Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, only Raven and her family and background. And this story. Yeah.

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 don't think I have anything to say about this chapter...I hope you like it!

So, if you have any questions, comments or ideas, please feel free to tell me. I'll try to accommodate as best I can. (I really like ideas...;)

A/N: 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.)


It's Like Looking in a Mirror


In the second-year Slytherin boy's dormitory the next morning, there were a few different sounds being made. The semi-loud snores of Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, and the flurry of motion made by Blaise Zabini, who was frantically trying to find his favourite shirt.

"Dammit, where is it?" he said as he slammed another drawer shut, waking Theodore Nott and Draco Malfoy.

"Keep it down, Blaise." Theodore said.

"Yeah," came Draco's sleepy drawl. "This is the only day I get to sleep in."

"Sorry Theo, sorry Dray." Blaise apologised.

"What are you looking for anyway?" Draco asked, stretching.

Blaise sighed. "My favourite shirt."

"Why?" Blaise shot him a pointed look in the dim light. Draco quickly caught on.

"Oh...trying to look good for your chosen-"

"Shh!"

"Ok, ok. I know, world's best secret-keeper." Draco yawned. "Well, good luck mate. She's feisty." Blaise frowned.

"Who is?" Theo asked sleepily.

"No one." Draco said forcefully. "Now go back to sleep." And Theo did as ordered, promptly forgetting the conversation.

Blaise shook his head. "Some secret-keeper you are."

"Hey, I'm just teasing. But I'm still not sure why it needs to be a secret anyway. It's not like people won't find out eventually. And your shirt's on your chair by the way."

Blaise turned around. "Oh, thanks."

"You put it there last night."

"You never miss a beat, do you Dray?" Blaise asked, buttoning up the shirt.

"I can't. You know that. Now get out of here before Theo wakes up again and starts asking more questions. Being a secret-keeper this early in the morning is exhausting."

"Ok, ok. I'm gone." He went to the door then turned back to face Draco. "I just want it to be on my terms, you know?" Draco nodded, and Blaise left. Draco rolled over and fell back asleep.


Because I forgot to reset my alarm, I got up rather early Sunday morning. I wasn't quite sure what Blaise and I would be doing that day, so I opted to wear jeans and a nice shirt under my robes.

I left the common room before most people were even thinking of getting out of bed, and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. I was the only one there, so there wasn't any food on the tables yet. As soon as I sat down, however, an array of breakfast foods and pumpkin juice appeared around me. I started eating, keeping an eye on the door for Blaise.

I was almost finished with my second scone when he walked in, his eyes immediately zoning in on me. He smiled. "You look pretty today," he said as he sat down next to me, digging right into some eggs and biscuits.

I blushed, looking down at myself. I didn't do anything special... "Er...thanks."

"So...how'd you sleep? I didn't expect you to be up this early."

"Oh...I forgot to reset my alarm."

Blaise nodded. "At least you're by yourself. We've got five different people to think about. We all have separate alarms now, but we still all wake up at the first one. Well, maybe except Vincent and Greg."

"Vincent and Greg?" I searched my mind for two second-year boys who fit those names.

"Crabbe and Goyle. They hang around Draco like a pair of bodyguards or something." Blaise shrugged. "I don't think he actually likes them too much. They're so stupid. But useful, I suppose, in their own way. Not bad guys, just...a bit dim." I nodded in agreement.

"How about you?" I asked. "I didn't think any of the boys would ever be awake before seven." It was Blaise's turn to blush.

"I, uh...wanted to...look nice for you." I thought Blaise's ears were going to catch fire; he was so red.

I giggled. "You succeeded." And indeed he had. His hair was in its normal spiky style, but his clothes were some the nicest and most expensive I had ever seen; other than on Draco, that is. Blaise had on a beautiful blue shirt that seemed to shimmer and accented his eyes perfectly. His pants were a coal-black made of some soft-looking material I couldn't place. I almost felt underdressed.

