Slytherin? The hat was pulled off of her head before she could do anything.
The green table had erupted in cheers.
This can't be right!
Kelly looked up Professor McGonagall, but she was no longer beside her, instead she was talking to the Headmaster.
She listened intently.
"Surely this cannot happen, Albus..."
The Headmaster replied, though Kelly couldn't make out what he had said.
She looked over at the Gryffindor table. There was Harry, Ron, and Hermione looking shocked. Harry watched her, frowning, then he looked away.
She's not supposed to be in Slytherin! Kelly wanted to put the hat on again, and this time be put into Gryffindor, but Professor McGonagall clutched the frayed hat in her hands.
"Can she be resorted later?"
"I am afraid we will have to continue this discussion at another time, Minerva. There are first years waiting to be sorted."
Kelly stood up, and walked over to the Professor. She stopped conversing with the Headmaster. Her face was sullen, like she was doing something she didn't want to do. She looked at Kelly.
"You have been sorted. You must sit with the Slytherins now."
Kelly turned and walked towards the Slytherin table. She saw Draco; he was cheering along with the others. Kelly glared at him, and he laughed maliciously. She sat down at the end of the table, where most of the younger students were sitting. A tear swelled in her eye. She quickly wiped it away before anyone would notice. She put her head into her hands and wept silently. She felt she was a fool, a coward. Stupid for ever thinking she was good enough to be with the Gryffindors.
"It's your birthright," said a cold voice in her ear. "You'd better get used to it, Englewood."
She looked up at Draco. She shook her head, glaring menacingly at him. "What would you know?"
He smiled slyly. "A lot more than you do."
"Just leave," she said curtly.
To her great surprise, he did.
She waited, hoping for some miracle where Professor McGonagall announced that there had been a mistake, watching in slow motion as the last of the first years were sorted.
The Headmaster stood up. "All of the first years have been sorted, and we are all ready for the Welcoming Feast!" He raised his goblet and bellowed, "To a glorious year ahead!"
The Headmaster caught her eye, and he nodded solemnly to her.
Everyone followed suit, and cheered. Before their eyes, the tables magically filled with foods of all kinds. Kelly looked sadly at her empty plate, and had apparently lost her appetite.
I don't belong here. She looked up and watched the back of Harry's head, desperately wishing she was next to him, laughing along and meeting all the people he had described over the summer.
He must've sensed her thoughts, as he turned around and met her eyes. Ashamed, she looked away.
Why was she put into Slytherin? Of course her Grandfather's blood resided in her, but did she really fit in with these people? People like Draco Malfoy? Was there another part in her being that she did not know existed yet? Was it her destiny to become like the rest of them?
And what would Harry be thinking right now? And Ron and Hermione? Was Hermione clever enough to discover her secret?
What have I done to deserve all of this? She thought bitterly.
She decided to get up from the table and walk around the castle. Whether anyone noticed or not, she didn't care.
I can't stay here. I have to go... But she had nowhere to go. Could she take a broomstick and leave for another life, and somehow survive on her own? A million thoughts and strategies, each more irrational than the last, passed through her mind.
I want to go home. I want my mother. I want my old life back.... The tears cascaded down her cheeks. Never had she cried more in her life than she had in the past few months. It seemed her only function...
She sat down on a stone bench by a rather large, stained glass window that reflected the moonlight throughout the hall.
"Kelly?"
She knew it was Harry, but she didn't turn around. She wanted to tell him to go away and at the same time run into his arms and cry, begging for some kind of escape.
His hand rested on her shoulder.
"Harry, I—" She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lie anymore, but telling him that she was the granddaughter of the man who had ruined his life would only make matters worse.
"Kelly, I'm sorry. I would've never thought—"
"I know."
She turned to find him sitting next to her, his emerald eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He wiped the remaining tears from her face.
"It's okay. Really. We'll all still see each other in classes. You just have to put up with Malfoy. I'm sure you're better at it than I am. And hey, you can be on the Slytherin Quidditch team and we'll play against each other..."
"I'd let you win," she smiled.
He grinned, though it faded. "Why do you think you were put into Slytherin?"
Well, for one, Voldemort is my Grandfather....
"I don't know," she lied. "The Hat said I would've done well in Gryffindor, but I'd be better in Slytherin."
Harry cocked his head. "Did it really? The same thing happened to me, believe it or not," he said slowly.
Kelly laughed. "You're not lying?"
"Well, Dumbledore said it was because the night Voldemort tried to curse me, it backfired and some of his powers leapt into me. So I have some of his... qualities, I guess. Parseltongue for one, which Slytherin himself was."
Kelly had never heard of Parseltongue, though she was intrigued. Would that mean that she and Harry possibly shared something?
"Then how did you end up in Gryffindor?"
"I, er, asked it not to put me in Slytherin..." Harry watched her, looking extremely uneasy.
"I don't believe it..." She felt sicker than ever.
After a long silence, Harry spoke again.
"Kelly, is there something else that is bothering you? I just... Well, I'm concerned, of course. And," he added quickly, "you know I'm your friend. You can tell me anything."
Oh, how I wish I could tell you, Harry. If you only knew... She seemed to falter under his gaze. You're going to be the end of me, Harry, if Voldemort isn't.
