The Darkest Shade of Green
The grand hall of Hogwarts was full with young witches and wizards, like it is at every mealtime. The well-heated room was stark contrast to the temperature outside, although just looking at the roof could send shivers up your spine. For the bewitched roof of the grand dinning hall showed the beginnings of a snowstorm.
"It's come quite early this year." A large…giant wizard at the teachers' table reported to a small plump witch next to him.
The four other tables were much longer than the teachers' table and were set up side by side with a hundred or so students at each, four tables for four houses, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Many students were in loud conversations shouting along the table, others whispering secrets to friends, several standing at other tables talking to friends from different houses. There was a range of gossip to be heard. The Hufflepuff Quidditch Keeper, Jason Ribbertone, was telling several fourth year girls the details of their latest win against Ravenclaw. Some Ravenclaw first years were discussing their potions homework. The two Slytherin beaters were picking strategies for the up coming match against their greatest rivals Gryffindor. Tests, marks, Quidditch, Hogsmeat, brooms and Peeves the poltergeist were some of the main topics of conversation.
At the Gryffindor table a girl with mousy brown hair was talking to two boys.
"Did you hear?" She said, "We have another new student."
"I heard. It's the tenth one with term. It seems strange they nearly all get sorted into Slytherin. Don't you think Harry?" The boy with red hair replied.
"Honestly Ron," the girl said glancing at the Slytherin table, "It's not strange, I mean they all come from Dunstrange. They learn dark magic."
"Why do you think they are transferring now, Hermione?" The Harry asked.
"I think it's because they don't like the new headmaster. That or the parents are finally getting scared of what their children are learning" Ron replied for her.
"Or they've realised that the safest place right now, with Voldermort on the loose, is under the protection of Dumbledore." She added.
A gang of ghosts glided through the walls, like they do every night around six. Most swept right across the room and though the opposite wall, others however stayed a minute or two to talk to the teachers. One, Sir Nicolas went to his beloved Gryffindor table for a good old chat. The Bloody Baron went to his table as well. He had a few words with the prefects and with the two beaters then carried one his way gliding right through people. He gave a cold laugh; enjoying the shivers he gave to the unlucky few that happened to be in his way.
Shaking off her shivers angrily, a girl with dark brown hair glared at the roof. The clouds outside were darkening rapidly.
The gossiping room slowly became silent as an old wizard with a long white beard rose to address the school. Everyone's eyes were on him.
"My dear Hogwarts students, I know you are hungry and tired from your days work so I'll be quick." The old man slowly surveyed the students in front of him. "We are graced with the presence a new student today, Zeiamina Vipern. She has been put in Slytherin, so Slytherins be welcoming! She has been home schooled till now but will be joining the sixth year classes." He smiled at the school then the food appeared and he urged them all to eat.
"Home schooled?" Hermione repeated, "Then why was she put in Slytherin?" She looked a crossed to the Slytherin table trying to see her.
"I dunno," Harry said dishing up his dinner. "Maybe the same reason that Pansy Parkinson and Malfoy did."
"Yeah but they are plain mean."
"Maybe she is too." Harry replied, "Seriously Hermione, Slytherins are Slytherins. It's the way they are, so don't expect the newest addition to that house to be any different."
Hermione caught sight of the girl. She looked sad enough but not mean.
When the food materialized Zeiamina stared. She wasn't amazed that the food came out from nowhere but by the shear amount there was. The table was piled with food from corncobs to roast pork to French breads and other things she'd never seen before. She looked around her at the students digging in, grabbing their favourites before they were all gone. Okay, maybe the food is proportioned right, she thought as the mounds were quickly decreasing in size. Just in front of her was a tray of baked potatoes. She wasn't exactly hungry but she put one on her plate anyway. Someone offered her a pate with long pink sausages on it. Accepting it she added a sausage to her plate then handed it on to someone else's awaiting hands. After adding some salad and a piece of pumpkin pie, she began to eat. The talk continued through dinner. But she felt isolated with no one to speak to unlike everyone else.
