This story is a collaborative effort between users Kitty Tomlinson-Maslow and DaftDruid. Every odd-numbered chapter is written by Kitty Tomlinson-Maslow, every even-numbered chapter by DaftDruid. Enjoy!
Our story begins on the Hogwarts Express, before it took off. An eleven year old boy with shaggy hair and a fair complexion, already in his robes, sat in a compartment by himself, the door shut in an attempt to keep people out. He heard a light rapping on the door.
"It's open," the boy said. The door slid open to reveal a young girl with long light brown hair with dark blonde streaks and slightly tanned skin.
"May I join you? The other compartments are full," she said.
"Sure, go ahead," the boy said, his voice soft as he looked to the floor. The girl walked in and sat down on the seat across from him.
"My name is Celestia. What's yours?" she asked.
"Sammy," the boy said.
"Well, Sammy, it's nice to meet you."
"Yeah, you too," Sammy said as he finally looked up at her. She seemed to emanate this aura of kindness and safety that could make anyone feel safe.
"Sirius Black, give that back right now!" a girl shouted from towards the back of the train.
"Why should I?" a boy, obviously Sirius, said back. He ran past the compartment Celestia and Sammy were in. A girl ran by a few minutes later, and walked back after a few minutes.
"Mind if I join you?" the girl asked. "My cousin stole my spot and locked me out."
"Not at all, go ahead," Sammy said. The girl, another eleven year old with black hair and a fair complexion, sat down next to Celestia.
"My name's Adara. Adara Black. And who might you be?"
"I'm Celestia King, and this is Sammy…"
"Sammy Thompson."
"You have a pretty name," Adara said to Celestia.
"I get told that a lot. Thank you."
"You really do," a voice said from the back corner of the compartment. Everyone jumped.
"Where did you come from?" Sammy asked.
"I was here the whole time. I didn't mind," the voice said. The voice belonged to another young boy with chocolate brown hair and a lanky build. "Name's Oliver. Oliver Wicks. But you can call me Olly."
"Nice to meet you, Olly. I'm sure you won't need an introduction," Adara said, "as I'm sure you overheard all of our names."
"That I did, Adara," Olly said.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get my jumper back from my cousin Sirius," Adara said, standing up.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Adara," Sammy said.
"Why not?"
"Because you could get in trouble!"
"Fine. I'll get it back later," Adara said as she sat back down.
"Want anything from the trolley, dears?" a woman pushing a trolley full of sweets said when she reached that particular compartment.
"Can I get eight chocolate frogs, eight of the Every Flavour Beans, and eight of the pumpkin pasties for all four of us? My treat," Adara said.
"Actually, I can't have pumpkin. Highly allergic," Celestia said.
"Okay, make it six pasties," Adara said. The woman pushing the trolley gave the four kids their sweets and continued on.
"Wow, thanks, Adara!" Olly said.
"No problem. I guess I need to be nice to the three of you," Adara said.
"Hey. We're almost there, we should probably all change into our robes," Celestia said. Everyone but Sammy left the compartment and came back a few minutes later in their robes.
The train got to the school, and everyone began leaving. A large man with a large beard and long tangled hair called the first years to the boats. They floated to the school and all went into the foyer. A witch with black hair and a stern look on her face awaited the arrival of the first year students.
"My name is Professor McGonagall. In just a few moments you will be sorted and you will join your classmates. The Sorting Ceremony will decide your house. The four houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Your house will be like your family during your time here at Hogwarts. I will return when they are ready for you in the Great Hall," she said before exiting the foyer into the Great Hall.
"I know I'll be in Slytherin. My entire family has been in Slytherin every single generation," Adara said.
"I don't want to be in Slytherin, Adara," Sirius said. "I want to break family tradition."
"You have always been the black sheep of the family, Sirius. And you always will be," Adara said.
"Good."
Professor McGonagall returned. "They're ready for you," she said, then lead the new students into the Great Hall and to the front for the Sorting. Sitting on a stool was an old, battered hat. The new students came up to the front as a rip near the brim of the old hat opened and the hat began to sing.
Hello, young witches and wizards anew
I am the Sorting Hat, with a job to do
Just place me on your head and I will say
The House that fits the traits you display
There's Gryffindor, the brave and the bold
Hufflepuff, full of loyalty untold
Slytherin, leaders with persistence
and Ravenclaw, full of intelligence
Now simply place me on your head
and then your true place will be said
"When I call your name, come up here and try on the Sorting Hat," Professor McGonagall said, opening a scroll of parchment. She called out a name, and the person to whom the name belonged was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Adara Black."
Adara walked up to the front and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head.
"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat shouted before the hat was placed properly on her head. Adara ran to the Slytherin table.
"Sirius Black."
Sirius went up to the front and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head.
"Hmm… Difficult choice. Your lineage says Slytherin, I mean I just placed your cousin there. However, your character says Gryffindor. So, my mind is made up. GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat shouted. Sirius beamed and ran to the Gryffindor table.
"Lily Evans."
