Sebastian had to push his way through some of the older students to follow Gemma out of the Great Hall. There was a small crush as they reached the door at the same time as the Ravenclaw first years who were being led out by one of their prefects.

He tried to see where Matt was, but the two houses were led off in different directions before he could find him. As the Ravenclaws were led up the marble stairs away from them, he found himself hoping that Matt wasn't too upset at them being split up. He shook that thought from his head and looked around at where they were.

Gemma had brought them to the side of the entrance hall, between the grand staircase and the doors to the Great Hall. Here they were out of the way of the other first years coming out of the hall as they waited for the rest of them to join up.

He saw Archie push past a couple of older students standing near the door as he came over to stand with them. After another minute of waiting as the last couple of stranglers got out of the Great Hall, Gemma clapped her hands.

"Right, that's all of you. Follow me and we'll go down to the common room."

She turned and headed towards the back wall in the shadow of the grand staircase where there was a dark archway. They followed her down a broad, short flight of steps into a long stone corridor lit by torches along the walls. Passing a few closed doors of what Sebastian assumed were classrooms before they turned off the main corridor and went down a much longer flight of winding stairs.

It was notably colder and darker down here. Though there were torches flickering in alcoves spaced out along the walls, the light didn't seem to reach very far, leaving large patches of the corridor in darkness.

They turned a few corners before Gemma came to a stop at what looked like a dead end.

"This is the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room," she said. "Try to remember where it is. You'll need a password to get in. It gets changed every two weeks, so remember to check the notice board or you'll be stuck waiting out here."

She turned to the flat stone wall.

"Python Regius"

There was a small grinding noise. Then, all at once, the stone slabs in front of them folded out of the way revealing wide steps leading down to the floor of a huge cavern like room. You could still tell they were underground, but rather than the cold, low ceilinged passages they had come through, the stone ceiling hung in arches, and this room was at least double height. The warmth from the blazing fireplaces carried through the whole space.

It must go straight up to the floor of the entrance hall, Sebastian thought as they were shepherded through the room between mahogany desks and dark, comfy looking armchairs till they were standing in the middle of the common room.

"Boys dormitories are to the left through that door there," Gemma said, indicating a door up a few steps at the side of the room, then motioning to the same sight on the other side. "Girls to the right. I'm sure you're all tired, so we'll do this quickly."

"You four boys," she said, pointing to where he and Archie were standing at the side of the small crowd of first years, "can take the room at the end of the corridor." She paused.

"Well, off you go! Your trunks should be delivered soon."

Sebastian moved off with Archie beside him as he heard a few of the girls giggling behind him.

Once they were up the steps and through the wooden door, they were in another long corridor. This one was just as dark as the previous ones, lit only scarcely by torches along one wall. Along the other were dark wooden doors.

At the end of the corridor, Archie pushed the door to their room open and walked in, leaving it open behind them for the others.

The room had four four-poster beds hung with deep green hangings spread out along one wall with four dark wood wardrobes in between. Against the other wall were large deep recessed windows that looked out under what must be the lake they had come over earlier with a door at the opposite side of the room that must lead off to the bathroom.

Archie flopped across the second bed, letting out a loud sigh as Sebastian sat on the one next to it, closest to the door.

Theodore Nott, who had followed them into the room, took the third.

"When do you think our stuff will get here?" he asked.

Archie shrugged. "She said soon. Probably just waiting for the rooms to be sorted."

"Who's the fourth?" Sebastian asked Nott. "I didn't check before we left."

"Draco. But he was asking the prefect to change the rooms when I followed you both."

Archie snorted. "Something wrong with us?"

At that moment four trunks appeared at the end of each bed, interrupting their conversation.

"Check whose trunk that is, would you Nott?" Archie asked, pointing to the trunk by the fourth bed as he went to his own.

Before Nott could get up, a sharp voice from the doorway cut in.

"It's mine. So don't touch it."

Malfoy walked into the room, ignoring the three of them as he went straight past them to his trunk by the last bed.

Archie shot a grimace at Sebastian, who only just managed to stop a laugh from breaking the silence.

