Finally the next chapter. I changed some spelling in the last chapter and Lucius Malfoy of course is not in Azkaban but hiding from the ministry. I changed those things. I have been writing that chapter in quite a hurry and didn't take the time to check it thoroughly. I'll be more careful with the next chapters.

Thanks again for all the reviews!

Dovasery: I hope that some things have been explained in these two chapters. The main reasons for her accepting are that she hardly has any other chance to get out of Serpent Castle, she wants to learn everything including the Dark Arts and because of her background it is easy for her to understand Voldemort's concept of power. And it was never said, that she would stay on that side, was it? She's in for a hard time, but I won't reveal anything more

daniel-radcliffs-girl: You'll see

AquaCherry66: Thanks.

Star and Lightning

19th Chapter – The Sorting

Draco Malfoy quickly checked his reflection in the compartment's window and left the train, Grabbe and Goyle in tow. He headed straight for one of the horseless carriages, hesitating when Harry Potter, holding his sister's hand, crossed right in front of him. Usually, he would have said some nasty comment, but they were already too far away to hear him, so he only growled quietly. Potter's twin stayed with the great oaf Hagrid, probably to cross the lake and be sorted with the first-years. Draco snorted.

When he sat inside a a carriage with Grabbe and Goyle, he told them: "Our new celebtrity has arrived. I bet, she will be sorted into loosy Gryffindor just like this terrible brother of hers."

Grabbe nodded while munching some sweets and Goyle said dreamingly: "She looks stunning."

"Idiot!" Draco shouted. "Remember who you are talking about! She's a halfblood and what's even worse, she's a Potter!"

Both Grabbe and Goyle shuddered and Goyle said quickly: "uhm, yeah, of course. You are right, Draco. She looks worse than Granger"

Draco humphed and stared out of the window. How could one be that stupid? They were talking about Elisha Potter, wandless magician and parselmouth, and all they were thinking about were her looks. He would have to be careful around this girl, the incident with the snake had taught him. His father, who was hiding from the Misnistry at the moment, had instructed him to watch her thoroughly. He had also told her, that the Dark Lord had caught her, but that she had managed to escape. Yet, Draco somehow doubted that she had escaped the Dark Lord on her own. From what his father had told him, he knew that it was supposed to be impossible to flee from Serpent Castle. Even more reason to be wary around her.

When the carriages reached Hogwarts, Draco and his companions got out and entered the castle with the other students. Once inside the Great Hall, they headed straight for the Slytherin Table. There was a lot of murmuring and even at the Slytherin table, the main topic was the long lost Potter. Draco was glad to share his thoughts with Theodore Nott, who had much more brain than Grabbe and Goyle. He shot some inconspicuous glances to the Gryffindor table and saw the Golden Trio talking animatedly with their housemates. Potter's sister was nowhere to be seen.

When McGonnagal entered with the first-years, all heads turned toward them. At the end of the line of first-years, a girl one head taller was walking. She had her gaze transfixed at McGonnagal's back in order to avoid the staring. Looking closely, Draco saw the snake's head at her neck. As it was somewhat hidden under her long hair, most people wouldn't see it.

Draco listened impatiently to the Sorting Hat's song and drummed his fingers on the table during the first-years' sorting, applauding when necessary. When it was Potter's turn, he sat up straightly and found himself watching with interest. She sat down on the stool, that was way too small for her, and the hat was put on her head. Then there was a stunned silence for almost one minute. Why did this take so long? Draco was wondering. Finally, the hat reached a decision.

When her name was called, Elisha warily went up the few stairs. She looked McGonnagal straight in the eye for an instance before sitting down on the little stool. She was nervous and a knot of fear had formed inside her stomache. She felt the head being placed on her head and almost jumped when she heard a little voice:

"Ah, a troubled mind, I see. Indeed, a troubled mind" She felt the hat's presence exploring her mind and tried to shut him off from her memories.

"Hey, a little more cooperation, please. How am I supposed to sort you, if you don't show me your mind? But I believe that I've seen enough. That's a difficult decision…. You have qualities for almost all houses: a quick mind, unique talents, hunger for knowledge, slyness,…"

Elisha interrupted him, because a terrible thought had just occurred to her: "You mustn't sort me into Slytherin!"

