"Today's the day it's the first day of school

So many new things to learn and do
I'm so excited, but nervous too
But it will be okay on my first day of school!"

- Cocomelon

"The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war..."

- Attributed to General Douglas MacArthur

PFC Pete Gobbi awoke with a start, and for a second forgot his surroundings. He had a weird dream about being turned into a girl and going to the Harry Potter world of magic. As the private sat up in bed, she realized it wasn't a dream. She was in a full sized bed with intricately carved bedposts and luxurious covers, reminding the private-turned-witchling that she was in Hogwarts. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the gloom she saw the deep forest green duvet and bed curtains Gina remembered what house she was in.

Before the young private-turned-witchling could finish taking it all in she heard someone clearing their throat. Gina turned and saw an owl perched on her headboard.

"Ahem! Here are your marching orders, private-er, ah, Gina...As the first phase of your mission is to try and make contact with this Hermione Granger by any means necessary."

Gina sighed as she yawned and stretched.

"An' just how do you figgure I'm gonna do that? Seein' as how I'm in House Slytherin, th'mortal enemies of House Gryffindor."

Archimedes shrugged his wings.

"Use those military skills of yours private, you know, for improvising, adapting and overcoming. All I can tell you is that those last three words were emphasized by your superior officer. Long suspects that the sleeper agent is already-"

But Archimedes was interrupted by a second voice, this one a girl's.

"Oh, you're already up?"

The private-turned-witchling poked her head out of the curtains and saw a blonde girl in her pajamas sitting on the edge of a bed, which was right next to hers. Gina opened the curtains to her bed and spoke up.

"Er, sorry did I wake you up?"

Nanette shook her head.

"No, I was just dozing..."

She stood up and stretched, looking around.

"Thought I heard you talking...or was I still asleep?"

Archimedes gave a start and started hooting. Nanette noticed the owl and giggled.

"Oh, you were talking to your familiar, I see..."

The private-turned witchling shrugged.

"Um, yeah felt a bit homesick and tryin' to psyche myself up for the first day of school."

Nanette tried poking Archimedes.

"Oh dear, he really is a scruffy-looking old crow."

Gina heard the owl huff indignantly and fly off.

"Yeah, my daddy got him at a pet shop in Atlanta. Think he got ripped off."

Nanette giggled again.

"Yeah, I heard from Professor McGonagall that this-"

She gestured to the dorm.

"-well, all this, is new to you, so I get it."

The girl took Gina's hands in hers.

"But don't worry, us Slytherin girls look out for one another."

She pulled the private-turned-witchling away from her bed.

"Come, I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew."

Nanette led Gina to the first girl, who was standing by her bed rubbing some sleep out of her eyes.

"This is Tracey Davis, she's a third year like you or me."

Gina nodded a the girl.

"Nice t'meet you..."

The girl fumbled with a pair of glasses before putting them on and stared shyly. Tracy was a bit shorter than Nanette, which put her and Gina right on eye level. She had dark brown hair and and hazel eyes, which reminded Gina/Gobbi of the 33rd's CO Colonel Konrad. For a moment the private-turned-witchling wondered if the girl could be a distant relative of Hermione Granger. Before Gina could move any further in the thought process Tracey stood up and walked up to her, her face mere inches apart from Gina. She appeared to be studying the newcomer, but then spoke in a soft voice.

"Good morning. I heard this is the farthest you've been from home. That's tough."

She paused, and fidgeted, picking at the hem of her nightshirt.

"Um...just curious, but I was in the next table to yours and Draco's yesterday...I was just wondering, asking...what your opinion of half-bloods are?"

Gina cursed inwardly, but before she could respond Nanette piped up.

"Oh, not to worry Trace...Gina's not a fanatic like Draco, she was just buttering him up."

Gina nodded.

"Yeah, just playin' to my audience. Momma and Daddy are both pureblood wizards but you'd never know lookin' at them. Momma's a Marine and Daddy's an officer in the Army. They're both really chill."

As they were talking another girl walked past, this one was was in a bathrobe getting with a towel over one shoulder and a basket of toiletries in one hand, obviously on her way to shower.

"This is Daphne Greengrass, she's a fourth year...we call her Daph."

