'Ello everybody! Welcome to Ogwarts!' What is that? Right outside on the train platform there was a huge harry man with black frizzy mane and beard like a lion, at least eight feet tall greeting them as they walked out, Theodore felt small as a goblin seeing him. 'My name is Rubeus Hagrid, an' I'm the groundskeeper of the castle, so yeh might see me all over the place.'
Theodore looked over to the blond pureblood when he heard him snickering, he was pointing at Hagrid like a freak show attendee. The two larger boys, his guard dogs, mimicked him like monkeys.
He heard groundskeeper Hagrid direct the first-year population towards the dark lake surrounding Hogwarts where twenty boats sat still in the water, none of them were tied to the docks even though there are ripples in the waves. Are they sentient, waiting for them? The older students went up a different path, Theodore couldn't see where because of the thick shrubbery hiding it.
Theodore tiptoed down the sloped wet cobblestone path following groundskeeper Hagrid along with the rest of the first years. The friction under these dress shoes he got at Diagon Alley as part of the uniform were practically imaginary and made keeping upright a challenge, naturally Theodore found himself at the back of the group because of it. He frowned, why is nobody else having as much trouble as him? All down the way The Groundskeeper was calling out for them to get in pairs of three or less, but where did Hermione and Neville go? Did they ditch him or just get lost in the crowd?
No luck. Theodore couldn't see them over the mass of heads. Like with the compartment, he gave up and picked the first empty boat he saw. They can find him if they want to sit with him. The boats filled up fast and Theodore swiveled his head, hoping his only acquaintances would come to him, but the only people still standing were strangers and the blond pureblood with his two friends. He was turning in circles, trying to spot an empty boat as well so all three of them could ride together, but there was only one unoccupied boat left and it was Theodore's.
'Oh you've got to be kidding me.' The boy hissed; Theodore silently agreed with him. Theodore sighed heavily as the boat rocked from the blond stepping in, followed by the guard dog of his choosing.
Not wanting to look at those two Theodore turned to see what The Groundskeeper was doing. He went in a boat by himself, it was understandably much larger than the others, and it took the lead. Theodore jumped as all the boats suddenly jerked like they were on tracks and followed the head boat by themselves, he realized then there are no ores or anything to propel them forward, and he showed his confusion clearly, looking around to all the others aimlessly.
The blond boy tut-tutted. 'Look Crabbe, this is why it's wrong to let in Muggleborns, see how confused and disoriented magic makes them? It's cruel.' The guard dog "Crabbe" nodded his head, serious although he was the one who looked confused and disoriented, the blond was laughing, mocking him.
'I'm half-blood.' Theodore corrected. The boy stopped.
'Oh.' He looked genuinely surprised. 'Well, I guess that's not your fault, you can't help what you are. Still doesn't mean I should be forced to live amongst blood like you in such close proximity.'
"Blood like you" What? What's the deal with-Why? 'Your goanna complain about how there's no pureblood only boats now? Why didn't you order one of your animals to drag me out anyway, you threatened to do so on the train.' Theodore expected the blond to glow red at the insult flung at his friends, but he didn't even acknowledge it.
'Do you think I'm stupid? Like I would pull something like that in front of that barbaric half-breed.'
'Half-breed?' The boy pointed behind Theodore, at The Groundskeeper. 'What makes him barbaric? His size? And he's a half-breed of what?'
'Oh you know, he's a dwarf Halfbreed.' From the tone of his voice Theodore guessed he was being sarcastic. He wasn't going to ask the boy to clarify exactly what mix The Groundskeeper is again because the blond is too demeaning, but if dwarves, goblins and sentient boats exist, giants probably do too. 'He's barbaric because he's violent, much like his kind, and the part of him that's wizard sometimes tells him to do magic, then he gets drunk and burns his hut down when trying to cast a spell.' Oh.
