A/N: Sorry that this chapter was a bit late. I kept editing it because I couldn't get it just right. I think I like the way that it came out, though. Let me know what you think!
It has come to my attention that there is a lot of debate on the exact year that Tom Riddle was born. I always thought that he was born in 1929 thus my story has him in his sixth year in 1944. I didn't know that it is more widely accepted that he was born in 1926, making my story three years off. I'm not going to change it, though, because I like having all of these major Riddle-related events take place in this year. Plus, Dumbledore's defeat of Grindelwald is in 1945, and I knew going into this story that I definitely wanted to feature that in a later chapter. I'm also assuming that Riddle did not open the Chamber of Secrets during his final year at Hogwarts, since he was worried about returning to the Muggle orphanage if the school was shut down. So if things seem a little jumbled up, I apologize.
Thanks, as always, to everyone that's been reading and reviewing. As a reminder, I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any of the characters or places (save for my OCs). I know that may come as a shock to most of you, but it's true. I own none of it. Onward!
Chapter Two: Sorting Hat Success
September 1st, 1944
POV: Alleister Anxium
Gasps were heard all around as the first years caught sight of the gigantic castle in front of them. Alleister had always been satisfied with Anxium Manor, yet his companions looked as if Hogwarts would become their new home. Alleister saw a small portion of the Quidditch pitch from the side of the castle. The moonlight reflected off of one of the silver towers even from such a distance. He grinned.
When they arrived at the other side of the lake Ogg was the first one out of his boat. He helped a few students out of their boats while Arnold and Alphard climbed out of theirs. Alastor followed them, as Alleister wanted to be polite to his new friend and let him exit first. Finally, Alleister stepped out of the boat as he tried to hide his anxiety. He did not see that his foot was no longer planted on the grass, and the boy slipped. He flew forward, falling right into the Black Lake.
Luckily the water that the boats had stopped in was not that deep, although it was just deep enough to catch him and render his fall painless. Alastor extended his hand and helped pull him out of the water. Alleister was horrified at the thought of having to walk through the Great Hall and be sorted while dripping wet. He could hear his new classmates sniggering, with the exception of his three new friends.
"Don't worry, mate," Alphard said as he withdrew his wand and pointed it at Alleister.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Alastor, wide-eyed, asked him. He didn't seem to like the idea of a first year testing spells out on his friend.
"Of course I do," Alphard replied with confidence. "My family's been teaching me spells since I knew how to talk. It'll be nice to try one out."
Alastor did not look convinced yet he stayed silent as Alphard held his wand out to the dripping boy's torso. "Calorus maxima," he muttered.
Alleister closed his eyes, savoring the sudden warmth of the spell. He felt his clothes and was not surprised to find that they were dry again.
"Brilliant!" Alleister beamed at Alphard.
"That was a good warming charm there, lad," Ogg commented from behind them. All four boys whirled around, not knowing they'd had an audience.
The groundskeeper made conversation with the boys during their trek from the lake to the castle. Alleister found himself running to keep up with the older man's strides.
"I don't need to ask for your name," Ogg said to Alastor, whose eyes narrowed. "You're Alastor Moody, son of Auror Victor Moody. You look just like him. He was a great man, your father. A true Gryffindor as well."
"I'll be in Gryffindor, too," Alastor replied confidently. "I want to be an Auror just like him."
Ogg patted the boy on the shoulder in mid-stride. "I'm sure you will, son."
Alleister glanced at his new friend. He admired his determination and confidence. Alleister himself did not think he would be able to join Alastor in Gryffindor. He was good at flying, but that seemed to be all. Off the field, Alleister was clumsy and certainly not that brave. Oh, and there was the way others constantly stared at him whenever he smiled. That was beginning to bother him.
He turned back to the conversation to hear the other boys introducing themselves to Ogg.
"I'm Arnold Gisned," Arnold's voice sounded from the left.
"Never heard of that name, Gisned," Ogg said.
"I'm Muggle-born," Arnold explained. Alleister saw him share a smile with Alphard.
"Good for you, m'boy!" Ogg said. He, like Alleister, seemed to have noted the hint of pride Arnold had used. He was glad that this boy was brave; his mother had told him how the Slytherins have been bullying Muggle-borns since she was in school.
"My name is Alphard Black," Alphard said quietly when Ogg looked at him.
"Ah, another Black," Ogg said a bit coldly. Alphard's face fell. Ogg then looked at Arnold, then back at Alphard. "You seem a bit different from the rest of 'em, lad. I couldn't picture Cygnus Black chumming with a Muggle-born!"
Alleister was shocked at the very blunt way Ogg had said this. Alphard was shaking his head. "There's nothing wrong with Muggle-borns. I like Arnold's parents more than my own. I don't belong with them..." Alphard trailed off, looking up at Ogg.
