"Allie! Allie! Allie! Allie!" An overexcited Anna cried, jumping on my bed. "Come on! Its time for school!"
"Anna." I groaned. "It is six AM. The Malfoys are going to pick us up at ten, go to sleep!"
Anna had come to the orphanage when she was eight and I was twelve. She was like a little sister to me, and I dreaded leaving her all alone to go to a place where not even a fifth of the people liked me. However, I learned in my third year, when I tried to talk Professor McGonagall into letting me do some sort of homeschooling course, that once you start going to Hogwarts, you can't just leave. Although, I seriously think it might have been another house issue. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with joy when Anna got an acceptance letter from Hogwarts.
"I just can't!" She moaned, flopping onto her back, her multitude of dark, beaded braids smacking my face. "The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so we have to...do something!"
"Go do 'something' by yourself," I chuckled, flopping her off my bed.
"B-but I don't wanna be alone." She mumbled quietly.
Sighing, I placed my feet on the cold wood floor causing Anna to squeal in excitement.
I slid off my bed so that I was sitting next to her.
"OK, so, what do you want to do?" I asked with a small smirk.
Anna put on a 'thinking' face, her lips pursed to the side as she tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Well..."
That 'Well' brought us into the kitchen to make a flourman-a snowman made out of flour. As we did this, we made our own personal blizzard in the kitchen. Probably not one of my most brilliant moments, but Anna had a really good time doing it.
By the time we were done with our storm of flour, Anna's cocoa colored skin had white blotches and I looked like Casper.
Looking at the time, I sighed. Nine o'clock-time to make sure I had all my stuff, then make sure Anna didn't forget anything as well.
"Come on, Little Miss Thing." I smiled, lifting her onto my back and carrying her up the stairs and to our shared bedroom. "Time to pack!"
"But I packed yesterday." Anna groaned as I dropped her on her bed.
"Well, make sure you have everything," I said as I rummaged through my trunk. There was a tapping at the window and when I looked up, I saw Jo carrying mail in his beak. "Who in Merlin's name is writing me a day before school?!"
Unlatching the three locks that kept the window shut, I swung it open and allowed Jo to fly inside the room. Perching on my right shoulder, I took the mail and flipped through it. There was the Daily Prophet-which I wasn't surprised about-a letter from Romana saying she was so happy that Anna got accepted, and then a letter from Hogwarts.
I unraveled the note and as I read it my blood began to boil.
"Dear Slytherin Students," The letter began in a sort of I'm-better-than-you and you-are-all-just-a-helpless-cause tone. " I would like to inform you that, due to past incidents, Hogwarts will be installing a new project this coming school year.
Each Slytherin student in grades 5-7 will receive a 'buddy' from the Gryffindor house. This project is hopeful to install better house relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin. 'Buddies' will have the same schedule and it is required that a certain amount of out-of-class hours be spent together.
I hope you all had a glorious summer.
Sincerely,
Hermione J. Granger-Weasley."
"Allie?" Anna asked from her bed, her head cocked to one side as I looked up. "Are you OK?"
"Fine," I said through clenched teeth, putting on a fake smile.
I loosened my knuckle-white clench on the paper and crumpled it up, throwing it in the rubbish bin.
Ten o'clock came quickly and found Anna and I waiting on the doorstep for the Malfoys.
The familiar, silver jaguar pulled up in front of the orphanage, and Scorpius and his father came out to greet us and help with our trunks.
"Hello, Allie." Draco said with a smile, encasing me in a hug that I graciously returned.
Draco and Astoria were the closest thing to parents that I ever got. Every summer, they took Anna and myself to their cottage on the sea where we played Quidditch, swam, and plenty of other things, even when we thought Anna was muggle.
"Hey, Draco." I smiled, still unused to saying it without the 'Mr' in front of it. Years ago he told me to just call him Draco, but it was still odd.
"Draco!" Anna squealed happily, latching onto the aging man.
"Oh!" He chuckled, lifting her up and swinging her around. "Are you excited?"
"Exceedingly." She said with a broad smile.