Theodore looked back at The Groundskeeper curiously, he was calmly chatting with the children in the boat closest to him. His cheeks were red from the wide smile he had and crisp air, and if his hair were white Theodore believes he would look like Santa Claus, jolly and completely innocent.
'Maybe those are just rumours, have you seen him do those things yourself? He's still half-human after all, that could be the dominating side.'
The boy scoffed. 'I wouldn't chance it if I were you, and that's a warning. He may act human now but I'm sure the giant part of him will show if you just slightly get on his nerves on a bad day, then you'll have a caved in skull.'
Again, Theodore looked at The Groundskeeper, trying to find what the blond was talking about. Violent, barbaric, dangerous, but he didn't seem too bad, friendly even. Then again, that black dog that use to come by his old group home from when he was five looked friendly as well, until Theodore went too close and it tried to put puncture holes in his face. He didn't listen to his old Group Home Manager then, and it almost ended terribly, so maybe it's a good idea to listen to someone who knows better now.
Theodore nodded. 'I guess that would make sense.'
The boat rocked, Theodore whipped back around to see the blond bent over standing, holding out his hand for him to shake. 'At least you're not stupid. My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.'
Why introduce himself now, because he agreed with him? Theodore hesitated, deciding to shake his hand. Slowly reaching up, 'Theodore Riddle.'
'Riddle?' Draco took his hand back before Theodore could shake it. 'That sounds like a muggle name.' He sat back down beside Crabbe, that cold judging look he had on the train platform back on his face. 'Were you lying when you said you're a half-blood or is the man of the house the muggle?' Draco grimaced saying that. What does that face mean? Is it better to have a magical dad and muggle mum than a magical mum and muggle dad?
'I was told both my parents were magical, dad was a half-blood and mum was a pureblood.' Draco's eyebrows rose at that, but fell back down a second later.
'You were told?'
Ah shit! He did it again. 'Yeah.' Theodore sighed.
'Orphan?' Theodore didn't confirm it and that gave Draco his answer. In seconds his face twisted from that irksome sympathy to something along the lines of annoyance faster than Theodore could count. 'You bring that up to try and get some humanity out of me? My father had warned me about how bloods of your sort will tell some hard-luck story to try and get pity support from a pureblood, not that it's your choice to think that way.' Draco held up a hand, a look of awareness on his face. 'Your relatives probably hammered that welfare way of thinking-' What is this lecture? And does Draco actually think he's doing him a favour by repeating "not that it's your choice" or " not that it's your fault" like he has some great understanding of someone he just met based on their blood type alone?
'I live in a muggle group home, what you know as an orphanage, I've never been around magic before and I have no idea what you're talking about.' Theodore decided to give away the fact he lives in a group home to Draco, mainly because he knew it would shut him up without having to deal with any pity. It was surprisingly comforting.
Theodore turned away from Draco's look of disgrace, not offended at all, in fact he agrees with him. Growing up in group homes is disgraceful, no child would chose that.
Fixating his attention on something more worthy of it, like to admire the beautiful silhouetted castle against the dark blue night sky, rectangular yellow dots for the windows sprinkled all over it. Theodore rested his head on his palm, trying for the first time to relax and be a wondering child, the castle looks like something out of a children's picture book. Behind, Draco Malfoy said nothing else to him, but he did start aggressively scolding Crabbe about something stupid. Draco feels like one of those people who always needs something to yell at.
The boats dragged them under a stone passage way, wet hanging plants painted them with water as they entered the tunnel, Theodore hissed in displeasure while Draco muttered 'unbelievable'. On the other side was the docks where the boats pulled up and parked themselves. Masses of students climbed out, and Theodore separated from his travel companion right away, searching for Hermione and Neville again and sincerely regretting not putting in the work to find them before.
The Groundskeeper did not give him the time to find them before quickly gathering all the children to follow him up stone stairs leading to the front hall. Subconsciously, Theodore started to feel slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable, the longer he followed this large potentially dangerous man blindly, the more he felt like a sheep following the sheepherder to the slaughter.
