I do not own Harry Potter. Amy and Karen belong to me. Events happening during Chamber of Secrets will be disregarded.

She Arrives

The Great Hall was alit with dozens of candles, the dim glow making the environment warm and cozy. The ceiling was bewitched to match the weather outside, so along with the candles was the glimmer of many twinkling silver stars. The second to seventh-years were waiting with slight impatience for the feast to begin, but as always they had to wait for the Sorting to finish.

"I'm starving," Ron moaned and stared in dismay at his empty golden plate. Harry winced when his stomach gave a rather loud rumble and he sighed. Hermione, however, seemed more interested in staring at Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers, with a scowl.

"What are they planning?" she muttered suspiciously.

Harry followed her gaze and indeed noticed the twins' heads close together, their conversation being spoken in hushed voices. "I don't think I want to know," he said feelingly.

"They're probably plotting another prank to kick off the year," Ron said absentmindedly as he clapped to congratulate another new addition to Gryffindor. The small first-year scurried over to snag a seat, face red from the attention.

"Shouldn't you stop them?" Hermione asked.

Ron arched an eyebrow. "Are you mad? I'd like to live, thank you. Besides, as long as the prank doesn't affect me, I'm sure it'll be a laugh."

As the Golden Trio conversed, a thin blonde girl stood with her fellow first-years, lined up down the aisle of the Great Hall. Her blue eyes scanned the Hall with awe and amazement. She had expected to be back at her old elementary school at the start of the school year, where she would square off with her demon of a principal.

Which of course would result in a punishment, since the woman hated her. And after receiving the punishment, something odd would happen to her principal, such as a case of green spots or a purple tongue.

Amy soon discovered that the weird occurrences were her fault, due to uncontrollable releases of accidental magic. But of course she didn't intend for such things to happen…though she wasn't sorry about any of it.

"Houston, Amy."

Stepping up, Amy accepted the old hat and placed it upon her head, sitting on the stool.

Never in a million years did she ever expect to be in an enchanted castle, where she would learn the practices of magic. Her ticket to fantasy and wonder had been delivered by an owl, a month ago during breakfast. While she had been shocked as she accepted the letter from the bird, her grandma had been absolutely delighted. She had been a student at Hogwarts herself, though she doubted her granddaughter had inherited her magical abilities.

So Amy was given a crash-course in the magical world, especially about Hogwarts and the different Houses. But while her grandmother hoped for her to be in Gryffindor, she didn't have a preference. Well, anything but Slytherin, really. Their reputation wasn't much of a sales pitch.

It came as a slight shock when after a few seconds the hat bellowed, "Gryffindor!"

He-or it, I guess-didn't even have to think about it! she thought. She supposed she fit into the whole bravery thing. After all, she faced many dangers with her constant prank-pulling. And Hogwarts seemed like a perfect place for new material…and new targets.

Amy did have a rather nasty reputation at her old school. Whoopee cushions, buzzers, water balloons and buckets of mud perched on doors were just a few of her tame ones. She couldn't wait to see what she could do with her wand (eleven inches, holly, and the core being a dragon's heartstring) and the many spells she would learn.

Amy removed the Sorting Hat, handed it back to the stern-looking witch in tartan robes and headed over to the table that was clapping loudly and cheering. She found an empty seat across from a redheaded boy. On his right sat a boy with messy black hair and on his left sat a bushy-haired girl.

The girl smiled at her. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Hermione Granger. If you need anything, I'll be glad to show you around."

Amy blinked her blue eyes and accepted Hermione's outstretched hand. "Well, you already know who I am, but I like saying my name. Amy Houston."

The redhead snorted. "Hermione can show you the library first. She could navigate that place with her eyes closed." He grinned sheepishly under Hermione's glare and quickly introduced himself. "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley. Every person you see at this table with red hair is my sibling. Well, all redheads within our vicinity, anyway."

Amy glanced around the table and counted the redheads nearby. "Four siblings?"

"And I have two more that are already out of Hogwarts." Ron shook his head. "How about you?"

"Only child. Live with my grandma. She's a witch, but didn't tell me because she didn't think I was magical in any shape or form. So I didn't find out anything until I got the owl. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

"I didn't either. By the way, I'm Harry Potter, but I suppose you knew that." Harry grinned at her.

"I didn't, actually. But I have heard of you. You're famous here."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Not entirely for happy reasons, but yes."

Dumbledore rose from his seat then, causing everyone to fall silent. He beamed around the Hall. "Another year at Hogwarts, and a great year I'm sure it will be. Before I ramble on, let us eat first!"

Amy stared at the piles of food that appeared on golden platters in an instant. She scooped some potatoes and salad on her plate and tipped pumpkin juice into her goblet. She had just stuffed a forkful of potatoes in her mouth when the first bang went off.

At the High Table and all along the other House tables were loud bangs, and a nasty odour began to fill the room. Amy arched an eyebrow at the shrieks of disgust and rage and swallowed her food. Every table seemed to have been rigged but the Gryffindor table. Her blue eyes glanced at Ron's siblings, the twins, who were doubled over with laughter at the mess-covered tables.

"Weasley! Weasley! My office, now!"

The stern witch in emerald robes strode over with a furious look. She grabbed the two by the ears and dragged them out of the Hall, shouting at them the entire time. Amy watched them leave and then turned to Ron, who was shaking his head and grinning.

"That has to be a new record," he said in amusement. "I wonder how they did it."

"Who are they?" Amy asked.

"My brothers, Fred and George. Don't take anything they give you, it's probably a trick. They like practical jokes. A lot."

"Huh. Interesting," mused Amy.

She had had a reputation at her old school for being the greatest prankster. Now, it seems, she would have some competition.

Well. We're going to have to see which prankster rules this school. Look out Weasley twins. Amy Houston is about to make her own mark.

If you have prank ideas, that'd be great. Review please!