A/N: I changed Icy's last name to Saylor. This chapter is actually rather bland... I guess it's more of just... filler? I've been at a loss as to what to write recently... sigh... ~[Aoi-Kun]
Numbly, Icy felt the Sorting Hat being lifted off her head. As she went back down the few steps, she saw Ron take a step back and she mentally cringed, though her expression was kept eerily calm. She turned and headed to the table that had been clapping politely at the announcement quickly, not wishing to dwell on her thoughts as she couldn't help but feel hurt by the red-head's actions. She could feel the many pairs of eyes upon her back as she neared the table, looks being given to her from the other houses. Her own housemates were staring at her with an emotion she couldn't quite identify, and she didn't bother even trying as her pale gaze swept across the benches, trying to find a place to sit. She saw Draco whisper something to Crabbe before the thickset boy moved over to create a space and then Draco was motioning for her to sit. Icy practically flew into the space as the sorting continued.
Under the table her small hands found one of Draco's slightly bigger ones and clasped it, earning her a glance from the blond before he returned his attention back to the sorting, giving Icy's hand a squeeze. The nine-year old stared at the golden plate on the table before her, her eyes unseeing as an unusual blankness ran rampant through her mind. It was harder than she had thought it would be to be separated from her brother. In fact…she hadn't even looked up to gauge his reaction yet. Would he be mad at her for being sorted into Slytherin? He hadn't seemed to like the house when they'd been discussing it…and then what about Fred and George? And the other older Gryffindors she had met on the train? Would they not want to be her friends anymore?
"Welcome!"
Icy was startled from her thoughts by the booming voice of one Albus Dumbledore and her gaze shot up from the plate to the area where Dumbledore had stood up in.
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" Icy's head tilted as she blinked. So… this was Albus Dumbledore? He had a loud voice for someone who looked so frail. But he must have been a very powerful wizard if everyone here was silenced just by his voice.
"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" Clapping erupted around her and Icy realized she must have zoned out again as she began clapping a few seconds too late. As soon as the clapping and cheering died down, Icy watched with wide eyes as the empty platters on the tables were suddenly filled with food. It all looked so yummy…she raised her head a bit and risked a glance over to the Gryffindor table, seeing her brother talking to another one of the red-headed Weasleys she deducted, seeing the family resemblance between him and the Weasleys she had already met, she let a small smile settle on her lips before she reached out to pile a couple of Yorkshire Puddings onto her plate. She glanced around at the different dishes and saw what she was looking for, but it was a little further down the table. Icy bit her lip before deciding she didn't really need it. She looked away, glancing at her brother again to see him eating before looking down at her plate and blinking in surprise.
"Roast beef and gravy, right?"
Her silvery eyes darted up to meet with a grey gaze and she smiled. "Yes, thank you Draco." The blond nodded before going back to his own food, leaving Icy to savor her food as she ate slowly. After everyone had eaten their fill, Icy once again watched with happiness glinting in her eyes as the food disappeared, only to be replaced by desserts. Her smile widened when she saw that the treacle tarts were the closest dessert to her and she was quick to procure a slice, immediately taking a bit into her mouth and chewing as she swung her feet lightly back and forth for her legs weren't long enough yet to reach the floor. After finishing her first slice, Icy reached for a block of mint-chocolate-chip ice-cream and ate quite happily. Like most children, Icy had an impressive sweet tooth.
"My mother said that she'd like to have you over sometime for the holidays."
Icy blinked, her spoon halfway to her mouth, before lifting her head and placing her spoon back down.
"Really?"
Icy quite liked the elder Malfoys from what she could remember of them from their short meeting. They didn't seem like such bad people. "I'll have to think about it Draco." She replied with a small smile. Draco nodded before his eyes flickered over to the Gryffindor table.
"So, Potter, huh? Is he a good brother?"
"Mhm. He's always taking care of me even when he doesn't have to."
Draco glanced at the saddened expression on Icy's face when she joined him in looking at the Gryffindor table. "Slytherin's not a bad house Icy. In fact, it's probably the best one out of the four."
This got a soft laugh to slip from Icy's lips as she shook her head at Draco's words. "I believe that all the houses are equal actually. They all have something wonderful to give" she said, just as the desserts disappeared. Icy frowned before shrugging to herself. Draco gave her a funny look before he shrugged as well, though more nonchalantly.
