The Sorting

Chapter Four

On her way to the next class she had, Kagome was stopped by a group of some Gryffindor's she had gotten to know when she herself had been a Gryffindor. She moved to go around them, but one such Gryffindor stepped right in front of her, blocking her path. "Lavender," Kagome smiled, though it wasn't at all from the heart, "Do you need something?"

"Nothing a traitor like you could help me with," she sneered, flicking her blond waves over her shoulder as she did.

"Traitor, am I? I fought the same war that you did, and I recall having to help you out a few times as well. Traitor...yeah, you're right, a Traitor would have kept you alive, so I must be. Next time, I'll try to remain loyal, and kill you instead."

"Is that a threat!?"

"Call it what you will!" Kagome pushed Lavender out of her way, she was already irritated over a bout she'd had with Ginny that morning after she parted ways with Draco and Blaise. She had never been really close with the ginger haired girl, but apparently, her brother having had a crush on her was a legitimate excuse for Ginny to badmouth her in the halls and basically say she might as well join the ranks of Voldemort! Who in Merlin's name did that bratty girl think she was talking to!?

"What the hell did you say!?"

Kagome hadn't really been paying attention to Lavender after she'd made to walk by her. "What do you think I said?" She asked curiously.

"Bitch! I swear I'm going to teach you a lesson!" and as if to prove her point, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Kagome, before either could get in a word, a shot of light blast past Kagome's head and hit Lavender, who was suddenly dancing uncontrollably.

"The dancing feet hex, quite funny really..."

Kagome turned at the dreamy voice that came from behind her, smiling at another resorted student who had made it into Slytherin. "Hello Luna..."

The blonde haired girl smiled, "Hello Kagome...The Flixsperts are jumping about a lot today it seems."

The smile on Kagome's face grew, she really liked the ex-ravenclaw. She may talk about creatures she didn't believe in but she was always someone who wasn't afraid to be the outcast. That is something Kagome admired.

"How are you doing today?" She was going to try to make small talk with the younger girl. It would do Kagome some good to have a friend in Slytherin.

Who better than someone also resorted?

"Very well, actually..." Luna smiled, blue eyes flickering to Kagome's own blue ones, "The day is rather boring though..."

Kagome didn't really say anything on it being a boring day, to her the day had been rather eventful, but then again, she was a Gryffindor before and now a Slytherin. She was going to be the center of attention for awhile...as much as she disliked it.

"We probably should get going to class..." Kagome sighed, looking at the blonde girl who smiled and started to walk next to her to their next class...and probably worse class of the day.

Potions...with Gryffindors...

x-X-x

Kagome sat at the back of the room, Luna sitting next to her as the two waited for Snape to come in and start the class. The two had arrived in time, with a few minutes to spare, lucky for them.

She didn't want to know how Snape would act if any of his snakes were late to his class...as far back as she could recall, she had never seen a single Slytherin late for Potions...ever.

When the time came for Potions to begin, the door was shut with a flick of a wand as he strolled past the students and to the front of the class, the billowing of his cloak was as attention grabbing as it normally was, but this time he seemed to be equally as irritated as Kagome felt.

"Open your books to page 96, we will be brewing the Doxycide Potion, the ingredients are on the board, be quiet, and no messes, follow the instructions..." his eyes landed on Neville, one of the few who had returned to school, from what she understood, he wanted to be the next Herbology Professor, so he needed O's on his Potions and Herbology NEWT's, which Kagome seriously doubted would be easy for him, considering his known fear towards the Potion's Professor. It was strange though, he didn't seem all that afraid anymore, like he had finally become content with the man.

Kagome pulled her potions book out, turning to the page he'd called, the cauldron between her and Luna was pushed back a bit so that she and the once Ravenclaw could read the instructions first. "I'll gather the ingredients," she said as Luna nodded and set the cauldron back where it was.

Passing by Draco and Blaise who were partnered, she felt someone tug on her sleeve and turned a curious eye to Blaise who was smiling up at her, "Makin' friends I see,"

Raising a brow, she smiled and nodded, "I didn't think settling with bad influences such as yourselves would be in my best interest, you understand, yes?" she turned and walked off, passing the Potions Professor who was leaning against his desk watching the students gather their ingredients, making sure that once they were done, the ingredients were all gone. He made certain that the exact amount was on the table, so there should be nothing left over, and if there was, some poor dunderhead was bound to mess up their potion.

When she got all that she needed, she made her way to Luna who had just turned the burner on, "Shall we begin? You can start on the lavender root, and I can start with Sopophorous Beans,"

Kagome nodded, "That's fine,"

Not even two minutes passed and Kagome heard a sigh from her left, she was skinning the lavender root while Luna attempted stabbing a particularly jumpy bean. Kagome smiled, "Hands in the air, Luna."

Luna lifted her hands curiously when Kagome suddenly slammed the flat side of her knife down on the bean, successfully juicing it.

The whole of the class jumped at the loud sound she'd created and looked to see what she had done, Luna particularly had large eyes at having a knife slammed down in front of her, "It's not jumping anymore."

Luna nodded, "You're right, a new knife may be called for if you are to continue with skinning the Lavender root."

Severus was watching the exchange, curiosity in his eyes at what had just transpired when he heard a familiar voice come from Neville and Hermione's table.

"She ought to have points taken for slamming sharp knives on tables the way she did just then! And she slaughtered that ingredient, it's completely useless now!"

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss. Granger," Hermione looked ready to argue with her Potions Professor when he held a hand up, "If you have something to add, by all means, but it will cost you more points," Her mouth snapped shut at that, but her glare didn't stop.

In the end, the potion which was blackest, had in fact been Kagome and Luna's. Hermione's, though a very dark shade of black, was just that, black. The two newly recruited Slytherin's had managed to create a Jet Black shade, leaving the Gryffindor girl fuming when Severus rewarded the two ten points.