122Chapter Two: The Malfoys Take Hogwarts
The handsome looking family of four made their way through Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the specialized multiple-compartment trunks being levitated by two house elves. They reached the scarlet train an hour early, as to make sure they missed the frantic rush of the lazy filth, and Narcissa gave both of her sons another once-over.
"You'll write us every week," she said sternly, looking at her children fondly. She'd never been separated from them for more than several days at a time, so this would be a rather large change. "And be good?"
"Of course, Mother," said Harry happily. "Malfoys must always be composed and show nothing but the most elite decorum." He recited, Lucius smiled and clapped his sons on the back after Narcissa was done hugging them to death.
"Do the Malfoy family proud," he said, and then nodded as Dobby and Jinky helped them load their trunks into one of the larger compartments of the train.
Once they were situated, the two boys unloaded the ornately carved Malfoy chess set, made of platinum and gold of the highest quality, and began playing an intense game, as the both of them had only improved since their younger years.
They were soon joined by the other boys who were most likely going to be in Slytherin that year, the same children that they'd received tutoring with when they were younger, and the girls chose another compartment.
After a while, the train began to pull out of the station, and Harry and Draco declared a stalemate, promising to continue the game later, and they turned to the gathered boys: Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
"How were your holidays?" asked Harry politely, as was the pureblood way.
"Mother and I spent the summer in Italy," began Blaise. "Another husband acquired, more gold transferred, and my mother is yet again a widow."
"What number is this one?" asked Theodore.
"I believe he was the ninth," said Blaise thoughtfully. "Though I can never be sure, Mother does enjoy it, she calls it her own personal sport, fishing for husbands, I believe."
"I spend the summer in France," said Theodore. "With my grandfather Tiberius, learning more of the family customs." He turned to Harry and Draco. "You two would know all about that." Crabbe and Goyle just let out their customary grunts, as the two didn't like to speak unless they absolutely had to, they were more the brute strength of the group.
Another pureblood tradition was the showing off of wealth, so the boys took turns revealing gifts they'd received over the summer, and they were greatly impressed by the familiars - Caelum and Regulus - that Draco and Harry had received as a going-to-Hogwarts gift from their father.
The door opened loudly, interrupting the game of exploding snap and the eating of sweets and general merriment, and the six boys observed a bushy haired girl with buck teeth, looking at them haughtily.
She doesn't have the features of any pureblood I know, projected Draco.
She's a mudblood, the stench is getting to me, responded Harry.
"Have you seen a toad?" she asked in a superior tone of voice. "A boy named Neville's lost one."
"No," responded Harry snidely.
"I'm Hermione Granger," the girl continued, not noticing the open hostility of the boys in the compartment.
"Granger," said Nott dangerously. "That's not the name of any wizarding family I know."
"That's because I'm the first witch in my family," said Granger proudly. "My parents are muggles." The tension in the air thickened, and Draco sneered at her.
"Leave us, mudblood. We do not need your kind contaminating our air." The girl looked highly offended, even though she might not know the meaning of the word, she could hear the hostility. She seemed to have a death wish, though, as she turned to Harry.
"Snakes weren't allowed on the pets list," she continued in her know-it-all tone.
"If you'd been raised with real wizards," responded Harry snidely, as he had no love for mudbloods. "You would know that there's an exception for magical familiars. Now, you're stench is upsetting my stomach, so leave us." He said the last part in a darkened voice, and the stupid girl finally picked up on the warning signs and high-tailed it out of their compartments.
"Mudbloods," sneered Zabini. "They get more daft as the years continue."
"Filthy creatures, they are," agreed Nott. "Shouldn't be allowed at Hogwarts. It's unethical."
The train ride was uneventful after that, they held a brief chess tournament that Harry was proclaimed the victor of, and spent the majority of the time simply catching up and discussing the latest in pureblood politics.
Eventually, they felt the train slowing to a stop, and Draco reluctantly left Caelum in the train, while Harry allowed Regulus to slither up the wide sleeves of his pristine looking robes, his blond hair neatly combed into a soft, well trimmed cut, as opposed to Draco's slicked back hair.
"Firs' years o're 'ere! Firs' years!" a booming voice prevailed over the chatter of the older students, and the six pureblood boys scrunched up their noses in synchronized distaste at the sight of the half giant.
"Right, then, no more'n four t'a boat," said Hagrid, before lumbering over to a boat that he inhabited the entire space of. Draco and Harry were joined by Nott and Zabini in their boat, while Crabbe and Goyle rode a boat with Parkinson and Bulstrode, who was one of the lesser purebloods.