"Hey, Scorp." I greeted as he came back from tossing our bags in the boot.
"Sup?" He asked, giving me a side hug as we all climbed in.
I exchanged hellos with Astoria and then we were off to another year at Hogwarts. Anna was positively bouncing in her seat, which caused me to worry.
When she first got her letter, I was happy that she would be coming with me, where I could make sure that she was safe. It wasn't until Draco brought it up after she had gone cliff-diving with some local muggle kids that I realized there was a good chance she wouldn't be put in Slytherin.
I desperately tried to place her in Slytherin, but she had none of the traits. Anna was an amazing little girl who had a fearless attitude and laughed at danger, living for thrills. Sadly, all those things pointed to Gryffindor.
It was selfish that I wanted her in Slytherin-the hardest road-and not Gryffindor-a life paved in gold-but if I lost my little sister, I'm not sure I could bare it. Which was stupid, and weak, but Slytherins are not what they used to be, Draco even said it- although he meant it as a compliment-when all us Slytherins got together and had a party.
Draco and Astoria dropped us off in front of King's Cross, not allowed to go into highly populated wizarding areas such as platform 9 3/4 or Diagon Alley due to their life long probations. As always, it was difficult to say goodbye to Draco and Astoria-Scorpius always had a harder time obviously.
Anna, surprisingly, had a fine time getting on the platform and actually wanted to do it again. Apparently, running through a brick post was something she had always wanted to do-who knew?
The steam from the train made the platform as difficult to navigate and intimidating as usual. Voices were disembodied and seemed louder than they would normally be.
I made sure Anna stayed near me so that I didn't lose her in the hubbub.
However, being the curious thing she is, she was looking left and right, most likely wishing she had more eyes and ran right into an older wizard talking to what seemed to be two of his sons.
"I'm so sorry, sir." I apologized as I helped Anna up, doing a check to make sure everything was alright on her.
"No harm done." The man smiled.
As I looked up at him, my eyes were drawn to the lightning shaped mark on his forehead. Of course.
I was just about to leave when Scorpius doubled back to find us, having already disposed of our trunks.
"Aladdin, Anna, seriously, I know you're girls but how hard is it to keep up?" He jested causing me to stomp on his foot.
"Ow." He growled in my ear, but quickly noticed that we were in the presence of the Potter-Weasley clan...and they were all looking at us.
"Allie?" Anna said, tugging on my sleeve. "Who are they?"
"You didn't-" Scorpius began in shock causing me to glare at him.
The train tooted its horn as the clock read 10:45.
"OK, time to go." I said, ushering Anna and Scorpius towards the back of the train.
As we entered the very end of the train, where Slytherins sat, I told Anna to go find some friends in her year. She was very happy to and took her trunk and cat Feebie with her.
"You didn't tell her about the dark war?!" Scorpius asked in shock as we sat down in the compartment filled with serpents.
"I didn't want her to know until she absolutely had to." I explained.
"Aladdin! She's going to Hogwarts now, she needs to know! What if she gets sorted into another house, huh?" Scorpius asked. "And then tries to talk to you in the Grand Hall. Do you know what will happen?"
I remained silent, but Scorpius pressed on, actually getting up and pacing the compartment.
"Especially with this new 'project'?! Oh, Merlin." Scorpius groaned, sitting down across from me again, with his head in his hands.
"You worry too much," I chuckled causing him to glare at me. "Anna'll be fine. Dude, she's my sister, and I'm not even worrying that much."
OK, little white lie, but he did not need to know that. However, the amused gleam in his eyes let me know that he completely saw through the lie.
"Whatever," He smirked.
The door to the compartment was yet again yanked open as an out of breath Romana entered with her trunk. Not only was she out of breath, Romana seemed furious as she hoisted her truck onto the rack and stomped over to sit next to me.
"Alright, Miss Firecracker, whats wrong with you?" Scorpius asked after a few minutes of Romana's silent steaming.
"Have I mentioned I hate Gryffindors?" She demanded. I could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears.
"Yes." Scorpius and I deadpanned at the same time.
