A/N: Day one at Hogwarts begins.
Chapter Dedications: That-Guy, mekio777, and CrazyMuggleborn44. Thanks for reviewing!
Chapter Eight
When pudding was finished, Dumbledore stood, addressing the students once more. "Now that you have all been well fed I have a few important announcements for everyone. Our new students should note that the forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden to all students," Rain noticed him glance in the direction of the Gryffindor table as he said this. "Also, magic in the corridors is not permitted by any students. Any rule breaking will result in lost house points. Now off to bed."
The students all got up and a fifth year from each house called together their first years.
"Come on, first years, this way," called a pale boy with white blonde hair and a pointed face. "You too, Mudblood, or we'll leave you behind to find your own way to the dormitory."
Rain got up sadly and followed the pale boy. The Slytherins passed the Gryffindors going in the opposite direction and Rain spotted James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter coming toward her. She trailed to the end of the line so they could catch up to her.
"I can't believe the hat put you in Slytherin," said Sirius.
"I'm afraid to go to sleep now," said Rain. "They all hate me and I haven't done a thing."
"That's just how they are," said James.
"What am I going to do? I have to be around these people every day!"
"Tell you what," said Remus. "You're allowed to sit at other house tables to talk to your friends. Come join us for breakfast."
"Okay, you guys are brilliant. I don't know where I would be without you."
"Probably stuck," said Peter. Sirius nudged him. "What?"
Before Sirius could comment the pale boy called out.
"Oi, Potter, you lost? Get on to your own dormitory."
"Glad to, Malfoy, wouldn't want your Slytherin slime to get on me."
"If there's slime in this house, it was tracked in by the Mudblood," Malfoy retorted, glaring at Rain.
James started to step forward but Sirius and Remus held him back.
"Stop, James, you'll just get into trouble," Rain pleaded.
"Yeah, Prongs," said Remus quietly. "And you'll just make life harder for Rain."
James relented, and the boys backed away, giving Rain apologetic looks. "We'll see you tomorrow," James said sadly, and they walked away.
The first years, Malfoy and Rain continued down to the dungeons where the dormitories were. They stopped at a blank stone wall.
"The password is 'Basilisk'," said Malfoy and the wall opened.
He led the way into the common room. Though the room was quite warm, it was far from cozy. The torches along the walls were lit with strange green fire as well as the fireplace, and the walls held nothing of interest, only bare stone.
"The boy's dormitories are through the passage on the left and the girl's are on the right," Malfoy directed.
Rain joined the first year girls going down the right hand passage. On each door was a silver plaque that described what year slept there. Rain walked up to the one that said, Fourth Years and quietly opened the door. She may as well have kicked it open like a drama queen, for all four girls in the room turned and stared at her, looks of disdain on their faces.
Rain saw her trunk at the foot of one of the beds and figured that one must be hers. She walked over and started to change out of her robes, trying desperately not to notice the scathing looks she was getting.
Eventually, the other girls went to sleep after much complaining of having to sleep in the same room as "it". Rain tried not to cry, she really did, but everything was turning out horribly, horribly wrong. This was supposed to be an adventure, what in the world happened?
Rain woke up the next morning after the other girls had left. In fact, she suspected that it was the door slamming that woke her. She groggily got dressed in her new robes and as she was pulling her short brown hair into a small ponytail, she noticed a silver and green pin sitting on her bedside table.
She picked it up and examined it. It was a green crest with a silver serpent in the shape of an 'S' in the center. She sighed, and pinned it to the front of her robes.
After exiting the common room, Rain easily found her way to the Great Hall, having a superb memory for directions. When she arrived, she was torn; would it provoke her fellow Slytherins if she sat at the Gryffindor table? Looking toward her own table, she saw glares and looks of contempt all up and down it. But at the Gryffindor table, no one save for four students were even looking at her, and they were quite friendly faces indeed.
Decision made, Rain walked past her own house table and joined her only friends at theirs.
As soon as she sat down, Gryffindors turned and stared at her with shock and confusion. Rain flinched at the looks.
"It's alright," said Remus. "They're just confused as to why a Slytherin would sit here."
"Have you all got staring problems?" James snapped at them all and they turned back to their breakfast.
"So how was your first night in the snake's nest?" asked Sirius.
"Not as bad as I'm sure it's going to get," Rain replied, grabbing a large muffin and a bowl of fruit.
"I just don't understand how you ended up there," said James. "You're too nice."
"The hat said I was cunning, mischievous, and vindictive," she spat the last word out like it was poison.
"I almost got sorted into Slytherin," said Sirius.
"I almost wish you were in that house," said Rain sadly. "Then I would have someone there who didn't think I was lower and more disgusting than slime."
"I just wish you were in this house," said Peter. "That would solve everything."
Rain nodded.
