Snow Angels

Keiko Chang was staring in the mirror above the bathroom sink. It wouldn´t stop babbling, and she didn´t know how to shut it up. She was just trying to comb her hair, not have a whole lecture about beauty thing...stuff...whatever it was muttering about. When she had finished combing her hair, Keiko grabbed a small blue silk bag out of a drawer. She opened it, and glitter filled the room. It was full of small silver and blue enchanted butterflies, who were fluttering their wings every two minutes, spreading glitter everywhere. The mirror gasped.

"You know dear, your hair looks a lot better pulled back, than just left hanging, and those butterflies aren't really nice -"

"As much as I love advice," said Keiko nicely. "Would you please shut up?"

The mirror gave a scandalized scoff, as if no one had dared to shut it up before. Keiko thought it was probably true, because all her family was too nice to do that. She hadn´t really cared about Hogwarts before, but now that she was going to study there, (or maybe not), she was kind of excited. She was dressed in the `standard´ Hogwarts robes, until she was going to get sorted. She looked wonderful, like a princess, but didn't want to admit it, despite the wonderful compliments her mother gave her. "She's my mom, she loves me, I can't trust her. I know Cho's prettier, so she doesn't have to lie to me about it," she thought as she started placing the butterflies carefully in her hair. One fell on her skirt, and filled it with so much glitter it was barely recognizable. She had complained about the skirt earlier, who was `much too long´ compared to her old school´s uniform.

"Well, Slytherin´s got pretty short skirts," Cho said when they were heading toward King´s Cross. "But they´re just show-offs, I hope you won´t be sorted there."

"Isn´t that were Draco Malfoy is?" Keiko asked eagerly.

Cho stared dumbstruck at her sister when she had heard the `information´ she knew about the Slytherin House.

"Um, how do you know that?"

"Isn´t that `universal´ information?" said Keiko, turning slightly red.

"Um, no, I don´t think it is, and I don´t think that word exists," grinned Cho, making her sister change the subject abruptly. They started talking about Quidditch.

Finally, they arrived at King´s Cross. It was packed with people, shouting, talking and walking fast to catch their train. Keiko spotted a few people wearing Hogwarts robes and pushing enormous trolleys, packed with suspicious things for Muggles to see. Speaking about suspicious stuff, her own trolley was stocked up with a lot of weird things that could make a Muggle frown. On top of her trunks filled with books, quills, ink bottles and parchment, Keiko had placed a beautiful gray-black owl with bright, shining blue eyes. Its beak was silver, and it let out a squawk every now and then. Keiko walked trough the excited crowd, looking left and right at the people passing, then realized something; Cho and her mother had disappeared.

"Damn," she cursed under her breath, and pushed the trolley trough the crowd. She got up on her tip-toes to see if she could spot her sibling or her mother. Not realizing she was still pushing the trolley, Keiko let out a small scream as she crashed with another person. The trolleys bumped lightly, but Keiko rebounded off and fell to the ground. A rather short boy, with dark messy hair, bright green eyes and glasses got up and handed Keiko his hand politely.

"I´m really sorry," he apologized as she got up. "Really sorry, I wasn´t looking where -"

He stopped dead and examined Keiko from head to toe. His eyes brightened.

"Cho?" he asked uncertainly.

Keiko let out a frustrated sigh. Most of Cho's friend always had mistaken her for Cho, though the looked quite different. Keiko wore glasses, which looked very nice on her, her hair was shoulder-length cut, unlike Cho's which was longer. And their voices were very different, not to mention their height, and their age...

"No, I´m her sister," answered Keiko briskly.

"Oh, I didn´t know Cho had a sister. My mistake," he said, shrugging. "I´m Harry Potter," he added and held out his hand to shake hers.

"Keiko. Keiko Chang," she answered, then looked exactly into Harry's eyes. "So you´re Harry Potter?" she asked.

"Um, yeah," answered Harry and looked curiously at Keiko. He smiled very slightly, because he saw that her eyes didn't examine the lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. She just shrugged, still maintaining eye-contact.

"Nice."

Harry stared. She had been the only person whom was very much less enthusiastic about meeting him than all the people he had met before, that he was actually kind of glad she treated him like a normal person. He hesitated for a moment, stuck his hands in his pockets and looked around.