"Kelly!"
Hermione and Ron were headed their way. Ron ran up to she and Harry.
"Y'know Kelly, you can sneak into Malfoy's chamber and curse him! And..." he whispered, "you can tell us the Slytherin password so we can save you."
Kelly smiled weakly.
"Ron, you're so insensitive sometimes," scolded Hermione, who watched Kelly sympathetically.
"What?" He said, offended. "I'm just saying she could be quite helpful to us in the future..."
"Kelly, I am so sorry. Is there anything we can do?" Hermione said.
It was odd how Hermione, only hours earlier, gave her suspicious looks. Kelly figured that being sorted into Slytherin would've only supported her speculations.
"Well, unless you can get that stupid Hat back so I can get into Gryffindor, I'm afraid there isn't much..." she replied, slightly frustrated.
Ron muttered something about finding the Sorting Hat and walked off.
"Is he...?"
"Probably," Harry chuckled, which Kelly and Hermione joined in doing so.
"Kelly, why don't you come sit with us?" Suggested Hermione.
At the Gryffindor table? Was that allowed?
"I'm sure no one will mind," said Harry. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
They made their way back into the Great Hall, and Kelly sat herself between Harry and Hermione. Ginny watched Kelly sit down, and smiled as she caught her eye.
Ron came back minutes later, frowning. "Professor McGonagall gave me a detention for trying to sneak the Hat away. I almost had it, honestly!"
Everyone around him giggled.
"Sorry, Kelly," Ron said.
"It's okay. Thanks for the effort, though," Kelly replied.
"I swear, that lady has had it in for me every first day of the term... Don't you think so, Harry?"
He laughed. "Yeah, she does. You'd think Professor McGonagall be more understanding."
If only she had been...
The Welcoming Feast sadly came to an end. For those moments, Kelly almost believed she was going to leave with them and go into the Gryffindor Common Room.
"I suppose we'll see you tomorrow, Kelly," said Harry.
Kelly smiled and hugged him, Hermione, and Ron (who apparently was very uncomfortable with a girl hugging him). "Thank you."
She turned and left, solemnly following the Slytherins to their Common Room, watching Malfoy's bobbing white head.
What must've been a Slytherin Prefect stopped the group in front of a large, stone wall. It seemed to be a dead end.
"First years," she began, "note that this is the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. The password is 'Macabre'."
As she said the word, the stone wall slid open, revealing a large, underground room. The group inched their way inside. It was tall and cold. Several jade colored hangings and lamps decorated (however aloof it was) the Common Room. Tall, imperious leather chairs circled a crackling fire in a rather ornately carved hearth.
"Your dormitories are down these stairs," she nodded to the stone staircases leading to floors below. The remaining people left to sit by the fireplace or head to their rooms. Malfoy's high, cold laughter rang from one of the seats. The Prefect noticed Kelly and approached her.
"You're the new fifth year? Then follow me; I'll show you to your dormitory."
She followed the girl down the stairs and after a series of twists and turns (Kelly took note of where she was going) they reached their destination. Kelly knocked on the wooden door and a rather large girl with a pug-like face answered.
"Oh, you're the new girl. Come on in."
Kelly smiled apprehensively and went to the empty bed in the corner, finding her belongs and—
Reeooww!
Ronan leapt into her arms, purring contentedly.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," she whispered in his ear.
"Nice cat," said a rough looking brunette. "I'm Millicent."
"I'm Kelly."
"How 'bout that. We've got an American!" She said, her friends snickering in the background. "Welcome to hell."
"No need for the welcome, I'm quite used to it, thanks," Kelly replied, unamused.
The girl shrugged and left to her things.
Kelly placed Ronan atop her bed and glanced at her schedule and her school attire. The snake emblem rested upon every piece of it, reminding her of who she was now.
"Do you need help with anything?" A quiet voice said.
Kelly looked up at another girl at the bed to her right. She was Asian, with long black hair and tiny dark eyes. She smiled. Huh, Kelly thought, A polite Slytherin? Impossible...
"I think I'm fine, thanks."
"Well, my name's Aerian, if you need anything. And, don't mind them," she added, flicking her head towards the other girls. "They're always that way."
Kelly smiled. How unfortunate. I was hoping I'd like them, she thought cynically, as she pulled on her pajamas and crawled into the bed. It was rather comfortable, despite the surroundings.
Across the room, the girls noisily complained about being back and how short and boring the summer was. Kelly listened to the way they spoke pessimistically about everything, finding that it rather annoyed her. She pulled the covers over her head. If they keep going on like that, pretty soon I'll be just as irritable as they are. Since Harry mentioned that he got into Gryffindor just by asking the Hat to put him there, only made her more ill-tempered. She felt that she'd never forgive herself. If only Ron had gotten away with stealing the Sorting Hat.
Eventually, the prattle died down and Kelly was left to her thoughts. I HATE him, referring to Voldemort. She felt the anger rise in her chest. How many lives has he ruined successfully? Even after he is vanquished? How ironic, Harry is responsible for his downfall, when he unknowingly befriends his foe's own granddaughter.
It took Kelly several hours to fall into a restless sleep. Even in unconsciousness, she was frustrated and full of detestation.