The boast slowly made their way through the water, and the trip only took so long to build up anticipation of the first sighting of the castle - though Harry and Draco had already visited on several occasions to visit their godfather, Severus Snape - and allow the older students to get situated in the Great Hall.
"O'er 'ere you'll be se'in the castle fer the first time," said Hagrid in his booming voice, and Draco and Harry rolled their eyes at the gasps of awe and wonder that the other incoming first years let out at seeing the castle - not like that was how they'd reacted on their first sighting. No, they were Malfoys and they were much more dignified than that.
Soon, they were all getting out of the boats, and Hagrid led them to the Entrance Hall, where they were met with a stern looking woman with black hair pulled into a tight bun topped with an emerald wizard's hat, who was wearing emerald robes.
"Here they are, Per'fessr McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid," she said, and then turned to the students.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room."
"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin-" here, Draco and Harry exchanged a smirk. "-Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Here, her eyes lingered on the dirt on Weasel-bee's nose, Longbottom's cloak, and scarhead's messy hair.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," continued Professor McGonagall. "Please wait."
Harry paused for a moment before turning his hair green and silver, causing several of the students to gasp - mainly the muggleborns and those who didn't know he was a metamorphmagus - before shifting it back to its usual platinum blonde.
"How did you do that?" asked Granger, practically pouncing on him.
"Talent," he said haughtily, and cackled when he overheard the conversation between Weasel-bee and Scarface.
"Really?" he scoffed. "A troll?" Ron scowled at him.
"You don't know either! You're just-"
"Oh, shut up, Weasel-bee," sneered Draco, and Ron looked surprised for a moment that Draco knew his surname. "And of course I knew who you were. Red hair, freckles, and hand-me-down robes are the tell-tale signs a Weasel is near." Ron's ears turned pink, and he began to say something in return, but the students were interrupted by the screams of several students, as the Hogwarts' ghosts streamed through the walls.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-" began a ghost that Harry recognized as the Fat Friar.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" asked a ghost wearing a ruff and tights.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I presume?" Several students nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" he continued. "My old House, you know."
"Move along, now," came the stern voice of Professor McGonagall, who had returned from her journey into the Great Hall. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
"Now," she continued once the ghosts had left. "Form a line, and follow me." Harry and Draco confidently made their way through the door of the Great Hall, following McGonagall closely. In the background, Harry could vaguely hear the mudblood rattling off facts, and he smiled when he saw the Sorting Hat, and felt pleased when it began to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty.
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart.
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The students cheered for the Sorting Hat's song, and the hat in question took several deep bows, soaking up all the attention that his position offered him. Harry and Draco shot a smirk at Weasel-bee, who was sending a glare at his brothers, the twin terrors.
"When I call your name, you will but the hat on your head, and sit on the stool to be sorted," said McGonagall. "Abbott, Hannah!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Bones, Susan."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Boot, Terry."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brown, Lavender."
"GRYFFINDOR!" Draco and Harry sneered when the table of the blood-traitors and mudblood lovers erupted in loud cheers.
"Bulstrode, Millicent."
"SLYTHERIN!" Harry and Draco clapped politely for the girl, who smiled victoriously as she slunk down to the Slytherin table. Crabbe soon followed her.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Granger, Hermione," called McGonagall, and the bushy-haired know-it-all walked forward, muttering things to herself.
The chit is insane, Harry projected to Draco.
Ravenclaw?
No, she'll be a filthy lion for sure.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry shot Draco a victorious smirk. Daphne was sorted into Slytherin, and then the name was called.
"Malfoy, Draco." Draco swaggered up to the hat, and it was on his head for less than a second before it belted out:
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Malfoy, Harrison." Again, the hat had barely touched his hair before it yelled out:
"SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherins cheered, pleased that they'd received the pair of Malfoys. Potter and Weasel-bee were sorted into Gryffindor, as expected, and Parkinson, Nott, Goyle, Zabini, and several other girls joined Slytherin House.
After the Sorting was completed, Dumbledore stood up to address the masses.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."
The Slytherins all muttered darkly at Dumbledore's welcoming speech, and the general consensus that he was a mad, senile, old muggle-loving fool.
The food soon appeared on the long House tables, and the students wasted no time in digging in to the delicious food provided by the Hogwarts house elves. Harry ate a balanced meal of steamed vegetables, mixed fruits, lemon grilled chicken, and some potatoes, along with a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Cool snake, Harrison," commented sixth year Patrick Rosier, pointing at Regulus, who'd poked his head out of Harrison's sleeve to nibble on some roasted rabbit. "What kind?"
