Hidden Slytherin

Chapter 10 Weep For The Whole Desperate Lot Of You

Draven had fallen into the lake.

Jane had no idea how he had managed to fall out of a boat that was both charmed to not tip and stay afloat but he had. They all stood waiting in the entrance hall before being taken into the great hall for the sorting and Draven was pouting. They had pulled him back in to the boat and even checked he was alright before bursting into laughter. He wasn't even wet because the giant, whose name was Hagrid she had learned, magicked him dry.

Roman spoke up among there little group. "What houses do you think we'll get?"

If he had been trying to distract Draven, tit had worked. Jane tried not to smirk as the boy lit up.

"I want to be in Slytherin. My whole families been in it."

"I hope Slytherin, but I'm fine with whatever," Neryssa said.

"Ravenclaw," Racheal mumbled.

"I don't really mind, but maybe Ravenclaw," Jane shrugged. She hadn't written what she did to her brother just to get a rise. She really did view it as a kind of personality test. "What about you," she looked at Roman.

"I'm fine with whatever, my family is pretty mixed," he shrugged before nodding his chin towards the front. The group turned to see a man a bit shorter then themselves standing on the step.

"Please follow me," he announced before the great wooden doors behind him opened. They followed him in to a room filled with long tables. At the very end of the room was what appeared to be a teachers table.

At the center of the table was a chair that was slightly larger than the rest. In it sat a women with square glasses and her gray hair pulled back into a sever bun. She was wearing emerald green robes.

Placed in front of the table was a stool with an old wizards hat. Jane was surprised when the hat burst out into song but it was over almost as soon as it started.

The shorter wizard, Professor Filius Flitwick Jane reminded herself, cleared his throat. "I'll call your name, and you will come sit on the stool to be sorted," he looked down at a length of parchment, "ADAMS, Toby." The boy moved forward. He sat on the stool and the hat was plopped on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR," the hat bellowed.

Jane figured that they were going by alphabetical order, and sure enough she soon heard her name.

"BLACKWELL, Jane."

Jane silently wondered if that had gotten her brothers attention. It wasn't exactly that different from the name she was born with.

She walked up and sat on the stool, noticing that it wobbled slightly. The hat sorting hat was dropped on her head, slipping over her eyes.

'My, my, how very interesting.' Jane jerked as she felt it poking around in her head. She got the sense that if she wanted to she could kick him out but tried to resist, not wanting to make a scene.

'You're clever, with a head full of knowledge and a craving for more, but cunning too.' Jane tried not to think anything but felt like he was describing Ravenclaw. Seeming to hear her thoughts, he answered her.

'Maybe if you had grown up different, if you had grown up safe, you would have been a Ravenclaw. But you didn't. You grew up needing to be clever and cunning and you excelled. They do say diamonds are made under pressure, you know. You are stronger now.'

'I didn't want to be stronger, I wanted to be safe,' Jane fumed.

'You will make yourself safe.'

"SLYTHERIN," the hat shrieked.

Jane tried to relax her face into a smile, even as she wanted to throttle the hat. It was a fucking hat, not a shrink and she didn't appreciate being psychoanalysed in front of the entire school, even if they couldn't hear it.

Jane sat down at the Slytherin table and was congratulated by the older students. She was the first to be added to their house this year.

From her cabin mates, Racheal Bones was sorted in to Ravenclaw, Roman Grey was Slytherin and sat beside Jane. Draven Malfoy and Neryssa Nott also ended up in Slytherin. Jane noted how some people got a bit twitchy when the Nott name was mentioned.

Roxanne and Louis Weasley were placed in Gryffindor.

Headmistress McGonagall gave a short speech about rules and expectations, and finally welcomed them to Hogwarts. With a wave of her arms a feast appeared on the tables and everyone dug in.

Jane looked around the table, trying to discreetly spy her brothers, while putting some food onto her plate. She thought she spotted Mel down the table from her but it was only a split second. Jane refocused on the people around her. Draven sat across from her and was chatting with an older student with Neryssa occasionally throwing in her opinion. Roman was eating steadily from the pile on his plate. Jane started in on her food, relieved that there seemed to be a good selection. She ate quickly, not sure how long it would last. She snuck a few bits to Smudge, who had stowed away in the pocket of her robes. Jane wondered if anyone noticed the bulge during the sorting.

When the banquet was finished, the leftover food vanished and they were instructed to follow their House Perfects.

Jane stood along with the other first years and followed the Slytherin Perfect. Catching sight of Racheal, Jane did a little wave. Racheal beamed, waving back.

Jane followed along as the Perfect lead them deeper into the school, into what Jane could only think about as a dungeon. They came to a stop between two pillars, and the Perfect cleared his throat to get they're attention.

"The password right now is blither, and it will change weekly." He then tapped the wall and said blither. The wall didn't seem to change at all but the Perfect simply walked through it. The first years began to trickle through, ending up in a large stone room. It was warmer than what she had expected with walnut bookshelves lining the walls all the way to the vaulted stone ceilings. There were several large stone fireplaces between the shelves. Couches and chairs scattered around the room where all walnut with green upholstery. The windows that were in the room looked out into the lake, and even in the darkness the shadows of grasses swaying in the water could be seen. Older Slytherins were lounging around, some stopping to chat. Jane spotted her brothers with a few others, watching the group of first years.

The Perfect cleared his throat again to reclaim they're attention. He pointed as he spoke. "This is the Slytherin common room. The boys dormitory is to the left, girls to your right. If you have any problems you can talk to myself or Perfect Helen Gross. I'm Derek Smith. As a Slytherin you will be on your best behaviour. House disputes will be settled in house at our weekly house meeting on Friday. Attendance is mandatory. You will come to either Perfect Gross, myself or Professor Crabtree our head of house if you can't settle it between yourselves. People expect the worst from Slytherin so stick together. If you do get into trouble, don't get caught. Breakfast will be at eight o'clock but food shows up early if your there. You'll all get your schedules tomorrow at that time. Your bags will be in your rooms." Derek's eyes flickered over to meet Sables. After a second, Sable inclined his chin and Derek nodded. "Have a goodnight." With that he dismissed them.

Jane and Neryssa wished Daven and Roman a goodnight before heading up a staircase to the right. Jane quickly found her name on one of the rooms and was a bit relieved to see Neryssa's name beside hers. She waved Neryssa over and they went in.

They were sharing the room with two others, they're beds were against the wall with a trunk at the end of it and a desk to the side. At the end of the room was another large window. There was another doorway off of their room which lead to a bathroom. Jane found the bed with her luggage on it and quickly changed in the bathroom, leaving Smudge to fall asleep on her bed. She didn't need questions about her scars so early on. As she came out she shoved her things into her luggage and took her satchel to her bed. She discovered her bed had a curtain that could be closed around it. She wished Neryssa a goodnight and pulled the curtain closed.

Jane lay with the book lying by her side. What was that with her brother and Derek. Her brothers seemed to have power in their own right here at Hogwarts. She wondered what role they played in Slytherin. She got the impression they didn't play roles for anyone but themselves. That they were more comfortable leading from the shadows. She would have to observe more.

Jane picked up the book and began to read, Smudge curling up on her lap.