Draco seemed to be happy ignoring them as he got ready for bed, and there wasn't much more talking as they all followed suit.

Sebastian extinguished the light by his bed as he climbed under the covers. The room was mostly dark by now, lit only by an eerie glow from the water outside the windows, and only Archie was still sitting up.

"Do you think he's okay?" Archie asked in a whisper, trying to make sure his voice didn't carry to the others.

"Matt?" Sebastian asked. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Right. Only he looked pretty upset when he was sorted."

"He was just a bit shocked. He'll be fine. We'll still have loads of classes with him."

Archie was still sitting on the edge of his bed looking worried, so Sebastian sighed and sat up.

"He'll make more friends if he isn't stuck with us all the time anyway. It'll be better for him. You'll see." He shot a smile at Archie before turning to lie down again. "We'll see him tomorrow, and you can ask him yourself, alright? I'm going to sleep."

,,,

...

The next day passed in a blur of excitement.

The students all got their lesson timetables at breakfast. It turned out that Professor Snape handing them out with the help of the senior prefects was just him handing them to the senior prefects. Sebastian and Archie had made their way up to the Great Hall with the other Slytherin first years, and were just finishing off their food at their house table when a seventh year prefect gave them their timetables.

After breakfast, he and Archie had met up with Matt in the entrance hall. Luckily, getting from the Slytherin Common Room to the Great Hall had been easy enough for them, but Matt told them he and some of the other Ravenclaw first-years had gotten lost twice just coming down for breakfast. They all decided after this that it would be a good idea to try to find some of the classes for the next day and spent the next few hours wandering around and getting lost trying to figure out where everything was.

The castle was a maze of moving staircases, secret passages, and trick doors spread out over seven floors in multiple towers plus the dungeons and the basement (which happened to be two separate areas that were not linked at all). A lot of the figures in the portraits were very little help whenever they got lost as they kept moving from painting to painting to chat to their friends, and by lunch time, they were all sure that some of the statutes and suits of armour could move too.

But, by the time they had to part with Matt for lunch, they were reasonably certain they could find the classrooms they needed for tomorrow morning's lessons and so spent the rest of the day outside on the grassy lawns in the sunshine. They weren't the only ones who had thought to do this, and by mid afternoon, what looked like most of the school were outside somewhere on the grounds.

The next day, they got up early for breakfast, leaving plenty of time to spare to get to their first lesson. Nott, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all joined them as they slowly made their way all the way up to the sixth floor for transfiguration with the stern looking witch who had read their names out on the first night.

As Sebastian entered the classroom, he saw they weren't the first there. In fact, half the seats were already taken. Matt, who was already sitting with a few of the other Ravenclaws, waved to them.

He and Archie filed into seats behind Matt at the side of the classroom just as a loud bell rang through the halls.

"Blaise and Rory aren't here," Archie said under his breath, so only Sebastian could hear him.

Sebastian glanced round to do a quick count of the Slytherins, and sure enough, they were the only ones missing.

They both turned back to the front as a tabby cat leapt onto the front desk and seemed to be looking around at them.

A moment passed in silence before it turned and leapt back off the desk, but before its paws reached the ground, it morphed into a human.

Professor McGonagall was now standing at the front of the room, her stern face finding each of theirs in turn until she was sure she had their undivided attention.

Just as she opened her mouth, there was a loud bang as the classroom door crashed open, and Rory rushed in with Blaise following much more quietly behind.

"Gentlemen?"

"Sorry, professor. We got lost."

"Perhaps you should have left breakfast earlier with the rest of your classmates?" She paused as if waiting for an answer, but neither boy said anything. "I expect it to never happen again. Take a seat."

They both slipped into two empty seats in the back row. Blaise looking much more calm and collected about their late entrance and telling off than Rory, who was all flustered and red.

McGonagall cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my classroom will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She spared a glance at the two late comers before moving to stand beside her desk.

"It is also some of the most useful magic to learn."

With a flick of her wand and a muttered incantation, the very solid looking wooden desk turned into a pig.

There were a few shocked gasps from the front row, who were now sitting less than a metre away from a rather large and noisy animal.

