Draco surveyed the activity in the great hall. Students steadily streamed in, running around greeting friends. "One more year, and I'm out of this dump," he thought. He watched as the infamous trio came laughing in, greeted by a chorus of hellos. " Potter's still got his little fan club going…" he remarked to himself, as he studied them warily. They hadn't changed much …pity no permanent damage had been done to them over the summer. They caught him watching them, and they gave him a challenging glare. He sneered and turned away, there would be plenty of opportunities later. Blaise came over and interrupted his thoughts.
"Found anyone to your liking?" he asked, mistaking Draco for watching girls instead of Harry and his friends.
"Not many people worth my time." Draco replied honestly.
"Not me, I'm not as fussy as you. Even a couple of those Gryfindors don't look half bad."
"You're a sick man Blaise. A sick man." Retorted Draco.
"Hey, nothings wrong with looking. What's with you?" said Blaise, stopping his scope of girls to take a glance at Draco.
"It's nothing, my dad getting under my skin. Wants me to get more involved."
"I feel for yah. My dad isn't exactly laying off me either."
Professor McGonagall rang a silver bell. The students quickly took their seats. " We are going to begin the sorting in a couple minutes. Please be quiet and remain seated." She left and came back with a string of students behind of her. At the back was a slender hooded figure, wearing a dark cloak that covered them completely. Hushed murmurs spread through the room at the sight of the mysterious student.
"Who do you suppose that is? Whispered Blaise.
"I don't know…I'm guessing that the rumors of a new student were true." Draco replied.
Professor McGonagall stopped at the front of the teacher's table. The waiting hat sat on a stool, as Professor McGonagall pulled out a long scroll and began to read out names. She sorted all the first years, until the only one left standing was Lera. "This year, we have a new student transferring into 7th year at our school. I hope that you will welcome Lera and make her feel comfortable." She said.
Lera moved towards the stool and sat down. Slowly, she pulled back the hood of her cloak. Eyes stared at her intently as Professor McGonagall place the sorting hat on her head.
"Ah, what have we here? A member of the Strender family." Said the hat in her ear. "I'd as soon as put you in Slytherin at the mention of your last name, if it wasn't for something else."
"What do you mean?"
But the hat was already muttering, and her question was lost to it. "Where to put you, where to put you? You're a very difficult one. You could easily fit into any house. You wouldn't gain much from being in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw though, Slytherin or Gryfindor would really shape your future."
"I don't understand"
"Each house brings out and strengthens the characteristics in you that they represent. Slytherin could help you become the person you're family has always wanted you to be. You could become powerful, strong, and your father would be proud to call you his daughter. Slytherin would awaken a girl who has been lost to him for a very long time. Gryffindor, on the other hand, would show you the way to being the girl you've already started to become. It offers you a hard route, but an honest one. You would know true friendship, and love. You will become strong, but in character, not in power. Each house will take you down a different path. Where you want to go is up to you."
"I'm not a Slytherin?" thought Lera
"Only if you don't want to be. Oh, don't look so solemn, its not like what you say will be written in stone. You determine who you are, not the house you live in."
"I never realized I would be the one to choose. I… I've never known friends…and Hermione has been the first person I've ever met who was friendly even though she had nothing to gain from it. I would like to be friends with her…"started Lera.
"Say no more, you're now a GRIFFINDOR!" shouted the hat to the great hall. Ron and Hermione cheered wildly, and the great hall erupted into cheers. Lera smiled weakly as she rose and joined her friends at their table. "We knew you'd do fine" said Ron, patting her on the back. Food appeared on the tables and they began eating.
Lera dove into her food. The hats words to her brooded on her mind. The food and company however, quickly distracted her by asking numerous questions about her life and previous school.
"I'm planning on starting the quidditch tryouts in a couple weeks." Said Harry, in between mouthfuls of food.
"Harry's the captain of the Griffindor team." Said Hermione, turning towards Lera.
"You play quidditch here?" asked Lera.
"Of course," interrupted Ron " It's the best bloody sport there is! Harry's captain and seeker, I'm keeper, and Hermione is our finest strategist. Without her, we'd be nowhere."
"Flatterer," declared Hermione, punching him in the arm.