The girl called Daphne paused and turned. She was tall, taller than Gina and Nanette, with ash-blonde hair and very green eyes. She had an oval-shaped face that would have been attractive if not for the frowning resting bitch-face. Gina held out a hand.

"Pleased to meet ya, names' Gina."

The girl looked at Gina's hand, then took it, responding in a voice with a thick Northern Irish accent.

"Daphne, a pleasure. You sound like Whats-er-name from Dukes of Hazzard."

Gina frowned.

"Yeah, `cept Daisy Duke was from Georgia, not Kentucky."

"Is there a difference?"

The private-turned-witchling cocked her head to one side and gave a thin smile.

"A bit, s'like me askin' what the difference between Belfast and Dublin is, or sayin' that all you leprechauns sound alike."

A flush spread across Daphne's high cheekbones, and her forehead knitted into a frown.

"What did you say?" She hissed in a low voice.

Gina took a step forward.

"I said, the fuck're you types always runnin' around chasin' rainbows to yer crock of gold an' stopping kids from takin' yer Lucky Charms?"

Before Daphne could respond Nanette stood between them.

"Daph luv, please, let's not fight before breakfast?"

She looked over to Gina.

"Please?"

The private-turned-witchling suddenly felt embarrassed, and shook her head.

"Fair enough. Sorry for bein' a horse's ass this early in the morning. I'm grumpy before I get my morning Joe."

Daphne paused for a moment, then gave a small smile.

"It's alright, I'm pretty self-conscious about my Belfast brogue as well. It's why I don't talk much outside of the dorms."

A chime sounded the quarters, and Nanette gave a start.

"Oh cock! We better hurry for breakfast!"

Tracy nodded as followed Nanette to the armoires beside their beds, pulling out their school uniforms. Nanette was already brushing her hair when she noticed Gina was struggling with her hairbrush.

"Oh, let me help you with yours!"

She sat behind Gina and started brushing it, running her fingers through the strands to untangle the previous night's mess.

"It's so soft and silky...you're lucky!"

The American girl winched slightly as Nanette's brushing hit a stubborn knot.

"Yeah, an' it's a pain in the ass, I wanna lop it off."

Nanette's eyes widened in the mirror reflection.

"Oh no! You shouldn't, it's just the right length...there! What do you think."

Gina glanced in the mirror, and she had to admit, the girl had talents in brushing.

"Looks nice, thanks!"

The private-turned-witchling looked up and didn't like the pink barrette that Nanette had surreptitiously stuck in her hair. She turned to the blonde girl, who must have guessed Gina's thoughts by her expression.

"Oh, come on, it's looks cute on you!"

She looked up and saw both the other Slytherin girls were out of their pajamas and in their underwear. Gina blushed beet red and looked away, which didn't go unnoticed by Nanette.

"What's wrong?"

Gina stole a glance over at the other girls, who were now in the process of changing underwear. She shut her eyes again.

"Ah...it's nothin'...I've never been in a dorm before."

Nanette giggled.

"Oh come on Gina it's not that bad, we're all girls here. Surely you were in gym class and had to change in a locker room?"

Gina shook her head.

"Nah, wasn't very athletic, an' momma and daddy moved around so much I didn't even go to school off-base."

She felt Nanette patting her on the shoulder.

"It's alright to feel embarrassed, but you shouldn't be."

Gina looked up and saw Nanette smiling at her.

"Besides, you need to get dressed as well!"

The private-turned witchling glanced over to her cupboard and then back to her roommates. She then stood up, grabbed a handful of clothes and threw them on the bed. Gina then set a foot on her bed and drew the curtains, ignoring Nanette's protests.

"Look, it's gonna take me a coupla days to get used to this barracks-style arrangement. Can ya humor me until then?"

She heard Nanette through the curtains.

"Alright by me...though the girls will think you're weird...er."

Gina saw the curtains part with only the blonde's head poking in.

"By the way, you have lovely tits."

Gina involuntarily pulled her white uniform shirt to her chest. Nanette's cheeks flushed, her eyes widened and she stammered out an apology.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! I-I mean, it's just there's alot of girls our age that would kill for a nice set like that..."

The American nodded, but pushed Nanette's head back through the curtains.

"Ah...it's fine...just I'd appreciate it if you'd dial that shit back. Y'know, so peeps don't talk...speakin' of which, scram!"

