Chapter 3
"When I call your name, you will go forward and put on the Hat. When your House is announced, go and sit at the appropriate table." McGonagall paused for a moment to glare at the first years, before starting the role.
"Alder, Barry."
A gangly, pink-faced youth stumbled forward.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Dominic was sitting at the Slytherin table, watching the Sorting. His two- most favoured accomplices (A Malfoy didn't have friends, let alone best friends. Just accomplices.), Thaddeus DeMedici and Marx Borley were sitting on either side of him.
Thaddeus DeMedici was a slight, wiry boy, with jet black hair slicked back from his face and cold dark eyes set in deathly pale skin. He was sharp-tongued and observant, preferring to listen rather than talk, but like Dominic he was one of the most intelligent in their year. The DeMedicis were of Italian origin, and were one of the wealthiest and most powerful pureblood families.
Marx Borley was a different matter. Unlike Dominic and Thaddeus, who were both smart and ridiculously wealthy, Marx struggled with school work and his family, while pureblood, and rich by normal standards, was nowhere near as powerful or well-respected as the Malfoy and DeMedici dynasties.
Marx was tall and heavily built, with short brown hair, a round face and dull blue-grey eyes.
"Crabbe, Dulcibella."
"SLYTHERIN!"
Dominic looked up long enough to see the heavyset pigtailed girl sit down at the opposite end of the table. He groaned inwardly; Vincent Crabbe was an old school fr- accomplice of his father's, and, while bad enough in his own right, Vincent's two children, Gordon and Dulcibella, were a nightmare from Dominic's point of view. Gordon, who was nineteen, was thuggish and stupid (as well as one of Sebina's ex-boyfriends, which didn't help), and eleven-year-old Dulcibella was not only as thick as a plank, but spoilt rotten to boot.
Dominic drifted off again, no longer paying attention. Why did they have to do the sorting before the food? He was hungry, goddamnit, and anyway, who cares about a bunch of snivelling little brats when you know mint humbugs are only the swish of a wand away? Dominic had a thing for mint humbugs. He was addicted to them, ever since his first day at Hogwarts when they were just suspiciously shaped wrappers that Gordon dared him to try, saying they were horrible. He only did it to get one up on the older boy, but ended up with what he considered his first taste of paradise. He even went so far as to smuggle boxes home over the holidays, because his father had banned anything of Muggle origin (including sweets) from Malfoy Manor long before he was born.
He was brought back to reality by the sound of Marx's stomach rumbling.
"Hungry?" asked Thaddeus snidely from his other side, as 'Travers, Stephen' became a Ravenclaw.
Marx nodded. Thaddeus smirked and glanced up at the teacher's table.
"Great," he said quietly so that only Dominic heard, "only one more. Whatever about Borley, I know I could eat a hippogriff."
Dominic looked up as the last remaining first year, 'Weasley, Carlie' was called forward. She was small, with freckles, big brown eyes and a bushy mane of flaming red hair.
"GRYFFINDOR!" yelled the hat.
"Thank Merlin," muttered Thaddeus, slumping back in his seat. Through the crowd, Dominic saw Maeve giving Carlie a hug as the younger girl took her seat. His stomach twinged. Hunger, he thought. Why can't they get on with it? We're starving here!
"I have only two words to say to you," twinkled Dumbledore as he surveyed his students. "Tuck in!"
Suddenly the tables were loaded with food. Thaddeus reached for a bowl of soup, Marx was already shovelling potato into his mouth and Dominic- well, Dominic had dived on the humbugs.
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"First years, this way, come on, over here," called Maeve as she stood up. A few first years timidly made their way over to her, and through the crowd she could see the two fifth-year prefects, Rowan Deeley and Stella Shay (Naomi's sister) herding the remainder towards her.
Maeve smiled. They were so small! And to think that had been her not so long ago. She shook her head. Weird.
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"Hebridean Black," said Dominic.
The gargoyle sprang aside and he stepped into the Slytherin common room. The ten or so first years filed in, with the two prefects, Terence and Olivia, bringing up the rear.
"All right," Terence said as the gargoyle sprang back into position. "Shut up and listen!" The first years fell silent and Dominic quirked an eyebrow at him. This guy was cocky.
"Dorms are through that door, girls to the left, boys to the right. As long as you're here you do whatever an older year tells you. No questioning. Slytherin house has a reputation to uphold, and no first year is going to tarnish that, or wreck our chance at the house cup. Got it?"
The first years nodded. There were a few mumbled 'yes sirs'.
"Okay then, get going," he finished. There was a mad scramble for the door, and a moment later they were all gone.
Olivia kissed Terence on the cheek. "Bye pumpkin," she said in a sickly sweet voice. Dominic shuddered inadvertently. Terence smirked as she retreated, then turned to leave.
"So, you do whatever an older year tells you, right?"
Terence whipped around. Dominic was lounging against one of the sofas, watching Terence with sort of studious interest in his grey eyes.
"What do you want?" he spat.
Dominic raised his eyebrows and took a step towards the prefect. He towered over him, and Terence gulped, realising too late who he was talking to.
"Listen Silver," Dominic hissed, bending forward so that his eyes were boring into his victim. "You better watch how you step around me. I'm warning you, I won't take bullshit from you or anybody else. Just remember- that badge might make you powerful, but the Head Boy has power the prefects can't match. Just remember that."
He turned and stalked away, leaving a thoroughly cowed prefect behind him.
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"Mandrake Mandragora," said Stella.
"That's it m'dear," the fat lady replied as the portrait hole swung open.
There was a gasp from the first years at what was behind and Maeve smiled.
"Go on," she said, "What are you waiting for? Go!"
They clambered through the portrait hole, Maeve, Stella and Rowan coming after them.
Rowan gave a piercing whistle. "First years, listen up!" He yelled.
The chatter ceased and the small group obediently turned to face him. Rowan grinned.
"M'lady," he said to Stella, stepping aside. She laughed and slapped his arm.
"Okay, first years," she said. "The dorms. Girls are through that door-" she pointed. "And boys through that one. Your trunks are up there already. Okay?"
They nodded. "Good night then. Off you trot!"
Maeve chuckled as the first years retreated.
"Honestly Stella, you're such a mother hen! You sound about forty."
Stella shrugged. "So what? They're cute."
"Fair enough," said Maeve. "All right, you two are done for the night. Good job, and well done on getting the positions. Night!"
"Night, Maeve."
"Night."
They too disappeared, leaving Maeve on her own in the common room. She smiled and flopped down into her favourite armchair. Everyone else was up in their dorms, unpacking. She'd go up later, but right now she didn't feel like moving. She tucked her feet up under her and pulled out her bobbin, letting her hair hang loose. She yawned, enjoying the heat of the fire on her face. It was so comfy and peaceful, she felt she could stay there for ever………….
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(A/N): As always thanx a million to everyone who reviewed! I love you guys!
EJC: Thank you! And don't worry, you'll see plenty more of them. I will do Harry's reaction eventually, but it won't be for a good while yet!
Baby-in-a-blender: Thank you! Lol, I take it you said that coz Sam's your name too. Anyway, I just thought it fitted, and I really like the name Sam anyway, for a girl or a boy.
Floro13: No problem, you deserve it, and thank you! Believe it or not I've never seen the movie, so it was completely accidental. :p I thought it was nice, and sounded like something Harry would do, seeing as he seemed so upset when Sirius died.