The Cunning and Ambitious

Chapter Five

The feast was amazing, I think back to it as I follow the Slytherin Prefect to my new common room. Before long however I'm shoved into another first year, I look up and find that it's Malfoy. From the robes place.

"Hall, right?" he asks

"Yeah."

"I'm surprised."

I shove him back and continue with the crowd, I look back smirking at his shocked face. I've been wanting to do that for a long time.

                                                                                        ∼⛦∼

We arrive in the dungeons a while later. I sit curled up in a chair with Buffy, stroking her fur. I'm joined by another first year, Daphne Greengrass, the girl who got sorted before me.

"Hey there." she says,

"Hi." I continue sitting there.

"I'm Daphne, by the way."

"Aran Hall."

"I like your cat."

"Thanks."

We sit there in silence, listening to the water outside the walls.

"Well, so much for conversation." Daphne leaves for the room we stay in.

I continue sitting there petting Buffy and dozing off. I believe it's 11 when I finally leave for my room. The other four girls are far asleep. I change into my pajamas as Buffy leaps up into my bed and curls into a ball of fur. I look at all of the stuff that the school has given me for my house. A scarf, a collection of ties, and sweaters with my house colors on it. It has all been added onto my own collection of stuff. I sneak under the covers and fall asleep quickly.

                                                                              ∼⛦∼

I wake up late the next morning, only one other girl is in the room.

I yawn.

"Hey. The others already left for breakfast if that's what you're wondering." She says

"Uh, thanks?" I tell her. "I'm Aran by the way, Aran Hall"

"Tracey Davis."

"Nice to meet ya."

I begin getting dressed for class, and Tracey politely waits for me. Then we head down to eat an early breakfast before our classes begin. We sit down near the end of the Slytherin table.

"So," Tracey begins, "how surprised were you when you got into Slytherin? To me it was a huge shock, although the more I think about it, the less shocking it seems."

"Well, I dunno really. I mean I knew I wasn't going to be in Hufflepuff, that for me was certain. So really it was either Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Slytherin. I'm kinda glad I'm here, looking at the other options."

"Huh. Quite honestly I have no idea what other house I'd be in." Tracey takes a bite of some waffles, "So what about your fam?"

"My what?"

"Your family, your home life, you don't look very used to any of this. Are you a muggle-born?" she asks me

"Not at all. Both of my parents are wizards, although my dad is a muggle-born. I don't know much about my mum's side though. I've never met any of them."

"Interesting. I'm 100% pure blood. That usually tends to happen, ancient families only marry into other old families." Tracey informs me.

Then Professor Snape, the potions master and Slytherin head-of-house, comes around giving out our class schedules.

"Aran Hall and Tracey Davis, wouldn't have guessed." He says as he gives us our schedule and walks away.

We both watch him go down the table, then think about what he said.

"What do you think that was about?" I ask Tracey.

Tracey doesn't say anything though, only raises her chin, looking off to the side, thinking.

"Tracey?"

"Sorry, I-"

"What is it?"

"I come from a long line of Hufflepuffs, so I'm like, the first Slytherin in my family."

"My mum's Hufflepuff. And my dad's Ravenclaw. To make things worst in my family is that my mum's probably going to disown me."

"Well, that is just mean. And here I thought Hufflepuffs were loyal and unjust." Tracey reassures me.

I change the subject, "So, what classes do we have?" I unroll the parchment with my new classes on them. Transfiguration? Charms? Defence Against the Dark Arts? I have never heard of any of these in my entire life.

Tracey and I finish breakfast and go back to our common room to prepare for our first class. I almost keep knocking stuff over from my nervousness. To make matters worse, I have no idea where Buffy is. I pack everything up into a bag of mine, crocheted by my mum, and quickly check the area for her. Daphne then comes in.
"What's up?" She asks me.

"I can't find Buffy, my cat." I tell her.

She cocks her head, "The black and white one, right?"

I nod.

"I just saw her outside playing with another cat." Daphne informs me.

I run out of the room, muttering a "Thanks" on the way out. I look down at the bottom floor of the common room. There, in the middle of the room, is Buffy, playing with a large black one. I walk down stairs.

"Hey!" A large girl calls out to me, "This cat is yours, right?"

"Yeah" I tell her.

"I just found her here playing with my own kitten. I'm Millicent Bulstrode by the way."

"Aran Hall, thanks." I lean down and scratch behind Buffy's ears. She purrs as I do so. "I best be going off, catch you later." Then I shrug on my bag and head off for my first class. This is going to be a busy week.