Then Gina emerged from her bed, fully dressed and pulling on her new school robe.

As she was getting ready to leave the dorm Nanette stopped her.

"Ready to go?"

The American straightened up her school robe and nodded.

"Roger that, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse right now."

She noticed both Daphne and Tracy giggle. Gina followed the three other Slytherin girls out of their dorm room and into the Slytherin common room. Gina pushed open the door that led them to the shifting staircases, noticing that the girls were still giggling.

"Okay, what's the gag?"

Tracy glanced over to Nanette and they both blushed. Gina heard a heavy door creak shut and looked behind her. Daphne was standing in front of the now-closed door to House Slytherin.

"Because rogering means something raunchy."

She pushed past Gina and the other girls, but the American was genuinely curious.

"Hey, wait up!"

The three girls followed their Slytherin upperclassman to the cobblestone courtyard of Hogwarts. Off to the right loomed the Great Hall, and even from here Gina could smell heavenly breakfast food being prepared. It made the private-turned-witchling's mouth water and her stomach growl just at the scent. At the door to the Great Hall Daphne paused again to let Gina and the other girls catch up.

"So what the hell does rogering mean?"

A faint flush crept into Daphne's cheeks, but she sighed in response and leaned forward to whisper into Gina's ear.

"It means having sex, alright?"

"You're shitting me?"

Of course right at that moment Professor McGonagall, who frowned at the American.

"Language, Miss Gavin, please..."

The professor's admonishment caused the girls to giggle again. Minerva shook her head in exasperation, and left through another door. Gina was still embarrassed, but saw that the three girls seemed to be laughing at the teacher, not her.

"Oh, don't get stuck on everything Professor McGonagall says. She's got it in for Slytherin students, anyways."

Tracy came up beside Gina.

"Do American military types really use that much bad language?"

But before Gina could respond their entrance to the Great Hall was blocked by a fat female student with black hair, a pallid, acne-complexioned face and a frown. She was also wearing Slytherin robes.

"You're late." The large girl drawled, "Breakfast is almost over, you'll be lucky to get any."

Gina leaned over to Nanette.

"Who the fuck is that?"

She heard one of the girls whisper behind her.

"That's Millicent Bulstrode, she's a 4th year and always a pain in the arse to the new students..."

Gina noticed behind the girl was Draco Malfoy and his girlfriend Pansy Parkinson. Off to the boy's left were a couple of rough-looking boys, probably Crabbe and Goyle. The private-turned-witchling knew what this was. Back in the barracks Gobbi had given enough crap to the new privates to know that this was no different. She decided to play hardball.

"You leave any breakfast for the rest of us, fatbody?"

Gina heard Nanette and Tracy giggle behind her, and she noted that both Crabb and Goyle snickered. A small sneer flicked across Draco's face, and Gina couldn't swear to it but she thought she saw something else. Approval. Millicent, on the other hand, was furious. An angry flush spread across her broad features.

"You want to repeat that, Yank?"

Gina took a step forward and raised her voice.

"Did I stutter? I said 'did you leave any food for us, you slimy, fat walrus?' Y'know, because based off yer size you look like you just hoovered up all the bacon in Yorkshire..."

Milicent's face turned crimson, and she tensed up as if ready to attack the American, but at the last minute Draco inserted himself between the two girls, and gave a patronizing smile to the American girl.

"Now now, Miss Gavin. Let's not start any fights in Slytherin on your first day."

He glanced over to Millicent.

"Getting razzed by the new girl? You're losing your touch, Millie."

When she opened her mouth to retort Draco waved it off.

"Save it for the mudbloods in Gryffindor, now go patrol the halls."

Millicent said nothing, but stormed off in a huff. Gina let out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding, and heard Tracy and Nanette talking.

"Holy shit! I didn't think you'd actually tell off the Slytherin hall monitor like that!"

Gina noticed the Malfoy boy dismissing his two goons and his girlfriend, who made their way across the courtyard. He turned to face the American, a wicked smile on his lips.

"I didn't know what to make of you when you were Sorted, Gina Gavin. But I think you'll fit right in, I appreciate someone with your candor and guts."

Gina didn't know how to respond, so she just shrugged.

