First few years are going to be heavily skipped over

She stood in anticipation as names were called one at a time. She was in the final three names since it was going alphabetically via surname. Finally she heard it though "Winchester, Katherine-Mai" professor McGonagall called. Suddenly various thoughts filled Katherine's head. What if she didn't get placed? What if she was the only one not to have a house. Perhaps they would learn about her past, about her family being hunters and decide not to let her attend the school. What if she was placed in Slitherin. She had heard on the train about how all the bad people get put in that house. How every evil wizard had been a snake.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes she faced this like everything else in her life, head on. Burying the fear down so nobody can see it and instead a face of determination took over her expressions. She placed the sorting hat down on her head, it barely touched her before it was calling out GRYFFINDOR. Katherine smiled. She was happy with that. After all the traits of somebody form Gryffindor was being brave, daring, a strong will and a good moral sense. She wouldn't have minded Ravenclaw either she suppose, a being smart, filled with wisdom, thinking with originality. Her brother Sam would be in that house she figured. Dean would be a Gryffindor with her.

Walking towards the applauding table she took a seat between Ron Weasley and a boy named Neville Longbottom. She watched the final two sorting and Dumbledore's speech which included six words she was sure were made up, before the plates in front of them filled with mountains of food. "Oh my lord" she said, catching the attention of several people.

"You're American?" Neville asked her shyly and she nodded.

"Yep" she grinned. A conversation had started around them about blood types.

"I'm half and half, me dads a muggle, mams a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out" An Irish lad named Seamus Finnegan told the amused group who laughed.

"Muggle means non-magic right?" she said and the group nodded "Probably obvious from that statement alone, but no witches or wizards in my family. Just two over-protective brothers and my dad" she smiled, her gut twanging when she thought of them. She felt a little guilty having to lie to them but knew it was for the best. People noticed she didn't mention her mum but didn't bring it up. "Tell you something else, I grew up on a diet of fast food. This right here is heaven" she added and the table laughed again. For her it was her first real experience with a full roast dinner. She had never even had Yorkshire puddings before. When dessert came, she almost started salivating at the pie available.

Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and Katherine-Mai Winchester all walked into there dormitory with a smile as they took in the four poster beds. They saw there trunks at the end of the beds, apparently who would be where was already allotted to them. Katherine smiled to see she had the one in the furthest corner right under a window, her neighbouring bed being sat on by Hermione who was changing into her pyjama's. For once in her life Katherine felt self-conscious as she took in the girly pyjama's of her fellow dorm mates whilst she herself had a pair of leggings with holes in the knees and one of Deans old Metallica shirts. Actually a lot of her clothes were second hand passed down from her brothers. Her school shirts had been given to John by a woman named Ellen who had a daughter Katherine's age and they had bought a cheap skirt from a charity shop.

Pulling her long chest length, dark brown hair into two braids, she watched as Hermione struggled with her hair and so walked over. "Here" she said and took the hair brush form the girl, simply putting it in one long braid. "It'll be easier to sleep in now" she said.

"Thanks" Hermione replied and they shared a smile. Neither had had girl friends before and were hoping the other would be friend for them. "We should go to bed now" she said and both gut under the covers of their respective beds, only taking seconds form the moment their heads hit the pillows ot fall asleep.

~ 0 ~

Fred and George Weasley were always pleased for find somebody with a similar sense of humour as them, so when hearing laughter upon a prank that left most people grumbling in annoyance, they had to investigate. "Well good morning ickle firstie" Fred grinned at Katherine-Mai who smiled at them. They were so much taller than her, but it wasn't surprising since they were two years older.

"Hi, I'm Katherine" she smiled "Are you responsible for the janitor yelling what I think are wizarding profanities?" She asked in amusement and the twins nodded. "Awesome"

"Yeah, was pretty good. A bit amateur but don't think there is much point doing more than a dung bomb on the second day back." George Weasley nodded

"Exactly, don't want to get more than lets se… two detentions on the first week" Fred chimed in. "Also my dear American, Filch is the caretaker not janitor" he added.

"Yeah, yeah, different countries, different lingo. don't suppose you can show me the way to the great hall can you?" she wondered and the twins exchanged looks before deciding to be nice. "Sure" they responded in unison.

As the trip walked, they discussed there sense of humour, with the twins promising to teach the young muggle-born all there tricks of the trade, in return she needed to teach them Muggle pranks they can use during the holidays. They parted ways one sitting in the hall, "Morning Hermione" Katherine smiled cheerfully as she took some toast and smeared it in peanut butter, taking a large bite.

