The Art of Fitting In

Chapter Seven: The First Day

Once breakfast was over Samson looked at his schedule. His first class today would be potions, with the Slytherins. Samson groaned, he had hoped he wouldn't have any classes with any of them. Nathan, the head boy of Hufflepuff, heard this groan and walked over.
"What's wrong Samson?" He asked.
"O-oh it's just I have class with Slytherins next." Samson replied.
"What's so bad about that?
"Well they're m-mean to me."
"Not every Slytherin is bad. I'm dating one right now actually. He's the sweetest. People aren't put in Slytherin because they're mean, they're put in because they're cunning and ambitious. Give Slytherin a chance, don't let their reputation spoil any possible friendships." Nathan gave Samson a pat on the head and walked away. Samson looked down at the map Nathan had drawn for him earlier that morning and tried to find the potions classroom on it. It said that the class was located in the dungeons. Of corse it had to be in the dungeons.
Samson hurried off to try to get to class without being late.
When he arrived he saw the person he had hoped he wouldn't see, Callie. She smiled at the sight of him and waved, unaware he was mad at her for being in Slytherin. Samson took a sharp turn and sat down next to Dylan, the boy he shared a room with.
Callie was confused, why didn't Samson want to sit with her? She knew that they weren't told not to sit with someone from another house and many Hufflepuffs were friends with Slytherins and even just in the class some sat next to each other. He had defiantly seen her, she was in the front row. Maybe he didn't like the front? Callie knew he had really bad anxiety, maybe that was why. But why couldn't he have told her, she would've moved.
Callie's internal monologue was cut short when professor Slughorn began class.
When class was dismissed Callie walked over to Samson and he tried to walk away but Callie grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Why are you avoiding me? I, I thought we were friends." Callie asked, scared of his answer. Samson's eyes widened with fear.
"G-get away from me, I don't want to be f-friends with someone who's a S-slytherin! You guys are all b-bullies." Samson yanked his hand free and tried to walk away again but Callie grabbed his cloak this time.
"You think just because two Slytherins made fun of you on the train that they're all bad? I can't believe you would judge someone based on a stupid stereotype that's not even half true! I thought you were better than that Samson, I though you'd accept me." When Samson heard that his heart broke and his eyes started to water. He didn't want to hate Callie, he really didn't. He was so blinded by her house that he couldn't see her for who she was.
He brought his trembling arms and wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "I-I'm so sorry." He managed to say before he broke down sobbing. Callie pulled him into a tight hug and ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.
"Shh it's okay Samson, I'm not mad at you. Breath, it's okay." Samson began to calm down as she spoke to him, his hyperventilating slowed to deep breaths. Callie tilted Samson's head up and wiped his eyes.
"You have herbology next, right? Come on let's go up and find the class together. Plus if anyone tries to mess with me I'll need a man at my side to defend me." Samson smiled and linked arms with Callie and the pair walked to herbology together, ignoring the stares of their peers.