The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 1- 10

When the hat said this Cassiopeia was both happy and shocked, she looked to Harry who weakly smiled, she then looked to Ron who refused to make eye-contact. She walked over to the cheering table and sat next to Draco. The final three were sorted; Lisa Turpin; Ravenclaw, Ron; Gryffindor and Blaise Zabini; Slytherin. Blaise went to sit next to Cassiopeia, while Dumbledore stood up.

He held his hands wide and began his 'welcome speech':

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all students. And a few of our older students should remember this as well." His eyes lingering on the Weasley twins, "I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classed in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madame Hooch." His hand gesturing towards a woman on the staff table with short grey hair and yellow eyes. "And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. And now let me say a few words to introduce the feast and they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

With these few, but very strange, words the food magically appeared in front of the students on platters in the middle of the table, foods like roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, peas, carrots, gravy, and many other random foods. Cassiopeia then turned to the people sitting around her and introduced herself. She first met Blaise Zabini, who was a dark-skinned boy with short black hair, followed by Amelia King, who was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and green eyes, followed by Theodore Nott, who was a tall boy with brown hair and blue eyes, followed by Draco's followers Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who were both quite large and seemed to do whatever Draco wanted of them, and then Pansy Parkinson, who was a girl with short black hair and a face like a pug, and Millicent Bulstrode, who had long brown hair and was quite chubby. Cassiopeia was quite happy with the people that she met at the table as they all seemed nice, however that was then ruined when she looked over to the Gryffindor table to see Ron avoiding her gaze. But she brushed it off as the group began to talk about what blood-status they were, however when they asked Cassiopeia, she had to admit that she didn't know. But Pansy Parkinson wasn't happy with that answer.

"What do you mean that you don't know?" She sneered.

"Well, my mum and dad-" Cassiopeia then stopped, remembering that William said not to reveal that she was adopted.

"Your mum and dad what?" Pansy sneered, the people surrounding them looked to Cassiopeia waiting for a reply.

"My mum and dad are wizards. I just don't know what status." She quickly said.

"Well, you attend the 'pure-blooded' balls. So, you must be a pure-blood." Draco added, giving her a reassuring smile, Cassiopeia was grateful for this- knowing that she at least had one friend. This made Pansy give up on being mean to Cassiopeia and they went back to their food.

Once everyone had finished the deserts Dumbledore stood up again addressing us before we went to bed:

"Well, that was lovely." He replied with a chuckle. "Now our beds await, but first let's sing the school song" Dumbledore gave his wand a flick, out of which came a golden ribbon- which went above the tables and spelt-out the words. "Now, everyone pick your favourite tune, and off we go!"

And the whole school bellowed:

'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, and we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains rot.'

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they were finished, everyone clapped- Dumbledore being the loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

With this the Slytherin first-years followed the Slytherin prefect towards the dungeons, where their dormitory was. Upon entering, Cassiopeia kept an emotionless face, but her eyes lit up at the look of the room. The Slytherin common room was furnished in mainly green, black and silver. Black leather couches are placed around the room on green rugs, which were embroidered with the Slytherin crest, and there was a great fire coming from the beautiful fireplace, which happened to be green. The green fire added to the already green-tinted room, due to the fact that the common room was under the black lake.

"The boy's dormitories are up the stairs, to the left. And girls same on your right." With this Cassiopeia left the common room to find the dorms, she looked to the door and saw a sign reading 'Millicent Bulstrode, Amelia King, Pansy Parkinson, Cassiopeia Reid'. Cassiopeia opened the door to find four four-poster beds, each with green and silver bed covers, she walked over to the bed by the window and found her stuff. She began to unpack when the door opened, revealing Amelia.

"Hi." Amelia said, looking a bit nervous.

"Hello, shame we have to share with the other two. They seem like hell." Cassiopeia replied with a chuckle. Amelia laughed in response and they began to talk and 'break the ice'. They became good friends and by the time they were ready for bed Millicent and Pansy walked in- they greeted each other and they went to bed.

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Thanks for reading

-Zoe