10.30.04: Again...the same story...see the biginning of chapter one if you have no idea what I'm talking about...
Summary: This is a girl's quest to find out just why she was placed in a house with people she hates. A witch, raised as a muggle, finds out about her family history. Unexpectedly, she is inducted into Slytherin House, and is doing everything in her power to find out why.
Chapter Notes: I think the only thing I have to say about this chapter is that it was fun to write. I hope my witticism doesn't run out on me...I really enjoyed writing a lot of the dialogue in this chapter. The only other note I have is that I am using the school uniforms from the movie. I really like that idea...and it's how I've always seen them. I've always had a hard time imagining the robes as little more than something to cover up your shirt and pants or skirt. It probably comes from watching the first movie before ever reading the books...I swear I was in la-la land when all the books were being published...hadn't even heard of Harry Potter until the fourth book came out. But then again, I do live in Bum-Fuck Nowhere, Alaska...
That's not really the name of the town I live in, honest...; )
So, if you have any questions, comments or ideas, please feel free to tell me. I'll try to accommodate as best I can.
A/N: This will be my last update for a few weeks, but I am still writing. I am in the process of moving to Seattle, and I leave on Sept. 28th, so it may be a while before I'll have access to the Internet. Please review, I'd really like some constructive criticism! Try not to flame; constructive criticism is by far more helpful in a world of hate. (Ok, that sounded a little cheesy, but I meant it.)
The Chase Begins
It felt like several minutes, but it was probably only a few seconds. It's strange how time seems to slow to an abysmal crawl when your brain shuts down for a short period of time.
I remember that first year, sitting in shock on that stool, the Sorting Hat still on my head. I'm not sure how I looked on the outside, but inside I was a garbled mess of thoughts and feelings. What? Slytherin? My hearing must be off...my mother's going to be so shocked...I hope it doesn't kill her...I'll never be friends with Hermione or Ginny now...probably never meet Harry...I'll have to spend all my time with Draco...hmmm, Draco...stupid prat...I could never...oh, I must be evil...how could this happen...I mean, Slytherin?!
Vaguely, I could hear the Slytherin table erupt into cheering and clapping for their new inductee. My eyes shifted to Ginny, whose mouth hung slightly open, her eyes wide. She was clearly as shocked as me. Quickly, I found Hermione's stunned face. Oh, this was so not happening. I finally heard Professor McGonagall's voice in my ear.
"Come dear, your house table is this way..." She removed the hat from my head, ushered me off of the stool, and gave me a little push in the right direction. Granted, through all of this, my mind was rather muddled from shock, but I somehow managed to make it to the Slytherin table without falling on my face or bursting out crying and sat down next to a second year. I was the second Slytherin inductee so far. I felt a pat on my back and dazedly, I turned to the boy next to me, drowning out the rest of the sorting.
I met with bright blue eyes and a dazzling smile. Suddenly, time caught up with me, dizzying me for a moment. The boy whispered, "My name's Blaise. Blaise Zabini. Welcome to Slytherin." The candles floating above our heads glinted off his short, black, spiky hair. I felt a small smile tug at the corners of my mouth. Blaise was quite good-looking...but in a completely different way than Harry or Draco. Maybe like 'the-boy-next-door'?
"You're name's Raven?" he asked.
I nodded. "Uh, yeah." I was still trying to shake off my daze. Think, girl, think! You're a Slytherin now. No! I'm not...oh crap...I suppose I'll see if I can speak with Professor Dumbledore as soon as possible...
"That's cool."
"Huh?" That was brilliant, girl. Amaze him with your articulate conversation skills.
"Your name. It's pretty." Blaise smiled at me then turned his attention back up front to the sorting.
I could feel my face heat up at the boy's comment. As I turned my own attention back up front, I caught sight of two silvery-blue irises; Draco Malfoy was staring at me. He sat opposite from Blaise, but was flanked by those two massive boys from the train, Crabbe and Goyle. I still didn't know which was which.
Again I felt lost within the cold pool, drowning as if in a frozen creek. Distantly, I heard the sorting come to a close and Professor Dumbledore began to speak. Clapping broke out, and a wild array of food appeared in front of us. The contact was suddenly broken, and I felt a mixture of breathing relief and choking loss at the change.