"Gee, these people are friendly." She muttered to herself as she looked at her fellow Slytherins. Still no one said anything to her.
After the empty dinner dishes magically vanished, desserts appeared in its place. Zeiamina glanced up to see a girl, about her age, looking at her. She had a strong set jaw, high cheekbones and her hair was cut short.
"Well Zeiamina," she said, "What classes are you in?"
"Um…well," she muttered, Nice introductions "Potions, charms, herb…"
"Yeah, everyone has to do those, I mean your choice subjects." The girl butted in, "I do care of magical creatures, divination, and astronomy." She boasted as if it was the hardest choices.
"Oh…right, I'm sorry. I think I'm doing divination and care of magical creatures as well. Not astronomy though. I'm taken Ancient Runes." Zeia said while prodding at her pudding.
"Really?" she seemed shocked. "Only like ten people take that class."
"Oh," Her voice went up a pitch but continued to play with her food, "Is it that hard? Who else takes it?"
"Don't worry. It's not hard, just boring. The professor is a real nutcase. Professor Manisher is the fourth one to the left of that beast, who is Professor Hagrid. He is the teacher of Care of magical creatures. He too is a real idiot and a horrible brute. He's half giant!" The girl pointed with disgust to a very large man with a black rugged beard who sat a good two feet higher then the rest of the teachers. Professor Manisher however was a skinny medium height wizard with big black-rimmed glasses, grey hair with a receding hairline.
"Ok. So…" She was cut off again.
"And only Jake takes Ancient runes from Slytherin." She then pointed to a tall boy about ten seats away as she devoured a large chocolate pastry. "He's like the smartest guy in our year. Harry Potter couldn't hold his own against him in a brain test." The girl giggled, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "That's probably why he's friends with Hermione." Three of the girl's friends joined in the giggling.
"Who's Hermione?"
"You should stay away from her and her two boyfriends," More giggles, "She is a real show off. She takes more classes than everyone just to prove that she is the smartest. She is a complete nerd." She sounded annoyed.
"So what are your names?" Zeia asked the girls.
"I'm Pansy Parkinson." She smiled in a false friendly way and then added, "And this is Rosa, Shelly and Dominica." She waved her hand to the three girls around her.
"My name's Zeia… Zeiamina but Zeia will do." She tried to mimic Pansy's smile. Zeia half listened to their casual chitchat. She looked back up to the teachers once she'd finished playing with her food. The Headmaster, Dumbledore she already met when she had an interview join the school late. Then there was Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress. Zeia had met her as well. The tall woman was the one who had taken her for her entrance test. Zeia went through the line of teachers, studying their faces so she would be able to put names to them later.
Dessert disappeared and the people around her got up to leave. Pansy turned to Zeia and motioned her to follow them. She sighed and did so.
"There was an extra bed put in our dormitory when the girls and I woke up this morning." She said as they strolled down the hall. "We were wondering why. Now we know."
"So how many girls are in our year?" Zeia asked as she looked around the mass of students.
"Um, about thirty." Rosa answered, "Only seven girls in Slytherin though, now you've joined us."
p
They followed a stream of Slytherins down several flights of stairs, down into the dungeons of the castle. It was freezing down there. Along the last hallway Zeia noticed the appearance of serpents statures made of dark stone. Torches along the walls that lightened their way had an airy greenish colour to them. The entrance to the common room was the wall between two large black marble snakes with bright shiny green eyes.
Pansy muttered, "Our password is 'Griffons blood'." There was a low hiss from both snakes as the wall opened up in front of them. They entered through the portal into the homely warmth of the common room. It was a large two-storied room with several fireplaces along the walls, small tables and very comfortable looking forest green armchairs. It was decorated accordingly with green tapestries hung from the high roof, silver trimmings around the paintings and walls, and the Slytherin motif of the snake incorporated nicely into a lot of the furniture including the many plush rugs that covered the stone floor. Zeia was impressed with the grand staircase opposite the entrance they had just come through. Its railing was done in caved ebony and had a dark green carpet that went down the. The ebony railing went right round the room's second story balcony.
