Chapter 2: Shuffling the Deck
The night was silent, with only the sounds of rustling leaves in the breeze. Almost as if the small town of Hogsmeade was waiting for the sound, the Hogwarts Express blew its horn, not even startling a soul. The silhouette of the Keeper of Keys stood near the edge of the loading platform, his lowly lit lantern making his shadow even larger than the man himself. One by one the passengers from the train rushed out, some being helped along by the Aurors posted at each exit. Hagrid's large frame and deep voice startled the littlest of them as he called out, "Oiy! Wel'ome to 'Ogwarts! First years! First years, follo' me. First years an' new students follo' me."
The older students ignored Hagrid's call, not even noticing the slight difference in his announcement. They continued on their way to the invisibly drawn carriages. Only a few students seemed confused as they pointed out the leathery, winged beasts at the head of each vehicle. Their friends merely asked them if they were alright, before proceeding into the carriages.
Harry led Danii and Kari up to Hagrid, introducing the two females to his very large companion. He turned back to the two girls, "I'll see you both up there," he pointed over to the boats, "it looks like you will be getting the first year treatment." he said in amusement.
Danii raised her eyebrow, but did not comment as he too walked off towards the carriages. She silently surveyed her surroundings, noting each Auror as she followed Kari down to the boats along the black lakes shore.
Alexandra glared at her two companions as they walked towards the Thestral drawn carriages. She turned and quickly made her way down to the shore, the many first years in front of her parting to make way for the annoyed Malfoy. "I can't believe Dumbledore is putting us through this…" She said with slight annoyance tingeing her voice as she reached Danielle.
"Well I guess we are just getting the first year treatment, because technically this is our first year." Danii replied empathetically.
Alexei rolled her eyes and gracefully entered the closest boat, pulling Danii along with her. " First year at Hogwarts, yes, but not in school." She said as she pulled her expensive silk embroidered cloak closer to her body to avoid it getting wet.
Kari glared after the stuck up blonde and entered the boat behind the other two females, wishing that her Ipod hadn't wigged out on the train two miles from Hogsmeade. Damn it. She thought as she looked towards the large castle they were heading for.
"True." Danii said as she sent a brief smile back at Kari. She turned back to Alexandra as she felt a cold chill run up her spine. She snapped her head in the direction of the forest and scanned it. Her uniquely attuned senses told her of two beings standing within meters of each other within the forest. Unconsciously, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Alexei's eyes followed Danii's to the forest and then focused on her fellow Parseltongue, " Something wrong?" She asked as she looked back to the overgrown trees.
Danii slowly took her gaze from the collective shadows beneath the branches to Alexei. She shook her head and replied, "I just felt as if I was being watched... Probably just some stray Auror's." she lied smoothly.
Alexei nodded in agreement, " More than likely." She said as she turned and faced the castle, letting out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"Welcome to another year here at Hogwarts. With the current war going on outside our walls, I'm glad to see that many of you have returned to learn and broaden your minds. The first years will be sorted momentarily, but for now I have three new students to introduce. Alexandra Amun-Malfoy, Danielle Christensen, and Kari Corio." Each of the young woman stepped up to Professor McGonagall as their respected names were called. Professor Dumbledore took his seat again and waited for his Deputy Headmistress to begin.
"Ms. Malfoy your first." said McGonagall holding the hat waiting for Alexei to take her seat on the stool.
Alexei stepped forward and sat, crossing her legs. Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head.
"Hmmm verrry interesting. I haven't sifted through an Amun mind in many years. Ravenclaw would suit you well, the language, the arts, and the wonder. But your heart and soul show that you are a true…SLYTHERIN!!!"
Alexei smiled as the hat was removed from her head. She walked over to the booming Slytherin table and sat in between Draco and Trent.
"Ms. Christensen." McGonagall said discretely. Danii sat on the stool as the hat was placed on her head.
"Danielle, your mother may have escaped my grasp, but you have returned to your roots. There is so much of Alexander in you. Hopefully your friendships will help through the years to come. I see no other place to put you but in…SLYTHERIN!"
McGonagall gave Dumbledore a quick glance, seeing the worry etched in his face. She turned back to Kari gesturing for her to come up to the stool. She placed the hat on her head as Kari sat.
Kari tensed slightly as the Sorting Hat began to talk. "Heir's galore this year. So Ms. Corio, where do you think you should be placed?"
"I don't know. Anywhere but Slytherin."