"A jaculus," said Harry proudly, and some of the older Slytherins nodded, making impressed noises. "My familiar. Draco and I both received one as our going-away gift. He received a chama."
"Where'd you get them?" asked Aurora Zabini (Blaise's elder sister) who was a seventh year.
"Knockturn, of course," supplied Draco, as Harry was taking a bite out of his treacle tart. "Barcture and Boris, yeah?" The more wealthy pureblood Slytherins nodded, especially those with darker family connections to the Dark Lord and such.
After a while, the meal ended, and Dumbledore once more stood up.
"Ahem - I just have a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Here Dumbledore looked at the twin terrors. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madame Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
The Slytherins muttered amongst themselves, wondering what dangerous thing could be hidden there, not that they would look. No, they had much better self-preservation skills than the Gryffindors, and smirked as they noticed several people laugh. They thought the old coot was joking. Joke's on them, then.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. "Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!" The ribbon like words flung themselves through the air, and a chorus of conflicting voices rang through the hall, everyone - including the Slytherins - grudgingly joining in.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy-woggy Hogwarts,
Teach us something please!
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees.
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and filled with air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff!
So teach us things worth knowing,,
Bring back what we've forgot.
Just do your best,
We'll do the rest.
And learn 'till our brains rot!"
The twin terrors ended the singing in a slow funeral march, and the old coot of a Headmaster conducted their last few lines with his wand, and, once they were finished, he was among those who clapped the loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot!"
"First year Slytherins, follow me!" called out Marcus Flint, the fifth year prefect, who was smiling nastily at the first year Gryffindors.
"That's right," said Rosaline Prince, a distant relative of Professor Snape, the other fifth year prefect. "Follow us to the Slytherin common room." They made their way down to the dungeons, passing the Hufflepuffs, who made their way to near the kitchens. Once they reached there, Rosaline and Marcus motioned to a part of the cobblestone wall.
"The password for now is 'Salazar'," said Rosaline. "The password is changed every week, so make sure to check the notice board, otherwise you'll be locked up." They entered the Slytherin common room quickly, it was comfy, and lit with green flames to keep warmth, as the Slytherin complex was underground.
"There are several rules within the Slytherin house," said Rosaline sternly. "House unity is important, as we cannot show weaknesses in front of the other Houses. If you have a quarrel with one in our House, keep it strictly within the walls of the Slytherin common room. Homework is to be done on time, and there will be no slacking off." She sniffed haughtily.
"Contrary to the other houses, Salazar was more thoughtful in the mapping out and rooming of his students," continued Marcus. "Other houses share dormitories, but each year has a different wing of the dungeons, following one of the tunnels downwards, that has connecting rooms for each of the students of one gender in that year."
"They may not be up to the standards you are used to, but we couldn't provide everything," here, some of the students laughed. "And it should be noted that students of one sex cannot enter the rooms of those of the opposite sex, not that we need to worry about that with first years." He shot a rather eerie smile.
"First year girls, take the first tunnel on your left, boys, same, on your right. Rosaline and I will show you how to get to your classes the first week, so be several minutes early, as we will only show you how to get to each class one time. Capiche?"
The first years all nodded mutely and scampered off, eager to see their rooms. Harry and Draco made their way down the winding tunnel, lit only by the green flames, leading the way for the other boys in their year. Harry and Draco were pleased to find they had conjoining rooms, though Draco's room also connected with Blaise's, who connected with Theodore's who connected with Crabbe's who connected to Goyle's, forming an incomplete dome with a small communal studying area.
Each room had its own en suite, which was a relief.
Each room had a queen sized canopy bed, a large wardrobe and ornate desk, as well as a fireplace. The view was the most impressive thing, though, as the far wall was made out of unbreakable glass that showed the inside of the Black Lake, illuminated by the green torches and the moonlight, allowing the Slytherin students to take in the beautiful view.
Goodnight, Draco, projected Harry sleepily, curling up in the comfortable bed, pulling on the warm blankets, as Regulus curled up on the pillow next to him. As per usual, Dobby had delivered the customary pair of silk night clothes and glass of warm milk.
Goodnight, Harry, Draco sent back, pausing for a moment before continuing. It'll be a bit of an easier transition for us, seeing as we already know where everything is, as Uncle Sev showed us all the shortcuts and secret passageways.
Yeah, sniggered Harry mentally. Joke's on everyone else when they get lost. The link went silent as the two drifted off to sleep, Draco with a warm ball of fur curled up next to his chest, as the two slept eagerly in anticipation of the next day.