"Not Slytherin? 5 years ago, your brother told me the same. But he had different reasons for not wanting to be sorted into Slytherin… hmm"

There was silence for some time. While waiting for the hat's decision, Elisha realized that every student in the Great Hall was watching her intensely. And though she couldn't see the teachers, she was sure they were doing the same. Suddenly the hat softly spoke up again: "You are a really difficult choice, but I think that this will be the best for you."

And then he shouted out loud, for everbody to hear: "RAVENCLAW!"

Professor McGonnagal took the hat from her head and Elisha went to the Ravenclaw House Table feeling relieved and anxious at the same time. Relieved, that she was not sorted into Slytherin, and anxious because she didn't have her brother to cling to now.

The whole hall was cheering and two girls winked her over and made place for her to sit. They introduced themselves: "Hi, my name's is Sophie, this is Padma. We're both sixth-years. Welcome in Ravenclaw, the house of the bookworms and know-it-alls"

Elisha smiled at both of them and asked Padma: "You have been in our compartment on the train, with your twin sister, haven't you?"

Padma laughed and answered: "Yes. My sister is in Gryffindor though. It's not unusual for twins to be sorted into different houses."

After Professor Dumbledore had hold his start-of-term speech and presented Kingsley Shacklebolt as their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and the food had appeared, a lot of other Ravenclaws introduced themselves to Elisha. They were proud to have a celebrity in their house. Elisha silently wondered wether they would still be this nice when she would officially be Voldemort's Heiress. On the other hand, this overwhelming friendliness seemed unreal to her. How could everybody welcome her that warmly? She was more used to people like Malfoy whom she saw sitting at the Slytherin table. When Serena smelled some delicious meat and unwound herself from Elisha's neck quickly sliding on the table, there were gasps all over the table. Even Padma, who had already seen her, gasped. Elisha quickly explained:

"That's my pet snake, Serena. She doesn't hurt anybody, as long as nobody angers her." Then she hissed to the snake: "Wait a moment, Serena"

She grabbed her and set her back next to her plate while levitating the meat, Serena had smelled, over. Everybody gawked at her show of Parseltongue and wandless magic. Elisha smiled and continued eating.

When the feast was almost over, the tiny Professor Flitwick came towards her. Sophie whispered in her ear: "That's Professor Flitwick, our Head of House. He probably wants to welcome you."

And he did welcome her. He also told her that she could turn to him with all her problems. Elisha snorted inwardely, certainely not with these problems.

After Dumbledore had declared the feast over, Elisha waved at Harry and his friends and went to the Ravenclaw Common Room with the other students. On the way, Padma and Sophie explained about the moving staircases and how one could find one's way through Hogwarts. In the end, they advised her to always stay with one of the other students, so she wouldn't get lost.

A drawing showing a great black raven under a rainbow was the entrance to their Common Room. After Padma, who was a prefect, had said the password, Dihydrogeneoxide, they entered. Like when she had seen the Great Hall for the first time, Elisha was astonished. There were a lot of blue and silver armchairs and sofas, a huge fireplace, large windows and glittering decorations all over the walls. At the right and left side of the room, there was a corridor each, that led to the dormitories. The sixth-years girls' dormitory was the fifth one on the left. Inside there were five giant four-poster beds with dark blue curtains and silver bed linens. The view form the windows showed the greenhouses and the forbidden forrest. The bathroom, the five girls were sharing, was roomy and bright.

Elisha liked her dormitory and the Common Room. This would be her home for the next year. The other girls asked her to join a start-of-term-party in the Common Room but she prefered to be alone now. When the others were gone, she let Serena free to explore and unpacked her belongings. Almost everything was new, there were only few clothes and books she had brought from her life as Starlett.

Elisha was tired. This day had been quite exciting and exhausting. She didn't hear any sounds from the party, only the wind blowing around the castle and occasionally she heard her snake gliding in or out of something or rustling with curtains. Slowly, she undressed herself and lay down in her bed, the one in the left corner. A lot of thoughts were swirling around her mind, but she quickly fell asleep.

When the other girls came back, they found her sound asleep with Serena curled up next to her. The snake raised its head and looked at them while flicking its tongue, so they quickly closed the curtaines again and quietly went to bed themselves.