"Ow, that really hurts 'mione. Anyways Lera, we need some new players, so we'll see you at tryouts right?"
"Um, well there's a problem. I've never really played."
Harry choked on a bone. Ron spitted out his pumpkin juice. Hermione only narrowly avoided the wave of juice, and spent the next minute helping Harry recover from his coughing fit. They stared at her.
"You've never played quidditch?" Ron said, in a low dangerous whisper
"Well, no, they didn't think it was an appropriate sport to teach." Said Lera nervously.
"Why not? What's wrong with Quidditch?" said Ron, getting rather worked up.
"They just didn't consider it very ladylike. Most of their clients are really wealthy, and don't like the idea of their daughters playing it when there were better things to do."
"That's bull! " cried Ron " What can you do if you couldn't play Quidditch?"
Lera swallowed. "Flyastics."
Flyastics was a mix of gymnastics and synchronized dancing while on a broom in the air. It was generally considered a rather sissy sport, though an extremely hard art to master.
Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and looked back at Lera with a look of pure disgust and horror on their faces.
"You didn't really have to learn flyastics, were you? Asked Harry, unintentionally speaking to Lera for the first time.
"It's not like I wanted to," said Lera crossly. "I didn't really have any choice in the matter."
"But you can fly right? Said Ron hopefully
"Of course, I can fly with the best of them!"
"Then there's still hope! Harry and I will teach you."
Harry groaned inwardly. The last thing he wanted to do is spend time with Lera, much less try and teach her how to play quidditch. Why was she even hanging around with them anyways? Didn't she have anyone else to bother? Harry's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the desserts. Distracted, he turned his thoughts towards getting the cupcakes before Ron ate them all.
Lera felt a prickly feeling run down her back, like someone was watching her. She turned abruptly around, and found the source: a pair of grey eyes watching her from across the other end of the hall. They belonged to a boy, who wasn't at all bad to look at, but was dressed in Slytherin robes. They locked eyes for a moment, before he turned his attention back to his food. Lera felt eerie chills go down her back, like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her. She tugged on Hermione's robe. "Who's that? He just gave me this weird look"
Hermione turned around and looked in the direction of Lera's finger. "That's just Malfoy, he's a real creep who'll do anything to get us in trouble."
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Draco scowled angrily at his plate. That girl had caught him watching her. He hadn't meant to even give her a second glance, but there was something about her. It wasn't hard to look at her, she wasn't unattractive, but there was something familiar about her? Who was she? Whoever she was, she obviously didn't have any taste if she was joining Potter's little group of 'friends'. It was a pity though, Slytherin robes would have looked good on her.
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"He can't be a Malfoy!" thought Lera.
"He's not really –" Lera began, but was interrupted by Proffessor Dumbledore standing up to make announcements.
"Thank you for giving our new student such a warm and deserving welcome. I'm sure that this year will be the most exciting one yet. Before we turn in, I'd like to announce this year's Head boy and girl. To no one's surprise, Hermione Granger is this year's Head girl."
Hermione stood up and went to the front of the room, cheers rose from all the tables except Slytherin. " For our Head Boy, we have chosen Draco Malfoy."
Shocked silence filled the room for a few seconds, before the Slytherins started cheering and clapping, and the other tables slowly joined in as Malfoy walked to the front of the room.
"Has Dumbledore gone mad?" whispered Ron to Harry and Lera. "Malfoy may be a smart student, but it's Malfoy we're talking about! How are they going to get anything organized together?"
Lera was too shocked for her own reasons. She had forgotten that Draco was going to be at her school. She hadn't recognized him at first, but now was sure she would never be able to forget him. It was all over, he would recognize her, and tell his father, who would tell her father. Then she would be dragged out of the school, and Hermione and Ron would know the truth about her.
Lera noticed that Hermione had gone slightly pale when Draco had been announced. No doubt, Hermione also thought her dreams of enjoying her year at Hogwarts had been dashed.
Dumbledore started to speak again " I realize that Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy have been at odds the last years, but I have complete faith that this year they will be able to put aside their differences and work together." He motioned for them to shake hands.
