September

The first time Theo entered the Great Hall a storm of sighs followed him.

All these little noises of excitement errupting as the other first-years pointed towards the magically lit candles suspended in the air, and Theo Nott looked on calmly. Having already read about the bewitching in 'Hogwarts: A History' he'd expected the starry ceiling. He also expected a sorting song to follow shortly, but the clever boy could never have predicted what happened when Professor McGonagall called his name for sorting.

"Theodore Nott."

Fully confident where he'd end up sorted Theo approached the stool with his aristocratic head held high. Already tilting his body towards the green and silver table he didn't looked bothered, but a panic tore through him when the sorting hat didn't immediately scream Slytherin. When the worn leather instead had a comfy sit, squishing around, and mulling things over.

"Hmm, ambition, and cunning I see - but oh that thirst for knowledge would fit in Ravenclaw quite nicely."

With every word spoken that wasn't "Slytherin" all of Theo's future plans came tumbling down. Life literally flashing before his horrified eyes as he imagined Nott Manor's door slamming in his face. Second by second he thought he might vomit on his shoes. Sinking lower into his chair little Theo prepared for the worst, but luckily the hat came to its senses when it heard the boy think it over.

Well, likely my father will have a heart attack when he hears the news, and he wouldn't have a chance to fix the will in time. So then I'll be rich, fatherless, and have pissed him off.

Guess it's a bit of win win.

"Slytherin it is!"

Grinning ear to ear Theo strutted over to the Slytherin table. Feigning nonchalance, and giving Goyle a high five. Looking the part until nobody was paying attention and he released the tiniest sigh of relief; never expecting the second moment he'd wish to cease existing would come on so quickly. When seconds after Harry Potter's sorting a brilliantly red-haired Ronald Weasley was called for sorting, and Theo squealed,

"Little Muggle Gingerhead!"

Everyone close enough to hear stared at Theo. Open mouthed in shock as Draco snorted, "Did you just call Ronald Weasley, Little Muggle Gingerhead?"

Giving his best guppie out of water impression Theo shook his head. Sputtering, "No, of course not. Uh, I was just um-

Convinced the invisible boy who tormented me was here to steal all of our magic.

"Uh," Theo cleared his throat."I was just uh, remembering a book I needed to read later."

Draco arched a brow. "Named, Little Muggle Gingerhead?"

"Yes."

Suspicious by nature Draco didn't look at all convinced by the sloppy lie, but thankfully Theo was saved from any further interrogation by a boom of clapping. A raucous cheering from his table that began after Professor McGonagall called the last name.

"Blaise Zabini."

For the rest of his life Theo would remember the feast that followed the sorting.

The instant comradery, the jokes, and all his favorite foods sticky on his tongue. For the first time in his life nobody reminded him to behave like a proper heir, and so Theo dug in, and ate himself silly. Shoving pudding, and ham, and peas into his gob, and only feeling a touch of shame when he wondered what Bitsy would think after his fifth cup of pumpkin juice.

Oh, I hope the Hogwarts elves don't gossip...

Folding his napkin neatly just in case Theo slowly finished up the last of his meal, and later when the newest Slytherins walked through a tour of the school he learned his first important lesson at Hogwarts. The simple fact that there's a wealth of difference between hearing about something, and experiencing it.

It was at the end of the tour that the new first-years descended below ground level, and found themselves staring at an unremarkable stretch of stone wall. Assuming they'd got lost Theo snickered, but the laughter died on his lips when one password later they walked into the Slytherin common room.

When Theo couldn't stop looking around as they were welcomed to the lair of Salazar.

For years Theo suffered through his father's fond recollections of this room; all the blustery speeches on the brotherhood in a snake den, and finding equal peers among the muck, and blah blah blah. Based on his father's idea of a good time Theo had prepared himself for a place damp and moody with just a sprinkle of superiority. Much like home.

But upon entering the dungeon-like room Theo's heart stuttered in his chest. Paused right below his ribs as surprising warmth, and an immediate feeling of belonging took hold of him. It was inexplainable how quickly he fell in love with the space, but it couldn't be helped when the decorations were a boy's dream come true. From the regal banners to the plush furniture everything looked exactly like the insides of a shipwreck kept pristine with hints of silver, and green.

