Chapter 4

When it came to going to King's Cross to get on the train, it only took us twenty minutes to walk. Sirius was in his Animagus form, following us. There were other Order members around us, making sure Harry got to the train station without any trouble.

I had purchased a bottomless clutch, putting all of my belongings in there after retrieving some more from the Dursley house when they weren't in.

We made it just in time for the final whistle of the train. Molly herded us onto it, warning us to be good and to write back. Of course, she wasn't talking to me but Sirius gave me a look in his dog form, having already told me that his letters during the school year should come without a problem.

Hermione and Ron went to their Prefect meeting and left Harry, Ginny and me to find a compartment. We did, settling down in it.

After an hour of quiet talking, Hermione and Ron returned. I got a couple of snacks off the food trolley, eating a Chocolate Frog as Ginny had suggested that I try one. It was good and catching the frog was fun.

Ron threw himself into the seat next to Harry, while Hermione took the free seat on his other side.

"I'm starving," Ron said, grabbing a Chocolate Frog from Harry's pile.

"There are two Fifth-year Prefects from each House," Hermione said plainly before Harry passed a liquorice stick to her. She chewed it quickly. "Boy and girl from each."

Ron hummed disapprovingly, "Guess who's Slytherin's Prefects?"

"Malfoy," Harry said disgruntledly.

"And that cow, Pansy Parkinson," Hermione's voice held venom. "How she got to be a prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll…"

"Who's Hufflepuff ?" Harry asked.

"Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott," Ron shrugged. "They're alright."

"And Ravenclaw?" I asked and they looked surprised at the fact I knew of the Houses. "I read the book, that history one. Who's a Prefect from Ravenclaw."

"You wouldn't know them but Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil," Hermione said. "Harry went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil."

"Oh, yeah. Harry told me about it," I said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Harry told you? I thought we weren't supposed to discuss this stuff with people. I understand our parents, they need to know."

"Do you really think the Dursleys care?" I looked at her. "Out of everything, them? No."

She looked like I had just insulted her, pursing her lips in displeasure but she didn't say anything about it. .

)()()()(

The compartment door opened another hour into the journey.

"What?" Harry instantly said. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

I turned to find a trio standing at the door, one of which I knew to be Lucius Malfoy's son simply by his hair and his smug smirk.

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," He tutted before looking me up and done. "Father said your sister was joining us this year. Apparently, your Mudblood mother hasn't completely polluted the Potter bloodline."

"Watch it," Harry snapped. "Don't talk about my mother when your own line is inbred."

Malfoy just chuckled, "Ouch. That really hurts. You wounded me. Name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," He stuck his hand into the compartment but Harry slapped it away before it reached me.

"You're asking for an ass-whooping, Potter," The dark-skinned boy said. "Hopefully your sister has better manners than you in the long term. Though, any manners is better than what you have right now."

"Get out," Harry stood up, crowding towards the door but Malfoy didn't move. Malfoy was several inches taller and just looked down his nose at him.

"Sit down," I glanced at them both, then at the two boys behind Malfoy. "If you get into a fight, I swear to God, Harry."

Malfoy laughed, "God? There's no god here, not when we've already been condemned by them. Merlin or nothing."

"Harry," I looked pointedly at him, suggesting he sit the fuck down before I had to get up. I was quickly losing my temper with his outbursts. He had too many this summer and this wasn't helping his case.

"Tick-tock. Tick-tock," The other boy finally spoke up, leaning in a little. "We'll see how this year goes, Potter."

"We'll see," Harry shut the door in the face before sitting down. "Nosy bastards."

"I know," Ginny said. "They can't ever leave you alone."

"They're Slytherins, Viktoria," Harry said to me as the trio of boys left. "And they're always up to no good. All three are Purebloods and have links to Death Eaters. You need to stay away from them."

The rain just continued as we ventured farther and farther north. Darkness came within a few hours and the lamps came on inside the compartment, flashing a low, warm light. Eventually, Hermione prompted us to go change into our uniforms.

Apparently, this train had changing rooms for us. I followed her and Ginny, locking myself into one of the rooms. It was small, had a bench and a mirror for us to check ourselves.

I put the black uniform on, buttoning the shirt before tucking it into the tight trousers I chose for the uniform. I felt like I was going to a smart school but it was only when I put on the robe that I felt like I was truly going to attend a Magic school. I pinned back my black hair with a small clip, letting most of it fall down my shoulder and still be out of my way.

I looked smart but the silver nose ring I had in didn't, nor did my ear piercings. I had quite a few, including a rook and conch. If I got in trouble for them, I was going to fight my case. Nowhere in the dress code did it say students couldn't have them.

Leaving the changing room, I found that Hermione and Ginny left me. I didn't need them. I would be able to find my way back to the compartment since it was only at the other end of the carriage.

I started to walk down there, passing the trio of green-wearing Slytherins that had tried to torment Harry.

"You're Potter's sister," Malfoy said, stopping me in my tracks. "What's your name?"

"Viktoria," I looked between all of them. "And you are?"

"Draco," He prompted. "This is Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott."

"Let me guess, your darling brother told you to stay away?" Nott asked. "Saying some shit about Slytherins being evil?"

"And if he did?"

"Look. I tried to be nice to him but he's just been an ass," He said.

"Understatement of the year," He looked almost glad that I said that. "My brother is an asshole but his heart is in the right place. If you wouldn't mind, I need to get back to the compartment. Excuse me."

