"Can I call you Tori? You know Tori, I'm a great friend."
"I don't get it, why are you being nice to me?"
"Maybe I don't want to see you friendless."
When Victoria Silvers, who comes from a long line of Slytherins, is sorted into Gryffindor her life...
"She's going to want to hear things about Hogwarts from both of you. Make sure to tell her how both of you are working hard in Slytherin. Let her know about your quidditch games, Avalon."
Tori's head jerked upwards, confused at what her father said. She thought she must have simply misheard her father, but she met her brother's gaze. He looked as confused as she did.
Tori's father and mother said nothing as they continued their meal. Dove looked back and forth between her siblings, growing more and more confused every second.
"I'm sorry father," Tori began, looking down towards him at the table. "I think I misheard you, did you say...?"
"I did." Her father replied roughly. Avalon and Tori made eye contact, and he shrugged a little, clearly not aware of what was going on.
"What?" Dove asked Tori, her loud voice echoing in the dining room. When there was no respond she asked again, only louder. "What?"
Tori stared at her father in disbelief. "She doesn't know. No one knows?" Her voice began to rise a bit, causing her father to meet her gaze. He looked at her blankly.
"Know what?" Dove asked, growing impatient. The nine-year-old didn't like secrets and was eager to know what was going on.
"That's enough, Victoria." Her mother told her gently, but anger filled Tori's veins. "No one knows? You told no one?!"
"Know what?" Dove yanked into her older sister's sleeve harshly.
Tori rose from her seat, almost challenge her father. "The Silvers have been a family of Slytherins for over a century, and it will stay that way." He replied. He didn't even look up from his dish.
"Even if it includes lying to your own family?" Tori felt all her anger clog up her throat. "They've been lying to you Dove, I'm not-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH." Her father yelled, desperately trying to stop his eldest daughter. But that only made Tori explode. "I AM NOT IN SLYTHERIN! I AM A GRYFFINDOR!" She shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls.
"I am a Gryffindor. I am a Gryffindor. I am a Gryffindor. I am a Gryffindor."
The family sat in silence. Both Tori and her father were still standing while the others stared at them. The tension was so thick you could cut it. Dove was the first to break it. "What?" She looked extra confused. She glanced up and down the table and her eyes widened as she realized what Tori meant, and why Tori had a Gryffindor tie in her trunk.
Tori's father sat back in his seat with ease. "The Silvers have been a family of Slytherins for over a century, and it will stay that way." He repeated, slamming his fist on the table. "If you don't want to live that way, you no longer need to carry the family name."
Tori's face dropped, and she wasn't sure what her father said. She quickly pushed away from the table and fled to her room, leaving her plate half full. She could hear Dove asking ten thousand questions and her mother hushing her. Tori slammed the door, shrinking against it.
They're liars. Her family is a liar. Tori could hear her father shouting something and her heart raced with fear. She locked her door and ran her fingers through her hair. She couldn't stay there.
A lightbulb went off in her head and Tori ran to her desk, grabbing a piece of paper and writing.
Fred, is your option still open? It's urgent.
Tori.
She shoved it in an envelope and addressed it messily. She handed the letter to Athena, her heart still racing. "Bring it to Fred," She told the barn owl. It hooted once and flew out of the window and out into the darkness of the night. Tori began shoving her belongings things in her trunk. She stopped midway, realizing she had no idea what Fred would say.
She didn't care. She would stay at the Leaky Cauldron if she had too.
No one came to her door, much to Tori's relief. About an hour had passed and she sat on her bed, her wand by her side. Tori was staring at her ceiling when there way a small knock against her window.
Athena was back. She held a letter in her claws from Fred. Tori took swiftly, opening it quickly to see three words written on the parchment.
Yes. Come now.
That was good enough for Tori. She ushered Athena in her cage and grabbed her trunk, which she had fully packed. She put on her jacket and wrapped her Gryffindor scarf that was gifted to each student at the beginning of the term around her neck. Quietly, Tori opened her door to hear for anyone walking the halls. When it sounded good, Tori crept out of her room, shutting the door. She walked the dark halls she could hear Dove and Avalon talking to her father in Avalon's room.
Tori wanted to lean against the door what they were saying, but she needed to leave before she got caught. She held her wand tightly in her hand and made her way down the stairs slowly. She wanted to be silent.
Each noise her trunk made, Tori cringed, waiting for her father to find her. When she reached the end of the stairs Tori ran to the living room.
She loaded her trunk and Athena's Cage into the unlit fireplace before searching for the Floo Powder. It was supposed to be on the shelf, but for some reason, it was missing. Tori panicked, searching all the shelves for it.
There was a small cough behind her and Tori turned to see her mother, sitting on one of the lounging chairs. In her hand, she held the floo powder jar.
"Mum..." Tori began, she felt her hearts sunk as the woman stood up.
But her mother said nothing as she came towards her. Tori was sure she was going to call her father down. To her surprise, her mother pushed her gently into the fire pit and handed her a hand of powder.
"Speak clearly." She turned around, only confusing Tori. "What?"
"Speak clearly."
Tori's mother didn't face her again and only stared at the family portrait above the couch. Tori took this as a sign that her mother did not see her leave, therefore she would not tell her father until he found out.
"The Weasley Burrow," Tori announced, throwing the powder down and quickly grabbing hold of her trunk.
She closed her eyes as she felt herself fly through the air, twisting and moving in ways no person should be able too. She always hated using the Floo Powder system.
Eventually, Tori felt her self standstill. She could feel smoke covering the room, causing her to begin to think she said something wrong. She kept her eyes closed, scared that she ended up in the wrong place until she heard someone speak.
"Tori?"
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