Thank the Lord, Hermione and Neville found him on their way up, big smiles as they chatted about the boat ride, ah and Neville got his toad "Trevor" back too, the search on the train really was a pointless waste of time. In front of two intimidating large oak doors The Groundskeeper knocked three times, and straight away an old woman with a striking resemblance to the Madam opened it.
She was tall and skinny, with black greying hair in a bun and a look that essentially says if anyone of them dare step out of line they'll be served detention instead of dinner. After a rocky trip and that kick up with the blond brat, Theodore couldn't help seeing this woman as nothing else but another alarming encounter. On guard, he huddled behind Hermione and Neville.
The Groundskeeper introduced the woman as Professor McGonagall and transferred them over to her. She pulled open the door wide and Theodore, hardly containing his excitement and adrenaline, bent around his friends to see what the inside of a castle looks like.
The Entrance Hall was a huge open space, a pressure appeared on his chest and Theodore's breathing became shallow. He felt exposed and vulnerable walking through the middle of it. The walls were made of stone and they were lit by flaming dungeon torches, dark skinny shadows danced around them like ritual skeletons. He looked up, the ceiling was so tall it might as well be nonexistent, and in the center of the back of the hall was a disappointing marble staircase leading to the upper levels. Never mind it being expensive, Theodore always thought that material was too ugly and hard on the eyes.
Professor McGonagall stopped them in an empty chamber just off the Entrance Hall, it was smaller and closed off and took the suffocating weight off his lungs so he could breathe properly again. The children crowded tightly like bunnies bunched together looking every which way for hawks, and Theodore welcomed the security, allowing himself to get pushed into the center of the huddle.
Professor McGonagall started her introduction, welcoming them to Hogwarts and explaining the separate Houses they'll get sorted into. Theodore didn't really bother listening, he already knew of the four houses, Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the wise, Hufflepuff for the loyal, and Slytherin for the ambitious, from his talk with Dumbledore, and just like Dumbledore Professor McGonagall was terribly vague about how the sorting ceremony works.
The only thing Dumbledore hadn't told him about was the House Points system, where triumphs earn you points and rule breaking takes them away. Whatever House ends up with the most points at the end of the year earn what is called the "House Cup" which according to Professor McGonagall is a great honor, but to Theodore, right now all he's concerned about is surviving his first night in this strange castle.
She left them to fend for themselves, saying she'll be back when they're ready for them, those words felt oddly threatening. There was a low murmuring all around him, but Theodore didn't part take in it, stuck frozen into silence at his nervousness and anticipation. Suddenly there was screaming, involuntary, Theodore joined in, not knowing what was scream-worthy until he turned around where the majority of it was coming from and screamed harder at the sight of dozens of floating dead people. Ghosts exist too?
The things were pearly white in colour, admittedly pretty, and were transparent enough for Theodore to see the details in the bricks behind them. Somewhere in the crowd, Theodore heard Draco make the same 'This is why Muggleborns shouldn't be here' argument from the boat to his two guard dogs, beside Theodore, Neville clutched his sleeve for comfort.
The ghosts didn't care about them at all; never even reacted to the noise. Theodore wondered if they really were here with them, or if they were in another realm entirely so only the living side could notice them.
'I say, what are you all doing here?' One of the ghosts said to the group. Never mind, they are aware.
Everyone was silent, too shocked to answer, a fat ghost asked if they're first years about to be sorted to which they nodded, then the same ghost said something that chilled Theodore to his bones.
'Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house you know.' He used to be a student here? What killed him?
Fortunately, Theodore didn't get the chance to dwell on that further as Professor McGonagall appeared to shoo away the ghosts and guide them into something impossibly more terrifying.
Theodore fell in line behind Hermione with Neville after him, and followed Professor McGonagall's train out of the small secure chamber back into the Entrance Hall and through a tall pair of doors into the Great Hall where hundreds of eyes snapped towards them like they're hungry.