"Yeah,`preciate you intervening, and I'd appreciate it if you'd keeping Fatbody off my ass. I know she ain't gonna forget that insult."

Draco nodded, and with that Gina hastily followed the other three girls into the Great Hall. Contrary to what the other girl said, there were still plenty of students in the great hall having breakfast. She found Nanette and the others at a bench with a group of other Slytherin girls. The private-turned-witchling was fascinated at the breakfast items offered, everything from steaming platters fried eggs and sausages to bowls of baked beans and fried mushrooms.

Any hesitancy Gina had was quickly quashed by the growling in her stomach, so she took a helping of just about every breakfast offering and tucked in with gusto.

"Wow Gina, you weren't kidding about being hungry..."

The American paused as she finished chewing and swallowing a piece of black pudding.

"Yeah, I know my table manners suck. Where I grew up you at chow time basically had 5 minutes to shovel as much food in your intake as you could. There was this one time at the DFAC...

She paused, seeing the perplexed looks on the other girls faces.

"Ah, nevermind. This stuff's good, but could use some tabasco sauce or somethin'."

Gina looked around.

"Speaking of which, where's the Joe?"

Nanette, who was sitting right next to her, paused.

"What a joe?"

Daphne, sitting across from Nanette, finished her tea and spoke up.

"I think our American friend is referring to coffee."

She turned to Gina, pointing to a large ornate silver pot with a long spout.

"Sorry luv, but all we have for waking up is tea, want some?"

Gina shrugged and held out her mug. After Daph finished pouring her tea Gina took the mug, and gave it a cautious sniff. She made a wry face.

"Shit! Smells like a private's used cumsock!"

She took a sip, and quickly stuffed more food into her mouth. Nanette glanced over to Daphne.

"I guess Americans don't like tea."

She turned to the American, who had grabbed a slice of wheat bread off the long toast rack in front of her.

"It's an acquired taste, Gina. But it would probably taste better if you put some milk and sugar in it."

Gina shrugged as she buttered the toast and spread some strawberry jam on it.

"'preciate it, but I'll just adapt to the taste."

She took a huge bite from the toast.

"I will have to ask Daddy to put energy drinks in the next care pack..."

She paused, glancing over to the other girls.

"You guys have had energy drinks before right? Like Monster, Venom, RipIt?"

But they just giggled more. Daphne shook her head.

"No idea what you're talking about, luv."

Nanette spoke up.

"I know about Red Bull, but that's because Mum's a muggle. Hang on, Gina look this way."

Gina paused in her chewing, turning towards her friend, who responded.

"Oh dear, you've got a bit of jam on you."

She reached out with her finger and wiped a small smear off Gina's cheek. Then Nanette stuck the finger in her mouth and winked. All the girls at the table squealed and giggled.

"You just got indirect kissed by Nanette!"

"Wait, what?"

The girls continued breakfast, chatting and talking about school and boys. Eventually Nanette and Tracy got up, leaving Gina to finish up her breakfast. As she stood up to leave she overheard a girl talking about Harry Potter, and paused.

"Didn't you hear? He was suspended for a year because of he ran afoul of the Ministry of Magic..."

Both the girl doing the talking and her and her conversing companion were also getting up from their table, and were wearing Ravenclaw colors. One was looked Chinese and the other southeast Asian. Gina's curiosity got the better of her.

"Excuse me."

The Chinese girl turned, and immediately her expression brightened.

"Oh, hello! You're the new student, er Gina, right?"

The private-turned-witchling nodded.

"Yeah, it's Gina Gavin, nice to meet ya."

"Lovely! My name's Cho, Cho Chang, and this is Padme Patil."

Gina nodded at the other girl.

"A pleasure I'm sure...Hey, I overheard ya talkin' about Harry Potter..."

"Oh, I see the Boy Who Lived is even a celebrity in American wizarding circles, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, word really gets around...look I was wonderin' why he wasn't at Hogwarts, an' you mentioned he got suspended?"

Cho nodded.

"Yes, it was very odd. Even his best friends Ron and Hermione won't talk about it."

Hearing the girl mention the target reminded Gina of why she was here. She glanced around.

"Speakin' of which, is she around here?"

Both Cho and Padme shook their heads.

