A/N Hey guys! Here is another chapter for you. I am so glad that people are following and reading this story and I hope you will enjoy the next part of Sam's journey!
A loud applause came from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw table when the Sorting Hat finally said that defining word. I was a Gryffindor, I was a Gryffindor. I was a freaking Gryffindor! I defied the odds. There was a smile plastered to my face that wouldn't be disappearing any time soon. After a moment of shock, I got up and walked confidently to the Gryffindor table. I smiled at my Ravenclaw friends on the way there who had their thumbs up for me. Terry and Cho smiled like crazy people. I laughed at that. I barely even knew them and they were already rooting for me. I focussed my attention back to the Gryffindor table and Hermione Granger motioned me to sit next to her. I walked up to her and sat there. 'Hey! Sam right?' she said smiling. 'Yeah,' I said. 'Welcome to Gryffindor!' 'Thank you, I'm really excited.' I said being completely honest. It was a miracle I wasn't placed in Slytherin. My house at Ilvermorny was the Horned Serpent and that house was founded by my ancestor Isolt, so I had thought this would also be a no-brainer.
Hermione and I started talking as the first years were sorted into their houses. She told me a bunch of things about Hogwarts and introduced me to a few of her friends. I met Ron Weasley, who seemed like a nice guy. He had bright red/orangey hair and a lot of freckles. I also met his sister Ginny Weasley, who was really attractive with her red hair and seemed like a really great person to hang out with. Unfortunately, she was a year below us. I wondered though where Harry Potter was. I mean, if what Terry and Michael had told me was correct, they were all best friends. So where was he? I didn't ask though, not wanting to be rude or seem like some crazy fan, which I wasn't.
'Where is Harry, bloody hell?' I heard Ron say while the last few first year were about to be sorted. 'I have no idea,' Hermione said slightly worried, focussing her attention from me to Ron. 'First I thought he just got separated from us in all the madness, but know I'm not so sure.' Ginny joined in on their conversation. 'Maybe he was just late and missed the carriages. It wouldn't be the first time somebody did.' Ron laughed. 'Remember that time,' he said, 'when Crabbe missed the carriages like two years ago because he had so much candy he bought, that he needed to bring along with him, that it took him a full half an hour to grab it all. He had to walk all the way to the castle. He came into the great hall eating it and I thought Snape was about to blow up. It was truly amazing.' Ron smiled to himself as he remembered that. I couldn't help but laugh a little, not even knowing who Crabbe was. 'Yeah Ron we know, you couldn't stop talking about it for an entire month. It was bloody annoying.' Ginny said. Ron looked offended. 'Sam didn't know the story and she thought it was funny. Right?' He looked at me almost pleading. 'I thought it was funny Ron,' I said amused. 'See,' he said smiling contently to Ginny. Ginny sighed.
Hermione however still looked a bit nervous. 'I'm sure he will show up soon.' I said giving her a reassuring smile. 'I hope so.' 'Speak of the devil,' Ginny exclaimed looking behind me. I turned around and saw a handsome boy with raven hair and glasses with bright green eyes walking towards us. Harry Potter. I noticed that his nose was bleeding and I immediately wondered how he'd gotten that. When he approached he looked at me in a weird way. He almost looked amused. He went to sit down at my right, as that was the only available seat at the table. 'Harry, Merlin what happened to you. Why were you late? Did you get into trouble?' 'Relax Hermione. I'm fine, except for the bloody nose of course, as you can see.' 'Did someone do that to you?' Hermione asked a bit concerned. Harry pointed to the Slytherin table where a boy was sitting down. I could only see his back, but he seemed about the same age as us and he had the brightest platinum hair I had ever seen in my life. My hair was dark brown and was just plain ordinary if you compared it with his. 'Malfoy,' Ron said sighing. 'Yup the one and only.' Right after he said that, the boy with the platinum hair turned around and now I could see his face. He showed Harry a smirk and then focussed his eyes on me. He stared at me expressionless and I looked into his grey eyes. They were extraordinary and I couldn't yet tell if that was in a good or a bad way. I mean, they were beautiful, as with his hair I'd never seen anything like them. His eyes were grey but so light that they were almost silver. How bright as they may be however, at the same time they looked as dark as night. I couldn't put my finger on what I saw, but it was definitely not good. I broke of the stare and focussed my attention back on my new housemates.
A few moments later a ton of food appeared on the large table in front of us. Ron immediately dug in and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. 'You're going to see that a lot in your time here. Trust me.' Hermione promised me also laughing, but disgusted at the same time. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Harry was smiling at me. 'I don't believe we've met,' he said. 'Well you are correct, we haven't. I'm Sam Steward.' I extended a hand and he shook it. 'Harry Potter.' 'I figured.' I said, returning his smile.