They were halfway through breakfast when Rain was startled out of her wits when a huge flock of owls flew into the Great Hall, delivering letters and packages to their owners. One landed in front of James and deposited a letter onto his plate. He opened it and read it while allowing the owl to eat his toast crust.
"Is that your owl, James?" Rain asked.
"Yep, this is Toby," he said petting the bird fondly. "Dad got him for me last year."
"Do you think I could use him to send a letter to my brother?"
"Sure no problem. Except let him rest a bit first, I'll bring you up to the owlery later so you can send your letter."
"Thanks."
After they had finished breakfast, Professor McGonagall started walking up the aisles handing out sheets of parchment. When she noticed Rain, she did a double take, glanced at the Slytherin table, then looked back, taking in the green and silver badge on the front of Rain's robes.
"There you are, Miss Bone," she said, recovering. "Why aren't you sitting with your house mates?"
"They don't like me," said Rain simply and cheerfully. "I'm sitting with my friends."
McGonagall pursed her lips into a firm line when Rain gestured to the Marauders. Apparently she disapproved of Rain's choice in friends. Letting the matter go, McGonagall handed out the pieces of parchment to all four Marauders before turning back to Rain.
"You are to report to Professor Dumbledore's office before class." She turned to Remus. "You as well, Mr. Lupin."
Rain and Remus exchanged a look before getting up and leaving the Great Hall, waving to the rest of the Marauders on their way out.
Remus led the way to the Headmaster's office, obviously knowing the way well. They made their way up to the second floor where, halfway down the corridor, stood a large stone gargoyle and a red haired girl who was talking to it.
"Sugar Quills?" she asked it. The Gargoyle did not respond. "Chocolate frogs? Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?"
"He doesn't like those," said Remus, approaching the girl. "What are you doing here, Evans?"
"Professor McGonagall said the Headmaster wanted to see me in his office before classes but she didn't tell me the password," said the girl called Evans in exasperation.
Remus smiled and walked up to the gargoyle. "Jelly Bellies," he said, and the gargoyle sprang to life, moving aside to reveal a spiral staircase.
"How did you know that?" asked Evans. "A Muggle candy, really?"
"Marauders know these things," said Remus. "And yes, a Muggle candy."
Rain joined Remus and Evans on the staircase, which moved like an escalator. When they reached the top, Evans knocked on the door, and Dumbledore opened it almost immediately.
"Ah, Mr. Lupin, Miss Evans, Miss Bone, come in, come in," he ushered them inside and closed the door behind them. "I wanted to talk to you three about a matter that has come to my attention. First, though, Rainnina, do you know Lily Evans?"
Rain looked at the girl Remus called Evans. Lily looked back at her in confusion, her eyes taking in the Slytherin badge. "I do now," Rain said with a smile. Lily smiled back.
"And I believe you already know Remus Lupin," Dumbledore said with a smile. Rain nodded. "Right, down to business. I believe I promised you a tutor or two from your house, Miss Bone."
Rain opened her mouth to comment but Dumbledore held up a hand for silence.
"Mr. Lupin here and his friends came to see me last night after the feast and informed me of your predicament," he continued. Lily looked between Rain and Remus, confused. "Are they correct in their assumption that your house mates are being hostile towards you?"
"Yes sir," said Rain. "In fact, sir, I believe I was sorted wrong. I can't belong in Slytherin, I'm Muggleborn, they all think I'm scum."
Lily's mouth dropped open in shock.
"They can't all think that," reasoned Dumbledore. "I'm sure there are some of them who do not feel prejudice towards you."
"Well if there are, they're too afraid to stand up and admit it," Rain said sadly.
Dumbledore nodded. "That is unfortunate. That brings us to another matter; your tutors. If your house mates are hostile towards you, I can think it likely that they would not make very good tutors."
Rain nodded in agreement.
"In this light, I would like to assign Miss Evans and Mr. Lupin, your tutors, as they are currently the best in their year. Is that alright with you two?" he turned to Remus and Lily, who both nodded. "Splendid! Now, Rainnina, you have yet to choose your electives for this year." He produced a piece of parchment from his robes. "Choose two or three from that list."
Rain read the list:
Care of Magical Creatures: the study of the proper care of magical creatures such as Unicorns, Nufflers, and Flobberworms.
Divination: the study of reading and interpreting omens to tell the future.
Arithmancy: the study of mathematics as applied to magic.
Ancient Runes: the study of ancient languages and writings.
Muggle Studies: the study of Muggles.
Care of Magical Creatures simply had to be one. Rain had enjoyed reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them so much that it was going to be a given. She also didn't want to swamp herself, so she decided to pick just one more, something easy.
"Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies," Rain said, handing him back the list.
"Excellent," said Dumbledore, producing another sheet of parchment and tapping it with his wand. He handed it to Rain. "Here is your schedule of classes, now off you three go, I believe you all have Potions first with Professor Slughorn."
A/N: Wacha think? R&R!