"Your point?" I asked.
"Well, I was going to say hi to Anna, and then guess who just shows up to 'save' the 'poor, muggleborn, firstie' from the 'evil'," At this she made claws with her hands. "clutches of the nasty Slytherin?" Romana said with sarcasm oozing out of her.
"Hmm...Charles Dickens?" I joked causing Romana to glare at me. Scorpius was confused at the muggle reference so I cleared it up for him. "Famous author-dead, by the way."
"No." Romana snarled. "James-freaking-Potter! I swear, it is his life's goal to drive me to an early grave!"
Scorpius rolled his eyes at her dramatics and cracked open a book that he pulled out of his jacket, "Whatever you say."
"Are sure a Slytherin and not a Ravenclaw in disguise?" Romana asked with a raised eyebrow at Scorpius.
"Are you kidding me?! He was such a hat-stall, if the hat didn't know where he belonged at the end of the five minutes he was sitting on his head, Scorp would be a muggle!" I laughed.
"I was not that much of a hat-stall!" Scorpius cried, a blush creeping up his neck.
Scorpius Malfoy was probably the only Malfoy in history that turned red like a tomato whenever slightly embarrassed. And I loved teasing him about it.
"Whatever you say." Romana and I mocked, tossing his words right back at him causing his blush to deepen.
"OK, Sr. Tomato, you weren't that much of a hat-stall." I amended. "You just caused the hat to stall."
Scorpius glared at me then rolled his eyes at my 'childish' behavior.
The rest of the train ride went smoothly. A second year, Abby, and I played a game of exploding snap whilst Romana refereed. It seemed like Scorpius barely looked up from his book, which was never a good sign-so I made a mental note to confront him about it.
When the train came to a stop, Scorpius made no sound-just got his trunk and owl, Merlin, and got off.
"What's up with Malfoy?" Dean, a seventh year, asked me as he helped me with my trunk.
"No clue." I said, with my eyebrows furrowed.
As usual, everyone who was not a first year was taken to Hogwarts by the thestral drawn carriages.
How could I see them? Growing up in an orphanage, you get a lot of 'storked' babies. Basically, their children whose mothers were either too ashamed to admit at the hospital that they couldn't handle a child or a million other reasons so they just leave the child on the orphanage doorstep. Sometimes, these 'storked' babies are left on cold, winter nights. The rest I'll leave up to your imagination.
Throughout the carriage ride, Scorpius was silent, and I was thoroughly confused as to what caused the drastic mood change from this morning. However, we were also stuck in a carriage with two Hufflepuffs-a seventh and fourth year-so the time for interrogation was not now.
As usual, once everyone was seated, the sorting ceremony began. As usual, not many Slytherins were sorted. I learned quickly that even though the hat tried not to sort anyone into Slytherin at least two were sorted a year. This year, though, we got the highest number ever of four-a pair of triplet halfblood girls and a muggleborn boy-Sarah, Susan, Sophie and Josh.
When Professor Longbottom called Anna Walker, I became three times more interested.
Anna walked up to the stool with so much confidence, I would have thought she knew where she'd be sorted. The hat slipped past her ears and was left to rest on her nose. Almost two seconds after, the word I had been dreading, yet logic told me would come, was shouted.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
My heart sank and I felt tears stinging my eyes. Gryffindor. She was a Gryffindor.
"Are you OK?" Scorpius whispered next to me, sympathy in his eyes. Suddenly, it all clicked.
"You knew, huh?" I said. He nodded sadly.
"I could barely speak to you because of it. Its just, even my dad-my dad!-admitted she'd be a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff." Scorpius said.
Well, that was news. Draco was usually all for finding Slytherin qualities in everyone. I guess it strengthened his resolve that the whole sorting was the dumbest thing a school could do.
After the ceremony, we were introduced to the new professor-Professor Granger-Weasley-who was just said to be the new Slytherin head of house. Usually I would be pleased, Merlin knows we've needed a head of house for a while now, but why they decided a Gryffindor and a Weasley would be a good idea. Sometimes I wondered if the school was ran by idiots.