As more and more students filed in for breakfast, Blaise and I chatted about what we might do that day. We were confined to the grounds, so our choices were a little limited. Soon we were done with breakfast, so we headed out of the Great Hall to go outside. On our way out though, I ran into some one. I felt Blaise grab my upper arm, pulling me back against him.

"Watch it, Potter. Your ego doesn't need to take up the whole doorway," Blaise sneered.

"Neither does yours, Zabini." Harry retorted, his bright green eyes narrowing.

"Just take a good look around, Potter. You may not be here much longer." What does that mean? I thought.

"Is that a threat?" Harry accused. Hermione and Ron came up behind Harry.

"Come on, Harry. Let's go eat." Hermione said, casting a quick but meaningful look at me. I nodded imperceptively and turned to Blaise.

"Blaise, let's go. They're not worth our time." Grabbing his hand, I pulled him towards the door of the castle. Blaise's glare lingered for a moment before his head followed his body. I looked over my shoulder at Harry, catching his eye as he stood in the doorway of the Great Hall.

It was like looking in a mirror.


"You can't tell me that that girl doesn't belong in Slytherin, Hermione." Ron said as he sat down at Gryffindor table. "Look who she was holding hands with! Did you hear what she said?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, Ron, I did. But you really didn't pay attention to what actually happened. That's your problem, Ron. You only see what you want to see."

"Well then, what was I supposed to see?" he said sarcastically.

"That she didn't really mean it," Harry cut in, absorbed in staring at his plate of bacon and eggs.

Hermione nodded. "Right, Harry. She can't just go around acting nice to us. If she doesn't act like a Slytherin some of the time, she could get in big trouble with the other Slytherins. Especially Malfoy. Things are pretty nice now, and Blaise Zabini seems to like her well enough. As long as it stays that way, we're good. Because I did some reading last night while you two were at detention. Unless I've overlooked something, Raven's stuck in Slytherin. Once the Sorting Hat's made its decision, there's no changing it. And I can't see Dumbledore putting her somewhere else unless she's put in serious, life-threatening danger by the other Slytherins."

"Let's hope it never comes to that." Harry said sullenly.

"Yes, let's hope." Hermione said, finally starting her breakfast. Ron spoke up.

"Ok, so maybe she might not be so bad. But how can you be so sure she's not just really good at fooling us?"

Harry answered. "Slytherins like to show off, Ron, you know that. Why would she try and hide it? Why go through the trouble?" He paused. "Besides, I could see it in her eyes that she wasn't lying."

"How so?" Ron asked while stuffing his face with hotcakes.

Harry finally picked up his fork. "Because it was like looking in a mirror."


As soon as we stepped outside into the crisp air, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Blaise still looked irritated.

"Blaise?" He turned to me, his frown softening.

"I'm ok. Those three just piss me off."

"I know." Couldn't anybody get along? I felt disheartened. Apparently, it showed on my face.

"How are you?" He seemed to realise that my hand was in his, and tightened his grip.

Blushing, I turned away, removing my hand. "I'm fine," I lied. "I just don't like unnecessary confrontation." There was a long pause. How was this mess ever going to work out?

"I'm sorry, Raven." Blaise said from behind me.

I turned around. "What for?"

"For..." he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "For ruining our day together before it even started." He made it sound like a date or something. Which thinking back on it, he probably thought it was. But I put a hand on his arm, squeezing it.

"No, you didn't. It's not ruined. We'll just start over." I smiled in a way that I hope was reassuring. "Come on, let's go for a walk around the grounds." I hopped down the stairs and onto the grass. I felt Blaise follow me.

We idly toured Hogwarts grounds, walking through the greenhouses, skirting on the edges of the Dark Forest, and watching the Giant Squid swim lazily in the lake. Blaise suggested a swim, but I quickly declined, remembering last night's escapade in the water with Draco.

