Chapter Five: Several Surprises
Soon, the train arrived at a station. Leaving my compartment, I heard a small "meow." Turning around quickly, I realized that Felon had been right there all along. She had been so quiet throughout the trip that I had forgotten all about her. I didn't have to worry about Sir Dinadan, as the luggage crew dealt with owls.
Picking up my cat and getting off the train, I saw the biggest, tallest, wildest-looking man...ever...waiting on the platform. He had a giant, bushy beard and long, dirty, uncombed hair. I couldn't imagine how he could live with his own stench, wearing all those filthy animal skins and carrying a (would you believe it?) oil lantern. How medieval! When the giant barbarian started calling for the first years to follow him, I almost panicked. Draco didn't seem too reassured by our new guide, either.
Luckily, the boat ride across the lake proved to be wonderful. Hogwarts sat atop a hill, a sprawling castle illuminated by hundreds of lights. I gasped at its size, then noticed the same reaction in most of the other students. When the boats had docked and unloaded, we continued as a group into Hogwarts. Before passing through a large set of doors, we were stopped by a stately-looking witch.
"I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Transfigurations Master. Before you join the feast, you will be sorted into your Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," she said. Then she looked meaningfully at Chloe Simmons, who had a snake draped around her neck. "I think we already have an idea of which House some of you will be in."
The doors opened, and we entered in a line. Being that it was arranged alphabetically, I was last. A beat-up old hat sat waiting on a stool, and suddenly it burst out singing, which I thought was a bit bizarre for a hat. One by one, first years set the hat (which had now finished its song) on their head and waited for it to call out a House name. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were placed in Slytherin. Potter, Simmons, another Weasley, and the girl with bushy hair all ended up in Gryffindor. I was shocked; I thought the Parselmouth would surely be in Slytherin! Finally, "Zænidh, Andromeda" was called, and I stepped up to be Sorted. Felon trailed behind me and waited at my feet as I took a seat on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on my head...and, to my surprise, I heard a very leathery voice.
"Hmm...a pureblood. No extraordinary talents, but you are quite clever. You could be great you know!...oh, what's the use of all this? Now you're going to say, 'Put me Gryffindor!' like those other two, aren't you?" It seemed that no one else could hear the hat speaking.
I was startled. "Uh, only if you think it's a good idea."
"Ha!" the hat replied, "I don't think it's a good idea! The ones who ask for Gryffindor, I have to place there, but the ones who don't ask don't deserve it! Right? So I have just proven that you should not be in Gryffindor. Going to get very crowded someday, that House. And you are a pureblood, so I think...SLYTHERIN!" This exchange lasted a fraction of a second.
I got up off the chair, shrugged, and went to sit next to Draco at the Slytherin table. He grinned cheerfully and gave me a pat on the back. Headmaster Dumbledore said a few words ("Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"), and then the feast began. Mountains of food appeared on the tables, and everyone reached for the first dish they saw. Crabbe and Goyle were starting on their third pie, Draco had helped himself to a another portion of roast beef, and I was just pouring a cup of pumpkin juice, when I suddenly realized the implications of my House placement. Me, in Slytherin? Nothing against Slytherin, but...this should not have happened!
My hand jerked and I spilled half the jug of pumpkin juice across the table. Before I could say anything, a Slytherin prefect had cleaned up the mess with a swish of his wand and a few words. I stared briefly, then stood up to get away from the table. Draco grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.
"What's wrong? No one cares that you made a mess...they're not going to laugh at you or anything! If they did, they would have to deal with me. Sit down."
I shook my head. "I'm not hungry."
He rolled his eyes. "So? What could you do if you left, anyway? Nothing! So stay here. You have to meet some of the other Slytherins. Talk to the prefects; they can tell you how to find your way around Hogwarts."
I continued to shake my head. "I have to talk to Headmaster Dumbledore. The hat put me in the wrong House." I quickly recounted the story of my family: any Zænidh could end up in any of the Houses, but there were never Slytherins and Gryffindors in the same immediate family. My sisters had been Gryffindors, so of all the Houses, Slytherin was the one I shouldn't be in.
"That's trash," said Draco, when I had finished my explanation. "Anyway, Slytherin is the best House. I told you you'd make it in! All kinds of great wizards come out of Slytherin." Then his voice became more serious. "And even if you did ask him, Dumbledore wouldn't do anything. No one changes your House assignment once you get Sorted. It doesn't happen! Now sit! D'you think I want to talk to Goyle here all evening?" Goyle glanced up stupidly at the mention of his name, then resumed eating.
I smiled and laughed weakly, then sat down and tried to think of a plausible reason for this odd twist of fate. Maybe it was just coincidence that my family had ended up with a small rift in it. The idea was not impossible.
For the second time that day, I heard a small "meow" behind me. Seeing that Felon looked very hungry, I gave her a piece of fish and a lemon tart. I hoped that whoever had prepared the feast didn't mind me sharing it with a cat.
Soon, however, dinner was over and the prefects led us up to our Houses. The entrance to Slytherin House was a door hidden in a plain, stone wall. "Listen up first years!" said a prefect. "The location of this door is to remain a secret. Also, you need a password to open it. You must never tell our password to anyone outside of Slytherin. If you do, you never know what terrible fate could befall you in the night." She faked a malicious chuckle. "But if you happen across anyone else's password, do be sure to tell me." Everyone laughed.
"For now," she continued, "the password is 'green machine.' I hope you can remember that, because you'll be stuck out in the hall if you can't." With that, she opened the door and we entered the Slytherin common room.
To Be Continued...
Hey, thanks for reading; I hope you like the story so far! Here's my disclaimer: I own the Zænidh family, Felon, the current Slytherin password, and the original dialogue and events. Chloe Simmons belongs to WildMage42. Check it out if you haven't read it already!