Chapter 1: Welcome to Slytherin
1 September 1990
Linus Urquhart held his breath as Minerva McGonagall called out names for first-year students to be sorted. He watched as Katie Bell was sorted in Gryffindor. Seconds later Cho Chang became a Ravenclaw. Every five minutes he kept looking at the ground. This was not something he was enjoying in the slightest. He knew when it was his turn, everyone's attention would be focused on him. And what could he do? He wanted to be in Slytherin and join his childhood friends-Montague, Pucey, Warrington, and Bletchley-who were all second years. But would the sorting hat listen to his request?
Finally…
"Urquhart, Linus!"
Urquhart walked towards the stool and sat on it.
"Where shall I put you?", the sorting hat asked.
"Slytherin, obviously", Urquhart muttered.
"Okay, then", the sorting hat said. "If you're sure of your decision, better be…. SLYTHERIN!"
The sorting hat yelled out Urquhart's choice of house at the top of his lungs.
Urquhart breathed a sigh of relief as several of the Slytherins clapped. He walked over to the Slytherin table as several of them patted on the back. Marcus Flint, a fifth-year Prefect, smiled at Urquhart as the latter sat down.
"Way to go, Linus!", Warrington exclaimed. "Now you're one of us."
Urquhart smiled. "It seemed a lot easier than I thought."
Urquhart didn't know the challenges that would await him during his first year at Hogwarts. But he was looking forward to seeing what was in store.
