The Badger Amongst Serpents

Chapter 1

It had all been normal before then. My whole life I was treated just the same as my older brother Draco. Then, it was my first day of school. Hogwarts was the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the country, and no expense was spared on my school supplies. I was attending Hogwarts fully equipped with all my spellbooks, wand, cauldron and a tiny black kitten whom I had affectionately named Fluffy, or Fluff for short.

It was the moment of judgement. Doomsday. The Sorting.

"Malfoy, Adrasteia."

My name.

I stepped forward, and up onto the raised platform on which the ancient, three-legged stool stood, and atop this rickety old stool, the worn, frayed sorting hat sat.

This hat decided my place and whether or not I stay on the family tree, as it had done with my brother 2 years before.

If I was not in Slytherin, I would be removed from the family tree, and disowned by my parents.

Why? Because the pure blood line must carry on and we can't have blood traitors meh meh meh

I sat down anxiously on the stool, feeling the eyes of everyone in the hall staring at me.

A short professor with a squeaky voice, the same one who had called us all by name, placed the Sorting Hat on my head. It was much too big and slipped down over my eyes and ears.

Hmmmm... desperate to prove yourself, talented but no hint of arrogance. Quite unusual for a Malfoy. Slytherin doesn't quite fit you, nor Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Friendly and impartial, I think you are best suited to HUFFLEPUFF

The hat yelled the last word aloud, and my heart sank rapidly. As Professor Flitwick removed the hat from my head, I saw my brother Draco shoot me a look of pure disgust, take out a quill and begin scribbling on some parchment.

I keep my eyes on the floor, and shuffle miserably towards the Hufflepuff table. I'm done for. Draco will write home, and I'll be blasted off the family tree... just like my aunt Andromeda... oh god no...

I joined the Hufflepuffs and they looked at me, warily. I supposed they had heard of my brother before, and how he went around last year telling everyone how he would get Dumbledore thrown out. But I'm not like him. At all! He's arrogant, mean, highly ambitious, and speaks most highly of Harry Potter. Almost too highly, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, as the last first year was declared "Ravenclaw," Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat.

"Tonight, I have two words for you. Tuck in."

As he turned away from the lectern, food magically piled itself upon the silver and gold plates. Everything from roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and steamed vegetables to roasted pork, chicken drumsticks and sausages. I piled some of everything onto my plate, swept my silver blonde hair our of my face and began to eat. The food was incredible. I must remember to leave a thank you note for the house elves!

When everyone finished their dinner, the remnants of the food vanished from the plates, but were instantaneously replaced by the most amazing selection of desserts I had ever seen. In the process of reaching for a slice of black forest gateau, I caught a glimpse of Draco walking from the hall, a small parchment envelope clutched in his left hand. I didn't think much of it, perhaps it was a letter to Pansy Parkinson who was ill and arriving after us.

Everyone finished their dessert, the leftovers disappearing as Dumbledore stood to address us once more. I was tired, so wasn't paying attention, however I managed to catch the general gist of it, along with a single phrase.

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Professor Dumbledore went on about my mother's first cousin, Sirius Black, and how dangerous he is and everything, although according to mother, he was a Gryffindor and best mates with Harry Potter's dad. So if you ask me, I don't think he was dangerous at all.

We were dismissed and I followed a tall boy, who was our house prefect, from the hall, down some stairs to the basement and finally along a corridor which led to the Hufflepuff common room. He let us in and told us where the dormitories were.

That night, I fell asleep happily anticipating the next day's lessons.