To be a Slytherin

Part 15

The next morning came all too quickly, but Hecate was ready for it. She was up and ready for breakfast long before any of the other first years. The Volkovs had had her on a strict schedule for the whole summer. After all, they couldn't have her tarnishing their pureblood name.

Tucking her custom wand into the sleeve of her form-fitting tunic, she entered the first years' common room. Hecate took a seat on one of the lounges. The girl propped open a textbook and began to read. Ten minutes later, a clump of girls made their way into the room.

"So, you are still here. We thought you had gotten expelled, or worse, killed. After all, you never did come back to any of the girls dormitory rooms." The snobby voice of one of the girls sniped, pulling Hecate out of her book. The heiress turned her cold eyes on the group.

For a moment she just stared at them. "Do you really thing you want to pick a fight with me? You barely made it through a quarter of the entrance trial alive. For your information, I have, as representative, my own quarters. So, Miss Pyas, I suggest you mind your own business before you say something that I'll make you regret."

The girl who had spoken paled at her tone. "Now, have a seat. It'll be a bit before all of the others come out."

The gaggle of girls swiftly moved across the room and took a seat as far away from Hecate as possible. As the brunette had said, it took about thirty minutes for all of the others to enter the common room. As soon as Hecate noticed that they were all there, she stood.

"Time for breakfast."

There was a murmuring amongst the other first years. Then, a boy stood from the crowd. "Shouldn't we wait for the third years to come get us...?" His voice trailed off as if he was regretting asking the question.

Hecate studied him. She would need to watch out for the nervous boy. "No," she replied after a moment. "We can't trust that they will actually come and get us. Plus, if you never do anything without someone holding your hand, you will never learn anything new."

The heiress spun on her heel and marched out of the room, knowing that they would follow her. It was what people did. They were nearly to the Main Hall when they  came across the third years. Viktor was leading the pack of his year-mates as Hecate was doing with hers.

"Hecate!" Viktor called out. "I see that you all have decided to go on to breakfast already. Thank you for saving us from all of that extra walking!" His tone was jovial as he spoke to the heiress.

A serene smile graced her lips. "Good morning, Viktor. My year-mates took a pit of encouraging to get on the path to breakfast, so I can appreciate your gratitude for my efforts to make sure that the other first years get breakfast."

Viktor chuckled. "Do not your companions wish to have time to enjoy their breakfast before the long day of training ahead of us? That is their loss."

Hecate's smile broke into a grin at his words. "Apparently not, friend." She moved to walk with him as they continued towards the Main Hall. "It is shocking, the distaste that my year-mates hold for me. Even after I proved my strength, they continue with their snide remarks," she muttered to him.

The third year student glanced at her. "It will be like that for a while. In fact, they might even attack you. I know the people in my year did that to me. If that happens, show them no mercy, Hecate. Convince them that you are truly not someone to mess with. It is better to be feared than loved."

Hecate's face returned to its usual impassive expression. "Indeed it is, Viktor. And I will be feared." Her eyes glinted coldly. "I do have a war to win."

Heir Krum chuckled. "I believe that you do, Hecate. You're going to change our world in magnificent ways."

A smirk reappeared on the brunette's face. "Yes, I will." She and Viktor led the way into the Main Hall, and sat down at the heads of their respective tables. As Hecate took her seat, a large spread of food appeared on the table in front of her.

Heiress Potter-Volkov frowned as she studied the table. There was something off about the food. Something magically off. The students in other years were eating freely, but that didn't mean that it was safe for the first years to do so. One of the kids down the table reached for a platter of bacon.

"Stop." The command came out of her mouth without conscious thought to the power hidden behind it. As her commands had worked at the orphanage, they did the same on the boy. He froze. The table fell silent. Ekaterina noticed that the first years had all gone quiet.

The eighth year representative walked over to them. "Is there a problem over here, Heiress Potter-Volkov?" the older girl inquired, scanning the table for the source of the wide-spread silence. There. Halfway down the table was a boy frozen in the act of reaching for food. Her eyes turned back to Hecate.

"Of course not, Heiress Romanova. I'm just doing my job as representative and looking out for the other first years. That boy over there was about to eat food that has been drenched in potions and jinxes. I couldn't let one of my dearest first years do that. It would be irresponsible."

Ekaterina chuckled. "It would be." The girl turned to face the table. "Who else noticed the potions and spells that were on the food?"

Only two kids raised their hands. A boy and a girl, sitting next to each other. The Heiress of the Romanov family beckoned them forward. They stood and moved towards the head of the table. As Hecate inspected them more closely, she took note of the fact that they were apparently twins.

"You two are tied as second most powerful in your year, as was expected from your results in the initiation trials. You two have great magical potential. I would advise that you work with Heiress Potter-Volkov over your years here." With those words, Ekaterina waled away from the table of first years.

Hecate released her magical hold on the boy down the table and sent her power through the each piece of food on the table, cleansing if of potions and spells. Reaching out and grabbing an apple, she smiled at the twins. "Please, have a seat," she requested. "What are your names?"

The girl looked her dead in the eye. A courageous move. She's bold, Hecate thought.

"I am Ivet, and my brother is Ivalio. We are of the House of Elitsa. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Heiress Potter-Volkov. I hope that we will be able to work together for the good of our year-mates."

"As my sister has said, we are honored to be in your presence. We will do our best to aid you however you need during your time here," Ivalio announced.

Hecate's smile grew cold. "I appreciate that I hope that you understand that whatever I do, it is for the good of our year-mates?"

Ivalio and Ivet's smiles turned sharp. "But of course, Heiress Potter-Volkov. We will trust in you. It is only our hope that you will do the same for us."

"Do not ever betray me. For that holds consequences of bounds not known."

"Of course," the twins vowed in unison.

"Good."