The Sorting Hat

"never forget who you are, because they won't"

*

The Great Hall was filled to the brim with students in black robes and ties of varying shades. Miriam walked with the rest of her house to the table on the far left, taking a seat in between Severus and Dot.

Across the table, Eden elbowed Devon, causing him to wince rather dramatically. Smirking, she flicked him in the side of the head. "Have either of you seen Reg or Hickory?"

"Present!"

A redhead practically popped out of nowhere, dropping into an empty seat. A calmer boy with sharp features and a gentle smile sat down next to her, shaking his head to himself. Both were in the year lower than them, but no one cared. When Miriam was first sorted into Slytherin, she immediately loved how her peers treated her like the age she acted, not the age she was. If someone had a good idea, no one cared that they were twelve. Mutual respect flowed through their house like a river through a valley.

"We missed you two on the train," Devon said, reached over Hickory to shake Regulus' hand. When she stuck her tongue out at him, he only winked in response. "Where did you get off to, you little rascals?"

"We just had some unfinished business to settle. That's all." Regulus flashed them a mischievous smirk before taking a sip of water. Hickory's eyes widened to the size of planets and her cheeks burned as red as her hair. Only her reaction made him recognize his mistake and he attempted to clarify, stuttering over his words while the rest of his friends roared with laughter. "Merlin no! Nothing like that! Never! Over the summer, she bet that she could eat an entire box of Bertie Botts faster than me. It was a competition we've been planning for months!"

"I won, in case anyone was interested," Hickory added happily, flashing Regulus a triumphant little smile, one that exposed her dimples. "Reggie lost his lead by running to the bathroom to throw up."

"I did not!"

"You did! Twice!"

Miriam studied the two for a minute before coming to the conclusion that Hickory had won. Regulus was one of the pickiest eaters she'd ever met. It stemmed from his coming from a rich family, giving him a refined palate. There was no way that he made it past the earwax jelly bean without losing his breakfast. Hickory Banks, a halfblood girl from a middle-class family, would face no such troubles.

"Oh, of course," Eden said, nodding vigorously, "because two beautiful people such as yourselves were totally too busy stuffing yourselves with disgusting jelly beans to notice how empty your compartment was and how attractive each other are. Of course."

"You guys are the worst," Regulus muttered, running his hands through his dark curls a few times. "We're just friends. We'll always be just friends. Get over yourselves already."

"Sure, sure."

"Yep."

"Totally."

"One hundred percent."

"Mhm."

Sensing that there was no winning this argument, Regulus expertly changed the subject from his fake girlfriend and real best friend to the upcoming Quidditch season, a topic most of them were more than happy to discuss. Miriam rolled her eyes at him and turned to tease Hickory, but refrained when she saw the slightly crestfallen expression on her freckled face. She ducked her head, letting her loose red curls hide the hurt in her eyes.

Severus craned his neck, searching for someone at a different table in the hall. Miriam tried and failed to suppress her amusement.

"Catching flies?" She smirked, an eyebrow arching.

"Hm?"

"You might as well pull a Potter and get down on your knees, you'd be nearly as obvious that way."

His gaze immediately dropped to his golden plate, which was currently empty. "Mind your own business."

"I'd like to think that the nonexistent love life of my friend is my business, but whatever," she said loftily, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Cheer up. Maybe a bludger'll whack her in the head and she'll realize you've been there for her for years."

"I don't think I'm that lucky," Severus chuckled darkly, but his grin faded. "I don't think any of us are that lucky."

Miriam bit her lip as she thought of her secret book. "You're probably right."

"Cheer up. Maybe a dragon'll eat your father sometime when he's traveling and then you can be a poor homeless writer without causing your family any shame whatsoever."

She didn't laugh, but she did smile. "Shut up."

The candlelight flickered across the hall, asking for the attention of the student body. Professor Dumbledore stepped up to his golden podium to begin his start-of-term speech. This year, he'd chosen to don sunset orange robes for the occasion. They were borderline flamboyant, but Miriam expected nothing less from the headmaster.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts!"

Just as he said this, a scarlet and gold firework exploded above the Gryffindor table. The whole group of them cheered, as did most of the student body, but Miriam only rolled her eyes. Pulling out a quill and inkpot from her messenger bag, she began to jot ideas down on a napkin in messy cursive.

