Chapter One
"Leigh, Lexi?" An elderly tall witch, who went by the name Professor McGonagall called my name. I inhaled deeply, shuffling my way forward through the group of first years. My legs were a little shaky, but I continued to make my way up to the three-legged stool with confidence. I was about to be sorted into my Hogwarts house, while the rest of the school watched. I could feel all eyes on me as I took my seat on the stool and waited to be sorted.
An old, shaggy witch's hat was placed on top of my head. I was already fully aware of how the sorting ceremony went, coming from a pureblood family. My mother had told me all about it. Both my mother and father were in Slytherin back when they attended Hogwarts.
I didn't know my father. He was killed in Azkaban about a year after the fall of the Dark lord. My mother did not agree with my father's choices, and I grew up knowing he was a bad man. My mother believed he got what he deserved, and was glad to be able to raise me with a good heart and not with the purebloods are better than the rest. Not all Slytherins are bad, she was proof of that, but she had also warned me to watch my back with them anyway.
"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled for all to hear.
My nervous heart relaxed, I knew my mother would approve and be glad. I hopped off the stool and made my way down to the table in red. The Gryffindor students were all clapping and cheering me on.
I sat down next to a brown-haired boy called Seamus Finnigan. He had been sorted not too long before me. He gave me a friendly smile, which I returned before looking back to see who would be sorted next.
"Malfoy, Draco?" Professor McGonagall called the next name on the parchment.
I watched as a blonde boy walked up to the stool. When he turned around to sit on the seat I smiled. He was very cute and sweet looking. I secretly hoped he would be sorted into the same house as me.
"Slytherin!" the sorting hat yelled out before it had even fully been placed on his head.
I watched as Draco made his way over to the Slytherin table, looking very pleased with himself. I couldn't see myself making friends with him now. Even though she didn't say it directly, I knew my mother wouldn't be too pleased if I made friends with the Slytherins.
After the sorting ceremony, a feast of the most delicious looking food I had ever laid eyes on appeared on the tables out of thin air. Everyone began to pile up their plates with as much food as they could. Another first-year boy with red hair who sat across from me was stuffing his face as if he had never seen food before in his life. From the sorting ceremony, I knew his name was Ron Weasley. And by looking down the Gryffindor table I could tell there was more than one Weasley in this house.
I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over to the Slytherin table, where Draco Malfoy was making friends fast. I turned my eyes away before anyone could notice and talked to Seamus.
"I'm half and half," He told me. "My mum's a Witch. My dad's a Muggle. A bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out," He laughed.
I laughed with him. I told him I was from an all magical family, without trying to sound like I was a better Witch because of it. I did not care that Seamus had a Muggle parent. If I did, I would probably be sitting over at the Slytherin table.
***
Seamus and I talked a lot after we were sent back to the house's common rooms. I really enjoyed being around him. He made me laugh and told me how he would often accidentally blow things up when he was a little kid. He said at least they knew he had magical blood and wasn't surprised when he got his Hogwarts letter. We sat together in most of our classes, a boy called Dean would often sit with us as well. The famous Harry Potter was also in our class. It was also pretty exciting to have the boy who lived in the same house as me. I had only talked to him a couple of times so far, but he seemed pretty nice.
Hermione Granger was also a Gryffindor with us. I didn't mind her, but her constantly knowing everything began to get on everyone's nerves. The bright side was she was earning lots of house points for us. I was surprised, however, that she knew so much being muggle-born and all. Most muggle-borns come here knowing very little since they did not grow up in our world.
***
"There will be no foolish wand-waving in my class," Professor Snape said, he was a scary man with greasy black, shoulder-length hair. He was our potions teacher and the headteacher of the Slytherin house. He looked the part too. He always took house points off people for no real reason, except the Slytherins of course.
We had to partner up for this class, so Seamus and I got a table together. Seamus was looking over his potion book while stirring our potion "This is too hard" he groaned
"Please don't blow us up" I frowned at Seamus as he stirred the potion.
"Might get us out of potions for the rest of the class though" Seamus jokes.
Seamus and I sat at the very back of the classroom. Down the front was where most the Slytherins sat. I could see Draco Malfoy sitting with a Slytherin girl. Her name was Pansy Parkinson. At the table next to them were two big guys I could hardly tell apart, and honestly didn't care enough to remember their names. They all hang out in the same group as Draco though. Draco must have sensed me looking his way. He turned his head looking over his shoulder directly at me. I quickly pulled my potions book up in front of my face hiding behind it.
"You're right Seamus, this IS hard!" I said looking down at the potion instruction with wide eyes. The potion was two full pages long and in tiny writing.
After the end of the class, Snape marked us on our potion. Seamus and I were second last in the class. Last being Harry and Ron. I could tell right from the start of the class Snape had it out for Harry though.
Almost every Slytherin beat the Gryffindors. Even though they probably did not do any better than us. Unfortunately, I have been told that no matter how much better you do then the Slytherins they will always come out on top in this class because of Snape. Draco came first, proving it so. As we left potions Pansy purposely barged my shoulder as she walked past me "Watch where you're going, blood traitor!" She snapped at me. I said nothing, just watched her back as I continued down the hall, and out of the dungeons. I had a better way of getting back at her.
**
The next day before entering Snape's classroom, I held Seamus outside class for a moment to talk to him in private. "I'm sorry to do this Seamus" I gripped his shoulders and looked at him with eyes that said forgive me "But it will probably get us both better marks in this subject"
Seamus frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"You will see," I mumbled and entered the classroom.
Instead of going straight to my seat at the back of the classroom, I made my way to the front where Pansy and Draco were already sitting. Snape had not shown up yet. The class did not start for another 2 minutes.
"Hey Parkinson, you're in my seat," I said looking down at her.
She nearly jumped at the sound of my voice so close to her. She turned around in her chair staring at me in disbelief.
"Yeah right," She laughed sarcastically, turning away from me.
I pulled my wand out and jabbed her arm with it. "You're in my seat," I said again a little louder. Honestly, I didn't know any spells yet that could do her any harm, but she seemed to freeze at the sight of my wand pointing at her.
"How dare you! You filthy blood traitor!" she growled.
She went to point her own wand at me. "Go on, see what happens" I dared her. She gulped and lowered her wand. It seems she's all bark and no bite.
"Your partner is Seamus, at the back," I told her. She glared at me, before hopping out of her seat and retreating to the back of the classroom.
I mouthed a silent 'sorry' at Seamus, he had a horrified look on his face when he realized what I had just done.
I sat down next to Draco who was smirking at me. "How are you not in Slytherin?" He asked in amusement.
I smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders. There had to be a little Slytherin somewhere in me, after all, both my parents were from this house. This was the first time Draco had ever spoken to me.
"I guess we are partners now," I smiled at him.
"Yeah, well just don't stuff up, blood traitor!" His hissed as his smirk fell.
His mean words did not bother me. I knew there was no way I could get low marks with him as my partner. After all, he is Professor Snape's favorite student.