The sunlight slowly crept into the dormitory, lighting the room and filling it with a comforting orange glow. The birds in the forest outside the castle sang and the late summer-scented wind passed under the cracked window, sweeping past Kelly's no longer slumbering face.
Kelly sat up to find that she was the first awake. She fell backwards onto her pillow, defeated to find that it was not all just a horrible nightmare; Millicent's not-very-docile snores filled the Slytherin Girl's dorm room.
She began humming a tune and often comforted her. It was soft, and soothing, and her mother sang it to her when she was a young child. She closed her eyes, capturing a flashback of her mother.
"Mommy! Mommy, I've got a boo-boo. Patrick pushed me off of the swing during recess today. It hurts, mommy, it hurts so much."
A little girl with white hair in tiny pigtails and a cherry red sundress ran into a sunroom where her mother sat on a bench reading a book.
"Oh pumpkin, where is it, your wrist? Oh sweetie, come here."
The little girl climbed onto the bench and into her mother's lap like a kitten striving for attention. The little girl poked out her wrist and showed it to her mother.
The mother pulled out her wand, and muttered a spell. She kissed it, and the reddened graze left.
The little girl gasped in awe, and hugged her mother. The mother and daughter held each other, singing a song.
"The trees may tumble, the mountains may crumble, but I'll always be there to hold you. You may be frightened, your troubles may heighten, but I'll always be there to love you..."
Someone across the room stirred and grumbled.
"Ughhhh I don't want to get up... Stupid Hogwarts," she yawned.
The other girls in their beds woke and sat up.
"Does everyone have Care of Magical Creatures first?"
"Yeah," came numerous voices.
"Is that oaf still teaching? I thought he got kicked out."
"Dunno. Guess we'll see. D'you all reckon we get up? We've got an hour."
"Are you joking? I'm going to bloody sleep until the last minute," said a gruff voice, muffled by a pillow.
"Suit yourself. I'm heading to the showers."
"I might as well get up, too," said Aerian. "Kelly, did anyone show you around?"
Kelly shook her head.
"Come on, I'll take you to the bathroom."
Thankful someone was taking the liberty to help her out in such a grand place, Kelly took her things and followed Aerian.
"Thanks for helping me."
"It's no problem. I doubted anyone else would bother helping you."
Kelly checked her watch; she didn't want to be late for her first class. "D'you suppose we should get breakfast? We've a half an hour until class."
"Good idea."
They grabbed their school things and Kelly bade Ronan a good day exploring the Slytherin Common Room as Aerian hesitantly woke Pansy, the girl who wished to "bloody sleep until the last minute," which probably was a bad idea, seeing how she assaulted Aerian with some rather foul words.
"We all take turns waking her up. I was voted first. I don't envy the day you get her..." Aerian said. And I don't envy her the day she gets me, Kelly thought.
The two girls ate in silence. Kelly wondered if Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting over at the Gryffindor table. She missed them so much, and her heart seemed to collapse again, knowing she was now in Slytherin and not in Gryffindor. She sighed aloud.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't even begin to tell you."
"You wanted to be in another house, I'm guessing."
"You've read my mind."
Arian frowned. "Yeah, I never wanted to be in Slytherin. Sometimes I still feel I shouldn't be in here, but here I am anyways. I've never been Slytherin material. I'm even treated differently, and you probably will too. You don't seem like the others. You seem nice, not cruel and ruthless."
"Oh, well, thanks," Kelly said, a little taken aback. "I'm not really myself right now, actually. I'm never this... irritable."
Arian laughed, "I was the same way. I figure we stick together. Two non- Slytherins are better than one, I bet."
"I agree," Kelly smiled.
The two new comrades finished eating breakfast, and left for their first class. They stood up, when Kelly felt a tap on her left shoulder. No one was there, so she looked over her right shoulder, and once again, there was Harry.
"Hey you," she laughed.
Harry smiled. "I couldn't help it. So how's life as a Slytherin?"
"With my recent attitude, I'm fitting in quite well. Lucky Aerian found me..."
Harry stuck out his hand towards Arian. "Nice to meet you, I'm Harry."
Arian blushed, "I'm Arian."
"So where are you two headed?"
"We've got Care of Magical Creatures next."
"Great! So do the Gryffindors."
"Where's Ron and Hermione?"
"They're still in the Common Room, sorting things out."
"Oh, were they fighting again?"
"Yeah. Pretty bad this time, but it happens. I had to eat breakfast alone with Ginny and her friends. I think some kid named Caleb likes her."
"Well, we should probably start heading down to Hagrid's hut," said Aerian.
"Hagrid?"
"Yeah, he's the guy you met last night. You remember, the really tall one with the black beard?"
"Ah. He's a teacher?"
Harry nodded.
The three of them began walking out of the Great Hall, when suddenly, a little boy with black hair and tiny almond eyes ran in front of them.
"Michael! Watch it!" scolded Aerian.
"Hey Aerian, the Headmaster guy says he wants to see us!" said Michael.
"This is my little brother, he's a first year. What Michael?"
"We're supposed to go see the Headmaster, Dummeldoor."
"Ugh, I'll meet you guys down there, I guess. See you," Arian waved off miserably, and followed her bouncy little brother down the corridor.
Harry and Kelly continued down the hall in silence.