"You're so opposite of your brother, he practically begged me to place him in Slytherin. Though I did object to it, he wanted it badly enough, so I granted it to him. Well, enough of the chatter kiddo. GRYFFINDOR!!" The hat exclaimed loudly to the Hall.
As Kari took her seat, she nodded to Harry and the others. Harry briefly shook his head, but his eyes were still on the Professors. He noticed the worried glances Dumbledore and McGonagall kept giving each other. Harry decided to forget about it for now; he'd ask Hermione later.
Dumbledore stood after the sorting of the first years and opened his arms wide. "Welcome new and old, before we begin our feast I would like to introduce the new additions to our staff." He paused and gestured to the athletic brunette to the right of Snape. "Professor Clark has agreed to take our 'jinxed' position as your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Please do wish her luck in staying for another year." He waited for the applause to die down. "I would also like to welcome an Apprentice from Dumstrang, Viktor Krum." Dumbledore chuckled with the usual twinkle in his eyes as Krum fidgeted from all the declarations of love. "He will be working closely with Professor Flitwick, as this will be his last year."
Viktor took his last look around the room and his eyes fell upon the blonde haired Slytherin. They caught each other's gaze for a moment. A slow smile crept up on Viktor's face. He then turned to Flitwick and asked him to repeat his question.
As Viktor smiled, Alexei blushed a deep crimson and turned away. Draco noticed this and asked, "You're blushing!? You never blush! What happened?" He questioned as his eyes and ears began to search the room suspiciously.
Ron started to pile food on his plate the moment it appeared on the large banquet tables. He looked up abruptly at his shaggy friend. "Is it me or I have I seen that female Malfoy before?"
Harry stared at Ron curiously for a moment, hitting his head as a sign of defeat. "OH that's where I remember seeing her!" he said referring to Alexei. "Duh. She was at the World cup with the other Malfoy's!" He exclaimed. He knew the female Malfoy had looked familiar on the train.
Hermione shook her head and turned to Kari. "I can't believe Vick is here. He never told me he was coming back to Hogwarts."
"You know Krum?" Asked Kari quizzically.
"Know Bloody Krum. HA! She knows him alright." Spat Ron, stabbing his food viciously.
Hermione chucked her spoon at him, "Oh, shut it Ronald!"
Alexei scanned the Professors table looking profusely disappointed. "They all look like complete idiots, I should have stayed in Egypt." She said bitterly as she turned her gaze angrily away from the table.
Danii looked at her questioningly. "Oh you went to the Temple of Dendera, I've always wanted to go there but they wouldn't except me because I'm not a pureblood."
Alexei looked over at Danii, "Yeah it is quite strict about letting non-purebloods in. I doubt it will ever be like Hogwarts." Her tone turned into disgust as she spoke her last sentence and looked over at the Hufflepuff table.
Danii nodded her head, "Yeah, Hogwarts is really lenient towards who they let into the school. I was happy to just get out of my hell hole of a prison in Illinois."
"YOU went to an art school!?" Draco laughed out incredulously.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean!" She scowled at the blond boy.
Trent interfered before either of them could chop the other's head off. "What did you go there for?"
Danii glared at Draco before turning to Trent. "Well I was in their Theater program, but I got expelled."
Alexei looked back over at them with new interest, "What did you do to get expelled?" She asked, her eyebrows raising with curiosity.
"Oh nothing much; I just almost killed a kid during a quid game, he kinda deserved it too." Danii said off-handedly as she took a drink from her goblet.
Trent looked at her skeptically, "You almost killed the kid, and you got expelled for it. That's just gay."
"Tell me about it, they are gay! Its because it's a school of 'Academics and Art, not Sports and Violence'." She said emphasizing the quotes with her fingers.
"Well I think you will get along just fine in Slytherin, just look around you half the guys here have more muscles than brains." Alexei waved her hand over to a group of guys on the other end of the table that consisted of Crabbe, Goyle and others of their ilk.
Trent scoffed, "Alexei you shouldn't be talking, You're a killer when it comes to quidditch, I thank the gods you're not a beater." He rubbed his arm unconsciously, it apparently was the last place she had unleashed her wrath on him.
Alexei threw her knife at him, "Oh shut it Trent! At least I have a brain! Unlike some people I know!"
Dodging the knife, Trent said defensively. "Hey! That was mean, and I do have a brain, more so than most of the people in this school." He tossed the knife back at her, in a non-violent way.
"Well it looks like we're all a lively bunch." Danii said smiling.
