Harry Potter and the Black Secret

Chapter Two

A New Arrival

Kristine Hail ran though one of the many corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was tall for a sixteen-year-old girl, taller than her Mother was. She supposed she got her height from her Father, of whom she had no memory, along with her sleek, straight hair. Looking at her, you could tell she was her Mother's daughter, the same golden hair that danced with copper red when in the daylight, the same slender face, and the same dazzling blue eyes with waves of green washed in.

In many ways she was the same as her mother, that's what came from being raised by one parent, but it had been said, many times, that Kristine had a mischievous streak that her mother did not possess. Kristine loved to make people laugh, laughter made her feel calm. Kristine, at this precise moment in time, however, did not feel calm at all!

It was her first day. She had arrived late last night, and had yet to meet any of her classmates. The headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, had spent a couple of hours last night on the formalities, such as her House, (the sorting hat insisted on singing her its sorting song before selecting her house!), and the basic school rules.

The rest of Hogwarts had arrived a week ago, and were already settled into their classes, Kristine, however, was lost. Just as she rounded a corner, hoping for the hundredth time that she was nearing Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class, she was bowled over by someone running in the opposite direction.

Even as it happened, Kristine thought that to an onlooker, the display of flying books, quills and parchment must have been fantastic. She let out a quiet groan as she picked herself up off the cold stone floor, observing pots of smashed ink, and held out a hand to the boy with whom she had collided.

"Sorry," she said, "I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the dark haired boy replied as he took her hand and got to his feet, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry too, running kind of late!" he admitted with a grin.

The pair started gathering up their things and got to their feet. He looked at the girl he had knocked over, trying to place her. She looked oddly familiar, but he couldn't recall her name, or where he'd seen her before. She had golden hair, but as she turned her head into a different light, it became bronzed. She had it cut just above her shoulders, and as his gazed moved onto her face, he saw how perfectly a pair of beautiful, ocean blue eyes set off her hair.

"I don't know you do I?" said the boy awkwardly. Even as he said this he felt stupid. If he'd met this girl before he felt certain he would have remembered her.

Kristine noticed his brilliant emerald green eyes, magnified by his glasses, as he spoke. His messy, jet black hair was askew and a lightning bolt shaped scar was on his forehead. No need to ask whom this boy was! Kristine wasn't surprised, she knew that she'd bump into the famous Harry Potter at some point; she just didn't think she'd bump into him literally.

"Not as far as I know," she replied smiling holding out a hand, "Kristine Hail. I'm new, arrived last night."

"Harry Potter," said the boy, preparing himself for the oh so familiar glance to his forehead in search of the famous scar that he had received the night his parents were killed. But it didn't come. She just nodded as they shook hands.

"Nice to meet you! I don't suppose you know where Transfiguration is do you?" she asked, and then admitted, "I'm lost."

"Umm..." Harry muttered, caught slightly off-guard by her reaction. It was as if she didn't know who he was, as if she thought he was just an ordinary student at Hogwarts. He was surprised with how much he liked that. He wasn't 'Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived' he was just 'Harry', just 'Harry'. He realised that he'd been silent for a while now.

"Sure. I'm just on my way there now actually. This way," he said as he led her down the corridor to a large classroom on the left.

"Ah!" said a familiar voice from inside the classroom as Harry came into view standing in the doorway, "Decided to grace us with your presence I see!"

"Sorry I'm late Professor," said Harry as he entered the classroom, followed by Kristine, who for once was drawing more looks than Harry.

"Why be sorry Mr Potter, after all, we can't expect you to break the habit of a lifetime now can we," was the professor's reply.

Harry took his seat at the desk behind Ron and Hermione, who immediately turned around and greeted Harry with the question, "Who's that?" whilst staring at the tall, slender girl who had followed Harry in. However, Harry didn't need to answer his best friends' question, as Professor McGonagall acknowledged the other late student with a lot more ease. She was actually smiling.

"Miss Hail, I wasn't expecting you to be in lessons today. Aren't you tired from your journey?"

"I'm fine thank you Professor. I don't want to fall further behind than I already am," was Kristine's clear voiced, polite reply.

Kristine could have sworn she heard the blond haired boy sitting at the desk next to where she was standing whisper to two rather large boys in front of him, 'suck up'.

"Then we're glad to have you," said Professor McGonagall, obviously in admiration of the girl. "Class," she continued, "This is Kristine Hail, a new addition to the 6^th year and to Gryffindor House."

"Obviously! Had to be a Gryffindor," said the whispered voice once again.

"Miss Hail, would you care to tell the class a bit about yourself?" continued the Professor.

"If you insist Professor," Kristine said awkwardly, not really wanting to make an unprepared speech to her new classmates, before proceeding to the front of the class. As she walked between the lines of desks she glanced at the boy whom she suspected of making the whispered comments. He had platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes. His uniform told her that this boy was in Slytherin House, the sworn enemies of Gryffindor.

She was now at the front of the classroom. With a nod of McGonagall's head, Kristine put her books on the Professors desk and lent on the front to face the class and the Professor, who had made herself comfortable perched on an empty desk at the front of the class.

Kristine watched the class in front of her, who where all staring at her intently.

'Note to self: NEVER become a teacher!' Kristine thought as she desperately tried to come up with something to say. She took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Hi. My name's Kristine Hail, but everyone calls me Kriss. I've been transferred to Hogwarts from 'The Chicago Institute of Magic' where I went for three years, but before that I was being trained in Tunisia at 'Selcove and Grace's Wizarding College'. I'm taking my last two years at Hogwarts, which I'm thrilled about. Hogwarts is considered to be one of the greatest Wizarding schools in the world, and has always been praised wherever I go.'