Mentally shaking myself, I thought, I hate this strange feeling Draco gives me. Remind myself never to look into his eyes again. Great. I missed what Professor Dumbledore said.
Looking around the busy table, trying to avoid the gross display from the oaf across from me, I noticed the rest of the first year Slytherins around me. There were four boys. I realized then that I was the only girl. That's odd.
As I loaded my plate with chicken and mashed potatoes, I whispered to Blaise, "I, uh, missed what Professor Dumbledore said..."
His short laugh rang musically in my ears for a moment. "What, so charmed by my compliment you couldn't hear anything else?" A knowing, amused smirk broke out on his face.
Feeling my face heat again, I ducked my head in embarrassment. "I, uh...yeah. Something like that." I chanced a quick glance at Draco, who, at the current moment was focusing on his plate. Although it wasn't you that charmed me, Blaise...
Blaise chuckled at my embarrassment. "The old coot was just saying his usual, 'don't go into the Dark Forest, Filch has a list of restricted and forbidden items on his door,'-watch out for his cat, Mrs. Norris, by the way. And Peeves the Poltergeist too-" A cool voice cut in.
"Blaise, who don't you introduce the rest of us to your new friend?" Annoyed at the interruption, my gaze shifted and locked on Draco, who was only gazing nonchalantly back. Even though I forgot my reminder to myself to not look into his eyes, I only felt a cool sensation pass though me.
"Sorry, Dray," Blaise apologised. "Raven, this is-"
This time, I cut him off. "Draco Malfoy. We've met." I hoped my voice sounded cool.
"Oh?" Blaise had a cute furrow of confusion on his brow. "Well then, why'd you ask-" But Draco cut him off again. It seemed Blaise would never get a word in edge wise.
"I told you we'd be seeing a lot of each other." A winning smile graced Draco's lips. "You know, I hear the raven is known as a trickster. You think you'll be up for the challenge? You are in Slytherin, after all." He looked pointedly at me.
Although Draco's guess at the myth my mother chose for my namesake was correct to some native tribes in America, it wasn't the right one. I smiled sweetly back. "While I'm not quite the trickster type, you're on, Draco. But are you up for the challenge?" I hated being pushed around, even though I knew challenging Draco had to be absolutely crazy. I only hoped he picked up on his wrong assumption.
"Always." He smiled wickedly, giving me a slight nod, signalling that he got my message. "I'll have you know that I'm the trickiest one of the lot. And I can already tell that this is going to be a wonderful year." Smirking, he took a swig from his pumpkin juice.
"Not if I can help it," I muttered, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Draco nearly choke on his drink. I felt his heated glare on my face. Feeling slightly nervous with the tension, I turned to Blaise to stop Draco from retorting. "So, Blaise, what other advice do you have for us first years?" I could feel the stares of the boys next to me shift back to Blaise.
He faltered for a second, still getting over his confusion. "Well...most of the professors are all right, I suppose. McGonagall is pretty strict-"
"More like has a broomstick up her arse," A boy sitting on the other side of Blaise said. He smiled at me. "Theodore Nott; pleased to meet you."
I nodded. "You too."
"Right," Blaise huffed. "She's strict, and she'll be your transfiguration teacher. Flitwick is the pushover charms professor, Binns is boring as all hell...you can really catch up on sleep in his class, he won't notice. Professor Snape is our potions professor as well as our head of house, so he's a little biased. But even so, don't get on his bad side. It's not pretty."
"Yeah," Theodore said. "She doesn't want to end up like Potter and the rest of the Gryffindor brats."
I felt a little confused by Theodore's statement, but pushed it to the back of my mind and focused on the conversation at hand. The rest of the feast had continued on pretty much the same. I blatantly ignored Draco, while focusing all of my attention on Blaise, and Theodore when he made the occasional comment. I could feel Draco's eyes on me as I laughed at a joke Blaise had made. The inherent iciness his father owned started to affect me from across the table. I could tell that Blaise felt that there was something wrong with his friend, but I tried to ease his tension by being friendly and noncommittal. In retrospect, I was surprised at my boldness...where had that shy bookworm gone? I still think that I only act that way around Draco...there's just something about him that makes my personality take a 180 turn.