Unreal. The ceiling was the night sky and under it were dozens of floating candles twinkling like stars, what are the chances of one falling and burning the whole place to the ground? Along the hall were four long tables where all the older students were sitting, and at the very front there was another table, this one facing the hall, where all the teachers sat. Dumbledore was in the center of the that table, looking at them all with an affectionate smile like he was a parent watching his kids walk on stage at the school play.
Theodore looked to the other first years in the line for reassurance that he is not the only one panicking right now. Draco, a little way in front of him, was twisting his head frantically scanning the head table. At first, Theodore thought he was frightened like the rest of them, but when Draco's scoping stopped on a dime, Theodore looked to see where his head was pointing and saw a gothic-looking Professor with long black-hair and a scowl waving at him, and Draco waved back. What's that man's significance? If he's related to Draco in any way he's probably trouble.
Professor McGonagall stopped in front of the head table and lifted her arm to keep them from invading. Theodore watched her place a four-legged stool in front of them, and on top of that she put a ragged pointed wizard's hat. Theodore watched the thing, expecting spider legs to sprout from the bottom and start crawling around, but something much worse came out of it. Singing.
Gross. A singing hat is an awful magic trick. Theodore distracted himself from it by quizzing himself on the snakes of Britain. On this entire landmass, there were only three species of snake, the mundane grass snake and smooth snake, and the venomous European adder; a favourite of his.
Theodore jumped, shaken out of his brain when the whole hall erupted in applause and he looked up in time to see the hat bow to each of the tables.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward when the hat fell limp, holding a long roll of parchment.
'When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.' The hat sorts them? 'Abbott, Hannah!'
The hat shouted Hufflepuff when it was placed on her head, McGonagall waved her wand and Hannah's plan black robes got some yellow on them and the Hogwarts crest on her chest turned into the yellow Hufflepuff crest with the badger. She ran off to the table dawned in yellow.
How does it determine who belongs where? Can it read minds? Another one went up, Hufflepuff again. Terry Boot was the first Ravenclaw, who went over to the table dawned in blue, and a girl named Millicent Bulstrode was the first Slytherin. Theodore followed her with his eyes to the far-left table, the last one before the wall, everyone there had the silver serpent crest. So far Slytherin has cheered the loudest and longest for their new member.
Theodore studied their table; the place Dumbledore says he'll most likely be placed. Each one had cold flat expression and pale complexion. They watched the sorting with stony judgement on each child who went up, not looking pleased unless they were sorted into their house. Slytherins seemed to look either pompous or grisly, one older boy had teeth that were more crooked than Theodore's own, they jutted out like spikes on a lizard, at least Theodore won't have to be embarrassed about his teeth with that guy stealing the spotlight.
The very first Gryffindor was a boy named Seamus Finnigan, Hermione got sorted into Gryffindor, and so did Neville who forgot to return the hat after being sorted and had to go back. The hat didn't even touch Draco's head before shouting out Slytherin, and another boy named Theodore Nott joined him. Still, out of all the Houses Slytherin cheered the hardest whenever someone was sorted into their house.
In the beginning Theodore was bothered by it, thinking it meant they had the most school spirit, which means the most pressure to perform well, but after a girl named Pansy Parkinson was sorted there, it became apparent from the one second delay from the Slytherin table that they were cheering so hard to cover up the booing coming from members of other Houses.
Did he hear them right? The booing? Did that happen every time a Slytherin was sorted? That's a little interesting, first Neville and now the rest of the school. What's everyone got against Slytherin House? Voldemort? That was one guy and he's dead now.
'Potter, Harry!' Everyone, including Theodore, went quiet and turned their heads to watch him step up to the stool. Some whispered about him, Theodore didn't, he was stuck wondering how the boy traveling with the ginger family on the train platform could've possibly killed anyone, never mind a dark wizard. He looks scared out of his socks, Theodore half expected him to faint.