Once the feast was over, Professor McGonagall asked the Slytherin house to stay behind. As the rest of the houses left, I noticed a small amount of older Gryffindor students stayed behind as well.
"Ugh, here comes the new project." Romana groaned from across the table, running a hand through her short hair.
Almost all the teachers and students were gone by the time the three left-Professor McGonagall, Longbottom, and Granger-Weasley-called all the students left to the Hufflepuff table.
"Oh, um, every Slytherin student in fourth year and under can go." Professor Granger-Weasley said with a smile.
"Sure, like we're gonna leave Weaslette." Abby snarled, her eyes dark.
The professor's face started to turn red, so, like the kind hearted person I am, I decided to help her out.
"Hey! You all heard her, go on." I ordered.
There were a roar of complaints.
"But Allie-"
"Thats sooo not fair-!"
"Come on, Scorp, can't we stay?"
"Dean! You're the oldest, how come you always let Allie make the decisions?!"
"Pleeeeeeeease Allie? This involves us too!"
I groaned and turned to Romana, Scorpius and Dean-the four of us were the oldest kids in Slytherin, but the youngsters were right, I did make a good amount of the decisions.
"What do you think?" I sighed.
"I'd prefer to know that they won't get in trouble." Dean hinted, reminding me of how Abby and Farrah-a third year-were walking alone last year and were ambushed by some Ravenclaws.
"Point taken," I sighed, biting at my bottom lip. "Scorp?"
"Nah, I'd rather explain whats really going on in the dorm rather than just confuse them by this 'project' story." He shrugged.
"Alright, two against one and one unknown. What do you think, Romana?" I asked.
Romana pursed her lips in thought, looking at the young faces of the students.
"Well, I get what both sides are saying. I've got an idea." She smiled. "OK, firsties, group together." The triplets and Josh formed a small circle together. "Now second years, around the firsties." Abby, Jacob and David, though confused, did as told. "Third years." Farrah and Evan raised and eyebrow at Romana, but obeyed. "Now, fourth...year." Carter looked like he was about to protest, then seemed to think better of it. "Everyone got their wands?"
"OK, Romy, whats going on?" David sighed, as he pulled out his wand.
"Does everyone have their wands?" Romana demanded, ignoring the question.
"Yes." They all chorused.
"Good. Now, in this formation, go to the dorm safely, and I really, really am praying that with all the defense training Allie and I have gone through with you, that we won't have a repeat of last time." Romana smirked.
"It was Abby's fault!" Farrah protested.
"Was not!" Abby cried indignantly.
"Yes it was!"
"You said that we could walk without supervision!"
"But-"
"Go to bed!" Romana exclaimed, pointing at the door, reminding the youngsters what they were supposed to be doing. As they headed out, Romana shook her head. "Merlin, I'm turning into my mother."
"Yes, yes you are." I smirked causing her to glare at me.
Dean shook his head and turned to the professors. "Alright, so what is this about?"
"Didn't you get the owl?" I asked.
"Didn't I tell you my parents freak out whenever I get an owl?" He asked in a sort of mocking tone. "No, I didn't get the owl."
"The professors are trying out a new 'project' to 'promote house relations'." Romana fake smiled with two thumbs up. She dropped the act of happiness and rolled her eyes in exasperation. "That or they're just really freaked that Allie here can talk to snakes."
"Shut. Up." I growled, glancing warningly at the Gryffindors and professors.
In a vain attempt to get everything back under control, the professors asked us all to sit down.
"First off," Professor Granger-Weasley started in a sort of voice that screamed I'm-trying-so-hard-to-be-mature-even-though-I-am-an-adult which she must of kept from her school years. Yikes. " I would like to apologize to the eight of you. I know it was last minute, but it was hard to get Minister Bones to agree with what we are going to do this school year. To tell you the truth, I didn't want to get your hopes up in case it didn't happen."
"Get our hopes up?" I asked confused. "You think we're going to enjoy this?"
"Well, yes. For once in your life, you guys will have positive role models." She smiled happily.