Draco smirked, "Hmmm, that gives me an idea. Danii maybe you could join the team and take some of the life out of the Gryffindors." The blond stated with a jerk of his thumb back at the opposing house.
"Oh I think I can definitely manage giving them a beating, I haven't played quidditch in over a year, so I don't think I'll be passing up the chance. Why, are you the Captain?" Danii asked.
"Yes captain and seeker!" Draco said arrogantly.
Alexei rolled her eyes, "Oh great, now you've released his enormous ego!"
Trent shook his head in mock horror, "Oh no! Everybody run, his head's going to explode!!"
Danii laughed and Draco glared at all three of them. "Haha very funny, just because I'm better than you doesn't mean you have to be jealous."
Alexei giggled, "Oh yes little brother I'm sooo jealous of your wonderful talent and over sized head." She said sarcastically as her hand connected with the back of his skull .
"You know what? I don't think I want you on MY team this year don't even bother showing up for try outs." Draco said, waving off his big sisters attack.
"Oh don't be such a baby Draco you know I was just playing with you!" The female Malfoy said as she turned her full attention towards Danii. The two girls shot off into a conversation about different quidditch strategies for the remainder of the feast, every now and then getting into arguments with the boys over which moves were better.
Students poured out of the Great Hall and scurried about in all directions, the first years all being lead by their House Prefects. The Slytherin first years were being lead mainly by Draco Malfoy, considering that the other two Prefects present were new to the school as well. Unfortunately for Potter dealing with the first years was not exactly putting the Ice Prince in a good mood. Deciding to take out his annoyance on his closest and most despised rival, Draco 'bumped' into the Golden Boy.
"Watch it, Potter!" He said with a sneer as Harry fell to the floor.
Kari walked over to Harry with Ginny and helped him up only for him to be knocked back down again by Alexei. "Hey, back off!" Kari said as she glared over at the two Slytherins.
Alexei stopped in her tracks, causing the swarm of first year Slytherins to come to a halt just before the three Gryffindors. The female Malfoy turned slowly, a calm expression on her face. "Or you will do what, Corio?" She asked as a creepily sweet smile spread across her lovely features giving her the look of a slightly crazed angel.
Danii helped Harry up for the second time. "You guys need to cut it out! Your drawing attention to yourself, lest you wish to lose some of the house points that we have yet to earn."
"I suggest you defend the proper house, lest you lose the respect you have yet to earn." Alexei said, turning the girl's warning right back on her.
Draco came to his sister's side, his eyes locking with Harry's as they leveled off. "Why are you defending him, Christensen? Forget which house you're in already?" He said in the infamous smug Malfoy way.
Danielle bit her tongue, very agitated. She gave them a tight smile and stared passed them at the approaching Deputy Headmistress. "Professor McGonagall." she acknowledged as the woman neared.
The group twirled round to stare at a very strict looking McGonagall. "Is there a problem?" She glanced at the anxious looking first years. "Shouldn't these students already be down in the common room?" She asked, her lips tightly pursed. She gave an expectant gaze to Draco, whom knew the rules from his years experience already.
Draco nodded, "Yes Professor, I'm sorry." He said respectfully to the aged woman with a charming smile." Potter, Christensen and I had a bit of a misunderstanding and Alexandra was trying to help correct it." The blond made a somewhat dramatic gesture towards his sister, "And as there was no one else around to escort the first years to the proper dorms they had no other choice but to stay as we worked things out." He explained with a simple and calm tone, no sign of his usual arrogance. If there was one thing Draco knew how to do, it was talking himself out of trouble with the utmost of ease.
She glanced between the two rival's. "Very well, but I suspect you can finish your 'misunderstanding' tomorrow, seeing as your younger classmen are full and tired." She chided. "Now off you go." She said shortly, walking away before any of them could reply.
Alexei looked over to Draco, there eyes meeting and apparently coming to some unknown verdict. "I guess that means we go then." She stated and turned to leave with her brother in tow, Trent joining them as they passed him in the entrance hall. The first years swiftly followed their upper classmen, a confused clatter ripping through the young witches and wizards.
"Ugh! They're such arrogant bastards!" Kari said after they were out of earshot.
Danii looked at the retreating Slytherin's, "I may just go insane. I don't even want to begin on how hard it has been for you these past years. But I must go, because I haven't the slightest clue as to where I will be all year. " Danii smiled, turning to catch up with the others.
Harry stared after Danii, intrigued by her behavior. At least until Ginny shook his shoulder. "Harry come on." She said as they began to ascend the stairs.
