When she received her Hogwarts letter on her 11th birthday she was not surprised. That is not to say however, she was not excited. As any young witch or wizard raised in the Wizarding world, Vivian Varsey anticipated her Hogwarts with the same wonderment and anticipation as any. So when her letter came, her parents took her out for a nice dinner and they talked of what house they thought their only daughter would excel in.
Her father, a jovial and kind man, felt that his considerate and fair-minded daughter would fit well in his old house of Hufflepuff. Her mother, a stern but loving woman, felt her pragmatic and cunning child belonged in Slytherin, where she found sanctuary when she was just a young witch attending Hogwarts herself. Vivian, well, Vivian would be happy with either house, she thought.
August passed in a flurry of excitement and soon September arrived. With a kiss her parents sent her off with pride and she boarded the Hogwarts express. As one would expect of a child of 11, Vivian boarded the Hogwarts Express with great trepidation and curiosity. She had never been away from her parents for such a long time before. She knew that she would miss them dearly, and had already planned her first letter home.
With a lurch, the Hogwarts Express begins its journey, signifying her very own. She sat in her compartment alone with a churning tummy. It is on this very train that Vivian made her first friend. A small blonde witch with large eyes and funny dress robes holding a magazine she had never seen before. Fascinated by the stories told by the girl who shared her compartment, the two took to each other quickly. The rest of the journey was filled with giggles and excitement of what was to come.
Grateful that she made a friend so quickly and her fear of not making friends quelled, Vivian was able to fully enjoy the experience of Hogwarts without distraction. She would never forget that feeling of astonishment and the instant connection she felt when she took her first steps into the Great Hall of Hogwarts. The Sorting Hat made her stare in fascination and amusement, what a peculiar thing!
Slowly the list of students to be sorted dwindled. Vivian's anxious stare was fixed on her new friend who had been sorted into Ravenclaw with what had felt like centuries ago, she fidgeted in place. Although she had wished to be in either Hufflepuff like her father, or Slytherin like her mother, she was beginning to wish that she would not be separated from her new friend in this new setting.
With a cautious seat, Vivian held her breath and awaited the verdict.
"SLYTHERIN!"
The Slytherin table burst into cheers in honor of their new addition. Slytherin! Her mother will be so happy (and smug), and her father would heave a sigh but would smile nonetheless and kiss her on the cheek and then turn and kiss her mother lovingly while joking about how even in this, Vivian is without a doubt her mother's daughter. Looking at her newly Ravenclaw friend, Vivian smiles and her friend smiles back. Beside her, an older boy turns to her and smiles at her in welcome. His name is Blaise Zabini and he seems friendly enough. They all do. They take her under their wing, and Slytherin is just as her mother describes it. She smiles and happily enjoys the rest of the feast.
Blaise would later introduce her to other Slytherins that she isn't sure she liked very much, but even so she quietly accepted the inclusion to what she recognized as acceptance into an exclusive group she recognizes has the potential to be powerful. She is grateful that Blaise is not like the others he associates with, at least not completely. They spout ideologies she isn't sure they completely understand. Her and Blaise usually shared a look whenever the blonde sharp looking one named Malfoy would go on his tangents. Despite the uncomfortableness of their friends' rants, she is happy with her house and her friend.
It wasn't until a few months later, that she realized that this contentment and this feeling of belonging is fleeting and her happiness would be tested by others. She will soon notice that not everyone is as welcoming or accepting to her house affiliation. It is apparent that acceptance and understanding extended to everyone in Hogwarts, except for Slytherin. Despite this, she remains friends with her Ravenclaw friend who sees beyond the color of her uniform and still makes her feel safe and happy.
Years later she will remember that despite the flaws of her house and despite the cold looks of other houses for carrying herself in green so well, that Slytherins take care of their own.