Harry Potter made them wait nearly five minutes before he was sorted into Gryffindor. This time, a House cheered louder than Slytherin, much louder, the red table gave him a standing ovation for Christ's sake. Well that really makes the rest of them feel insignificant in comparison, nobody reacted strongly like that for a new member after Harry.
New nervousness and a feeling akin to shame flooded him, as a defensive maneuver Theodore drowned out the rest of the sorting until he got a jolt of nervous electricity at hearing his name being called, waking him back up.
'Riddle, Theodore!'
His feet felt like cinder blocks when he saw Dumbledore lean forward, intense and studying, the only one who had a reaction like that since Harry. Why? Theodore pushed forward anyway, legs moving like they were under water, the walk up going in slow motion to further agonize him. Although he didn't receive half the attention Harry did, Theodore could still feel everyone's eyes tracing his every step and burning holes in his back.
He gingerly sat on the stool, careful to not trip or tip it over. The hat was too large for his head and fell over his eyes, shielding him from the scary expectant stares of everyone in the room. Under it, Theodore pretended he was alone.
'Oh no you're not, I'm right here.'
Theodore jumped at the low, cool, drawling voice. The hat, it can talk inside his brain, form it's own thoughts in the safety of his skull? Theodore doesn't like the intrusion.
'My apologies, I won't stay long, I know just where to put you.' Theodore could hear the smirk in its voice. 'And such a pleasure to see this line still continues. Curious, the ambitious being the only one to travel this far in time, yet that is the very reason why I get to speak with the newest son, and I see it all, you're an excellent example of the lineage. I cannot wait to see what you make of your time here. Welcome back to Hogwarts' -'SLYTHERIN!' The hat eagerly shouted the House out loud.
Welcome back?
The roar from the Slytherin table overwhelmed the booing that, as Theodore checked immediately upon getting his vision back, was definitely being yelled out by multiple members across the three houses, but most noticeably from Gryffindor. Hermione and Neville weren't going along with it at least, in fact, nether were the other first years. But to respect his new House's wishes, Theodore paid no mind to them, turning down the urge to flip the red table off specifically, and made his way over to his new "family" as Dumbledore called it. This wasn't what he ever expected his adoption to look like.
Theodore let himself plummet on the bench like a deadweight thrown in water when he made it to the first-year section of the table, the spot nearest to the head table. The whole ritual of getting up to the front of the hall to be ogled by the entire school population against his will really took the fight out of him, his heart was jumping as fast as his nervous legs. What was it the hat said? 'Welcome back' and an 'excellent example of the lineage' What?
'Hey!' Someone grabbed his arm and Theodore banged his knees against the underside of the table. 'Are you all right? I'm not going to murder you.' A girlish chuckle beside him.
Theodore looked around the table to make sure no one noticed his freak out before he looked at his assaulter. Other than a 'We got the toad boy' coming from way down the table, it was the ash haired girl from his search for Nevilles toad on the train, nobody was paying attention to him.
'Woah, I like your teeth, they go really well with your face.' A girl with jaw length dark-brown hair and warm green eyes grinned at him. His crooked teeth go well with his face? What does that mean?
Theodore shut his mouth immediately as everyone else cheered to congratulate a newly born Slytherin.
'What's your blood status?' Is everyone in the magical world obsessed with knowing people's blood type?
'Half-blood.' Theodore spoke quietly, rattled by her first impression, but she wasn't, still gripping his arm like he owes her something. 'What's yours?' Maybe asking blood type is proper wizard etiquette?
'I'm a half-blood too!' The girl cheered as did everyone else but for a different reason. 'I was afraid I was going to be the only one in our year, after Millicent of course, but when I saw how you were acting, I knew you couldn't be a Pureblood or even a Lowly.' Is she being passive aggressive? Theodore really can't tell. And what's a Lowly now, another blood type he hadn't heard of?