"Senior dorms are on the second floor," Rosa said as they made their way to a group of armchairs. The small table between them was soon covered with books as they began their homework.
Zeia, feeling a bit awkward with no homework to do, excused herself to unpack.
Rosa led Zeia up the staircase and entered the first door on the right side of the balcony. It was a large room with seven large four-post beds. Her trunk was already at the foot of one bed. Rosa went and sat on her own which was next to Zeia's.
"This is my bed. Pansy's is next to mine, Dominica's next to hers and that's Shelly's by the door." She went through all the girls who sleep in the room. "Shelly's always a mess but she's so fun to be with. Lila's is next to the bathroom door and Millicent's next to you." She smiled warmly as she reached for her hairbrush. "So what do you think of Hogwarts?"
"It's different. That's for sure." She grimaced well pulling out her schoolbooks out of the trunk and putting them in her bag ready for tomorrow.
"Yea it would be. Was it fun to be home schooled?" Rosa asked as she tugged at a knot in the wavy copper locks.
"I guess it was to some degree." She said frowning as she put some clothes in the chest of drawers. "Dad is an experimental potions scientist. He works with the ministry to develop new potions and improved old ones. So I was kind of' brought up messing round with Dad's stuff in his lab. Mum taught me most of the basic stuff. It was real casual I guess."
"Oh I see why you feel weird. You don't get that kind of freedom here." She laughed. "Professors always breathing down you neck, making you stuff up. They give us way too much homework too. It's almost as if they aren't human."
"Well, you aren't making me feel better."
"But it's better now we're 6th year. Some teachers you can actually joke and hold decent convocations." She pulled her hair back in a ponytail. "So why did you come here, if you liked being home schooled?"
She hesitated then sighed as she continued, "I was pissing mum off."
"Come on, give me some details." Rosa encouraged while she put her hairbrush away.
"It wasn't that bad actually. I just was getting real bored at home so stated transfiguring things when she was about to use them." She smirked as she thought of the carrots her mother had brought in from the garden sprouting legs and started running round the table. "But that led to an argument in which Dad joined in. Talk of me not knowing any people my own age, what I'm doing for my life, money, and 'You can't live here for ever!'" She added in her mother's voice.
"Family matters." Rosa joked.
"Yeah, long story short, they sent here to whither and die under the evil eyes of professors." She laughed as she pulled out a few small objects out of her trunk before closing it and went to sit on her bed.
"Hey don't worry about them. Like I said they aren't that bad. You just do what they say and don't argue." She said as she joined Zeia on her bed.
"It's the arguing part I'm worried about" She smiled at Rosa jokingly and turned to put two small frames on her bedside table.
"A few things you should know, Lila is a bit strange, Millicent is always with Blaise Zabini, her boyfriend since 3rd year, Shelly is in love with all guys, Draco is hands off, according to Pansy. Even if she isn't his girlfriend; she likes to thinks she is." She giggled at that last comment, "Um Potter and his gang… make it all of Gryffindors are complete snobs and think that they are all high and mighty. They think that they are always right. Most of Hufflepuff are muggle born or mud bloods. So we don't really hang out with them. Ravenclaw are a pretty acceptable bunch though. They're the 'bright' house." With that she got up, stretched and added, "Well I guess I had better get my Transfiguration essay done. Come to me with any question you've got. Alright?"
"Cheers, Thanks for showing me round." She gave her a warm smile. My first friend here? She thought.
"Don't worry Zeia. You'll settle in here great. You just wait in see." She left with that.
Zeia's warm smile slid from her face as looked over at the photo frames again.