Immediately after that, Scorpius got up and stormed out in a fury. You could insult Scorp in many ways, and he won't react, but say even the slightest derogatory remark about his parents and he goes off the deep end. I was just glad he didn't punch something this time-or someone.
"Mr Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall called after him as he slammed the door behind him.
"You can't blame him for what he did, you insulted him." Dean said, glaring at the new professor.
"Excuse me? I was stating a fact." She replied haughtily. "His parents are known death eaters.
"Were." I corrected. "Were known death eaters, pressured into it by their parents. Now, their good people, and thats the only side of them he's seen."
"Miss Parker, please, calm down." Professor Longbottom pleaded.
"Calm down? Jeez, she didn't even yell." Romana rolled her eyes exasperatedly.
"Oh, she yells? What, when the little pureblood princess doesn't get her way she throws a temper tantrum?" James Potter asked with a snort.
"Starting to see why he'd drive you to an early grave," I whispered to Romana as I ran my hand through my dark tresses.
"Can we just get on with this?" Dean asked, suddenly sounding very tired. "We do have classes tomorrow."
"But, Mr Malfoy-"
"He's not coming back." I shrugged. "He'll go somewhere to cool off, but he'll be at class."
Professor Longbottom looked surprised at my explanation of his behavior. "Well, OK."
"Alright, children, lets get past this little disturbance." I swear I could hear her add 'we are dealing with Slytherins'. "When I call your name please stand, greet your buddy and get your matching timetables. As I mentioned in the letter, you will be required to spend a total of sixteen out of class hours together per week, including weekends. If you don't, trust me, we will know. Understood?"
"Sure." I muttered.
Romana just shrugged, looking at her hands that were clasped on the table.
Dean gave the professor a half-smile but it was clear his mind was somewhere else.
"Romana Sattler. James Potter." Professor Granger-Weasley smiled.
Uh-oh.
Romana and James got up, walking towards the professor to get their schedules. As they turned to greet each other, Romana glared and James had an arrogant smirk on his face.
"Sattler."
"Potter."
They were sat back down.
"Dean Simmons. Victoire Weasley."
Dean got up, grabbed his schedule, half waved at Victoire and left the dining hall altogether.
"Aladdin Parker. Albus Potter."
"Here we go." I muttered to myself, standing up.
I walked towards Professor Granger-Weasley and took the schedule from her and turned to greet Albus who looked confused.
"Do I know you?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"Um, we have gone to the same school for about five years now..." I said awkwardly.
"Did you go to muggle school, you know, before Hogwarts?"
"Dude, she's a pureblood, she probably doesn't even know 2 times three." James snorted.
"Its six, idiot. At least I can count to twenty with my shoes on." I smiled in fake sweetness.
James glared at me, and I turned to Professor Granger-Weasley.
"Can I take Scorp's schedule? I'll let him know who his buddy is and everything." I said, deciding to play nice.
"Sure." She said, probably just wanting this all to end. "Rose Weasley, your buddy is Scorpius Malfoy."
Rose got up to get her schedule and looked at me with disdain when we both reached for the schedule at the same time.
"Sorry," I apologized moving my hand so she could take it, and I took the next one.
"S'okay." She shrugged, seeming confused at my behavior.
"Come on, Sleepy," I chuckled shaking Romana's shoulder a little to wake her up a bit.
As we walked down to the dungeons, I couldn't help but wonder-what was tomorrow going to be like?
OK, first, I would like to say I am so sorry this took so long to get up. I wish I could say I had a good excuse, but, truthfully, I am just lazy.
Also, i wanted to give you a sort of idea of what the characters look like so-
Aladdin "Allie" Parker-Lucy Hale
Romana Sattler-Anna Sophia Robb with short hair
Scorpius Malfoy-Alexander Ludwig
Anna Walker-YOU DECIDE!
Albus Potter-the kid who played Percy Jackson (to lazy to look up)
Anywho-
Good Reviews=MY LOVE AND COOKIES!
Well, thats a wrap.
-Silent