Suddenly Harry shook himself from his train of thought and turned to the others with only one conclusion in mind. "I don't think she belongs in Slytherin. She seems too nice."
Ginny shrugged, "She could be a spy for You-Know-Who. We should be careful. It's better to be safe than sorry."
Kari nodded, "Yeah I guess it would be best to be careful." She said letting out a small sigh. "You never know now that Voldemort is back... But there are other reasons she could have been put in Slytherin. Just because she's in that house doesn't mean she is a Death Eater." She said, giving Danii the benefit of the doubt.
Shaking his head Harry said, "I don't know. I mean the hat almost put me in Slytherin." He had a feeling deep in his gut, and he was sticking with it.
"But you're the one that chose to be in Gryffindor." Ginny replied.
Kari looked at Ginny, "But why would Danii choose to be in Slytherin?"
Ginny shrugged, "I have no idea, but I'm sure she probably didn't know any better." She said as she walked up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Lion's mane." She said and stepped to the side as the portrait swung open.
"Possibly..." Kari said walking into the Common Room and sitting down. "Maybe I could squeeze some info from my brother, he wouldn't dare hurt his darling little sister."
The ancient bricks shifted aside for the Slytherins who had lagged behind the rest. Draco and Trent lead their two female companions into the common room without looking up to examine their surroundings. Having attended the school for so many years the common room was of little fascination to them, but that was hardly the case for the two new comers.
The girls marveled at the dimly lit room and the simple magnificence it held. Aged, yet well kept tapestries hung along the walls depicting the Slytherin symbols. On the far wall, between the entrances to the girl's and boy's dorms hung a large painting of Salazar Slytherin, unlike most paintings this one stayed perfectly still showing no sign of the normal enchantments. All the lamps were of high quality silver and very obviously newer than the others within the castle. The many couches in the room were well made and accented the room's colors very well. Not a thing was out of place and every object in the room looked almost too expensive and too beautiful to touch.
As Alexandra took in her surroundings she noted the distant sounds of water. When she went to look out a window to seek the source of the sound, she realized there were none. It was then that she remembered that her Father had told her that the Slytherin common room was beneath the lake near Hogwarts. An obvious assumption she should have made considering the distance beneath the castle they had gone and also the direction they had headed.
Still taking a look around the room, Danii gingerly sat on the black and silver couch that Trent had already crashed in. "I could get used to this." she murmured more to herself than to any one else.
Trent nodded, "Well at least we know that you have a sense of class." he commented. He briefly looked over at the Malfoy siblings before turning back to Danii. "So for how many generations has your family resided in America?"
Danii resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow. "I am the first generation. My family was originally from France and England for many generations." she said in a calm manner although inside she was questioning how far to reveal herself to her housemates.
Draco took a seat in a black winged-back arm chair after relieving its previous owner of it. He slouched in it with his legs crossed and his right elbow rested on one the arm rest, propping his head up. "So you're not a total Yankee then?" Draco stated dully as he scanned Danii's face.
Taking up a small couch next to Draco, Alexei laid down and pulled a small book out of her cloak. She began reading the small Egyptian-like characters printed on the leafs of papyrus within it while still paying attention to the unfolding conversation. She also took note of the many younger students watching the small group of elder Slytherins, not having yet learned to stick to their own business.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I do take pride in my heritage. Although my time as a 'Yankee' were worth their share of good times and bad." Danii looked away for a moment towards the fire place as if it were more interesting then their conversation. She looked up again, "So what about you Trent? Your sister is obviously an American as well." she commented, focusing the conversation away from her.
Trent grimaced at the thought of her. "She's only my half sibling, and that's bad enough. Just because she has no etiquette is not my problem." he said dismissively.
"If it's not bad enough that she is part muggle she also seems to be a new buddy of Potter. That's going to look good on you mate." Draco said sarcastically as he watched the younger Slytherins being herded into the dorms by the other Prefects, not bothering to get up and help.
Relaxing slightly with the absence of the younglings, Trent rolled his eyes. "I could care less what image she wishes to portray. She and I both made up our minds a long time ago. I've tried to reason with her, but she's a hopeless case." Trent said candidly.
Draco nodded and looked back to Danii, "So what is your take on Potter? You were trapped with him all the way over here." The blond seemed only slightly interested as his eyes wandered to a few passing fifth year girls who blushed as they talked in hushed voices.
Danii thought of the question for a moment, leaning further into the couch. "Well he seemed nice and sincere. I honestly can't say anything other than that. I do not know him enough to judge him. Just as I do not know you guys enough to judge you." she replied strategically.