"Please settle down." The laughter immediately ceased, although there was a twinkle in the old wizard's blue irises. "Now, I do have a few start of term notices to share with you before we move onto the Sorting and then the feast. Firstly, while the dangers of our world have continued to increase over the summer holiday, we shall continue to operate as normally as possible under such circumstances. Our weekend Hogsmeade trips will still be available for third years and up. Please check the bulletins in your common rooms for dates."

Devon leaned forward, an excited expression on his face. "First trip's next month! Lucius told me on the train."

"First round of butterbeer on me," Regulus added in a whisper. 

"I would also like to remind you all that the Dark Forest is off-limits to all students unless a teacher is there to accompany you. This year, the curfew will be ten o'clock each night. Be sure to be in your corresponding common room by this time, lest you face punishment.

"And now, without further ado, with pomp and circumstance, let the Sorting commence."

Miriam turned to face the front of the hall, interested. Most people enjoyed the food of the welcome feast, but she personally liked the Sorting best. She still remembered the seconds ticking away as she sat on the stool, fingers gripping the edges, listening to the Hat whisper in her mind.

"A Greengrass, eh? Your brother sat here many years ago. A talented, intelligent, clever young man, he was. Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, top of his class, successful career after graduation."

"This isn't about Harrison," she whispered, eyes screwed shut. "For once, I want something to be about me. This is about me!"

"Is it now?" The Hat snickered lightly. "Quite a desire to prove yourself. You're a very bright and ambitious young lady. I suppose there's only one place for you... Slytherin!"

Only one table clapped for her.

"Lockhart, Gilderoy."

A blond first year ran up to the stool and sat down. He gave the room a dazzling smile that quickly vanished due to nerves.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Miriam clapped politely with the rest of her house as Gilderoy joined his fellow Ravenclaws. She grinned a bit at his enthusiasm, remembering how amazing it felt to be among others like her for the first time.

A young girl was sorted into Gryffindor next, causing another bout of fireworks to explode above their table. Once again, Miriam suspected the Marauders. Even from her place across the room, she could spot Remus Lupin suppressing a smirk. So much for being a well-behaved prefect.

"Irvine, Maisie."

A short girl with black curls stumbled up to Professor McGonagall, who gestured to the stool. She nearly knocked it over before sitting down, beet red. Laughter ripples through the hall.

Poor thing, Miriam thought to herself, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she watched. At least it'll be over for her soon.

The seconds ticked by. Devon checked his watch. Seconds became a minute. Eden twisted the bangles around her wrist uncomfortably. One minute became two. Miriam's quill tapped the tabletop without her realizing it.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Miriam rose to her feet with her fellow Slytherins, the group applauding so loudly that it echoed through the hall. Maisie Irvine's face initially fell at the Hat's decision, but at that sight, she flushed with excitement and practically skipped over to her new table. Narcissa Black reached out to shake her hand, a thin yet genuine smile on her face, and Lucius Malfoy followed suit.

The other tables remained silent, leaving them to celebrate alone. Miriam had seen the same thing happen for years, but it always rubbed her in the wrong way. Not that it mattered. They didn't need the others.

When the last student had been sorted into Gryffindor (more fireworks, including an escaped one that lit Peter Pettigrew's eyebrows on fire), Professor Dumbledore stood again. He clapped his hands together a single time.

"Let the feast... begin!"

After the feast had come to an end, Miriam hid a yawn. Waking up at four in the morning had certainly taken its toll, and she wanted nothing more than to crash in her dormitory. However, when she saw her fellow prefects, as well as Lucius and Narcissa, rising from the table, she remembered one of her responsibilities.

"I'll see you guys in the common room."

She walked over to the first years, Devon on her heels. Each year, the group of them seemed to decrease. They all looked up at the older students expectantly, mixed emotions on their faces.

"All right, first years." Lucius' cold, clear, authoritative voice cut over the chatter. Miriam thought something about him seemed different - stronger, more powerful, more confident - but she gave herself little time to dwell on the thought. "Let's head downstairs to the common room."

