Narcissa

After another long and painful summer of agony, Harry Potter is finally on his way back to Hogwarts. He has his best friends and the familiar feeling of welcome to keep him happy. He joins Ron and Hermione as they walk together through the solid looking brick wall to Platform 9 ¾. Once they reached the chattering, clattering, and bustling platform, they headed off in search for a carriage that was empty to stow their trunks and pets. After only moments of searching, the warning signal went off giving them only three minutes to say goodbye to their escorts.

"Have a good term this year everyone. Don't forget, if you've forgotten something, write us and well send it along." Molly Weasley said to everyone as she hugged them all. Once again, she caught Harry last and gave him an extra hug.

"Be good this year and do try to stay out of too much trouble. Ok, Harry?"

"I will Mrs. Weasley." Harry replied.

"And you, Ronald, stop getting taller or I will have to stand on a ladder to kiss you goodbye!"

"Love you too, Mum." Ron responded as he bent down for his mother to kiss his cheek.

Another blast from the horn gave them all a start as they said hurried goodbyes to Tonks, Lupin, and Bill, who also wished them good terms. As they hurried onto the train they all waved back merrily. Then they were thrust around the corner and whisked out of sight.

"Well, shall we continue our search, or stand in the hallway and wait for the lunch trolley?" Ron asked as they picked up their trunks and cages again.

They proceeded down the corridor to look for an empty carriage. They passed many of their fellow 6th years including Neville, Dean, and Seamus. They also got many glares from the other occupants of carriages. As they inevitably passed the one containing Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Harry noticed a smug look on Malfoy's face. He was happy about something, and whatever it was, Harry didn't care.

Finally they found a carriage that was only occupied by two people. Harry recognized one of them instantly by the mass of red hair.

"Hi, Ginny. May we sit with you?"

"Of course Harry. But only if you don't mind my new friend." Ginny replied.

"He doesn't mind." Ron answered for him as the trudged in and pushed his trunk up into the rack and plunging Pigwidgeon's in cage after it.

They then all settled down and told each other about their summers, what would happen in their classes this year, how foul Snape was going to be to them this year and what kind of new tricks Malfoy had to throw at them.

"Oh, you mean Draco Malfoy?" Narcissa asked Ron as he told her about him being turned into a ferret because he was a scum cheater.

"Yeah. Why, have you met him?"

"You could say that. He was being very rude to me on the way in here. H e said only losers sit in the back coach with Potter."

"Well Draco Malfoy is a pompous little leech." Hermione said seriously.

"I think I can agree with that." Narcissa responded equally seriously.

Then they all enjoyed laughing at the things Malfoy tried to do to them while they were at school and how Harry always beat him at Quidditch.

After some hours of laughing and joking, the sky outside the train grew darker. The hills and country sides changed into beautiful snow-capped mountains. They all changed into their school robes and talked some more.

When the train finally started to slow down, they got up and headed for one of the exits. Once outside in the cool night air they heard the annual, familiar cry of "Firs' years! Firs' years o'er here now, don' be shy!" they said a friendly hello to the Groundskeeper and headed for the Thestral drawn coaches.

Harry remembered all to well the first time he'd seen a Thestral. Luna Lovegood had claimed she could see them too and Harry though she was playing with his mind.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron then climbed into a small coach and were joined by Neville and Ginny. They then road all the way up to the castle, discussing the feast merrily. When they finally got to the oak front doors, they scrambled out of the coach and ascended the steps, filing straight into the Entrance Hall and proceeding to the Great Hall. They group of friend then sat down at the Gryffindor house table and greeted more friends, where they awaited the arrival of the Sorting Hat on its three-legged stool.

When Professor McGonagall placed the old tattered hat on the stool in front of the Headmaster, after guiding the frightened looking first years, the Hall fell silent. A rip in the near the brim opened in the old rag and the Sorting Hat burst into song:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see.

I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me!

There's nothing hidden in your head,

The sorting hat can't see.

So try me on

And I'll tell you where you ought to be.

Should it be Noble Gryffindor?

Whose bravery is right and true?

Should it be Ravenclaw?

Whose brains are ripe and skilled?

Or will it be Hufflepuff?

Where all are accepted.

Or the Legendary Slytherin?

Whose blood is rather true?

Which ever house,

You all are equal.

So try me on,

And I'll see to you..."

The Hall rang with its approval at the end of the Sorting Hat's song. Professor McGonagall the stepped forward again with a scroll of the first years' names.

"Abbott, Jasell!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Applebee, Jake!"

"Hufflepuff"

And on it went…. Professor McGonagall went through her list with Harry wondering when Narcissa's name would come up. He received the most painful shock when he heard it.

"Malfoy, Narcissa!"

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione. They both gave him the same look and turned in unison to the Slytherin table. Malfoy had a very pronounced look of smugness on his face now. And, just as the three were turning back to the Sorting Hat, it fell over Narcissa's eyes and considered…. It then made up its mind but changed mid-word.

"SlyGryffindor!"