Hogwarts how do you describe it, imposing makes it seem frightening, yet inviting makes it seem small. It's neither. It's amazing, immense and… extremely confusing. I open the doors on to havoc. It's must be a class change, as everybody is literally everywhere. You can see the little first years they look as nervous, but mischievous as Durmstrangs lot. The second and third years acting like they own the place already, but cowering under the older kids stares. Then you have the fourth and fifth years both reasonably happy in there spot in school life. Mind you after just two weeks you can see Owls are taking their toll on the latter. Oh joy they're just as important at this school as well, looks like I'm in for a boring year! Finally the last two years, who stroll around nonchalantly you wouldn't think they were preparing for the most important exams of there lives. As my eyes sweep the crowd I see him, Harry Potter. For a moment I am transfixed by his scar, lets just say I know more than most about Voldemort and his death eaters. At last my eyes reach the person they were actually searching for, Draco! I run over to him despite Snape's protests, so eager that I almost kill a first year, who I might add gives impressive evils for his age.

"Alexis?"

"Draco!" I'm consumed in his hug, much to the discontent of the girl who's standing beside him, I notice.

"But what are you doing here?" Draco exclaims, seriously you can see the words spluttering from his mouth.

"Why, want me to leave?" I snap turning away.

"Of course not, stupid. It just came out wrong." He said apologetically. Shock displayed across all his "gang's" faces. People always say that I see a different side to Draco than anyone else, from their faces this is a side they've never seen. I smile at them all in turn. Again that girl turns her nose up, I have to stop myself asking if there's a funny smell or is that just her permanent face.

"I am here Mr Malfoy, as I got myself kicked out of Durmstrang." I smirk. He laughs knowing that I've finally succeeded after four years.

"Didn't take you too long."

"No not at all."

"How do you get kicked out of Durmstrang?!" The fat boy, who obviously has had the unfortunate experience of falling out of the ugly tree, blurts out.

"Believe me sweet heart I have my ways." I say seductively causing him to blush and me to start a fit of giggles. That bloody posh tit does not look impressed, we are definitely going to have words, eventually. For now, I'm little miss angel the one condition of me attending this school. "Be a wallflower else we'll find somewhere else, understand me Alexis!" Cissy had practically screeched at me. Of course I had promised. Be the wall flower, easy.

"Hardly appropriate Miss L…" Snape starts, hastily I interrupt.

"Professor I'd prefer Miss Fielding if that's okay?"

"Denying your roots?"

"No, just pretending they don't exist for now. No harm in that Professor?"

"None at all Miss Fielding. I will have to escort you to be sorted now. Plus, I hardly think holding young Malfoy and Miss Parkinson up, is fair. I'm sure there next teacher will not be impressed."

"Only Hagrid, sir. It doesn't matter." Draco dismisses.

"Only?" I question Draco's lack of respect.

"All lessons are important despite what imbeciles teach them. Off you go now." Snape waves them away and takes off at a brisk pace down the endless maze of corridors. I manage a meek "See you soon." As I run after him.

"Professor Dumbledore has requested that you be sorted in his office." Snape stated, he enunciated every word making it seem sharp, I knew by now that was just his way.

"Why?" It was a question I already knew the answer to, but one I still felt compelled to ask.

"Why do you think Miss Fielding?" He raised an eyebrow knowing how it would infuriate me to answer a question with a question. You could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"Great penalised already just because of my parents." This is the one thing I had not wanted I may resemble my mother but I was nothing like her. Well, I suppose we share some personality traits, but I am definitely not evil and she definitely is.

"Not at all, you know Professor Dumbledore he does not judge. He's merely intrigued at where the sorting hat is going to place you. I doubt it will be any easy decision, will it Miss Fielding?" Again a question. I knew that Professors loved to make pupil's answer there own questions, but really I mean it was happening inside my head anyway was it necessary to answer out loud as well. That's why I replied more cryptically trying to pretend the question was unimportant, practically irrelevant, which it was certainly not.

"I guess we will soon find out Professor."

"Indeed." He nodded. He was so predictable. He took a sharp turn left and we appeared in front of two gargoyles. "Jelly beans." A door opened up in the wall. I had always been told Dumbledore was quirky, but Jelly beans for a pass word? We climbed the swivelling steps towards his office door. Just as Snape's hand raised to tap on the wood work an authoritive voice called out and the office door opened seemingly on its own.

"It's alright, I've been expecting you both and thoroughly looking forward to meeting you, I might add." He directed the last few words at me causing a smile to erupt across my face. It was odd, his eyes so bright and cheerful, not quite fitting the old face, yet perfectly in place as well.

"Professor Dumbledore this is Miss Fielding."

"Fielding?"

"She.." Snape started for me, but I felt the need to speak for myself.

"I would like to be judged for who I am, not who my parents are."

"As you wish, but may I remind you. You cannot hide from your roots for ever and if and when they catch up with you there may be problems. Isn't it better to start with the truth and not a lie and prove to everyone who you really are inside?" Yet another question, but one I had already thought about and discussed.

"Still Miss Fielding, I have discussed it and I believe it to be best for my particular situation." I quoted.

"Mature words from a young mouth." Dumbledore cocked his head as if he was trying to weigh that sentence up, weigh me up.

"That's because they're not mine they're my aunts." I said honestly I was not exactly eager to claim those words for my own although I had been quick to agree to follow them.

