|| Black and White || (marauders era)

Talking hats and another black

I sat atop a wobbly stool, a talking hat upon my head. The infamous sorting hat.

I nervously looked down at the floor, avoiding everyone's eyes. I hated this attention.

"I'm sorry but can you please hurry up?" I asked it quietly.

"Hurry up?! The sorting takes care so just be patient." It muttered inside my head.

It kept on mumbling things until it finally seemed to be deciding.
"She would do well in Gryffindor but... She has a lot of potential for Slytherin. The potential in each is almost equal but one certainly outweighs the other. I'll put you in... SLYTHERIN!"

One table halfheartedly applauded my arrival into their house and I quickly sat next to Sev.

Once the feast had started, I turned around and looked towards Remus, Sirius, James and Peter. Sirius and James pouted and Remus smiled at me out of pity whilst Peter had dug into some chicken wings.

Severus followed my gaze.

"You're not friends with them are you?"

I turned back to Severus to see him scowling as he spoke.

"I've met them. They sat with me on the boats but I don't think we're friends."

"Promise me you won't befriend them?" He looked me in the eyes.

I sighed. "Sev, you can't choose who I'm friends with. I don't see your problem, they're nice people." I glanced back at them, and Sirius was scowling in our direction. Once he met my eyes he covered it up with a grin.

"They're horrible people. You're just like the rest of the school, fooled by their dumb act." He replied, glaring at them. "They bully me! Why can't you be more like Regulus or something, he's able to see through them, or maybe your just as stupid as all the girls in Gryffindor."

I looked up at Severus, shocked and hurt out of my mind. This wasn't supposed to happen. Our first meet up in years was supposed to go right. It took a horrible turn.

"H-how dare you compare me with another person? I don't even bloody know who this 'Regulus' is for Merlins sake! I can and will befriend them, I'm sure they would treat me better than you. You don't control me. I don't understand, are you jealous of them? And to call me all those things, Severus this is not like you. I wanted a great first day back. Thanks for ruining it for me." I rambled, tears blinding me.

I stood up from the table, I had decided to leave. I looked over to the four boys at Gryffindor table. Who had mixed expressions of concern and anger.

Did I know where I was going? Kinda. I opened the large doors of the great hall. Professor Mcgonagall stood up in protest but Dumbledore calmly sat her back down and watched me exit, the doors shutting behind me.

Outside. That's where I was going.

I kept walking through the lush grass until I reached the edge of a forest, the forbidden forest.

Then I spotted them. My comfort.

Thestrals are beautiful creatures. I don't know much about them, but there were a few in the forest outside the White Manor, my home. I would always go to them when I felt upset.

I didn't go too close to them because I didn't want to disturb their peaceful grazing, so I just sat on a nearby log and watched them.