"Well done, Alphard," Ogg congratulated him. "I'm glad to see that before my retirement I got to meet a Black with some sense!"
"What d'you mean by that, sir?" Alleister asked out of curiosity.
"I'm retiring next year," Ogg explained. "I'm going to miss Hogwarts, though. I've been working here since I was twenty-three! I feel as if this castle is my home. But, alas, it is time for me to move on."
Alleister looked up and caught Ogg's goofy grin. Alleister himself began to smile, but quickly groaned when the groundskeeper's jaw dropped. "Who might you be, sonny? That's quite a grin you've got there. Part-Veela, I'm guessing?"
The other three boys burst out laughing as they marched up the castle's stone steps with Ogg. Why did it have to be so incredibly obvious that he'd inherited a strangely alluring smile? Alleister was red as a tomato by that point and he secretly vowed to stop smiling at strangers.
"I'm Alleister Anxium," he said finally over his friends' laughter. "My great-grandmother was a Veela. It only shows when I smile." His cheeks were still hot from embarrassment.
By the time their laughter and jesting comments were finished they had reached the entrance to Hogwarts castle. The huge wooden doors seemed to swing open on their own as Ogg led them all inside. Alleister, along with almost everyone else, gasped upon seeing the beautiful Entrance Hall. It was an enormous room equipped with portraits and tapestries framed in gold and chandeliers floating atop by the ceiling. Alleister hurried after his new classmates as they veered off to the right, eventually stopping at another pair of large wooden doors.
Ogg cleared his throat, beckoning the first years to give him their attention. Most did so, but some were still glancing around and murmuring to those near him. Alleister felt his palms becoming sweaty as he watched the gamekeeper.
"I'll be back in a moment," Ogg told them as he moved to open the doors for himself. "When I return, you will be led inside the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your new houses. If you didn't already know, the four houses are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." Alleister saw that to his left a very pretty brunette girl was nudging the girl next to her, smirking.
"Your house will serve as your family while you attend Hogwarts," Ogg explained. "When you do well, you earn points for your house. If you break any rules you will lose house points. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points wins the House Cup." Ogg paused to catch his breath. "Simple enough, right? Now, I'll be right back. Be good, all of you."
With that, he turned and disappeared behind the doors to the Great Hall. Chatter erupted immediately upon Ogg's departure, but Alleister paid no attention. He was too nervous even to speak.
Alleister knew he didn't have what it took to become a Gryffindor. He wasn't brave like Alastor and Arnold, but he wanted to be in the same house as at least one of his new friends. He supposed he might have a chance at getting into Slytherin with Alphard. His father had been a Slytherin, so perhaps that would help him. Alleister decided he was going to hope for Slytherin.
Just as he was about to catch up on what his friends had been talking about, Ogg returned for them. The doors opened and the group entered the Great Hall. Alastor couldn't help but mutter a small "wow" as he took a look at the ceiling that was famous for looking like the outside sky. Candles also floated from the ceiling. Alleister noted the four long tables they were walking past that the returning students were watching them from.
Finally, the first years reached the front of the Great Hall. An older man stood at a winged pedestal, and behind him was a large table that seated the Hogwarts staff. Alleister assumed that the man at the pedestal was Headmaster Armando Dippet; he had signed Alleister's acceptance letter. He caught Arnold glancing up at a man towards the middle of the staff table with an auburn beard and hair. The man winked at Arnold with sparkling blue eyes.
"Who's that?" Alleister asked him.
"That's Professor Dumbledore," Arnold said. Alleister nodded, recognizing the name. "He said he's the Transfiguration teacher. He's the one who came to my house and told me I was a wizard." Arnold smiled fondly at the memory.
"Oh," Alleister said, not having anything else to add to that. He could only imagine how happy Arnold must have been. Alleister found himself wishing he'd had a profound moment in his life like Arnold had.
Headmaster Dippet peered down at the first years with a pair of curious hazel eyes. Alleister liked that the Headmaster seemed to be full of life. Professor Dumbledore stood and merely raised a hand, yet it caused the Great Hall to fall silent almost immediately. Alleister heard a few students still talking defiantly from his far right. He supposed that was the Slytherin table, although he did not turn to look. He knew from his father that many Slytherins disliked Albus Dumbledore.
"When I call your name," Headmaster Dippet said in a high voice while gesturing to a piece of parchment that had just appeared before him, "you will place the Sorting Hat upon your head. It will declare which house you will be sorted in. Once you are sorted you may join your house table for the feast."
Headmaster Dippet walked toward the stool that had also just appeared in front of them. There was a tattered old hat on top of the stool. The Headmaster looked down at the parchment and Alleister gulped, hoping the list was not alphabetized.