"Hmm…" Was the only response Draco gave as he retuned his eyes to Danii hesitantly. "A word of advice; if I may? Don't get too chummy with Potter, that is if you wish to survive in this house. Potter and his company are number one enemies around here. Not exactly the proper likes for a 'respectful' Slytherin to be seen with." The youngest Malfoy's eyes focused heavily on Danii as he spoke with the utmost seriousness.
"Well I am not sorry that I am different from the normal Slytherin. I don't think in terms of black and white, I can see the gray areas of every aspect. You can learn from everyone if you just open your mind. If I can learn from both you and Potter, then I don't give a shit who likes me." Danii said purposefully without breaking eye contact with the male blond.
Draco glanced over at his sister as if looking for her help on getting through to the American, but she seemed too wrapped up in her book to do any such thing. "Some people, including Potter might become suspicious of you if you hang out with the two groups that hate each other most." His eyes swept back over to Danii as he spoke and he sounded as if he might genuinely care.
She resisted the urge to get into a serious debate, especially over such a trivial topic. "Then that is his, or whom ever else's problem. If they must think that I have ulterior motives, then they should confront me. I will always be as honest as possible with out betraying another's confidence. But I guess like a 'true' Slytherin, I am selfish and if my loyalties are being questioned, then I will lie to protect my best interests." Danii sighed and pinched the edges of her eyes, "Please can we not talk about this. If I ever happen to befriend Potter, then everyone will just have to deal with it. End of story." she persisted with finality.
"You seem to have a fantasized view of life here. You would do well to remember that this country, unlike your own, is not as accepting of the company you keep. Such factors could make or break you here." Alexandra said suddenly as she looked up from her book. "Not only is this ministry fresh out of the aristocratic society that most other ministries are still firmly locked in it is also at the start of a civil war. It would do you some serious good to decide if you truly wish to stay here, considering your outlook. Your attitude could get you into some serious trouble, or worse…" Her voice was even and without any real emotion, almost as if she was reading aloud from her book. Her eyes dropped back down to the novel in her hands, not waiting for a reply.
Danii's lip twitched slightly. "Well I have no other choice but to stay here in England, no matter what civil war is going on. I will not let my life become a fallacy. You make it sound so much more complicated then it really is. I have a choice and none of your meager rhetoric will persuade me to make my life into a dilemma." she looked between her three housemates and wanted deeply to just leave them, but she doubted their lecture was anywhere near finished.
"She's actually thinking of befriending Potter and resisting Slytherin advice. A true rebel." Trent commented to himself. Silently he regarded her dark hair and unnaturally pale skin. He could literally see the centuries of breeding that brought her beauty to the surface. Even if a few stray miscalculations went into the process of producing the product, it worked. Although the same applied for Alexei, and the two seemed to be rather resilient in their decisions. Trent was eager to know more but it was the Malfoy's territory to interrogate, not his.
Alexandra laughed openly, finally closing her book and placing it back in her robes. "Your delusions that this war is anything but complex will soon be squashed. Potter himself will tell you that. Contrary to popular belief, Voldemort is not in this strictly for his elitism beliefs. There are centuries of factors and incidents that lead up to this. Your foolish conviction that you know everything about a country you've only been in for at most a few days will only prove to make you look like an idiot." The young girl sat up and finally made true eye contact with Danii. "Your saying that the conditions that we have been living in for so many years is nothing but an exaggerated drama wont get you in good with any crowd, including Potter. More than likely such talk will make the Golden Boy hate you. Don't be so quick to judge other's lives." The Slytherin girl seemed rather offended by the fact that this American thought that the long standing Civil War was of no real consequence.
At the obvious change in the older Malfoy's mood and the new air about the common room, most of the others who had been otherwise uninterested perked up to the conflict. Most were preparing for an explosion of the infamous Malfoy anger, a bad sign for any new member of Slytherin on the first day. The last Slytherin who had crossed a Malfoy was forced to switch houses do to the constant harassment from all his fellow housemates. Pissing off the Malfoy 'twins' was not considered the wisest move.
Danii sneered at Alexei, "Thanks." She shrugged again, "Call me stupid, but I don't give a shit. If I ever did face Voldemort, I would like to have my bit of fun before I died." Standing up and looking back at the others, she said, "You can fear him, follow him, whatever, but that doesn't mean I would. And just because I'm in Slytherin doesn't mean I share your views." Without looking back at them she turned and walked out of the room.