They moved away, letting me pass without incident.

)()()(

"Due to unforeseen circumstances," Dumbledore began after the sorting of First-years, "We have a new student joining our fifth years. I want you to welcome Viktoria Potter."

Polite claps and the hush whispers of students gossiping came. They could see the colour of my new robes, having changed since I was privately sorted by McGonagall a couple of minutes ago.

I was told to go sit down and I did.

A gap miraculously opened itself up in the middle of the Slytherin table. It seemed like the Slytherin table was sat so that the youngest students sat nearest the High Table and the oldest nearest the doors. I walked down the outside edge of the hall, sitting down next to Nott and a blonde girl. Malfoy and Zabini were in front of us.

"Welcome to the snakepit, Potter," Zabini smiled at me. He had bright teeth and a good smile. "Look. your brother doesn't seem happy."

Harry was staring daggered over at the Slytherin table, sitting on the other side of the hall with the Gryfinddors.

I shrugged, "I don't care."

Dishes appeared before our eyes. Dozens of different bowls and plates appeared, holding fruit, veg, roast potatoes, loaves of bread, and meat. It was all mouthwatering on the golden plates. I filled my plate with a base of potatoes, creamy cabbage, cauliflower cheese and roasted parsnips. I knew what I liked so I took that.

Taking a sip of whatever was in my goblet, I frowned, "What's this shit?"

Nott grinned, pulling apart a Yorkshire pudding, "Pumpkin juice. It's an acquired taste. We were all brought up on it."

"Yeah, no," I put my goblet back. "That's disgusting. Orange juice is better."

I tasted my drink again and found it changed to orange juice. I was glad.

"So," The black-haired girl next to Draco said. "Why are you at Hogwarts? You're fifteen and never did Magic before?"

"It's none of your business."

She tilted her head, "A little suspicious, don't you think?"

"And? Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong,"

"Oh, really? You're one of us now," She smiled like she saw a small animal to torment.

"Pansy, stop it," The blonde girl said. "She doesn't want to talk."

"We have a right to know who's in our year, Daphne," She glanced at her. "Especially, if they're a fucking Squib."

Her goblet toppled over, quickly staining her clothes orange with colour. She jumped up from her seat with a disgraceful yelp.

I took a big sip of my orange juice like nothing happened, "And I have a right to privacy. Shut up."

"You bitch," She hissed, trying to get the juice off of her short skirt. "I'm not going to forget this."

"Funny, since you keep forgetting that I don't want to talk about my life," I smiled. "You've got quite the selective memory. I thought it might help you remember."

She stormed off, and the blonde girl and the larger girl followed her like dogs.

The rest of dinner went quietly and I had a peaceful meal.

When it was time to go to the dorms, my new Head of House pulled me aside and into his office in the dungeons. It was a small room but held bookcases upon bookcases of potions and vials alongside some books.

Severus Snape looked at me with disdain but I didn't care.

"So you're the youngest Potter," He began.

"Yes, sir," I said back.

"I hope you are not as much as a menace as your brother is,"

"I hope not. I'm here to learn,"

"Very well," He pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to me. "This is your timetable. You'll be in class with the fifth-years but will be attending extra classes in any spare period. You will catch up to the Fifth-years' level of knowledge or will be held back."

"That's fine. I know what I signed up for," I said. "I've already caught up with the first and second-year stuff. I used to look at Harry's books when he came back for the summer."

"Good. I won't tolerate laziness," He said. "Dismissed."

)()()(

While the common room was beautiful with its roaring fireplace and high windows looking into the Black Lake, my room was even moreso. None of the Slytherins shared a room, each year having their own hall. I went to the door that said Dorms, and found several other doors down the long corridor. The Sixth Year dorms were on the left while First Years were on the right. Further down, Fifth years were on the left with Second years across from them. Seventh Year was at the very end of the corridor.

I went in and found another corridor, full of dorms. Each had their name on them and mine was added to the very end since there was an odd number of students now.

My room was nice, much nicer than the one I had at the Dursleys. A four-poster bed sat against the wall, a bedside table on each side in sleek grey wood. A fireplace sat to the left wall of the bed, burning lowly and with two bookcases on either side. A small sofa sat before it. The wall across from the bed had ceiling-to-floor windings, showing off the Black Lake in all its glory. Another two other doors lead to a bathroom, an extremely large shower and bath, and a walk-in wardrobe.

I took out my trunk from my bottomless clutch, finding that my clothes were gone from there already. The rest of my belongings were still in there so I began to put them on the bookcases as needed. I put my polaroid camera on one of my bedside tables, tucking the film away in the drawers.

"I hate the fact you use them," Silver said.

I hid my cigarette pack in one of the drawers, "It's not like I smoke constantly. They're a stress relief, Silver."

"That doesn't help. They're bad for you,"

"I know,"

There were two corkboards on either side of my bed, and I pinned a few polaroid pictures I had already taken. I took a new one, of the window into the lake. I let it develop before putting the pin in and setting it.

Silver came over to look at all of the photos. I had taken only a handful of my favourite ones. I was just surprised my camera worked whilst at Hogwarts. I would be annoyed if it stopped randomly in the year.

"Looks nice," He said. "Are you going to document your time at Hogwarts?"

I nodded, "I'll try. What time is it?"

"Late,"

I went to bed.