"Um, the train will leave soon, " he said, checking his watch. "You´re going to Hogwarts, right?"

He looked at her uniform and scoffed to himself. It was pretty obvious. The shirt, the robe, the Hogwarts sign, the...glitter-covered skirt? He frowned slightly, but shook his head. "I do not wanna know how that happened," he thought to himself.

"Yeah. I got transferred," Keiko explained. "Technically, I´m in fifth year."

Harry smiled.

"Excellent, I´m a fifth year too. I´ll accompany you, shall I?" he offered politely.

Keiko nodded.

"That would be really nice, because I lost my sister and my mother in the crowd, and I´ve no idea how to get onto the platform," she said quickly and followed Harry to the spot between platforms nine and ten.

Harry waited for a moment, until they were alone in their corner, to explain to Keiko what to do and how to do it. He had a strange feeling that if he started talking about going trough walls in public, Muggles might think they were flipped.

"Alright," said Harry as their spot was Muggle-free. "All you´ve got to do is go straight trough that wall."

Keiko gave him a revolted look. What does he think I am? Stupid?

"Excuse me?"

Harry sighed. He really didn't feel like arguing about this right now. He checked his watch discretely, and looked at Keiko seriously.

"You have to run trough that wall. It´s the only way, here, I´ll show you - "

"Do I look stupid to you?" asked Keiko. "I really had to get that out of my system," she thought and looked at Harry, waiting for an answer.

Harry stared.

"Of course you don´t," he answered.

"Good. Then do you think I am actually going to let you pull this prank on me?"

"What?" spluttered Harry offended. "What prank?"

Keiko gave a small laugh. "I hate it when guys act all innocent."

"Honestly, you just asked me to walk trough a wall. You actually think I´m gonna go trough it?"

Harry ran his fingers trough his hair nervously.

"It´s the last thing I´d do," he said calmly.

Keiko frowned.

"Do what?"

Harry let out an exasperated sigh.

"Pull a prank. It´s too early in the morning, and we´re gonna miss the train if we keep this up."

"Right...Ok, you go first then," Keiko offered.

"Alright, alright," said Harry, and prepared his trolley facing the wall. He made sure no one was watching, (except Keiko), and ran toward the wall, then disappeared.

Keiko gasped.

"Wow, he was actually telling the truth," she thought, amazed. "Then, I bet he´s really Harry Potter."

She did the same thing as Harry, and ran quickly trough the wall. A second later, she found herself facing the biggest train she ever laid eyes on. It was labeled "Hogwarts Express."

"See? I told you it wasn´t a prank," said a voice from behind.

Keiko turned around to see Harry leaning on his own trolley, grinning. He saw her eyes dart from his face to his forehead and groaned.

"So you really are Harry Potter, then?" asked Keiko frowning.

"You didn´t believe me when I said I was Harry Potter earlier, did you?"

Keiko blushed mildly.

"No...Well, sorry. And thanks," she said silently. "This is really stupid."

"Anytime."

"Hey Keiko!"

Keiko and Harry turned around to see Cho hurry towards them. Keiko groaned, but Harry remained awfully still. He was looking at his feet, and seemed to be blushing furiously. He looked up and examined the two siblings closely. Yes, he admitted, Keiko was prettier than Cho. His eyes landed on Keiko's butterflies. Nice style.

Oh, so that's where the glitter came from...

"Keiko!" Cho called. "Keiko, where were you?"

"Where was I? Where were you?" asked Keiko, putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Looking for you!"

"Well, same here!"

"Oh, hullo, Harry!" said Cho, realizing Harry was there. "I see you've met my sister."

Harry looked up and gave Cho a half-smile. "I must look like an idiot."

"Hey," he said rather shyly. "Yeah, obviously."

Keiko spotted what was going on and grinned. She gave Harry a little nudge in the elbow.

"Um, Cho, I´m gonna stick with Harry," she said and grinned again. "If it´s okay with him that is," she added.

She turned toward Harry who smiled and nodded.

"Wouldn´t bother me at all."

Cho smiled broadly and kissed Harry on the cheek. Harry got as red as a tomato, and swelled like a balloon.

"Thank you so much Harry!"

Harry blushed again.