'I'm Tracey Davis, and you are Theodore...?'
'Theodore Riddle.'
Tracey beamed at him and grabbed the hand he was resting on the bench to shake. She has no sense of personal space but to be polite and also because he was still in shock, Theodore didn't pull back, his hand limp. Theodore was about to ask what a Lowly is but the sorting ceremony ended and Dumbledore began his speech.
'Welcome,' He called with a large smile stretched across his withered face. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin, I would like to say a few words.' Theodore widened his eyes as Dumbledore proceeded to blather absolute gibberish. Was the old man having a stroke or had he been electrocuted at some point? 'Thank you!' Alright? Theodore wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to take away from that.
'He's quite the nutter, isn't he?' Theodore looked in front of him to see the last boy who was sorted sitting opposite to him. His cheek bones were oddly defined for an eleven-year-old. 'Probably suffered too many blows over the years and lost his marbles, but having a war hero as Headmaster gives Hogwarts a lot of attention and money, so the positives outweigh the negatives.'
He looked at Theodore side eyed before facing him. 'Blaise Zabini.' Blaise offered in a dead flat tone, face flat as well. 'Theodore Riddle.' Blaise said before Theodore could introduce himself. 'You said you're a half-blood? Tell me, how much magic do you know already?'
Thinking of Hermione's boasting on the train, Theodore reddened at the question. 'Um-'
'Don't open your mouth like that, you're not a toad.' And his face glowed warmer. Theodore assumed that this guy is a pureblood also, his personality is bordering on being as insufferable as Precious. He doesn't blame Tracey for not wanting to be the only Half-blood in their year.
'This is my first day being around magic, officially.' Theodore said and just like that the conversation is over. What did he do wrong? Blaise turned his attention to the food in front of them-wait when did all this get here, did these gigantic plates appear out of nowhere?
'You might want to keep that to yourself.' Tracey spoke up beside him, Theodore looked at her dumbfounded. Why does it matter who knows he grew up with Muggles? 'You're never going to get in a blood pledge if you tell every pureblood you come across that you've just stepped into the magical world today.'
Well what's a blood pledge? What's a Lowly? 'Explain.' Theodore asked simply, but he was getting increasingly irritated. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Blaise cock a brow at him. Why is everyone here making him feel like a toddler trying to listen in on the adults talking?
'Oh.' Tracey said like someone, some authority figure, just told her he's acting so weird because he mentally retarded. 'A blood pledge-' she's speaking in a tone one would use with a two-year-old -'is sort of like an agreement of service between a pureblood and someone lower.'
'Lower as in..?'
'Lower in blood status, such as a Lowly Pureblood, or Lowly for short, or a half-blood, and never Muggleborns because they're so low they squat in mud.' Tracey wiggled her finger. Why do so many people not like Muggleborns?
'What's a Lowly?' Theodore was getting sick of these questions, there's so many they've started to roll over top of each other like snow and he can't keep up.
'Any pureblood who's not part of the Sacred Twenty-eight.'
If Theodore isn't careful he's going to faint from all the sighing he's doing. 'What's the Sacred Twenty-eight?' He's now rubbing dents into his temple.
Tracey looked at him like he asked if its 1885. 'Oh Merlin you really don't know anything do you?' WHO'S MERLIN? 'It's ok, I'll explain everything.' Tracey held up a hand to calm him, but it only infuriated him more. He's not a horse! 'I guess I should've known better, this is your first day around magic and you get thrown into Slytherin. And most of this information is Slytherin exclusive by the way, the other houses don't function like this, not even the professors know, except for our Head of House of course, Professor Snape.'
Theodore looked to where Tracey was pointing, at the long-haired goth Professor who was waving at Draco earlier. Weird, he's staring at Harry Potter, but not the same as everyone else was, he was frowning.
'Ok this is going to be a mouthful.' Tracey sighed.