"So, you said you're fitting in with the Slytherins?" He said, raising his eyebrows in concern.
Kelly sighed. "I could've run away last night, Harry. You understand that I was quite, well, disappointed."
"Yeah. We all feel really bad for you."
"It's just something I have to get used to, I suppose."
The silence raged on, making their sudden differences known.
"So what's Care of Magical Creatures like?" Kelly asked.
"It's cool, but I've got to warn you, Hagrid likes, er, dodgy creatures. He seems to think they're cute. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if we're studying manticores this term. One year, we had hippogriffs."
"Sounds fascinating. What did you study last year?"
"Blast-ended Skrewts. That was interesting, until they became six feet tall and could burn us all into a pile of cinders if it wanted to. I met one the Tri-Wizard maze last year. Pretty scary if you ask me."
They reached the great oak doors leading them outside onto the grounds.
"What other classes do you have?"
"Advanced Transfiguration is next, and after that I have Double-Potions."
"Yeah, with Snape. Gryffindors will be in there too. See, being in Slytherin won't be so bad, Kelly. We'll see each other probably a few times a week, and we can hang out at Hogsmeade on the weekends that they're dated for."
"That's good. At least I have something to look forward to."
"So how'd you get into Advanced Transfiguration?"
"Well, I've always been interested in it, and I took a few extra classes back at the Institute. Transfiguration is really interesting, to me, anyways. I also like Divination. I think it's fascinating."
Harry snorted. "Well, believe me, at Hogwarts, it isn't. I think we house an old fraud here. That class is hilarious. Professor Trelawny predicts my death every day. I don't think anyone takes that class seriously."
Kelly laughed, though it was disappointing news.
The lake came around the corner. Its surface glimmered the sun's rays while mist hovered above. A miniscule hut could be seen the other side of the lake.
"Looks like no one's there yet. We must be early," Kelly said.
They reached Hagrid's hut. He was bending over a bush, his hand busy with a plant that seemed to be growling.
"Yeh stupid--Arrgh!" he snarled in frustration.
"Uh, Hagrid?" said Harry.
The great man turned around.
"'Lo 'Arry! And Kelly, nice to see yeh again. How're yeh two?
"We're doing just fine. What's that you've got there?"
"Today's lesson, if I can get it out of the bush."
"Um, what is it?" Kelly asked.
"A Yeppup. A furry little creature that likes ter tickle yeh. Funny little beast it is, but this un's a little rebel. Snuck out of the box this morning. Good thing I found it before class started."
Neither of them could see it, as it was still hiding in the bush.
"D'you need some help there, Hagrid?"
"Er, yeah I could, actually. Could yeh hold this part of the bush while I pry the little bugger out?"
"Sure," Harry said as he bent down.
"Ah! I've got it. Thanks, 'Arry."
Hagrid stood up with a bright green ball of fuzz with large yellow eyes the size of a golf ball. It had six tiny little arms that flailed in every direction.
Hagrid chuckled. "Heh heh. I like this 'un. A feisty 'lil spite he is."
"Harry! Kelly!" Yelled a voice behind them.
Ron and Hermione were striding down the path towards them. Behind them, other students could be seen.
"Mornin' Ron, Hermione. Excuse me while I put this brute away."
"What in the world is that? It looks like a booger," contemplated Ron.
"It's a Yeppup, Ron. I've seen Crookshanks chase a few in your backyard before. You've never seen them?"
"Actually, now that I remember it, I think one attacked me when I was little. It was orange... Or maybe that was my hair. Never mind."
Soon, the class filled up. Aerian hadn't shown up yet, though. Kelly worried about her, thinking that she'd gotten sick or lost in the castle. The other Slytherin girls from her dormitory sneered at Kelly for sitting with the Gryffindors, but she didn't care. Hagrid split them up into groups of fours, seeing which group could withstand their Yeppup's tickling. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Kelly ended up getting the one that Hagrid had handled that morning, which instantly they had lost to. It was quite a tickler.
Malfoy and the other Slytherins complained that this was First Year stuff. Hagrid warned the class that he was awaiting their new study, which should arrive in a couple of weeks.
The class ended and everyone made their way back up to the castle, however Malfoy appeared in front of them, his sneering face blocking their path.
Kelly still was in no mood to put up with him.
"Aw, that's disappointing, Englewood. Still denying it?"
Harry turned and looked over at her. "What's he talking about?"
"What, Potter, you don't know her little secret?" Malfoy said slyly.
Kelly shook her head. "Just ignore him, he's making up a load of . I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, yes, you do. Don't lie right in front of Potter, you know it's disrespectful..."
"You want to see disrespectful? It seems I haven't kept a promise, and that's disrespectful." She deviously smiled and raised her right hand to her side, allowing that handy little green ball of fire appear. "So Malfoy, you want to rephrase that statement into, 'I'm a little git. Please forgive me. I will never bother you again.'"
Ron snickered, though Malfoy only furtively smiled. "You're getting better at it. Keep it up, Englewood." He turned, beckoning his goons to follow him.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked.
"I have no idea. You're right, he is a jerk..." Kelly said.
"Teach me how to do that little fireball trick!" Ron squealed.
Kelly laughed. "Maybe some other time."