"If you say so."
Before anything else could be said, Dumbledore stood up and the entire hall fell silent. A few announcements later, Icy found herself being helped up from her seat by Draco before being tugged after the rest of the Slytherin first years as they descended into the dungeons. Despite doing her best to remember what passageways they took, Icy knew it would take her a few more times before she'd remember how to get to the Slytherin common room. When the prefect stopped in front of a blank stretch of wall, she knew it would definitely take her a few more times before she remembered where the common room was.
"The password is 'Vis Vires'. You will need to remember it to get into the common room. The password is changed every fortnight and you can find the newest passwords posted on the notice board, so remember to check it regularly." The prefect informed the first years before turning to the wall and repeating the password. Icy's eyes sparkled as she watched the wall pull away to reveal a hidden corridor that the group was quickly led through. After pointing out the way to the girls' dormitories and the way to the boys' dormitories, the students were dismissed to find their own beds.
Icy gave Draco a quick hug good night before following her new dorm mates to their dorm room. Upon entering the room, it became clear that some of the girls Icy would be living with weren't exactly the nicest people.
"My name is Pansy Parkinson. This is Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, and Daphne Greengrass. Who are you?" A black-haired girl introduced and asked at the same time, in a demanding tone. Icy blinked up at the slightly taller girl. She looked a bit like a pug, if she thought about it.
"Icy. Icy Saylor-Potter." The little girl responded. "It's nice to meet you."
A frown appeared on Pansy's face. "Potter? My parents always told me there was only one Potter kid. And you don't look like him at all."
Icy stared at Pansy unblinkingly, and the eleven year old took a step back. Suddenly, Icy turned on her heel and made her way to the bed that her trunk was in front of. "Harry's my brother. That's all I have to say." She mumbled before clambering onto the bed, using her trunk as a step up. There was a moment's silence as her proclamation sunk in. Then there was a general rustle as the other girls clambered into their own beds. As Icy pulled the blanket up under her chin, she heard one of the other girls whisper a "good night Icy." And she smiled slightly to herself before pulling the blanket completely over her head.
Beneath the blanket, Icy curled into a small ball, eyes staring into empty space. This would be her first time spending the night away from Harry that she could remember. Maybe that was the reason why she couldn't sleep as she found herself tossing and turning as the moon moved higher into the night sky. Eventually Icy gave up on falling asleep and pushed her blankets back, sliding out of the bed and padding barefoot out of the dormitory. The stone floor was cold beneath her feet as she walked.
A moment later, Icy descended into the common room where there was a dwindling fire in the grate. She glanced out the window to see a dark shape pass across the glass. She already understood that what she was seeing was not the sky, but under the lake that they had taken the boats across earlier that evening. She moved closer to the window and pressed a small hand to the glass, staring at her translucent reflection in the glass. This was a new beginning, wasn't it? She hadn't imagined having to be apart from her brother… but that was growing up, right?
"You look like you didn't sleep all night Icy." Draco said after Icy had greeted him a good morning in the Great Hall. Icy mumbled a response, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She sat down next to the boy and yawned, covering her mouth with a hand before repeating her words in a coherent sentence. "I didn't. I couldn't sleep." She reached for a glass of juice and quickly drank it. She glanced at the food around the table sleepily before reaching for a couple of slices of toast and honey. She broke the toast into small pieces before smothering it all with honey.
Draco paused with his fork halfway to his mouth and frowned at Icy's choice in foods. "Is that even healthy?"
"I don't think so." Icy responded, eating carefully.
Draco stared at her for a moment before returning to his own breakfast. There was a teacher in black robes sweeping down the aisles, handing out schedules. "Professor Snape." Draco provided when Icy glanced at him curiously. "He's head of Slytherin House." Icy nodded.
"Icy Saylor-Potter." Icy looked up from her toast, turning in her seat.
"Yes Professor?"
Snape took out a blank sheet of parchment and tapped it with his wand before handing it to Icy. She accepted the parchment and turned back around as Snape moved over to Draco. She looked over her lessons for the day and smiled. She would really be learning magic!