Always - Welcome to the Wizarding World

Part 8

As every student exited the hall, I saw Cedric leaving with Hufflepuff, so I rushed over to catch him. I grabbed his arm and he spun around, beaming and grabbed me in his arms, lifting me in the air and spinning me. I guffawed at his sudden actions. 

"Cedric, you mad sod, put me down!" I giggled. Once he had, his friends around him walked off, whispering to each in excitable tones. I brushed my hair out of my face and smiled at Cedric. "What's got you so excited, Diggory?" I asked him. He just laughed again, his sweet, bright face lighting up.

"Weren't you listening to a word Dumbledore was saying, Ray? The Triwizard Tournament, here! This is incredible, I can't believe it!" he exclaimed, his cheeks red with excitement.

"It is rather thrilling, I suppose. Are you going to enter then?" I questioned.

"Of course I am, I'd never pass up such an opportunity!" he told me. Suddenly, I felt the happiness inside me burn away and worry filled it. I did hear what Dumbledore said, these contests were not for the "faint-hearted". Cedric could get hurt, seriously hurt.

"Ced, before you jump into this, maybe just think about what could happen. This tournament sounds pretty dangerous. Do you really want to risk your life over some competition?" Cedric chuckled at me and ruffled my hair, making me feel about six inches tall.

"Oh, Ray, you don't really believe all that rubbish, do you? They only tell you that to make it more exciting and get the tournament more publicity! There's no way people actually get injured in this thing! Trust me, I'm certain that I'm putting myself up for it and I'm certain I'll come out absolutely spotless!" he tried to convince me. 

I looked back into the Hall, the crowd was starting to thin out. Dumbledore was conversing quietly with Mr Crouch.

"I don't believe that, Ced. Dumbledore seemed very serious about it all. He doesn't strike me as a man who lies" I told him, watching Dumbledore closely. Ced grabbed both my hands so I turned back to face him.

"Ray, I'll be fine. In fact, to prove that these games aren't as bad as they're made out to be, I'm going to enter, become a champion and win, for you" Cedric told me. "For you", he'd said. I couldn't help but smile at him stupidly. It was moments like this that made me feel like he cared for me too. I looked behind him and saw some of his mates waiting for him in the hallway.

"Come on, Ced. Say goodbye to your girlfriend!" one of them joked. He turned around and stuck his fingers up at them, I simply giggled. Ced turned back to me, shaking his head at them, his face illuminated by the dim glow of the golden candles above our heads.

"I have to go. I'll see you around, Ray" Cedric said, walking backwards away from me. I waved goodbye to him, but in an instant, he came back around the corner. "Sorry about getting into Slytherin, by the way. That's rotten luck!" he said, pouting sympathetically. I shrugged.

"I don't mind. It might be alright" I said, my insides twisting nervously at my lie. Cedric nodded uncertainly and waved goodbye to me, finally walking off with his friends. I smirked to myself, then I forced my expression to change as Professor Snape approached me again. I guessed that he did not appreciate displays of  any emotion as he, himself, never did.

"Congratulations on getting into Slytherin, Miss Snape. I did expect as much, your father and I were in Slytherin also. Let us hope you have your father's intelligence and determination, as well as Alice's wit and innovation" Professor Snape praised. I pursed my lips, attempting to appear thankful. I knew that the Sorting Hat's decision about me would be met with different reactions, but my uncle's was the most optimistic. He was patently biased, what with being the house leader, but I was glad to know that Slytherin had some good traits that I could have inherited myself.

"Thank you, professor. Although, I don't really have many friends in this house, so I feel slightly lost" I said. He tutted at me.

"I wouldn't worry about that. I think one or two people may have taken an interest in you already" Snape said. I agreed that, for some reason that I was yet to become aware of, they had. Although, how he was aware of this, I was yet to discover. "Do you know where the common room is?" he asked me. I shook my head. He signalled for me to follow him.

We walked down many staircases and corridors into the darkest and deepest part of the castle I had seen so far. A numbing chill stroked my cheeks, leaving me with the aching feeling of being slapped. It was a strange thought that I would be spending most of my time in a place like this, a place in which I felt most uncomfortable.

"Purum sangiunem" Snape muttered under his breath and the door opened into the common room. Well, I say common room. It looked more like an ancient prison chamber, the ceiling reaching 20 feet at least. The walls, pillars and steps were made of a grey stone of some sort and black iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling, swinging slightly as though they were about to fall, which could have been at any minute. I moved underneath them quickly, ridiculously concerned about being maimed. A fire sat blazing in the corner with assorted black leather furniture placed accordingly so they were facing it. An ancient picture of the most important ancestor of Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin, was hung upon the wall, an oil painting in a delicate wooden frame. Uniforms, books, bags, all sorts of things were slung about all over the room, leaving proof that students spent a great deal of  time in there; I could see no pride was taken in keeping the common room tidy. Not that it mattered to me; I was never one for cleanliness. It was freezing cold down in the bowels of the castle; the only warmth I felt was when I was stood next to the fire. The icy stone walls reminded me of a stereotypical underground cell.

"Sir, are we in the..."

"Dungeons, yes. I thought it was rather harsh placing you all down here, but everyone seems to enjoy it. It's much quieter than other parts of the castle. At least it's relaxing at night down here when you're sleeping, the sound of the lake water lapping against the windows can be very soothing" Severus answered, rather poetically. The common room was entirely silent, there were no students in sight and if I listened closely, I could hear the moonlit waves splashing against the rock and the crackling and spitting of the warm log fire. I hovered my hand above the orange flames, the ash flying out of the fireplace. A sudden worry hit me as I realized I had no idea where any of my possessions were. 

"My cases and Noctem? Do you know where they will be? I haven't seen them since I got on the train this morning" I asked Severus.

"They'll be upstairs in your room, Miss Snape. Go up the steps to your right and you will find the girls' dormitories. Your room will be the first one on the left" he instructed. I consented and turned to walk up the stone steps.

"Thank you, professor" I replied, starting to ascend.

"Radia. Have a pleasant night" he said before I left, still ceasing to smile. Regardless, I beamed back at him.

"And you, professor. Goodnight". Severus turned himself on the spot and marched out,his jet black cape rippling as he walked.