Although I'm sure I looked composed and in control on the outside, inside I was a tangled mass of feelings. My mind still couldn't grasp that it was real, that I really was in Slytherin. I think Blaise's friendliness helped with that. Maybe not all Slytherins where irritating pains in the arse. But the friendships I had started to form with Hermione and Ginny now seemed impossible.
The fact that Draco had assumed on the train about which house I would be sorted into aggravated me to no end. I mean, how did he know? It pissed me off even more that he had been right! Bloody git.
Soon the feast was over, and Professor Dumbledore gave his parting speech. We all rose to head to the dorms, the prefects calling to us first years to follow them.
As I left the Great Hall, I felt an arm encircle my waist, and a cool hand slip over my mouth. Alarm immediately rang through my body as whoever grabbed me pulled me away from the small group of first years moving downstairs from the entrance hall. I already had a rough idea of who it could be, thinking back on supper. I was right.
We slipped into an empty classroom on the first floor, and I was released. Whipping around, I just caught Draco closing and spell-locking the door. As he turned to me I spat, "What do you want, Draco?"
His icy glare stayed steady on me. "You apparently don't listen very well, Raven."
"What does that mean?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"He moved closer. "I told you not to piss me off. You don't want to get on my bad side either, Raven. I'm only going to warn you so much."
"I am well aware of what I was doing, Draco. And why are you warning me? You hardly seem the type to warn his prey of the chase."
"The chase?" His eyes narrowed.
"Yes, the chase. Because you'll never catch me, Draco. You don't own me, and I can do as I please. Even if that means fraternizing with Blaise."
Moving so fast I couldn't even see him, Draco grabbed me and slammed me against the wall. I felt a sore grow on the back of my head where it hit the rough hewn stone.
"You just watch yourself, Raven. People like you don't belong in Slytherin," he snarled.
"People like me?" I said accusingly.
"Yes. Muggle-lovers. So watch yourself. I can't guarantee something won't happen to you." I was going to retort, but he was gone in a rush of cool air.
"Why the bloody hell do you care?" I yelled to the empty room. "Bloody prat," I muttered, straightening my robes. "It's not like I want to be in your stupid house...oh goddess, why me? Bleeding hell." I walked out of the classroom, heading back to the Great Hall. It was here that I realised that I had no idea where my dormitory was. Great! Thanks a lot, Draco!
I headed down the stairs where I had seen the rest of my class go. Soon I found myself wandering around the castle dungeons. Each passage looked like the next. There were no obvious features to signify the entrance to the Slytherin dorms. Not that I knew the password anyway.
Blast it all to hell! As soon as I find that prat Draco Malfoy, I'm going to shove his wand so far up his arse he'll be doing his practicals with his pants down! What can I say; I had a few violent tendencies every now and then. In fact, I still do.
In any case, I was cold and tired. It must have been near eleven at night, and I still hadn't found my dorms. Leaning against a wall in a long, dark, and damp corridor, I slid down to sit on the floor. Hugging my knees to my chest, I wrapped my cloak around me and hoped that someone would find me before morning. At some point my anger faded away to be replaced by anguish. Tears started to well in my eyes. Dammit! My life now officially sucks! "Who cares if I'm a bloody muggle-lover?" I yelled, hearing it echo throughout they many miled maze of passages beneath the school and lake.
"I, certainly, do not care how you feel about muggles," a low authoritarian voice sneered.
I jumped and scrambled to my feet, suddenly very aware that I was standing before a teacher. Before I could reply, he spoke again.
"Seeing as you are obviously a first year, Miss..."
"Harrell, sir. Raven Harrell."
"Miss Harrell. You may not be fully aware of our rules here at Hogwarts. But I can assure you that yelling in dark corridors in the middle of the night is certainly not permissible. And neither is being out of your dormitory after curfew." The small amount of light in the corridor had only shown me the man's pale complexion, a severe face surrounded by a sea of black. It looked like his face was just floating there. It was quite unnerving.