By lunchtime we were starved, but decided to eat outside and enjoy the late summer sunshine. Some of the other students followed our lead and made sandwiches to bring outside. Some of the other second-year Slytherins joined Blaise and I by the lake. Draco made a big scene about sitting on the grass in his expensive trousers, which I snorted at. Now he makes a big deal about getting his clothes dirty. Bloody prat. Eventually, Crabbe and Goyle laid their massive robes out for everyone to sit on. All in all, and even considering the company, that afternoon was pretty nice.

Then Pansy had to start asking questions.

"So Raven, tell us about yourself," she asked, obviously trying to see if there was any juicy gossip about me. She was an alright girl...even offered to help me with make-up someday, which I politely declined. You'd think she was a sixth year with the way she offers to help me like I can't do it myself.

"I, um...well, what exactly do you want to know about?" I asked back, hoping beyond hope that they didn't ask me much. I guess I can always lie...I'm gonna have to get used to it at some point...besides, isn't that what Slytherins do? Lie? I thought sarcastically.

"What do your mother and father do?" Pansy asked, examining her nails.

I looked down at the grass, playing with a few blades. "My father's dead." There was a silent moment of shock in the group, before Blaise put a comforting arm around me.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said in my ear. I shrugged a little.

"He died before I was born; I never knew him."

"What about your mum?" Pansy asked again. I looked up at her, then over to Draco, who was watching me intently. "She...makes due, I suppose. She's a wonderful seamstress and cook, she gets to travel all around Europe, and makes quite a bit of money from it, actually." I could tell by the looks on Pansy and Draco's faces that my mother did what they thought of as menial labour. They were wrong of course, but they could believe what they wanted.

Crabbe and Goyle looked rather bored with the whole conversation; they were almost dozing on the grass. Theodore was looking at the ground, lost in his own thoughts. Blaise seemed to be the only one really interested in what I had to say. And it was so hard to lie when he was around. His face was so open and sincere. It was amazing that he was put in Slytherin, really.

Draco asked the next question. "What about your grandparents?" I knew he was trying to dig up information. Luckily for me, I didn't have much information at the time.

Looking straight at him I said, "I don't know much about them, except that my mother's parents were from Denmark, originally." I turned to Blaise. "How about you, Blaise? What do your parents do?"

I learned that Blaise's father was an investment broker, one of the only ones in wizarding London. He owned quite a few firms and made a considerable amount of money on other wizard's shares. His mother was a law-witch for a few years, until Blaise's birth put her career on hold. He'd had a few nannies, but they never worked out; Blaise only ever wanted to be with his mother. I thought that was cute. So Blaise was a momma's boy. I internally laughed at the idea, and Blaise seemed slightly embarrassed, constantly scratching the back of his head, and looking away from me awkwardly.

Even when Blaise was old enough to have a private tutor to teach him reading and writing before he came to Hogwarts, his mother's career was put on hold again by the birth of his sister, Bailey Elizabeth. Bailey was seven now, so she would be attending Hogwarts in about four years. His mother was now back at work while Bailey was being tutored.

The rest of the group was getting very bored, not at all interested in the make-up of Blaise's family. Crabbe and Goyle were asleep on the grass, snoring softly. Theodore was quietly talking to Pansy about whatever, and Draco...well, Draco had been staring at me the whole time I talked with Blaise. He tried to make it look like he was paying attention to Blaise, but I could feel his gaze on me while he laid sprawled like some giant lounging cat on the ground. I think he was mad that I changed the topic from myself to Blaise. Oh well. Let him deal with it. I really didn't care.


Draco,

I will find out what you've asked for. You should expect something by the end of October. Work will undoubtedly be delaying any time I have to look into your request.

Your mother sends her love, and we will be seeing you on the first weekend of November.

Your Father,

Lucius Malfoy


It was a good thing that we spent some time outside that day, because while the rest of September was rather nice, October was horrid. And everyone suddenly had so much homework that we never got a chance to go outside...unless you were on the Quidditch teams.