A young girl with copper hair and freckles walked up to the front.
"Ooh, you're easy to place. GRYFFINDOR!" she ran to the Gryffindor table.
"Celestia King."
Celestia walked up to the front and sat down. The Hat was placed on her head.
"Hmmm… Your stubborn iron will says Gryffindor. You are quick and sneaky, like the Slytherins, and you are just as intelligent as the Ravenclaws. Your mother told you to read Hogwarts: A History, didn't she? You'd make a great Gryffindor. Oh well, better be HUFFLEPUFF!" Celestia ran to the Hufflepuff table.
"Remus Lupin."
A small boy walked up to the front. He sat down and the hat was placed on his head.
"Oh, I see. Hmm… You've seen so much at such a young age. I mean, you must be brave to withstand what you've seen. Better be GRYFFINDOR!" Remus walked to the Gryffindor table, beaming the whole way.
"Peter Pettigrew."
A young, mousy boy walked up to the front and sat down as the hat was placed on his head.
"Ah. I see. Bravery and boldness exist in you, but you might make a good Slytherin, sneaky and quick. But I've made up my mind about you. Better be GRYFFINDOR!" Peter walked to the Gryffindor table, sitting across from Sirius.
"James Potter."
A young boy with a smile on his face and hair that stuck up in the back walked to the front and sat down. The hat was placed on his head.
"Oh, I know what to do with you. GRYFFINDOR!" James beamed and ran to the Gryffindor table, sitting between Sirius and Remus.
"Severus Snape."
A young boy with greasy black hair came up to the front to be sorted.
"Ooh, I see some huge potential. I think you would do best in SLYTHERIN!" Severus smiled, although he had a slightly downcast look in his eyes for reasons nobody knew, and walked to the Slytherin table, sitting next to Adara.
"Hi, I'm Severus."
"Adara. Nice to meet you."
"Samuel Thompson."
Sammy walked up to the front and tried on the hat.
"Your brain is quicker than your mouth. A good sign of a true Ravenclaw. However, your bravery, although not displayed at the moment, outweighs it. You are difficult to place… You are smart in your own way, but your potential to be brave is there too."
"I'm not brave."
"You could be. You know what? Better be GRYFFINDOR!" Sammy ran to the Gryffindor table.
"Oliver Wicks."
Olly went up to the front and the hat was placed on his head.
"Oh yeah. Definitely a Ravenclaw. You are incredibly smart. You think in your own unique way. RAVENCLAW!" Olly ran to the Ravenclaw table.
"And that concludes our Sorting Ceremony for this year! Headmaster Professor Dumbledore has a few words to say to all of you," Professor McGonagall said, and the headmaster, an elderly man with a long white beard, came up to the front.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts! I hope you all enjoyed your summer vacations. I know I did. I must give a few reminders. The forest is off-limits to any and all students. To the first years, you will earn points for your houses. Good deeds earn points. Rule breaking loses them. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins the House Cup. Good luck to you all. Now, let the feast begin!" Professor Dumbledore said, and food appeared on the tables.
"This better not be pumpkin juice!" Celestia said, looking into her glass.
"Doesn't look like pumpkin juice," said a girl beside her. "Looks more like apple juice to me."
"Oh, well that's not so bad," Celestia said, taking a swig. "I guess they took my allergy into account."
"So, Severus, what are you excited to learn about here?" Adara asked.
"I don't know, really. I just want to know where my talents lie," Severus said.
Later that day, Adara, Sammy, Olly, and Celestia were in their robes with their house ties.
"Interesting how we all ended up one in each house," Sammy said.
"Agreed, but what happened happened. I have no problem," Olly said.
"Adara, I saw you talking to some boy over at the Slytherin table. Who is he?" Celestia asked.
"Oh, that's Severus. He's kinda awkward but that's just how things go I suppose," Adara said.
"Ah, I see."
"So, Celestia, what's your pedigree?" Adara asked.
"Pedigree? What's that?" Celestia asked.
"You know, pureblood, halfblood, muggleborn," Adara said.
"Oh. Halfblood," Celestia said.
"Sammy?"
"My Muggle dad tells me that my mom was a pureblood witch so I guess halfblood," Sammy said.
"What about you, Olly?" Celestia asked.
"Muggleborn," Olly said. Adara's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"No. I'm gone. I'm not going to be friends with you," Adara said, standing up and turning to leave.
"Why not?" Olly asked, standing up. Adara spun back around.
"I can accept half-bloods, but I'm not going to be friends with a filthy mudblood!" Adara said, turning back around and walking to the Slytherin Dungeon.
"Don't let it get to you, Olly. Don't think on it one minute," Celestia said, a hand on Olly's shoulder.
"I just don't get it. What's so bad about being Muggleborn?" Olly asked.
"Some wizards think they're better than others because they're so-called 'pureblood.' Why, there aren't many wizards who aren't half-blood or less!" Celestia said.
"You're right. Adara will either come to her senses or I don't need someone like her in my life," Olly said.