"Anxium, Alleister!" Headmaster Dippet called.
Alleister moved carefully towards the stool. He almost tripped at one point, but thankfully he managed to steady himself as he sat down on the stool. He placed the hat upon his head and shut his eyes.
"Ah, an Anxium!" the Sorting Hat whispered. "A strong family indeed!"
"I want to be in Slytherin," Alleister whispered, feeling rather silly. He also thought the words inside of his head, hoping the hat would heed his request. "I want to be with my friend-"
"No, no," the Sorting Hat interrupted. "That will not do. You do not belong in Slytherin, Alleister Anxium. Placing you in Slytherin would be a grave mistake. You are fiercely loyal, that is quite obvious. So, perhaps Hufflepuff? No, wait just one moment! There is something else inside of you; there is plenty of courage. I believe that you belong in Gryffindor."
"I'm not brave," Alleister whispered, although his lips were already curling into a relieved smile.
"You have strength within you," the hat insisted. "That is why I choose GRYFFINDOR!"
A table to Alleister's new left erupted in cheers and wolf-whistles. Alleister pulled the hat off and placed it back on the stool. He turned toward the applauding Gryffindor table and rushed over to join his new housemates. He sat down next to a clapping blond boy that shook his hand almost immediately, congratulating him on making Gryffindor. Alleister felt his nerves subsiding, and he was happy to find that he was able to breathe once more without feeling as if there was a large weight on his chest. He had done it, he had become a lion!
As Alleister turned his attention toward the sorting once more, he felt oddly at ease. He had never expected to be sitting among the Gryffindors. For a rare moment he felt proud of himself. Just this once he allowed himself to grin wildly without caring who stared.
September 1st, 1944
POV: Alphard Black
Alphard wanted to clap for Alleister like everyone else had. He found himself unable to move. He knew his name was close to being called, if not next. He glanced over at the Slytherin table, which he had found quite easily due to Cygnus and Orion's familiar figures perched at the end of the table. Alphard's brother and cousin were currently glaring at the Gryffindor table and whispering to each other. Alphard swallowed hard.
He sighed in relief as "Benson, Myrtle," a squat girl with large, round glasses and pigtails, was promptly placed in Ravenclaw. Alphard ran a hand through his already messy hair as he tried to hide his terror.
"Black, Alphard!" was called and Alphard stepped forward immediately. He slowly strode up to the stool, trying to keep the calm and collected Black demeanor even as he fought the urge to turn and run from the room.
Alphard lifted up the hat and sat down, holding his head in the way his mother had always trained him to and keeping his face emotionless. Before he placed the hat on his head he saw Cygnus, sitting between Orion and Abraxas Malfoy, watching him with his cold eyes narrowed. Then the hat slipped over his eyes. Alphard held his breath.
"Another Black, eh?" Alphard heard the hat say to him. "You seem to be terrified of your family's disapproval. Am I right?"
Alphard nodded very slightly, feeling somewhat strange to be responding to a hat. He'd seen Alleister whispering to the Sorting Hat during his sorting and had found it strange at the time. The hat continued on. "Fear not, Alphard, for I know where you belong. I will not cause you anguish over your family's shame, for I choose SLYTHERIN!"
Alphard's lips curled quickly and he yanked the hat off of his head. He placed it back on the stool and made his way through the crowd of first years to the table of cheering Slytherins. He sat down next to a girl he did not recognize and immediately looked for Cygnus again. Alphard was overjoyed to see Cygnus and his cronies clapping hard for him. Cygnus gave his brother a subtle nod in his direction. Alphard could not help but grin. He didn't necessarily agree with everything his family said and did, but the Sorting Hat had said he belonged in Slytherin. He belonged with his family and Alphard was going to have to learn to accept that.
Alphard's attention was drawn to the front once more when Headmaster Dippet bellowed "Black, Violette!"
The Great Hall had fallen silent. Alphard shot a curious glance at Cygnus and Orion. Orion seemed to recognize her, as he was glaring at the girl that had stepped forward to be sorted. Alphard was very confused; he knew there was no Violette in his family. Walburga, Cygnus and Alphard had been preached to thousands of times by their parents about their various family members' histories. Alphard could recite the names from the Black family tapestry in his sleep and so could his brother and sister. He couldn't understand where another Black could have come from.
Then, it hit him. He remembered Walburga bringing up to Father how Uncle Arcturus had an illegitimate child with a "poor tramp," as Walburga had called her. Yet why would the girl want to keep the Black name?
Alphard studied the girl that had now sat down upon the stool and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Her school robes were shabby and had holes in a few places. The girl did resemble Uncle Arcturus, Alphard thought to himself. Her thin face, slightly upturned nose and dark burnet hair were exactly like Arcturus Black's. In fact, she looked rather to similar to Orion, as they had the same facial features. Alphard only had to take one more glance at Orion Black to feel sorry for Violette. He looked livid.