One morning though, in the middle of October, I received a letter from Professor Dumbledore, requesting an audience with me before morning classes. He gave me directions and the password to his office, and the second I was finished with breakfast, I headed upstairs to see him.

I knocked on the door, and opened it a crack, sticking my head in. He was sitting behind a lavish desk past the antechamber. "Professor Dumbledore? You sent a note saying you wished to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes, Miss Harrell. Do come in." he beckoned me inside. "Would you like some tea? A biscuit?" He held out a tin to me.

"No thank you, Professor." I replied as I sat down in a big stuffy chair that was in front of his desk.

"Well, Miss Harrell, I believe you may already know what I've called you for." I nodded.

"My mother's spoken with you, hasn't she?"

"Yes, my dear, she has. Unfortunately, there us nothing I can do. It would seem very suspicious if I suddenly moved you into another house, or gave you special quarters. Your mother has expressed her concern about your welfare, considering your family history, and I have assured her that I will do all that I can to ensure your safety while at this school. I have informed the other professors of your situation, so please feel free to contact any of them if you are so inclined. Especially Professor Snape. If there is anything at all you wish to speak about with someone in authority, anything at all, please don't hesitate."

"I understand. Thank you, Professor."

"If any problems arise, in which you feel that your privacy is being breached, I have means to secure it. Just ask." He leaned forward. "You are lucky, considering your situation, to have a room all to yourself." He leaned back into his chair. "And because of that, unless you feel that your life is threatened, I will not be able to give you special privileges to move to another location. So please, keep the staff informed if you feel there is a problem, so things can be taken care of as they arise."

"Yes, sir. I will. But...do you think that that will happen? That my life will be threatened?"

"No. I really do not believe that it will be a problem." He smiled merrily. "Now," he said, rising from his chair and moving around his desk to walk me to the door. "I'll let you get to class. Take this note to Professor Snape." He said, handing me a folded piece of parchment. "It will excuse your tardiness."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." I left his office and headed straight to the dungeons to get my things before heading to class. I wasn't sure how I felt to have everyone's assumptions confirmed. I guess I'll just make the most of it. Just talk with the professors, he says. Like that's easy. Jeeze.

When I got to my classroom, I opened the door slowly, edging my body in. The whole class turned to look at me.

"Miss Harrell, you're late." Professor Snape said, raising an eyebrow in my direction.

"Sorry, sir. I have a note from Professor Dumbledore." I handed him the note, waiting for him to read it before going to sit down. There were a few whispers amongst the rest of the class.

"Very well." Snape said, after he finished reading. "You will see me after class. Please sit down." Then he turned back to the class. I sat down quickly, pulling my supplies out from my bag quietly.

After class, I approached Snape's desk, as all the other students filed out of the dungeon. "Yes, Professor?"

"Professor Dumbledore has explained to me your...precarious position within Slytherin House." I nodded. "I trust that you will be smart enough to come to me if anymore...problems arise similar to the one at the start of term."

"Yes, sir. I will."

"Good. Although your family history is questionable, I'm sure you realise that you are a Slytherin. And being a Slytherin is a noble thing Raven. I am sure you also realise that Slytherins are generally not well thought of in this school, however, the other houses never look past the surface. I am hoping you will learn to quickly, for your own safety as well as for the knowledge that everything is not always as it seems. If you remember the Sorting Hat's song, 'While Slytherin stays cunning, ambitions most surmised...' a real Slytherin never shows their true ambitions. And as such, they are constantly misunderstood. Remember that. Here is a note for your next teacher. You may go now."

"Thank you for your advice, sir." I bowed my head a little in a bow.

Snape's lips quirked up in and rare and barely noticeable smile. "You're welcome." I left him, heading off to my next class. I think Professor Snape's words only confused me more. But it was something to think about, at least.


