The Worst In Me- A Draco Malfoy Story

Chapter 1 - New Beginnings

It had been two years since Cedric was killed.

The sky was dark and brooding as Reign approached the Hogwarts castle in a tiny wooden boat that was usually reserved for first years. Technically she supposed it was her first year at Hogwarts, although she already had four years of intensive schooling behind her. Reign's situation was an odd one, seeing as how she had already attended both Ilvermorny and Beauxbatons, with the single year she was at Beauxbatons spent almost entirely on Hogwarts' grounds in light of the Triwizard Tournament.

That being said, she still felt just as out of place here at Hogwarts. Arriving with the first years certainly didn't help matters.

Upon docking their boats, the small group was led to the Great Hall. Reign assumed the number of first years in attendance was usually larger, but seeing as how the Dark Lord had returned many families had chosen to keep their children home for the year. If she was being entirely honest, she couldn't blame them. Voldemort was back and nowhere was safe, not even Hogwarts.

The noise in the hall was deafening as Hagrid opened the large doors and lead them inside. Reign glanced around, taking in the familiar sight as she walked towards the front of the hall where the professors sat. The tables were filled with every sort of food one could imagine, just as she remembered from her first time within the castle. The chatter was just as lively and filled with laughter as it had been then as well, although the enchanted ceiling above them gave off a much more menacing aura. Dark clouds swirled overhead and there wasn't a star in sight. Reign felt a chill run down her spine as she thought about the last time she had seen a sky that dark.

As she passed the Gryffindor table she noticed a few familiar faces. Ron, Hermione, Harry of course. Luna Lovegood stood talking to the three and holding what looked to be a magazine of sorts. She avoided looking at the Hufflepuff table, knowing that of all the faces that might be staring back at her the only one she truly wanted to see wouldn't be there. Instead her eyes fell on the Slytherin table. Her gaze locked upon a boy who looked to be about her age. He had icy blonde hair and eyes that resembled the cloudy grey sky above her. He stared at her for a moment with an unreadable expression on his face before turning back to the boy sat next to him.

Reign couldn't place where she knew this boy from but he seemed undoubtably familiar. Something about the way he held himself, as if he had something to hide and everything to lose.

When she reached the front Reign noticed a well worn hat sitting with an air of importance on a stool in the center of the floor.

"The sorting hat..." one of the first years whispered as if reading her mind.

"The what?" she turned towards him in confusion.

"The sorting hat," he said, more confidently this time, "It tells you which house you'll be in."

Reign nodded. They had performed similar ceremonies at Ilvermorny and Beauxbatons. Neither, however, involved placing a musty old hat on your head.

Before she could think any more about how unsanitary that must be Dumbledore stood to welcome the students back for yet another year of learning. She couldn't quite concentrate on his speech no matter how hard she tried. Her mind kept wandering back to the speech the headmaster had given in this same room just before the Triwizard Tournament began. Cedric had sat in one of these seats listening to that same speech, not knowing yet that he would be chosen by the goblet of fire. Not knowing yet that the tournament he wanted so badly to take part in would be the last thing he did.

Deafening applause from around the room shattered her memory and she realized she had missed all of Dumbledore's remarks. It was just as well, she really was in no mood to hear what a successful year he was looking forward to. Not when Voldemort was back and she had the feeling the coming year would be anything but successful.