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chin up, child,
they'd kill to see you fall.
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There were no claps, no whistling and definitely no excitement. There were audible gasps of course, but poor Camellia Potter didn't dare move from the stall she was sitting on. She glanced to the Gryffindor table only to see Persephone's and Nate's disappointed faces as well as Harry's shocked expression. Camellia's eyes filled with crystal tears, but before they dropped, two Slytherins stood up, clapping loudly as the rest of the house joined in.
As she blinked in the direction of the snake table, she noticed a tall blonde girl and a brunette Slytherin leading the cheers coming from their table. It was only then when she realised that it was the Malfoy sisters, both of them with their heads held high and piercing blue eyes in a glare; the one thing they had in common. Slowly, the young girl picked up her body from were she was sitting, looking down in sadness as her plain black robes slowly filled in with green and silver, instead of red and gold. She reached the table faster than she thought she would, the claps stopped as she descended into her seat, not noticing the people around her.
Camellia felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to see who it was, she found the eldest of the Malfoy siblings, nodding at her and bending down as the sorting continue in the background.
"I'm Kallista Malfoy, your Prefect," she said as she brushed her platinum hair with the back of her hand in a wavy motion. "You'll do a fine Slytherin, Potter, now get that pout off your face, chin up and smile; you've got the snakes on your side."
In that moment, Camellia could not understand what Kallista Malfoy had meant with what she said. It certainly was a very odd thing to say to an eleven old child who had recently wind up in the enemy house, but years later, Camellia would understand that and more.
Camellia nodded her head towards the eldest Malfoy, giving her a half smile before turning back to the sorting, just in time for Mattheo to be called up.
"Mattheo Riddle," McGonagall called, Camellia smiled and looked over at the brunette, he winced when his name was said. She had never heard that particular name, but it was obvious some people had because she caught the alarmed look Kallista's younger sister showed.
The eleven year old boy walked over to the stool, sitting down with his hands in his lap. Not ten seconds later, Camellia saw the smile that adorned Mattheo's face as the hat sung 'Slytherin!'
Cheers erupted from the snakes table, closely followed by the polite claps from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Mattheo's robes turned green and silver, making his eyes shine as he beamed, walking towards his house table. He smiled briefly at Camellia before sitting far away from her at the other side of the table with a few other Slytherin first-years.
The sorting ended shortly after that, leaving everyone in the Great Hall to finish their dinner before going up to their dorms, for the first time in case of all the small first years. The Slytherins besides Camellia weren't at all chatty, the only person who had managed to get a word out of her the whole night was a young girl named Pansy Parkinson. She had short cropped black hair and an upturned nose, but she had been the only one to not glare or sneer at Camellia.
Mattheo sat with Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. He exchanged a few polite words with Camellia but didn't try to engage in an actual conversation with the girl. Theodore and Blaise had both introduced themselves to Camellia, but didn't say another word to her all evening.
"Alright, everyone, follow your prefects," Kallista Malfoy ordered, addressing the first years once Dumbledore had dismissed them from the Great Hall. She placed her pale dainty hand on Draco Malfoy's shoulder, carefully guiding him towards the door.
Camellia knew she was supposed to follow her prefect, but she had to talk to her mother and brother. She had to try and explain everything that happened. Without thinking it too much, she pulled in her breath and turned on her heel, she would figure out how to get to her common room some other way.
However, a hand pulled her robe from the back collar, making Camellia stumble and turn back her head. The second eldest Malfoy had a disapproving yet silly glare on her eyes. She tutted loudly before letting Camellia's collar go but crossing her arms over her chest.
"Wherever do you think you're going, Potter?" Malfoy asked.
"Please, I have to talk to my mum," Camellia said, a desperate look in her eyes. "I just want to talk to her, Malfoy."
"Venus," Malfoy half smiled. Camellia gave her a confused look. "My name, Potter. It's Venus, Venus Malfoy. Go, run along."
Camellia smiled at the brunette before running out of the Great Hall, behind the line of third year Gryffindors were she knew one of her cousins should be.
"Nate!" She called when she saw the tall boy as he play fought with two gingers who Camellia recognised as Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older twin brothers. "Nate, wait up!"
The three third year Gryffindors stopped dead on their tracks, turning their heads towards the young Slytherin. Fred and George both smiled at Camellia, but Nate had a grimace on his face.
"Congratulations, Lia," Nate said, refusing to meet her eyes. The twins muttered something about someone calling them, before they awkwardly left.
Camellia's eyes filled with tears because of the obvious discomfort her cousin held.
"I'm sorry, Nate," Camellia whispered. "I don't know what happened, I promise I-"
"It's alright, Camellia," Nate said, forcing himself to comfort his cousin. "Reckon Slytherin isn't that bad if you're in it, right?"
She ignored his comment and instead raised her head to meet her cousin's brown eyes with her crystal ones. "Have you seen my mum? I need to find her."
"In her office, Lia," Nate said, his eyes softening as he took her hand. "Aunt Lily took Harry with her after the sorting, i'll take you."
Camellia nodded her head, allowing her cousin to take her hand and guide her to her mother's office. They walked through halls and corridors in silence. The young girl had taken the red ribbons off her pig tails and allowed her mid waist hair to fall in curls, covering her face. Her wand was in her pocket, and she had a few silent tears running down her face as she arrived to her mother's chambers.
Nate knocked on the door four times before whispering, he whispered so low that Camellia couldn't catch what he had said. However, the door to Lily's chambers opened, revealing a beautiful cozy room. As they stepped inside, Camellia could see the red and gold wallpaper inside the warm room. All the furniture was red, and the fireplace had cackling red and gold fire as well.
"Camellia?" A faint voice spoke. Camellia turned to the far end of the room were James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Harry Potter and Lily Potter sat in a square table.
"Dad? Uncle Sirius?" Lia whispered, whipping the last tears off her face. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Ivy and Dan back home?"
"They're sleeping in mummy's bed, Lia," James answered as he stood up and walked towards his daughter with his wife and son following behind. "Why don't we have a little chat, love?"
James kneeled before Camellia whilst Nate walked to the table were his fathers were sitting. Lily came behind Camellia, placing her hand in her shoulder and kissing her cheek.
"You're not angry?" Camellia asked, her dark eyes scared.
"Of course not, my darling," Lily answered, whipping a single tear off her daughter's face. "But we do want to talk to you about something, Camellia."
Camellia nodded, allowing her mother and father to guide her to the small red sitting room, were they handed her a blanket and a cup of hot steamy tea. Remus, Sirius, Harry and Nate also sat in the couch, the four of them quiet but present.
"You got sorted into Slytherin," Lily stated, holding her husband's hand and smiling down at her daughter. The latter who nodded, bitting her lip so she wouldn't cry.
"I don't want to be disowned like Uncle Sirius," Camellia admitted, looking up to her mother and father.
The silence was defining, it was worse then the silence that had haunted the Great Hall as she got sorted. Sirius stood up so fast from his seat that he almost knocked it over, walking at his niece in full speed before leaning before her and grabbing her face in his hands.
"Now, listen here, Camellia Beatrice Potter," Sirius said, with a sense of urgency that she had never really heard in him before. "Your mum and dad love you more than life itself. They have sacrificed everything they have for you and your siblings. They would never allow something as idiotic as the house you were sorted into change the love they hold for you."
"Nothing's gonna change?" Camellia sniffed.
"Nothing, my love," James said, placing a hand in Sirius's shoulder.
"We promise," Lily smiled, placing her hand in Sirius's other shoulder.
But even eleven-year-old Camellia Potter knew it was a lie.