"You're not gonna start crying, are you?" Sammy asked.
"No, not at all," Olly said. "Adara's just being mean."
The next day, the Ravenclaws and the Slytherins had Defense Against the Dark Arts together. Olly saw Adara and walked over to her.
"Hey, Adara! Is this seat taken?" Olly asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes. Now get lost, you filthy mudblood!" Adara said. Olly put his hands up in a form of surrender and found a seat next to a girl who was doodling on a piece of parchment. Olly saw Severus walk in and take the spot next to Adara. Olly scrunched up the piece of parchment in his hand, clenching his fist a bit too hard. Olly only noticed when his fingernail broke the skin on the palm of his hand.
"Freaking Adara, with her blood supremacy leanings and her arrogance, she makes me so mad," Olly muttered, tearing the parchment in his hand into little pieces. The girl sitting next to him spoke up.
"Calm down. I mean, why do you want to be friends with a Slytherin anyways?" she asked.
"Because I met her on the train and now she won't talk to me all because I'm Muggleborn," Olly said.
"Then she's not worth your time," the girl said. Olly nodded with a smile and began doodling on his parchment.
"So, Severus, what do you think of this?" Adara said, showing him a drawing on a foot of parchment.
"Not bad. Could use a little more detail in the face," Severus said, "but otherwise, not bad at all."
"Thanks."
"So why are you drawing in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Severus asked.
"Bored. Professor's not talking."
"I saw you completely shut down that Ravenclaw boy at the beginning of class."
"Yeah."
"Why did he talk to you?"
"I met him and a couple others on the train. Out of them, Olly's the filthy mudblood so I figured cut all ties. I'm not hanging around people like that," Adara said.
"Let me guess. You were all for being friends with him until you found out he's muggleborn. Then, due to your upbringing, severed all ties because you don't hang around that sort. How close am I?"
"Very close… Really. You're not going to look down on me for it, are you?"
"No, not at all. You have every right in the world."
"Thank you. Really."
In the empty Slytherin Common room that evening, Adara ran out of the girls' dormitories as Severus ran out of the boys'.
"No, you're not gonna catch me!" Adara said.
"Yes I will," Severus said, and Adara bolted around the room, Severus chasing her, both being careful of their surroundings. Severus caught Adara's arm.
"Got you!" he said.
"Fine, you win," Adara said with a tired smile. Both kids sat down on one of the couches by the fireplace.
"I didn't get to do stuff like this when I was younger," Severus said.
"What? Why?"
"I had no friends."
"That's sad. It really is. I wish I could empathize."
"You don't have to."
"You know what? I'll be your friend."
"Really? I mean, really?" Severus said.
"Yeah, totally. I see no reason as to why not," Adara said.
"I'd like that. I really would," Severus said with a smile that was missing a tooth.
"Okay, now that we're friends, I have one very important thing to say to you."
"And that would be?"
"You're never gonna catch me," Adara said before standing up and bolting away.
"You're on!" Severus said, jumping up and following.
Sammy, Celestia, and Olly were together in the Great Hall for a form of study group.
"Okay, so our Potions essay is due next Wednesday. I suggest we work on it now," Sammy said.
"Good idea. What say you, Olly?" Celestia said. Olly was staring off into space.
"Olly? Anyone home?" Sammy asked, waving a hand in front of the boy's face.
"What? Oh, sorry. What are we talking about?" Olly asked.
"We're going to work on our Potions essays," Celestia said.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Olly said, pulling out a roll of parchment and a quill.
"Now, Professor Slughorn said two feet on what exactly?" Sammy asked.
"The effects of Calming draughts on those having panic attacks," Celestia said.
"Yes, that's right," Olly said.
"Olly, what's wrong?" Celestia said, noticing Olly's spaciness and somewhat downcast demeanor.
"Nothing. I'm fine."
"Did Adara call you a mudblood again?" Sammy asked.
"I'm not going to talk about it now. I'm going back to Ravenclaw tower and I'm going to take a nap if you two don't mind," Olly said, putting his things back in his bag and leaving the hall.
"Well, apparently something crawled up his bum," Sammy said.
"You said it," Celestia agreed. At that point, Adara walked up.
"Hi guys," Adara said.
"Did you say anything to Olly?" Celestia asked.
"Nothing big. Why?"
"He's angry. He's up in Ravenclaw tower right now taking a nap. Or at least he's on his way there," Sammy said.
"I didn't say or do anything!" Adara defended.
"You are going to make this right as soon as possible. Until then, do not even think about speaking to us until you're on civil terms with Olly," Celestia said.
"Is that clear?" Sammy said.
"It's clear, it's clear. Fine, I'm going," Adara said before she left. Sirius walked up to Sammy and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, Sam, James and I are going to go pull some pranks on some Slytherins and we were wondering if you wanted to come along," Sirius asked.
"I'd rather not, thanks. Have fun. Prank Adara for me, would you?" Sammy said.
"Will do," Sirius said, leaving the hall with a cheeky smile on his face.