September 1st, 1944
POV: Violette Black
Violette had frozen when she'd heard her name called. The shocked silence had been bad enough, and she tried as hard as she could to block out the whispering as she made her way to the Sorting Hat. She faced the crowd and quickly dropped the hat onto her head, covering her eyes.
"Hm, one more Black?" the Sorting Hat questioned. "Oho, I see, you are not like the rest of them. You are kind, too, oh yes! What do you want me to do for you?"
"I want to show them," she whispered to the hat. "I want to show them that I'm just as good as they are. I don't care what it takes."
"I see," the hat said. It took a moment to analyze what she had said. "In that case, you will get your chance in SLYTHERIN!"
Violette paid no mind to the fact that not many Slytherins were clapping for her. She seemed to float over to the Slytherin table, sitting down next to fellow first year Alphard Black. Alphard smiled warmly at his cousin, which shocked Violette a bit. She supposed there was a chance that this one was different from his siblings and cousins, for Naptista had spent many hours warning her daughter of how cruel the Blacks could be. Violette returned Alphard's smile, happy to know that one of the Blacks had already accepted her.
"That was awful," she said honestly as "Bones, Henry" was placed in Gryffindor.
"Tell me about it," Alphard replied, rolling his eyes. "I was so nervous I wanted to run for it!"
Violette giggled. "At least they want you in Slytherin. I reckon I'm going to have a hard time fitting in." She looked down at the table glumly.
"It's all right," said Alphard. "I'm different too."
"I can already tell," Violette remarked. "You don't look like you want to rip my head off just for existing."
Alphard barked out a laugh. "That's not the only way that I'm different."
Violette raised an eyebrow. "What d'you mean by that?"
"Want to know a secret?" Alphard asked her. "You can't tell anyone, of course." Alphard looked excited at just the thought of revealing whatever secret he was keeping.
"I won't tell," promised Violette. Her amber eyes were lit with curiosity; what secret could a wealthy Black child possibly be keeping? "After all, we are family," she added with a smirk.
Alphard returned the smile and nodded. "Right. Well, my best mate is up there still, waiting to be sorted. He's a Muggle-born."
Violette beamed at her cousin. At least one of the Blacks had some sanity, Violette thought to herself. She was about to reply but was interrupted when "Diggory, Cadmus" was Sorted into Hufflepuff and a roar of applause echoed throughout the Great Hall.
"What's his name?" Violette whispered to Alphard as "Edgecombe, Edward" joined the Ravenclaw table.
"Arnold Gisned," Alphard whispered back. "We live near each other in London. My family doesn't know. I'm not ready to be disowned."
Violette studied the boy as he brushed another strand of his untidy hair out of his eyes. His eyes themselves had a look of sadness in them even when he was smiling. Violette found herself wondering what kind of a home life the youngest Black boy had. Did his parents even love him?
Violette was enjoying Alphard's company but she knew better than to think it would last. Alphard was probably going to be whisked away by the rest of his family, along with other prominent pure-bloods, after the feast.
After "Fawcett, Lydia" was Sorted into Gryffindor, Alphard became more restless. Violette saw that he had started drumming his fingers on the table a bit loudly.
"Sorry," he whispered to her just as "Flint, Anna" was called. "I know that a Mud-, er, Muggle-born has a low chance of making Slytherin, but I still hope."
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called. Anna Flint danced over to the Slytherin table and sat down across from Alphard. She smiled at her fellow first years.
"Hello," Anna said in a strong voice. "My name is Anna Flint."
Alphard nodded. "I'm Alphard Black. This," he pointed to Violette, "is my cousin Violette Black."
As Violette could have foreseen, Anna's eyes narrowed in scrutiny as she looked at Violette. She could tell that this girl was from a prominent pure-blood family that knew of the Blacks and, consequently, Arcturus's third child. Violette predicted that the majority of the Slytherins were going to react to her in the same way that Anna Flint did. She sighed.
"Pleased to meet you," Anna said while facing Alphard.
Violette, frustrated, turned back to watch the sorting as Headmaster Dippet yelled out "Gisned, Arnold!"
Alphard whirled around in his seat, ignoring the strange look Anna had given him. Violette noticed that his fingers were crossed and she promptly crossed hers as well. Alphard saw this and grinned at his cousin.
A scrawny boy with long, chestnut hair that ran almost to his shoulders made his way up to the Sorting Hat. He looked over at the Slytherin table, watching a group of older Slytherin boys at the end of their table that weren't paying attention to the sorting at all. His eyes were a startling shade of electric blue and they were only magnified by his horn rimmed glasses. Alphard soon caught Arnold Gisned's eye and the two exchanged a grin before Arnold slipped the hat onto his head.
