Suspicious Newcomer

Chapter 1

"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn said, seated at the end of a long table. He gestured wildly at the seat next to him at a table packed absurdly with sweets and delicacies. "Sit down, sit down!"

Harry suppressed a groan as Slughorn, in turn greeted Neville. He had promised Dumbledore to allow Slughorn to "collect him", and if that meant sucking up to the teacher, he supposed he could survive that. Glancing around the table, Harry noticed a Slytherin in the 6th year, two seventh year boys, an asian looking student wearing muggle clothing, and surprisingly, Ginny. Harry half listened as Slughorn went around introducing each student. "This is Zabini, he's in your year, Mclaggen, Belby, oh, and Yagami! A transfer student from Mahoutokoro, am I pronouncing that right? a wizarding school in Japan. " The student dressed in muggle clothing smiled politely as he was announced. "And this young lady says she knows you!" Slughorn finished, gesturing at Ginny.

"Right," mumbled Harry. He grinned questioningly at Ginny, and she shrugged back at him.

As Slughorn talked to the attendees of his little party, Harry's theory was confirmed. Each of the students there were somehow connected to someone important. Marcus Belby's uncle had invented the wolfsbane potion, McLaggen's family had connections at the ministry, Zabini's mother was a famously beautiful witch who had inherited a large sum of money from each of her dead lovers, and Yagami had scored all O's on his OWL exams. "Well, technically, I don't have the top score. I tied with a student here, sir." Yagami said politely, in perfect English. Slughorn nodded. "Lawliet, his name is. I invited him, but I suppose he didn't receive my invitation..." he trailed off thoughtfully. "Well, anyways! A perfect OWL score, a Quidditch captain, and you're father is an important auror! You're on the train to success, boy." Yagami smiled politely again, but he didn't seem to be uncomfortable with the attention.

"Waitamoment, Quidditch captain?" asked Ginny, sitting up suddenly. "At Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, I came for a tour during the summer." Yagami explained. "That's when I was sorted, too, and since the last Quidditch captain of my house graduated, Dumbledore gave me the badge."

"Which house?" Ginny said quickly.

"What was it called? Uh... Slytherin." Yagami said. Ginny and Harry's expressions immediately furrowed as they realized they were chatting with the new Slytherin captain.

"What position do you play?" asked Harry.

"Now, now!" exclaimed Slughorn. "You all can talk about Quidditch player. I'm more interested in you, Harry!" he gazed at Harry eagerly, as if appreciating a particularly rare piece of art. "The Chosen One, they're calling you."

Harry was surpremely uncomfortable. Mclaggen, Zabini and Blaise were all staring openly at him now. The transfer student merely looked mildly interested.

"Now of course, the Prophet-" Slughorn was interrupted as the door to his compartment opened again, and in walked one of the strangest people Harry had ever seen. Dressed in a loose white shirt and jeans, the student was wearing no shoes, and his thick black hair stood up on his own as if it were magic. (and for all Harry knew, it might have been) He surveyed the table with big, black eyes with dark shadows underneath them, his gaze stopping on the strawberry cheesecake sitting in the middle of the table.

"Hello." Yagami said, standing up and extending his hand to the odd-looking student. "I'm Yagami Light. We met during the tour, remember?" Lawliet looked down at Yagami's hand, then looked at Light's face with a mocking smile. Ignoring the hand, he took a seat Slughorn's table, tucking his feet up under him. Yagami's expression seemed to harden as Lawliet walked by him, but he returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.