They turned to each other, each with a grim smile fixed on their face. They quickly shook hands and turned away from each other. Draco wiped his hand in defiance, and Hermione was filled with the sudden childish urge to stick out her tongue. Dumbledore appeared satisfied and motioned them back to their seats. "With all that done, you are now dismissed. Prefects, show your students to their dormitories. If our new student and head boy and girl would remain for a minute, it would be most appreciated."
"Tough luck on Head Boy Hermione" said Ron sympathetically. We'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."
"Yes, alright then." Said Hermione. "Don't worry, Malfoy or no Malfoy, I'm going to have fun this year."
"That's the spirit Hermione" said Harry, waving goodnight.
Hermione and Lera started walking to Dumbledore. "In a few minutes, it will all be over", thought Lera. Draco would recognize her and the game would be up.
Hermione and Lera reached Dumbledore, who had apparently just finished talking to Draco. "Right then Mr. Malfoy, here's your password for your room."
"Thank you sir."He walked off, giving Hermione and Lera a glare. But that was all, he didn't recognize her.
She let out a sigh of relief. "Not the most amiable person you could meet is he?" she commented.
"Most likely Miss." Chuckled Dumbledore. "Anyways, it has come to my attention that you girls have become quite close in the last couple of hours. So, I thought that if Miss. Granger would like it, you two might share the Head Girls's room, which is more than big enough for two girls to share."
"Your kidding right?" gasped Hermione
"Not at all, I'm dead serious." Replied Dumbledore, eyes twinkling merrily.
"That would be perfect!" cried the two girls together. "Thank you!"
"It is my pleasure to make sure my students live comfortably. The password is: Sphinx flame. I bid you goodnight Miss. Granger and Miss. Arel."
Hermione and Lera walked out the Great Hall. "How did he know my last name?" asked Lera.
"Dumbledore is pretty smart, nothing really escapes his notice. He probably just looked in the records." Replied Hermione cheerfully.
"But Arel isn't even my real last name" thought Lera. "I can't believe we're sharing a room all to ourself!" she said.
" I know! I was so nervous about having such a big room to myself! I think this is it!" said Hermione, stopping at a painting. The painting was of a unicorn sitting in the middle of a forest. A tree nymph came out of tree and asked for the password. "Sphinx flame." Said Hermione. The nymph smiled and nodded and the painting swung open to reveal a door. They stepped in and gasped.
It was a room fit for any king. Gryffindor's rich colours decorated the room in a comforting glow. A fireplace was little on the right wall. In front, was a small coffee table, with couches and chairs surrounding it. The walls had plenty of empty space for hanging pictures, and there were several empty bookcases. A large orange cat stretched out on one of the couches.
"Crookshanks!" cried Hermione. Lera went into the bedrooms.
Inside there were two four post beds, with drawn silk curtains. There were two desks for the studies ahead. She opened the closet and discovered that it had been fixed with a spell to have infinite space. At the far end of the room were glass doors, opening out to the balcony.
" Lera! Come see these bathrooms, they're huge!" called Hermione.
The girls spent almost an hour exploring their room, and at the end of it, they were thoroughly exhausted. "What do you say we turn in?" suggested Hermione.
"Sounds good, I'm pooped." Replied Lera.
They got ready, and Hermione fell asleep the instant she hit the bed. Lera reflected on her decision to become a Gryffindor. Had she done the right thing? She wasn't so sure anymore. Becoming a Gryffindor meant that she might not get involved in the dark arts. And if her future wasn't in the dark arts, where was it? She groaned. This was sure to haunt her for many sleepless nights.
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Ah, that's a wrap! Took me long enough! Thank you for being so patient! No excuses – I'm just lazyJ anyways, I apologize!
Special thanks to:
Caroline Hal
Evil Aryante
Smart-witch31
You guys are awesome! I really appreciate you reviewing me!
Ok, so onwards for the brief points of this chapter: Lera's sorted into Griffindor, we find out that she can do flyastics and she's never played quidditch. Draco and Hermione are head boy and girl, and Draco thinks there's something familiar about Lera. Harry still doesn't like Lera, and Hermione and Lera are now sharing the Head Girls room.
Ok – about flyastics. Crappy name I know! But I can't think of anything else! Suggestions would be really appreciated! Anyways, be patient and review!!!!!!!!!
- Starrynight