"No, she's off to class...speaking of which what year are you in again?"

"Third, why?"

Cho's eyes widened.

"Oh shit, you'd better hurry! Potions class is first hour for Third Year, and you don't want to be late!"

Gina was about to ask why, but both girls were hurrying her outside, and refused to answer except that it was imperative that she not be late. If she had known what was waiting for her, the private-turned-witchling would have opted for Sick Call.

Severus Snape turned at the sound of rapid footsteps pounding on the stone floor of the hallway outside. He glared over at the entrance to his classroom, where a girl with long blue-black hair was huffing and flushed as she leaned against the door-frame for support.

"Miss Gavin, you are very nearly late..."

Sorry sir. Got lost, sir." She wheezed.

"Of course, Miss Gavin. Please, find a seat at your leisure, I will just stand here and...patiently wait."

Gina gritted her teeth as she made her way to an empty seat. The teacher was a tall lanky bastard with a head full of greasy black hair and an attitude, and tapped out an impatient tattoo on his palm with his wand. When she finally took her seat next to Nanette, the professor spoke again, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Miss Gavin, so glad for you to join us. I am Professor Severus Snape, and I will be teaching you Potions this year. As a new student of Hogwarts, perhaps you could lend your input with this question that I am going to pose to the class."

He turned to address the rest of the students, but his gaze not wavering from the American girl.

"What is the properties of the potion ingredient known as Aconite?"

Gina froze and like a deer in the headlights, but then reached into her pocket, pulling out a pair of glasses.

"Sorry, sir, just give me a sec."

"Please answer the question, Miss Gavin, unless you are unable to-"

A voice piped up in the back.

"I know the answer Professor Snape! It's wolfsbane!"

Snape's attention diverted to the student, and his expression turned sour.

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger...Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Gina's head swiveled at the name, and her eyes focused on a girl about her age with mousy brown hair. So this was the target, Gina thought to herself. The girl named Hermione frowned, and a redheaded boy next to her spoke up.

"You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why don't you want to be told?"

Snape glared at the boy.

"I was asking Miss Gavin to answer the question, not Miss Granger. And that will be Detention, Mr. Weasley, for speaking out of turn. And if you ever criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

Snape then turned around, his expression neutral as he addressed Gina again.

"I am so sorry for that interruption, Miss Gavin, you were saying?"

The American girl put on her glasses, straightened up, staring straight ahead and began speaking as if reciting from a textbook.

"Aconite, also known as monkshood or wolfsbane, is a plant with magical properties. Once widespread, this plant is now only found in wild places. Its flowers are useful in potion-making, but its leaves are very toxic. Aconite is most commonly known as an ingredient of the wolfsbane potion, a potion used to relieve, but not cure lycanthropy."

Snape paused for a moment, and slowly approached Gina. Quickly and without warning he snatched the glasses off her face and examined them. After a brief moment Snape slowly returned the glasses to Gina, and responded.

"Very impressive, you do a credit to your fellow countrymen and your house. Twenty points for House Slytherin. I will have high expectations for you in my class, Miss Gavin."

The private-turned-witchling inwardly grinned as the teacher continued to writer on the chalkboard, droning on about the history and uses of wolfsbane. The glasses were not magic, but were some fine high-tech that was a gift from Merlin, courtesy of someone in a British secret service agency who shared the wizard's name. Gina glanced over to Nanette and the two shared a friendly grin as they took notes.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a Gryffindor student named Polly that had taken an unhealthy interest in the new girl, something had bad ill for both of them.

(AN: DUNDUN-DUUUNNN! All the pieces are now on the board, how will this play out? Will subterfuge and magic prevail, or will this turn into another Dubai with high levels of collateral damage and much Dakka? Well, you will have to stay tuned and find out!

So, anyone had those recurring nightmares about being back in school, being late for class and can't remember where your class is, only to find out that there is homework due and a test you didn't study for? Oh, and you're also naked. No? Must just be me and the scotch mixing with cold medicine. And props to anyone who got the Kingsman reference, as well as the Top Gear reference. Hopefully I have characterized the HP people well enough, I confess it's been a while since I've read the books or watched the movies so a lot of this is coming from the various wikis and such. Next chapter should be up before Halloween, as it will be themed towards the holiday. Until then!)