The next morning I woke to an owl tapping on my window. No, make that two. One was obviously from my father, it was brown with white patches on the head and wings. The other had the look of one of the school's birds. "Someone shut that ruddy owl up!" At almost the same instant, a pillow flew across the room, towards the window. It missed.

I glanced at my dorm mates. Pansy Parkinson had been the one to chuck the pillow; she was now pulling the covers over her head. Millicent Bulstrode had yelled and was giving me a look. Blaise Zabini was snoring away. "All right, I'll get it. I yawned as I got out of bed and noticed I was still in my robes. Oops. I stopped to pick up the pillow and fling it back to Pansy. She accepted it by putting it back under her head.

As I reached the window, I pulled my robes tighter around me. I took a quick look at the clock: 5:49 am. I groaned as I shoved the window open to let the birds in. My father's just dropped it's envelope to the floor and flew off. The school owl just sat there patiently. I grumbled as I bent down to pick up the fallen letter. "Shit!" The envelope was deep red and getting brighter.

"Oooh! Zee got a Howler at six in the morning! Hurry up and open it or you'll wake the entire dungeon. Professor Snape gets cranky when he gets woken up," Millicent cackled while watching me from my bed.

I heard Pansy stir. "Who's it from?" she mumbled, her head still under the covers.

"My father." I held the envelope an arms length away and grabbed a corner. "Heads up!" I ripped it open.

My father's voice, magnified of course, shook through the room. "How could Julian be a Ravenclaw!" I asked myself that dozens of times already, and still no answer. Amazing, I must be broken. "He should have been a Slytherin!" No argument from me. "The Doshon line has been soiled! How could you let this happen!" Wait a minute, me? "I expect you to rectify the situation immediately!" Right-o. As soon as I'm not being attacked by hordes of tired Slytherins.

Blaise jerked awake. Millicent kept laughing and Pansy started giggling. "Oh sod off." I grabbed my pillow and flung it at Millicent. As I pulled the letter off the second owl, I ducked to avoid the pillow being thrown back at me. I looked at the name on the outside and resisted burning it right then and there. It said, 'Lizbeth Anne Doshon.' He had put my real name on it! I hate my name. I ripped it open and skimmed the page. Apparently getting a Howler on the first morning of classes hadn't made him very popular. He blamed me for telling him to owl our father.

There was a knock on the door and the other three girls stopped laughing and pretended to be sleeping. "Uh, come in," I called, hoping it wasn't Snape. Hope was against me today.

"What in the world is going on here!" Severus Snape walked in, still wearing his night clothes.

I grabbed my brush and pulled it through my hair. I must've looked awful. "Thought that was obvious, I got a Howler." I picked my pillow up off the floor and put it back on my bed.

"Don't sass me Miss Doshon!" He walked in fully and closed the door behind him. Quite a crowd was outside. "Why did you get it now instead of at breakfast with all the other mail?"

I pulled some clean clothes out of my dresser; I didn't want to be having this conversation. "Seems he doesn't care, now does it?" I grabbed a green and silver striped towel. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go take a shower." I grabbed everything and shoved past him. I knew he was glaring at me and trying not to give me a detention, but I couldn't get myself to care at the moment.

At breakfast, I yawned as I ate my oatmeal. Malfoy had finally gotten tired of quoting my father's letter at me. I turned to look at the small first year sitting beside me. I recognized her from the sorting last night as Kathryne Anderson. "What's wrong with you kid?"

She just looked at me for a moment. "My best friend is in Gryffindor. I wont be able to talk to her anymore. Well, not without being called a traitor," she said meekly.

I sighed. Ah, what stupidity. "Oh boo-hoo. Go cry me a river then build a bridge and get over it." She looked like she wanted to hex me. I rolled my eyes. "That's what midnight trips to the North Tower and owls are for." She instantly cheered up. After a few moments, she suddenly hopped up and ran out of the Great Hall, presumably to write a letter.

I grinned and finished my oatmeal. I pulled my schedule out from my bag to see what was in store today. Great, double History of Magic and double Potions. First I'll be bored to tears, then punished for my father's stupidity. "Hey Malfoy." No response. I noticed the hall was much quieter than usual. I glanced at Draco and I could see him sniggering at something going on at the head table. I gasped; someone had given the Headmaster a Howler. Chances are, it was from my father.

I stood and walked briskly up. "It's from my father, isn't it?" I asked, looking straight at Dumbledore.

He just ignored me and tapped the envelope with his wand. It opened itself, but it didn't start screaming. "Ah, yes, I expected this," he said quietly. Louder he said, "Mr. Doshon, would you come up here for a moment?" I watched as Julian stood up from the Ravenclaw table and walked up; all the while staring daggers at me. "It would seem that your father is coming to the school to see what he can do about your sorting." I swore under my breath and Dumbledore looked at me. "This does not concern you. Get to class."

I turned around to look behind me. The entire Great Hall had cleared and it was apparent that I missed the bell. "Damnit." I walked to the Slytherin table, grabbed my bag, and ran out of the hall and to my class. Binns was going to kill me! I ran all the way to class and made it just moments before the bell rang.

I slid into my seat while the other Slytherins laughed at me. I pulled out my parchment and quill to take notes. I used to steal Draco's, but his handwriting is almost illegible as of late.

It was hard to try and stay awake. I almost fell asleep once or twice. Everyone was glad to get out afterwards and stretch. "Doshon, you were almost late for class. Where have you been?" Draco asked, doing a pretty good imitation of McGonagall.

I put a look of terror on my face. "Oh Professor! I'm so sorry! I forgot my favorite piece of parchment and I've got an ugly scar down my head, will you not sentence me to detention even though I deserve it!" We all started howling with laughter as we walked to lunch.

We all chatted through lunch, and for a while, I forgot about everything going on. That is, until the great Mikhail Glenn Doshon, my father, walked into the Great Hall, yelling my name. "Lizbeth Anne Doshon!"I flinched, dropping my fork, and turned in my seat. There he stood in the doorway of the hall, looking rather angry. Well maybe this wont be a repeat of other times. I ran my fingers along my right jaw line, over my scar, and shuddered. The hall had quieted greatly by now, and only a few whispers flew around.

I stood up and leaned across the table to Draco and said softly, "Grab my bag for me if I'm not back in time for class." He nodded, and knew what would probably happen to me, he was the only one I'd ever told.

I started walking towards my father. "Mr. Doshon," came Snape's voice. Oh, please convince him to leave me alone. "Might I ask why you are here?"

Father looked up at Snape. "Severus, isn't it all right to speak to my daughter?"

Snape stood. "Why not send an owl, or use the Floo Network?" He started walking towards my father. "I am sure you have access to both of these means of communication."

"Come Lizbeth, I must speak with you." My father walked up, grabbed my arm, and practically dragged me out. Just before the doors closed, I shot Draco a terrified look.