With another flick of her wand, her desk was back and looking just as immaculately clean and solid as it had been before.

If Sebastian hadn't already read ahead, he would have been rather disappointed to learn that after that rather spectacular demonstration, all they would be doing for the next couple of weeks would be trying to change a match into a needle. Though he did hear a few grumbles from around the classroom from others who hadn't.

"What's useful about turning a desk into a pig anyway?" Archie asked under his breath as he took his textbook out of his bag.

The rest of the lesson passed slowly as they scribbled down lots of notes.

Their next class was Magic Theory with the Gryffindors where they had a very bubbly teacher who talked lots but didn't say much at all.

When they met up with Edgar and Matt briefly for break, they found out their lessons had mostly been talking and note taking too.

"I might have to do something about this soon. It's boring," Archie said.

"I'd rather not get a detention on our first day. Besides, it's all very interesting, and it is our first day. What did you expect?"

"Something less boring?"

"You and I have potions next at least," Sebastian said to Archie. "That should be interesting."

"Yeah, interesting..."

"Cheer up, Archie," Edgar said. "At least you don't have Magic Theory then History of Magic back to back like Matt does."

They all chuckled at Archie's accompanying grimace.

"We should probably get to our classrooms."

"Have fun in Potions," Edgar said over his shoulder as he and Matt left to go upstairs.

They made their way down into the dungeons, reaching the classroom in plenty of time. Unlike some of the other rooms though, its door was locked, and they had to wait outside.

"Hey, Rory," Archie said as they moved over to wait with a group of Slytherins. "You got any detentions for barging into classrooms yet?"

They all laughed as he said, "Not yet."

"You should be more careful," Draco said as he joined them. Crabbe and Goyle looming over his shoulders like twin boulders. "You wouldn't want to be mistaken for a stupid Gryffindor."

He made sure to make his voice carry across the corridor to the Gryffindors now waiting by the classroom door. Ron looked like he was about to say something before Danny tugged urgently on his arm, looking behind them.

Silence descended on the corridor as they all turned to see Professor Snape standing near by.

All in black, his arms crossed across his chest, he looked like he had walked out of the shadows. He glared at them before whipping his wand out.

There was a crack that echoed loudly in the stone corridor, causing a few of them to flinch as the door to the classroom unlocked itself and swung slowly open.

"In!"

They all hurried through the door and into seats as Professor Snape strode down the centre aisle to the front.

The walls of the dark room were covered in shelves holding jars, vials, and glass bottles of all shapes and sizes. Some of the larger jars had what looked like pieces of dead animals floating inside, others held ingredients clearly labeled.

As Sebastian sat down between Archie and Rory, he realised that the two houses had split down the middle when taking their seats. Slytherins on one side of the room. Gryffindors on the other.

Professor Snape began by calling a register, pausing to sneer at a few particular names. Once he had finished, he looked up at the class. Cold black eyes fixing on each of them.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic." He began in barely more than a whisper,but his voice carried clearly to every student. It was obvious he was not a teacher to cross, even Archie managed to stifle the sigh he let out at that. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

A few quiet chuckles went up at that, but they were mainly from the Slytherin half of the room. Sebastian smiled, glancing over at Archie who was watching him.

"What?" he whispered.

Archie raised his eyebrow and smirked, motioning his arm to point out Sebastian was on the edge of his seat.

"Shut up," he said, though he did try to subtly lean back again.

"Longbottom!" Professor Snape said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Sebastian looked over to Neville, who had gone white as a ghost. His eyes were wide, and he was slowly shaking his head. Hermione, who was in the row behind Neville, had her hand in the air and was practically bouncing on her seat to answer the question. But Professor Snape was still looking at Neville.

"Well?"

Another moment passed.

"I.. I don't k-know, sir."

"Obviously," the professor said with a sneer. "Well, let's try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Neville, still under Professor Snape's glare, was staring down at the desk in front of him, trying to make himself look small.

Sebastian smiled. He felt sorry for the boy, but this was just what Snape was like. Astoria had told him that Professor Snape always favoured his own house. Taking every opportunity to embarrass Gryffindor students.