This last comment extracted a few cheers from the Gryffindor half of the class. Kristine smiled.

"That's about all I can think of at the moment," Kristine said, finishing up he short speech, "My whole life crammed into under minute!"

Kristine smiled, and looked at the professor for a cue as to what she should do now.

"Thank you Miss Hail, but if I could just ask you to tell the class a little bit about the way in which you perform magic, as it differs slightly to the way in which we practice at Hogwarts."

"Spoil my fun," said Kristine jokingly, who now had the whole class looking at her with puzzled expressions on their faces. "Okay! In Tunisia, students were encouraged to explore different ways of performing magic, not just using a wand." she explained, "I chose a couple of methods, but I found that the easiest way for me was to use my mind. It's difficult and requires a lot of concentration. There are also a few.." Kristine paused for a moment, "side effects" she finished up. "The main one being that I have a rather powerful ability in telekinesis."

The transfiguration class continued to hold the confused expression, with the exception of one bushy haired girl sitting in front of Harry Potter.

"I'm not sure how best to explain it," said Kristine thinking, and then suddenly she had a bolt of inspiration. "I know!"

She held up her hand, palm facing the class. Without warning, a wand from the desk where the blonde Slytherin was sitting flew across the room, straight into the open hand of Kristine Hail. The class applauded, with the exception of the blonde haired boy, whose wand she was now holding.

"I sometimes forget that it's not commonplace here, so if you see something floating in midair, then it's just me being to lazy to stand up."

"Thank you Miss Hail, you may take a seat, there's one next to Mr Malfoy I believe," said Professor McGonagall.

Kristine picked up her things and proceeded to the empty seat.

"Here," she said to the boy next to her, handing back his wand. Malfoy? Is that what the professor had said his name was? Kristine thought. Makes sense with that scowl.

"Just what we need," said the cold, sly voice beside her, "another show off Gryffindor." Draco Malfoy exclaimed, turning to the girl sitting next to him.

"Oh we're going to get on just swell aren't we," Kristine drawled sarcastically back at him.

Luckily, Professor McGonagall decided to re-start her lesson at that point, leaving the pair to shoot glances of displeasure at each other for the rest of the lesson.

*

Transfiguration ended after an hour and a half, an hour and a half of 'accidentally' elbowing Malfoy in the face, and of him 'accidentally' dropping the tarantula they had been working with (much to Ron's despair) onto her lap. Finally, after this unimaginably awful hour and a half, the class picked up their things and left for the second lesson of the day.

"Hi again," said a voice from behind Kristine. It was Harry. "I thought I'd see if I could get you to your next lesson on time."

Kristine grinned. "Thanks. I haven't really had time to find my way around yet."

"You've probably got Care of Magical Creatures next if you're in Gryffindor. We have that lesson with the Hufflepuffs this year, so it's far more enjoyable then a class with Slytherin! Hagrid's great, you'll like him."

"I hope so, I've heard a lot about him from my Mum. He worked here while she was at Hogwarts."

"When was that?" Harry inquired as they started walking down the corridor.

"About twenty-five years ago now. She was in Ravenclaw, but my Father was in Gryffindor, or at least that's what the Sorting Hat said last night. I think that's what swayed its decision," she continued thoughtfully, "it tried to put me in Slytherin," she added in disgust.

"You too?" said Harry interested; "It did that to me as well. Something about..."

"Power," They finished together.

They stopped walking. Harry gazed at her, and felt a bond with Kristine. He'd never felt so comfortable with a complete stranger before. Glancing down at the floor, they continued to walk.

"Who was your Father?" Harry asked in general conversation.

"No idea," was Kristine's unexpected reply. She spoke quite casually. "I never knew him, and Mum doesn't like talking about what happened to him, so I just let it be. I don't want to upset her. All she ever told me was that he was a good man, and that he loved me very much."

"I can't remember my parents either," said Harry, and Kristine caught a glimpse of sadness from him.

"Hey, Harry! Wait up," shouted a male voice from behind them. Harry stopped and turned to see Ron and Hermione running after them down the corridor. Harry's best friends caught up and the four Gryffindors made their way to Hagrid's hut.

"I'm Hermione Granger, said the bushy haired girl to Kristine as an introduction.

"Ron Weasley," the red head chirped in.

"Kristine Hail, its nice to meet you. I've actually been hoping to find you," Kristine said to Hermione, "I'm slightly behind in Arithmancy, and Professor Dumbledore told me that you're the one to talk to, if I want to get caught up."

Hermione swelled with pride.

"Absolutely! I'd love to help. It'll be nice to have a friend in Arithmancy; it's such a fascinating subject. Harry and Ron decided it would be too much work, and opted for Divination with that crackpot Professor Trelawney..."

Harry and Ron watched as Hermione and Kristine walked ahead talking non-stop.

"They seem to get along well," commented Ron.

"Jealous?" Harry teased.

"Of course not! I actually think it would be good for Hermione to have a girlfriend, that way she'd stop telling you about what we get up to!"

"Like I want to hear!" laughed Harry. "Seriously though, she seems really nice."

Ron raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

"Nothing like that!" said Harry indignantly, "She's beautiful, and I definitely want to get to know her better, but I.... Oh I don't know. She seems so familiar, like I knew her a long time ago, but I don't remember her, and I can't see how I'd forget."

Ron looked at Harry as if he was crazy,

"Well don't go telling Professor Trelawney, or she'll have you both in her attic testing to see if you were mates in a past life or something!"

They laughed, and made their way over to Kristine and Hermione for what turned out to be a very enjoyable lesson, involving the giant squid and a big bucket of iced fish heads.