Disclaimer: Everything apart from Marina Matthews belongs to J.K. Rowling. Marina's mine and I'm just having fun with everything else, so do not sue.
A/N – Story set after OotP and more or less AU. Sorry, my mistake. It should have been "Mordecai and Siobhan Matthews," not "Martin". Please feel free to point out any further mistakes in reviews. I try my best to avoid them, but hey, I'm only human, I can't spot them all…As for accents, I can't write them so you'll have to use your imagination.
Sorting
Marina woke up when she felt herself being shaken awake. Bleary eyed, she looked up to see a prefect telling her that they'd soon arrive at Hogsmeade Station. Carefully avoiding looking out of the compartment window, she quickly got into her school robes. She was surrounded by what appeared to be fourth year students, all Hufflepuff girls. Well, she guessed so from their house badges on their robes. Going over to her seat once dressed, she introduced herself politely, just as she'd been raised to do so. Her stomach was full of nervous butterflies, dreading the customary lake crossing of all first years. She could do without that as she was sure she'd fall into the lake. Soon enough, the train came to a stop.
"First Years!" came a call.
Marina made her way to a large, beetle eyed and wild haired man, holding out a lantern. Other children in new looking and badge free robes headed for him too. She counted off her year mates in a bid to not get nervous over the lake crossing. There were a few students that looked to be sorted into Slytherin for sure. Then the castle came into view…
Marina gasped. It was beautiful and something out of a fairytale, woven out of magic and dreams to her mind. I'm going to be studying and living here for seven years? Wow!
The school had her wide eyed attention so she didn't pay much attention to the professor who greeted them. She was dimly aware that the woman had introduced herself as "Professor McGonagall" and had told them to neaten up. Not that she needed to as she was as neat as she could be. Trailing to the back of the first years, she walked into the Great Hall, eyes raised to the ceiling. Now here was one part of the school that her family had done justice to in their description of it. It was enchanted to show the sky outside and it was breathtaking.
Eyes still on the ceiling, she paid scant attention to everything else. After all, the ceiling's wonder would wear off and everything else was ordinary. Let her hold on to the wonder of the magical ceiling as long as she could. The sound of clapping dimly registered and the press of first years around her decreasing.
"Matthews, Marina," came the faint call. Ah, it was time for her to be sorted into her house.
Her eyes still dreamily on the ceiling, she made her way to the stool. With a hop, she sat on it. McGonagall held the Sorting Hat out and brought it down over her head. The hat hadn't even touched her head when it yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Amidst the clapping, Marina got off the stool and made her way to a table and sat down, eyes still on the ceiling. The sound of shocked gasps, hoots and laughter reached her ears.
"You're at the wrong table," said a disdainful voice beside her. A silver haired boy looked down his pointy nose at her. "This is the Slytherin table, not Gryffindor as you believe."
She placidly said, "I know. My seating here isn't a mistake but deliberate."
Just then, she felt herself being lifted from behind and carried over to the nearby Gryffindor table. She was placed in front of an empty gold plate, two boys, sixth years at a guess, sitting beside her. One said, "We had to rescue you from those snakes after you accidentally went to their table. This is the Gryffindor table. If you are in any doubt, just look up at the house banners. It's red and gold."
"Welcome to Gryffindor," smiled the other boy. "Dean Thomas."
"Seamus Finnegan," the other said.
"Avoid the Slytherins at all costs. They are evil and would eat up a little first year like you." He pointed to the teacher's table, the sorting nearly over. "See that greasy haired, hook nosed man? The one dressed entirely in black and looking like an ugly vampire? That is Snape, Head of Slytherin, Potions professor and thoroughly mean man. He's worse than all the Slytherins combined and absolutely hates our house. Stay away from him if you can. Try not to make him give you detention as they are horrible and he takes points unfairly."
She asked a puzzled, "Really? He does that?" Both boys nodded in affirmation. "There's only thing to do then."
Marina got to her feet, jumping up and down as she waved her arms above her head. She bellowed, "Hello Professor Snape! Look this way sir! Can I be in your House professor? Oh please can I? Please, please, please!" She was yanked back down just as the man looked over to her.
"Are you mad?" hissed a nearby girl, affecting a look of looking around curiously for the person who'd shouted. Those nearby were also doing so to avoid attention. "Snape is going to take away points! Or he'll give you detention! Already!"
Marina confidently said, "He can't do that. School doesn't officially start until the first lesson, which is tomorrow. As it is there are no points to be taken from Gryffindor."
They blinked in surprise and a girl said, "You know, I think she's right."
A boy a few seats down them asked in a pained voice, "Why didn't we think of that before?"
"Beats me," shrugged Dean. The feast suddenly appeared, the hungry students letting out cheers before heartily digging into their food. All too soon, the feast was over and the yearly notices given out. As the students left the Great Hall, Marina snuck over to the Slytherin group of first years and the prefect showing them to the common room. With no badge, she fit right in and her presence went unquestioned. Happily chatting to the other first years, exclaiming over the castle, she was led down to the dungeons. Soon they arrived at the entrance of the Slytherin common room.
The prefect turned to them and said, "The password for entrance into the common room is Salazar's Basilisks. Remember it for when you want to enter the common room. Forget it and…you'll stay out here until someone lets you in." They entered the green, silver and dark wood coloured common room. "The boy's dorms are to the left, the girl's are to the right."
"This is so cool!" exclaimed Marina from the back. "Snake motifs and gothic designs everywhere the eye can see! I feel so pretty just by being here! Can you feel the evil atmosphere in the room? I can practically taste it!" she all but danced with excitement.
A girl grinned at her, "So can I. Lucinda Dreary. What's your name?"
"Marina Matthews," came a silky voice from behind them.
"Yes, that's my name," she smiled, turning around to see the man named Snape glaring down at her. "Hello professor Snape, jolly good of you to let me join your house. I can't begin to thank you enough!" she beamed happily at him. Impulsively, she hugged him tightly around his middle before running to the girl's dorms, whooping with her excitement. She called back, "Come on Lucinda! We have to pick out our beds!" Laughing with their excitement, the two girls went to their dorms, leaving a very ill tempered, angry and darkly scowling Potions Master behind.
A little later, a puzzled Marina asked, "Where's my stuff and bed?"