I walked into the Great Hall the next morning with a tired grin on my face. Staying up all night was a bit rough, but nothing a little breakfast and mail could fix.

As the owls arrived, I looked for one of my father's, momentarily forgetting I was in Gryffindor. However, a rough pat on the back that nearly made me vomit reminded me of my situation.

"Looks like Snake forgot his mountain of hair gel on the way to Hogwarts!"

I looked down at me breakfast, not feeling hungry anymore. "Potter."

He leaned over my shoulder and flashed a grin at me. "You know, with the way you say my name, you'd think you were still five years old."

I sighed, knowing my question was going to get me in trouble. "And why is that?"

"'Cause you can't pronounce your 'R's!"

I glared into my food, before hearing those redheaded third-years pipe up.

"Looks like Snake's got a howler."

My eyes widened and I nearly spat into my plate.

"This'll be fun."

The red envelope was sitting in my hands. Neville put his hand on top of mine with a worried glance at the letter. "You should open it now. It'll explode if you don't do it soon."

My hands trembled as I started breaking the wax seal. I didn't have to do much before it flew open and started its monologue.

"Draco Malfoy, you have committed a great disgrace to our household. Tell me, what prompted you to allow the Sorting Hat to make you a Gryffindor, instead of a Slytherin, like we trained you to be?"

Great. It was Father. I shrunk down into my seat, hoping the other Slytherins wouldn't hear the letter.

"Until you get your act in order and order the headmaster to allow you to be in your proper place, you are hereby disavowed from the Malfoy name and house."

Everything fell apart. My world shattering, laughter ringing right next to me.

"Did you hear that? Snake's got no family now!"

"Greasy kid deserves it. Make fun of another's family, don't deserve to have your own, that's what I say."

"You shut up!" The voice cut through my stupor, ringing in my ears. "What do you think would happen to you- to any of you- if you didn't get the house your parents raised you to get?!" The muggle-born girl. Hermione.

"Well, he could've asked the hat to put him in Slytherin." Potter. Why was he mocking me?

I gripped the bench. "I did," I whispered.

"Huh?" He leaned down again, his face leering at me. At least, I think it was leering.

"I did ask. The hat just didn't listen, because apparently I'm not special enough!"

I burst out of the bench, knocking over Potter. "I'm not like you! I had to work to be a Slytherin, only for some stupid hat to put me in the wrong house! It's not my fault I'm like this!"

We were getting attention from the Hufflepuffs. They peered over their benches to witness the eleven-year-old drama queen fighting the chosen one.

He bit back. "Look, I don't know what your home life is like, but Hogwarts is a miracle to me, and I'm grateful for knowing I'm a wizard, no matter what house I'm in! Why can't you do the same?!"

I leaned own toward him, ready to deliver the final blow. "If you're so grateful, why did I hear you whispering 'not Slytherin' into the hat?"

Everyone around us gasped, including the Hufflepuffs, who, by this time, had come over to the Gryffindor table to see what all the fuss was about.

His eyes grew wide. "You...heard that?"

"I heard it loud and clear. Just because you're far away doesn't mean I can't hear you."

He scrambled away, his glasses slipping down his nose. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see McGonagall getting up. I had to end this before class started.

"In fact, I have a particular talent for listening through doorways, wondering if my parents would throw me out tomorrow. However, you didn't need to know that. Your mother loved you. Past tense."

I walked out of the Great Hall, McGonagall shouting my last name behind me. Not that it mattered. I wasn't tied to that name anymore.