Once again, I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros. do. I just play in their world . . .

Katherine was as good as her word. The next morning she stalked across the great hall and sat down, again, at the Gryffindor table. She had been thoroughly annoyed when she realized that she would not be able to see her brother early that morning in the Gryffindor common room. As a result, she felt a certain satisfaction when she deliberately sat next to her brother at the Gryffindor table. George and Fred Weasley, she noted, were watching her with no little interest. Rolling her eyes she turned away from them and addressed her brother in a low voice.

"Alright Harry, spill, why didn't you want to be in Slytherin?"

Harry appeared to be focused, intensely, on swallowing his pumpkin juice. Finally, after setting his glass down on the table and, staring at it intently as if he expected it to run away, he replied, "Can we talk about this later?"

"When?"

"After this afternoon's last class? We'll meet in the library."

Katherine nodded in agreement, "So, shall I stay here do you think? Or should I rejoin my un-favored house fellows?"

Harry looked around the hall and noted that several Slytherin girls appeared to be waiting impatiently for his sister. "Friends," he asked, nodding his head towards Cassandra and two older Slytherin girls, third years by the look of it.

"My roommates," Katherine replied, her eyes glittering with amusement, "Apparently, they were serious about 'watching over me' for the first week of the term."

"They're watching you," Harry asked in concerned surprise.

Katherine shrugged, "Our head of house makes the older students responsible for keeping their younger dorm mates safe and out of trouble. Apparently he's concerned that the new Slytherins are given a hard time adjusting by the other houses."

"That's nice, I guess," Harry commented.

Katherine's eyes met his and sparkled with laughter, "You think so? He also threatened to give detentions to the 'roommates' of any first years who lost house points in the first two weeks of classes. Apparently, this is the best way to instill "a respect for rules and authority" into us."

Harry's eyes widened slightly at this pronouncement, and Katherine got up to join her housemates. She and Cassandra followed the two, older Slytherin girls to their table and proceeded to listen to various bits of intelligentsia concerning the temperaments of their different professors. History of Magic, apparently, was the best place to get any spare bits of homework done and out of the way, since Professor Bimm's lecturing was so boring that taking notes was relatively useless.

"Besides," Stacey Penhallow added with disgust, "the man lectures strait from the book, and manages to make The History of Magic exciting by comparison."

Sylvia Granite nodded her head in agreement, "The man is so dull, it's no wonder he didn't notice when he died."

Katherine looked up from the course schedule she was studying. "He died?"

Sylvia nodded as she smothered her jam in toast. "Years and years ago. Apparently he just got up, left his body, and went on teaching. Mum says he didn't realize until the house elves found the body."

"House elves?" Katherine asked, raising her eyebrows. "What are they?"

Sylvia and Stacey launched into an explanation of the duties and appearance of house elves, which ended about the same time. At this point, Cassandra and Katherine picked up their books and schedule and made good their escape.

By the end of the day Katherine felt exhausted. Draco had continued to behave as an insufferable prat, and had deliberately tried to trip her as she was taking her seat in Transfiguration. If she hadn't had years of experience avoiding exactly this kind of sabotage at home she probably would have fallen and dropped all her books one the tabby cat near the front of the room, which, consequently turned out to be Professor McGonagall.

Entering the library, Katherine breathed in the smell of the books and scanned the immediate area for signs of her brother. She spotted his relatively quickly. The bushy haired girl, Hermione Granger, had enlisted his assistance and was currently handing him several large, heavy, tombs, which she had removed from a high shelf by means of a moveable set of wooden steps. Advancing toward the duo, Katherine smiled in greeting.

"Hullo Katherine," Hermione said quietly, returning the smile.

Harry turned his head towards his sister and smiled as well. He even looked slightly relieved.

"Do you mind if I steal Harry away, Hermione? We were planning to take a walk on the grounds after classes."

"Oh, sure," Hermione replied, handing Harry what appeared to be the last oversized book on her list and stepping down from her perch on the steps.

Harry placed the last of the books on a nearby table. "See you later, Hermione."

After the two of them were out of earshot, and Harry expressed his gratitude at being rescued from the scholarly Hermione, Katherine broached the subject of Slytherin again.

"What's your issue with the Slytherin House, Harry?"

Harry reddened, obviously wishing he had a sister who did not persist in examining uncomfortable topics. "Well, on the train, while you were with Hermione and looking for Neville's toad, Ron said that all of the evil wizards come out of Slytherin. Even Voldemort was from Slytherin." Harry paused and Katherine looked back at him inquisitively, knowing there was one more thing. Finally, Harry continued, "So, when the Sorting Hat was deciding my house, I asked, specifically, not to be in Slytherin, even though It said I would do well there."

Katherine smiled slightly in response to this, recalling her conversation with the Sorting Hat, "You know, Harry, I think this explains why the Sorting Hat asked if I would mind being in Slytherin. I wouldn't worry too much about what Ron Weasley said yet though. He seems to get most of his information about life from older brothers who enjoy pulling his leg. All the same, keep an eye out, will you? Let me know if you think I'm turning evil."

Starring earnestly at Harry with a mockingly serious expression, Katherine was pleased to see that her reaction had the desired effect. Harry laughed, and assured her that he would watch carefully for any signs that she was 'turning evil.'

Dropping the subject, the two siblings began discussing their class schedules and impressions of their professors. Conversation continued along this vein, with frequent interjections about the problems inherent in traveling through a castle were stairs and hallways moved and the pictures gave less than ideal directions. When the two children separated, however, Katherine went strait to the library. Even if Ron's beliefs on any given Hogwarts subject were viewed by her with skepticism, she was not going to wait a moment longer to learn more about the Slytherin House, or, for that matter, the entire House system at Hogwarts.