I walked over to Slytherin table and sat next to Malfoy seeing as he was the only one I knew so far.
From where I sat, I could see the High Table properly now.
At the end, furthest from me sat Hagrid, who seemed to be looking at Harry.
At the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore.
He looked exactly like the card Harry had gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train.
Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts.
I looked back to the sorting hat and saw McGonagall again.
She seemed to have a look of resignation on her face.
As though she were upset but felt as though she had no right to be...
"Congratulations, you're officially part of the greatest house," said Malfoy smirking.
I nodded and responded still dazed from McGonagall's look, "Thanks, hey do you know why all the Gryffindors were looking at me weirdly?"
Malfoy blinked and then nearly chuckled, "They probably thought you were one of them so when they saw you become a superior Slytherin they were shocked into a stupid stupor."
I nodded contemplating whether I should take that as an insult or a compliment.
Malfoy was far too self-centred and prideful to see that the Gryffindors didn't look shocked they looked betrayed.
McGonagall's look flashed in my head again and I decided that it was best not to think about it.
If I had to bet they didn't like Slytherins because we supposedly do 'Anything' for what we want, Or maybe it was because of You-Know-Who, so when they saw me go to Slytherin they felt betrayed since they thought of me as a friend...
I decided to focus back on the hat and notice that there were only four people left to be sorted.
"Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.
"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn.
He was a pale green now.
In fact, if It weren't for the red of his hair you would've thought he were just another one of the Slytherin flags that hung from the ceiling among all the other house flags.
I crossed my fingers under the table and a second later the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
I really hoped that he would join me.
If he did then not only would he get the chance to be different from his siblings but it would also help Harry and Hermione not hate me.
"Another pathetic Weasley Gryffindor. What a bunch of filthy blood traitors." I heard from my left.
I turned to Malfoy beginning to get pissed.
There was a line between talking about random people I don't know and doing the same with people I do know and consider as friends.
"Can you keep it down? I get that you don't like the Weasleys but that doesn't mean that you mention it every 20 seconds." I hiss under my breath.
He raises a brow and squints his eyes, "Don't talk like that to me."
He tries to straighten himself to increase his height to assert some sort of dominance.
These things might work on Crabbe and Goyle but on me, it looked pathetic.
I locked eyes with him and smiled condescendingly, "Oh! That's how it is? Well then OF COURSE Master Malfoy I'll do whatever you please."
It was honestly funny to see his reaction.
He was shocked and looked confused.
"Good then," he replied.
He thought I was being genuine...
"Sarcasm. That's what it's called. I don't mean what I said. It's meant to mock you." I say shocked that I needed to explain this.
He nodded, "Oh."
I saw the gears turn as he realised that I'd mocked him.
"Don't make me change my mind on whether you are worth my companionship." He said threateningly.
"You wouldn't dare. You need at least one smart friend and Crabbe and Goyle don't cut it." I say not breaking eye contact.
He looked like he was about to speak but was interrupted by another kid being sent to Slytherin.
I looked at him, "Hey, Welcome to Slytherin. What's your name?"
He looks at me and raises a brow, "Didn't you hear it when Professor McGonagall called it out?"
"Nope. Couldn't be bothered. Had some other issues to deal with." I said smiling innocently.
He nods and responds, "Blaise Zabini"
I nod, "Blaise then? or do you prefer Zabini?"
"Either. You choose."
I nod.
"Good seeing you again Zabini," said Malfoy.
They fall into conversation but I couldn't care less.
I looked forward only to see Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet.
He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
"Welcome," he said.
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.
And here they are:
Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
"Thank you!"He sat back down.
Everybody clapped and cheered.
I stared at the man confusion written all over my face, "Is he okay in the head?"
Malfoy looked to me just as confused, "Father said he was...Though I always thought he was the genius kind of mad considering he's also one of the world's greatest wizards... Guess I was wrong...?"
I nod and look at the table.
My mouth fell open.
The dishes in front of me were now piled with food.
I had never seen so many delicious things all on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. (When you're a vegetarian by religion who has no idea how half of this tastes like-)
Aurora had a cafeteria-like system where you had to collect your meal and eat at the tables there was never an arrangement like this where there was loads of food and you just picked what you wanted...
I took bits of everything wanting to taste it all. (In case of allergies and or voluntary food restrictions imagine it's the food you would enjoy)
I watched as a pearly-white and slightly transparent ghost whizzed by our table.
He had wide, staring, black eyes and a gaunt face.
He was dressed in robes covered in silver bloodstains and was the only ghost in the hall covered in chains.
I noticed that each table had a ghost that stuck close to it and ours appeared to be the one in chains.
"Why is that ghost circling our table?" I ask turning to Malfoy.
"Oh, That's the bloody baron. He's our house ghost. Kinda scary but father says he helps keep Peeves away." He says looking slightly uncomfortable.
"Who's Peeves?" I ask in response
Malfoy responds looking a little more uncomfortable, "A poltergeist. Loves creating mischief and annoying everyone."
I nod.
I watch as he flies over to us.
"I believe you all have already learnt of me from your parents." He says as he reaches us.