As I said before, October's weather was horrible, and I was really looking forward to the end of October however, but for two reasons unrelated to the weather: Halloween and the start of the Quidditch Season.

Halloween is my favourite holiday, aside from Christmas, but I absolutely love autumn, and the colours outside are absolutely beautiful. It's too bad the weather ruined any chance of really enjoying it. As did another thing.

After the Halloween feast, where I stuffed myself with way too many sweets, everyone was on their way to their dormitories when the flow of movement suddenly stopped and it became very quiet. Draco was right in front of me, so when he stepped forward to say, "Enemies of the heir beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!" I caught sight of what had caused the interruption.

Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, was hanging by her tail, stiff as a board, from a torch bracket in the wall. And above her was a sickening red and wet message reading: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE. It was easily the most horrible thing I had ever seen. At first, I thought it might be a Halloween joke, but if Draco wasn't laughing, then there was definitely a problem. And standing right in front of it was Harry Potter.

I almost couldn't believe it. A flittering thought about Blaise's words earlier in the term passed through my mind. But as I saw Hermione and Ron, and the frightened looks on their faces, I knew it couldn't be true.

Seconds after Draco's outburst, Filch turned up and then Dumbledore, diffusing the situation. We all headed back to the Slytherin dungeons, most of the students muttering around me.

Once inside the common room I asked Draco, "Why'd you say something like that, Malfoy?"

He turned to me. "Because it's true." He grinned.

"Was it you?" The rest of the Slytherins milled around the common room, watching the interaction between the two of us.

He scoffed. "Of course not. I know quite a few spells that are beyond the second-year level, but I haven't learned that one; yet. Why do you care?"

"Because regardless of anyone's dislike of Filch or Mrs. Norris, that was a terrible thing to do."

"Maybe it's not about Filch or Mrs. Norris. Maybe it's about getting rid of people who don't belong in this school."

"Like who?"

He looked at me like I was dense. "Like the Mudbloods! They can't be proper wizards. They're not pureblood. If they're not pureblood, they shouldn't be here. And that includes that insufferable Harry Potter. He's only half, anyway. But he might as well be a Mudblood, for all his muggle relatives did for him. That's why Slytherin's the best house to be in. You can be guaranteed that we're all pureblood. And were raised that way." There were cheers around the room, but I wasn't quite sure what to say to all of that, considering I didn't really understand it all. Pureblood? Half? What does he mean? And that's the second time I've heard the word 'Mudblood.' And I still don't quite understand who it refers to. Since I couldn't think of anything to say, I frowned, and turned to go to my room.


Seeing as my second most anticipated thing about the end of October was the beginning of the Quidditch Season, I was very excited about the first match. The first Quidditch match, it was, of course, Slytherin against Gryffindor. I remember sitting in the stands, holding a little Slytherin flag, cheering on...whoever. Secretly Harry, as far as the seeking went, but Slytherin as far as gaining house points went. I didn't want Draco to catch the Snitch, even if I wanted us to win. His ego didn't need any encouragement.

The second the Bludger missed Harry the first time, I gasped. Was this how Quidditch was normally played? But I soon realised that there was something very wrong, especially when the Weasley twins became stuck to Harry's sides like glue, trying to keep the Bludger away from him.

Draco just flew around lazily and laughed, and all I wanted to do was fly out there and wipe that smug look off his face. He probably enchanted the Bludger! And the rest of the Slytherins around me weren't helping the situation any. It started to rain, but the cold didn't seep in, I was too worried about Harry. And I was so mad, watching the Slytherin team point and jeer at Harry during the time-out. How can anyone be so cruel?

As the game restarted, I watched Harry intently. I was the only one in Slytherin House that gasped in shock when the Bludger hit Harry's arm, making a sickening crack, obviously breaking it. Everyone else cheered.