It was silent for a few moments while the hat made its decision. Arnold was muttering something under his breath. Finally, Arnold stopped muttering and grinned as the hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"
Violette turned to Alphard, who had slumped into his seat. He ran a hand through his hair and then turned to the Gryffindor table longingly. Violette did so as well, watching as Arnold sat down next to another first year that he seemed to know. She remembered him from the sorting, for he was the first one to be sorted: Alleister Anxium. Arnold whispered something to Alleister, who smiled.
Violette found herself shamelessly gazing at Alleister Anxium's lips, his teeth, his dimples; his smile made her heart beat faster and her body feel warm. She couldn't understand what was making her feel that way just from watching the boy smile. Violette supposed she could ask Eileen once her friend joined her at the Slytherin table. Eileen seemed to know everything, not to mention that she was always reading romance novels, both wizarding and Muggle.
Alleister Anxium eventually noticed her staring, and he immediately rolled his eyes and frowned. Violette quickly turned back to the Slytherin table, humiliated. What had come over her just then? Why had she just stared at that boy? He had rolled his eyes, he had noticed, and Violette knew by her hot cheeks that her entire face was red.
Beside her, Alphard was giggling. Anna was watching the two of them with the same narrowed eyes. After "Hornby, Olive" was sorted into Ravenclaw, Alphard earned himself an elbow in the ribs from Violette. Unfortunately for the young girl, this only made Alphard laugh even harder. Soon Violette had begun to laugh herself.
"I've never heard of the name Gisned," Anna interjected coldly to end the jovial moment. "I haven't heard of Benson or Hornby either. Can you believe it, three Mudbloods admitted already? That's not even counting the half-bloods! My father will be disappointed in Headmaster Dippet."
Violette grew angrier with each word that the Flint girl said. She was about to snap back at her when she felt a sharp pain in her shin. Alphard had kicked her and was shaking his head violently now that Violette was looking at him.
"You're absolutely right," said Alphard to Anna. He was sneering, an expression that looked very unnatural on him. "This school is going to go to the dogs if they just let anyone in!"
Violette caught on. "What a shame," she said, "that one of the finest schools of magic is wasting spots on those that don't deserve it." Her snide insult to Anna was well hidden, but Alphard understood and sniggered.
Anna looked at Violette, her brown eyes wider for a change. "Well said, Violette," Anna said with an approving nod. "You're absolutely right."
Alphard, Violette and Anna returned their attention to the sorting. Violette glanced back at Alphard at one point to see that his eyes looked tortured once more. She turned back quickly; Violette had learned her lesson about staring at others.
They watched their fellow first years get sorted. They welcomed the new Slytherins that joined their ranks. Violette, of course, was waiting for Eileen to make Slytherin as well. In fact, she'd even saved her best friend a seat on her right.
After awhile, Violette's eyes glazed over. She was quite tired from all the excitement of the first day of Hogwarts. Alphard nudged her when "Moody, Alastor" was called up.
"I met him on the train," Alphard whispered to Violette. "He's the son of Auror Victor Moody. He wants to be just like his dad – an Auror and a Gryffindor."
"Let's see if he gets his wish," Violette said as they both watched Alastor don the hat.
After not even three seconds of being on Alastor's head, the Sorting Hat cried out "GRYFFINDOR!" Alphard looked down again; Violette supposed he was hoping, in a way, that one of his friends from the train would be in Slytherin. The boy named Alastor Moody joined Arnold Gisned and Alleister Anxium at the Gryffindor table. Violette looked away quickly, hoping the Anxium boy didn't notice her this time.
After "Patil, Anish" was placed in Hufflepuff, Violette knew Eileen's moment was arriving at last. She was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement as she heard the Headmaster say "Prince, Eileen!"
Eileen calmly approached the stool and placed the hat on her head. Before anyone even had a chance to blink, the hat had yelled "SLYTHERIN!" Violette watched her friend head to the Slytherin table with mild envy. She wished her sorting had been that short.
Eileen took the seat that Violette had saved her, still beaming. "That was quick!" Violette remarked. "Not even the Moody boy was quicker than you!"
"It's like I said, Vi," Eileen said. "I was born to be in Slytherin."
"Good to hear," a blonde girl across from Eileen complimented. She was one of the first years that had joined the table while she and Alphard were talking. "I'm Irina Malfoy."
Alphard turned to the girls and studied Irina carefully. "You're Abraxas's sister?"
"Unfortunately," Irina replied as she shot a glare towards the end of the table.
"But the Malfoys have been to my house loads of times," Alphard said suspiciously. "I've never seen you with them."