And with that, they went upon their way.
The green table had erupted in cheers.
This can't be right!
Kelly looked up Professor McGonagall, but she was no longer beside her, instead she was talking to the Headmaster.
She listened intently.
"Surely this cannot happen, Albus..."
The Headmaster replied, though Kelly couldn't make out what he had said.
She looked over at the Gryffindor table. There was Harry, Ron, and Hermione looking shocked. Harry watched her, frowning, then he looked away.
She's not supposed to be in Slytherin! Kelly wanted to put the hat on again, and this time be put into Gryffindor, but Professor McGonagall clutched the frayed hat in her hands.
"Can she be resorted later?"
"I am afraid we will have to continue this discussion at another time, Minerva. There are first years waiting to be sorted."
Kelly stood up, and walked over to the Professor. She stopped conversing with the Headmaster. Her face was sullen, like she was doing something she didn't want to do. She looked at Kelly.
"You have been sorted. You must sit with the Slytherins now."
Kelly turned and walked towards the Slytherin table. She saw Draco; he was cheering along with the others. Kelly glared at him, and he laughed maliciously. She sat down at the end of the table, where most of the younger students were sitting. A tear swelled in her eye. She quickly wiped it away before anyone would notice. She put her head into her hands and wept silently. She felt she was a fool, a coward. Stupid for ever thinking she was good enough to be with the Gryffindors.
"It's your birthright," said a cold voice in her ear. "You'd better get used to it, Englewood."
She looked up at Draco. She shook her head, glaring menacingly at him. "What would you know?"
He smiled slyly. "A lot more than you do."
"Just leave," she said curtly.
To her great surprise, he did.
She waited, hoping for some miracle where Professor McGonagall announced that there had been a mistake, watching in slow motion as the last of the first years were sorted.
The Headmaster stood up. "All of the first years have been sorted, and we are all ready for the Welcoming Feast!" He raised his goblet and bellowed, "To a glorious year ahead!"
The Headmaster caught her eye, and he nodded solemnly to her.
Everyone followed suit, and cheered. Before their eyes, the tables magically filled with foods of all kinds. Kelly looked sadly at her empty plate, and had apparently lost her appetite.
I don't belong here. She looked up and watched the back of Harry's head, desperately wishing she was next to him, laughing along and meeting all the people he had described over the summer.
He must've sensed her thoughts, as he turned around and met her eyes. Ashamed, she looked away.
Why was she put into Slytherin? Of course her Grandfather's blood resided in her, but did she really fit in with these people? People like Draco Malfoy? Was there another part in her being that she did not know existed yet? Was it her destiny to become like the rest of them?
And what would Harry be thinking right now? And Ron and Hermione? Was Hermione clever enough to discover her secret?
What have I done to deserve all of this? She thought bitterly.
She decided to get up from the table and walk around the castle. Whether anyone noticed or not, she didn't care.
I can't stay here. I have to go... But she had nowhere to go. Could she take a broomstick and leave for another life, and somehow survive on her own? A million thoughts and strategies, each more irrational than the last, passed through her mind.
I want to go home. I want my mother. I want my old life back.... The tears cascaded down her cheeks. Never had she cried more in her life than she had in the past few months. It seemed her only function...
She sat down on a stone bench by a rather large, stained glass window that reflected the moonlight throughout the hall.
"Kelly?"
She knew it was Harry, but she didn't turn around. She wanted to tell him to go away and at the same time run into his arms and cry, begging for some kind of escape.
His hand rested on her shoulder.
"Harry, I—" She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lie anymore, but telling him that she was the granddaughter of the man who had ruined his life would only make matters worse.
"Kelly, I'm sorry. I would've never thought—"
"I know."
She turned to find him sitting next to her, his emerald eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He wiped the remaining tears from her face.
"It's okay. Really. We'll all still see each other in classes. You just have to put up with Malfoy. I'm sure you're better at it than I am. And hey, you can be on the Slytherin Quidditch team and we'll play against each other..."
"I'd let you win," she smiled.
He grinned, though it faded. "Why do you think you were put into Slytherin?"
Well, for one, Voldemort is my Grandfather....
"I don't know," she lied. "The Hat said I would've done well in Gryffindor, but I'd be better in Slytherin."
Harry cocked his head. "Did it really? The same thing happened to me, believe it or not," he said slowly.
Kelly laughed. "You're not lying?"
"Well, Dumbledore said it was because the night Voldemort tried to curse me, it backfired and some of his powers leapt into me. So I have some of his... qualities, I guess. Parseltongue for one, which Slytherin himself was."
Kelly had never heard of Parseltongue, though she was intrigued. Would that mean that she and Harry possibly shared something?
"Then how did you end up in Gryffindor?"
"I, er, asked it not to put me in Slytherin..." Harry watched her, looking extremely uneasy.
"I don't believe it..." She felt sicker than ever.
After a long silence, Harry spoke again.
"Kelly, is there something else that is bothering you? I just... Well, I'm concerned, of course. And," he added quickly, "you know I'm your friend. You can tell me anything."
Oh, how I wish I could tell you, Harry. If you only knew... She seemed to falter under his gaze. You're going to be the end of me, Harry, if Voldemort isn't.
"Kelly!"
