Snape looked down at them. Kat glared back. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Rid—err, Tykins." He caught himself in time. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Why should you care?" Kat said. "For all I know, you'll go off and tell your pet student, Draco."
"Just because of your father doesn't mean that you get special treatment."
"And just because of my father doesn't mean you can go and tell everyone!" At Snape's fake look of confusion, she explained. "You told! I came down from my dorm, and there's Draco, being all nice to me. Then he calls me that foul name. I wonder who told him, don't you, Professor?"
Snape huffed and walked up to the head table. Kat smiled triumphantly and walked out of the Great Hall. Fred was slightly behind and grabbed her wrist once they were out. "What was that all about? Who is your father?"
Kat sighed. "I'm Tom Riddle's daughter. Therefore, I'm the heiress of Slytherin." She spoke slowly, as if she still didn't believe it.
"Woah, woah…" Fred sat down against the stonewall. "I thought you were muggleborn."
Kat sat next to him and sighed again. "So did I. Last night, I asked Dumbledore is I could change houses, and he told me that Voldemort's my dad." Fred opened his mouth to say something, but Kat cut him off. "And Snape was there. Snape went right off and told Draco. So the whole bloody school will know by the end of tomorrow." She glanced at him. "So I'll expect some hate mail, a few howlers…and a lot less friends too…" She dropped her head and closed her eyes, waiting for him to get up and leave.
To her surprise, he took her hand. He smiled as she lifted her head. "I've said it before, so I'll say it again; your blood doesn't matter to me. You aren't your father. You didn't force him to do those things. You weren't even born yet." He smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And if anyone who hates your for your father will have to go through me to hurt you." They both laughed a bit.
They were silent for a moment. Kat picked her head up. "I'll expect to be hated by most the Slytherins. They all thought I was muggleborn, and now I'm Voldemort's daughter."
"And then to some Slytherins," came a voice above them. "You'll still be hated, just the same." They looked up to see Draco's lovely sneer.
"Malfoy..." Fred had a look of disgust on his face. He started to get up, but Kat stopped him.
"I'll handle Blondie Boy." She stood and walked up to Draco, so their faces were inches apart. He instinctively took a step back. "Malfoy…you little rat. You go on whoever's side benefits you the most. At that time anyway. You don't care about consequences. You have some major issues to work out." Kat grinned and her eyes lit up. He started to walk away, but she grabbed his arm. She whispered in his ear, "I told him."
Draco pulled out of her grasp and snarled. "Why you little…" Before he could get anything else out, Snape swooped out of nowhere and grabbed Draco, taking him off somewhere, no dubitably to punish him.
Kat giggled as he was taken away. Fred stood up and wrapped his arms around Kat's waist. "Quite a good show you put on there. You were almost…evil."
She spun on him. "Don't you dare say that ever again." At the look of amusement, she slapped him. Well, tried to anyways.
He caught her hand and held it on his face for a moment. "You're not evil and you never will be. I'll be there to make sure of it." He smiled.
"Promise?" He nodded. Kat smiled. A bell rang somewhere and kids started rushing out of the Great Hall.
Fred let go of her hand and kissed her cheek. "I've got Muggle Studies and Divination right now, but I'll see you at lunch."
"I've got double Potions. I'll see you after."
"Good luck!" Fred said and they went their separate ways.
Kat arrived at the dungeon-like potions class with seconds to spare. "Take a seat, take a seat." Snape called. As soon as everyone had taken a seat, he began the lesson. "Today you will be making a simple forgetfulness potion. I will be giving you no instructions. You all have books, and I expect you can read." No one moved and he glared. "Well! Hop to it! And no speaking!"
Kat flipped through the pages of 212 Simple Potions and Magical Brews. She found the correct section and skimmed it. She glanced up and noticed Snape, standing in front of her. He looked like he was going to say something, so she waited.
"Dumbledore wishes to see you, right now." She pulled her things together. "One of the teachers will be outside his office, waiting to let you in. And since you are leaving early, I will expect a foot and a half of parchment about the forgetfulness potion." He paused as if he wanted to say more, but didn't.
Kat stood up and left, glad to be out of that dungeon. She slowly walked through the silent and empty hallways. It was so quiet without students walking about, asking each other whether Snape was in a particularly bad mood, or asking questions about the newly assigned homework.
She noticed that many of the pictures were sleeping and laughed. 'Must be the only time of day to get a bit of shut-eye,' she thought. A door opened in front of her and out stepped none other than Albus Dumbledore. "Hullo Professor," Kat said politely.
Dumbledore heard her voice and turned. "Ahh…Miss Riddle." Kat cringed, but he didn't seem to notice. He put an arm around her shoulders and started walking toward his office. "I was just heading to my office to speak with you. I had expected you to be there already."
Kat nodded. "I like to walk slowly when the halls are empty. It's so quiet and such a magnificent castle." She glanced at a painting, and the young girl in it waved. Kat smiled.
"Taking time to watch the paintings is something I should do more often. I hardly get a chance to anymore." His eyes shined before he became serious. "Now, about your request to change houses."
"I know, I know. The Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin for a reason. Plus, I'm that foul monster's child so I'm the heiress."
"Actually, Miss Riddle, I was going to consider it." Kat gasped at his words and her eyes lit up. "But I alone cannot decide. You will have to try on the Sorting Hat once again."
Kat nodded. "Professor…Why didn't you tell me who I was before?"
"If you knew, your true personality would have never shown. You would have grown up hated by some wizards, and worshipped by others. You'd be forced to deal with things at a young age that most wizards can't deal with ever. You would've never become the kind, sweet, caring person you are today." Kat nodded and thought about this. "And," he started, a twinkle in his eye, "you would never have fallen in love with a young Gryffindor." Kat's face turned bright red. They reached Dumbledore's office and he spoke the password to get into his spectacular office.
There were magical trinkets everywhere, but Kat was only looking at one thing, the Sorting Hat. Dumbledore took it off its stool and set it on her head.
"Ah yes…" came the hat's voice in her head. Kat tried to keep her mind clear. "It's been three years…you still have it, the need to be more…but now…Hrmm…I can see the courage…the loyalty…the want to know more…your true father, revealed. The heir of Slytherin…Hmmm…You belong in…"