The Slytherins around him were gleeful at Neville's embarrassment. He could see Draco in the seats in front of him shaking with silent laughter.

"Still don't know?" Snape asked. "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Longbottom? What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione was now standing up with her arm raised in her desperation to answer a question, but Professor Snape still hadn't even glanced at her.

"I don't know, sir," Neville replied quietly.

He could see the boy next to Neville was about to say something, but Ron grabbed his arm and shook his head.

"Fitzroy!"

Sebastian's attention was wrenched back to Professor Snape, who was now looking expectantly at him.

"Yes, sir?"

"The answers."

Sebastian could feel Archie next to him, sinking back into his seat trying to stay unseen. Draco's smirk had been wiped off his face, and none of the Slytherins, who had thought they were immune to Snape's questions a moment before, were laughing anymore.

Sebastian coughed slightly, glancing at Archie beside him, who was pointedly not looking his way.

"Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same thing," Sebastian said.

"Otherwise known as?"

"Aconite, sir." He paused, wondering if that was the only answer Snape had wanted, but the professor only nodded and waited for him to continue.

"The ingredients you listed make a sleeping potion called the draught of living death."

Another nod.

"And, I'd expect you'd find a bezoar in your potions kit, sir."

Sebastian felt Archie let out a quick breath beside him.

Snape was watching him coolly, his eyes narrowed. There was silence for a moment as none of the Slytherins around him dared to move.

"Correct. I see your sister didn't steal all the brains."

Snape glanced around at the rest of the room.

"A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. And, as Mr. Fitzroy said, should be included in any potions kit. Well? Why aren't you all copying this down?"

There was a mad scramble as everyone started digging around in their bags for parchment and quills. Over the noise, Snape said, "Ten points to Slytherin. And five from Gryffindor for the arrogance of turning up to my class unprepared."

The rest of the lesson was spent copying notes from the textbook about how to properly prepare ingredients for a potion.

When Edgar slid into a seat beside them in charms, Archie was still going on about how happy he was Snape hadn't picked on him.

"I mean, I could have gotten the bezoar one," Archie was saying. "Answering it properly mind. I thought he was going to give you a detention for answering the way you did."

"Answering what what way?" Edgar asked.

"Nothing. Just Professor Snape picking on people."

A moment later Professor Flitwick arrived. He was a tiny, very excited wizard who had to climb up onto a pile of books to see over his desk when he took the register.

Flitwick spent the lesson very enthusiastically going over what they would learn that year and answering questions.

The next few days passed quickly. They managed to get lost multiple times on their way up to their astronomy class and then again on their way back down to the dungeons after their midnight lesson from the astronomy tower on Wednesday.

Herbology down in the greenhouses with Professor Sprout was a much more practical affair, which kept Archie happy. Sebastian wasn't sure if Professor Sprout was always that jolly or whether she was being extra jolly because she was head of Hufflepuff house and they shared that class with them. But either way it was an enjoyable class, and she was a very good teacher.

History of Magic was definitely the most boring subject, and Professor Binns' voice was so easy to tune out, Sebastian worried how he'd ever pass that class. But easily the biggest disappointment was Defence Against the Dark Arts. It was the subject nearly every student was looking forward to, but Professor Quirrell turned out to be a nervous, stuttering man who seemed too afraid to even teach the subject. It was rumoured that the turban he wore was stuffed with garlic to ward off the vampires he seemed to be so afraid of. Sebastian thought it might even have been true as the turban did seem to smell strange.

"He's a joke. Surely they can't expect us to learn anything from him?" Draco said after their next DADA lesson. Sebastian found himself agreeing, and by the sounds of it, everyone else did too.

As the first week came to an end, they were able to get to most of the lessons without much trouble and were settling into the routine of getting to classes. All of the students were looking forward to the weekend even though the homework had started to pile up. The only other incident that week had been Neville managing to melt his partners cauldron in their double potions lesson on Friday and covering himself in boils. Professor Snape had been furious and had docked a load of points off Gryffindor, which only added to the Slytherins happy mood as the weekend arrived.

AN: Reviews are as good as sweets...