'The Sacred Twenty-eight are purebloods, specifically the purest of purebloods. They are of unmixed ancestry, so they've only ever had children with other purebloods. Lowly purebloods is an exclusively Slytherin term for purebloods not part of the Sacred Twenty-eight. Lowlys have at least both their parents and grandparents as magical beings, but somewhere in their family history one of them had kids with a non-pureblood or muggle and tainted their blood line.' Tracey stopped to point at the other houses.
'To all of them, and' She moved her finger to the head table 'all of them besides Professor Snape, a Lowly is just a regular pureblood who happens to not be included in the Sacred Twenty-eight. To Slytherins, they're something different, Purebloods in here don't want to be mistaken as the same thing, as they see Lowlys almost as low as we Half-bloods, and it's a secret kept only in Slytherin because this way of thinking doesn't sit right with everyone else. You'll get in big trouble if you tell anyone, and it's the same thing with blood pledges.'
'Blood pledges are agreements made between a Truly Pureblood and either a Lowly Pureblood or a Half-blood. What it is basically, the Pureblood will protect the Lowly or Half-blood from any harassment from other purebloods for a service the Lowly or Half-blood gives them. An example is Draco Malfoy, a pureblood in our year, and his Lowlys Crabbe Vincent and Gregorey Goyle over there.' Tracey pointed to where Draco was sat with his two "Lowlys" flanked on each side. 'The services they provide is protection, they're like his body guards, and in return, other purebloods don't target them, if they do, Draco puts a stop to it.'
Those two follow Draco around like guard dogs because they are literally his guard dogs? Theodore doesn't like the sound of that at all, it's almost like Crabbe and Goyle are owned by Draco, much like dogs, a pet only good for a specific purpose to the higher individual. How is Tracey able to talk about this so naturally and normally as if she's talking about the weather?
'And another example is me.' Tracey waved her hand in front of Theodore's face so he looked at her again. 'I'm in a blood pledge with another Pureblood in our year, Dalphine Greengrass just a couple seats down from us.' She was pointing at a girl with long dirty blond hair and blue eyes, she was talking with another girl who had a short nose, kind of like a pug.
'And what service do you provide her?' Theodore swallowed. There is nothing normal about this. This is too weird to be treated this normal.
'We're just friends.' Tracey waved her hand as if to brush off the smoking serious absurdity of this ideology. 'My dad is a Lowly and when he was at Hogwarts, he entered a blood pledge with Dalphien's dad, and he still serves under Mr. Greengrass today. My whole life I've known the Greengrasses, I was introduced to Dalphine when I was two, and we've always been good friends. Our blood pledge started when we were seven and Dalphen only offered because she noticed other purebloods our age, namely Draco and Pansy Parkinson, the girl she's sitting with right now, were starting to get aggressive towards me, but she rarely has me provide any services. Some blood pledges are very relaxed like that.' Tracey finished with a soft smile, like she knew everything she's saying was completely crazy but doesn't want to scare him off at the same time.
Theodore stared back at Draco and his "Lowlys" then to Dalphen Greengrass, and at Blaise who couldn't care less about what they're talking about as he prodded his penne. Back before the food came out, was Blaise asking him about his experience with magic because he was evaluating him for a blood pledge?
'But anyway!' Tracey interrupted his train of thought, grabbing away at potatoes and lamb to put in her plate. 'Since you're a half-blood, you're going to have to work harder than if you were a Lowly if you want to get in a blood pledge.' But he doesn't want to get in a blood pledge. 'I'm going to help you out by teaching you about the history of each pureblood family you'll interact with. And one other thing, don't ever mention today is your first day around magic because that makes you sound like a muggleborn.'
Theodore couldn't bring himself to eat much of the food that was layed out in front of him, so long of eating nothing but fish and chips and always craving something else, something better, but he felt so disgusted by the things Tracey's told him he couldn't get back his appetite even when faced with this glorious array of meat and seasoned vegetables. His breathing felt so shallow it was like the air was pooling at the bottom of his lungs, making them heavy so they pressed up against his stomach, stealing all the room.