"No - no problem," he grinned, as Cho left to meet her friends.

Keiko suddenly let out a shrill giggle. Her butterflies glittered again.

"You like her," she taunted him, as she brushed glitter out of her face. "You want her to be your girlfriend!"

Harry frowned. "Can girls read minds?"

"I do not!" he replied, getting very red in the face.

Keiko grinned even more broadly. "I love doing this."

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"You guys make a cute couple..."

"We do?"

"Aha!"

Harry shook his head. His face went back slowly to its normal color.

"Alright, you win," he admitted. "I do like her."

Keiko giggled again.

"Don´t worry, I won´t tell anyone."

"I´ll curse you if you do."

"Uhuh, right."

"Yep."

"Suuure."

They´ve kept this up until they reached an empty compartment at the end of the corridor. A bushy brown-haired girl and a red-headed boy were sitting in it, talking. They were wearing Gryffindor robes, and the girl had a shiny badge pinned to her shirt. As Harry slid the door open, the girl grinned broadly, hurried towards him and, apparently, squished the stuffing out of him.

"Harry!" she squealed. "We thought you´d never come!"

"Hey mate!" the boy shouted, and shook Harry´s hand. "Welcome back."

"Hey guys."

Keiko cleared her throat loudly. The girl and the boy frowned.

"Oh, right," said Harry. "This is Keiko Chang. She just got transferred from -"

"St-Oxford, Private Academy of Magic," Keiko answered promptly, her eyes glinting from behind her glasses.

"Right...er...that´s Hermione," Harry said and gestured toward the girl, who waved, "And Ron."

The boy got up and shook her hand, then beckoned them to sit down.

Keiko found out Harry's friends were very charming...at some point. Three hours had passed, and topics of conversation were already scarce. Hermione hid behind "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5," Ron and Harry were talking about Quidditch, and Keiko looked miserably out the window. Just when she thought that her life couldn't get more boring, the compartment door slid open. A pale blond boy and his two huge troll-like friends stepped in the compartment. Ron's face went from happy, to mad, and from mad to scary-looking, and he got up with his wand in his hand. Harry followed, but he looked a lot less tense than his best-friend. Hermione just ignored them.

"Is coming in this compartment every year to threaten us a tradition, Malfoy?" asked Ron.

"Malfoy?" asked Keiko. "Draco Malfoy?"

"That's me," answered the boy lazily. "Got a problem with that?"

Keiko frowned and examined him. He looked very handsome, despite what insults Cho kept throwing at him. He had a lazy manner, which Keiko found really attractive, but he was evil. Or was he?...

"No, but I have a problem with your attitude," she said suddenly. "So, unless you change it, you might as well get out."

The boy made a derisive noise, and sneered.

"You may not like mine, but I love yours," he said politely. "And you are...?"

"Keiko Chang," Keiko answered shortly.

"Oh, you're Chang's sister. Chinese, are you?"

"Japanese," Keiko corrected.

"Doesn't sound Japanese."

"What d'you know about my culture, Malfoy?"

Malfoy laughed.

"I just came in here to show you that, brain triumphs over brawn...or no brain at all," he said calmly and pointed at his chest.

A shiny Prefect badge was pinned to his black robes.

"You're a Prefect Malfoy?" gasped Ron mockingly. "Was McGonagall drunk when she picked you, or did your daddy threaten to burn the school?"

"Probably both," sniggered Harry.

"Oh, stop!" said Hermione and pointed at her Prefect badge. "Just stop it, okay?"

"Ooh," said Malfoy. "Thank you for your respect, fellow Prefect. Why aren't you in the Prefect compartment?"

Hermione looked up.

"Because I don't really feel like it."

Malfoy looked away from Hermione. Apparently she had lost her charm in the past seconds.

"Miss Chang, care to join me?" he asked Keiko and held out his hand elegantly. "Surely you have more taste than this."

To everybody's surprise, Keiko took Malfoy's hand and followed him out. As Malfoy walked out, Keiko turned and smiled.

"I'm just playing with his head," she said quickly. "I like you guys loads better. I won't do anything against you, alright?"

Harry and Ron nodded. Hermione shook her head. "Just get out," she said coldly. "We don't need you."

"Hermione!" shouted Ron and Harry in unison. "C'mon."