"Our common room is actually under the Black Lake," Narcissa told the first years, a hint of excitement in her cornflower blue eyes. Her fingers entwined with Lucius', and they both held tightly to each other. "Sometimes creatures swim by, and on occasion, we see the Giant Squid."

"It's much quieter than the other common rooms," Lucius added. He pushed open a door on the right side of the Hogwarts entrance hall. "Much easier to get things done, as it's in a less central location."

Maisie piped up in a tentative voice, "my brother says that the Slytherins live in the dungeons. He says it's dirty and it smells, and it's cold and creepy. And that they deserve to live there, because it stinks and so so they. I mean, we."

"I happen to know your brother. Jerry Irvine, correct? Hufflepuff?" Lucius scoffed, keeping his eyes forward as he led the way down a stone staircase. "He couldn't be farther from the truth. We wouldn't stand for living in such filth. We're too good for it. Besides, the badgers live in the basement with the house elves. If anyone has a horrible living arrangement, it's them."

Snickers traveled through the small group. A smirk crossed Miriam's face and she readjusted the strap on her bag. Devon shook his head, smiling to himself.

"Here's a word of advice." Devon grinned at the first years. "You know all of those things that you've heard about Slytherin? How we're all heartless jerks with cutthroat nature and no good traits? Forget it all."

"You guys'll see," Miriam said softly. "They don't even try to get to know us, so they don't understand anything about being a Slytherin."

One of the sixth year Slytherin prefects, Emma Vanity, winked. "It does get a bit chilly, though."

They walked further down the corridors. The silence was occasionally pierced by Lucius or Narcissa explaining something about the school or the moving staircases. Eventually, they approached a long wall of stone. Not a single painting adorned it, and there was no door. 

With a clever smirk, Lucius leaned close to the stone wall and whispered, "Achilles."

The first years gasped as a beautiful door made of dark wood materialized before them. Miriam followed the Head Boy and Girl through the stone passageway, eager to be home once again. 

Slytherin House's common room was certainly not the filthy dungeon that Jerry Irvine described it as. The room itself was spacious with a gothic design, decorated with small plants and tasteful art. Black leather couches dotted the room, covered in pillows and extra blankets because temperatures there did drop, especially on winter nights. A massive stone fireplace lit one side, a painting of a serpent hanging above the carved mantlepiece. Almost on cue, the giant squid swam past the large glass window that provided a front-row view of the Black Lake from below. Many students scrambled to wave at it.

Another side of the room boasted many tables meant for study sessions that would inevitably turn into intense poker games. Above them hung an ornate chandelier, the many candles offering more illumination. Bookshelves lined an entire wall. Once a month, the books magically replaced themselves, saving time and energy. 

Miriam had always loved the old-fashioned beauty of her common room. It seemed to breathe inspiration into her very lungs. After long days, sometimes all she needed was a few hours reading by the fire to feel like herself again.

"Right," Lucius said. He faced the first years, who were staring at the common room with wide eyes and open mouths. "Passwords change every two weeks, and we'll always post them the night before. Do not share the password with a member of any other house under any circumstances. If you go down that hallway, you'll find staircases for dormitories. Girls to the left, boys to the right. Assignments are posted on the doors. See Professor Slughorn tomorrow morning after breakfast for your schedules. If anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask any of us. We take care of our own here."

Narcissa took the time to shake each one of their hands, causing them all to beam appreciatively at her. "Welcome to Slytherin."

Once all of the first years had dispersed to explore the common room for themselves, Miriam turned to Devon. "That went well, I think."

"I'd have to agree with you there," he chuckled, raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Hey, you up for a game of chess? I have leftover cauldron cakes from the train."

She tilted her head, a teasing smile tugging at the edges of her lips, and apologetically said, "I would, but I'm actually exhausted. I've been up since four. Raincheck?"

"Not a problem at all. Go get a head start on your sleep. I know you'll start neglecting it soon enough."

"No need to call me out." Miriam winked sarcastically, but her smile was real. Despite the cold temperatures, she felt warmer than she had in months. "It's really good to see you again, Dev."

"Night, Miriam."

chapter 2 is up! what did you guys think? i know it's early, but does anyone have a favorite character yet? we'll get some marauder action soon enough, don't worry

i honestly don't have a lot to say right now. please vote and comment! xo :)