"Good morning Katherine" Hermione replied formally but with a bright smile. "Are you prepared for today's lessons?" she inquired.

The truth of the matter was that Katherine very much doubted she would ever be ready for the lessons that ensued. It hit her just then, she had been raised like a soldier. She had a damn good shot with a gun and could hold her own in a fist fight. She was small and could use it to her advantage and just like her brother Sam she was very book smart as well, even if she didn't do well in school socially. She had spent her whole life being told that anything that wasn't human was bad. The question hit her like a ton of bricks. Was she human? When she goes to Bobby's this summer will he decide she was bad and hunt her. So instead of saying her fears out loud, she merely nodded at Hermione.

That night, Katherine wrote a letter to her dad. She told him all about transfiguration class, where you turn one object into another and how her friend Harry and Ron had been late and talked about it, not realising the cat sat on the teacher desk was actually the teacher. Of course they realised it when she turned back into the firm faced, stern head of Gryffindor. Oh yeah, I got into Gryffindor house by the way, it's the house for the brave and daring. We're lions (that's the animal on our logo) and the colours are red and gold she wrote before continuing onto explain professor Snape. The emotionless, douchbag of a potions teacher who decided to pick on Harry for unknown reasons he totally favours his own house, which is Slytherin, it's suppose to be for the cunning, resourceful and ambitions. But really its filled with pureblood maniacs who hate Muggles (non magic people) and pretty much everybody who was ever evil was in that house. Already myself and Hermione (a friend) who are both muggleborns are getting stuck listening to there crap because they think they're better than us. Unfortunately I don't think punching the prestigious asshats will help to much. I will though if they because too snobbish. she wrote before telling a brief story of Voldemort and Harry. Finishing with a hope you, Sammy and Dean are well and taking down as many evil bastard as you can, Love Mai she decided to use that name rather than Katherine.

Hagrid the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts, was the one that showed her how to attach a letter to an owl. She watched it fly out of sight and smiled slightly.

~ 0 ~

Halloween. Katherine-Mai's least favourite holiday. It's when all the freaks come out. This year was no different as professor Quirrell ran through the great hall screaming about a troll in the dungeon. "Troll. Like actual troll? They exist?" was what Katherine nodded. Harry shrugged but seeing the panic on everybody else faces he gathered the answer was yes. Sure he had become very good friends with the almost twelve year old girl but couldn't help but feel like he knew nothing about her whilst everybody else seemed to know everything about him. One thing he did know, is she quickly got protective of people. "Wait, Hermione. She's in the girls toilets" she said and Harry's eyes got wide.

"Come on" he said as Ron groaned.

"Hey, you're the one that made her cry, of course Hermione has friends you douche" she reminded Ron of his earlier words that were the reason for her crying the first place. Unfortunately getting away from Percy Weasley as he tried to round up all the first years. "Look, just follow my lead, it's easy" she hissed at the two boys before ducking down a little, walking backwards before sprinting to the other side, instantly out of Percy vision. Exchanging looks Harry and Ron gulped a little before copying her, breathing a sigh of relief when they made it without being caught.

The three friends stood alert when hearing a scream. Without thinking Katherine ran down the hallway and burst into the girls bathroom where a giant troll was stood "Hermione!" she yelled Harry and Ron bursting in right then. "I'll distract it" Katherine said as she quickly got her mind into hunter mode, she saw the fellow eleven years olds jaws drop at her roundhouse kick as she grabbed hold of the trolls hand when it went to hit her and used it as leverage to jump, getting into its back, as it leant forward Harry hit it with his wand, not thinking of any spells on the spot, pulling a face when seeing it was now up the trolls nose.

"Remember, swish and flick" Hermione yelled when seeing Ron raise his wand.

"Wingardium leviosa" Said clearly, lifting the trolls own club and hit it, knocking the big troll out. They watched as Katherine Winchester back flipped off of the back of the troll, landing carefully, although hurting the bottom of her foot in the process. The four first years stood, panting a little as the adrenaline crashed, they shared smiles which didn't last too long as the teachers rushed in. looking at the scene in disbelief.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall demanded.

"Uhh" Harry, Ron and Katherine all said, minds gone blank but Hermione, ever the smart one, had an answer, even if it wasn't the truth.

"Please professor, they were looking for me" she said "I went looking for the troll, I had read all about them and thought I could I could handle it, if Harry Ron and Katherine hadn't found me I would probably be dead" She lied. The four soon walked out of the bathroom with five point form Hermione, and five to the other three. After that, the our were the best of friends. There are just some things you can't do without getting close, battling a troll is just one of them.