See If I Care

14

"Well, you would fit in well in both Ravenclaw and Slytherin. You can choose," he said.

"I would like to go to Ravenclaw. I feel that that is where my knowledge and skills will thrive best."

"If you're sure then?" At Alex's confirmation, Alistair declared his decision to the hall.

"Ravenclaw."

Alex walked to the Ravenclaw table, head high and face blank. They sat down as Professor McGonagall regained her composure, continuing with the sorting.

"Potter, Harry." Harry walked to the stool and sat down. Like with Draco, the hat barely touched his head before the decision was called.

"Gryffindor."

Alex hadn't expected anything else. The rest of the sorting went by and Alex had removed their research journal from their pocket. They had thought that maybe someone else in Ravenclaw might know of an ingredient that they were missing. They didn't pay attention to Dumbledore as he stood to welcome everyone. They barely knew Dumbledore, but already disliked him. It was due to him that they had been ignored for 6 years by their parents. It was also because of him that magic for people with dark cores had been classified as dark and evil and been restricted.

They looked up when they heard cutlery hitting plates. Food had appeared on the tables and everyone was filling their plates. They waited for everyone around them to fill their plates before reaching for food. They made sure they had a balanced meal and began eating, listening to the conversations around them.

"I'm Terry, Terry Boot. You are?" the boy next to Alex asked.

"Alex Potter, heir Potter-Black," they replied, turning their attention from their food to the boy, Terry. Terry's shaggy, light brown hair fell across his eyes, and a smile was evident on his lips.

"I didn't realise the Potter's had a second child," Terry said.

"Neither did they for 10 years. And I'm not a second child. I'm actually Harry's older twin. Hence how I hold the heirships and he doesn't," they replied. They held up their right hand in response to Terry's unasked question, allowing Terry to see the heir ring visible on their right ring finger. Their lairdship rings were hidden, as was the markings showing their Slytherin heirship. The heir ring held both the Potter and the Black crests, signifying Alex as the rightful heir to both houses.

By now, a few of the other students around them were listening in on their conversation.

"What do you mean Alex?" a girl directly across from them asked. She seemed like she had Indian heritage, her skin slightly darker than those who were fully British, while her hair was long and black.

"Hmm?" Alex hummed.

"What do you mean that they didn't for 10 years?" the girl clarified her question.

"Oh, just that they forgot that they had two children after Harry became famous. It's fine though, I live with my godfather now and he cares about me. Much more than Lily and James do." It seemed that nobody knew what to say to that. The group around Alex grew silent for a while, everyone thinking intently as they ate. Conversation along the rest of the table continued though, so no one from the other houses picked up on the group of first years.

Alex soon grew tired of the silence, uncomfortable about how their revelation had been taken.

"So, you all know who I am. How about some other introductions?" Alex asked. The other first years nodded.

"I'm Padma, Padma Patil," the girl directly across from them said. She was the one who had asked about their parents.

"Lisa Turpin," a girl on Padma's right said. Lisa had slightly tanned skin and straight, curly blonde hair that fell down to her shoulders.