by my side¹ - d. malfoy

Three

LAURA FOUND herself in a giant office about to be sorted into her Hogwarts house.

"This is definitely a different experience," she said as the hat was placed on her head.

"Another Potter, hmm," the hat said. Laura was getting bored as the Sorting Hat talked in her head. The Ilvermorny sorting was more interesting (in her opinion) with the statues of the houses who would claim you.

"Should you be a Gryffindor like your cousin?" the hat wondered. "Or a Slytherin like your father?"

"Does it really matter?" Laura asked. "Does this seal my fate or something? Because if I could choose, I'd definitely go with Slytherin."

The hat paused for a second, not expecting her answer.

"Well, it better be Slytherin!" the hat exclaimed loudly.

Laura smiled as her robes were changed.

"You can go down to the Great Hall, Miss Pickering," Dumbledore said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

Laura nodded, thanking him, and then successfully making her way to the Great Hall without getting lost. When she walked in, Lavender Brown saw her, a smile on her face until she saw the green-lined robes Laura was wearing.

Laura saw this but ignored it. She covered the little Slytherin logo and walked up to the Slytherin table. She dramatically revealed her house to the people she knew would accept her.

"You're stuck with me from now on," she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yes!" Pansy exclaimed, jumping up and hugging Laura tightly. "My dorm has an empty room. I bet they're going to put you in there."

Laura sat down, chatting with Pansy and Blaise, but soon the first-year sorting started. Laura didn't pay much attention; she wasn't too interested. But as she sat there, she felt someone staring at her.

She turned to see Harry staring at her. She sent him a questioning look and a small wave. Turning back, Draco sent her a strange look, but she shook her head.

Soon after the sorting was finished, there was dinner. Where Laura kept talking with Blaise and Pansy. Draco sometimes added to the conversation. When that was over, Dumbledore started talking, Laura once again not too interested.

"The Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

Laura sat up, furrowing her eyebrows. She was definitely paying attention now.

"What?" she asked. "You're kidding... the one year I'm here? I was looking forward to playing Quidditch."

"You play Quidditch?" Draco asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yeah," Laura nodded, "I'm an excellent seeker."

Draco looked like he wanted to say something but was cut off by booming thunder. Everyone looked over at the doors of the Great Hall, and a strange man walked in.

His face was covered in scars. He looked as if his face was about to fall apart at any second. Laura and Pansy shared a look.

"Terrifying," Laura whispered to Draco.

Draco shrugged, holding back a smirk, which Laura didn't like the look of, but she didn't comment on it.

It turned out the man was their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Laura watched as Snape frowned at this. She knew he had wanted the position for a while. But, he was quickly old news as Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts was holding the Triwizard Tournament, not that Laura cared too much.