Rose gazed around the Slytherin common room still in a daze. Mechanically she seemed to examine, the plush green furniture, the rugs, the torches on the walls and the green fire that blazed from the fireplace. It was as if she hadn't fully processed what had happened to her. Dinner had gone by in a blur. Some of her fellow first year Slytherins had approached her. They all seemed nice enough. But she couldn't focus on them. She didn't have to turn around but she could feel the eyes of her family boring into her back.
Now looking around the common room she found that she was comforting herself. "It isn't so bad." she muttered to herself. "Remember what you told Al. Everything for a purpose..." her thoughts were again disrupted by one of the Slytherin prefects. "Boys dormitories up the stairs on your left, Girls the same on your right. All your belongings have already been unpacked." The first years nodded. Some skipped up the stone steps to check out the dormitories. Others scattered around the common room, talking amongst themselves. Rose just stood there not knowing what to do.
Suddenly she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. She turned to see an older Slytherin student smiling at her. Her hair was black, she had green eyes and her badge said she was a fifth year. "You ok?" she asked gently. Rose forced herself to nod. She wouldn't cry, not here anyway. "I'm Katie" she smiled. "As a prefect I'm glad to tell you that if you ever need to talk about anything, you can come to me." "Thanks" Rose half choked.
"Upset about something Rose?" Katie asked again, this time more determined for an answer. "How do you know my name?" Rose looked at her. "First Weasley ever in Slytherin, you're worth remembering." Katie smiled. Rose sighed. "Oh" Katie gasped. "I'm sorry. That's what your'e bummed about isn't it? I am such an egghead." she slapped her forehead. Rose smiled. "Yea... I was kind of hoping to be with my family. But looks like that's not going to happen. Plus when I got into Slytherin they looked, horrified. What if they hate me?" Katie shook her head, "Hey just because you aren't in the same house doesn't mean they'll hate you or spend time with you. Family will always be there for you. Plus don't worry about getting left out, I'm sure you'll make loads of new friends here. Come on I'll take you up to your dorm." Katie guided Rose up the stone stairs to the dormitory.
Katie knocked on one of the doors labelled, "First Years". Then she opened the door. The girls in the room looked up with interest. Rose gazed about the dormitories. Five green poster beds were scattered across the room. The walls and floors were stone and there was a green tinge to the light. But instead of feeling intimidated, Rose found it rather homey. "Hi everyone" Katie looked around at the girls. The girls all smiled. "Hi" they called. Katie stepped back revealing Rose. "This is Rose. She is the first one in her family whose been sorted into Slytherin and she hasn't quite got her footing. Do you think you guys could take care of her for me?" she asked. Rose gripped to Katie's hand like she was a six year old going to the doctor. "Sure. Nice to meet you Rose!" one of the girls stepped forward. She had sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes. "I'm Sarah" she smiled.
"Hi" Rose shook Sarah's outstretched hand. "So you're the Weasley?" one of the other girls asked. It wasn't a sneer nor a mock. Her voice had a curious edge to it. Rose nodded. The girls cocked her head and smiled. "Well I guess there's a first time for everything eh Rose? I'm Melissa. Mel for short." Rose took her hand. "Hi" she mumbled. The other two girls nodded at Rose and smiled but didn't introduce themselves. "You see Rose you're making new friends already. Don't be too worried about your family ok?" Katie smiled. Rose couldn't help but smile back. Katie had a very reassuring tone to her voice. She had already made her feel much more optimistic. "Well I'll leave you guys to it then." she said. "Bye Rose. And remember, I'm available anytime. That goes for the rest of you too!" she called and Rose reluctantly watched her slowly shut the door of. Katie, she decided was going to be one of her good friends.
Rose turned around to face her new room mates. "So Rose," Sarah smiled. "Your bed's the middle one." Rose nodded and hurried self-consciously over to the four poster. She could see all her things laid out before her for the new year ahead. "Hey Rose" the two girls who hadn't introduced themselves came up to her. "Sorry we didn't introduce ourselves. We were a bit... shy." Rose studied the two girls. They must be twins. They both had chocolate brown hair and eyes. "We're twins" one of them stated as if confirming her thoughts. "This I'm Claire and my sister's Anne." Rose looked between the two trying to figure out how she would tell them apart. As if reading her mind Claire smiled, "Anne always wears a green hairband and I don't". Rose gave her a bemused smile. The overwhelming urge to cry, something she had felt all evening, was suddenly gone.
Rose collapsed on her bed, exhausted. "So you enjoying being a Slytherin so far?" Mel chuckled. Rose sat up in her bed and looked at her.
"Well I thought at first I'd be in Griffindor like the rest of my family..." she started.
Sarah sighed. "Who needs that house eh Rose? This year, Slytherin will rock!" she chuckled.
Rose laughed. "Yea well the irony is my cousin thought he'd end up here but it turned out to be me instead."
Mel plonked herself on Rose's bed, "Hey wanna know the advantage of being here?"
Rose looked at her, "Yea?"
Mel grinned wickedly. "In Griffindor you gotta be goody two shoes but here you getta break the rules a bit."
"Yea!" the twins chimed in.
Somehow all five girls seemed to be huddled around Rose's bed by now. Rose now felt more optimistic about being in Slytherin than ever.
"I am going to make it my personal mission to show you Slytherins aren't all that bad." Mel chimed in.
"I think you've just about won the battle." Rose stated genuinely.
At this comment, Mel looked pleased with herself. She raised her voice.
"In this dorm, we disregard blood-status and family background. We are all Slytherins and we are going to be best friends! All of us." she gazed at Rose who nodded, smiling.
The rest of the girls seemed to nod in agreement. "Link your pinky fingers." Mel stated. Rose laughed. It was so childish but she loved it. For the first time she really felt included. It was true she had a large family back home and there were always people around her but sometimes she felt like she was invisible, unwanted. After all she was just Rose, nothing special. But here, in Slytherin of all places, she had found a connection, a link and bond amongst these girls who had so willingly opened up to her. They were willing to accept her for who she was. As a person.
"Best friends forever?" Mel asked the group.
"Best friends!" they all agreed.
Rose felt a warm glow inside. She had been right about what she had told Albus on the train. "Sorting happens for a reason." And even though she wasn't exactly sure what her purpose in Slytherin was still unclear, for now, she would be satisfied.