Navigating Hogwarts

Chapter 4

I pulled the hat off the moment he said that not wanting to touch the dusty bacterial hat ever again in my life. It was at that moment that I realized everyone heard the hat yelled Slytherin. A table on the right side of the hall was cheering. All wearing green accents must be the house color. Lucky for me green actually suits me. Supposing that that table is Slytherin, I looked around for one of the twins or Jordan, or maybe just any face I could have seen before in my life, by my surprise I saw a familiar face. Draco Malfoy. He waved at me to come and sit with him and his friends. I guess it was the only option I had since I wasn't planning on sitting with the first years.

"We got the other Potter" lots of Slytherin students were cheering and high-fiving me on my way to Draco. I never felt this kind of excitement in my life, wow. Everyone at this table looked happy that I was there. I guess Hogwarts isn't that bad after all.

"It's true, then." Draco was standing across from me. "What they're saying on the train. Skylar Potter has come to Hogwarts. Wouldn't have guessed you were a Potter actually. You're way prettier than him"

"You will be surprised I'm probably nothing like my brother at all, Draco"

Draco held out his hand, escorting me to my seat and we both set down.

''Let me introduce you... Zambini'' he pointed at the guy next to me, ''Crabbe & Goyle'' the two boys across us let out the tiniest smile.

''Skylar, pleasure meeting you!'' Zambini took my hand and shook it. ''Draco loves to call us by our last name. Let me introduce myself, Blaise Zambini''

''Just call me Skye, please'' I smiled at him. I think we will be great friends.

The headmaster started to talk about the rules for the students, but I wasn't really listening, I was scanning the room for Harry. It took me a while, but I found him sitting at the table with the black-red robes. He wasn't that hard to spot since he looked like he was throwing daggers at me. Why was he so annoyed? Can't be because I'm in Slytherin right? A couple of seats away I saw the twins and Lee. Also, in Gryffindor. When they saw me, they waved with excitement, that's the reaction I expected from Harry. I waved back at them which Draco noticed.

"Friends with the Weasleys?" He whispered.

"Friends is a big word. But I enjoyed our train ride together"

"Mmh"

''Jealous, Draco?''

''Of a Weasley? Never''

I shook my head and smiled, then decided I should listen to what the headmaster was saying again.

"I have a few other things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. . .."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware of after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, I saw Harry and Ron glancing at each other as he said that. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.'

'On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

Draco started to tell me about Professor Snape and that he should become the new DADA teacher. Draco pointed Snape out at me, and I noticed that he was already looking our way. He looked directly at me. Creepy.

''As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gate keeping duties."

''Is he half?'' I whispered too Draco.

''Half muggle?''

''Half giant''

''Yes''

''How ordinary'' I never had a giant, or half-giant, as a teacher before.

The rest of the speech wasn't that important, so I wasn't really listening. My attention came back when the dinner finally arrived. I was starving, should have taken some food with me on the train.

I talked with mostly Draco and Blaise, since Grabbe and Goyle kind of gave me a creepy vibe, they also weren't much of a talker. We talked about many things at Hogwarts, and they started to fill me in on the things happening around here. After a while I told them about the dementor on the train and that Harry fainted.

When I told him that, Draco started laughing and turned around to my brothers. "You fainted, Potter? You actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Draco loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you -" Draco couldn't finish what he was saying, because I stopped him? Harry was throwing daggers with his look at me already and I didn't want to make it worse.

''Potter is my name too, remember that Draco''