The Little One with Green Eyes

5: Hogwarts and Cheer-Up Parties

-September 1 1991-
Draco prided himself in his ability to maintain the Malfoy Mask. It was a well crafted mask that Draco was required to wear so that he would remain the aloof Heir to the Malfoy family as tradition. The mask would only be dropped among his closest friends and family, and he learned very early on in life, who fell into that category.

Yet sitting here in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, Draco found himself struggling to maintain his emotionless facade. It was just so beautiful here, and he was just in awe of the magnificent castle-turned-school.

Draco ignored the welcome speech from the headmaster---the barmy old fool should count himself lucky that he was still permitted to govern the school---and instead chose to familiarize himself with his fellow Slytherins.

Draco sat with his close friends, Theo, Blaise and Pansy, but he still wanted to get to know the other first-years and start his political circle. It would be beneficial to get to know the older students as well, but Draco figured it'd be best if he worked his way up.

As he ate, he laughed at the terrible jokes Blaise cracked, all while keeping a discreet eye on the other people in the hall. Despite the peace that Wizarding Britain had faced for the past decade, animosity between Slytherin and the other houses was still high. Draco ignored the weary glances of the Hufflepuffs, the calculating gazes of the Ravenclaws, and the direct sneers from the Gryffindor, in favor of familiarizing himself with his housemates.

Daphne Greengrass---a well-standing Pure-Blood with ample political power and wealth---had been sorted into Slytherin. No surprise there. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle sat by the corner whispering to themselves, and Draco tried not to screw his face up with disgust as Crabbe stuffed his face with food. Millicent Bulstrode was gossiping with Tracey Davis by the Second-Years, and Draco knew better than to bother himself with those two.

Draco sighed, and slouched in a subtle way as he reached for his pumpkin juice. Pansy raised a delicate eyebrow at the sight, almost as if she were asking him what the matter was. In response, Draco subtly glanced at his other house mates and shifted his shoulders in a microscopic shrug.

Pansy snorted softly and returned to her food.

The rest of the feast continued in amicable silence, small conversations being struck up at random intervals, but otherwise quiet. Draco followed the Prefects to the Slytherins Dorm after the feast, smiling as Theo talked to him about Hogwarts.

Theo was, for lack of a better term, a nerd. He had floo-called Draco two weeks before term started to rant about Hogwarts and the school. He'd gotten Hogwarts: A History as a gift for his birthday and spent the entire call talking about the different things he learned. Draco had smiled at him and listened as he spoke, pretending to be as interested in it as he was.

"This is the entrance to the Slytherin dorms," the Prefect---a Seventh-Year named Bellamoon or something had said. Draco tuned out Theo's rambling so that he could listen to the important information being handed out. "The password is Salazar. Don't forget it, or you won't be able to get it."

Bellamoon whispered the password and the bare stone wall rumbled and Draco had to forcibly keep his jaw shut as he watched with awe as the stone wall split to reveal a common room. It was beautiful. Lush furniture decorated the room and on either side, large staircases led up to the dorm rooms. The center of the room sat a lavish fireplace---a portrait of Salazar Slytherin himself sat on the mantle.

"The right stairs lead to the girl's dormitory," Bellamoon said, directing the First-Years attention onto her. "If anyone but a girl tries to go up them, the stairs will send you back down. The stairs on the left lead to the boys dorm, and they are the same as the girl's. Please, stay with your respective dorms."