Hermione and Ron were headed their way. Ron ran up to she and Harry.
"Y'know Kelly, you can sneak into Malfoy's chamber and curse him! And..." he whispered, "you can tell us the Slytherin password so we can save you."
Kelly smiled weakly.
"Ron, you're so insensitive sometimes," scolded Hermione, who watched Kelly sympathetically.
"What?" He said, offended. "I'm just saying she could be quite helpful to us in the future..."
"Kelly, I am so sorry. Is there anything we can do?" Hermione said.
It was odd how Hermione, only hours earlier, gave her suspicious looks. Kelly figured that being sorted into Slytherin would've only supported her speculations.
"Well, unless you can get that stupid Hat back so I can get into Gryffindor, I'm afraid there isn't much..." she replied, slightly frustrated.
Ron muttered something about finding the Sorting Hat and walked off.
"Is he...?"
"Probably," Harry chuckled, which Kelly and Hermione joined in doing so.
"Kelly, why don't you come sit with us?" Suggested Hermione.
At the Gryffindor table? Was that allowed?
"I'm sure no one will mind," said Harry. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
They made their way back into the Great Hall, and Kelly sat herself between Harry and Hermione. Ginny watched Kelly sit down, and smiled as she caught her eye.
Ron came back minutes later, frowning. "Professor McGonagall gave me a detention for trying to sneak the Hat away. I almost had it, honestly!"
Everyone around him giggled.
"Sorry, Kelly," Ron said.
"It's okay. Thanks for the effort, though," Kelly replied.
"I swear, that lady has had it in for me every first day of the term... Don't you think so, Harry?"
He laughed. "Yeah, she does. You'd think Professor McGonagall be more understanding."
If only she had been...
The Welcoming Feast sadly came to an end. For those moments, Kelly almost believed she was going to leave with them and go into the Gryffindor Common Room.
"I suppose we'll see you tomorrow, Kelly," said Harry.
Kelly smiled and hugged him, Hermione, and Ron (who apparently was very uncomfortable with a girl hugging him). "Thank you."
She turned and left, solemnly following the Slytherins to their Common Room, watching Malfoy's bobbing white head.
What must've been a Slytherin Prefect stopped the group in front of a large, stone wall. It seemed to be a dead end.
"First years," she began, "note that this is the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. The password is 'Macabre'."
As she said the word, the stone wall slid open, revealing a large, underground room. The group inched their way inside. It was tall and cold. Several jade colored hangings and lamps decorated (however aloof it was) the Common Room. Tall, imperious leather chairs circled a crackling fire in a rather ornately carved hearth.
"Your dormitories are down these stairs," she nodded to the stone staircases leading to floors below. The remaining people left to sit by the fireplace or head to their rooms. Malfoy's high, cold laughter rang from one of the seats. The Prefect noticed Kelly and approached her.
"You're the new fifth year? Then follow me; I'll show you to your dormitory."
She followed the girl down the stairs and after a series of twists and turns (Kelly took note of where she was going) they reached their destination. Kelly knocked on the wooden door and a rather large girl with a pug-like face answered.
"Oh, you're the new girl. Come on in."
Kelly smiled apprehensively and went to the empty bed in the corner, finding her belongs and—
Reeooww!
Ronan leapt into her arms, purring contentedly.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," she whispered in his ear.
"Nice cat," said a rough looking brunette. "I'm Millicent."
"I'm Kelly."
"How 'bout that. We've got an American!" She said, her friends snickering in the background. "Welcome to hell."
"No need for the welcome, I'm quite used to it, thanks," Kelly replied, unamused.
The girl shrugged and left to her things.
Kelly placed Ronan atop her bed and glanced at her schedule and her school attire. The snake emblem rested upon every piece of it, reminding her of who she was now.
"Do you need help with anything?" A quiet voice said.
Kelly looked up at another girl at the bed to her right. She was Asian, with long black hair and tiny dark eyes. She smiled. Huh, Kelly thought, A polite Slytherin? Impossible...
"I think I'm fine, thanks."
"Well, my name's Aerian, if you need anything. And, don't mind them," she added, flicking her head towards the other girls. "They're always that way."
Kelly smiled. How unfortunate. I was hoping I'd like them, she thought cynically, as she pulled on her pajamas and crawled into the bed. It was rather comfortable, despite the surroundings.
Across the room, the girls noisily complained about being back and how short and boring the summer was. Kelly listened to the way they spoke pessimistically about everything, finding that it rather annoyed her. She pulled the covers over her head. If they keep going on like that, pretty soon I'll be just as irritable as they are. Since Harry mentioned that he got into Gryffindor just by asking the Hat to put him there, only made her more ill-tempered. She felt that she'd never forgive herself. If only Ron had gotten away with stealing the Sorting Hat.
Eventually, the prattle died down and Kelly was left to her thoughts. I HATE him, referring to Voldemort. She felt the anger rise in her chest. How many lives has he ruined successfully? Even after he is vanquished? How ironic, Harry is responsible for his downfall, when he unknowingly befriends his foe's own granddaughter.
It took Kelly several hours to fall into a restless sleep. Even in unconsciousness, she was frustrated and full of detestation.
