Murmurs and gasps echoed through out the hall. Everyone was thinking
the same thing. A Malfoy in Slytherine! No way! A few cheers came and
Dustin settled himself down next to the Gryfindor ghost, Nearly Headed
Nick. He looked expectantly at Cora. She looked back but didn't smile.
"I'll explain later," he mouthed at her. She looked at the twins who were
now being sorted. "Gryfindor!" the hat yelled for both of them. They sat
down at the table as far away from Dustin as they could. Only a few people
were left when Cora's name was called. "Weasley, Cora!" the woman
practically sang. She walked forward quickly and jammed the hat on her
head. She tried to think of Gryfindor as hard as she could but Dustin kept
popping into her head.
"Ahh," the hat breathed. "Worried about him are ya? Well then, I know the
perfect house for you.Gryfindor!"
***
Cora felt relief wash over her like a tidal wave. She saw Lilly and Harry applauding loudly. She ran over to them. "I gotta go sit with Dustin you guys. Please don't be mad." She said this all very fast and hurried over to where Dustin was sitting, isolated, at the end of the table. Even Nearly Headless Nick had abandoned him. "Ok," Cora said sitting down. "Explain." Dustin took a deep breath. "Well I said that my dad knew yours, I wasn't lying about that. I never told you my last name cause I knew that if I did you'd act just like your friends over there." He jerked his head in the twins' direction. "See how quickly their feelings toward me changed when they found out who I was!? Even you've changed when only a minute ago you said that we'd be friends no matter what." Cora exploded not caring who heard her yell. "THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOU! YOUR DAD TRIED TO KILL THEIR PARENTS! BLOODY HELL DUSTIN! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES MY MUM AND DAD WARNED ME ABOUT YOUR FAMILY!" "Please Cora, settle down. Don't you get it? I'm nothing like my dad or my grandfather. Do you think I'm proud to have a family that's known for helping the Dark Lord become strong again!? Do you think I'm proud to have a father who's in jail for murdering three people including my mom!? Cora I would have any other family but mine. I don't act like them, I dyed my hair black so that I wouldn't look like them, and I would change my name so as to not have the same name as them. As far as I'm concerned the orphanage were I stay, which is a muggle one, is the only home I've ever had. Please Cora. I'm not asking you to like my family; I'm asking you to like me. You are the only friend I've ever gotten far enough with to tell that I hate who I am. Please don't walk out on me now." The whole table was watching them now, waiting for Cora's reply. Up front however the blonde woman was calling for everyone's attention. The headmaster, Professor Mcgonagal, was standing up.
*** "Welcome back, welcome back," she said with a warm smile. Cora looked strait at her pretending to be interested when she was, in fact, not hearing a single word. "Dustin," she said out of the corner of her mouth. "I just, can't" She buried her head in her arms, which were crossed in front of her. Throughout the rest of Mcgonagal's speech Dustin made halfhearted attempts to talk to Cora. She ignored him every time. "That being said," he heard the headmaster say. "Let us eat." The plates in front of them filled and only when Dustin piled food in front of her did Cora look up. She had to admit; he was nothing like his father. She turned to him and watched as he shoved food into his mouth. She knew she liked him. She had since the train ride. He was different from other boys. He really listened when she talked and he wasn't near as immature as Harry was. She sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. The least she could do was give the boy a chance.
***
"Hey, Dustin?" she ventured slowly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. That was pretty childish. You didn't do anything wrong." Dustin had stopped eating to listen to her. She continued. "I guess you are different from your family even though you share the same blood and well." she held out her hand jovially and smiled. "Friends?" Dustin grabbed it. "Of course."
***
Cora felt relief wash over her like a tidal wave. She saw Lilly and Harry applauding loudly. She ran over to them. "I gotta go sit with Dustin you guys. Please don't be mad." She said this all very fast and hurried over to where Dustin was sitting, isolated, at the end of the table. Even Nearly Headless Nick had abandoned him. "Ok," Cora said sitting down. "Explain." Dustin took a deep breath. "Well I said that my dad knew yours, I wasn't lying about that. I never told you my last name cause I knew that if I did you'd act just like your friends over there." He jerked his head in the twins' direction. "See how quickly their feelings toward me changed when they found out who I was!? Even you've changed when only a minute ago you said that we'd be friends no matter what." Cora exploded not caring who heard her yell. "THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOU! YOUR DAD TRIED TO KILL THEIR PARENTS! BLOODY HELL DUSTIN! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES MY MUM AND DAD WARNED ME ABOUT YOUR FAMILY!" "Please Cora, settle down. Don't you get it? I'm nothing like my dad or my grandfather. Do you think I'm proud to have a family that's known for helping the Dark Lord become strong again!? Do you think I'm proud to have a father who's in jail for murdering three people including my mom!? Cora I would have any other family but mine. I don't act like them, I dyed my hair black so that I wouldn't look like them, and I would change my name so as to not have the same name as them. As far as I'm concerned the orphanage were I stay, which is a muggle one, is the only home I've ever had. Please Cora. I'm not asking you to like my family; I'm asking you to like me. You are the only friend I've ever gotten far enough with to tell that I hate who I am. Please don't walk out on me now." The whole table was watching them now, waiting for Cora's reply. Up front however the blonde woman was calling for everyone's attention. The headmaster, Professor Mcgonagal, was standing up.
*** "Welcome back, welcome back," she said with a warm smile. Cora looked strait at her pretending to be interested when she was, in fact, not hearing a single word. "Dustin," she said out of the corner of her mouth. "I just, can't" She buried her head in her arms, which were crossed in front of her. Throughout the rest of Mcgonagal's speech Dustin made halfhearted attempts to talk to Cora. She ignored him every time. "That being said," he heard the headmaster say. "Let us eat." The plates in front of them filled and only when Dustin piled food in front of her did Cora look up. She had to admit; he was nothing like his father. She turned to him and watched as he shoved food into his mouth. She knew she liked him. She had since the train ride. He was different from other boys. He really listened when she talked and he wasn't near as immature as Harry was. She sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. The least she could do was give the boy a chance.
***
"Hey, Dustin?" she ventured slowly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. That was pretty childish. You didn't do anything wrong." Dustin had stopped eating to listen to her. She continued. "I guess you are different from your family even though you share the same blood and well." she held out her hand jovially and smiled. "Friends?" Dustin grabbed it. "Of course."