"I did go to your house once," said Irina. "When we were five years old, Abraxas and Cygnus locked me in your House-elf's cupboard. My parents never made me go again."
"Oh," Alphard said. "Cygnus has locked me in there loads of times. After the third time, Father told me I'd need to use my magic to get myself out."
The girls around him gasped, and Alphard smirked. "Don't worry," he assured them. "I was so scared of starving to death that the door actually melted. It was the first time I used magic."
Violette laughed along with the others at Alphard's tale, although she did have to admit that his father sounded a bit cruel. Irina nodded and glanced at the other girls, evidently trying to recognize them from some pure-blood social gathering.
"I'm Violette Black," Violette said, bracing herself for the reaction.
Surprisingly, Irina did not react like Anna had. Instead she smiled, her pale grey eyes flashing with delight. "I've heard of you," she said. "You're the Gaunt woman's daughter."
"That'd be me," Violette replied glumly.
"I didn't mean any offense," Irina said. "I think your mum is very brave for raising you on her own."
Violette smiled. "My mum is definitely one of a kind," she said to Irina.
The blonde girl then turned to Eileen who spoke up at once. "I'm Eileen Prince."
Irina and Alphard both smiled. "I've heard of the Prince family," Alphard said. "I thought they'd all died out years ago."
"Well here I am, perfectly alive," Eileen said. The new Slytherins all laughed at this.
The sorting ended at the same time their laughter had died down. Headmaster Dippet cleared his throat and vanished the parchment with a simple wave of his wand. Nearly every student became silent; the only exceptions being some of the older Slytherins.
"May I extend my best wishes to our new first years," Headmaster Dippet said. "Good luck in all your endeavors!"
There was a burst of applause from all tables in the Great Hall. Once the cheering had ceased, the Headmaster continued. "Before we eat, I have a few announcements to make."
"First, it is my great pleasure to inform you all that the evening curfew has been extended to eight o'clock." Headmaster Dippet paused, smiling, as the Great Hall erupted in applause once more. "However, any student caught out of bed after the curfew has been enforced will not only be given a detention, but an owl will be sent to the student's parents informing them of the infraction."
Headmaster Dippet ignored the groans from several students and continued. "Secondly, our caretaker Mr. Pringle has asked me to remind all of you that no magic is to be used in the corridors. May I also remind each and every one of you that magic should never be used towards another student, no matter where you are."
"Lastly, as most of you are aware, the Forbidden Forest is named so for a reason. There is no excuse for anyone to enter the forest."
Headmaster Dippet then waved his wand, causing each table in the Great Hall to become filled with all kinds of food. Violette's eyes widened at the amount of food in front of her and she saw Eileen looked the same way. "Now, let us enjoy the feast!" Headmaster Dippet said, but his voice was barely heard over the noise of silverware and chatter.
Violette started to load her plate with potatoes, mixed vegetables, shepherd's pie and a few slices of steak. She filled her goblet with the pitcher of pumpkin juice and began to tuck in eagerly. She did not stop eating until she had cleaned her plate, sighing in happiness. She looked up from her now-empty plate to see her new classmates staring at her. Anna was smirking.
"I take it you didn't eat on the way here?" Alphard asked. Violette could see in his hazel eyes that he was asking out of genuine concern.
"No," she admitted. "The food here is so good, and, er, well…" she paused, unsure of how to explain that she did not come from money like Alphard did. "My mum and I never get food like this." Violette thought of Naptista and felt terrible for leaving her mother alone at home.
Alphard and Irina nodded sympathetically. Neither one had ever experienced the hardships that Violette had, but she appreciated that they were trying to understand. Eileen was busy tucking into her own meal, although she had not stuffed herself fast enough to attract attention.
Dessert appeared shortly after and Violette could not believe her eyes. Every dessert she could have thought of was suddenly right in front of her. She was still full from dinner, so she settled for a piece of lemon meringue pie and a treacle tart. This time she made sure she ate slowly, but she still enjoyed every last bite. The welcome feast at Hogwarts had now become the best meal Violette ever had.
Once dinner had ended, and the Headmaster had said goodnight to the students, Violette and her new friends rose from their seats.
"Let's follow Tom," Irina said, pointing at a brunet boy with a silver Prefect badge. "I don't want to run into my brother."
Irina Malfoy led the way as Alphard, Eileen, Anna and Violette followed her to the Entrance Hall. The Prefect named Tom was guiding a few boys towards a corridor off to the side. Violette's group quickly caught up to them just as they descended down the corridor and into the dungeons.
"He's so handsome," Anna sighed from Violette's right. She looked at Anna and was about to ask which boy she was talking about. She followed the girl's dreamy gaze and saw she was staring at Tom the Prefect.
