The Depth of Deception // H. Potter

flashback: the sorting hat

Amara stood before the Hogwarts Express. She glances over at her twin brother, Draco Malfoy, and smiled. This was it; their first year at Hogwarts. She felt her heartbeat quicken within her chest and took a deep breath. 

"Good luck," Lucius spoke, "Don't cause too much trouble. Draco, look out for your sister." Amara's father spoke to the two kids firmly. Amara smiled but Draco rolled his eyes.

"Father, I don't need to be looked after." Amara commented, respectively crossing her arms in a playful manner. However, she was quite serious.

"You two are very important to me. If anything, you look after Draco. He's the one who's going to need it." Lucius smiles, putting his snake cane against my shoulder. Amara smiled back, watching Draco who was scoffing to himself as he got onto the train.

Amara hoped this year would be good and without trouble. Somehow she knew that wasn't going to be the case.

~X~

When the pair arrived at Hogwarts, the two were standing before the doors to the Great Hall. McGonagall had explained the sorting ceremony and prepared everyone for what would come next. 

Amara stood next to Draco and peered over his shoulder, noticing that Draco seemed to be fixated on one particular person. Before Amara could stop him, Draco was walking towards the boy.

"It's true then? What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Draco speaks loudly, grabbing nearly all the first-years attention. Amara slapped herself mentally, knowing that this behavior was what her father hated most about Draco.

"Draco, don't." Amara plead quietly, more to herself than to him.

 "This is Crabbe and Goyle and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Draco seemed to ignore Amara's pleas and began to introduce himself and his friends to the young boy, Harry Potter. Amara stepped away from Draco, knowing him well enough to know that he could cause a scene.

Harry laughed at Draco, making Amara look at him. What was he laughing at?

"Think my name is funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe...you must be a Weasley. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco boasted, talking down to the young Weasley boy. Amara felt a pang of guilt watching Ron's  smile disappear from his face.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Harry spoke, turning to Ron and walking away. Amara couldn't help but smile. It was hard to make Draco angry, but he managed to do so, making Amara slightly happy.

Maybe Amara's time at Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad after all.

~X~

It was time for the sorting ceremony. Amara stood closely to her brother, slightly anxious for the sorting. She knew that if she was sorted anything but Slytherin, her father would be furious. Draco, too, knew this and was just as nervous.

"Draco Malfoy." Professor McGonagall called out. Draco turned to Amara for a split second, his face looking terrified. Amara gave his hand a squeeze, making Draco smile. He made his way to the front as the hat was put on his head. The hat took a moment to ponder Draco's placement.

The hat yelled out, "Slytherin!" Draco relaxed and let out the breath he had been holding in. At least father will be happy about Draco's placement. Hopefully he'll be just as happy about Amara's placement. 

"Amara Malfoy."

Amara froze for a moment, her hands growing ice cold. She sucked in a quick breath before walking to the front and staring back at the entirety of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and let it work its magic.

"Another Malfoy, huh? This is interesting..." The hat spoke, only to Amara, "You seem to be very intelligent, but also cunning...better be..." 

"Slytherin!" The hat shouted aloud, the table of Slytherin's cheering. Amara let out an anxious breath as she passed Harry Potter, who looked as if he was mad at her. Amara frowned, realizing that her brother already made her some enemies.

"Harry Potter." The room went silent, as Professor McGonagall called out his name. Amara snapped her head up and watched as a skinny boy with dark hair and a lightning scar on his forehead stepped forward. The sorting hat was placed gently on his head but took its time deciding the house in which he belonged. She could feel the tension in the room as it rose, and watched as each Professor watched in awe of the young Harry Potter get placed.

"Gryffindor!" The sorting hat shouted. Everyone at the Gryffindor table cheered, grinning and knowing that the famous Harry Potter was a part of their house. 

When the sorting finished, Dumbledore took a stance telling everyone to "let the feast begin." And with that, the food appeared on the table before them.

"It's going to be a good year, Amara." Draco whispered into her ear, making her grin in response. This year was going to be good, and Amara was going to make sure of it.