The sunlight slowly crept into the dormitory, lighting the room and filling it with a comforting orange glow. The birds in the forest outside the castle sang and the late summer-scented wind passed under the cracked window, sweeping past Kelly's no longer slumbering face.
Kelly sat up to find that she was the first awake. She fell backwards onto her pillow, defeated to find that it was not all just a horrible nightmare; Millicent's not-very-docile snores filled the Slytherin Girl's dorm room.
She began humming a tune and often comforted her. It was soft, and soothing, and her mother sang it to her when she was a young child. She closed her eyes, capturing a flashback of her mother.
"Mommy! Mommy, I've got a boo-boo. Patrick pushed me off of the swing during recess today. It hurts, mommy, it hurts so much."
A little girl with white hair in tiny pigtails and a cherry red sundress ran into a sunroom where her mother sat on a bench reading a book.
"Oh pumpkin, where is it, your wrist? Oh sweetie, come here."
The little girl climbed onto the bench and into her mother's lap like a kitten striving for attention. The little girl poked out her wrist and showed it to her mother.
The mother pulled out her wand, and muttered a spell. She kissed it, and the reddened graze left.
The little girl gasped in awe, and hugged her mother. The mother and daughter held each other, singing a song.
"The trees may tumble, the mountains may crumble, but I'll always be there to hold you. You may be frightened, your troubles may heighten, but I'll always be there to love you..."
Someone across the room stirred and grumbled.
"Ughhhh I don't want to get up... Stupid Hogwarts," she yawned.
The other girls in their beds woke and sat up.
"Does everyone have Care of Magical Creatures first?"
"Yeah," came numerous voices.
"Is that oaf still teaching? I thought he got kicked out."
"Dunno. Guess we'll see. D'you all reckon we get up? We've got an hour."
"Are you joking? I'm going to bloody sleep until the last minute," said a gruff voice, muffled by a pillow.
"Suit yourself. I'm heading to the showers."
"I might as well get up, too," said Aerian. "Kelly, did anyone show you around?"
Kelly shook her head.
"Come on, I'll take you to the bathroom."
Thankful someone was taking the liberty to help her out in such a grand place, Kelly took her things and followed Aerian.
"Thanks for helping me."
"It's no problem. I doubted anyone else would bother helping you."
Kelly checked her watch; she didn't want to be late for her first class. "D'you suppose we should get breakfast? We've a half an hour until class."
"Good idea."
They grabbed their school things and Kelly bade Ronan a good day exploring the Slytherin Common Room as Aerian hesitantly woke Pansy, the girl who wished to "bloody sleep until the last minute," which probably was a bad idea, seeing how she assaulted Aerian with some rather foul words.
"We all take turns waking her up. I was voted first. I don't envy the day you get her..." Aerian said. And I don't envy her the day she gets me, Kelly thought.
The two girls ate in silence. Kelly wondered if Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting over at the Gryffindor table. She missed them so much, and her heart seemed to collapse again, knowing she was now in Slytherin and not in Gryffindor. She sighed aloud.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't even begin to tell you."
"You wanted to be in another house, I'm guessing."
"You've read my mind."
Arian frowned. "Yeah, I never wanted to be in Slytherin. Sometimes I still feel I shouldn't be in here, but here I am anyways. I've never been Slytherin material. I'm even treated differently, and you probably will too. You don't seem like the others. You seem nice, not cruel and ruthless."
"Oh, well, thanks," Kelly said, a little taken aback. "I'm not really myself right now, actually. I'm never this... irritable."
Arian laughed, "I was the same way. I figure we stick together. Two non- Slytherins are better than one, I bet."
"I agree," Kelly smiled.
The two new comrades finished eating breakfast, and left for their first class. They stood up, when Kelly felt a tap on her left shoulder. No one was there, so she looked over her right shoulder, and once again, there was Harry.
"Hey you," she laughed.
Harry smiled. "I couldn't help it. So how's life as a Slytherin?"
"With my recent attitude, I'm fitting in quite well. Lucky Aerian found me..."
Harry stuck out his hand towards Arian. "Nice to meet you, I'm Harry."
Arian blushed, "I'm Arian."
"So where are you two headed?"
"We've got Care of Magical Creatures next."
"Great! So do the Gryffindors."
"Where's Ron and Hermione?"
"They're still in the Common Room, sorting things out."
"Oh, were they fighting again?"
"Yeah. Pretty bad this time, but it happens. I had to eat breakfast alone with Ginny and her friends. I think some kid named Caleb likes her."
"Well, we should probably start heading down to Hagrid's hut," said Aerian.
"Hagrid?"
"Yeah, he's the guy you met last night. You remember, the really tall one with the black beard?"
"Ah. He's a teacher?"
Harry nodded.
The three of them began walking out of the Great Hall, when suddenly, a little boy with black hair and tiny almond eyes ran in front of them.
"Michael! Watch it!" scolded Aerian.
"Hey Aerian, the Headmaster guy says he wants to see us!" said Michael.
"This is my little brother, he's a first year. What Michael?"
"We're supposed to go see the Headmaster, Dummeldoor."
"Ugh, I'll meet you guys down there, I guess. See you," Arian waved off miserably, and followed her bouncy little brother down the corridor.
Harry and Kelly continued down the hall in silence.