"Er, who exactly is he?" Violette asked quietly.
Anna did not seem shocked that Violette didn't know who Tom was. "That's Tom Riddle," Anna whispered to her. "My brother Demitri's girlfriend is a sixth year, like Tom. She reckons the whole school must fancy him by now. Even the teachers get nervous talking to him! Demitri's been trying to get him on the Slytherin Quidditch team for years now, but Tom says he isn't interested in Quidditch. He keeps to himself, he does."
"Oh," Violette said in response.
"That's not all," Anna whispered as they rounded another corridor with an iron gate at the end. "A few years ago there was a rumor going around that Tom Riddle grew up in a Muggle orphanage," Anna said. "He's a half-blood, you see, and he doesn't like to talk about his father. Demitri reckons it's true, but no one really knows for sure. Could you imagine, growing up in a filthy Muggle orphanage?"
"That's horrible," Violette replied as they approached the iron gate. She could tell that Anna Flint had the potential to be the gossip queen of their year. Violette made a mental note to warn Eileen and Irina not to spill any secrets around her.
Tom came to a halt right before the gate and turned to face the group of first years. Violette and Eileen gasped audibly as they gazed at the gorgeous boy in front of them. Violette couldn't help but notice that Tom's eyes were just as amber as hers. His face was pale, but it looked good with his dark hair and pointed features. Anna had been right about one thing; Tom Riddle definitely was handsome.
"This is the door to the Slytherin common room," Tom explained. "The current password is 'polyjuice.' The password changes every fortnight, so make sure to keep track of them. Boys, your dormitory is upstairs and all the way down on your right. Girls, your dormitory is up the left-hand staircase."
There were numerous murmurs from the first years. Violette saw one smaller boy taking notes on a bit of parchment and giggled.
"Polyjuice," Tom said in his smooth voice. The iron gate slowly opened, groaning as it did so. The Slytherins filed in quickly, eager to see the common room for the first time.
There were many gasps and whispers when they entered the Slytherin common room. The walls were stone and grey, but the carpet and armchairs were a rich emerald color. Violette was about to examine more of the large room when three older boys stepped in front of her.
Violette recognized Orion Black immediately by his features that mirrored her own. They had the same nose, the same shape of their eyes and mouth, and they even shared the same cheek bones. Orion, however, was glaring down at Violette with steel grey eyes that intimidated her.
The boy standing in between the other two had sandy brown hair and the same cold, grey eyes. He had his head held high and his chest puffed out proudly. The boy on his other side had pale blond hair that looked almost white in the dim light of the common room. His eyes were also grey, although they were paler than Orion's. Due to the resemblance, Violette guessed that he was Irina's brother, Abraxas Malfoy. That meant the boy with the sandy hair was Cygnus Black. All three boys looked extremely menacing, so Violette attempted to move out of their way as quickly as possible. However, they stepped in front of her again.
"What's your hurry, sis?" Orion barked. Cygnus and Abraxas sniggered.
"Shove off, Orion," Alphard growled from beside Violette. She shot him a grateful smile. "Violette is all right, so just leave her alone."
"Alphard," Cygnus drawled without bothering to hide the clear disgust in his voice. "Do you know who this girl is? She's the daughter of that Gaunt tramp. Uncle Arcturus almost abandoned Orion and Lucretia for her! Why would you want to be friends with scum like that?"
Violette's eyes filled with tears. This was not how she had imagined her first night at Hogwarts going. She noticed that many of the Slytherins were now watching the scene. Some were laughing at her while others were shooting her looks of sympathy. Eileen grabbed her hand and squeezed, attempting to pull her away from Cygnus and his cronies.
"Enough," hissed a voice that was familiar to Violette, though she couldn't place it.
Everyone, including Violette, looked around for the speaker and found Tom Riddle making his way through the crowd. He strode in front of Violette without stopping, and Violette noticed for the first time that he looked livid. With Tom now in front of her, she was unable to see Cygnus any longer. She was too shocked to say or do anything. Why was Tom Riddle of all people defending her?
"Violette's grandfather murdered my Muggle family this summer," Tom said loudly. Violette felt her stomach drop to her knees. She wished she knew how to apparate. Tom wasn't defending her; he was siding with Cygnus!
"My Muggle father deserved what he got," Tom said, causing Violette to glance up in shock.
Tom turned toward the three boys, but only Cygnus was brave enough to look him in the eye. They seemed to be having a stare-down, and eventually Tom looked away. "You will leave her alone," he warned in a dangerous tone.
Violette saw Orion and Abraxas nodding vigorously. Were they afraid of Tom Riddle? Furthermore, how did Tom know about Morfin Gaunt? In Professor Dumbledore's letter, he had informed Naptista that her father's crimes would not be published in the Daily Prophet. Violette looked at Eileen, then at Alphard, but saw they were both wearing identical looks of confusion.