I watched as Harry dove for Malfoy. What was he doing? Then I saw the Snitch, about two seconds before Harry caught it. He did it! He caught the Snitch! The rest of the stands cheered, and I was about to also when I heard the boos come from the people around me. I stood silent, and watched in horror as Harry fell to the ground. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to leave, or I was going to show the other Slytherins how I really felt. And I knew that I couldn't do that. I turned to Blaise.

"Blaise, I'm going back inside. I'll see you there!" And before he could reply I was gone, stumbling out of the stands and running back up to the school, tears welling in my eyes. I didn't stop until I was safe in my room, with the door locked. Then I collapsed, sobbing.

I can't do this. I just can't do it.

But soon my tears slowed, and I knew I'd have to go out into the common room at some point, or everyone would become really suspicious. So I discarded my wet and muddy clothes, and decided to take a quick hot shower before showing my face.

Feeling slightly refreshed and ready to face the other Slytherins, I redressed in some clean sweatpants and a jumper, and then I went out into the common room, where a majority of the Slytherins were still gathered. Blaise immediately came up to me, Theodore tagging along.

"Hey, Raven. Where'd you go?" Blaise asked.

"Oh, I was just freezing cold, so I came inside to warm up and take a hot shower. Besides, we were defeated, there was nothing else to see, right?"

"Actually," Theo cut in, grinning. "Potter lost all the bones in his arm!"

Puzzled, I asked, "What?"

"You know he broke his arm, right?" I nodded. "Well, Lockhart tried to mend it, but he wound up removing all the bones! It was hilarious!" Theo and Blaise burst out laughing, while I stood there trying to act like I thought it was funny.

"That must feel odd...having an arm with no bones." I said as I sat down on a sofa by the fire. Blaise sat down on one side of me, Theo on the other.

"At least it's not one of us!" Blaise joked. "So, Raven, you warm yet?" he said, putting an arm behind me on the couch.

I snuggled back into the sofa. "Getting there."

Just then, Crabbe and Goyle lumbered up to us. "Do you know where Draco is?" Crabbe said, looking almost like a lost puppy.

Theo shrugged. "No idea." But the person in question appeared, slamming his way into the common room and down the boy's corridor. He looked pissed beyond reason. Everyone sat in silence as a door being thrown shut was heard from down the hall. As soon as it was over, everyone went back to what they were doing.

"Isn't anyone going to see if he's ok?" I asked.

Blaise shook his head. "There's no point, really. Although Draco strives on attention, he's a loner. He just needs some time to cool off. As long as it's before bedtime, it's fine by me. Besides, it's probably just his father, anyway." The other boys nodded.

"What do you mean, exactly?"

Theo spoke up. "Draco's father is a very proud man. We all are, really. But Draco really embarrassed himself out there. Even Flint gave him shit about it."

"Embarrassed himself?" I searched my memory for some moment of possible embarrassment for Draco during the game. I couldn't think of any, and I was probably too focused on Harry anyway.

"Yeah," Theo said. "The Snitch was just behind his left ear. He was too busy laughing at Potter to hear it. So Potter caught it instead."

"And lost us the match." Blaise finished. Theo nodded.

"I see." I paused. "So Draco probably just got back from a verbal beating from his father?"

"Probably," Blaise said. "And let's hope it was only verbal."

"What do you mean? Does Draco's father beat him?"

Blaise shrugged. "Well, no one knows for sure. But it wouldn't really surprise us. It's not like our parents aren't the same sometimes, right?" Oh, gods, that's terrible. Don't any of these people know love?

"Well, if you ask me," Flint said from behind us, "He deserves whatever his father gave to him. Draco hardly showed his worth out there today." Suddenly angry, I stood up and faced him.

"Is that all Draco's worth to you? A Quidditch game? House points? Seven fancy brooms?"

"For right now, yes."

A disgusted look passed over my face. "You sicken me, Flint. I thought Slytherins stuck together. How do you expect to get anywhere in the battle against your enemies if you can't even trust each other?" And with that, I stalked back to my room, skipping the rest of the day.


Thanks everyone for reading! Please review!