A/N: This is a prequel and continuation to another fanfic of mine called Maybe that is available on my profile for anyone interested, however it is not essential to read it to understand what is going on in this, but it may help. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters used in this fanfic.

The Lion and the Snake, Chapter 1: Prologue

The Slytherins all settled down into their usual seats at the Slytherin table, waiting for the Sorting to begin.

"Hey Greengrass, your sister's getting Sorted today, right?" Pansy Parkinson commented to fellow third year Daphne Greengrass.

"Yeah, she is." Daphne answered. Daphne had straight shoulder length chestnut colored hair and the signature Greengrass emerald green eyes.

"She better be in Slytherin." Pansy declared.

Daphne did not respond. The Sorting began a few minutes later. The first first year was Sorted, and the rest followed soon afterwards. The first years all looked very nervous. Draco Malfoy suppressed a snort as he watched them all. He was sure he had never been that nervous during his Sorting, and even if he had, he would not have expressed his emotions.

Eventually the name," GREENGRASS, ASTORIA!" was called.

A girl with flaming red hair and emerald green eyes walked up to the stool where the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. Draco could not help but notice that she walked differently than all of the other first years had so far. If she was at all nervous, she was doing an excellent job of hiding it. He was sure she would be in Slytherin.

The hat was silent for a brief moment, then-

"GRYFFINDOR!" Astoria happily skipped over to the Gryffindor table, where she was met with a mixture of applause as well as shocked glances her way. No Greengrass had ever been Sorted into Gryffindor. Ever.

The Slytherins turned to face Daphne, who did not look at all surprised by this and merely clapped politely.

"Why are you clapping?"Draco snarled. "Your sister was just Sorted into Gryffindor!"

Daphne shrugged. "So?"

"So?" Pansy repeated, shock and fury evident on her features. "No Greengrass has ever been Sorted into that stupid House! Moreover, Gryffindor is the enemy!"

Daphne raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I was already aware of everything you just said."

Pansy looked ready to scream. "You –"

"Miss Parkinson would you please quiet down, we are trying to proceed with the sorting!" Professor McGonagall called from where she was. Pansy flushed and quieted down. Once the Sorting had ended, Daphne was greeted with much shouting from her fellow Slytherins.

"Funny, the way you're acting one would think that it's actually my fault my sister went to Gryffindor, despite my not doing anything to cause it."Daphne remarked dryly after a period of simply ignoring them.

As the Slytherins walked to their common room, Draco hissed to Daphne, "You know you can't hang around your sister anymore Greengrass. Not now that she's the enemy."

"The enemy." Daphne scoffed as they entered the common room. "Are you listening to yourself, Malfoy? I'll spend my time with whoever I wish, Malfoy, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." And with that being said, Daphne stalked her way up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"Don't worry about her, Draco," Pansy murmured. "I'll talk to the moron, I'm sure she'll see sense soon enough."

As Draco climbed into his bed that night, he found himself thinking about the younger Greengrass, wondering what the Sorting Hat had saw in her that got her placed in Gryffindor when no one else in her family ever had, and remembering how confident she seemed, never once looking nervous. He quickly shook those thoughts from his mind, and drifted off to sleep.

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