Harry and I talked during the entire feast. He was really kind and we shared a lot of the same interests. He and I both wanted to be aurors when we graduated, so we would probably share a lot of the same classes. However, I don't think he'll have one subject I sneaked myself into. Harry also shared that he was going to be captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year and that he was a seeker. When I told him I'd been captain at Ilvermorny last year, he sighed in relief. 'Thank Merlin; maybe you can give me some advice, because I have no idea how to handle everything.' I laughed. 'Of course. I don't know yet if I'm going to try out though.' 'You should definitely try out.' Harry said. 'Yeah you really should,' Hermione insisted, joining our conversation. 'Now that Alicia and Angelina have graduated, the team could use some females.' 'Hey, don't forget about me!' Ginny exclaimed from the other side of the table. I'm going to try out this year.' 'We know Gin,' Hermione said. 'We were just encouraging Sam here to try out as well.' 'Oh then it's fine,' Ginny said focussing again on her conversation with a boy whose name I thought was Dean. Harry and Hermione were still looking at me. 'Okay guys, chill, I will think about it.' I guess that was enough for them because the subject was changed.
After dinner Albus Dumbledore stood up and started with a small speech. He talked about the threat that was coming, which was of course Voldemort. He also announced that Professor Snape was going to be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts and that his position would be taken over by a Professor Slughorn. That announcement came with a lot of reactions and murmuring from the students and I could immediately tell that Snape was not the most beloved teacher in school. I guess I would have to see for myself.
After the speech, it was time for everyone to make their way to the common rooms. I had no idea where the Gryffindor common room was, so I just joined Harry, as Ron and Hermione were tending to the first years. However, before we did, I was stopped by a pair of hands on my shoulders. I turned around quickly and saw Terry laughing. 'Ah you were scared right,' Terry said amused. Harry stopped and waited for me. 'No, I was not. Surprised might be a better word.' Terry looked like he didn't believe a word I just said. 'Well whatever your emotions are. I just wanted to congratulate you. Gryffindor is a great house. I mean, not as great as Ravenclaw of course, but you get my point. Oh, before I forget. Cho has to tend to the first years and therefore wanted me to hug you for her, so here you go.' He hugged me tightly, just to make fun of me. People were watching us curiously. I laughed. 'Thanks Terry, I appreciate it. And tell Cho thanks too.' 'I will,' he said. 'Well, I have to go, but I will see you tomorrow.' 'Yeah see you tomorrow.' 'Bye Sam and bye Harry,' he said waving to Harry once before he left.
As we made our way out of the Great Hall, Harry laughed. 'Terry is something else,' he pointed out. 'He definitely is.' 'I didn't know you knew anyone here.' 'Well I just saw Terry for the first time in years on the train, but our parents have been friends since they were pretty young. But other than him I indeed didn't know anyone before I boarded the Hogwarts Express.' I was careful with my words, because I didn't know how well known the history of the relationship between the Boots and the Stewards was. 'Ah,' he said 'that makes sense.' We were silent for a while, but at one moment I just had to ask the question that was burning on my lips for some time now. 'Can I ask you a question?' He looked up. 'Sure, what would you like to know?' he said. 'Who is that guy who hit you? I mean why would he hit you?' Harry looked surprised. He was silent for a moment. 'What is it?' I asked laughing. 'Well… I thought you would ask something else, that's all.' 'What, now I'm curious. You will learn as you get to know me that I'm a very curious person.' He laughed. 'Well mostly when people meet me, they ask the usual questions. Like, do you really have that scar? Or, how was it to face Voldemort? Or just plainly and brutally bring up those moments of my past.' I looked at him. In his face was pain and I knew that. I mean, how could someone not be hurt after all that he'd been through? 'I just think that if someone wants to talk about their past, they can decide that for themselves. That includes you.' Harry looked at me with a smile as we walked further. 'Thank you,' he said. 'You're welcome.'
I really thought Harry and I could be great friends if we wanted to be. It just was really easy to talk to him. 'We're almost there,' he said. 'But to answer your question, the person who hit me is Draco Malfoy. He and I haven't really seen eye to eye since the day we first met. He's in Slytherin and not that I'm against all Slytherins, but he really would make their founder proud if you know what I mean.' Ouch, that kind of hit home. But I wouldn't say anything. He didn't mean anything by it, I was sure. 'And why he hit me,' he went on. 'I guess I kind of deserved it this time. I was eavesdropping on him and his friends and he caught me.' 'Why were you eavesdropping on him?' I asked. 'I just think he's hiding something and I want to find out what it is.' I figured that was as much as I was going to get out of him and so I left it at that.
We walked for a few more moments before we stopped at a painting. 'Why are we stopping?' I asked. 'Because this is the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.' Harry said amused. 'Abstinence.' He said to the lady who was in the painting. 'Very well,' the lady said. The painting opened as a door and I was amazed at what lay before me. 'Welcome to your new home.'
A/N So… Draco made his first little appearance. You will see a lot more of him in this story! As always follow, favourite and leave a review!
Xxx Lisa