"Undoubtedly." He nodded as if he had just reached that conclusion with out being told. "Anyway shall we discover your place in the school. Exciting to find out which house you belong to isn't it?" His eyes bore into me waiting for an acceptable response, intrigued at what it would be.

"Yes, yet apprehensive." He seemed to find that enough.

"I have no doubt you will do well in any house." The words were meaningful and appreciated. However, I did not let that cloud the reality.

"Depends who you are and what you mean by doing well." It was true my mothers meaning of doing well and Albus Dumbledore's were two different things.

"Again mature words and this time your own?" Dumbledore asked already knowing the answer. Strange that we all find the need to ask when we know, anyway.

"Undoubtedly." I smiled.

Dumbledore clicked his fingers and a cupboard opened revealing the sorting hat which flew straight towards him landing neatly on his desk. He brushed away some dust making us all choke including the hat itself, which seemed quite reproachful of being woken up again so soon. Dutifully it sang its song, as I listened astounded. A hat that sings even by my standards it's unusual. There was a short silence in, which Dumbledore stood showing his true height. Carefully he picked up the hat and placed it on my head. It felt awkward like an animal living on top me.

"Hmm… intelligent enough to be in Ravenclaw." It said in a sing song, I rolled my eyes. "Maybe not then. Definitely not Hufflepuff. You have the courage of a Gryffindor and the cunning of a Slytherin. Such a tough decision between the two." Now his voice became a whisper. "Which would you prefer?" The one question I'd been trying not to think about. I kept telling myself that the hat would choose for me, no use having a preference. So very wrong.

"I really don't know. I was kind of hoping you'd choose for me." I whisper back.

"Well my dearest your literally half an half one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to contemplate, so you get an input. Choose wisely."

"Oh umm…"

"Is there a problem?" Dumbledore inquires, his eyes searching mine.

"It doesn't know, which to choose between Slytherin and Gryffindor. It's asked me my preference."

"What is your preference, where does your heart truly lie Miss Fielding?"

"Very good question, sir."

"One you know the answer to Miss Fielding?" I stop and take a deep breath, (have a quick glance at Snape, who looks at me encouragingly begging with his eyes for me to make the right choice, but what was the right choice), then set my eyes back on to Dumbledore.

"I think following my roots would be a good idea."

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat calls out so loudly that pain rushes through my head.

"Ow." Dumbledore removes the hat and replaces it in the cupboard manually this time.

"That's settled then." Dumbledore states. I look into both his and Snape's eyes seeing if I can detect disappointment in either . However, I cannot tell there expressions remain blank. "Would you wait out side please whilst I speak with Snape."

"Yes sir." Timidly I exit closing the door behind me. I reach for my wand from my robes pocket and point it at the door. I consider which spell to cast, believe me I learnt a lot of sneaky tricks in Durmstrang. It took a second to decide, as no doubt Dumbledore would be waiting for me to cast a spell. I would make the door transparent from my side that's it I could lip read almost perfectly, years of practice. It was a complex charm, but one of the first I'd ever learned to perfect.

"Secrio transparix lusionio abilinitixio". I uttered, articulating every word, but as quietly as possible. Like, almost a mirror effect appeared in the door allowing me to see clearly inside. I knew that as soon as the door opened, the charm would undo, therefore I attempted to focus on what they were saying.

"It doesn't mean anything." Snape shouted I was surprised I couldn't hear him I was right in thinking Dumbledore had expected me to cast a listening spell.

"She choose Slytherin." Dumbledore sighed as if he'd already said that many times.

"She has reasons." Snape, also sounded like he was repeating himself.

"Such as?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Why don't you ask her?"

"She looks like her mother doesn't she Severus?" Dumbledore said it as if he was trying to make Snape doubt himself. It didn't work.

"That's where the similarities end." Snape said at ease, as if that question was now closed and should remain that way.

"You hardly know her your correspondence means very little, that you must understand, Severus." The Headmaster explained.

"I knew her as a little girl as well, remember? A six year old had the guts to tell Lucious how stupid she thought the dark lord was."

"Guts or was she just insolent at the time?" Again Dumbledore asked a question.

"Did I mention how much she said it from the age of 6, despite what happened? Either she doesn't learn or her beliefs are very strong." Snape threw his hands in the air as he exclaimed this utterly fed up of having to re-explain himself.

"I trust you Severus." Dumbledore obviously felt the need to assure. "But, she's under your guidance now and you must not undermine your position." I wondered what position he meant?

"I wont." Snape nodded curtly glad the discussion was finally over.

"If you'd like to take her to her dormitory. Oh and tell her I hope she can lip read." He winked causing me to gasp and practically fall backwards, I caught myself though. Snape opened the door to see my shocked expression.

"I don't need to tell you do I?"

"No sir you don't." He smiled at me, before saying seriously.

"Behave Alexis, you can't afford to get into trouble."

"Of course Professor, what do you expect from me? And shouldn't it be Miss Fielding."

"I expect a lot from you. Now hurry along I'm sure you'd love to unpack." I notice how he ignores my last sentence

"Sir?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." His expression was one of bemusement, so I continued. "For sticking up for me and that."

"Prove to me that it was the right thing to do please Miss Fielding."

"Happily." I practically skipped down the corridor eager to make my fresh start. I controlled my life now, nobody else.