"Yes sir," I stammered. "But sir, I'm lost."
"Which house do you belong to?"
"Slytherin, sir."
"Oh, from my own house, I see." This must be Professor Snape, I thought. "And how did you happen to become separated from the rest of the first years?"
"Er...I...I was a-approached by a second year, sir, directly after the feast."
"Really? And who was this second year? Do you know their name?"
"Ah...yes, sir. It was Draco Malfoy, Professor."
His eyes narrowed. "May I inquire as to the topic of the conversation?"
"He...he told me to watch my back...to not piss him off, because I was what he called a 'muggle-lover.' He said people like me don't belong in Slytherin." I had been looking at the ground, near where his feet would have been, so I chanced a look up at the potions professor.
Professor Snape's face seemed impassive, but I could see a strange battle in his coal-black eyes. Finally, he spoke.
"Well," he said curtly, "Mr. Malfoy was correct, to a degree. But I'm sure you'll find that not all of those in Slytherin think like him. I will take you to the dormitory, and we will have a short talk with Mr. Malfoy. I do not tolerate this kind of behaviour from my house." With that, he moved past me and walked swiftly down the hall, his robes billowing out behind him. I quickly followed, hurrying to catch up with his long strides.
A few turns and long, haunting passages later, we finally came to a smooth, damp wall.
"The current password is Vipera aspis." At the last word, a hidden door in the stone slid open. Professor Snape quickly walked through, and I followed, hearing the door slide closed behind me. "You will not give the password to anybody, nor will you show anyone the entrance. Understood?"
"Yes sir." We moved a few steps down into the Slytherin common room, a long underground room swathed in green and black. There was a large hearth near the entrance, which had many huge, cushy sofas and chairs in front of it. A few older students were still talking quietly. There were a few bookshelves in the far left hand corner and a large dark wood table next to them. Hidden in the opposite corner was a black grand piano, sitting on a raised area, gleaming green from the lamps hanging overhead. Halfway down the opposite wall from the entrance, were two heavy wooden doors, one labelled 'Girls' and one labelled 'Boys.' It was this one which we entered.
It opened to a long, dark corridor, like all other corridors in the dungeons. Only a magical torch of green light next to every door lighted it. There were seven doors, alternating sides of the corridor, and one door at the very end of the hall labelled 'Washroom.' Professor Snape approached the second door and rapped his knuckles twice, hard. There was some muffled grumbling and the door opened to a sleepy-eyed Blaise, hair sticking up every which way, and clad only in a black tee shirt and light blue boxers. His frame was just starting to turn into a man's, from that of an awkward boy.
I remember feeling the flutter of my heart and the heat in my cheeks. And I remember thinking how cute Blaise had looked at that moment. He blinked sleepily. "Yes, Professor?" Then he noticed me. His eyes shot completely open and he moved so that only his head was visible from behind the door.
Professor Snape sneered. "When you are quite through being unnecessarily embarrassed, Mr. Zabini, would you please send Mr. Malfoy to the door?" It was not a request.
"Er...yes sir." Blaise's head disappeared into the darkness of the room. Some more muttering was heard and within a minute or two, the door opened more fully to a perfectly groomed Draco, who was wearing a set of black satin pyjamas with a matching robe. I found it odd that he was barefoot. The floor had to be freezing.
He glanced quickly at me, then to Professor Snape. "Yes, Professor? Is there a problem?"
"Why yes, Mr. Malfoy, there is. It seems as though someone badgered this first year," he gestured to me, "left her near the entrance hall, then expected her to find her way to the dormitories by herself. Miss Harrell has identified you, Mr. Malfoy, as the one who did this, and I must say that I am disappointed in your childish behaviour. I expect better from my own house. This type of behaviour won't happen again. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes, sir." Draco glared at me.
"This is your only warning in this matter, Mr. Malfoy. Miss Harrell, I'll ask that you do not provoke these boys again." Provoke? I didn't provoke anybody, I thought. "Certain measures will be taken if you two cannot get along."
"Yes sir."