This was Theo's new home, and he took to it immediately.

"Wow." Theo muttered beneath his breath. Awed, and running his hands along stone walls he'd assumed would be cold, but mysteriously weren't. Cheeks coloring up he looked away ashamed, but seconds later he was relieved to spy Goyle doing the same exact thing.

"Come on first-years!" their Prefect named Pucey called out, and the eager group followed him up the staircase to their rooms. Nodding their heads as though they were listening, but all of them marveling at the carved snake skulls intricately etched into the banister.

"Pretty wicked huh?" Blaise asked from beside him, and Theo nodded.

"Yeah."

Opulence he was used to, grandeur he'd seen, but there was something about the ancient architecture that felt powerful. Old magic, and secrets lurked in every corner waiting to be discovered, and suddenly Theo couldn't wait to write home to his parents. To brag about his sorting, and ask his father what his favorite portrait password had been.

Even the idea of asking his stuffy father such a silly question made him chuckle, but Theo was a mess of excitement. Curious, giddy, and feeling light in a way he'd never felt before.

A lightness that didn't even dim the slightest when hours later he lost miserably at Wizard's Chess to a delighted Draco. The shameless boy shaking the broken queen in Theo's face while taunting, "Oh, are you missing this Nott?"

Theo merely shrugged. "Looks like it."

Preening around like a peacock Draco grinned. "Are you heartbroken? Gonna have a cry?"

"No, I think I'm just fine." Theo smiled, and for the first time in long time he meant it.

0000000

The rest of the first week passed by in a hazy blur.

Before Theo knew it there were essays to write, Gryffindors to leer at, and a whole bunch of spells for him to end up being surprisingly poor at completing. After all he'd read, the boy figured he'd ace his classes, but apparently theory was one thing, and doing another. For some unknown reason Charms proved especially difficult that day, and his brow creased in frustration while staring down at his new worst nemesis.

"Wingardium leviosa"

Ugh, why is my feather snuggling up to my finger instead of floating in the air?

"Wingardium leviOHsa"

Oh, sure now you hover while everyone's looking away. Fluffy bastard.

Thankfully between Blaise, Draco, and Theo questions in class were generally answered respectably enough to keep the good name of Salazar Slytherin from going down in flames. That's possibly why the professor didn't appear especially grieved over Theo's lack of feather finesse this time around, but there was also no denying who easily lead the way for most answered questions in one week. The insufferably enthusiastic Hermione Granger, currently floating her feather up in the air without even breaking a sweat.

"Wingardium leviOHsa"

Watching the bushy-haired witch succeed Theo's nose scrunched up in irritation. She made it look so easy that he flooded full of insecurity, but fortunately his failure immediately softened thanks to Weasley's stink face. Clearly the witch ticked off Little Muggle Gingerhead too, and Theo grinned victoriously until Crabbe looked over.

Gesturing at Granger while mumbling, "Show off."

"Yeah, she's something else." Theo whispered back.

Yawning, he looked back down at his feather, effectively ending the make-fun-of-Granger conversation. It didn't take a genius to tell that Crabbe itched to go further, but that morning Theo wasn't in an accommodating mood. Just the night before he'd been forced to listen to Draco drone on about how "her successes erode everything we've been taught by our parents", and how "putting her down is in fact parentally approved". Oddly enough, it was one heck of a stirring speech when shouted from the top of a bunk, but ultimately all Theo cared to do in class was learn. Quite simply he longed to know the most, and so Theo clutched his wand, and he left alone the harmless know-it-all witch he secretly found fascinating.

Annoying, but fascinating.

Of course out in the halls he'd never rush to defend her honor. They'd never be friends, but Granger intrigued him none the less. A living source of information about a life so unfamiliar and peculiar to him, and while blatantly bullying her held no allure that didn't stop Theo from occasionally listening in on her conversations.

Simultaneously bucking authority, and inconspicuously eavesdropping.

Already taking to his snake nature quite nicely.