Chapter 1: A New Arrival?

The Weasleys, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger sat eating breakfast one day, about a week before some of the seated witches and wizards went back to Hogwarts for another term. Hermione and Ginny were chatting about school starting back; they should be getting their lists any day now, as they were saying. Ron and Harry were in a heated discussion over Quidditch, again. Fred and George were dreaming up more joke shop wonders, and Molly and Arthur were discussing some menial thing that all parents talk about.

All this was happening when the mail came. Everyone at the table got a letter, even Arthur and Molly. Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Hermione, and Harry's had their school letters. Another letter was addressed to Arthur and Molly. Curiously, Molly opened it, and as she read the letter, her smile widened. Ginny happened to look up from her list, and conversation with her older brothers and their friends, to see her mother's beaming face. "Mum, what's in your letter?"

"Good news! This is a letter from Dumbledore. A new student will be coming to stay with us until school starts. Her name is Mara Whitmore. She's from the States, and is your age, Ron. Dumbledore will be bringing her over later today."

At this news, the twins groaned at another person in their house, while Ginny and Hermione were overjoyed about another girl. Ron felt about the same as the twins, and Harry… felt as if he'd heard that name before… like in a dream, or something. He racked his brain, but couldn't remember. He was happy, though, to be able to meet someone from overseas, and to have another possible friend. "Was there anything else in the letter, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked.

"Hmm. Oh, yes. She's a Muggle-born witch."

When they went outside to relax for the day, Ron and the twins wanted to play Quidditch, and Harry tried, but his mind wasn't on it. He kept thinking questions about the girl who'd be coming later. He glanced over at Hermione and Ginny, who were obviously discussing her. He signaled to Ron that he wanted to stop playing, but they should keep on. He flew down, dismounted his broom, and walked over.

"So, do you think she'll be smart?" Hermione was asking Ginny.

"I dunno. Think she can fly?" Ginny answered.

"Maybe." When Harry spoke, both girls jumped.

"Oh, hi Harry," Hermione managed. "I guess we won't know until later, then, right?"

"Right. So, do you think she can play Quidditch?" He smiled.

After they'd eaten lunch, they decided to hang around inside for a while. They wandered into a room, obviously the parlor, with old, comfy armchairs and sofas. After a few minutes of lazy conversation, they heard something from the kitchen. They all got up, and went toward it. It was Molly's voice. "Oh, hello Albus! So good to see you. Where's—"

The tall, thin man with the long silver beard and bright blue twinkling eyes stepped to the right. Behind him was a mildly tall, thin girl with red hair just a shade darker than the Weasleys, a very fair complexion, and very dark blue eyes. She was smiling, as if she was a very optimistic, always laughing, and bubbly. "Hi," she said, in a bright, but nonetheless almost soft, voice. "I'm Mara Whitman." Her voice held just a tinge of American accent, as if she'd been living elsewhere during some point of time.

The others walked into the kitchen slowly. Harry was first, then Ron, Hermione, the twins, and Ginny. At the sight of people her own age, Mara broke out into a full grin. She said hello to them, and then added, "You know, I could probably guess who you all are. First of all, you four are siblings. Professor Dumbledore told me your names… Um, you're Ginny, the only girl Weasley, you two are Fred and George, the most mischievous twins Hogwarts has ever known, and you've got a reputation even out in the States. Carried there by my tutor… Anyway, you'd be Ron. You're my age, right? All you three?" She paused, pointing to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "Well, you must be the brilliant Hermione Granger, my fellow Muggle-born. And, of course, this is Harry Potter. I've heard a little about you. Survived the Killing Curse, and saved the world a few times, at the end of each school year. You two helped him. Well, that's everybody, right?"

"Yes, that's them all, and right on with every one," Molly said to her. "Now, why don't you all go out to the back garden and talk and play, while I have a word with Albus…"

They all went, and Fred and George were the only ones who didn't ask all kinds of questions. Ginny was first.

"Can you fly?"

"No. I couldn't be taught, since my private tutor taught me at my house… Muggle neighborhood."

"Well, we can teach you sometime. But first, more questions!"

Hermione was next. "What's your favorite subject?" Hermione knew she was smart. All she had to do was look into her eyes.

"I absolutely love Charms. Close second would be Defense Against the Dark Arts, with Transfiguration as third."

"Do you know anything about Quidditch?" Harry asked.

"I know how to play, just never could. Even if I could fly, I'd probably be horrible. I wasn't very good at sports back home."

No one had any more pertinent questions, so Ginny declared it was time to fly. "Okay, here are the brooms. You can use one of these that were one of my brother's. Anyway, lay it on the ground, and stand to its left, and say up." She demonstrated, as did Harry and Ron. Fred and George were back inside, planning more pranks to pull at school the next year. Hermione was sitting in a comfy chair someone had brought outside.

Mara nodded, excited. "Up!" she said, and the broom flew to her hand. They showed her how to mount it, and take off. Before she knew it, she was zooming around in the air. Once she'd stopped to hover a bit, Ginny went over to her. "You're a regular natural, you know that? Let's try some Quidditch. I think Harry's gonna have a nervous breakdown if we don't soon. He thinks you'll be great at that, too." Mara just smiled and nodded. They flew over toward Harry and Ron. "Let's play," Mara said. She flew past Ron and took the red Quaffle straight from his hand, and it was half a minute before he realized what happened. By that time, she'd circled the group of them four times. "Here's your ball back, Ron," she said, tossing it toward him. While this all happened, Harry felt so happy he felt he could fly without his broom. If this girl was in Gryffindor… they'd win for sure with her as a Chaser! Any fool could tell that.

After playing, then eating dinner, they all went up to bed. Mara was, of course, staying in Ginny's room with her and Hermione. Once they got up there and all settled, Ginny said excitedly, "Mara, you were born to be a Chaser! I really hope you'll be in Gryffindor." Mara just smiled, like before.

Hermione spoke up. "Poor Ron. He didn't know he even had it missing, and you could have stowed it under my chair." They all laughed at this, and the truth of it.

In the boys' room, Ron and Harry were talking about Mara's Quidditch abilities, too. "Blimey, Harry! She's quick and… and… I didn't even know I didn't have it anymore!"

"Ron, if she was that quick to get it from you, think about her getting it from a Slytherin! If she gets into Gryffindor, I don't care if I have to drag her to the try-outs. She's getting on our team."

"That's right. I hope she's sorted to be with us. I bet Dumbledore thinks she will be. Otherwise, why would he send her to a house full of us?"

"That sounds about right. But let's get some sleep. Your mum said we were going to Diagon Alley tomorrow…"

A/N: Yay! My first fic's first chapter. Please review, but don't flame! Be gentle, please. Sort of new at this. And just because someone has brains and can play Quidditch doesn't mean they're a Mary Sue, in my opinion. Here's something: Harry's a great Seeker, he's not an idiot, he gets good grades in everything except maybe Potions, and yet people don't tell J.K. Rowling she created a Gary Sue. I've had someone once call a character in one of my stories, not fanfiction, that, and it makes me mildly irritated… That's okay, though, it's over and done with. Now, see the pretty purple "Go" button down there? Take the little pointer thing you control with that oval thing in your hand, and use your index finger and click it. Type something, click send, and you make someone happy. Me.