"We will," Cygnus said finally. Orion and Abraxas nodded in agreement. With one last scathing look at her, Orion followed Cygnus and Abraxas upstairs.
Tom did not move, nor did he turn to look at Violette. She was very grateful to him for saving her from a disastrous start to her year at Hogwarts, but she couldn't understand why he had done it in the first place. She was also a bit disturbed at how he had acted like Morfin Gaunt had done him a favor by killing his father and grandparents. Violette felt as if she were going to be sick; she hadn't known that the Muggles Morfin had murdered were the relatives of someone who would become her classmate.
"Violette," Tom said suddenly, causing her to jump. He chuckled as her cheeks flushed crimson. "May I have a word with you in private?"
"Er," Violette began, "of course."
She followed Tom as she walked towards a more private corner by the fireplace in the common room. She hoped that Tom was going to answer her questions.
"You're wondering why I stood up for you," Tom surmised. Violette looked up and saw his eyes boring into her own. She dropped her gaze quickly, embarrassed once again. "I won't disappoint you by denying you an answer, Violette."
"You see," Tom continued, "I don't think that a pure-blood like yourself should be pushed around before term even starts. You have not been given a chance to prove yourself." He paused, and Violette saw he was playing with a golden ring on his middle finger.
"Do you know my family, Tom?" Violette asked before she could stop herself.
Tom's expression was unreadable. "I've heard of them," he said finally.
"Well, er, thank you," Violette said as she slowly backed away. While she was grateful that he had saved her from Cygnus and the others, being alone with Tom was a bit intimidating. It was making Violette quite uncomfortable. When Tom did not protest her departure she quickly rejoined Eileen and Alphard, who had been waiting for her.
"What was that about?" Eileen asked her.
"He wanted to tell me why he stood up for me," Violette summarized. "He said he didn't want me to be picked on before I've had a chance to prove myself."
Eileen beamed. "That was nice of him," she remarked.
"I can't believe someone actually stood up to Cygnus," Alphard said. "I've never seen anyone talk to him like that. Did you see how scared Orion and Abraxas were?"
Violette and Eileen giggled. "He looked like he was about to wet himself!" Violette exclaimed to more laughter from her new friends.
Alphard yawned. "I'm going to go to bed," he told them. "I reckon it's time I meet my new dorm-mates. G'night."
The two girls said goodnight to Alphard before heading up the staircase to the girls' dormitories. They entered their dormitory to find Anna Flint and Irina Malfoy waiting up for them.
"I can't believe Tom Riddle stood up for you like that!" Anna exclaimed. "You have to tell us everything he said; we left when he asked to talk to you in private."
Irina rolled her eyes at her companion, sitting crossed-legged on the end of her bed. "She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to, Anna," she said wearily.
Violette shot her a grateful smirk before glancing at her new bed. Emerald trimmed robes had been laid out on top of her trunk beside her bed. She grinned at the sight of the open owl cage perched on the windowsill; the House-elves must have let Fretta, her new owl, out into the night to hunt. She sat on her new bed, glancing at the window and noticing it showed them the night sky outside as if they were high above the grounds.
"I thought the Slytherin dorms were under the lake?" Violette asked. One look at Eileen told her that her best friend had been wondering the very same thing.
"It is," Anna confirmed. She looked a bit disappointed that Violette had dodged the subject of Tom Riddle. "The windows are bewitched to look like it does outside."
"Really?" Eileen asked, sharing a bewildered look with Violette. They thought they'd known everything to expect at Hogwarts; Violette couldn't believe they'd missed this throughout their readings of Hogwarts, A History. "So, if it were raining outside…"
"Our windows would show it raining outside," Irina finished with a smirk.
"Brilliant!" Violette cried as she stared out the window in awe.
"Well, if that's all," Anna shot a pointed look at Violette before pulling up the covers of her own bed. "I'm going to get some rest. Good night." She slid under the emerald sheets of her bed.
Irina sighed, looking rather cross with the other girl. "We're not going to gossip about Riddle just because you're pretending to sleep, Anna."
Anna huffed and the three other girls giggled furiously. Soon, though, they began to yawn and crawl under their own covers. It had been a long day for all of them and they could all do with some rest.
Once the girls had said goodnight and turned out the lights, Violette turned over to continue staring out the closest window. Whatever his reason was, she was grateful to Tom Riddle for stopping the sixth years from making her first night at Hogwarts a miserable one. She knew she would have to deal with Orion Black eventually, but for tonight she was at peace. Once she had proven herself, like Tom had pointed out, they would no longer laugh at her. Violette closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the day when the Blacks would accept her.