"Not all of us but please continue," I say a little upset when I remember my little lie.
"Right. I don't believe I know any L/Ns. You aren't a mudblood are you?" He says squinting at me.
"No. A half-blood. My father was a wizard my mother was not. I never met either of them and grew up in a muggle orphanage." I answer.
He squints at me in an almost disgusted way but responded, "I see... Well, I'm your house ghost also known as The Baron though people tend to call me The Bloody Baron, and I came here to inform all you first years that you have a lot to live up to. Our house has won House Cup 6 years in a row and we expect you to follow in suit."
Me and the rest of us first-years nod in understanding, "Of course."
The bloody baren nods and floats away leaving us to our meals.
The conversation slowly shifts to what subjects everyone is excited about and I choose to just listen already feeling exhausted from all the talking.
I looked across the hall and notice that the Gryffindor table seems to be the loudest.
Their loud hardy laughter mixed with the noise of cutlery clacking against cutlery was strangely welcoming yet repulsive at the same time.
It would be fun to be part of a friend group like that but knowing me I wouldn't want to talk as much which would lead to me ending up cornered out.
I look to the ends of the table only to see my suspicions were right.
The people on the ends seemed quiet and dull sticking to eating their meals alone.
I move on to looking at the Ravenclaw table and see it loud too but not in the way Gryfindor was it seemed more like all of them were left to their own devices. Only a few small groups talked yet they still managed to be loud enough that they could easily compete against Gryffindor for the loudest table.
At this, I turn to look at the corners of the Slytherin table only to see there were groups everywhere.
Almost like a combination of the previous two tables where everyone formed larger groups or had a couple of small groups with everyone else being left to their own devices, the Slytherins were in clumps of multiple smaller groups where everyone had someone but not everyone had more than that.
I turn back to the Ravenclaw table.
They tried to talk in hushed whispers but it just made the conversation louder.
It sounded kind of like a pressure cooker except you could hear a few words in the middle of the loud whistle-like sound.
Then I turned to the Hufflepuff table.
It was the only table where everyone collectively conversed.
Not a single soul was alone.
They had a calm aura coming from them but one look and that aura is shattered.
Their table was chaotic and energetic it honestly looked like they were all drunk on coffee.
Now that I looked closer I noticed that the population of Hufflepuff seemed larger than the rest.
Slytherin and Ravenclaw tieing for least populated.
Gryffindor had a good amount of people.
I stopped staring at the other tables and moved my focus back onto the food and the conversation currently stirring among two other Slytherins from our year.
They were talking about the dorm system and it was a good way to distract myself considering I didn't care about it in the slightest.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before.
A moment later the desserts appeared.
Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding"
The Slytherin table had grown quiet by now, no one having the energy to talk and everyone, especially me, worried about oversharing.
These people may be my housemates but they were all here because they were predominantly selfish and good at taking advantage of things.
I did not want to give them the means to puppeteer me.
"So do we have a house mistress or master?" I ask trying to spark a conversation.
Malfoy turns to me and responds, "Yeah. It's Professor Snape, The one next to the guy in a turban with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. He's my godfather. He'll be our potions master this year. He's already taught me some parts of it. Though he doesn't want to teach potions. Everyone knows he's after Professor Quirrell's job."
I of course had no clue who Professor Quirrell was so I asked, "Who exactly is Professor Quirrell?"
"Oh, he's the wizard with the huge turban." was his quick response.
Just then I notice him stop talking to Snape and both he and Snape turn to look at the Gryffindors.
I glance at their table but seeing that nothing looked out of the ordinary I moved on.
In the short time I knew Malfoy I'd learnt he often responded in quick, curt responses.
It was strange considering it wasn't like he preferred not speaking; I mean have you seen him blabber his opinions with no second thought? He'd been alot more chatty at Madam Malkin's.
My eyes still lingering on the teacher's table only shifted when I heard my fork, still stabbing a slice of cake, clattering onto the plate.
I look down only to see the desserts had disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.
The hall fell silent.
He cleared his throat and began, "Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden, to all pupils."
"And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
I nearly snickered when I noticed that they seemed to mirror the same mischievous twinkle in their eyes.
"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." He continued calmly.
"Huh? What??" I mumble to Malfoy only to be responded to with a simple shrug.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.
I raised a brow, we had an anthem?
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore,
Did the song have no tune...?
"and off we go!"And the school bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,"
"Teach us something please,"
"Whether we be old and bald"
"Or young with scabby knees,"
"Our heads could do with filling"
"With some interesting stuff,"
"For now they're bare and full of air,"
"Dead flies and bits of fluff,"
"So teach us things worth knowing,"
"Bring back what we've forgot,"
"just do your best, we'll do the rest,"
"And learn until our brains all rot."
I chose to simply watch and move my mouth pretending I was singing and by the looks of it, most of our house did the same.
Everybody finished the song at different times.
At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.
Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
I on the other hand nearly snickered.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes.
"A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
Author's note:
I have done something again. Also finally you have a house :))
Word Count: 2440 words
~Author <333