"Yes Professor."
"Good. Miss Harrell, you will find your room down the next hall. Mr. Malfoy, you may return to bed. Goodnight."
"Goodnight sir."
"Goodnight Professor." Professor Snape then left us, exiting the common room for his own chambers. Draco turned to me.
"Well, you're just a little tattle-tale, aren't you?" he glared accusingly.
"He asked questions, I answered them. What, would you rather I lie to a teacher? To our own head-of-house?"
"Yes! That's what Slytherins do!"
"Well, I am not a Slytherin!"
"You are now, so act like it! I will not have you ruining our house reputation!"
"Well excuse me, Mr. High-and-Mighty-Slytherin! Maybe I should just go lock myself up in my room for the next seven years! Because there is no way I will ever act like you!" Draco and I were now nose to nose.
"Yes, I think that is a wonderful idea. We'll have the house elves send you your meals through a little slot in the door!" The what?
Blaise appeared behind Draco. "Just leave her alone, Draco." Draco spun around to face Blaise.
"What, come to defend your girlfriend, Zabini?"
"She's not my-"
"I don't care, get out of my way. I'm going back to bed." Draco shoved Blaise aside and disappeared into the room, nearly slamming the door behind him. Blaise moved out more into the hall with me.
"I'll talk to him before breakfast, don't worry."
I smiled weakly. "Thank you, Blaise. But I have a feeling that this isn't over, yet." He sighed.
"You're probably right." A small furrow appeared on his brow. "But honestly, Draco's behaviour was odd."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for one thing, he never loses his cool like that. Yelling has never been his thing. He's always deadly cunning and completely in control. Seeing him like that was...strange." A door opened down the hall and a sleepy but irritated face poked out.
"Can you two shut up, people are trying to sleep here." Blaise looked apologetic.
"Sorry Flint." The door closed without a reply. Blaise turned back to me. "Here, I'll take you to your room." He led me back down the hall and out into the common room. He then turned left to the girl's dormitory, opening the door and stepping inside to a corridor that was identical to the boy's corridor. "Here's your door," he whispered, gesturing to the first door on the right. "The door at the end of the hall is the-the bath, so you can, uh, bathe and stuff. "Even in the faint green light, I could see a small blush spread over the bridge of his nose.
I giggled. "Blaise, why is it you're so nice and everyone else in Slytherin is so foul?"
Blaise shot me a perplexed look, and then he smiled mischievously. "Oh, I'm foul, just not towards my fellow Slytherins...or pretty girls."
I felt my cheeks heat up for the millionth time that day, and I looked to the floor. I was afraid that my cheeks would be permanently stained red, with all the blushing I was doing. "Er...ah, thanks."
Blaise cleared his throat. "Well, I'd better go get some more sleep. I'll, uh...see you at breakfast." He moved towards the door leading to the common room.
"Yeah, Thanks again, Blaise."
He smiled. "Goodnight, Raven."
"Goodnight." Then he was gone. Turning around, I opened the door to my room labelled 'First Years' and stepped inside. Immediately, a magical torch next to the door lit, as well as a small hearth on the right wall, flooding the room with warm light. Right in front of the door was the bed, a double four-poster with dark green sheets and velvet hangings; everything was trimmed in silver. Overhead, I noticed the same green lamps from the common room hanging from the ceiling, unlit.
The room was moderately sized, a little bigger than the one I had at home. There was a small bedside table on the left and a small desk and a chair in the right hand corner. My trunk lay open at the end of the bed. There was a green and silver scarf hanging over the lid, and a note stating that my robes would be magically altered to reflect my house colours tomorrow morning in the common room, seven a.m. sharp.
I quickly located my pyjamas and changed into them, hopping into bed and snuggling down to rid myself of the slight chill in the room. The torch near the door went out as soon as I got into bed. The fire was slowly ebbing away the cold, and despite, or maybe because of that, I fell into a deep slumber, only waking when the green lamps turned on brightly, bringing me home from my dreamless sleep.
Raven: Thank you for your kind review! I look forward to hearing from you in the future! Hugs!
Thanks everyone for reading! Please review!
