Flight of the Stars

Chapter Five

She looked up at Lucretia in amazement, who laughed at her expression. "Now you look like a proper Slytherin," she smirked. "And the best thing is, the charm will never wear off."

"Thank you," Hermione laughed as she rose from the chair. "I think I'll owe you for the rest of my life or something."

Lucretia twirled on of Hermione's curls around her finger, and Cecily and Oraia liked Hermione's arms in theirs. "Something like that," Lucretia agreed.

"Now come on," Cecily grinned. "Let's show you off to the world."

o-0-o

Abraxas wolf-whistled as Hermione approached the Slytherin table, earning a smack on the head from Cecily and making Hermione blush a deep crimson. "You clean up well," he grinned arrogantly, running a hand through his white-blond hair.

"Thanks," Hermione laughed.

"Some more people I forgot to introduce you to," he said.

"We can introduce ourselves, Malfoy," a boy with messy black hair said, looking amused. "I'm Rufus Lestrange. You're Hermione Granger, right? The new girl?"

"I am," Hermione said, raising her eyebrows slightly. It was rather surprising, although it shouldn't be, how many pureblood families were Sorted into Slytherin.

"Dorian Nott," a brown-haired, freckled boy said, smiling slightly.

"Abaris Avery," said a boy with light blond hair.

"Pleased to meet you all," Hermione said politely.

"So kind," Lestrange put a hand over his heart in mock affection.

Hermione noticed Riddle enter the Great Hall out of the corner of her eye, and it seemed to her that all of the boys, and even some of the girls too, straightened slightly. She frowned. Was there something going on here that she wasn't aware of?

Then it hit her. Of course. Riddle was the leader of the Death Eaters, some of which were at this very table. She grimaced. She had gotten too comfortable around him, forgetting that he was the future Voldemort.

It was just so easy to forget.

He sat down, and Cecily gestured to Hermione. "Well, Tom? What do you think?"

Riddle stared at Hermione blankly, his head tilted slightly as if he were trying to figure out what he was supposed to be looking at, and she smiled into her pumpkin juice. He was Tom Riddle. Of course he wouldn't notice anything different; girls were certainly not something he paid any attention to, although she knew plenty probably paid attention to him. She wondered with amusement whether he even remembered what her past mess of hair had looked like in the first place.

Before he could say anything, Slughorn bustled over to hand them their schedules. Then he turned to her and said, his walrus mustache quivering, "I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that you will have to take some tests so the administration can see where to put you. You'll need to head to the Headmaster's office. Terribly sorry, but that's Headmaster Dippet's say, not mine."

"That's all right, sir," Hermione said. "Although I do hope I qualify to take your Potions class. I've heard you're one of the very best."

Slughorn beamed at her, obviously pleased. "Why, thank you, Miss Granger, you're very kind. I believe I will quite enjoy you in my class, I think you will do quite well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll need to hand out these other schedules."

As he hurried away, Hermione turned to see everyone grinning at her.

"What?"

"Oh," Abraxas said, waving his hand, "it's nothing, really, except for one of the most masterful sucking-ups I've ever seen."