DISCLAIMER: …do I have to keep doing this? Come on, if I was J.K. I would be living it up in my huge house and possibly swimming pool  - maybe with tropical fish, and a little fishing pole for my cat. So leave me alone – I am basically poor.

A BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG thank you to all that reviewed my past chapters. *begins to distribute pie* Sorry – you don't review, you don't get pie.

SERPENT CARVINGS – chapter three

by elvenquill

*

A loud jolt woke Pandora out of her self-induced sleep. She looked around blearily for a moment, not recognising her unfamiliar surroundings, until she yawned, stretched her arms and remembered that she was on the Hogwarts Express.

'Oh, right,' she muttered, stretching her neck which had a surprising ache to it.

She sat still for a moment, noticing the growing roar of teenagers meeting and greeting, and began to assemble her things that she had strewn on the seat next to her. Chocolate, a hairbrush, books… everything she packed into her worn black bag, which she slung over her shoulder as she picked up Bandi's cage.

'Come on, Bandi,' she said to the bird in the cage. 'Let's go.'

Pandora stepped out into the train corridor, and was nearly flattened as a large girl barreled her way through the corridor. She stood up against the wall for a few moments while she regathered her wits, and noticed that the crowd seemed to be swarming in one particular direction… in this case, left. She fell in and walked off the train, stepping delicately onto the platform while looking around for someone she knew… despite the fact she knew a grand total of four people.

It's ok, she told herself firmly. You do not need others to be comfortable.

She stood calmly in this swarm of people, until a voice at her side made her jump slightly, until she turned around to be faced with silver grey eyes.

'Draco,' she acknowledged, smiling slightly, and though she would not admit it, grateful for any company... though he seemed to be accompanied by two silent bodyguards, huge hulking boys who seemed too old to be friends with him.

'Pandora,' he replied, flashing a brief smile back. 'Do you… need some help?' he asked hesitantly, staring at Bandi.

'No, thank you,' Pandora replied, smirking inwardly, still smiling charmingly on the outside. 'Though I am not sure where I am meant to be going now,' she admitted.

'Well,' Draco started; brushing back a few strands of pale hair that had fell into his eyes. 'We have dinner in the Great Hall now, and you will most probably be sorted.'

'Sorted?' Pandora asked curiously, carrying Bandi's cage with her left hand, with Draco walking with gloved hands in his pockets, a dark scarf around his neck on her right as they walked away from the train station together, following the mass of students. 'I have heard something about that, but I couldn't remember the details,' she amended, wishing that she had brought a scarf for there was a cold breeze nipping at everyone's skin.

Draco noticed this, and debated about what he was about to do, but brought the scarf from around his neck and placed it around hers. 'Cold?' he asked her.

'Freezing,' she confessed. "I am used to much warmer weather, even in winter.' They were walking in slight darkness now, people talking all around them, and the cold air wrapping itself around each and every warm body, but Pandora had ceased to notice the crowd. She had to admit, she was flattered at his gesture… though maybe it was just the English thing to do.

'Anyway,' he continued, putting his hands back in his pockets with his head down, concentrating on finding his footing in the fading light. 'You'll be sorted by the Sorting Hat, an enchanted hat. You'll do almost everything with your house – eat, sleep, take classes, do arts and crafts,' he commented.

'Arts and crafts?' she asked, raising an eyebrow, smirking slightly.

'Of course. What says class better than misshapen pottery?' Draco grinned, bring his silver eyes to life and Pandora grinned back. Hey hey hey, she though to herself. A friend. And may I say, it was about time.

*

'Zulian, Patrick.'

Pandora watched, bored, as a young, skinny pasty-faced boy got sorted into Hufflepuff, the hat screaming out the house name and the boy slid off the chair, to be greeted with claps on the back from his older housemates that nearly sent him sprawling face first into a bowl of mashed potatoes.

'And now,' the woman, who Pandora had come to know as Professor McGonagall, said to the hall. 'We have one transfer student this year – Fey, Pandora.'

Pandora walked smoothly to the chair and sat down – her last glimpse of the hall was a few interested faces, but mainly that of hunger.

She settled herself into the chair and waited to hear the little voice Draco had told her about.

'Ah, yes,' a little voice breathed into her ear, making her shiver slightly from the startle. 'Another Fey… I remember your mother, Pandora, an impressive young woman she made, and I can see you will be no less… ambition there… to be a great sorceress, I see?' the hat's voice seemed almost amused.

What's wrong with that? Pandora thought, irritated slightly.

'Nothing, nothing…' the hat replied. 'Impressive ambition… you have a desire to rise above your peers… not to be consumed by the shallowness of normal teenage life, also impressive… there is one house that could help you on your way to greatness…'

'Whatever will help me,' Pandora murmured, her eyes shut.

