The Sorting was over quickly after Katya had been put into Slytherin. She was sitting next to a girl that slightly resembled a pug, and across from Draco. She had a feeling that everyone liked to call people by their last names, but she found that absolutely ridiculous. You had first names for a reason, you might as well use them.

Dumbledore gave a small, odd speech, and then food appeared on the table. It was more food than she had ever seen. She grabbed a piece of chicken and some green beans, and slowly began eating. Nerves were coursing through her body. What if her brother was upset with her because she was sorted into Slytherin? She knew Gryffindor and Slytherin were rival houses. What if that rivalry got in between Harley and her brother, her only friend? That thought made her stop eating. She sat stewing in her anxiety until a hand stuck in front of her face.

"I believe we got off on the wrong start. I'm Draco Malfoy."

She looked up to see the pale-blonde boy staring at her, waiting for a response. At first she was going to refuse, due to the incident on the train. However, looking at him, she could tell he was sincere. Her brother might be upset, but this was a chance at making a friend. One that wasn't related to her. She quickly glanced over at her brother, who was looking at her. He sent her a subtle nod and a small smile. She placed her hand in Draco's pale one, relief spreading through her.

"Ekaterina Shamolodchikova, but you can just call me Katya. Pleasure to meet you."

Dmitry was enjoying his time in Gryffindor already. Harry and Ron were sitting with him, and they were chatting away, stuffing their faces. He looked over at his sister to see how she was faring, but his curious glance turned to a look of concern. She wasn't eating, just staring at her plate, most likely trying to pop her fingers like she did when she was nervous. He watched as Malfoy stuck his hand in front of her face, as if introducing himself again. He was angry for a second, but then realized that this was a chance for Katya to make friends.

Dmitry observed as she glanced up at Malfoy, a mix of emotions flashing through her eyes, her face stoic as always. The only emotions she showed were through her eyes, and Dmitry could see anger, then relief, then anxiety. She hesitated in the movement of her hands. She looked at Dmitry, as if asking if it was okay. He nodded with a smile, reassuring her that it was fine. That was another thing Dmitry was worried about. Harley was so worried about him rejecting her, that she was sometimes afraid to do her own thing. He hoped their seperation of House would help her become her own person.

Surprisingly, Katya enjoyed her conversations with the Slytherins, especially Draco. Sure, he was a pompous ass, but he was intelligent, and surprisingly kind to her. "So, where are you from?" he asked. Katya distinctly remembered telling him on the train, but hey, they were starting over.

"I was born in America, then we moved to Russia when Dmitry and I were three, then we moved back to America at eight. Now we live in Bristol."

"That's a lot of moving. Do you like living here?" the pug-faced girl, Pansy, asked.

"Not particularly. The weather is bad, different terminology, wizarding world is very old school." Harley answered truthfully.

"Old school? How so?" another boy, Blaise Zabini asked.

"You use parchment and quill. In America and Russia, we use paper and pen or pencil. Paper is made out of trees, a pen is a small plastic stick with built in ink.A pencil is a wooden stick with graphite. You can erase pencil, so if you make a mistake, you just erase and rewrite." Dumbledore dismissed them, and they all stood up to follow the prefects to the common room.

"Wow. That's the most I think I've ever heard you talk," Draco remarked.

"You have only just met her. Wait until she talks about ballet, or human rights. Its ridiculous." Dmitry had walked up behind Draco. "Hello Katya! I just wanted to see how you like your house so far."

The other Slytherins were slightly shocked. Gryffindors hated the snake house, but this kid was being pleasant. "Get out of here, Gryffindor," an older student sneered at Dmitry.

"Hey!" Dmitry said. "Katya is my sister, so I will talk to her if I want to. I don't care if she's in Slytherin! It doesn't make her a bad person for being sorted into a house that she is supposed to be in." And with those words, Dmitry shocked almost all of Slytherin house.

"I am enjoying it much." Harley said right before Harry and Ron called for Dmitry to hurry up. They shot her a dirty glance when Dmitry wasn't looking. Her face hardened, and she sent them a glare. There went two potential friends. Well, really just one. She knew she wouldn't be friends Ron, but she thought Harry was different.

Dmitry was loving his house. The common room was cozy, his housemates were fun, and he had made some new friends. Harry and Ron were great. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the bushy haired girl on the train. There was something about her that he liked. Thankfully, she was in his house, so he would have an opportunity to be friends with her.

The only thing stopping him from being completely happy was his sister. He was just worried because he knew Slytherins had a hard time, and Harry and Ron despised the house without even getting to know its occupants. He didn't understand how someone could make a snap decision like that, without even having been to the school before. Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, Dmitry climbed into bed, quickly falling asleep.

Meanwhile in the dungeons, Katya was lying wide awake, a million thoughts running through her head. Thoughts about school, home, her peers. Her mother. Her mother had attended this school, and Harley was worried the professors would compare her to her mother. And if that happened, Harley didn't know how she would react. Her mother had left emotional scars on her, and she didn't know if they would fully heal.