Hermione looked up from her book and frowned. "She's using us. I don't like her. You just like her because she's Cho's sister, Harry!"

Harry scoffed. "I do not!"

Ron groaned. "Let's not start fighting over her, alrighty?"

Hermione started at him as though he'd just insulted her gravely.

"Excuse me? I'm not fighting over a girl!" she said loudly. "Now shush, I'm trying to learn a exploding spell!" she snapped at the pair of them and sunk into her lecture.

****

Keiko was sitting in an empty compartment with Draco Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle had left, under the orders of their 'master,' to go and stuff their faces somewhere else. Draco seemed very interested in Keiko, and Keiko in him. She had always had a knack for evil, but wasn't able to show it, just until now.

"My father says I'm very advanced. He's really happy I've become a Prefect," Draco drawled. "It seems I'm gifted."

Keiko nodded. He did seem gifted, and not just with looks. He did have a highly attractive posture at the moment...and those gray eyes...

KEIKO, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

She mentally slapped herself. No distractions were allowed. She wasn't going to become evil just because of one hot Slytherin.

"...I do hope you'll get sorted into Slytherin, it's the best House so far...I think you'll love it there. Better than Gryffindor with Saint Potter."

"Actually, they're not that bad," she said, defending her new friends. "Except for Hermione. She doesn't seem to like me."

Draco sneered.

"You don't need a Mudblood's opinions. Especially Granger's...Trust me."

Keiko stopped. Did he just say Mudblood?

"Uh...I believe you're right."

There was a short moment of silence, in which Draco looked at his watch, then stared at Keiko for a long time. She stared back, right into his eyes, as though trying to read his mind. For a moment, Keiko could have sworn Malfoy gave her a wink, but he sneered as carelessly as he usually did and crossed his hands.

"I admire people who are able to stare in a person's eyes," he said softly. "Just like I admire people with attitude. Say, could you turn those butterflies off, they're beginning to annoy me."

Keiko privately agreed. Her hair had become full of glitter, and her face was starting to get covered in it too.

"No, I'll do whatever I want, thank you," she said, however smiling.

Draco stared at her fondly. This girl knows how to annoy a boy.

"Well, then so will I..." he said slowly and took out his wand. He pointed it at Keiko, but Keiko was faster. She took out her own wand and shouted "Rictusempra," which made Malfoy fall on the floor and started laughing hard.

"Fi - fi - finite Incantatem!" he shouted, and stopped laughing. He brushed hair out his face and grinned. "You're good. But I'm better."

He summoned Keiko's wand, then threw them both away, and started tickling her.

"That's cheating!" shouted Keiko laughing, trying to get a hold of Malfoy and tickle him back. She was successful, and soon they were rolling on the floor laughing both loudly. They both got up after a few minutes, and stood standing, a foot apart from each other. Then, without knowing what came over her, Keiko leaned forward and kissed Draco. She tried to pull away, realizing she had made a mistake, but it was too late. Draco didn't seem to mind, and pulled her closer.

Unfortunately they didn't realize that the train had stopped, and the other Prefects had started telling everyone it was time to get off. The compartment slid open, and a bushy-brown haired girl came in, interrupting them.

Draco looked toward Hermione, and so did Keiko. Hermione shook her head.

"I was about to give you a second chance," she said calmly. "But it seems you don't deserve one."

Having said that, Hermione slid the compartment door closed, and left. Draco looked at Keiko, who was all red.

"Are you alright?" he asked and brushed hair out of her face, but she looked away, took her wand and left the compartment without saying a word, making Draco Malfoy wonder what he'd done wrong.

****

Keiko was looking trough the crowd of mixed Hogwarts students, at the station. There was a big man calling the first years, and for a moment, Keiko thought she could go with them, but spotted Harry in the crowd. Quickly, she ran towards him, and tapped him on his shoulder. She hoped Hermione didn't tell them about Malfoy and herself, because then she could have been in big trouble.

"Oh, there she is," said Harry happily to Ron. "We were looking for you. C'mon, come with us."

Keiko didn't move. She looked around.

"Have you seen Hermione?" she asked the boys as they were walking toward the horse-less carriages.

Ron frowned. "She must still be on the train, checking to see if everyone's out."