'Well, it seems to me that the best place for you to succeed will be… SLYTHERIN!' the hat shouted to the hall. There were loud claps from the Slytherin table, and some from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw table. Judging by the Gryffindor's table reaction, they didn't seem too pleased. She was forgotten, however, very quickly, as food appeared on large platters and people began to eat hungrily, choosing from a variety of hot foods.

Pandora made her way to the Slytherin table, where she sat in a spare seat between a thin girl and a rather heavyset boy, and across the table from Draco, who, as she noticed, sat in between the two boys she had seen with him at the train station. She smiled at him, and he grinned back, lifting a goblet.

'Congratulations,' he said cheerfully. 'A Slytherin, then.'

'Sure am,' she said, looking at the food. 'What is that?'

The heavyset boy on her left grunted. 'Don't know,' he said, chewing. 'But whatever it is, it's pretty good.'

Pandora shrugged and began to load up her plate with chicken, bread and vegetables, listening to the conversation around her. 

' – so you hear the latest – '

' – who hasn't, I mean everyone knows they went to Hogsmeade together – '

Pandora frowned. 'Draco,' she whispered, leaning forward. He cast a quizzical look in her direction. 'What's Hogsmeade?'

'Small town, we go there on weekends sometimes,' he said airily, not really concentrating on what he was saying. 'Sarah will tell you all about it, she spends a lot of time there.'

Sarah, who turned out to be the thin, dark haired girl on her left, flashed a smile. 'It's better than the castle any day, with all those Gryffindors always searching the castle for hidden doors… always tripping over them.'

The heavyset boy gave another grunt, obviously in agreeance.

'That's Adam, by the way,' Sarah continued. 'And as I was saying, Hogsmeade is large enough for the students of Hogwarts to enjoy a few hours there – there's a joke shop, robes shop, pub and assorted other shops… and the Shrieking Shack, but you needn't worry about that. Old wives tales, anyway.'

'Shrieking Shack?'

'Oh, just a shack that people claim to be haunted… it isn't, really. Your accent sounds strange… sorry, but I can't put my finger on it,' Sarah said, her eyes interested.

'I'm Australian,' Pandora said cheerfully, flipping her honey coloured hair over her shoulder. 'And I've only been in England for a few weeks, and I am already freezing.'

'Yeah, it does get cold,' Sarah agreed. 'But you will get used to it soon. They've installed a brand new fireplace in the Slytherin common room, and it's not as cold and damp as it used to be. Are you glad to be in Slytherin?'

Pandora smiled, shrugging her shoulders. 'I don't know too much about it,' she explained. 'But I suppose so, yes. I can't wait to go to the rooms though – I'm tired for some reason.' This Pandora was – sleepy, and mentally tired, so that all she felt like doing was crawling into a warm bed and pulling the covers up to her chin, and falling into a deep, blissful sleep.

'Well, you'll have to wait till after dessert,' Adam told her. 'That's when we all go to the rooms… besides; you don't want to miss out on dessert. They do a super chocolate mousse… and pie… and custard tarts, and jelly…' he described.

'Oh, Adam, stop thinking of your stomach,' Sarah snapped.

Adam went quiet for a moment, but then jumped in for one last comment, explaining to Pandora exactly how good the lemon soufflé was.

Sarah rolled her eyes, but continued to talk to Pandora. 'What school did you go to in Australia?' she asked.

'Kangara,' Pandora said. 'Have you heard of it?'

Sarah shook her head, but Draco jumped in. 'Father explained a bit about it to me,' he said, interest now in his eyes. 'Is it true the school mascot is a talking kangaroo?'

Pandora began to laugh. 'If that's what your father explained to you, he's got it way off,' she said. 'The school mascot is actually a kookaburra, and our motto isn't in Latin, just English. Fly like the wind and soar above the clouds.'

'Is that your motto?' Draco asked, a forkful of chicken halfway to his mouth.

'Yes,' she said. 'I like it, anyway.'

'Me too,' Adam chimed in. 'Got a nice ring to it.'

*

'Girls dorms on your left, boys on your right…' a Prefect droned to the first years, as Pandora climbed up the stairs, following Sarah. She had been introduced briefly to the other Slytherin sixth year girls, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson, and a few others whose names or faces she could not place. She had liked the Slytherin common room, with its simple elegance and silver decorations, mainly of snakes.

Pandora secured a bed next to Sarah, and next to a wall. She slipped in between the covers, and yawned, her thoughts dancing of what was to come… though they did not dance for long, but only slowed and moved groggily as sleep claimed her.

*

Bwa ha ha ha very very short chapter today, but because it is so late and I am so tired, that is all for today. As a special treat, I have with me Pandora and Draco to dissect the reviews… if you are good and review again, they just might come back.

-

Pandora: what do you mean, I don't draw enough attention? I draw so much attention onto myself, it's like I am holding a giant texta!

Draco: …what's a texta?

opal.star

Draco: I made you snort? I make no one snort!

Pandora: Oooh, what, you too classy for a snort?

Draco: Exactly.

Pandora: *snort*

Review! I give you cookies.