick smiles and glances (Nora and Lizzy unabashedly stared with gaping mouths). Many of the boys watched him suspiciously and merely nodded to him.
"Hi, folks," Ryan said, glancing around the room. "Just like to say that I'm stoked to be in this house. Wasn't too keen on joining those Slytherin buggers. Looked kinda nasty, y'know."
Some Gryffindors smiled appreciatively.
"Yeah, can't wait to beat them at Quidditch," Katie Bell called from the sofa near the fireplace.
Ryan looked interested.
"Any spots available on your team?" he asked her.
"Why, you play?" inquired Seamus Finnigan, his arms folded across his chest.
"A bit," Ryan acknowledged . "I'm a keeper back in Aus."
"Keeper?" queried a boy whose name Ginny didn't know. "Now that we need, with Wood gone and all."
"What kind of Quidditch experience have you got, Ryan?" Katie asked, motioning for him to come sit down on the sofa. Ryan went to sit, and a group of students soon huddled around him, Ginny included.
"I've been playing Quid since I was born, like most of you, I wager," Ryan told them.
"Quid? Oh, Quidditch, of course," giggled Lavender Brown. "Please continue."
"Right, well, basically, I've been a keeper at school since my first year."
"He's also the captain of a brilliant team, both in school and in the summertime," Ginny blurted, having had the urge to help in any way she could.
Ryan shrugged unaffectedly at the admiring looks of the Gryffindors. "I can't take credit for their work- the Bornes 've got incredible talent. We've been together for six years, and we haven't lost a school cup."
"No bloody way!" exclaimed Dean Thomas. Seamus' eyes lit up, and most Gryffindors who had been listening looked as though their birthdays had come early.
"That's brilliant," Katie enthused. "I doubt Harry'll even have tryouts for keeper now, with you here and all. Oy, Harry!" she called across the room.
But she had not needed to shout, for Harry had been right behind the throng of students, and had listened to every word spoken between them. They all quickly made room for him to enter, so that he stood directly in front of Ryan. Ron stood a short distance behind him, a noticeable scowl on his face.
"Harry, there you are," Katie said eagerly, unaware of the tension he had brought with him. "Look here- we've got ourselves a keeper!"
"Thanks Katie, but tryouts will take place as planned," Harry said flatly, staring steadily at Ryan all the while.
Ryan got up from the sofa, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his eyes never leaving Harry's. A soft grin formed on his lips.
"Potter, nice to see you. In the flesh."
Harry's expression was anything but amused. He seemed almost angry.
"You're not trying out Buchanan. Seeing as you're only here until Christmas, it would be imprudent of me to let you on the team. You understand."
Harry turned to go.
"But Harry!" protested Katie. "You can use Ryan for half the year, and train a back-up to use for the other half. If Ryan's at all as good as he seems, it won't matter if we lose the first couple of games after Christmas. It's worth the gamble."
Harry stood frozen, the rest of the room muted, awaiting his reply. His eyes met Ginny's just briefly, but long enough for her to detect disapproval in them, and be affected by it. He glanced back at Ryan, his eyes narrowed, his features tightened, his whole manner so incongruous with the old Harry, the real Harry.
"That's a captain's decision," he said coldly.
And, with Ron tailing behind him, he made his way up the stone steps to the boys' dormitory, leaving behind the much confused Gryffindors, and Ginny with a hodgepodge of emotions she could not begin to sort through.