Tracey pointed out every Pureblood in their year and gave ratings on how likely they will start up a blood pledge with him. Theodore Nott, a gloomy looking boy hunched over his dinner, was apparently not a suitable candidate because he doesn't like blood pledges, so in other words he's normal. She said Blaise Zabini would probably be good for it as he doesn't have a single halfblood or Lowly yet, and Pansy Parkinson or any of her five older sisters is a yes, but he was warned to be careful of the Parkinson's signature overly pushy and proud personality.
Draco is a no, not that Theodore will ever consider him or anyone else a yes, he's a no because Theodore doesn't have anything big to offer, which is important to get in Draco's blood pledge since he already has two high performing Lowlys, and Tracey said she'll try and get Dalphen to warm up to him if he can't find a good blood pledge on his own in a month or so.
One very big warning Tracey gave him was for one of their year mates, Millicent Bulstrode, a Halfblood that comes from a proud pureblood family. The reason she's a Halfblood is rather depressing. Her mother, a big bully of muggleborns, went too far in her fun with a male muggleborn classmate in her seventh year, and as payback that muggleborn drugged her with a love potion so she would have a bastard child with him. Millicent was that child. Theodore nearly spit out his drink hearing that.
Tracey told him there's a chance Millicent will try and get him into believing she's a pureblood so he would agree to a blood pledge, but so called "Slytherin law" states that any blood pledge held by someone other than a pureblood is strictly prohibited as it is seen as an offensive mockery and as punishment the perpetrators will be subjected to endless torment until their time at Hogwarts ends. Why Millicent wants to do something that can potentially harm her? So she can avenge her mother by harming anyone under Pureblood status, she sees it as the lesser of two evils as Tracey says.
Slytherin is messed up.
What kind of fresh Hell did he just fall into? 'Why is Slytherin the only House who operates this way?' He asked, Tracey shrugged.
'For as long as Hogwarts has existed, this is where the majority of Purebloods get sorted into. Salazar Slytherin, the founder of this House, was a pureblood with all the same views, and this way of life runs in every traditional Slytherin family. Pure or not.' She's smiling that unnerving smile again, but it fell into a frown. 'I'm sorry you got thrown in here like that though, but don't tell anyone outside of Slytherin, don't even talk about it. Alright?' That's like, the third warning he's got since he sat down.
'Uh, yeah.' Theodore nodded not knowing what else to do. 'Of course.'
That was a very uncomfortable talk, thank the Lord it's over. Tracey went back to her dinner, gleefully smiling away, fully happy knowing she's owned by someone. Theodore can't ever be like that, he doesn't want to get in a blood pledge, not even for his safety. Screw it, he's spent his whole life moving between group homes and foster families, and almost every home or facility he was placed into he was bullied in some way whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. He can learn to handle being bullied magically too, the bullies in Slytherin are not going to scare him into agreeing to degrade himself like that. Dignity over comfort, the mantra of his life.
And boy, is he uncomfortable.
Everyone was having their own conversations, all smiling, except for Draco who was simultaneously trying to get away from a silent dreadful looking ghost sitting beside him (Slytherin House's ghost, The Bloody Barren, as Tracey just notified him) as well as handsy Pansy Parkinson who was reaching across the table to snatch his unwilling hand. Theodore overheard Dalphen Greengrass say her mother was working on a new breeding program for an "xxx" beast, some dangerous creature called a tatzelwurm, and Blaise chatted automatically with a preoccupied Draco about something called "Quidditch".
All these people around him, talking about things he's never knew existed in ways that suggest they've already known each other for years, Theodore felt like he'd been sucked up in a whirlwind, head spinning like a tornado. He ducked it down, focusing on his plate to ground himself before he throws up.
He misses Evangeline.