I don't think it's possible to imagine the sheer beauty of the Great Hall. As we walk through the isle of pupils my breath is held at the back of my throat. We gather at the front of the hall and the sorting hat begins to sing about the four houses. Once it's finished the pupil sorting starts. I don't have long to wait before.

"Black, Lyra." Professor McGonagall calls. I walk forward, butterflies filling my stomach, and sit on the stool before the sorting hat slips over my eyes.

"Oooh a Black. But you're clearly not like the rest of your family." The hat says into my head. It feels weird but I go with it, "I have no idea where to put you." The hat puzzles.

"I need to be a Slytherin I don't want Mother to murder me." I say into my head. I think that's how I communicate with the hat. I don't know.

"I can put you in Slytherin if you really want; I can see that you'll work hard to get your way and protect what you care about." The hat says.

I can tell it wouldn't be very happy with that decision but frankly neither would I, but, "I do want to be Slytherin. I want to please Mother. I don't want my entire family to hate me." I really do, don't I? I really do want to be a Slytherin? "I don't know if I'll fit in with all of them though. I don't fit in at home and I don't fit in with any other Slytherins I've met." I'm really confused now. My head says Slytherin. But my heart says that isn't my place.

"Yes, of course you'll never fit in with anyone else you're more driven by other things. You don't value ambition it's not important to you so I think I'll put you in..." I don't have enough time to even object, although I don't think I would.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Those last words echo around the enormous hall as I walk towards the table covered in people wearing yellow accented robes. There was no cheer - only encouraging and sympathetic smiles from my housemates. I can feel everyone else's eyes searing into my skin – their judgement scolding me. I can feel the jeering eyes of the Slytherin table. I know that among them will be my relatives, who will go and write to Mother as soon as possible. I just want the ground to swallow me as Sirius is sorted.

It doesn't take long. I know he's decided to be in Gryffindor since we even knew about the houses and our parents' expectations.

The hat doesn't prove me wrong as, "GRYFFINDOR!" shudders across the hall.

Mother isn't going to be very happy that both of her twins evaded her plans for them. Neither of us are going to be her perfect little Slytherin. My mouth is dry with fear through the remainder of the sorting as I can still feel my familial relations murdering me with their eyes from the green table. I try to keep my profile low by staring down at my feet. Keeping my presence low becomes more difficult when another first year is sorted into Hufflepuff and comes to sit next to me. I think she must be taunting me by trying to draw attention to my fearful form.

My ears slightly prick up when I hear James' name being called. The hat barely takes a moment to decide before James is sauntering over to the red table and Sirius' side. I also noticed that a student before James was a hat stall. It was most obvious because of the restlessness of the hall.

I sigh with relief when the food appears in front of me and grab some wanting to take my mind away from my grave situation. The noise of happy students calms me as I feel less open for everyone to stare at. The girl who came to sit next to me is a smiling blonde, who is staring at me expectantly with her emerald eyes behind a layer of glass, "What's wrong?"

This makes me pause in confusion for a moment, until I remember the obvious, "You're muggle-born, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well that means you don't know about my family. We're one of the Sacred 28 – all pureblood families. We basically have this reputation to all be blood-purist Slytherins." I look at her to check that she understands, and she doesn't seem to be too lost, "So me and Sirius are going to be in so much trouble for not following their perfect little plan. They'll all hate us for this. But otherwise – I'm doing great!" I smile at my plate trying not to show her how much this is affects me.

"Well I don't care if your family hates you. You seem like a good person." She says, smiling, "I'm Ash Lewis by the way." She introduces while holding out her hand for me to shake.

I think mother might burst into the hall ready to murder me. I'm associating with a "Mudblood". I'm treating one like a human – like they belong here. But quite frankly she's already mad enough at me. I'm already dead and you can't be killed twice. I take her hand.

"I'm Lyra Black."

~#~

The feast was amazing. The food was incredible – unlike anything I've ever tasted. I was so ready to sink into bed by the time Dumbledore announced our return to our common rooms. Me and Ash get up together and follow the Hufflepuff prefects to the common room, which is next to the kitchens. The prefects show us how to open up the common room – by tapping a barrel to a certain tune.

Once we enter my breath is once again taken away. The room is beautiful. It's cosy and homely – more than I can say for my actual home – with cheerful yellow and black contrasted with lush, green plants. It only adds to my sleepiness and I take no hesitation to go into our dorm, once the prefects have pointed it out to us. This room is no less gorgeous than the last. With honey-coloured wood and patchwork quilts emphasised by the orangey lighting. I immediately flop on my bed, which is marked by my trunk. I'm glad that Ash is next to me. She is equally – if not more – enthralled by the room as me.

I quickly go into the bathroom to change into some pyjamas before I flop onto the bed and fall into a calm sleep that's far away from the fear of my family. It's just me in the bed. Nothing else.

(1,166 Words)

So, it's time for a new chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! I have to say that I've fallen in love with Ash more and more as I've written her; I mean I love Lyra as well. But, oh my lord Ash is amazing! (Like I wrote her that way but y'know when you're writing and you're in the zone of thinking like the characters so you end up writing stuff that makes you love the characters even though you wrote it? (I don't think that makes sense)). I'm going to (if I have time) add an extra chapter as a Christmas present to you, so be looking out for that on Friday (and if I don't have time I'll definitely put something up on Boxing Day). I hope that you all have a restful week filled with smiles! :D

Please favourite, comment your thoughts and have an amazing day! 3