Chapter 3
The Great Hall was warm and bright, buzzing with the noise of chatting students. River sat on the very end of the Slytherin table, near the front. There was a gap between her and Mulciber, who, like everyone else, was doing his best to pretend she wasn't there. She sat drumming her fingers loudly on the wooden table-top.
Malfoy, who was sitting opposite Mulciber, gave her a nasty look, but River had to suppress a laugh. He still had small antlers on his head where Lupin had hexed him on the train. River turned round and looked across the hall to the Gryffindor table. There she saw Potter and Black holding court, probably recreating the scene of what happened on the Hogwarts Express. Pettigrew was staring up at them in awe, but Lupin was talking with Nearly-Headless Nick, their house ghost.
River caught Black's eye as he was miming a blast with his wand. For a few seconds, he paused and they looked at each other, then he smiled and went back to entertaining the table. That lot aren't too bad, actually, she thought. Dumbledore then stood up, and when the hall went quiet, welcomed everyone. Then the sorting began.
River watched the first years walk up to the stool, try on the hat and then hurry off to their tables, their house clapping for them. She saw Black's younger brother, Regulus being sorted. He was in Slytherin too. He came over to the table quickly as River and the others clapped and cheered for him, and sat next to her.
"I'm River Taunton. You're Sirius Black's brother, aren't you?" she asked him, giving him a small smile. But before he could answer, Malfoy opened his big mouth.
"If you're really a true Slytherin, you'd know your place," he said to Regulus. "It" – he indicated at River, her smile sliding right off of her face – "is a half-blood. You don't want to be communicating with that sort of thing. Stick with me and I'll show you how this school works," Malfoy offered. To her surprise, though, Regulus shook his head.
"Thanks but no thanks. I can figure things out for myself," he said. Malfoy looked momentarily shocked, but then raised his eyebrows and turned back to his friends. Regulus faced River again. She nodded as a sign of gratitude, and then they both peered over to the Gryffindor table, where everyone was greeting a new first year.
"I never knew Sirius was so popular," Regulus told her. Black was giving a noogie to every boy that came to join them and everyone was laughing, even his victims.
"I suppose it's because of his good-looks and very large ego," River suggested, and then they both laughed. Food then appeared on their plates and everyone began to eat.
Half an hour later, after her second helping of chocolate cake, River was full up and felt pleasantly drowsy. People were talking and getting up to visit their friends in different houses. Dumbledore stood up and the noise died down, everybody returning to their seats.
"Now that we are all well fed, I'd like to use the time to make the following announcements. Yet again, I have been reminded to tell you that no magic is to be performed in the corridors, and that implies to all of you." River knew specifically who Dumbledore was talking about, and didn't even bother to turn to the Gryffindor table. "Also, first years should know that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students, hence the name. Quidditch tryouts are to be held next Friday at six. And now, off to bed," he concluded. Everyone got out of their seats and headed through the doors into the Entrance Hall.
Regulus went off with his fellow first years and the Slytherin prefects, and River tagged along, trying to fight her way through the swarm of students going in different directions to their common rooms. As she made her way to the passage leading to the dungeons, she bumped into Lupin.
"Oh! Sorry, Lupin. I didn't see you there," she apologized. They stood in the middle of the Entrance Hall, people now dodging around them and giving them dirty looks for getting in their way.
"That's Ok," he replied. Just then, Potter and Black came back down the marble stairs, Pettigrew hurrying in their wake.
"What's taking you, Remus?" Potter called out. "Is it your furry little problem?" Black raked over the remaining students heads' and noticed River standing there.
"Why, it's our compartment buddy, River!" he exclaimed and the three of them dashed down to Lupin and her.
"Nice to see you too, Black," she said sarcastically. The Entrance Hall was beginning to empty now.
"Oh surely we're not on last-name terms, Miss Taunton!" said Black jokingly. He did a little mock bow and then seized her hand and kissed it lightly. She laughed appreciatively and decided to play along.
"Very well then, Mr Black," she said and did a little curtsey to match. The others tittered.
"You seem to have taken a liking to Sirius' brother, Regulus," James told her. River sighed.
"I'll like anyone who doesn't like Malfoy. The git," she added under her breath as McGonagall came out of the Great Hall carrying the stool and sorting hat.
"Come on you lot," she called to them, without even looking up. "Off to your common -" she glanced at them and did a double take, as if she couldn't believe to see this unlikely meeting between two enemy houses. "– rooms." And after a few more seconds of staring, she went off, her long, emerald robes trailing behind her. River turned to face her new 'buddies'.
"Well… goodnight," she bade them.
"Bye," they all said in turn.
Then they parted and went in their different directions.