"So, you said you're fitting in with the Slytherins?" He said, raising his eyebrows in concern.
Kelly sighed. "I could've run away last night, Harry. You understand that I was quite, well, disappointed."
"Yeah. We all feel really bad for you."
"It's just something I have to get used to, I suppose."
The silence raged on, making their sudden differences known.
"So what's Care of Magical Creatures like?" Kelly asked.
"It's cool, but I've got to warn you, Hagrid likes, er, dodgy creatures. He seems to think they're cute. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if we're studying manticores this term. One year, we had hippogriffs."
"Sounds fascinating. What did you study last year?"
"Blast-ended Skrewts. That was interesting, until they became six feet tall and could burn us all into a pile of cinders if it wanted to. I met one the Tri-Wizard maze last year. Pretty scary if you ask me."
They reached the great oak doors leading them outside onto the grounds.
"What other classes do you have?"
"Advanced Transfiguration is next, and after that I have Double-Potions."
"Yeah, with Snape. Gryffindors will be in there too. See, being in Slytherin won't be so bad, Kelly. We'll see each other probably a few times a week, and we can hang out at Hogsmeade on the weekends that they're dated for."
"That's good. At least I have something to look forward to."
"So how'd you get into Advanced Transfiguration?"
"Well, I've always been interested in it, and I took a few extra classes back at the Institute. Transfiguration is really interesting, to me, anyways. I also like Divination. I think it's fascinating."
Harry snorted. "Well, believe me, at Hogwarts, it isn't. I think we house an old fraud here. That class is hilarious. Professor Trelawny predicts my death every day. I don't think anyone takes that class seriously."
Kelly laughed, though it was disappointing news.
The lake came around the corner. Its surface glimmered the sun's rays while mist hovered above. A miniscule hut could be seen the other side of the lake.
"Looks like no one's there yet. We must be early," Kelly said.
They reached Hagrid's hut. He was bending over a bush, his hand busy with a plant that seemed to be growling.
"Yeh stupid--Arrgh!" he snarled in frustration.
"Uh, Hagrid?" said Harry.
The great man turned around.
"'Lo 'Arry! And Kelly, nice to see yeh again. How're yeh two?
"We're doing just fine. What's that you've got there?"
"Today's lesson, if I can get it out of the bush."
"Um, what is it?" Kelly asked.
"A Yeppup. A furry little creature that likes ter tickle yeh. Funny little beast it is, but this un's a little rebel. Snuck out of the box this morning. Good thing I found it before class started."
Neither of them could see it, as it was still hiding in the bush.
"D'you need some help there, Hagrid?"
"Er, yeah I could, actually. Could yeh hold this part of the bush while I pry the little bugger out?"
"Sure," Harry said as he bent down.
"Ah! I've got it. Thanks, 'Arry."
Hagrid stood up with a bright green ball of fuzz with large yellow eyes the size of a golf ball. It had six tiny little arms that flailed in every direction.
Hagrid chuckled. "Heh heh. I like this 'un. A feisty 'lil spite he is."
"Harry! Kelly!" Yelled a voice behind them.
Ron and Hermione were striding down the path towards them. Behind them, other students could be seen.
"Mornin' Ron, Hermione. Excuse me while I put this brute away."
"What in the world is that? It looks like a booger," contemplated Ron.
"It's a Yeppup, Ron. I've seen Crookshanks chase a few in your backyard before. You've never seen them?"
"Actually, now that I remember it, I think one attacked me when I was little. It was orange... Or maybe that was my hair. Never mind."
Soon, the class filled up. Aerian hadn't shown up yet, though. Kelly worried about her, thinking that she'd gotten sick or lost in the castle. The other Slytherin girls from her dormitory sneered at Kelly for sitting with the Gryffindors, but she didn't care. Hagrid split them up into groups of fours, seeing which group could withstand their Yeppup's tickling. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Kelly ended up getting the one that Hagrid had handled that morning, which instantly they had lost to. It was quite a tickler.
Malfoy and the other Slytherins complained that this was First Year stuff. Hagrid warned the class that he was awaiting their new study, which should arrive in a couple of weeks.
The class ended and everyone made their way back up to the castle, however Malfoy appeared in front of them, his sneering face blocking their path.
Kelly still was in no mood to put up with him.
"Aw, that's disappointing, Englewood. Still denying it?"
Harry turned and looked over at her. "What's he talking about?"
"What, Potter, you don't know her little secret?" Malfoy said slyly.
Kelly shook her head. "Just ignore him, he's making up a load of . I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, yes, you do. Don't lie right in front of Potter, you know it's disrespectful..."
"You want to see disrespectful? It seems I haven't kept a promise, and that's disrespectful." She deviously smiled and raised her right hand to her side, allowing that handy little green ball of fire appear. "So Malfoy, you want to rephrase that statement into, 'I'm a little git. Please forgive me. I will never bother you again.'"
Ron snickered, though Malfoy only furtively smiled. "You're getting better at it. Keep it up, Englewood." He turned, beckoning his goons to follow him.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked.
"I have no idea. You're right, he is a jerk..." Kelly said.
"Teach me how to do that little fireball trick!" Ron squealed.
Kelly laughed. "Maybe some other time."
And with that, they went upon their way.