As they got inside the carriage, it started raining hard. Keiko stared out the window, mixed feelings hovering inside her. Harry broke the silence by asking if she was excited.

"Oh, really excited," Keiko answered. "Really."

"Where d'you think you'll be sorted?" asked Ron. "Ravenclaw?"

Keiko shook her head. She told them about the deal she and her mother had made.

"So, you see, I'm really not looking forward to get sorted into Ravenclaw..."

"Ah..." said Harry. "I see. So what happened with Malfoy?"

Keiko's heart started sinking slowly.

"Oh, he just bragged about his father, and himself," she said, trying to make it sound boring. "He wasn't really interesting."

"I wanted to warn you," said Ron friendly. "That's all he ever does!"

"Imagine being sorted into Slytherin..." said Harry darkly. "I imagine you'll leave."

Keiko paused. She really didn't know what she would do...Part of her wanted to get sorted into Slytherin, and wanted to see Malfoy again. The other part knew it was wrong, and that she had made a really big mistake.

Slowly, the carriages arrived at the Hogwarts castle. To Keiko's horror, Hermione was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs, her arms crossed. Not knowing what to do, Keiko saved herself as she saw an adult come towards her and greeted her.

"Keiko Chang?" the woman asked stiffly.

"Yes," Keiko answered.

"I'm Professor McGonagall," she said. "I shall escort you immediately for you to get sorted. Then you shall take your seat at your House table, and enjoy the feast, while the Headmaster will introduce you."

"Uh, right. Ok."

"Follow me."

As Keiko started walking behind Professor McGonagall, she heard Ron and Harry whisper, "Good Luck, hope to see you in Gryffindor!" which made her heart sink even lower. On her way up a certain staircase, she crossed Draco, who smiled from the corner of his mouth and gave her a wink. Keiko wasn't sure what emotion she was experiencing at the moment, but she didn't care. She wanted to get this over with.

Soon they arrived in the Headmaster's office. It was extremely big, Keiko remarked, and reeked of...bird...She looked around, and spotted Fawkes, the Phoenix.

"Wow...Beautiful," she thought, admiring the bird's plumage.

"Yes, he's highly beautiful, isn't he?" asked a tall, old wizard softly. "Highly faithful also."

Keiko reached to stroke him.

"What's his name?" she asked as he flew on the Headmaster's shoulder.

"Fawkes," the wizard answered.

Keiko nodded.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Miss Chang," the wizard hair seriously, as Fawkes departed and sat at his place.

"Thank you Headmaster," replied Keiko, also bowing slightly. "Um...I like your school," she said uncertainly.

"Thank you, I'm quite fond of it myself," replied the old wizard. "Chocolate? A drink? Anything I can get you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Um...No, I'm alright Headmaster."

"Oh, please, call me Professor Dumbledore. I like being called that. Headmaster sounds far too serious."

Keiko nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Shall we get started, then?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"Well, first, let me introduce you to our four Houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and of course, the one your sister currently resides in, Ravenclaw. The hat will determine of which house you are worthy of...I will just place it on your head, if your delightful butterflies don't mind, and the hat will tell you where you belong. Any questions?"

Keiko shook her head. "No, sir. None at all."

"Wonderful!"

He clapped his hands cheerfully, and took the dusty hat off the shelf. He gestured toward a chair, where Keiko sat down silently. Finally he placed the hat on his head. Keiko waited.

The hat started whispering in her ear. "Oh, your Cho Chang's sister, aren't you?...Ah, but Ravenclaw won't work for you...No...You need someplace where you can show the real you...Gryffindor?...Hmm...Yes, yes, that would be a good choice...But no...Hmm...Slytherin you say? You're right, that wouldn't be bad...Not bad at all...Very well then..."

"SLYTHERIN!" it shouted.

Keiko seemed to have lost her hearing. The hat had said Slytherin. Slytherin. She was going to be in the same House as Draco Malfoy, one of the evilest boys of the whole school...In Slytherin. Dumbledore bowed.

"Your new House is Slytherin. Congratulations," he said, however, less cheerfully than earlier. Keiko thanked him, and followed Professor McGonagall who looked slightly disappointed. Yet, as she climbed down the staircase toward the Great Hall, she never felt happier.