PART THREE

"Attention, everyone!" A loud voice blasted through the Great Hall. It was Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, a gray old man with half-moon glasses. Dad talked a lot about him when he spoke of the Ministry meetings he sometimes attended.

"We have the honor of housing an American transfer student at Hogwarts this year. Miss Charlotte Collins, will you please stand?"

I stood hesitantly so the whole Hall could, unfortunately, see me. I hadn't prepared to be singled out.

I heard a few wolf whistles, to which both Draco and the teachers gave stern looks. I rolled my eyes—it was annoying, being a novelty to them, a foreigner. I did, however, think Draco's jealousy was adorable.

"Draco," I said as I sat down. "Who are those people over there?" I pointed to a table of people behind me who were giving me funny looks.

"Gryffindors," he replied, bitterness and hatred in his voice. "Don't worry about them."

After the feast, Draco offered to escort me to the room. I accepted, naturally, not having any clue where I was going.

"I can show you around the place, if you want," he was saying. "We'll probably have the same schedule."

We stopped at a slab of rock. I gave him a questioning look. He smirked in reply, to which I cringed, and he spoke to the rock.

"Pure blood."

The rock parted to show us the opening to the Slytherin common room.

"The room's up these stairs," Draco said as we climbed them. "We should, technically, only share a bath and a foyer, but I'm sure we'll adjust."

He showed me to a door that had a small foyer that, I had to admit, impressed me for a school dormitory. There were two other doors in it, with gold nameplates. The one on the left read DRACO L. MALFOY, the right reading CHARLOTTE A. COLLINS.

I was grudgingly impressed, but I was surprised further when my room was already unpacked and in order.

"My things are unpacked!" I marveled.

"The house elves did it," Draco said like it was obvious, coming into my room through the bathroom.

"House elves? At my school in the States we did it all ourselves." Draco looked nauseous at the thought. I laughed. "I'd better not get spoiled, or I'll be in for a rude awakening come spring break."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"My family goes to Bulgaria for vacation. Not much of a vacation if you ask me. Dimitri and our relatives only use magic in the direst of emergencies. Unfortunately, that means doing the dishes by hand."

Draco didn't say anything; he headed to his room. I laughed again. I let Tempest out of her cage and she flew out the window, almost instantly, to the Owlery.

I put in my favorite CD, the one I had to ship all the way from Lithuania and took me the better part of my childhood tracking down. It was rare that anyone had even heard of the group and I loved the CD more than the great majority of my possessions. I turned it up really loud, which brought Draco into my room almost immediately.

"What is that rubbish?"

"This rubbish is my favorite band! It's the rarest CD in the States—probably even in the world," I defended. "It took me four years to find it!"

"It's...Muggle music! If you're going to be a Slytherin, at least act like it!" He scoffed.

He pointed his wand at my stereo, sending my CD flying across the room and hitting the wall with enough force to shatter it.

I turned to face him, shocked and wanting to shout "Do you know what you just DID?!"

"Reparo," I said instead, panicking. "Reparo!"

"Wait. Charlotte, please—" Draco held his hands up, his eyes wide.

"I HATE you!" I screamed. "Do you realize how much that means to me? Do you realize how hard it was to find that CD?! It took my four years, Draco! Four years!" I was close to tears. I was so angry I could have turned my wand on him faster than one of Dimitri's quidditch blocks.

"Charlotte! I didn't mean—"

"It's not like I can just go get a new one! GET OUT!"

I slammed the door in his face, hoping he would rot in hell.

**************