Last year when she had arrived at the school, she had hated the massive old castle. Rhyann had wanted to be any where else in the world except Hogwarts. She would have even rather been back on the island with the crones and their gentle weak ways. Now as the carriages approached the front entrance, she was smiling. Here lay a certain amount of freedom from Lucius Malfoy. There was also an ally inside whose words she would not pass off so easily this time.

Draco was still fuming over the fact that Hermione was Head Girl. It had now spread throughout the Slytherins and they were all aghast. There was talk of creating a petition and having students sign it to get Granger to resign her position. She was sure that the Gryffindors were buzzing about the same thing over Draco. Rhyann just continued to smirk to herself about it and how childish the whole thing was. There were more important things going on in the world than who held some empty title.

The Great Hall shone with gold and pearl decorations. Even the eldest of students who had been at Hogwarts for seven years were stunned by the richness of it all. There were streamers of great pearls lining the huge room and gold dust fell softly from the ceiling like snow. Some children tried to grab at it but the dust disappeared as soon as it came into contact with something.

Rhyann took her place at the Slytherins' table with Draco beside her at the head of it so he could more easily get up when he had to do any Head Boy duties. The choir was gathered at the front by the Headmaster's podium and singing the school's song:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."

Rhyann rolled her eyes slightly. It sounded like a song that Dumbledore would make up himself. Though she would not doubt that most of the brats here had heads full of air and bits of fluff! Some of them still did when they left Hogwarts after their seventh year, she bet.

After the song was sung, the members of the choir returned to their tables and the bearded old wizard came up to his podium. To her keen eyes, he looked a little more wizened than last year. There was still that twinkle in his eyes, but there was something below it all. Perhaps his age was finally catching up to him. Dumbledore stood quietly waiting for the applause to die down.

Scanning the staff table, she recognized several of the teachers from the previous year. Lucius and Darcy had been unsuccessful in their attempts to have the non-humans removed from the school. Hagrid sat at one end, stroking his beard with a great goofy grin on his face. Firenze stood very dignified with his arms folded and gazing up at the ceiling where the stars could be seen past the gentle rain of gold dust.

Professor Snape sat silently and smugly between the small Charms teacher and the Deputy Headmistress. The dreamer thought she saw his eyes dart her way once, but she could not be sure.

Once the clapping had died down and the first years were led in to one side, Dumbledore looked down up the ratty pointed hat that sat upon a lone stool near him and smiled. There was no other signal than that and it was the Sorting Hat's turn to sing.

"In grandest fashion,

Under strands of pearls and gold,

I sit here before you

To do a job ages old.

The number of students

Whose head I've been placed

Is one too large for my mouth,

Larger than any young mind has faced.

I do not have any fingers

To count such things upon

But I am ready to tell you

The number of years gone.

Over a thousand years have passed

Since the four Founders came

Together they wanted to teach

Hogwarts was their fame.

Brave Gryffindor

Had courageous deeds done.

Caring Hufflepuff

Had love for everyone.

Clever Ravenclaw

With her ingenious thought.

And proud Slytherin

Had pureblood loyalty wrought.

I still voice my regret

That I am designed to sort

The four Houses should be one

Under a common fort.

This year more than ever

Unity needs to be found

Or else there might not be another

The Wheel of Fate spins 'round.

So new students come forth

Place me on your head

I will see what lies within

I will see a House to be read.

Twelve hundred and twelve

A special year to join in

Happy Anniversary to Hogwarts

Let the sorting begin!"

There was the usual applause and many surprised looks. It had always been said that the year Hogwarts had been started was never known for certain. Many wizard scholars had their own theories, but those who knew the truth of it were long dead. Now the Sorting Hat had proclaimed the school was 1212 years old. If the enchanted hat had known before, why did it never enlighten anyone? And why was it telling everyone now?

The name of the first student had been called. "Addams, Steven!"

The big eyed boy seemed almost to be engulfed by the Sorting Hat as it was placed upon his head. "RAVENCLAW!"

"Bentley, Michelle"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Rhyann leaned over to her boyfriend as the other houses were cheering for their new house mates. "Did you know that it was going to be the anniversary this year?"

"We were told earlier today. They're going to fill the whole year with special events. Each House will get to choose an event it would like to host. I already made sure that Slytherin got the special quidditch tournament." Draco replied proudly.

"Cruthers, Danny."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Of course he would have chosen the quidditch tournament. Without even discussing it with the rest of Slytherin as well. Rhyann silently sighed and waited a bit before asking, "What were the other events?"

"Mulciber, Gamene."

Before Draco could answer, he shushed her as a boy with dark blond hair walked up to sit on the stool. The hat was not even on the child's head for a second before it shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Her table went wild with their cheers and Draco pat the boy on the shoulder as he walked by. Rhyann went to ask him her question again when a second name of nearly the same was called out.

"Mulciber, Imene."

A little girl with a pinched and arrogant look took the seat where her brother had just been sitting. Young as the children were, they looked much the same. If they had the same cut of hair, one might not be able to tell them apart. Yet Imene wore her hair long and in a single elegant braid.

"SLYTHERIN!"

She guessed she would have to wait until later to ask her questions of Draco. Rhyann remained silent through the rest of the sorting. The last girl, Amanda Zane, going to Ravenclaw. She thought the number of these first years were smaller than the previous one with approximately two dozen going to each of the four Houses.

Once everyone had quieted down again, the Headmaster raised his arms and smiled mischievously. "Welcome to our fresh and eager first years! Welcome back to all our young and enthusiastic students! Welcome back to our not so young but still excited staff members as well!" There were some chuckles around the Great Hall at that. "This is a special year for Hogwarts. It is our twelfth hundred and twelfth anniversary!" The chuckles were now cheers. "Throughout the school year, we will have each House host a grand event and the year will end with a spectacular ball for the students and their families!"

If Slytherin were to host the quidditch tournament, that meant it would probably be mostly the team involved. Draco as their captain, of course. Not that Rhyann wanted any extra responsibility of something else and she knew that no one would protest that he had chosen that event for them, but she still felt disgruntled by it. She did not even bother to applaud this time around.

"We would like to tell our first years - and remind the rest of our students - that no one is permitted to go to the Forbidden Forest. It is out-of-bounds and the rule will be strictly enforced." Dumbledore said it all seriously but then immediately switched back to his kindly old man face. "Since Professor Snape is now our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, we have a new face at our staff table. Please welcome Professor Hestia Jones who will be taking up the position as Potions Master… Oh! Sorry, I should say, Mistress!"

There was the normal applause. Rhyann noted that Snape did not seemed to like the black haired witch that had stood up and waved enthusiastically to the students. Hestia was younger than most of the other teachers, but that might have only seemed so because her cheeks were a ripe rosy pink.

"I won't keep us from the food any longer! Let us feast!" The Headmaster shouted out animatedly. His beard flying up around as he hurried back to his own seat to start eating. He was a wizard who did love to eat!