The Brightest Sun

Chapter 33

She caught sight of the castle towering over them, it’s foundations built on a hill, and Rhaenys felt her breath hitch at the sight.

Hogwarts was beautiful; the towering castle something out of a story as lights glinted in the windows, the moon bathing them in pale light.

Her hands tightened on the mirror in her pocket, resisting the urge to use it and describe what it was she saw, understanding what her dad meant when he said you had to see it.

He had pulled her aside this morning before they left, her mother hustling a despondent Aegon into getting ready as Rhaenys nervously shifted in the sitting room, trunk packed and waiting near the floo.

“My godfather gave this to me, when I was just older than Teddy,” he had told her, unwrapping the package in his hand to reveal a small mirror. It was the size of her hand, longer than it was wide with delicate framing.

Rhaenys had stared in confusion before he smiled, pulling out an identical mirror. “Rhaenys,” he said, and she had watched in astonishment as the mirror rippled before showing Harry’s face.

“In case you need to talk,” he’d said, and Rhaenys had thrown herself into his arms, relieved that home was only a short call away.

They were led into the castle by a hulking giant of a man with greying hair – Hagrid, she recalled from her dad’s stories – where a tiny professor welcomed them to Hogwarts.

Her eyes drifted into the crowd, the quick flash of silver drawing her attention to where Teddy sat at the Ravenclaw table. There was a smile on his face as his friends whispered amongst each other, winking as he answered a question.

It wasn’t until she sat beneath the hat that Rhaenys realized she was less nervous than she expected.

“Ha!” the hat said, laughing in her head. “Well, well. There’s no question about where you are headed.”

“What?” she asked, perplexed at the hat’s immediate confidence.

“An elemental hiding in plain sight,” he muttered, causing her stomach to clench in surprise. “Ah, worry not. I’ve sorted hundreds of minor elementals, though none as powerful as you. And the dragons! Bold child, but you yearn to step out of your name and you’ve the cunning to make it happen. Better be, SLYTHERIN!”

The table on the far right began to clap, some of the Ravenclaws joining in politely as Teddy glowered at an older boy sitting closer to the middle, his blue eyes staring coolly at her.

Rowle, she remembered, having met him at one of Aunt Narcissa’s parties. Oh joy.

Dear Mum, Dad and Egg, 

I’m in Slytherin! Pretty sure Dad guessed that years ago.

It’s been nice seeing the common room, though my favourite part has to be the view of the lake. Pretty sure I saw the Giant Squid.

I’ve got to get to bed. They have an early start tomorrow laying down house rules. I miss you all.

Love,

Rhae

The common room was covered in green and silver, the furniture black as the lamps glowed brightly.

Her favourite part of it so far was the large window along the back wall that looked out into the Black Lake, flashes of light making it’s way past.

The first years were lined up in the middle of the common room, the rest of Slytherin house arrayed around them as the upper years stood at the front, eyes watching for any sign of weakness.